Top 9 Must-Watch Anime Set in World War II

Fireflies' Rest is a poignant animated drama about war, written and directed by Isao Takahata and produced by Studio Ghibli. The film is based on Akiyuki Nosaka's autobiographical short story of the same name, published in 1967.

Set in Kobe, Japan, in June 1945, the movie follows the story of two siblings, Seita and Setsuko, orphaned children struggling to survive amidst the chaos of war during its final months.

Internationally acclaimed, Fireflies' Rest is often regarded as one of the greatest war films of all time. For the Japanese audience, it's seen as a parable of dignity rather than a tale of defiance.

IMDb Rating: 8.5

Shadows of the World (In This Corner of the World) is a Japanese animated historical film released in 2016, produced by MAPPA. The film is based on the manga of the same name by Kōno Fumiyo and premiered in Vietnam on August 18, 2017.

Set in the 1930s-1940s in Hiroshima and Kure, Japan, about 10 years before and after the atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki. The film portrays Japan's nature and traditional culture reflected through scenes of war's devastation and despair. Although fictional, the storyline is based on real events researched by the film's producers. The pre-war landscape of Hiroshima, destroyed by the atomic bombings, is accurately recreated based on old photographs and the memories of the locals.

Despite its war theme, the film mainly focuses on the ordinary lives of the Japanese people and how they change over time. Rather than sorrow and darkness, Shadows of the World embraces themes of peace, love, and optimism as its overarching message throughout its 2-hour runtime. While addressing war, the film depicts bombing scenes only once.

Upon its release in November 2016, the film was hailed as one of the outstanding anime of its time. It even surpassed the blockbuster 'Your Name' to become the Best Animated Film at the Japanese Academy Awards that year.

IMDb Rating: 7.8

Windswept (The Wind Rises) is a historical animated film with screenplay and direction by Hayao Miyazaki, released in the summer of 2013. Miyazaki drew inspiration from the life of Horikoshi Jirō, the designer of the Zero fighter plane during World War II.

The protagonist, Jirō, is born during Japan's transition from old to new, with a fervent love for aviation and dreams of conquering the skies, transcending Japan's outdated spaces. Despite being nearsighted, his passion for airplanes leads him to pursue a career as an aircraft designer. Beyond his path to realizing his dream, the film also delves into another aspect of his inner world through love and the joy of companionship.

Windswept tells a story of passion and love amidst the chaos of wartime. Through Jirō's journey, the film inspires viewers to seek meaning and purpose in life.

The highest-grossing film in Japan in 2013, The Wind Rises has received acclaim from critics and numerous prestigious awards, including the Japanese Academy Award for Best Animated Film, along with several notable nominations such as an Oscar nomination for Best Animated Feature and a Golden Globe nomination for Best Foreign Language Film.

IMDb Rating: 7.7

Giovanni's Odyssey (Giovanni’s Island) is an anime released in 2014, directed by Mizuho Nishikubo, co-produced by Production I.G and the Japan Association of Music Enterprises (JAME).

Giovanni’s Island tells the story of two brothers, Junpei and Kanta, living on Shikotan Island. Following Japan's defeat in World War II, Shikotan is invaded by the Soviet army. Despite language barriers, cultural differences, and warnings from friends, the brothers befriend a Russian girl named Tanya on the island. Their father is imprisoned and exiled to Siberia, while all Japanese inhabitants on the island are relocated. Thus, they embark on a journey to reunite with their father.

Giovanni’s Island is a beautiful film with gentle 2D animation, skillfully blending humor and loss to narrate the story of youth and humanity's recovery after suffering. The most poignant scene depicts Japanese children singing a Japanese nursery rhyme while in the next room, Russian children are learning to sing a Russian folk song. By the end of the film, the two groups of children come together to sing a song of unity across borders.

IMDb Rating: 7.3

Kayoko's Diary (Ushiro no Shoumen Daare) is an anime adapted from the novel of the same name by Kayoko Ebina, produced by Mushi Production studio, and aired in 1991.

Set in 1940, young and innocent Kayoko enjoys a peaceful life in her hometown. She loves playing with her peers, singing folk songs, and eagerly awaits becoming an older sister. Despite the war, Kayoko and the Japanese people hardly grasp the true nature of the conflict. They only know that patriotism and supporting the country are natural.

The image of Kayoko innocently contributing her favorite doll to make explosives prompts viewers to reflect deeply. The joy of childhood fades away over the cruel impact of war. The film is based on Kayoko Ebina's memories of the Showa era but also represents the experiences of millions of Japanese children during that time.

IMDb Rating: 7.9

The Cockpit is an original Japanese animated film based on Leiji Matsumoto's manga about World War II. This OVA series was written and directed by Yoshiaki Kawajiri, Takashi Imanishi, and Ryousuke Takahashi. The film consists of 3 episodes with separate stories.

Episode 1: Slipstream follows a Luftwaffe pilot who must choose between the mission to protect a bomber carrying Germany's last hope, the world's first atomic bomb, or his duty to the world: to let it sink into the enemy's Spitfires flames.

Episode 2: Sonic Boom Squadron explores the final hours of Yokosuka MXY-7 Ohka pilots on August 6, 1945.

Episode 3: Knight of the Iron Dragon tells the story of two soldiers trying to reach an airbase to fulfill a promise despite the fact that it may have already been fulfilled in the reality of war.

IMDb Rating: 7.2

Barefoot Gen is a Japanese adult war anime film released in 1983 based on the Japanese manga of the same name by Keiji Nakazawa. The film depicts World War II in Japan from the perspective of a child revolving around the events surrounding the bombing of Hiroshima and the main character's firsthand experience of the bomb.

Barefoot Gen tells the story of the boy Gen Nakaoka during the period when Japan had to endure two atomic bombs dropped by the US in 1945. The first part of the film portrays the struggles and hardships of 6-year-old Gen and his family as the war approaches its end. Despite the hardships, Gen and the others remain optimistic and work hard. On August 6, 1945, the bomb named Little Boy dropped by an American plane on the center of Hiroshima changed the lives of everyone forever.

The second part of the film, directed by Mori Masaki and released in 1986, continues Gen and his mother's journey of survival in the devastated condition of Japan three years after the Hiroshima event. Despite facing various hardships, Gen still maintains an optimistic spirit and spreads his strong hope to everyone.

The characters of Barefoot Gen emerge with multidimensional perspectives. Historical truths are exposed, and the ethical aspects with unclear boundaries of right and wrong are prominent messages in the work. Barefoot Gen also conveys positive messages through the message of 'living strong and steadfast like wheat, regardless of life's push and pull,' as his father's teaching to Gen.

IMDb Rating: 8.0

When the Fire Rain Falls was produced by Mushi Production studio, released in 1988.

The setting of the film When the Fire Rain Falls is in 1945. Everything is still normal in the city of Fukuoka. Some places in Japan have been destroyed by the flames of war, but here it is relatively peaceful and quiet. Schools are still operating, and children play during their free time. Daichi is one of the boys. One day, a new student appears in class - Yoriko, a girl evacuated from Tokyo.

Yoriko values life greatly; she has legitimate reasons, her childhood ended with the death of loved ones in the bombing. The children become acquainted and become friends. They, like the rest of the city, still do not know that on June 19, their lives will be divided into 'before' and 'after.'

IMDb Rating: 7.8

Zipang: The Time Warp is a 26-episode anime television series produced by Studio Deen and directed by Kazuhiro Furuhashi, which aired on TBS from 2004 to 2006. The series is adapted from a Japanese manga written and illustrated by Kaiji Kawaguchi.

The story follows the members of the Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force who are transported back in time over 60 years to 1942. Despite their initial intention not to alter history, they soon find themselves being drawn into the conflict, although they continue to refuse to choose one side over the other. The struggle of the crew from modern, peaceful, and prosperous Japan against the call of nationalist fervor to defend their country, knowing that at this point the country is ruled by a brutal, totalitarian regime and warlords, is the central theme of Zipang: The Time Warp.

Their rescue of a Imperial Japanese Navy officer from the past, Lieutenant Commander Kusaka, who was supposed to have died in the normal flow of time, has caused unstoppable and brutal changes in the past as he seeks to create a stronger Japan regardless of the cost.

IMDb Rating: 7.4