Samurai Anime recommendations? (Conditions inside)

[Samtemdo8_v1legacy]

I feel I want to get into Samurai/Medieval/Feudal Japan related stories again and what better way than to watch an Anime about it.

Now when I ask for Samurai I mean the more Grounded in reality (well mostly) with no magic fantasy stuff like Naruto and Bleach and Inuyasha, and a more serious plot. For comparison is there any anime like Lone Wolf and Cub and Vagabond?

The only closet option I am aware of is Rurouni Kenshin but lets just it falls into the more Shounen tropes of being more "cartoony" at times so I am hoping for other recommendations.

EDIT: Another one I am already aware of and have seen is Samurai Champloo and I also enjoy it.

Just so you know I am hoping if there is anything else I don't know.

 

[Saelune]

Well, it might not suit you, but Samurai Shamploo is great. A lot of anachronisms, but is still pretty cool.

There is also that anime based on Samurai Warriors 4. Its based on real history, though is certainly more out there in other ways.

 

[PapaGreg096]

While it does have some magic, Maria the Virgin witch is actually a well researched show, also if you don't mind a little Shonen check out Kingdom and while not an anime you should read Vinland Saga

 

[Samtemdo8_v1legacy]

My favorite samurai anime is Shigurui. It's dark and atmospheric and has realistic, gory ultra-violence and slow-paced strategic duels. It needed another season to be concluded, but it leaves on an intense, memorable cliffhanger. The manga is also pretty good.

So far out of all the recommendations I am digging Shigurui the most.

Its has all the things I am looking for in a Samurai/Chanbara Anime.

Which makes me all the more sadder no one made an animated adaption of Lone Wolf and Cub

 

[BrawlMan]

Samurai Champloo. It is from the same guys who did Cowboy Bebop. Does and I also have some awesome Hip Hop soundtrack too. I highly recommend it.

 

[Silentpony_v1legacy]

Just watch Samurai Jack. Its better than any samurai anime.

 

[balladbird]

Alas, I found myself searching for precisely what you're looking for a few months ago, and the pickings were damned slim. I already had samurai champloo, and the sengoku jidai is a surprisingly uncommon setting for grounded, non-high fantasy anime. I tried Sengoku Basara, knowing it was mostly stupid fun, but it somehow managed to be even more brainless than I was bracing for, albeit beautifully animated.

 

[Fox12]

Well, if you include medieval anime then there's only one choice.

Spoiler

Berserk of course

Otherwise?
1) shigirui: death story
2) Sword of the Stranger
3) Ninja Scroll
4) Katanagatari

 

[Dreiko_v1legacy]

Basilisk: Kouga Ninpocho is a great feudal Japan story, does some pretty realistic ninja for what it is, too. Not entirely without fantasy, of course. Samurai Deeper Kyo is good too, though a bit more on the supertural elements. Rurouni Kenshin isn't any less full of those though so if you are fine with it Kyo should be fine too. Champloo as already mentioned is pretty good too, though it tends to have a fanbase simply because it was shown on tv a lot and not because of it being the best samurai thing ever. It does a unique Japanee rap style of music that fits with the story but at the same time Kapoeira isn't any less samurai fantasy.


Hoestly, go read the Vagabond manga. Best pure samurai story you'll find. Miyamoto Musashi done justice. Think Berserk with samurai.

 

[Saltyk]

Basilisk: Kouga Ninpocho is a great feudal Japan story, does some pretty realistic ninja for what it is, too. Not entirely without fantasy, of course. Samurai Deeper Kyo is good too, though a bit more on the supertural elements. Rurouni Kenshin isn't any less full of those though so if you are fine with it Kyo should be fine too. Champloo as already mentioned is pretty good too, though it tends to have a fanbase simply because it was shown on tv a lot and not because of it being the best samurai thing ever. It does a unique Japanee rap style of music that fits with the story but at the same time Kapoeira isn't any less samurai fantasy.


Hoestly, go read the Vagabond manga. Best pure samurai story you'll find. Miyamoto Musashi done justice. Think Berserk with samurai.

The Samurai Deeper manga is so much better. It's not even the same story. And I really hated how all the villains in the anime turned into monsters every time they fought.

I forgot about the Vagabond manga, though. Last I checked it had recently introduced Kojiro, which can only mean some interesting things to come (this was a long time ago).

 

[Dreiko_v1legacy]

Basilisk: Kouga Ninpocho is a great feudal Japan story, does some pretty realistic ninja for what it is, too. Not entirely without fantasy, of course. Samurai Deeper Kyo is good too, though a bit more on the supertural elements. Rurouni Kenshin isn't any less full of those though so if you are fine with it Kyo should be fine too. Champloo as already mentioned is pretty good too, though it tends to have a fanbase simply because it was shown on tv a lot and not because of it being the best samurai thing ever. It does a unique Japanee rap style of music that fits with the story but at the same time Kapoeira isn't any less samurai fantasy.


Hoestly, go read the Vagabond manga. Best pure samurai story you'll find. Miyamoto Musashi done justice. Think Berserk with samurai.

The Samurai Deeper manga is so much better. It's not even the same story. And I really hated how all the villains in the anime turned into monsters every time they fought.

I forgot about the Vagabond manga, though. Last I checked it had recently introduced Kojiro, which can only mean some interesting things to come (this was a long time ago).

I read the manga second which allowed me to still enjoy the anime. That opening song was so good too. Manga is definitely better though.


And yeah, Vagabond has THIRTY SEVEN volumes out, all available in English too, so it will definitely satisfy.

 

[Xerosch]

I second Shigurui. Bloody and violent, but at the same time it represents the Samurai code and complete devotion to the art amazingly.

I particularly enjoyd it because of three reasons: It could make me uncomfortable when I thought I've seen a lot of f'd up stuff, the minimalistic soundtrack and few dialogues add to the atmosphere and it breaks with almost every trend that's haunting new anime. A shame the story was only finished in the manga.

Also, you could check out Samurai7. It's based on Akira Kurosawa's Seven Samurai, but gives you a new interpretation. While not outright fantasy it's set in a steampunk world, so maybe that'll turn you off.

 

[Samtemdo8_v1legacy]

My favorite samurai anime is Shigurui. It's dark and atmospheric and has realistic, gory ultra-violence and slow-paced strategic duels. It needed another season to be concluded, but it leaves on an intense, memorable cliffhanger. The manga is also pretty good.

So far the guy who writes this manga/anime did not take health and biology class.

Because apperently Samurais in this manga are all a bunch of Deformed Mutants. I mean people just rip skin off with their bare hands like paper.

And the author clearly has a fetish for all the gore and deformity. And also I question his sexuality because all the men have chisled abs and muscles, even young boys and are mostly naked in certain scenes.

Oh and in the Manga there is a Futa chick that has the strength of 10 men (she lifts a horse on her back) and she has a underdevelopped dick.

What the fuck is going on with this manga/anime?

 

[Scarim Coral]

The only one I can think of that isn't mention but it will be dismissed by the OP is the anime Samruai 7. It's mainly based on these old Japanese film 7 Samurai but the setting was changed to sorta future punk with robots and mechs....

 

[Asita]

As a movie, Sword of the Stranger fits the bill pretty well. It's reasonably well grounded in reality (if a bit exaggerated where combat is concerned), set in Sengoku-era Japan, and has some beautiful fight choreography. If you haven't seen it, give it a look.

 

[bluegate]

I feel I want to get into Samurai/Medieval/Feudal Japan related stories again and what better way than to watch an Anime about it.

You could also try your hand at real life shows, for example, Japan's NHK runs annual shows they call "Taiga Drama"'s, which are one year running historical fiction shows.

One example of one of these Taiga Drama's is "Ten Chi Jin", or "Heart of a Samurai" for some, a series in the Warring States period of Japan.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tenchijin

The series spans some rather big events, from Nobunaga's rise to power and sudden demise, to Hideyoshi's reign up to the Tokugawa's seizing of power. It isn't as action heavy as anime's are, but it has a good story and good characters.
It might be a bit hard to keep track of all the political happenings of the show if you aren't paying attention to names and regions that things take place in though.

Not an NHK Taiga Drama but an adaptation from a manga which is more on the goofy side is "Nobunaga Concerto", which is a show about a modern day high schooler falling into a time warp and ending up in the Warring States era of Japan and due to circumstance taking the place of Oda Nobunaga.

Nobunaga Concerto also has an anime adaptation, but it is some of the worst flash tier anime that you'll probably ever see and I would recommend watching the drama version, seeing as it actually finishes the story of the manga and is a high quality production.

Alas, I found myself searching for precisely what you're looking for a few months ago, and the pickings were damned slim. I already had samurai champloo, and the sengoku jidai is a surprisingly uncommon setting for grounded, non-high fantasy anime. I tried Sengoku Basara, knowing it was mostly stupid fun, but it somehow managed to be even more brainless than I was bracing for, albeit beautifully animated.

You might want to check out the above Ten Chi Jin if more grounded sengoku jidai is what you are looking for.

 

[Samtemdo8_v1legacy]

Just watch Samurai Jack. Its better than any samurai anime.

Oh I just know all the fans are gonna hate the new version for being too dark and edgy and Jack killing and I am the only one who will defend it

 

[Jute88]

It's not anime, but how about tv-miniseries Shogun? It's tells a story of a shipwrecked John Blackthorne in 17th century Japan. It doesn't have a lot of action, it's more about getting familiar with the Japanese culture and politics.

Basilisk: Kouga Ninpocho is a great feudal Japan story, does some pretty realistic ninja for what it is, too. Not entirely without fantasy, of course.

Sorry, but I have to nitpick. Realistic ninjas? In what way? I like the series, but immortal ninjas, ninjas moving through solid walls and a body producing poison when aroused doesn't strike me as realistic.

 

[Samtemdo8_v1legacy]

Hoestly, go read the Vagabond manga. Best pure samurai story you'll find. Miyamoto Musashi done justice. Think Berserk with samurai.

After reading Lone Wolf and Cub I don't know how Vagabond will top it, especially since Lone Wolf and Cub has the most powerful and tear-jerking ending.