While no doubt modern shonen manga are great offerings to the fans of the new generation, there’s a different appeal to the world of historical manga. The stories rich in culture and history not only transport readers to a vibrant era of well-crafted settings and characters but also open a gateway to the past.

The captivating blend of storytelling and historical backdrop makes these period sagas simply fresh and immersive for the readers. In this article, we’ll take a look at some of the best historical manga that you shouldn’t miss out on. So, without further ado, let’s get started.

10. Basilisk

Basilisk is a great historical manga for those who are into martial arts, particularly ninja culture. Set in 16th-century Japan, the story focuses on the rivalry between two ninja clans, Iga and Kouga as they’re dragged into another bitter war to determine the next shogunate.

However, the feud doesn’t stop the heirs of their respective clans, Gennosuke Kouga and Oboro Iga from falling in love. Torn between their love for each other and duty to their clans, the pair must ultimately decide the fate of their clans in an action-packed romantic saga.

9. Buddha

Coming from “the father of manga” himself, Buddha is Osamu Tezuka’s retelling of the teachings of Gautama Buddha who abandoned his life of luxury to teach compassion to all. The manga walks us through the life of Buddha from birth to enlightenment to death.

Through his artistic brilliance, Tezuka offers a unique blend of historical fiction, religion, and philosophy to bring out the visually explicit yet humorous and thought-provoking portrayal of the Buddha’s life. It’s a creative masterpiece and is recommended for historical manga fans.

8. Heroic Legend Of Arslan

Before turning into a manga, The Heroic Legend of Arslan started out as a light novel series that was widely popular for its cultural backdrop, characters, and overall storyline. Later on, Fullmetal Alchemist fame Hiromu Arakawa came into the picture as she decided to illustrate a manga version of this historical series.

Set in the fictional kingdom of Pars, which is inspired by ancient Persia, the series follows the journey of Crown Prince Arslan who finds himself at the height of a nation that’s been destroyed by the neighboring country. Burning with flames of enmity, Arslan sets out to reclaim his throne and restore Pars to its former glory.

7. Mushishi

Mushishi is a seinen genre manga series that’s written by one of the prolific female manga writers Yuki Urushibara. Using various inspirations for its occult nature, the series is an episodic anthology with no overarching plotline in which the only common elements are Ginko and the Mushi.

Ginko’s encounters with eclectic Mushi, supernatural creatures, act as a catalyst as he moves forward in the story. Pondering what it truly means to be alive and being, Ginko’s exploration brings the readers to both intimate and spectacular settings of mythology that define life in its more strange and basic form.

6. Otoyomegatari

Otoyomegatari, better known by its English title “A Bride’s Story”, is a rarest of rare historical manga whose overall narrative is built around short chapter-length stories that focus on the minutiae of the daily lives of various young women who are married off to men from different tribes and villages.

Taking place in central Asia during the 19th century, the manga explores the challenges and joys of married life in a patriarchal society through its gorgeously detailed art and well-developed characters. One should give Otoyomegatari a try for its diligence towards the customs and culture of nomadic people.

5. Rurouni Kenshin

Rurouni Kenshin is a historical fantasy manga that has spawned one of the best live action anime adaptations. The series follows an Ishin assassin whose skill and brutality became near legendary in the age of restoration, but one day he vanishes without a trace.

Years later, he resurfaces as a wandering swordsman named Himura Kenshin who seeks to carry out his vow to protect the weak without killing to atone for the lives he’s taken. It’s not long, though, before this vow is put to the test, and the shadows of his past return to haunt him.

4. Golden Kamuy

Much to many readers’ surprise, Golden Kamuy beautifully crafts a story that’s not just culturally rich but also adds educational value to the premise. The series is set in Hokkaido, Japan, in the early 1900s, and features Saichi “Immortal” Sugimoto, a Russo-Japanese War veteran.

In a rip-roaring adventurous journey, he teams up with a local Ainu girl named Asirpa to locate a stolen hoard of Ainu gold hidden by a group of escaped convicts. Vivid characters, plenty of violence and bloodshed, and intricate historical details make Golden Kamuy an extremely good historical manga to boot.

3. Kingdom

The historical catalog of Shōnen Jump has proven to be a hit genre in the past couple of years, thanks to the success of “Kingdom”. Written and illustrated by Yasuhisa Hara, the manga provides a fictionalized account of the warring states period of China back in the Zhou dynasty era.

This epic warfare saga accounts for the rise and fall of kingdoms in ancient China through a war orphan, Xin who fights along with his comrades to become the greatest general under the heavens. On a path filled with trials and bloodshed, Xin wishes to unify the territories of China for the first time in 500 years.

2. Vinland Saga

Makoto Yukimura’s Vinland Saga is a sweeping historical epic of staggering proportions. The series has all it takes to be called the greatest venture story ever told, including a rich and textured narrative, morally grey characters, engaging battles, and breathtaking art.

Vinland Saga takes us across the Viking world of Northern Europe (mostly England) and sees King Cnut the Great’s historical rise to power with a revenge plot centered on the historical explorer Thorfinn. The story progresses through several story arcs beyond this, eventually culminating in an expedition to “Vinland”.

1. Vagabond

Takehiko Inoue’s Vagabond is one of the finest written historical manga to date. Seen as a parallel to Berserk and Vinland Saga, the timeless and realistic art style of Inoue binds pretty well with his fantastic storytelling. Still, it wasn’t enough for the producers to consider it for an anime adaptation.

Vagabond is an action-packed portrayal of the life and times of the quintessential warrior-philosopher – the most celebrated samurai of all time! Striving for enlightenment by way of the sword, it details Miyamoto Musashi’s journey from a wanted criminal to a legendary swordsman.

Which one of the following historical manga is your favorite? Feel free to comment down your thoughts and make sure to recommend some other manga like the ones listed above, also don’t forget to share this article with your fellow otaku friends.

We post daily anime and manga news articles, so make sure to follow us on Instagram. You can also check out our anime ranking page for more articles like this.