War Anime — Discover the 25 Best

Looking for strategic anime involving wars between peoples? In this article, we will see the best anime of the genre, we will divide it into sub-genres involving world war, medieval war, intergalactic and others. I hope you like the conflict anime.

Wars occur for many reasons, from racial tension to political maneuvering and old-fashioned pranks and games, with consequences ranging from genocide to the loss of land and power.

Medieval Warfare Anime

Medieval War Anime takes place between ancient peoples. Many anime mix a world of fantasy and magic with medieval wars. Some war anime takes place in Feudal Japan with Samurais and Ninjas or japanese mythology.

Villa Saga

By the end of the millennium, Viking, the most powerful but atrocious tribe, was spreading far and wide. Thorfinn, the son of the greatest warrior, spent his childhood on the battlefield. He was looking for the dreamland called Vinland. This is the story of a true warrior in a time of turmoil.

The anime that actually speaks the Seinen language. Life brings us difficulties and decisions to make, it's unfair, it's difficult, it's cruel and this anime shows that, you can relate to the difficulties that many characters go through.

While it may seem like a mere revenge story at first, this 24-episode series acts as a meditation on revenge and war, as well as the thrills and horrors that await. Some say that this anime looks like Berserk.

War anime - get to know the top 25

Kingdom

Set during the Warring States period of ancient China (475 – 221 BC). Xin and Piao are war orphans in the kingdom of Qin, and each dreams of being world-renowned generals, proving their worth on the battlefield.

However, Piao is taken to the palace by a minister and Xin is left behind in his village. This, of course, becomes the first step on a very difficult journey for Xin. In time Xin meets Zheng, a boy who could be his friend Piao's twin.

Despite the CG so hated… it's worth watching. The plot, characters, action and feel complete and very satisfying. Kingdom is incredibly moving and addictive, it really deserves far more recognition than it has received.

War anime - get to know the top 25

Konohana Kitan

It is June of the year 1923 AD. A young woman with blonde hair and blue eyes, Tanya Degurechaff has taken her steps towards a brilliant career as an aviation mage… but things have taken an unexpected turn.

The anime tells the story of a war in Europe of a parallel world with mages involving a loli reincarnated badass. The story follows a certain squad with the protagonist who is quite crazy, despite appearing to be only 10 years old.

In this anime soldiers use magic through weapons. The platoon basically fights a few battles and we see some strategies happening at the HQ. The anime and its release gained prominence for leaving the clichés of isekai.

War anime - get to know the top 25

Attack on Titan

Earth's history changed forever when giant monsters called Titans first appeared. These beasts have a taste for human flesh, forcing humanity to hide in walled cities to survive.

The walls have made fragile peace possible for over a century, but when the walls crumble in a new attack by the Titans, peace goes with them. With its barriers now broken, humanity must fight the enemy if it is to survive.

What will be the secret behind the titans? Did the military manage to stop them? Don't miss one of the most popular and frenetic anime of all time. There are more than 4 seasons of war and pain for you to watch.

War anime - get to know the top 25

Other Medieval War anime

GATE — Youji was an off-duty Japan Defense Force (JSDF) officer on his way to an anime convention on his day off. Then, a portal opened, scattering monsters and knights that kill anyone in their path.

See some more medieval war anime that we recommend:

  • Arslan Senki;
  • Nobunaga the Fool;
  • Nobunaga Concert;
  • Basilisk;
War anime - get to know the top 25

Intergalactic War Anime or Robots

The anime on the list below are from intergalactic wars, where the vast majority have Giant Meka robots, that's why I merged the two categories together. If you want to see giant robot anime, we recommend reading the article about meka anime.

Code Geass

One of the best anime I've watched in my entire life. Even those who don't like the Mecha Genre will like this anime. Here the world is dominated by an Empire called Britannia. In the anime we see a young man end this empire.

Lelouch Vi Britannia He is the Emperor's son, but he hates his father's empire and lives in hiding with his blind sister at a school in Japan. The Japanese are kind of enslaved, Lelouch's best friend being a Japanese.

One day Lelouch gets an ability that allows him to give an absolute order once to a person who looks into his eyes. Using his wits and this skill, he vows to end the Empire of Britannia.

War anime - get to know the top 25

Aldnoah Zero

Fifteen years have passed since the hypergate collapsed on the moon's surface — a catastrophe known as the Skyfall. The war between Earth and the Empire of Mars VERS is now in a ceasefire. (I love the soundtrack from this anime).

Princess Asseylum Vers. Allusia descends to Earth as an ambassador in hopes of encouraging reconciliation while some citizens are unwilling to compromise. A sabotage allegedly attacks the princess, sparking a new war.

Inaho Kaizuka, an Earthling high school student… and Slaine Troyard, who swears allegiance to Princess Assylum… Their fates cross as both societies watch in horror as this new war unfolds and the survival of both peoples.

War anime - get to know the top 25

Ginga Eiyuu Densetsu

The war between the monarchical Galactic Empire and the democratic Free Planets Alliance raged incessantly across the galaxy for more than a century, with the fleets of both powers having fought countless battles. (There are several anime and seasons).

The conflict revolves around the strategic Iserlohn Corridor, one of only two space passages through which the two forces can access each other. Here the Empire has built the fortress of Iserlohn, whose deadly weaponry thwarts the Alliance's repeated efforts to capture it.

Phezzan, a neutral mercantile state, controls the other corridor. The long war has resulted in an indecisive stalemate, but there are two men who will change everything. Their loves, struggles, triumphs and failures traverse an interstellar phase of intrigue, war and death.

War anime - get to know the top 25

Uchuu Senkan Yamato 2199

In the year 2199, relentless attacks from the planet Gamilus forced all life on Earth into underground dwellings and raised radiation levels to near-toxic levels.

The only way to clean up all this harmful radiation is by using the Cosmo Cleaner, which the Queen of the planet Iscandar has generously given to humanity. Unfortunately, Iscandar is 148,000 light-years away, but Earth has only one year before rising radiation levels make it uninhabitable!

The only ship capable of making the voyage is the Yamato — a ship equipped with advanced technology and modeled after the famous battleship of World War II. Can the crew of the Yamato reach Iscandar and return before all life on Earth goes extinct?

War anime - get to know the top 25

Tengen Toppa Gurren Lagann

Simon lives a boring life in the underground village of Jeeha, where his main job is digging tunnels. His close friend Kamina, however, longs to escape his oppressive existence and reach the surface world, where open skies and adventure await!

One day he finds the head of a robot and soon after another giant robot invades the underground village with a girl named Yoko. After helping the girl defeat the giant robot, they go to the surface and discover the truth about humans.

On the surface, Simon, Kamina and Yoko encounter enemies more powerful than they could have imagined. Your fight for adventure has just turned into a war for the survival of the human race that reaches even to the skies.

War anime - get to know the top 25

The article is still halfway through, but we recommend also reading:

Mobile Suit Gundam

Gundam is a long series of anime and movies about giant robots, practically the flagship of the mecha genre. There are so many anime that we even made one Gundam anime complete guide.

Gundam is a highly elaborated anime, its science fiction genre revolutionized the market with its advanced universe theme and its war tactics that included robots and space battles.

Their stories were also meticulously elaborated so as not to generate conflicts in the plot, both in the main plot and in the plots of the anime series that would later stray from the main story.

War anime - get to know the top 25

Other intergalactic war or meka anime

See below some more war anime involving Meka and universal war:

  • Darling in the Franxx;
  • Broken Blade;
  • Eureka Seven
  • macros;
  • Argent Soma;
  • Kakumeiki Valvrave;

WWII anime

There are few anime that take place in World War II, the vast majority are movies. In addition to those listed below, there are some anime that we will mention as an honorable mention, namely: Jogo do Coringa; Azur Lane; Animentary Ketsudan; Trapp Ika Monogatari.

Grave of the Fireflies

Hotaru no Haka is a Japanese war film by Studio Ghibli, written and directed by Isao Takahata. In Brazil it is known as Túmulo dos Vagalumes, one of the saddest and most moving films on the face of the earth.

The anime shows two brothers surviving during World War II after losing their mother to an aerial bomber. Soon after being rejected by his aunt and living alone in an abandoned bomb shelter.

The film begins on September 21, 1945, after the end of World War II, a teenager, Seita, starves to death at a train station in Kobe, Japan. to avoid giving spoiler, I'd rather you watch it's just a movie.

War anime - get to know the top 25

zip

In today's Japan, during what should have been a routine training exercise, Captain Umeza and the battleship Mirai are suddenly hit by a storm, sending them back in time to the middle of WWII.

Armed with cutting-edge technology, Mirai could alter the course of history; But for his crew, the situation presents a moral dilemma: Do they have the right to meddle in history, even to prevent the most terrible tragedies of war, when even the smallest acts can have unforeseen consequences?

Despite being old, this is one of the few anime that takes place during World War II. This anime is a must for military fans. And especially those who love ships and advanced technologies used in modern warfare.

War anime - get to know the top 25

Shuumatsu no Izetta

Before World War II in a re-imagined Europe, abrupt full-scale war and bloody battles are taking place across the world. Eylstadt is a small country without a large military force or natural resources.

Finé, being the crown queen of Eylstadt, decides to use a secret weapon against the larger countries. Her secret weapon is a witch named Izetta and her magical strength. The work provides an entirely different view of war, nationality and morality.

Each episode is filled with joy, drama, comedy, epic explosions, heartbreaking romance and characters full of personality. There are tons of twists to the engaging and intellectual plot, peppered with a realistic and intriguing setting.

War anime - get to know the top 25

WWII anime movies

When searching for WWII anime, I was able to find few, many are old. Probably because Japan doesn't like to remember the war, something little discussed. What we have are films that depict the horrors of war.

Below we will leave a list of anime movies that take place in World War II, there are many, the names are in English, but you can easily get information about them. Let's aim to list the ones with the highest scores first.

In This Corner of the World2016
The Wind Rises2013
Giovanni's Island2014
Barefoot Gen1983
Tsushima Maru: Sayounara Okinawa1982
"Ushiro no Shoumen Dare" does not have a direct translation in English.1991
Anne's Diary1995
On A Paper Crane: Tomoko's Adventure1993
Glass on Usagi2005
The Wind Rises2013
Himeyuri2012
Giovanni's Island2014
Momotaro, Sacred Sailors1945
Momotaro's Sea Eagle1943
Junod2010
In This Corner of the World2016
"Kuro ga Ita Natsu" doesn't have an English translation as it's a title.1990
Tsushima Maru: Sayounara Okinawa1982

Warfare Military Anime

The anime on the list below are wars with no giant robots, no outer space, no magic, no samurai sword fights and the like. Here soldiers wear uniforms and battle strategically. (Other similar ones will be in other categories).

Nejimaki Seirei Senki: Tenkyou no Alderamin

The massive Katvana Empire is at war with the neighboring republic of Kioka. In a corner of the empire, a young man is about to be caught in the flames of war. His name is Iwata Soroku. He is lazy, a womanizer and hates war.

He's as far from a soldier as you can get. On his way to the next phase of the officer qualification exams, he and his childhood friend Yatorishino Igsem are joined by a trainee nurse, a member of the former military faction, and others.

This anime shows very well the intelligence and war strategies and great character development. Despite being set in a military academy, the anime is quite promising and deserves some attention.

War anime - get to know the top 25

Jormunand

Jonah Mar despises guns due to his background as a child soldier, so naturally he's less than thrilled when his job takes him as a bodyguard for an international arms dealer.

With armies, militias and a host of other buyers in front of them, and CIA teams constantly chasing them from behind, Jonah's new mission is anything but easy.

War anime - get to know the top 25

Other anime with military

Fullmetal Alchemist — Although it is not focused on wars, it tells a lot about the history of the military. A very famous anime with an exciting story, an anime you need watch before you die.

Golden Kamuy — Another anime that takes place in the middle of wars and with characters who are military. The anime is very cultural showing the history of Ainu tribes in the Hokkaido region.

  • PsychoPass
  • Full Metal Panic;
  • I'm sorry, but "Musekinin Kanchou Tylor" seems to be a title in Japanese and doesn't have a direct translation into English. If you need more information about it, feel free to ask!

Other War Anime

There are some anime in War, but it's not really the focus of the anime. I will mention the anime that I found in the War category, but that I couldn't fit into any of the previous categories below:

No Game No Life — Both the anime and especially the movie No Game No Life: Zero presents a war between peoples and territories. The only difference is that the wars of nations are decided through trivial games.

Sword Art Online — In the second and third seasons of this anime, we have weapons and turf wars. A great war in the virtual world takes place in the Alicization arc. We can see many strategies and large number of soldiers battling.

Girls und Panzer - An anime full of fan service with lolis who pilot war tanks;

The Pilot Love Song — A romantic anime that shows conflict between people and airplane pilots;

List of War Anime

Below we will share a complete list of war anime that I didn't list in this article, but that fit in the category War according to Anime-Planet. Anime are in order of best to worst by year of release.

Vinland Saga2019
Mo Dao Zu Shi2018
Violet Evergarden2018
Dororo (2019)2019
Star Blazers: Space Battleship Yamato 21992012
Youjo Senki: Saga of Tanya the Evil2017
I'm sorry, but "Super Dimensional Fortress Macross" doesn't seem to be a standard title or phrase, so I'm unable to provide a translation.1982
Banner of the Stars II2001
A Lenda Heroica de Arslan2015
Legend of the Galactic Heroes: Die Neue These2018
Mobile Suit Gundam Wing1995
Xam'd: Lost Memories2008
A lenda dos heróis lendários2010
Crest of the Stars1999
Kingdom2012
Banner of the Stars2000
Utawarerumono2006
Valkyria Chronicles2009
A Ambição de Oda Nobuna2012
"Agüe e Lugar Nenhum"1999
Thunder Jet1994
"Broken Blade" is an anime series based on the manga of the same name. The story is set in a fantasy world where people control powerful ancient mechs called golems. The protagonist, Rygart Arrow, is unable to use magic like everyone else, but he discovers that he can pilot an ancient golem. The series follows his journey as he becomes involved in a war between the nations of Krisna and Athens.2014
Armored Trooper Votoms1983
Lord Marksman and Vanadis2014
zip2004
Lost Song2018
Record of Grancrest War2018
Star Blazers: A Busca por Iscandar1974
Valve the Liberator2013
Altair: A Record of Battles2017
Cat Shit One2010
Angolmois: Record of Mongol Invasion2018
Maria the Virgin Witch2015
Nossa Última Cruzada ou o Surgimento de um Novo Mundo2020
Shoukoku no Altair2015
Delta macros2016
Saikan2002
Izetta: The Last Witch2016
Romance of the Three Kingdoms (2010)2010
A História da Família Trapp1991
Flag2006
Souten Kouro2009
Dog Days2011
Super Robot Wars OG: Divine Wars2006
"Intrigue in the Bakumatsu: Irohanihoheto"2006
"Horizon in the Middle of Nowhere"2011
Rapid Rouge2015
Madlax2004
Romance of the Three Kingdoms1991
Aura Battler Dunbine1983
Kantai Collection: Kan Colle2015
Tide-Line Blue2005
To the Abandoned Sacred Beasts2019
What Happens Before War2016
Super Dimension Century Orguss1983
Chou Seimeitai Transformers: Beast Wars Neo1999

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