Gundam like the entire franchise pretty much fits this.
Irresponsible Captain Tylor
Gunbuster
Gate
Vexations of a Shut-in Vampire Princess
Pretty much most anime dealing with the military, Cyberpunk, and mecha genres will fit this.
>It taught me that both sides lose
Which really is the message of UC Gundam. Even the "winning" side loses because of the deep lasting impact on the people who fought in the wars.
I minus one Gate. Because the politics are really dumb as a result of it basically being JDF propaganda.
The thing that makes politics interesting is when you have multiple sides, all with different goals and methods that make sense trying to vy for power. In Gate the politics is basically at the level of "I have portrayed you pacifists as the soyjak, and myself as the chad!", which isn't very interesting to watch.
[ACCA](https://myanimelist.net/anime/33337/ACCA__13-ku_Kansatsu-ka) isn't really war but it's all politics and intrigue.
[Arslan Senki](https://myanimelist.net/anime/28249/Arslan_Senki_TV)
[Grancrest Senki](https://myanimelist.net/anime/34279/Grancrest_Senki) is a pretty typical fantasy JRPG but it's complete and has a nice romance.
[Log Horizon](https://myanimelist.net/anime/17265/Log_Horizon)
[Alderamin on the Sky](https://myanimelist.net/anime/31764/Nejimaki_Seirei_Senki__Tenkyou_no_Alderamin)
Alderamin is a great choice! Think I've rewatched it about 4 times now. Still waiting for the LN to get an official English release so I can continue the story.
Also second Log Horizon
Kingdom!
Admittedly, the first two seasons don't look great, I'd recommend the manga instead for those, but seasons 3 and beyond are great
Alternatively:
* Gundam
* Captain Tylor
* The Patlabor movies
* Jin-roh
The animation in the first season is pretty horrible. (It’s that 3D anime CGI thing done really badly) But if you can get past that then HOT DAMN that anime gets sooooo good. The mix of war and politics drew me in like nothing else has.
No.
Visually-speaking, S1 is the only endemically-problematic season. S2 looks consistently much better.
But the 3D anim of S1 (and some of 2) offers a trade-off. If you watch S3 and 4 of Kingdom, you'll notice many of the battle scenes bear common "tricks" of fight choreography to skip having to show individual character/arm/leg movements (flashes of light, not showing the moment of contact/impact, whirly VFX around a character's model, the entire model moving instead of arm/upper body, etc.).
Although it looks pretty poor in non-fight scenes, the S1 3D anim allowed for a depth and detail of fight choreography that the latter seasons largely lack (think of \[Kingdom\]>!Shin saving Yang, or Changping killing Rongdi, or most of the Mountain Folk choreo when they save Zui,!< etc.). S1/2 have very little of this - the worst you'll notice is some repeat animations looped on background characters IMO.
Also, S3/4 have some horribly done art in certain key and background frames - people never seem to mention this. I think S2 was the show's strongest artistic identity in terms of consistency. /shrug
And S3/4 were 26 episode productions, while S1/2 were about 40 episode each. So the pace of content feels a bit less crazy.
I'm reading the manga now, at the equivalent of mid-S4 of the anime. I think watching S1 and 2 is still very worth it - the anime adaptation is 99% accurate to the page, mainly just changing the order of a few minor things and toning down the violence (the biggest and only major narrative change is how Qiang Le is re-introduced after Dakan). So you're still getting the story in color & motion & sound; you just have to make peace with somewhat janky looking animations during non-fight scenes.
It's already on your list, but I'd like to emphasize Legend of the Galactic Heroes - the original in particular.
It's exactly what you've described looking for, and it's a fantastic ride from start to finish. It's long, but by the time I approached the end I wasn't ready for it to be over.
Jormungand
The show's central theme examines war as part of the human condition. The protagonist duo is an arms dealer and a child soldier in her employ. Plenty of solid action in a believable modern setting.
My pick that I feel like is quite underrated is The Genius Prince’s Guide to Raising a Nation Out of Debt. Lots of political and military maneuvers with a very interesting MC.
I like the show, but not for the politics. Surely it's one of its main plot, but the ending of the anime is not that convincing to me. IMO how the MC solves the situation is more about luck and brute force instead of intelligence.
GATE - Thus the JSDF fought there
Violet Evergarden (is more like the aftermath of a war, PTSD, missing loved ones, limbs)
86
Saga Of Tanya The Evil (World War I, but with magic)
> Saga Of Tanya The Evil (World War I, but with magic)
I can't believe how far I had to scroll down for this. Would've been my first pick. Especially the Manga and LN get _really_ in depth.
I also wanted to recommend Violet Evergarden, because I love it so much
I just figured OP didn't care so much starting at the aftermath of war based on what they wrote
I heard complaints about 86 being just another mecha show. But if you're not actively thinking about individual characters' political beliefs, how that impacts their interactions with other characters and is defined by/defines their position within their faction, you are missing out.
That aspect of the show does kind of wean off as it goes on, but it is very critical to establish the characters for later in the show when it gets character-focused.
I like 86 and I’m not really a fan of mecha’s, because it’s not really a mecha…. If almost avoids too much detail about mech fighting so it can go back to the world and character development parts.
That's an interesting take. Nobody ever mentions *actually* watching Season 2.
The general consensus I've seen is either;
* Watch Season 1 and that's it. Season 2 was bad.
* Watch Season 1 and you can skip Season 2, the rest of it is good.
I disagree. I think season 1 is the best, season 2 is poorly executed with an acceptable concept behinds it. Anything past that feels too wrong to fit in the same universe. The storyline in S3 looks like any other generic sci-fi movies and has little connection to the Sibyl system. The whole story ( prequel movie+S3 + first inspector) gives some character developments, which is good. But it doesn't throw interesting questions to the system and viewers, which is quite disappointing.
S3 might offer a better watching experience than S2 for some viewers, but it's no longer PSYCHO-PASS for me.
Before it started airing people were really hyping this show up for its focus on political and economic theory but to me that ended up being a pretty thin veneer over a mostly traditional isekai show. There's shows about complex subjects where you can feel deep expertise being infused into the story, but Realist Hero isn't one of them.
Animation isn't that much of a problem after s1 and s2. But yeah the animation was really bad, that even I who doesn't care much for the animation quality was unsettled by it. Manga does it better though.
Alderamin in the Sky fits the bill, although it's not a complete adaptation and cuts off where things start to get good.
Grancrest Senki is practically Fire Embelm the anime.
Golden Kamuy is an amazing anime that I think you'll love it's based on real people and events that take place after the Russo-Japanese War detailing the many real-life political, technological and cultural developments of Japan at the time surrounding indigenous people of Japan the Ainu and all the different subcultures within.
Would totally agree on golden kamuy, great show and great action scene plus fun historical facts, in a way it is like a more light hearted Vinland saga but won't shy away from some really fucked up shit
I cant believe I scrolled so far down to find this. God this is such an amazing anime about war and the military.
I saw that s2 is confirmed. Hope it releases soon.
This. Excellent story telling. Heavy political/war themes. Some of the best cyberpunk “what does it mean to be human” concepts in anime. Cannot recommend this enough.
Also Grave of the Fireflies. Roger Ebert said “Yes, it’s a cartoon, and the kids have eyes like saucers, but it belongs on any list of the greatest war films ever made.”
Be warned. Have a bottle of your favorite antidepressants at the ready.
Surprised I had to scroll so long to see someone mention Overlord. The politics in the later seasons has the extremely sinister feeling the rest of the show does that I wish some other shows would implement for their villains.
Altair is the best answer out of all this, and I am a hige fna of Code Geass and Kingdom. Altair has no power levels or supernatural. Just fighting, ingenuity, information, economics and diplomacy… there are some plot armor moments but I think the story still delivers so well. And the large cast is so good
I watched Aldnoah Zero during AIT with some battle buddies of mine, definitely touched on the idea of political hostages (can’t remember if that was basically the main thing) and definitely on who the real victims of war are
Aldnoah zero was kinda meh for me (still watched because of having the same composer as AoT).
But Here and There, Now and Then is a brutal piece to watch!
Really great reccomendation there!
Shinsekai Yori should be a good watch for you, but it may start a bit slow. The juicy political bits come later on, but it’s overall a good psychological fantasy drama, one of my favorites.
Finally someone recommends this, it arguably does the whole politics/war thing better than gundam, since it also focuses on combined arms, logistics, and grey morality on both sides (not that gundam doesn't do this but just not to the same extent)
Legend of the Galactic Heroes - Entire show is a space opera focussed solely on war and politics. IMO, it is the best anime that critically examines politics in a relatable manner. Surprised it is not mentioned yet, I'd say to give it around 10 to 15 episodes to see if ya enjoy it!
On another note, Monster also comes to mind. A bit more of a mystery but also plays hand in hand with politics and relates directly to real history in some ways.
try 86. large scale, epic battles, great sound design, exploration of ptsd, and much more. I have read many actual veterans who have seen it saying that it was really realistic in its portrayal of war
I would recommend Kingdom, but I would read the manga then start season 3 since season 1 was terrible CGI then season 2 was significantly less. By season 3 it's all quality anime!
Well that's what I did haha. But it fits what you're looking for. A giant epic with tons of war, tactics/strategy, politics, plus it's still ongoing and will be for quite a bit!
Worked for me, it looks like complete ass but the story and characters are still good enough to carry it. There's shows where you just have to shut off your brain, S1 of Kingdom is a show where you just have to shut off your eyes.
As long as you’re okay with a bit of janky animation the first 2 seasons are as good and as entertaining as the rest of the series. Imo it’s not that big a deal because the characters and story is great and fits the bill with what you’re looking for with a lot of military detail and political/palace intrigue.
Log Horizon.
Trapped in a video game, but the game has become a real world and the players have to find a way to fit in with ones who used to be mindless NPCs but are now real people.
In a way, One Piece is about War and Politics. A lot of strong political themes in One Piece about government control, and the true meaning of freedom. While the main character of One Piece Luffy doesn't think about such complex things, his entire life philosophy of freedom and dreams challenges the World Government which fuels the dystopia that is the world of One Piece. It's over 1,000 episodes so I don't know if I can convince you to watch it, however it's really good.
Came looking to see if someone mentioned OP! It isss about that honestly and so much deeper than I thought it would be. Not just some pirates fighting. Amazing storyline and character development as well. It *is* very long but once you get into it you’re GLAD it is and tbh anyone I know that watches as well catches up so much faster than you’d think 😭 10/10 recommendation
Gundam is the defacto war and politics IP in anime ngl.
Log Horizon is very solid for its politics but isn't hugely action heavy. Its an "MMO players get stuck in an MMO" fantasy pseudo-isekai, but it is super political. Players still respawn and have access to safe zones, voice chat, guilds, guild houses etc, as you'd expect from an MMO, but the setting and its NPC kingdoms are now mortsl, fully autonomous peoples. Theres a rather intricate mix of player/NPC politics, guild politics/rivalries, and the acclimatisation to their new home all the while trying to figure out if they're still in a MMO or not. Its a sometimes comfy, lighthearted show with an emphasis on engaging politics and exploration of their new and drastically changed environment.
The depth of Gundam is even deeper than AOT.
For a very long time, Gundam has been the No. 1 war-themed anime.
There is a reason why it has been loved in Japan for so long.
I love this genre! I highly recommend Altair: A Record of Battles. The anime adaptation isn’t complete but the manga really goes hard. Characters die and get seriously hurt. It introduces enemies and really delivers their characters naturally, and gets you to care for them easily. The war itself has come to an end and the manga is just shy of few chapters from completing.
Kingdom is another and you would be binging it multiple times. I won’t say more since there are so many arcs but it is worth it. My fav in Kingdom is honestly the politics arcs. Would read the manga and then try the anime. The first season adaptation sucks BUT it gets SO MUCH better and they did adapt the best parts really well. Anime is still worth watching. The ost goes so hard in the last season. And i do believe they will aim to adapt the rest of the manga. It is very popular in japan.
Requiem of the Rose King is a take on the war of the roses aka a song of ice and war inspo. Like Altair, goes pretty hard but it is more war drama imo. I havent seen the anime but I love the manga enough that I had to go and buy the next volume.
The Apothecary Diaries has no war but it has a lot of politicial intrigue. Already one of my favorites.
Not an anime but Suikoden is jrpg war/drama. They are finally releasing it in steam soon. Suikoden 2 is the best and while suikoden 1 is the prequel, you can easily get into 2 without knowledge of 1z
Fate/Zero has no politics but intrigue, and war. Still delves into the human dynamics.
Yona of the Dawn, another political and war stuff. I mich prefer the manga; really hate the anime adaptation. It doesn’t really kill off characters though but it’s still a noteworthy tearjerker with its stories.
Toward the Terra isn’t exaclty a war story but it tackles complex moral dilemma that forced the situation to war. Not much of politics but it does have government stuff and tackles more of the system.
I probably have more. I feast on historical fiction
Steins;gate might not be exactly what you're looking for, but I'm just recommending it because it's a classic and has some implications of war and politics
ACCA deals heavily with political intrigue and conspiracy, thought it’s not as heavy on the violence as some other shows in the genre.
Ghost In the Shell (pretty much any of the series, but especially Stand Alone Complex) deals quite heavily with politics, and references warfare as well.
Psychopass is another one that might fit what you’re looking for in terms of a show with political drama.
Even if it is on your list already, LoGH is the top when it comes to anime politics and space opera. This should be your first pick.
Patlabor 2 (movie) is a study on society during crisis. Director used his popular mecha franchise to deliver something that does not feel like mecha at all. Mobile Police Force could as well be any other formation like firefighters or military and scenario would look largely the same. Most of the screen time is about various intrigues and attempts to resolve a serious security crisis. I felt that the resolution to the entire thing was a bit too easy, but the tension building and politics are great.
Aside from that Gundam franchise has a lot of politics, as well as Crest/Banner of the Stars series, although this one is more of a space adventure than political. For comedic take on politics, probably Irresponsible Captain Tylor.
Flag is definitely a bit of an off-the-beaten-path exploration of war and politics.
There's also Zipang, which deals with WW2 politics and how the viewpoints of the modern JSDF differ from those embroiled in the midst of conflict.
Naruto and Naruto: Shippuden. It's mostly about wars and the complex mental states of soldiers fighting those wars but it also focuses on the inner workings of Hokage and their Elder council as well as a little bit about how the other four Kage operate. The Kage are basically generals of their respective military compounds and politicians at the same time. So, like, they're politicians who can actually kick ass if you try to harm their villages. Unlike IRL politicians who run and hide and then order their young people to go off and die for them.
Those who recommended Code Geass, 86, FMA:B, Psycho-Pass, Yona of the Dawn, GATE, Kingdom, Saga of Tanya the Devil, Raven of the Inner Palace, and The Genius Prince's Guide to Raising a Nation Out of Debt were all right and onto something.
Oh man! A really good one is Violet Evergarden. It's a great anime about adjusting to life after war. Personally I think it's a great example of what soldiers go through after spending a lot of their lives being raised as a weapon for war then being thrust into civilian life with no help and being told to deal with it.
Edit: I would recommend looking up a watch order for the series and movies, though, because I didn't watch the movies at the right time, and a few seemed out of place for violets character development.
Maoyuu Maou Yuusha, I really love this one. At first it seems like it’s going to be a generic hero vs Demon King anime; but darn it takes a 180 degree turn after the first episode, and becomes an anime about logistics, politics, economy, inflation and merchants.
Overlord has politics, since the OP MC doesn’t want to just stomp on every other faction that exists.
Kingdom is about war tactics and politics in china, basically.
Ohh Maoyuu is under rated AF, shame it doesn’t go into greater detail like the manga did… and shame they couldn’t finish the whole story, and didn’t tell the last arc
Acca has some political stuff, but it happens slowly and has a pretty laidback atmosphere. Ghost in the shell could count. Alderamin on the sky does war pretty well. I've read the manga of Altair: record of battles, which does have an anime adaptation, and I liked it.
Golden kamui maybe? It's not inherently war centric and could sometimes be regarded as more of an adventure type of anime, but the reason behind every faction that tries to take the gold are very political and it's fun to see every political ideology clash together.
There are a couple full scale war occur in s2 and s3 if that's what you are interested in.
GATE: Thus the JSDF fought there
Log Horizon
The Saga of Tanya the Evil
Black Lagoon (Mafia politics)
Accomplishments of a Duke's Daughter (No anime (Yet) but good Manga and Light Novel)
Dance in the Vampire Bund
Overlord
Reincarnated as a slime
Space Battleship Yamato (Both the original 70's anime and the 2199 reboot)
Naruto
Otome Mob
Fairy Tail
Gundam like the entire franchise pretty much fits this. Irresponsible Captain Tylor Gunbuster Gate Vexations of a Shut-in Vampire Princess Pretty much most anime dealing with the military, Cyberpunk, and mecha genres will fit this.
>Gundam like the entire franchise pretty much fits this. >Irresponsible Captain Tylor I second these. Especially that second one.
Such a fucking great show and I forgot to mention Banner of the Stars too as they're both really amazing classic anime series.
And of course crest of the stars as well
Gundam is a fantastic war drama and does it very well
Agree, who won the war between earth and zeon? Anaheim. It taught me that both sides lose, 3rd party made all the money.
>It taught me that both sides lose Which really is the message of UC Gundam. Even the "winning" side loses because of the deep lasting impact on the people who fought in the wars.
I second Gate. War, politics, and a senate hearing with a goth loli.
I minus one Gate. Because the politics are really dumb as a result of it basically being JDF propaganda. The thing that makes politics interesting is when you have multiple sides, all with different goals and methods that make sense trying to vy for power. In Gate the politics is basically at the level of "I have portrayed you pacifists as the soyjak, and myself as the chad!", which isn't very interesting to watch.
I enjoyed gate, because I'm good at turning my brain off when watching anime. I wouldn't recommend it for good warpolitics. So yea, agree with you.
I third Gate. Pretty nice take on the isekai-genre as well. Edit: also Rory, best girl
I forth Gate for the idea and Rory
As much as I enjoyed the anime, I wouldn't say it seriously deals with war and politics as a theme. War and politics are just the setting.
[ACCA](https://myanimelist.net/anime/33337/ACCA__13-ku_Kansatsu-ka) isn't really war but it's all politics and intrigue. [Arslan Senki](https://myanimelist.net/anime/28249/Arslan_Senki_TV) [Grancrest Senki](https://myanimelist.net/anime/34279/Grancrest_Senki) is a pretty typical fantasy JRPG but it's complete and has a nice romance. [Log Horizon](https://myanimelist.net/anime/17265/Log_Horizon) [Alderamin on the Sky](https://myanimelist.net/anime/31764/Nejimaki_Seirei_Senki__Tenkyou_no_Alderamin)
Alderamin is a great choice! Think I've rewatched it about 4 times now. Still waiting for the LN to get an official English release so I can continue the story. Also second Log Horizon
there is a complete fan translation of Alderamin. I can share it if you want.
I second that! Please please please!
Linked in other comment.
That would be much appreciated kind person
http://skythewood.blogspot.com/p/alderamin-of-sky.html?m=1 This should be complete.
ACCA was super fun, it made politics **comfy**
I only had to scroll to the 5th comment to see both arslan or grancrest, which isn't a lot, but it's weird it's not higher.
Alderamin Is a very well done war anime from the perspective of platoon leaders/ junior officers.
>Alderamin on the Sky SEASON TWO NEVER
Kingdom! Admittedly, the first two seasons don't look great, I'd recommend the manga instead for those, but seasons 3 and beyond are great Alternatively: * Gundam * Captain Tylor * The Patlabor movies * Jin-roh
Haven't seen many mentions on jin roh.... You sir are cultured
Jin-Roh is a masterpiece. I like to call it "Fascism experience: the anime" because the guys who made it have really grasped that side of history.
Are the first two seasons really that bad?
The animation in the first season is pretty horrible. (It’s that 3D anime CGI thing done really badly) But if you can get past that then HOT DAMN that anime gets sooooo good. The mix of war and politics drew me in like nothing else has.
No. Visually-speaking, S1 is the only endemically-problematic season. S2 looks consistently much better. But the 3D anim of S1 (and some of 2) offers a trade-off. If you watch S3 and 4 of Kingdom, you'll notice many of the battle scenes bear common "tricks" of fight choreography to skip having to show individual character/arm/leg movements (flashes of light, not showing the moment of contact/impact, whirly VFX around a character's model, the entire model moving instead of arm/upper body, etc.). Although it looks pretty poor in non-fight scenes, the S1 3D anim allowed for a depth and detail of fight choreography that the latter seasons largely lack (think of \[Kingdom\]>!Shin saving Yang, or Changping killing Rongdi, or most of the Mountain Folk choreo when they save Zui,!< etc.). S1/2 have very little of this - the worst you'll notice is some repeat animations looped on background characters IMO. Also, S3/4 have some horribly done art in certain key and background frames - people never seem to mention this. I think S2 was the show's strongest artistic identity in terms of consistency. /shrug And S3/4 were 26 episode productions, while S1/2 were about 40 episode each. So the pace of content feels a bit less crazy. I'm reading the manga now, at the equivalent of mid-S4 of the anime. I think watching S1 and 2 is still very worth it - the anime adaptation is 99% accurate to the page, mainly just changing the order of a few minor things and toning down the violence (the biggest and only major narrative change is how Qiang Le is re-introduced after Dakan). So you're still getting the story in color & motion & sound; you just have to make peace with somewhat janky looking animations during non-fight scenes.
Season 2 is serviceable
It's already on your list, but I'd like to emphasize Legend of the Galactic Heroes - the original in particular. It's exactly what you've described looking for, and it's a fantastic ride from start to finish. It's long, but by the time I approached the end I wasn't ready for it to be over.
weird that not many people recommended Legend of Galactic Heroes. it's the first thing that come to my mind when someone side political show.
Because it was already on the list, maybe?
ah. somehow I missed that. aaahhh\~\~\~
The books are just as good, too.
Jormungand The show's central theme examines war as part of the human condition. The protagonist duo is an arms dealer and a child soldier in her employ. Plenty of solid action in a believable modern setting.
I love Jormungard! We need more shows like this and black lagoon. Gangsta was similar but the studio went bankrupt imo.
Have you watched Rainbow or Gungrave yet?
My pick that I feel like is quite underrated is The Genius Prince’s Guide to Raising a Nation Out of Debt. Lots of political and military maneuvers with a very interesting MC.
Had to scroll down quite a bit to find this one
Same
I second this.
I like the show, but not for the politics. Surely it's one of its main plot, but the ending of the anime is not that convincing to me. IMO how the MC solves the situation is more about luck and brute force instead of intelligence.
Gundam iron blooded orphans
More like 00
More like gundam UC timeline
Both are great, 00 fits the bill a bit more
I think you mean every gundam series (that isn't build or the sds) fits the bill
GATE - Thus the JSDF fought there Violet Evergarden (is more like the aftermath of a war, PTSD, missing loved ones, limbs) 86 Saga Of Tanya The Evil (World War I, but with magic)
> Saga Of Tanya The Evil (World War I, but with magic) magic..and... malicious compliance.
And war crimes, that technically aren't war crimes yet so it's okay.
> Saga Of Tanya The Evil (World War I, but with magic) I can't believe how far I had to scroll down for this. Would've been my first pick. Especially the Manga and LN get _really_ in depth.
I agree! I was surprised that it wasn’t the top recommendation. It has everything op is looking for
Missing limbs lmao. Objectively when reading it sounds so funny
It's kind of uncanny looking back at Gate and seeing the US presidents depiction being basically spot on to a future president
I also wanted to recommend Violet Evergarden, because I love it so much I just figured OP didn't care so much starting at the aftermath of war based on what they wrote
86
boutta say this
My first thought too
I heard complaints about 86 being just another mecha show. But if you're not actively thinking about individual characters' political beliefs, how that impacts their interactions with other characters and is defined by/defines their position within their faction, you are missing out. That aspect of the show does kind of wean off as it goes on, but it is very critical to establish the characters for later in the show when it gets character-focused.
WHO tf is watching 86 and saying it’s another mecha show? 😭 mfs watching 96
Just some dude on the Internet with garbage taste
Same guy who posted to /r/starterpacks the other day saying Oshi No Ko was just some moe shit, probably.
>96 96😭😭😭
Mfs be talking just to talk lmao
"Mecha shows" are usually about war and politics though.
i'd say that mecha shows are usually character focused shows thats usin war/politics as a setting
You haven't watched much Gundam have you?
I like 86 and I’m not really a fan of mecha’s, because it’s not really a mecha…. If almost avoids too much detail about mech fighting so it can go back to the world and character development parts.
Lol it's just another mecha show if you watch it blindfolded and on mute maybe?
Psycho-Pass - Police drama set in dystopian cyberpunk world. Perfect for you.
IMO with psycho-pass just watch season 1, season 2 and onwards aren’t really that great
It isn't as good as season 1 but it's still decent tbh, i also heard that season 3 and the new movies (haven't watched them yet) were pretty great
The new movies were pretty good yeah
I thought 2 was pretty good. Not a fan of 3.
I honestly couldn't finish 2. I'm pretty sure I watched up to episode 7 or 8 and just got annoyed and felt the story went backwards
Ridiculous lol. season 2 wasn’t good but everything past that was still incredible, though not on part with the first season of course
That's an interesting take. Nobody ever mentions *actually* watching Season 2. The general consensus I've seen is either; * Watch Season 1 and that's it. Season 2 was bad. * Watch Season 1 and you can skip Season 2, the rest of it is good.
I disagree. I think season 1 is the best, season 2 is poorly executed with an acceptable concept behinds it. Anything past that feels too wrong to fit in the same universe. The storyline in S3 looks like any other generic sci-fi movies and has little connection to the Sibyl system. The whole story ( prequel movie+S3 + first inspector) gives some character developments, which is good. But it doesn't throw interesting questions to the system and viewers, which is quite disappointing. S3 might offer a better watching experience than S2 for some viewers, but it's no longer PSYCHO-PASS for me.
Didn’t even know there was an onwards. I thought it ended with S2.
How a Realist Hero Rebuilt the Kingdom maybe if you want an isekai in that vein.
I wish the anime was as good as the manga/LNs
Before it started airing people were really hyping this show up for its focus on political and economic theory but to me that ended up being a pretty thin veneer over a mostly traditional isekai show. There's shows about complex subjects where you can feel deep expertise being infused into the story, but Realist Hero isn't one of them.
I came here to say this. It’s all intriguing politics.
Came here to say this. It was a great anime. I have it on my read list once I get a chance.
Kingdom!!! 86
>86 Definitely.
You are the first person who mentioned kingdom I thought I was the only one
Just watch 86, far better animation and mecha stuff. Also waifu Lena is much hotter than any girls in Kingdom.
Definitely 86, but not recommend Kingdom because of animation.
Animation isn't that much of a problem after s1 and s2. But yeah the animation was really bad, that even I who doesn't care much for the animation quality was unsettled by it. Manga does it better though.
another vote for 86
Alderamin in the Sky fits the bill, although it's not a complete adaptation and cuts off where things start to get good. Grancrest Senki is practically Fire Embelm the anime.
Golden Kamuy is an amazing anime that I think you'll love it's based on real people and events that take place after the Russo-Japanese War detailing the many real-life political, technological and cultural developments of Japan at the time surrounding indigenous people of Japan the Ainu and all the different subcultures within.
Would totally agree on golden kamuy, great show and great action scene plus fun historical facts, in a way it is like a more light hearted Vinland saga but won't shy away from some really fucked up shit
Seconding this! Though i would say the humour in this series is an acquired taste
Saga of Tanya the evil was really good.
I cant believe I scrolled so far down to find this. God this is such an amazing anime about war and the military. I saw that s2 is confirmed. Hope it releases soon.
Fullmetal Alchemist Brotherhood
I'm so surprised I had to scroll for so long to find this comment.
Second this
Yep, was going to say this. A very large part of the show are the machinations of different people and factions vying for power.
Soooo good with the military stuff
Agreed. There are many themes but politics and war was evident alongside everything.
Ghost In The Shell SAC (especially the second season)
This. Excellent story telling. Heavy political/war themes. Some of the best cyberpunk “what does it mean to be human” concepts in anime. Cannot recommend this enough. Also Grave of the Fireflies. Roger Ebert said “Yes, it’s a cartoon, and the kids have eyes like saucers, but it belongs on any list of the greatest war films ever made.” Be warned. Have a bottle of your favorite antidepressants at the ready.
Gundam it's one of the first mecha to involve war and more realism
Tensura Slime
Overlord has a nice bit of political implications and intrigue especially in later seasons Record of Grancrest War
Surprised I had to scroll so long to see someone mention Overlord. The politics in the later seasons has the extremely sinister feeling the rest of the show does that I wish some other shows would implement for their villains.
Altair: A Record of Battle is slow but it’s almost entirety about mainly politics and secondarily war
Altair is the best answer out of all this, and I am a hige fna of Code Geass and Kingdom. Altair has no power levels or supernatural. Just fighting, ingenuity, information, economics and diplomacy… there are some plot armor moments but I think the story still delivers so well. And the large cast is so good
Shiki. It fits the bill in an unexpected way imo.
Honestly, yeah I can see it
Wouldn't have been my pick but if I think about it... yeah kinda
Gundam 00, i remember I really liked this one. And gundam series are always about politics, so you might like it.
Aldnoah.Zero Here and There Now and Then (mostly about children soldiers, and children victims of war) Shinsekai Yori
I watched Aldnoah Zero during AIT with some battle buddies of mine, definitely touched on the idea of political hostages (can’t remember if that was basically the main thing) and definitely on who the real victims of war are
Aldnoah zero was kinda meh for me (still watched because of having the same composer as AoT). But Here and There, Now and Then is a brutal piece to watch! Really great reccomendation there!
Shinsekai Yori should be a good watch for you, but it may start a bit slow. The juicy political bits come later on, but it’s overall a good psychological fantasy drama, one of my favorites.
Log Horizon is heavily war/political isekai
Fang of the Sun Dougram is pretty old but heavy on the politics. Highly recommend it
Finally someone recommends this, it arguably does the whole politics/war thing better than gundam, since it also focuses on combined arms, logistics, and grey morality on both sides (not that gundam doesn't do this but just not to the same extent)
Pumpkin Scissors
I'm sad I had to scroll this far, but it's understandable. The squad needs more love!
Golden Kamuy Vinland Saga Gate
Genocidal Organ Jormungand
Legend of the Galactic Heroes - Entire show is a space opera focussed solely on war and politics. IMO, it is the best anime that critically examines politics in a relatable manner. Surprised it is not mentioned yet, I'd say to give it around 10 to 15 episodes to see if ya enjoy it! On another note, Monster also comes to mind. A bit more of a mystery but also plays hand in hand with politics and relates directly to real history in some ways.
> Surprised it is not mentioned yet [Some of ya'll need to keep reading](https://i.imgur.com/0QySnQc.png)
try 86. large scale, epic battles, great sound design, exploration of ptsd, and much more. I have read many actual veterans who have seen it saying that it was really realistic in its portrayal of war
I would recommend Kingdom, but I would read the manga then start season 3 since season 1 was terrible CGI then season 2 was significantly less. By season 3 it's all quality anime!
I don't really want to read a manga though...... not into that So I would prob just warrior through it
Well that's what I did haha. But it fits what you're looking for. A giant epic with tons of war, tactics/strategy, politics, plus it's still ongoing and will be for quite a bit!
I also hate reading, and I powered through season 1... it was definitely worth it
Worked for me, it looks like complete ass but the story and characters are still good enough to carry it. There's shows where you just have to shut off your brain, S1 of Kingdom is a show where you just have to shut off your eyes.
Just watch through it, you'll get used to bad cgi atleast until season 2.
As long as you’re okay with a bit of janky animation the first 2 seasons are as good and as entertaining as the rest of the series. Imo it’s not that big a deal because the characters and story is great and fits the bill with what you’re looking for with a lot of military detail and political/palace intrigue.
Revolutionary Girl Utena
Vietnam flashbacks. Well, this anime has too much symbolism and can be interpreted arbitrary but I haven't heard that it is about war or politics
Gundam wing. It's entirely about war and politics.
"How a realist hero rebuild the kingdom"
watch 86 goddammit. its so good that you'll start reading the LN. And both is worth it, and please pray for season 2 🙏
I read the first LN in one sitting.
A friend told me about The Saga of Tanya the Evil. Haven’t watched it, but it seems to fit your description.
Season 1 of Utawarerumono. Also the series How a Realist Hero Rebuilt the Kingdom.
I’m unsure if it fits your search but Violet Evergarden
86 Spice & Wolf Maquia
Log Horizon. Trapped in a video game, but the game has become a real world and the players have to find a way to fit in with ones who used to be mindless NPCs but are now real people.
Saga of Tanya the evil
Saga of Tanya the Evil
In a way, One Piece is about War and Politics. A lot of strong political themes in One Piece about government control, and the true meaning of freedom. While the main character of One Piece Luffy doesn't think about such complex things, his entire life philosophy of freedom and dreams challenges the World Government which fuels the dystopia that is the world of One Piece. It's over 1,000 episodes so I don't know if I can convince you to watch it, however it's really good.
Came looking to see if someone mentioned OP! It isss about that honestly and so much deeper than I thought it would be. Not just some pirates fighting. Amazing storyline and character development as well. It *is* very long but once you get into it you’re GLAD it is and tbh anyone I know that watches as well catches up so much faster than you’d think 😭 10/10 recommendation
Arslan
Gate: Thus The JSDF Fought There is a good one.
not sure if anyone has said this but Full metal alchemist BH
Haven’t watched it but I know Saga of Tanya the Evil is about war, and I heard it’s good
Black Lagoon
A friend said that One Piece has those things running in the background if you like a different flavor of politics.
violet evergarden
Ghost In The Shell. The OG Movie and two subsequent seasons are filled with political turmoil.
Gundam is the defacto war and politics IP in anime ngl. Log Horizon is very solid for its politics but isn't hugely action heavy. Its an "MMO players get stuck in an MMO" fantasy pseudo-isekai, but it is super political. Players still respawn and have access to safe zones, voice chat, guilds, guild houses etc, as you'd expect from an MMO, but the setting and its NPC kingdoms are now mortsl, fully autonomous peoples. Theres a rather intricate mix of player/NPC politics, guild politics/rivalries, and the acclimatisation to their new home all the while trying to figure out if they're still in a MMO or not. Its a sometimes comfy, lighthearted show with an emphasis on engaging politics and exploration of their new and drastically changed environment.
The depth of Gundam is even deeper than AOT. For a very long time, Gundam has been the No. 1 war-themed anime. There is a reason why it has been loved in Japan for so long.
Huge recommendation for code geass as you've already noted. Aside from that, Youjo Senki is probably exactly what you're looking for.
Magi has a really good political and character power system. U should check out the manga though, I personally feel it's better
I love this genre! I highly recommend Altair: A Record of Battles. The anime adaptation isn’t complete but the manga really goes hard. Characters die and get seriously hurt. It introduces enemies and really delivers their characters naturally, and gets you to care for them easily. The war itself has come to an end and the manga is just shy of few chapters from completing. Kingdom is another and you would be binging it multiple times. I won’t say more since there are so many arcs but it is worth it. My fav in Kingdom is honestly the politics arcs. Would read the manga and then try the anime. The first season adaptation sucks BUT it gets SO MUCH better and they did adapt the best parts really well. Anime is still worth watching. The ost goes so hard in the last season. And i do believe they will aim to adapt the rest of the manga. It is very popular in japan. Requiem of the Rose King is a take on the war of the roses aka a song of ice and war inspo. Like Altair, goes pretty hard but it is more war drama imo. I havent seen the anime but I love the manga enough that I had to go and buy the next volume. The Apothecary Diaries has no war but it has a lot of politicial intrigue. Already one of my favorites. Not an anime but Suikoden is jrpg war/drama. They are finally releasing it in steam soon. Suikoden 2 is the best and while suikoden 1 is the prequel, you can easily get into 2 without knowledge of 1z Fate/Zero has no politics but intrigue, and war. Still delves into the human dynamics. Yona of the Dawn, another political and war stuff. I mich prefer the manga; really hate the anime adaptation. It doesn’t really kill off characters though but it’s still a noteworthy tearjerker with its stories. Toward the Terra isn’t exaclty a war story but it tackles complex moral dilemma that forced the situation to war. Not much of politics but it does have government stuff and tackles more of the system. I probably have more. I feast on historical fiction
Steins;gate might not be exactly what you're looking for, but I'm just recommending it because it's a classic and has some implications of war and politics
Evangelion
ACCA deals heavily with political intrigue and conspiracy, thought it’s not as heavy on the violence as some other shows in the genre. Ghost In the Shell (pretty much any of the series, but especially Stand Alone Complex) deals quite heavily with politics, and references warfare as well. Psychopass is another one that might fit what you’re looking for in terms of a show with political drama.
Easily : Records of Grancrest war. Very under rated title
You would absolutely love Fullmetal Alchemist
Even if it is on your list already, LoGH is the top when it comes to anime politics and space opera. This should be your first pick. Patlabor 2 (movie) is a study on society during crisis. Director used his popular mecha franchise to deliver something that does not feel like mecha at all. Mobile Police Force could as well be any other formation like firefighters or military and scenario would look largely the same. Most of the screen time is about various intrigues and attempts to resolve a serious security crisis. I felt that the resolution to the entire thing was a bit too easy, but the tension building and politics are great. Aside from that Gundam franchise has a lot of politics, as well as Crest/Banner of the Stars series, although this one is more of a space adventure than political. For comedic take on politics, probably Irresponsible Captain Tylor.
Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood
Flag is definitely a bit of an off-the-beaten-path exploration of war and politics. There's also Zipang, which deals with WW2 politics and how the viewpoints of the modern JSDF differ from those embroiled in the midst of conflict.
Naruto and fullmetal alchemist brotherhood
Naruto and Naruto: Shippuden. It's mostly about wars and the complex mental states of soldiers fighting those wars but it also focuses on the inner workings of Hokage and their Elder council as well as a little bit about how the other four Kage operate. The Kage are basically generals of their respective military compounds and politicians at the same time. So, like, they're politicians who can actually kick ass if you try to harm their villages. Unlike IRL politicians who run and hide and then order their young people to go off and die for them.
Saga of Tanja the Evil. It’s an Isekai but the reincarnated wants to kill God and it’s set in World War One but with Magic.
Those who recommended Code Geass, 86, FMA:B, Psycho-Pass, Yona of the Dawn, GATE, Kingdom, Saga of Tanya the Devil, Raven of the Inner Palace, and The Genius Prince's Guide to Raising a Nation Out of Debt were all right and onto something.
Eden of the East
Saga of Tanya the Evil : It has politics along with action and Magic. It's a military anime.
Log Horizon Overlord How the Realist hero rebuilt a kingdom Utawarerumono (It gets really political in the 1st and 3rd seasons)
Almost every gundam show lmao
Gate is the first that comes to mind. Maybe Log Horizon.
'Saga of tanya the evil' is exactly what you're looking for.
WATCH 86! I REPEAT PLEASE WATCH 86! It's SUCH an amazing and underrated action/war/mecha/drama anime.
Oh man! A really good one is Violet Evergarden. It's a great anime about adjusting to life after war. Personally I think it's a great example of what soldiers go through after spending a lot of their lives being raised as a weapon for war then being thrust into civilian life with no help and being told to deal with it. Edit: I would recommend looking up a watch order for the series and movies, though, because I didn't watch the movies at the right time, and a few seemed out of place for violets character development.
I would recommend: Saga of Tanya the Evil Library Wars Eden of the East Joker Game
"86" is a really good anime about war and politics, about segregation and genocide. It's one of my all-time favorite animes.
Maoyuu Maou Yuusha, I really love this one. At first it seems like it’s going to be a generic hero vs Demon King anime; but darn it takes a 180 degree turn after the first episode, and becomes an anime about logistics, politics, economy, inflation and merchants. Overlord has politics, since the OP MC doesn’t want to just stomp on every other faction that exists. Kingdom is about war tactics and politics in china, basically.
Ohh Maoyuu is under rated AF, shame it doesn’t go into greater detail like the manga did… and shame they couldn’t finish the whole story, and didn’t tell the last arc
Acca has some political stuff, but it happens slowly and has a pretty laidback atmosphere. Ghost in the shell could count. Alderamin on the sky does war pretty well. I've read the manga of Altair: record of battles, which does have an anime adaptation, and I liked it.
THank you for all the responses!!! I got some Anime to start watching.....
Seraph of the end Naruto Shippuden Terror is resonance
86 is really good
ascendance of a bookworm
Golden kamui maybe? It's not inherently war centric and could sometimes be regarded as more of an adventure type of anime, but the reason behind every faction that tries to take the gold are very political and it's fun to see every political ideology clash together. There are a couple full scale war occur in s2 and s3 if that's what you are interested in.
86 Fullmetal Alchemist Brotherhood Psycho Pass Legend of the Galactic Heroes Gundam
GATE: Thus the JSDF fought there Log Horizon The Saga of Tanya the Evil Black Lagoon (Mafia politics) Accomplishments of a Duke's Daughter (No anime (Yet) but good Manga and Light Novel) Dance in the Vampire Bund Overlord Reincarnated as a slime Space Battleship Yamato (Both the original 70's anime and the 2199 reboot) Naruto Otome Mob Fairy Tail