21-04-2025
Top 7 Real-Life Based Anime You Should Watch
(All pics credit: IMDb)
This heartbreaking Studio Ghibli film is based on Akiyuki Nosaka's semi-autobiographical novel. It follows two siblings, Seita and Setsuko, struggling to survive in Japan during World War II. Nosaka's own experiences as a child during the war shape this emotional story, showing the devastating toll of conflict on innocent lives.
Inspired by Keiji Nakazawa's manga, this anime is rooted in the artist's childhood in Hiroshima. It depicts the horrors of the 1945 atomic bombing and one boy's fight to survive. Raw and unflinching, Barefoot Gen captures the resilience of the human spirit amid tragedy.
Directed by Hayao Miyazaki, this Studio Ghibli film is a fictionalized biography of Jiro Horikoshi, the designer of Japan's Zero fighter plane used in World War II. Blending historical facts with a poetic love story, it explores dreams, ambition, and the moral complexities of creation.
Based on Fumiyo Kouno's manga, this anime follows Suzu, a young woman living in Hiroshima during World War II. The story draws from real-life accounts of civilians, showing the quiet strength of everyday people facing war's hardships with hope and determination.
Inspired by Japan's 1960s Jazz Movement, this coming-of-age drama showcases the rise of jazz culture among Japanese youth in the 1960s, drawing on real musical influences and post-war societal changes
While not a direct biography, this series draws from creator Wataru Watari's observations of high school social dynamics in Japan. It follows Hachiman, a loner navigating friendships and societal pressures, reflecting real teen struggles with identity and connection.
Set During the French Revolution, this historical drama is inspired by actual events and figures like Marie Antoinette, showcasing the opulence and unrest that led to the French Revolution, with fictional elements woven in. Read Next Story
