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Anime Like Nippon Sangoku: The Three Nations of the Crimson Sun

After reaching a tipping point, the world endured a technological collapse from riots and global conflict, with Japan reverting to a state resembling the Meiji Era.

From the ashes in Japan rose three separate nations that have reached a tenuous stalemate over territory. For Aoteru Misumi in a small town in the nation of Yamato, he seeks a simple life with his wife—until things take a tragic turn. Radicalized, Aoteru heads to Osaka to enlist his burgeoning strategic prowess under a renowned commander to begin his climb towards vengeance.

Oh, the tacticals and the visuals. What splendor. If you are looking for more anime recommendations like Nippon Sangoku, head on down below.

Anime Like Nippon Sangoku: The Three Nations of the Crimson Sun

For Fans of The Government is the Enemy

The Elusive Samurai

In the year 1333, the Kamakura shogunate government is toppled after the betrayal of Ashikaga Takauji, a once-trusted retainer who was responsible for slaughtering the entire Hojo clan.

However, in the chaos at Kamakura, the rightful heir to the shogunate, Hojo Tokiyuki does what he does best – flees.

After escaping the massacre with the help of Shinto priest Suwa Yorishige, Tokiyuki takes refuge in another province. While on the run to stay alive, Yorishige convinces Tokiyuki to turn his talent at running and hiding into a battle strategy to raise an army and reclaim his birthright.

Similarities Between Nippon Sangoku and The Elusive Samurai

  • Historical Japanese setting with a story that mirrors historical events in some ways but has enough liberties taken to be its own thing
  • Young main character that wants a simple life, has that upended violently, and decides on a path to revenge
  • Main character is not so good at combat, but has other distinct talents (administration, being elusive)
  • Corruption and political intrigue run rampant in the government
  • Quirky characters

Differences Between Nippon Sangoku and The Elusive Samurai

  • The Elusive Samurai is detailing a historical event, but its also a shounen anime where the characters are all young kids and have abilities that border on super-human.
  • The main character in Elusive Samurai does become a better fighter as things go on
  • The Elusive Samurai, despite its bloody elements, does have your standard-issue shounen fluff moments of friendship that lower the maturity of storytelling
  • While The Elusive Samurai does utilize battle tactics, they aren’t as prevalent.
heike story anime

The Heike Story

The Taira Clan, also known as the Heike, have developed authority in Japan. When a young girl disrespects a representative of the clan, her father pays the price with his life.

Later, this girl, now adopting the name Biwa after the instrument her father played, approaches Taira no Shigemori, the eldest son of the Taira Clan leader.

To him, she reveals the power of her eye to see the future and portends the downfall of his clan. He reveals to her the power in his eye to see the wandering ghosts of the dead and, after learning of how her father died, offers to take her in in hopes that she can help him steer his clan away from disaster.

Similarities Between Nippon Sangoku and The Heike Story

  • How does the Taira clan fall? We’re going to find out
  • Historical Japan-inspired story
  • Corrupt politics despite the small handful of noble folk trying to fight against it

Differences Between Nippon Sangoku and The Heike Story

  • What is Nippon Sangoku if not a more free-style retelling of the classic tale of the Heike Story, which details a fictional retelling of a real event—the Genpei war between the Taira clan and the Minamoto clan.
  • The Heike Story takes some liberties, but it is detailing a historical event.
  • The Heike Story is entirely political intrigue. It’s about watching a corrupt ruling clan shoot itself in the foot with greed as the spare few good folks within try to save their kin. No battlefield moments.
golden kamuy anime

Golden Kamuy

After surviving the brutal Russo-Japanese war, Sugimoto gained the nickname “the immortal”. However, he now seeks the promise of gold to the north in Hokkaido in order to provide for the blind wife and infant son of his comrade who died in the war.

Yet, during his hunt, he hears the tale of a hidden stash of gold belonging to criminals with a map made out of human skin. Dismissing it as a tale at first, he soon finds that the man who told him the story has those very same map-like tattoos.

Now on a race with a native Ainu girl whose father was murdered for the gold, they try to make it to the stash before the criminals.

Similarities Between Nippon Sangoku and Golden Kamuy

  • Military main character
  • Mature, slow-paced storytelling
  • The government is corrupt and frustrating
  • Historical Japanese-inspired setting

Differences Between Nippon Sangoku and Golden Kamuy

  • Golden Kamuy isn’t much of a revenge story. It is a treasure hunting story
  • Golden Kamuy isn’t a military drama. It features more small scale fights more akin to a shounen anime, but with more mature storytelling
  • Golden Kamuy features an ex-soldier and his native girl companion
  • Golden Kamuy is set in early 1900’s Hokkaido. It’s not a post-apocalyptic Meiji affair.
86 anime

86

For years, the Republic of San Magnolia has been at war with the Giadian Empire. They were constantly plagued by their hordes of unmanned drones until the government created an unmanned solution of their own, finally able to wage their war without casualties.

However, that is not quite the truth. The “unmanned” combat weapons are actually used by those of the 86th sector of the Republic, but they are not considered even human.

This is the tale of both Shin, an 86er and battle commander, and Lena, their sympathetic handler who remotely commands the detachment from inside the city.

Similarities Between Nippon Sangoku and 86

  • Soldiers under the thumb of an asshole government.
  • Soldiers frequently sent into combat with the expectation and hope they will die
  • Main characters excel in specific areas of combat/management
  • Post-apocalypse setting
  • Battlefield tactics and political maneuvering

Differences Between Nippon Sangoku and 86

  • 86 is set in a fictional world which had its own apocalypse.
  • 86 is very much a sci-fi war story. They use mechs rather than guns and swords
  • 86 likes to hurt you emotionally far more frequently.
  • 86 isn’t a revenge story. It’s a survival story for soldiers in a forced genocide via frontline combat.

Find Out Where To Continue The Nippon Sangoku Story At Our Sibling Site:

For Fans of Political Strategy

acca 13 anime

ACCA-13

After a revolt, Dowa and the 13 state kingdoms were reunited and the ACCA system, a civilian organization that monitors activities in every kingdom out of a central hub, was established. One hundred years later, ACCA and its inspections have helped keep the peace.

However, with the current king of Dowa aging and ill, rumblings of a coup have started to pop up as his foolish son reaches for the throne.

Jean Otus, a young inspector with ACCA, is charged with visiting the different kingdoms to unravel the plots that are being put into motion.

Similarities Between Nippon Sangoku and ACCA-13

  • Unsatisfactory ruling situation, and political rumblings of rebellion
  • Slow burn political story
  • Political administrator main character who is excellent at his job
  • Mature, slow-paced storytelling
  • Post-apocalypse (or post-violent revolution, if you prefer)
  • Many different nations, existing contentiously

Differences Between Nippon Sangoku and ACCA-13

  • ACCA-13 isn’t a war story. There is a possible rebellion building, and the main character is looking into it as an administrator. It’s a lot of talking.
  • ACCA-13 is extremely subtle with its storytelling, but pays off in excellent twists
  • ACCA-13 is about an empire made up of different cultures, so its not all just different flavors of Japanese.
legend of the galactic heroes anime

Legend of the Galactic Heroes

Kingdom anime

Kingdom

For Fans of Slow Burn Revenge

91 days anime

91 Days

moriarty the patriot anime

Moriarty the Patriot

Do you have more anime recommendations like Nippon Sangoku: The Three Nations of the Crimson Sun? Let fans know in the comments section below.

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