War never changes, and it is a devastating reality of every era in human history. Consequently, that’s also likely one of the reasons whywar animeare not common since properly covering these types of narratives is extremely difficult, even from a production standpoint. At least, they are rare when compared to other genres that don’t necessitate too many action sequences.
Many great recommendations in this genre will sate the viewers' craving for action, strategy, and drama. Of course, the best anime about war doesn’t glorify this act but rather tell human stories that show how wasteful this act is. Many people lose their lives for no reason in the fight for a greater good that is almost always subjective. It can be rather tough to tackle such mature concepts… but thebest war animearound does a great job of highlighting this facet, among many others.
Battle shonen anime likeOne Piece,Bleach,Gintama,Black Clover, andNarutothat have war arcs will not be included since they are not representative of the entire series. Still, some of these storylines are fantastic.
Updated Jun 03, 2025 by Mark Sammut:Winter 2025 is here, but its lineup does not have much in the way ofwar anime. Still, there are a few shows that could hit the mark:
As neither of those aregreat war anime, a 2012 remake of a classic has been added as a recommendation. Click below to jump this series.
Ishurais not the most accessible series, and that is a creative choice. Season 1 spends roughly five episodes introducing a bunch of powerful figures who will take part in an upcoming war, with the characters not having much to do with each other before the conflict begins. As such, the opening half of the season seems to consist of a series of first episodes with little forward momentum, and there is also no obvious protagonist for viewers to latch onto. Honestly, this section can be hard to sit through, especially since the world-building is quite slow and scattershot.
However, once the war begins,Ishurabecomes pretty great. This fantasy world is ruled by a single power, Aureatia, and anyone who forms a new kingdom is labeled a Demon King. The war finds Aureatia trying to extinguish the New Principality of Lithia, with Taren the Punished serving as the latter’s figurehead. The war pits a collection of overpowered warriors in battles to the death, and the anime’s lack of obvious protagonists means that anyone can realistically die. The action is not only great, but the story also emphasizes the casualties of war, making the conflict feel significant rather than just 1v1 encounters.
Ishuraseason 2 is part of theWinter 2025 anime season, but the sequel does not revolve around a war.
Do not judge an anime by its title, particularly one as baffling asPumpkin Scissors. Like, what does that even mean? Well, putting all that aside, this minor cult classic is well worth a watch, even if it has a few rough edges and a weak final act that drags it down slightly. Taking place in a fantasy realm very clearly inspired by post-World War I Europe, the story follows a group of military personnel who are assigned to aid people who are trying to pick up the pieces after the end of a vicious war. In some ways, the concept is kind of similar toViolet Evergarden, althoughPumpkin Scissorsfollows a more conventional shonen structure.
Honestly, this show is a bit of a mixed bag. Alice leads the Pumpkin Scissors squad, and she is arguably the most divisive character in the anime. Idealistic to a fault, Alice’s inexperience initially seems to be a negative, but she does not really change all that much throughout the series. Still, she is not a terrible character, just not an extremely interesting one. Fortunately, she is surrounded by far more interesting figures, including a soldier who is suffering from PTSD due to the things he saw and did during the war.
Record of Grancrest Warhad something interesting going for it. Mostviewers loved the first nine episodesfor being compelling, if somewhat generic. However, since the series doesn’t follow the light novel all that accurately, some people are bound to have issues with how this series is structured.
However, viewers who check outRecord of Grancrest Warwith an open mind will certainly like what’s on offer here. The pacing can be a bit too fast for most people’s liking, but people who manage to look past this issue will enjoy a fun, underappreciated series. The anime may be simple and rudimentary compared to others that deal with heavier themes, but people who just want to enjoy an easy watch will find this show to be decent.
The warring states era of Japan is rife with epic war stories. The most prominent warlord among them is Oda Nobunaga; his plight to unify Japan under his iron fist is nothing short of violent. That’s whatSamurai Kingsportrays in its romanticized form.
Except, Nobunaga is treated as some kind of villain here. He’s a warmonger who forces two warring underdog clan leaders to set aside their differences to oppose the oncoming giant who’s after their territory. Viewers can expectlarge-scale samurai combat and more historically accurate fighting(at least when compared to the vast majority of samurai anime).
After humanity reaches Mars and finds a powerful technology called Aldnoah there, the world is thrust into a war between the Vers Empire of Mars and the Terrans who stayed back on Earth. The destruction of the moon prompted a shaky ceasefire that was broken when Princess Asseylum Vers Allusia was assassinated on Earth during an effort to strengthen relations between the two nations.
While the story focuses on a high school student who’s tasked with saving the world, it’s not that big a deal once fans get into this excellent mecha anime. It may not touch upon any new ground, but it’s worth checking out for fans of a classic series with enough sci-fi tropes to keep them satisfied.
This recommendation comes with the caveat that the anime ends before the war hits its stride, so anyone interested will need to track down the manga (which is great). Still,Driftersis an incrediblyfun addition to the isekai genre, one that sends some iconic historical figures into another world that is just rife with conflict. Divided into Drifters and Ends, people like Nobunaga Oda, Jeanne d’Arc, Gilles de Rais, and Toyohisa Shimazu engage in bloody fights to death, all the while the innocent masses are left to suffer.
Even though it feels more like a battle royale than a traditional war story,Driftersis nevertheless a solid pick for anyone interested in the latter, especially if they like their action vicious and over-the-top. Most of thebest war animeare heavy, so this series can be a nice change of pace.
Sticking with isekai,Now and Then, Here and Thereis not as entertaining asDrifters, but it is arguably a more effective war anime. The charmingly naive and kind-hearted Shuu rushes to another world after watching a girl get kidnapped, all in the hopes of playing the part of the hero. Unfortunately, he finds himself in a dystopian world that is in the middle of a war, and Shuu is quickly captured and essentially turned into a child prisoner/soldier.
Now and Then, Here and Thereis the definition of a grim war story that puts its protagonist through hell, including some pretty intense torture. While not devoid of fantastical elements, the anime opts against easy answers or adhering to power fantasy tropes synonymous with isekai. It makes for a pretty uncomfortable watch at times, which is the point.
There’sawar animefeaturing World War 1so naturally, there’s also one set in World War 2.Zipangis a battleship war epic where a modern-day destroyer and its crew somehow find themselves mysteriously transported to the past, specifically in the Battle of Midway between the US and Imperial Japan in 1942.
Being afraid that their interference might change the course of present-day history, they make themselves scarce and anonymous. However, it suddenly dawns on them that they can also change the present day for the better.
Speaking of anime period pieces,Altair: A Record of Battlesisone such anime that will delight history buffs. It’s a war epic based on the Ottoman Empire (Turkey in the modern world) which ran from around 1300 - 1922 CE. That’s a long period but the anime picks the medieval portion of that spectrum.
Thus, there’s plenty of Islamic iconography as well as somewhat realistic battle tactics and war strategies employed during the depicted time. Tughril Mahmut is the protagonist and his small country is being threatened by the Ottoman Empire’s aggressive expansion, so he must do everything within his power to defend his land and people.
Valkyria Chroniclesisa video game seriesthat focuses on a war between fictional kingdoms, telling many interesting stories using this backdrop. It helps that the stories told here are riveting. The series was ripe for an anime adaptation that could do justice to the worldbuilding and lore of this IP.
While there’s no denying that some aspects ofValkyria Chronicles' anime adaptation are threadbare at best, there’s a lot of heart in this project that is visible for anyone to see. The animation itself may not be anything remarkable, but the great music and characters carry this experience for most viewers. It’s easy to see why so many people considerValkyria Chroniclesto be one of the most underrated anime around, even if there are some caveats surrounding this title that need to be mentioned.
