Military anime & manga

[Momogari]

The Saga of Tanya the Evil

Never heard of this. I'll put it on my list.
EDIT: actually, I went ahead and started it. I'm wary of its apparently wehrabooness, but otherwise it looks good so far.




Here's Arslan Senki.
[video=youtube;RWTTAHTAPbc]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RWTTAHTAPbc[/video]
That's a great trailer. Most of the trailers I look up are crap, but this one really captures the show, and it's good too.

[Tanya]

It aired for the first time last year. I believe it was for the summer of 2017.

It’s called ‘Yougo Senki’ too. I really liked the anime. Though that’s probably obvious since my AL name, avatar, and signature comes from the show.

[Expendable]

Zipang 2007

Plot Summary: Mirai, an improved Kongou-class Aegis guided missile destroyer, is one of the newest and most advanced ships in the entire Japanese Self-Defense Force (SDF). Her crew, also one of the newest, is lead by Capt. Umezu Saburo and Executive Officer Kadomatsu Yosuke. While running scheduled training exercises one day, Mirai encounters a fierce storm that throws their navigation systems into temporary disarray. After a few minutes of recovery, the crew is shocked to discover that they've been transported back in time to June 4, 1942 -- The Battle of Midway, during World War II. Letting history take its course for this battle, they manage to avoid the conflict firsthand and make a vow to remain annonymous, changing history as little as possible. However, when the crew comes across the dying Lt. Commander Kusaka Takumi, XO. Kadomatsu's instincts to save lives takes over, changing the course of history more than he could've imagined.

Never watched this, but thought it may be worth a look.

[Momogari]

I know I've seen Zipang because it's a unique name I haven't forgotten, but I can't remember the show itself at all.

Might as well rewatch it.

[Jasminedesi16]

Would Knights of Sidonia count? Its sci-fi but kind of military-ish ?

[Momogari]

I liked Knights of Sidonia. If it's military though, it's pretty edge-case.

[Momogari]

Reviving an old thread for the sake of Angolmois

[video=youtube;6H4yfUYZ23A]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6H4yfUYZ23A[/video]

The first 3 episodes had a good setup and showed some good tactics. I'm about to watch episode 4.

[mention=17199]Expendable[/mention] [mention=1132]Ember Nazarick[/mention] you should be watching this
[mention=84697]drill[/mention] have you started it yet?

[unoduetre]

[mention=6444]Momogari[/mention] Should someone create a thread for it? I'm not watching it because I'm not into history or realistic stuff, but I've seen the first two episodes (afair) and it looks like a very good anime for people interested in these topics.

[unoduetre]

In addition to that, I'll copy-paste the anime titles from another thread:

Jin-Roh: The Wolf Brigade
Legend of the Galactic Heroes
Berserk
Space Battleship Yamato
Grave of the Fireflies (not a military anime, but related to war)
Shigurui (not a military anime, but about "soldiers")
Gate (has been mentioned already).

and also some other ones:

Mobile Suit Gundam (and some others from this franchise)
Macross (and some others from this franchise)
Grancrest Senki (this IS a military and political anime but in a fantasy setting)
Code Geass (it's crap, and more of a political than a military anime)
Girls und Panzer ;-) (not a military anime, but certainly for the fans of military, he he)
Violet Evergarden (it's more about soldiers than a military anime, has anyone mentioned it already?)
Now and Then, Here and There (only partially military)
Full Metal Panic! (not really a military anime, but about soldiers, he he)
What Do You Do at the End of the World? Are You Busy? Will You Save Us? (couldn't resist giving the full title, not a military anime, but about soldiers)

[Momogari]

[mention=6444]Momogari[/mention] Should someone create a thread for it? I'm not watching it because I'm not into history or realistic stuff, but I've seen the first two episodes (afair) and it looks like a very good anime for people interested in these topics.

Well I'm hoping expendable or Nazarick was watching. Drill said he was going to, but drill isn't a regular anymore. As far as I know, I'm the only regular watching it.

In addition to that, I'll copy-paste the anime titles from another thread:

Jin-Roh: The Wolf Brigade
Legend of the Galactic Heroes
Berserk
Space Battleship Yamato
Grave of the Fireflies (not a military anime, but related to war)
Shigurui (not a military anime, but about "soldiers")
Gate (has been mentioned already).

and also some other ones:

Mobile Suit Gundam (and some others from this franchise)
Macross (and some others from this franchise)
Grancrest Senki (this IS a military and political anime but in a fantasy setting)
Code Geass (it's crap, and more of a political than a military anime)
Girls und Panzer ;-) (not a military anime, but certainly for the fans of military, he he)
Violet Evergarden (it's more about soldiers than a military anime, has anyone mentioned it already?)
Now and Then, Here and There (only partially military)
Full Metal Panic! (not really a military anime, but about soldiers, he he)
What Do You Do at the End of the World? Are You Busy? Will You Save Us? (couldn't resist giving the full title, not a military anime, but about soldiers)

For me military anime either has a focus on strategy or tactics, or is about a military organization. I wouldn't say Code Geass, FMP, WorldEnd, Macross, Shigirui, or Grave of the Fireflies are military anime at all. Even Violet Evergarden isn't really. But I'd say GATE is, just because it glorifies the SDF as an organization so it's basically military-themed even without coming with strategy or tactics.



When it comes to Military anime/manga, Kingdom is absolutely my favorite. It really goes into depth about strategy while still being a kickass hero story.

Have you seen Alderamin on the Sky? It's not historical and it has exciting tactics.

[Expendable]

Violet Evergarden is more about the aftermath of war, while Grave of the Fireflies has a strong anti-war message and shows the toll war takes on civilians. It's also semi-autobiographical.

Akira - strong army presence
Aldnoah.Zero - mecha Human vs Human, politics.
Code Geass - more mecha and revolt
Gunslinger Girl - black ops using girl cyborgs
Strike Witches - witch girls fighting aliens using striker units to allow them to fly into battle that go on their legs like knee-high boots and look a lot like ww2 airplaines. Mostly fan-service, they become cat girls while using their magic.
So Ra No Wo To (The Sound of the Sky) - a detached military outpost on the edge of the empire that has a single walking tank that they're repairing. (Pay is so irregular that they've secretly started their own brewery)
Macross (Robotech) - transforming mecha is used to fight giant aliens
Appleseed - post-apocalypse in recovery, a young woman and her bioroid companion are rescued from the wastes and brought to Utopia, both becoming members of ESWAT (Extra-Special Weapons and Advanced Tactics) to fight terrorism and crime.
Blue Gender - Bugs have taken over the earth, units are fighting the giant insects and rescuing a handful of people who were frozen to preserve their lives before the attack.
Blue Submarine No. 6 - the poles have melted, flooding cities. The man responsible has released his genetically altered humanoids who now war with humanity.
Uchuu Senkan Yamato / Starblazers - under attack by the Gamilas Empire and facing death by radiation, the battleship Yamato is ressurected as a space ship to obtain something to aid them against the empire.
Area 88 - a freshly graduated airline pilot is tricked by his friend while drunk into joining a mercenary outfit as a fighter pilot in the Middle East.
Tactical Roar - climate change has caused the creation of a stationary giant cyclone known as the Grand Roar, forcing a change in shipping routes and new piracy, so private escort ships are hired to accompany cargo ships.
Black Magic M-66 - A heliocopter taking two combat androids to a testing range crashes. The androids target? The daughter of their inventor. (honestly though, why would you program that in?)
Arpeggio of Blue Steel - Nanite ships that look like WW2 ships but crewless and directed by mental models that look like young women have taken control of the oceans and cut off communication between nations. Except for one submarine, found unresponsive following an early attack. Actually, it was waiting for someone.

[unoduetre]

[mention=6444]Momogari[/mention]

I've seen neither Kingdom (because it's historical) nor Alderamin on the Sky. Alderamin seems like something I might like. It's a fantasy, seinen and produced by Madhouse. I'll take a look.

Despite giving the list above, I'm also not a huge fan of military anime. In comparison, I like political anime (e.g. Terror in Resonance is one of my favourites). I also like s-f, fantasy, psychological (not all of these, only serious mental issues) and philosophical anime.

Do you think I might enjoy Kingdom and I should make an exception for it?

With respect to the military/non-military distinction, I think I've marked all the non-military ones in the list. I still think these titles might be a good watch for someone interested in military anime, so I've added them nevertheless because they show some important aspects of war and/or military (e.g. life of soldiers after the war, consequences of war, cute girls in tanks etc.)

I think we only disagree whether Macross is a military anime or not. I think it might be a borderline case. I think the first Macross has some traits of a military anime but I do not know the franchise very well, so you might be right about this one.



[mention=17199]Expendable[/mention]

In my opinion the following ones are not military anime: Akira (a s-f anime, an action anime, with elements of a psychological anime, a horror anime, a political anime and a military anime), Code Geass (a really naive political anime, a s-f anime), Gunslinger Girl (a police anime (even if it's the army doing the job), a psychological anime, an action anime, with elements of a s-f anime), Appleseed (a s-f anime, ...), Black Magic M-66 (a s-f anime, ...). Also I haven't seen some others from your list, so I cannot comment on them. The other ones you mentioned are some good examples of military anime.

If the military does the job of the police (e.g. fighting unorganized or organized criminals or people considered criminals, taking care of riots (in contrast to taking care of uprisings) etc.) I classify these as police anime not military anime. That's arguable of course and it depends on the definition. I agree with [mention=6444]Momogari[/mention]'s definition of military anime, and I'd also like to add the following:

1. There is an army or at least a miltary organisation (a borderline case). It has a chain of command, ranks etc.
2. Soldiers are some of the main characters. The life of a soldier is shown. There are organised groups of soldiers shown (e.g. teams, squads, crews, platoons, squadrons, battallions, regiments, ...). Some of the soldiers die. The soldiers do not have extreme superpowers.
3. There is some politics involved.
4. Military strategies and tactics are described.
5. A war, uprising etc. is happening. There are opposing armies fighting by using big weapons e.g. tanks, warships, cannons, trebuchets, horses (if in a medieval-like setting) etc.

Not all of these need to be true of course, but at least most of them.

Some mecha, fantasy, s-f etc. anime share these traits so I think they might be classified as both military anime and the respective genres.

[Expendable]

I would point out that Akira meets most of your criteria.

1. Colonel Shikishima is the military leader of Neo-Tokyo, which includes the top secret psychic research facility guarded by soldiers.
2. Life of the soldiers are not shown, but some of them do die. They do not have unusual powers.
3. Neo-Tokyo is politically corrupt, but little of that is shown in the anime. The city's leaders blame the Colonel for the city's shabby state as he uses a lot of the city's funds to take care of the Espers. There is also a Resistance movement who had broken into the Nursery to kidnap Takashi and later helps Kaneda try to break in again to rescue Tetsuo.
4. We observe a recovery op for Takashi, which also nets them Tetsuo. Later, when Tetsuo begins his march to where Akira's remains are, we see military action attempting to stop him.
5. There is a resistance movement and Tetsuo does a one-man uprising through the city. After taking out an attack helicopter, a tank shoots at Tetsuo, he stops the shell and destroys the tank. Soldiers armed with bulky shoulder-fired lasers also attempt to stop him.

Both Tetsuo and Akira before him were basically walking psychic WMDs.

Macross also meets your guidelines.

[Momogari]

I don't remember Akira very well, and I didn't see the early Macross, but I wouldn't say Macross 7, Frontier, or Delta is military really. I feel like these stories are more about individuals.

[Momogari]

I've seen neither Kingdom (because it's historical) nor Alderamin on the Sky. Alderamin seems like something I might like. It's a fantasy, seinen and produced by Madhouse. I'll take a look.

Despite giving the list above, I'm also not a huge fan of military anime. In comparison, I like political anime (e.g. Terror in Resonance is one of my favourites). I also like s-f, fantasy, psychological (not all of these, only serious mental issues) and philosophical anime.

Do you think I might enjoy Kingdom and I should make an exception for it?

Mmm, no.

I'd say what Kingdom is good at, besides strategy and tactics, is the hero story; it has cool characters you want to root for. The politics of the warring states period of China is basically warfare, and the only politics otherwise is just leadership theory. It's complex and definitely seinen, but it's really just almost all about war, armies, leaders, and strategists.