What is this genre all about? Historical anime have clear ties to our history and usually occur in a particular epoch.
We present you the list of Historical manga you should read right now.
Try our anime quiz: Anime Characters Guessing Quiz/Game
Top 20 Historical manga you should read right now. [2026 List]
- 20. Martial Peak
- 19. Madojeonsaenggi
- 18. Dingji Qiyun, Qiaoqiao Xiulian Qian Nian
- 17. Mount Hua Sect's Genius Phantom Swordsman
- 16. Kimetsu no Yaiba
- 15. Kingdom
- 14. I Shall Master this Family!
- 13. 2-Hoecha Hwangwani Namseongeul Doechajeum
- 12. Kusuriya no Hitorigoto
- 11. Agi Hugungnimeun Joyonghi Salgo Sipeo
- 10. Shuumatsu no Walküre
- 9. Vagabond
- 8. Kill the Villainess
- 7. Binguijareul Wihan Teukye
- 6. Vinland Saga
- 5. Hwiyeong Geomjeon
- 4. Dao of the Bizarre Immortal
- 3. Musingwihwallok
- 2. This Villain Emperor's Gotta Charm the Male Lead to Survive!
- 1. Miss Pendleton
20. Martial Peak
The journey to the martial peak is a lonely, solitary and long one.In the face of adversity,you must survive and remain unyielding.Only then can you break through and and continue on your journey to become the strongest. Sky Tower tests its disciples in the harshest ways to prepare them for this journey.One day the lowly sweeper Yang Kai managed to obtain a black book, setting him on the road to the peak of the martials world.
Martial Peak is currently publishing and has Chapters. It is also Known as: MP , Wu Lian Dian Feng , Wǔ Liàn Diān Fēng , Wǔ Liàn Diānfēng , Вершина боевых искусств , Пик боевых искусств
19. Madojeonsaenggi
Chun Hajin, the strongest assassin of the Orthodox Murim's Righteous Heavenly Alliance. Hajin loses his life as he tries to escape to find freedom.
And then…
"The divine cult is immortal, may all demons submit. Congratulations on your recovery, third young master!"
He was reincarnated into the body of the Murim's public enemy, the third young master of the Demonic Cult?!
The conquest of the Demonic Murim by Chun Hajin, the strongest secret weapon of the Orthodox Murim, begins now.
Chronicles of the Demon Faction is currently publishing and has Chapters. It is also Known as: Madojeonsaenggi
18. Dingji Qiyun, Qiaoqiao Xiulian Qian Nian
Reborn into a world of immortal cultivation, Han Jue found himself blessed with the Gacha System, able to re-roll for stats in cultivation and luck. To stay out of trouble, Han Jue cultivated on his own, and kept quiet about his special abilities. But when his sect faced destruction, he stepped up to defend it. After generations of cultivation that went on for a thousand years, the immortal realm was planning to cleanse the mortal realm, and Han Jue was finally forced to act. That was when he discovered that even gods and immortals were no match for him…
Top Tier Providence- Secretly Cultivate for a Thousand Years is currently publishing and has Chapters. It is also Known as: Dingji Qiyun, Qiaoqiao Xiulian Qian Nian
17. Mount Hua Sect's Genius Phantom Swordsman
Phantom Swordsman Dokgo Heon, an unrivaled master of the Unorthodox Faction, and Hyun Jo, the master of the Mount Hua Sect, forged a friendship through crossing blades.
However, the Demonic Cult launched a sudden attack, tragically ending the life of Hyun Jo.
At the brink of death, Dokgo Heon possesses the body of Hyun Jo's disciple, Mu Hwi...
...and thus began Mu Hwi's struggle in fulfilling his friend's dying wish—to save the Mount Hua Sect.
Mount Hua Sect's Genius Phantom Swordsman is currently publishing and has Chapters. It is also Known as: Mount Hua Sect's Genius Phantom Swordsman
16. Kimetsu no Yaiba
Since ancient times, rumors have abounded of man-eating demons lurking in the woods. Because of this, the local townsfolk never venture outside at night. Legend has it that a demon slayer also roams the night, hunting down these bloodthirsty demons. For young Tanjirou, these rumors will soon to become his harsh reality...
Ever since the death of his father, Tanjirou has taken it upon himself to support his family. Although their lives may be hardened by tragedy, they've found happiness. But that ephemeral warmth is shattered one day when Tanjirou finds his family slaughtered and the lone survivor, his sister Nezuko, turned into a demon. To his surprise, however, Nezuko still shows signs of human emotion and thought...
Thus begins Tanjirou's quest to fight demons and turn his sister human again.
Volume 7 contains a bonus chapter about Kanao Tsuyuri.
Volume 10 contains a bonus chapter about Inosuke Hashibira.
Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba has finished publishing and it has 207 Chapters. It is also Known as: 鬼滅の刃, Blade of Demon Destruction
15. Kingdom
Millions of years have passed since the times of legends, when the worlds of man and gods were still the same. In these times it was the desires of man that moved the world. It is the period of the 500 year war: the Era of Warring States. Kingdom is the story of a young boy who grew into a great general and all the trials and bloodshed that led him there.
is currently publishing and has Chapters. It is also Known as: キングダム, Kingdom
14. I Shall Master this Family!
Florentia was reincarnated as the illegitimate child of the richest family in the empire.
She had thought that everything would go well in the future. But her father had passed away, her relatives left her at the doorsteps, and the honourable family she was so proud of was completely ruined… But is this real?
She drank a little (a lot) and was hit by a carriage and when she opened her eyes again, she was seven years old? Moreover, the Second Prince, who was the enemy of her family in her previous life is following her around like a dog!
Alright, both the Second Prince and the family are mine! In this life, I’ll become the Overlord.
I Shall Master this Family! is currently publishing and has Chapters. It is also Known as: I Will Become the Mistress of This Life, In This Life, I Will Be Lord, In This Life, I Will Be the Lord, In This Life, I'll Become the Head of the Family, На сей раз я - хозяйка этой жизни, Я стану хозяйкой этой жизни
13. 2-Hoecha Hwangwani Namseongeul Doechajeum
The eunuch Lee Cheolsu, a secret power figure who controls the affairs of the empire at will. He possesses absolute power, wealth, and even strong martial arts skills… but what does that mean? If he can’t “do that”!!
Through a reincarnation technique, Cheolsu returns to the time before he became a eunuch. He has one goal in mind: to become an alpha male and enjoy life with the most beautiful women!!
A full-fledged 15+ rated(?) comic martial arts story about Cheolsu, who lives purely for his desires, begins!
2-Hoecha Hwangwani Namseongeul Doechajeum is currently publishing and has Chapters. It is also Known as: The Second Eunuch Regains His Manhood, The Eunuch Regains His Manhood in His Second Life
12. Kusuriya no Hitorigoto
In the imperial court, a young woman is put into servitude, Maomao. The tale is just beginning for the woman doctor/pharmacist from the red-light district, as rumors circulate about the emperor's children's lives being short-lived. Her curious nature and thirst for knowledge pushes her to action. To satisfy her curiosity, this young doctor/pharmacist will investigate the origin! What is shifting in the imperial court..!?
The Apothecary Diaries is currently publishing and has Chapters. It is also Known as: 薬屋のひとりごと, The Pharmacist's Monologue, The Pharmacist's Soliloquies, Drugstore Soliloquy
11. Agi Hugungnimeun Joyonghi Salgo Sipeo
I possessed a supporting character in a reverse harem novel.
A young concubine who, in the end, was driven to death for treason after begging for attention from the regnant empress who was the female lead, and doing wicked things to the male leads who were the concubines.
Despite everything, the fortunate thing was that I possessed her right after entering the Imperial Palace.
Even if everyone in the Imperial Palace were wary of me, they didn’t hate me yet.
‘Let’s not be impudent, and be obedient.’
I obstinately didn’t need nor have the mindset of trying to be loved by the Empress. Although the male leads who were the concubines were giving me glances, I could just lie flat.
Since it wasn’t even a very difficult thing, I really did so. It was definitely like that, but–
“Come to my bedchamber tonight. I’ll read you a fairy tale book!”
“P-please don’t cry. I’ll give you this.”
Just why is everyone’s attitude endlessly gentle? I couldn’t understand. And it was baffling.
‘…I don’t need it though?’
I wasn’t really a young kid lacking affection. And that gaze in which they looked at me as if I was the loveliest in the world was extremely uncomfortable.
Just where would I use a fairy tale book that’s full of jewels and silk, and the magic pearl which is the Imperial family’s heirloom?
Since it’s already been done, I just wish for everyone to get out of my palace.
The Baby Concubine Wants to Live Quietly is currently publishing and has Chapters. It is also Known as: Baby Concubine Wants to Live Quietly, La concubina bebé quiere vivir tranquila, 小妃子只想安静生活
10. Shuumatsu no Walküre
The story begins when the gods call a convention to decide the whether to let humanity live or die, and settle on destroying humanity. But a lone valkyrie puts forward a suggestion to let the gods and humanity fight one last battle, as a last hope for humanity's continued survival. 13 gods will fight against 13 human champions in one-on-one battles to decide whether humanity lives or dies.
Record of Ragnarok is currently publishing and has Chapters. It is also Known as: 終末のワルキューレ, Valkyrie of the End, Record of Ragnarok, Shuumatsu no Valkyrie, Shuumatsu no Walkure, Повесть о Конце Света, تاریخچه رگنوراک, World's End Valkyrie, Valkyrie Apocalypse
9. Vagabond
In 16th century Japan, Shinmen Takezou is a wild, rough young man, in both his appearance and his actions. His aggressive nature has won him the collective reproach and fear of his village, leading him and his best friend, Matahachi Honiden, to run away in search of something grander than provincial life. The pair enlist in the Toyotomi army, yearning for glory—but when the Toyotomi suffer a crushing defeat at the hands of the Tokugawa Clan at the Battle of Sekigahara, the friends barely make it out alive.
After the two are separated, Shinmen returns home on a self-appointed mission to notify the Hon'iden family of Matahachi's survival. He instead finds himself a wanted criminal, framed for his friend's supposed murder based on his history of violence. Upon being captured, he is strung up on a tree and left to die. An itinerant monk, the distinguished Takuan Soho, takes pity on the "devil child," secretly freeing Shinmen and christening him with a new name to avoid pursuit by the authorities: Musashi Miyamoto.
Vagabond is the fictitious retelling of the life of one of Japan's most renowned swordsmen, the "Sword Saint" Musashi Miyamoto—his rise from a swordsman with no desire other than to become "Invincible Under the Heavens" to an enlightened warrior who slowly learns of the importance of close friends, self-reflection, and life itself.
Vagabond has finished publishing and it has 327 Chapters. It is also Known as: バガボンド, Vagabond
8. Kill the Villainess
The villainess in the novel and only daughter of a marquis, Eris Mizelian, became jealous of the kind and lovely protagonist, Helena, and was executed for hatching a conspiracy.
‘I’ who reincarnated as her, have only one goal: to escape from this world and get back home.
I was even prepared to die to achieve this, but the laws of the world that bound “me” here were persistent.
The three male leads, the crown prince, the high priest, and even the warrior, who used to loathe Eris, begin to look her way as they notice her change from how she was before…
“Even so, I absolutely cannot love this world.”
Even if the only way to escape is by death.
Even if I were to take the hand of a sorceress in order to achieve it, I’ll definitely escape this world!
The otherworld escape of Eris, who rejects her fate!
Kill the Villainess has finished publishing and it has 102 Chapters. It is also Known as: Agnyeoreul Jugyeo Jwo, Kill The Villainous
7. Binguijareul Wihan Teukye
On the outside, Ailette Rodeline is an adorable child prodigy. Cooking, brewing tea, alchemy; you name it, she can do it. But this little girl has a big secret: Ailette is a transmigrator! After dying prematurely in her past life, she becomes a character whose world is destined for destruction. With all odds stacked against her, Ailette must figure out how to survive before her life is ripped from her again. Fortunately for her, she finds her salvation in… an insurance package?
The Perks of Being an S-Class Heroine is currently publishing and has Chapters. It is also Known as: A Spirit's Special Treatment, A Transmigrator's Privilege, El Privilegio de una Transmigrante, Keuntungan bagi Sang Perasuk, O Privilégio de uma Transmigrante, Preference for the Possessor, Preferential Treatment for the Possessed Person, Privilegios de los poseedores, สิทธิพิเศษของผู้สวมร่าง, 憑依者の特典, 穿越者的專屬特權, 穿越者的幸运礼
6. Vinland Saga
As a child, Thorfinn sat at the feet of the great Leif Ericson and thrilled to wild tales of a land far to the west. But his youthful fantasies were shattered by a mercenary raid. Raised by the Vikings who murdered his father, Thorfinn became a terrifying warrior, forever seeking to kill the band's leader, Askeladd, and avenge his father. Sustaining Thorfinn through his ordeal are his pride in his family and his dreams of a fertile westward land, a land without war or slavery … the land Leif called Vinland.
Notes:
- Won the Grand Prize at the Japan Media Arts Festival in 2009.
- Winner of the 36th Kodansha Manga Award in the General category in 2012.
Vinland Saga has finished publishing and it has 220 Chapters. It is also Known as: ヴィンランド・サガ, Vinland Saga
5. Hwiyeong Geomjeon
"Eun-ho was the strongest in the monster world!
Losing the woman he loved and committing murder for her gave him a chance to become human.
He passed through the gate of his reincarnation by accumulating merit for a thousand years to abandon his immortal body…
When he became human, he took up a sword (劍) first and started learning martial arts (武功).
But isn't this too… easy?"
Hwiyeong Geomjeon is currently publishing and has Chapters. It is also Known as: Biography of Hwiyeong Sword, Moonlight Sword, Tales of a Shining Sword, 挥永剑传, 揮永劍傳
4. Dao of the Bizarre Immortal
Li Huowang, a high school student, possesses the ability to enter a bizarre world of cultivation with just a blink of an eye. In this strange realm, the person who calls him "Master" captures him, intending to use him as a human ingredient for pill refining. Meanwhile, in the real world, Li Huowang is a mentally unstable patient, residing in a psychiatric hospital, unable to continue his education. The doctors claim that the bizarre cultivation world is merely a hallucination. Now, trapped between truth and illusion, Li Huowang breaks down, crying out: "I really can't tell what’s real!"
Dao of the Bizarre Immortal is currently publishing and has Chapters. It is also Known as: Dao del inmortal bizarro, The Path of Weird Immortals
3. Musingwihwallok
Dan U-Hyeon, was sealed up because he was too strong for the world to handle. After a millennium passed by, he was released from his seal and felt like everything was meaningless as he wandered the back alleys… Just as he fell down because he was sick of the world, a small hand appeared in front of him. “What’s this?” asked Dan U-Hyeon. “A dumpling!” came a reply. This was the first time in his life that someone had been nice to him without any impure intentions, and that changed his fate. This is the chronicles of a martial god who traversed through a thousand years of time and space!
- MU
Chronicles Of The Martial God’s Return is currently publishing and has Chapters. It is also Known as: Chronicles of a Returner
2. This Villain Emperor's Gotta Charm the Male Lead to Survive!
Yuan Xiao already died once, and now he’s about to do it again. He's been transported from his life as a domineering CEO with a taste for internet novels to the realm of his favorite story. Yuan wakes up as the villainous ruler of the Northern Empire, and he knows exactly who’s going to kill him, the male lead Heqing Yan! This brave prince has already vowed deadly revenge after being conquered. Yuan knows he must change the story’s plot to survive, but damn, did the hero always look that good?
Source: Tapas
This Villain Emperor's Gotta Charm the Male Lead to Survive! has finished publishing and it has 124 Chapters. It is also Known as: How to Survive as a Villain, To Be or Not to Be, HSAV, 穿成囚禁男主的反派要如何活命
1. Miss Pendleton
If love is the ultimate prize, then the perils of courtship are the necessary trials and tribulations one must endure in its pursuit. It is a blessing for the society debutantes of London, then, that Cupid’s arrow should be guided by the dainty hand of Miss Laura Pendleton, granddaughter of Countess Pendleton and the city’s finest matchmaker. When Laura’s self-ascribed duties call her to befriend the stoic and saturnine Mr. Ian Dalton of Whitefield, however, she soon finds that when it comes to the grand contest of love, it may well be every woman for herself…
Miss Pendleton is currently publishing and has Chapters. It is also Known as: Miss Pendleton
