Best Asian history series
Get ready to binge. We've found a collection of must-watch history shows from Asia, now streaming on Netflix, HBO, Hulu, Prime Video, and other top services!
The Heroic Legend of Arslan (2015)
The Heroic Legend of Arslan (2015)
Arslan is the heir apparent of Pars, a strong nation that sits at the hear of the trade route connecting the East and the West. When the pagan nation of Lusitania begins an invasion of Pars, the timid Arslan is confronted with battle for the first time. His worst anxieties are realized the Parsian army falls for a Lusitanian stratagem and are routed. He barely escapes with his life, thanks to the loyal and indomitable warrior Daryun. Together they will stand against the invasion and the cruelties of fate that are about to blow down on Pars.
Golden Kamuy (2018)
Golden Kamuy (2018)
In the early twentieth century, Russo-Japanese War veteran Saichi “Immortal” Sugimoto scratches out a meager existence during the postwar gold rush in the wilderness of Hokkaido. When he stumbles across a map to a fortune in hidden Ainu gold, he sets off on a treacherous quest to find it. But Sugimoto is not the only interested party, and everyone who knows about the gold will kill to possess it! Faced with the harsh conditions of the northern wilderness, ruthless criminals and rogue Japanese soldiers, Sugimoto will need all his skills and luck—and the help of an Ainu girl named Asirpa—to survive.
Rurouni Kenshin (2023)
Rurouni Kenshin (2023)
Ten years have passed since the end of Bakumatsu, an era of war that saw the uprising of citizens against the Tokugawa shogunate. The revolutionaries wanted to create a time of peace, and a thriving country free from oppression. The new age of Meiji has come, but peace has not yet been achieved. Swords are banned but people are still murdered in the streets. Orphans of war veterans are left with nowhere to go, while the government seems content to just line their pockets with money.
The Founder of Diabolism (2018)
Chrono Crusade (2003)
Chrono Crusade (2003)
Set in New York during the 1920s, Chrono Crusade follows the story of Rosette Christopher, and her demon partner Chrono. As members of the Magdalene Order, they travel around the country eliminating demonic threats to society, while Rosette searches for her lost brother Joshua.
The Elusive Samurai (2024)
The Elusive Samurai (2024)
Set between the Kamakura and Muromachi periods, during the Kenmu Restoration, the story follows the tale of Hojo Tokiyuki, a boy on the run after his family is overthrown by Ashikaga Takauji. With his only allies being a shady priest and his followers, the young lord must seek revenge and regain his glory, with his only weapon: a superhuman ability to flee and hide.
Nadia - The Secret of Blue Water (1990)
Nadia - The Secret of Blue Water (1990)
In mankind's grasp for the future, a sinister foe known only as Gargoyle begins his plans to take over the world. Nadia, with the help of a young inventor, Jean Ratlique, and Captain Nemo of the submarine Nautilus, must fight to save the world from Gargoyle and Neo-Atlantis.
Gu Family Book (2013)
Gu Family Book (2013)
Choi Kang Chi is a half-beast and half-human and was adopted by a merchant Park Mu Sol when he was a infant. Kang Chi has a kind of unusual power. Dam Yeo Wool is the daughter of Dam Pyeong Joon who is the owner of the Invisible Knife Moo Kwan and also a patriotic warrior. Kang Chi and Yeo Wool meet and fall in love with each other. However, there is hatred between their fathers. Jo Gwan Woong is a traitor. He uses his power to frame faithful and upright individuals and obtain profit for himself. His criminal plots are destroyed by Kang Chi time and again. Therefore, he is determined to kill Kang Chi through different ways. Kang Chi is troubled by his identity but stands up for justice.
The Rose of Versailles (1979)
The Rose of Versailles (1979)
Raised from birth as a man, the Lady Oscar commands the palace guards at Versailles in the years before the French Revolution. Her beauty and noble spirit make her a shining figure in the eyes of both men and women but she is torn between her chosen life of service and duty to class and country and her own heart and desires. She lives as a noble amidst the opulence of Versailles but her keen senses and compassion are not blinded to the poverty of the French people.
Fushigi Yugi: The Mysterious Play (1995)
Fushigi Yugi: The Mysterious Play (1995)
Junior high school student Miaka lives a normal life in Tokyo until she finds a mysterious book in the library, and she and her friend Yui are transported the Universe of the Four Gods. Upon arriving in this new universe, the girls are immediately attacked by would-be slavers and saved by a dashing young man. When Miaka isn't looking, both Tamahome and Yui vanish. Unbeknownst to Miaka, Yui has been sucked back into the real world. Back in the library, all she can do is read on as Miaka sets out for the city to find the mysterious young boy and save her friend. But what awaits for Miaka isn't what either of the girls expect—and now Miaka's only way back to her world is to become the Priestess of Suzaku and save their world.
Hetalia - Axis Powers (2009)
Hetalia - Axis Powers (2009)
In a time filled with wars, environmental concerns and issues, there lives a gaggle of beautiful boys that are the personification of the world's countries. Japan, England, France, Finland, Germany and the rest of the boys attend the World Conference and tackle issues like global warming with a heavy dose of fun. Through multiple world wars the gang will traverse deserts, build mecha U-boats and solve the world's problems together!
Revenger (2023)
Revenger (2023)
As master assassin Usui Yuen looks into a series of assassinations made on the grand samurai clan, the Satsuma, he encounters Kurima Raizo, member and survivor of one of the attacks. Together, they discover the true nature of these murders is bigger than over stolen resources. As they get closer to the truth, will they come out alive to exact revenge?
Anne of Green Gables (1979)
Anne of Green Gables (1979)
Anne Shirley is a freckle-faced, red-haired girl, who grows up in an orphanage having lost her parents at a very early age. Anne is always cheerful and fun-loving despite being brought up without love or affection. When she turns 11, she is adopted by the old farmer Matthew Cuthbert and his sister Marilla. Anne starts her new life with Matthew and Marilla at a farm called "Green Gables", but actually the Cuthberts wanted a boy who could help with their work on the farm... Overcoming many hardships and meeting many friends and people, Anne grows up to be a strong-minded woman.
Laughing Under the Clouds (2014)
Laughing Under the Clouds (2014)
When swords were outlawed in the eleventh year of the Meiji era, the mighty samurai population began to dwindle. Those who rejected the ban on blades rebelled, causing violent unrest to erupt throughout the countryside. To combat the rise in criminal activity, an inescapable lake prison was constructed. Three young men, born of the Kumo line, were given the duty of delivering criminals to their place of confinement – but could there be more to their mission than meets the eye?
Romeo and the Black Brothers (1995)
Romeo and the Black Brothers (1995)
To get the money to pay for a doctor for his father, Romeo bravely sells himself as a chimney sweep. On the way to Milan he meets Alfredo, a mysterious boy on the run heading to the same fate. Upon being separated and sold to their new bosses, the two boys swear eternal friendship. Romeo has to learn the hardships of a chimney sweep's job.
YATAGARASU: The Raven Does Not Choose Its Master (2024)
YATAGARASU: The Raven Does Not Choose Its Master (2024)
Welcome to Yamauchi, a world inhabited by the Yatagarasu, a race of three-legged ravens who shapeshift into humans. The land is divided into four regions—North, South, East, and West—each ruled by a noble family. Yukiya, the son of a leader in the North, is shocked by a call to attend to the Imperial Prince. Murder, mysteries, and an invasion from an unexpected enemy await in this epic fantasy.
Sword of the Demon Hunter (2025)
Treasure Island (1978)
Treasure Island (1978)
Jim Hawkins is a young boy lead by progressive events to embark on a search journey for the legendary treasure of the once dreaded pirate, Captain Flint. On their way to Treasure Island, John Silver, Jim's best friend, take over command of the ship revealing his true self as the ruthless pirate who once was the right hand of Flint himself. Feeling betrayed, Jim now has to deal with his mixed feelings and face Silver who still consider himself and Jim as friends.
Amatsuki (2008)
Amatsuki (2008)
Ordinary high school student, Rikugou Tokidoki, has to take supplementary History classes, to boost his failing grade, at a state-of-the-art museum. This museum allows the visitor to use high-tech virtual reality to reconstruct a realistic Edo of the Bakumatsu period. However, once the simulation begins, Tokidoki is attacked by a strange creature. After something happens to his left eye, he realizes that he is not wearing the VR goggles - it is no longer a simulation; he's trapped in the virtual world and has no way of getting back.
CESTVS -The Roman Fighter- (2021)
CESTVS -The Roman Fighter- (2021)
Cestvs enters his first match at the slave gladiator training school. Though he's bewildered to discover that his opponent is his best friend, he wins the match, and his opponent is killed on the spot. According to his instructor Zafar, losers have no future. "Every time you win, your opponent will die. You're practically a murderer!" With all his sorrow and rage clenched in his fists, Cestvs survives, as one after another powerful opponents stand in his way, as well as the shadow of Nero, fifth emperor of the Roman Empire. With no other way to secure his freedom, can Cestvs seize his future?!
Different Princess (2024)
Different Princess (2024)
Female author Hua Qingge unexpectedly enters the world of her novel, taking on the role of a supporting character destined for failure. Armed with the script, she anticipates turning the tide, but instead, her journey takes a series of unexpected turns as she becomes entangled in a tale of love and hate with Ji Chu.
Suryaputra Karn (2015)
Suryaputra Karn (2015)
The story revolves around one of the best archer of the Mahabharata, Karna and narrates the entire story of Mahabharata from Karna and Pandavas' birth to the eventual crowning of Karna in the Swarga. The show covers the life journey of Karna on his way to becoming a great warrior.
Hwajung (2015)
Hwajung (2015)
Fair Princess Jungmyung lives a life of the highest privilege, until her half-brother Prince Gwanghae executes the rightful crown prince and usurps the throne. Exiled from court, Jungmyung goes under disguise as a man and learns to adapt to life as a commoner — never forgetting Gwanghae's wrongdoing. But amidst rampant corruption throughout the kingdom, can Jyungmyung exact her vengeance, restore order and take back her rightful place in the palace?
The King's Doctor (2012)
The King's Doctor (2012)
The historical period epic was directed by Lee Byung-hoon, known for his previous works Hur Jun, Jewel in the Palace, Yi San and Dong Yi. This marked the first television drama for actor Jo Seung-woo in his 13-year film and stage career.
Meiji Gekken: 1874 (2024)
Meiji Gekken: 1874 (2024)
A former samurai, a yakuza bodyguard, a devious spy, and a geisha assassin try to find their place in the rapidly evolving Meiji-era while escaping the sins of their pasts.
The King's Face (2014)
The King's Face (2014)
Since Kwanghae was born from a concubine and only appointed as Crown Prince in a desperate measure, many dissatisfied officials from Northerner faction often plotted for his assassination and dethronement for 16 years. He also often quarreled with his father, King Seonjo, especially regarding Kim Ga Hee. Both son and father will fight against each other in favor of her. However, he eventually managed to overcome the obstacles by the help of Physiognomist, Kim Do Chi and become the next king. Meanwhile, Gwiin Kim is King Seonjo’s royal concubine.
The Fugitive of Joseon (2013)
The Fugitive of Joseon (2013)
Set during the reign of King Injong, the protagonist is a royal physician desperate to cure his ailing daughter. He becomes a fugitive when he gets entangled in an assassination plot to poison the crown prince, and fights to save both his daughter's life and his own.
