All tagged history

How Important is Period Costume Accuracy in Historical Anime?

How Important is Period Costume Accuracy in Historical Anime?

Mary Lee Sauder
Blog Post

Most anime either take place in the contemporary real world or in a fantasy world that's pretty much divorced from reality, but sometimes a show comes along that dares to tackle a historical era – one with its own specific fashions and technological limitations. It seems obvious that the creators should aim to be as accurate as possible to prevent the viewers' suspension of disbelief from shattering (since live-action period pieces get blasted for lazy costuming all the time), but it's also true that anime is known for its off-the-wall stylization. Should we punish JoJo's Bizarre Adventure for not depicting Victorian England with the same heavily researched accuracy as Vinland Saga portrays the Viking era? Let's take a closer look at some historical anime to see how important period costume accuracy actually is.

Appare-Ranman’s Unique Take on the Meiji Era

Appare-Ranman’s Unique Take on the Meiji Era

Mary Lee Sauder
Blog Post

Appare-Ranman is an original anime by P.A. Works that has a lot of promise—it takes the premise of JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure Part 7: Steel Ball Run, the main character of Dr. Stone, the steampunk technology of Kabaneri of the Iron Fortress, and the pure chaos of that old Hanna-Barbera cartoon Wacky Races and ties them together with a distinctive style all its own. Fittingly, the story takes place in the early days of the Meiji era (1868 – 1912), which was characterized by an upheaval of traditional Japanese society and the integration of foreign concepts that would rapidly modernize and change the country for good. Let’s have a closer look at Appare-Ranman’s unique take on the Meiji era!

5 Best Historical Fantasy Anime

5 Best Historical Fantasy Anime

Mary Lee Sauder
Blog Post

Historical fantasy is a fascinating genre where real-world historical eras are mixed with magical, supernatural, and/or modern elements to create a sort of alternate timeline fantasy world. It’s difficult to pull off effectively because of the extensive research required, but classics like Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood and even this season’s Appare-Ranman have hit it out of the park with their colorful settings based on recognizable time periods from our world’s history. Let’s check out some of the best historical fantasy anime out there!

The History of Manga in America - Part 2: Manga’s Influence on Western Comics

The History of Manga in America - Part 2: Manga’s Influence on Western Comics

Mary Lee Sauder
Blog Post

In Part 1, we explored the history of manga publication in America—from redrawn versions of Astro Boy to flipped artwork to authentic Tokyopop manga volumes and all the way to online streaming. Once manga became popular with American audiences, it influenced them to create their own works that resembled the Japanese originals they loved so much. And thus, new hybrids of West and East came onto the scene to add a new dimension to the traditional world of American comics. Let’s take a look at some of them!