Meiji Gekken: 1874

All Crunchyroll originals on MAL

Imagine you've just watched "Harakiri", or perhaps "Yojimbo", and now you're thinking to yourself: "I wonder how Samurai Cinema would translate into anime" - Next you're scrolling the anime database, and you've searched for anime with the theme "Samurai", only to be met with entries containing people spitting fireballs, and giant robots shooting lasers.

If this is something you've experienced, then this interest stack is for you. I've scoured every entry (as of October 2024) listed under the theme "Samurai", as well as tried to find others not listed there, to fit the following more narrow definition:

"Swordfighting anime set in historical Japan with a realistic setting."

Some anachronism is okay, but futurism like mechas and RPG launchers are excluded. Trying to keep supernatural elements at a minimal. Allowed to a certain extent, but trying to avoid full on superpowers. This list contains no sequels, one entry per franchise only.

Anime might be excluded for other reasons, such as not adhering enough to the style. Also skipping a lot of <~10 minute shorts. Some (most) of the anime I haven't yet seen, so there's a possibility an anime that should've been excluded has slipped by into the list.

PS. "Lone Wolf and Cub" + "Vagabond" anime when??

Tags: Chambara, Samurai, Jidaigeki, Ninja, Katana, Meiji, Edo, Azuchi–Momoyama, Muromachi, Ashikaga, Nanboku-chou, Sengoku, Kamakura, Heian, Nara,

Update:
-- added Glass Reflection, Gigguk
-- added AH Brandon Reviews season playlists - each list will accumulate the weekly episode reviews as the season goes by

Update:
-- started adding first impressions: AH Brandon Reviews, Mother's Basement, Otaku Spirit
-- caught up with some pre-season entries, including some hashtags


This stack consolidates watch recommendations for the Winter 2024 season from several YouTube critics/commentators. Stacked in alpha order.

Solo Leveling definitely led the way with the most pre-season hype, but out of nowhere, Gushing Over Magical Girls has produced a ton of reaction after the first episode aired.

------------------------------< Pre-season >------------------------------

These are recommendations based on hype, buzz, trailers, and sometimes the reputation of the creative team.

We're only half way through Fall 2023 and videos looking forward to next season have already started to appear. Like last season, ViniiTube is first out of the gate.

ViniiTube 1.07M subs: "Top 10 Most Anticipated Anime of Winter 2024". Covering new and returning shows. VT doesn't rank his picks so I'll just note they are anticipated.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j9RqJYs51oA

GiggukVODs 78.2K subs: "Picking EVERY Anime I Watch in Winter 2024". 3 hours, 47 minutes. If there's an edited version, I'll take a look but no way I'm working my way through nearly 4 hours of YouTube video.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HTUzuAzQbkw

Probably Pretentious 11.9K subs: "Every Anime You Need To Watch | Winter 2024". A general run-down of new and returning shows that they are watching this season. I'll note any pithy comments on the appropriate show.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Tx2SFfM97lM

------------------------------< First Impressions and Episode Reviews >------------------------------

AH Brandon Reviews - added Episode 1 initial impressions.

Gigguk 3.56M subs: "Winter Anime 2024 in a Nutshell". G comments on selected anime from this season. Not ranked or rated. He doesn't explain how or why he chose the shows to comment on, but I think it is because he had something amusing to say, not because they are somehow "good". No chapter markers so I guesstimated time hacks from the transcript.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yCKFrMoOsqQ

Glass Reflection 584K subs: "I Watched EVERY SINGLE NEW ANIME of the Winter 2024 Season..." Covering new seasonal anime. No sequels. No continuing or returning shows. Rating: KEEP, GR will keep the show on his watchlist. Rating: TOSS, GR will toss the show from his watchlist. Rating: HOLD, GR will keep the show on his watchlist for at least a few more episodes, the implication being unless it does something worthwhile, it will get TOSSed. GR didn't cover "Fluffy Paradise" and "The Unwanted Undead Adventurer".
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Dm8e5FtYEm8

Mother's Basement 1.34M subs: "The BEST Anime of Winter 2024 - Ones to Watch". Ten shows worth watching, plus the Bargain Bin (anime with a couple bumps and bruises on them). The list is not ordered or ranked. [aside] MB explains a couple of terms I have to take note of: "real robot" anime imagine mecha as mass-produced tools of warfare in contrast to the more fantastical, often sentient "super robots" that come from space to protect earth from aliens.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PMWYSzYcWak

Otaku Spirit 21.9K subs: "Top New Anime So Far After Watching Everything!". Top 19 new anime after watching the first three or four episodes. "Oh my gosh, the thirsty anime fans are winning, winning, winning, winning, winning, winning, winning."
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dJ0G5aUy9cQ

------------------------------< Mid- and Post-season Reviews >------------------------------



Updates to this stack will continue as more videos covering next season are released.

𝙍𝙀𝙂𝙐𝙇𝘼𝙍 𝙐𝙋𝘿𝘼𝙏𝙀𝙎 | 𝙌𝙐𝘼𝙇𝙄𝙏𝙔 𝙎𝙀𝙇𝙀𝘾𝙏𝙄𝙊𝙉 | 𝙑𝙄𝙎𝙄𝙏 𝙋𝙍𝙊𝙁𝙄𝙇𝙀 𝙁𝙊𝙍 𝙈𝙊𝙍𝙀
Anime that focus on war and military tactics. Outer space, medieval era, mecha wars, human vs monsters etc.