The best World War 2 anime

Key conclusions

• Like an anime
  History of the Trapp family
  offer light-hearted depictions of life before World War II, showcasing simpler times.
• Izetta: The Last Witch
  presents an alternative version of World War II with likable characters and cool action sequences.
• Joker game
  provides a fascinating look at the pre-World War II intelligence space, focusing on tensions and espionage.

The The Second World War, between 1939 and 1945. is one of the most significant periods in human history and has accumulated a death toll that is too intoxicating to even contemplate. At this very moment, humanity is living with many of the consequences of that period.

As with any other significant moment in history, the stories, experiences, and mood of this time are contained in movies and entertainment. It is both a reminder of the past and a lesson for future generations. There are several entries in the anime about this warmany of which are underrated gems that should be viewed both for entertainment and for understanding the era.

10 History of the Trapp family

Tells about a simpler time before the war tore everything apart

Many are familiar with the popular musical The sound of music. What some may not know is that it is based on a memoir titled Singers of the Trapp family. This is an anime History of the Trapp Family was released in 1991 by Japan's World Masterpiece Theater and took a lot of inspiration from the memoir as well as the film.

It tells the story of Maria and her adventures with the von Trapp family. Interestingly, the anime is set in 1936, a few years before the war, but the Nazis were already in control and the family was being pressured to join the war. History of the Trapp family is much more light-hearted than many films about WWII and the surrounding era, and it's a great watch for some nice nostalgia.

9 Izetta: The Last Witch

World War II, but with witches

Izetta: The Last Witch takes place in a fictional version of the world during World War II. All the participants in the war are the same as in the real world, only with different names. For example, Germany is Germany and Austria is Elistadt. It has some of the same ideas as The saga of Tanya the Evil, but fans can follow very likable characters.

Izetta: The Last Witch features some really cool action and stays largely true to history in telling the events of the Great War. He even has time for romance amidst all the chaos.

8 Joker game

Sometimes the prelude is more intense than the actual event

joker

Joker game seems to adhere to the idea that the unknown associated with the possibility of something happening can be more frightening than the event itself. This was the case in the years leading up to World War II, when countries tried to position themselves in the best context for success.

Japan was one such country and it created the “D Agency” to gather intelligence on other countries. Joker game has stellar animation and tells the story of eight of the agency's best spies. It showcases some of the evil that exists in the intelligence space as each episode follows a different spy. It can be a little confusing at times, but it's still an exciting watch for fans of the anime spy genre.

7 Who was left behind?

The film is a slice of life with an ominous background

Who was left behind? is a 1991 film based on the experiences of World War II survivor Kayoko Ebina. It tells the story of a young Kayoko and what it was like to live in Japan during the war. The film showcases the lives of the Japanese people and some of the sacrifices they had to make to support Japan's war effort.

The story isn't as heavy-handed as some of the other World War II series, but there's something insidious about a cute coming-of-age story knowing the horrific background of the events surrounding it. Kayoko must survive 1945 and how it changed her home forever.

6 Rayantsuri song

Two outsiders find comfort in each other

Yinlen, a Chinese farmer who was captured by the Japanese and forced to work in a coal mine, befriends Tomoko, a first-grader who was rendered mute by a traumatic experience during the war. Yinglen wants to go back home to China, and Tomoko wants to feel that she is not a burden.

Rayantsuri song doesn't delve too much into the heavy stuff, but is also filled to the brim with heartfelt moments of sadness and perseverance. The film shows some of the effects the war had on the social values ​​of Japan at the time and touches on the highly controversial topic of Sino-Japanese relations.

5 Giovanni Island

Human kindness can blur the lines of enmity

Many will point to Japan as the bad guys in World War II, but the reality is that regardless of the side, everyone lost something, and that was the focus. Giovanni Island, with its themes of loss, friendship, and finding commonality amid stark differences.

The story follows two brothers, Junpei and Kantu, whose island of Shikotan was occupied by the Russians after the war (it is still politically considered Russian territory). The lives of the inhabitants of the region changed overnight, and it became a situation of learning to live with new neighbors. In the midst of this, Junpei strikes up a friendship with Tanya, the daughter of the Russian family that took over their home.

4 Grave of fireflies

Studio Ghibli's darkest film

Grave of fireflies is a 1988 Studio Ghibli film that follows Seita and his younger sister Setsuko, whose lives are turned upside down by the ravages of war. Deprived of their parents, food and shelter, the siblings wander the Japanese countryside alone.

Tise is one of those movies that many can watch only once, but it's an important piece of cinema nonetheless. It tells about the horrors of war in an uncompromising tone, while the characters feel real and relatable. This is mainly due to the fact that the film's director, Takahata Isao, lived through that time. Grave of fireflies is a tearjerker and is one of the most influential anti-war films.

3 Cabin

Three stories about the axis

Although many of the anime about World War II are about ordinary Japanese people and the consequences of the war for them, there are not many stories that focus on the soldiers and officers of the war, especially from the Axis powers (Germany, Italy and Japan). Therefore, Cabin is unique in this sense, as it tells three short stories set during the war.

The first (“Cockpit”) tells the story of a German fighter pilot who has a chance to redeem himself by escorting a plane carrying an atomic bomb over England. The second is about a kamikaze pilot who must destroy an American battleship, and the third tells about two privates who are tasked with warning their base about a raid. All three stories have their merits, and if only for the unique premise of focusing on the Axis, Cabin worthy of attention.

This is the iconic bomb dropping scene

Anyone who knows anything about Barefoot gen will always point to one scene and one scene only—the dropping of the atomic bomb on Hiroshima. The scene was so iconic and devastating, but that's not all.

Bossy Gen can fool the uninitiated with its comic art style and some of the funniest antics of Gene and his little brother. However, in the end, it is a devastating film that conveys a very powerful message about the horrors of war and how it can change the lives of millions forever.

1 In this corner of the world

A portrait of a world that will never see again

In this corner of the world was released in 2016 and features the incredible work of animation studio MAPPA. The story is brought to life by its main character, pure-hearted and optimistic Suzu, who married a soldier and has to blend in with her family.

The action takes place in Hiroshima, In this corner of the world celebrates the simple life of the Japanese people in the days before the bombs fell and the harsh reality of life that followed. It does all this with some gorgeous visuals that make it a sight to behold. The focus of the film is on its characters, the war acts more as an ominous backdrop, and while it will always be considered a sad story, those who enjoy great animation and vivid stories should return to it.