by February 11th is “National Foundation Day.” It was established in 1966 to ” commemorate the country’s founding and cultivate a love for the country.”
Many anime are set in Japan, but the ones that stand out are the ones that leave the biggest impression. For example, they use traditional Japanese performing arts as a motif, vividly depict the scenery of a particular region, or boldly arrange real Japan to create a new charm… So Anime! Anime! Conducted a reader survey titled “When you think of anime set in “Japan”? During the survey period from January 26th to January 31st, we received responses from 267 people. The gender ratio was about 40 percent men and 60 percent women, with a slight female predominance. In terms of age group, about 45 percent were under 19 years old, and about 15 percent were in their 20s and 30s.
Demons, swords, Edo… Various elements that make you feel Japan No. 1 is “Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba.” The approval rating was 12%. “Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba” began broadcasting on TV in 2019. The story is about the main character, Tanjiro Kamado, who fights demons to turn his sister Nezuko, who has become a demon, back into a human. “It’s the king of Japanese-style anime! It’s set in Japan during the Taisho era, and there are many Japanese elements, such as ancient Japanese demons appearing as enemies and being defeated with a special sword called a Nichirin sword,” and “It beautifully depicts ancient Japanese buildings such as castles and mansions.
In particular, I was fascinated by the gorgeous background art of Yoshiwara in “The Entertainment District Arc.” There were also comments about being fascinated by the exquisite techniques, such as “The effects of the water breathing technique are reminiscent of ukiyo-e, and the Japanese feel is also emphasized in the visuals.”
This year, the movie version of “Mugenjo-hen” will be released, and the story will finally reach its climax. 2nd place 2nd place is “Gintama”. The approval rating is about 11%. “Gintama” started its TV anime in 2006. It is a sci-fi historical drama set in Edo, opened to the world by aliens. Readers have commented, “The setting is Japan at the end of the Edo period, but there are aliens called Amanto, mobile phones are used, and the original is serialized in Shonen Jump.
The loose worldview called “fake Edo” adds a comical atmosphere” and “The characters that appear are derived from historical figures. Historical facts are arranged and incorporated, so it hit home for me, who loves Japanese history at the end of the Edo period.” This work is popular for depicting a good old society with a human touch while adding a twist to Edo. The work is currently being shown in theaters as “Gintama on Theater 2D Shinsengumi Rebellion Arc”. 3rd place is “Bungo Stray Dogs.”
The approval rating was about 9 percent. “Bungo Stray Dogs” began airing in 2016. It is an action show with supernatural powers featuring characters with the same names as real-life authors. “Bungo Stray Dogs” is set in Yokohama and features real-life landmarks such as the Red Brick Warehouse, Yokohama Chinatown, and the Yokohama Archives of History. Places related to the historical events of the authors also appear, making it an excellent show for those visiting the setting!” and “Many characters appear based on novelists active from the Meiji period to the early Showa period.
The art has a retro feel, which is appealing to match the setting.” The titles that give you a sense of Japan and help you learn more about the authors are ranked highly. Here are some other comments! Regarding “Detective Conan,” he said, “The standard setting is Beika-cho, a fictional town in Tokyo, but incidents also occur all over Japan, including at travel destinations.
The 2024 film ‘The Million Dollar Five-Point Star’ is set in Hakodate and depicts history and tourist spots, so it’s highly recommended as a way to learn while enjoying the work.” Regarding “Sparrow’s Door Lock,” he said, “It’s a road movie in which the main character Suzume travels across Japan from her hometown of Miyazaki Prefecture.
The scene where she travels with Sota, who has turned into a chair, is memorable. Japan is filled with such beautiful scenery that the whole of Japan could be called a holy place.” For “Code Geass: Lelouch of the Rebellion,” voters said, “It is set shortly when Japan has become a colony of the Holy Britannian Empire and is known as Area 11.
The first thing that came to mind was a story of resistance by anti-Britannian people for various reasons.” For “Showa Genroku Rakugo Shinju,” voters said, “It is a masterpiece that depicts the lives of two Rakugo performers, set in Tokyo from before the war to after the war. You can feel the passage of time from when the Yoshiwara red-light district disappeared when Tokyo Tower was built until the Skytree was completed. The changing clothes and hairstyles of the customers at the comedy hall are also a highlight.” In this survey, titles with elements of period dramas stood out. The results reaffirm that a wide range of eras have been depicted in anime, including the Kamakura, Edo, and Meiji periods.
Ranking Top 10 [When you think of an anime set in Japan, what comes to mind? ] 1st place: “Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba” 2nd place: “Gintama” 3rd place: “Bungo Stray Dogs” 4th place: “Rurouni Kenshin: Meiji Swordsman Romantic Story” 5th place: “The Master of the Fate/Zero” 6th place: “Jujutsu Kaisen” 7th place: “Detective Conan” 8th place: “Touken Ranbu” series 9th place: “Code Geass: Lelouch of the Rebellion” 9th place: “My Hero Academia” (Response period: January 26th – January 31st, 2025) Overall ranking [When you think of anime set in “Japan”? ] 1st place: “Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba” 2nd place: “Gintama” 3rd place: “Bungo Stray Dogs” 4th place: “Rurouni Kenshin: Meiji Swordsman Romantic Story” 5th place: “The Master of the Fate/Zero” 6th place: “Jujutsu Kaisen” 7th place: “Detective Conan” 8th place: “Touken Ranbu” series 9th place: “Code Geass: Lelouch of the Rebellion” 9th place: “My Hero Academia” 11th place: “Sazae-san” 11th place: “Nintama Rantarou” 13th place: “Haikyu!!” 13th place: “Sound! Euphonium” 15th place: “Your Name.” 15th place: Kochira Katsushika-ku Kameari Kōen-mae Hashutsujo 15th place: Doraemon 15th place: Neko Neko Nihonshi 15th place: Manga Nippon Mukashi Banashi (Response period: January 26th to January 31st, 2025) *This survey is part of a survey of readers’ “interest and attention to current anime works and characters.” The results are not intended to determine the superiority or inferiority of any character or work. We hope this article will help you learn about new works and characters and deepen your understanding and interest.
