Media set in Bakumatsu period

[Mr White]

I'm doing a review of the 'Fall of the Samurai'-game on another forum. I still have a few days before it comes out and I want to get in the right atmosphere.

Are there any comics, books, movies, animations, ... that depict the timeframe well.

(Please don't suggest the Last Samurai)

Thanks in advance.

[Brother Oni]

The Last Samurai is based on the Satsuma Rebellion, which was the final conflict at the end of the Bakumatsu.

The only anime and manga I know that depicts the Bakumatsu in any detail is Rurouni Kenshin.
The TV series mostly covers the Meiji era, but is heavily influenced by the protagonist's (Kenshin) actions during the late Bakumatsu. The first OAV series covers his actions during the Bakumatsu, but it's mostly about the actions of the rebels and the secret covert world that Kenshin inhabits (he's an assassin for the rebels).

There's also the film The Barbarian and the Geisha starring John Wayne, which is set in the early years of the Bakumatsu, but has a very different tone to the tense paranoia of the Kenshin OAV. It also has a very western perspective, with little insight into the political and social upheavals going on.

[Anteros]

I think the game Way of the Samurai was about this. It's a few years old now though and it wasn't really great even when it was new.

[Brother Oni]

I think the game Way of the Samurai was about this. It's a few years old now though and it wasn't really great even when it was new.

From what I can remember, Way of the Samurai is essentially Yojimbo: The Game, so the historical backdrop doesn't have any impact on the game, even though it's in the desired time period.

Way of the Samurai 4, according to Wikipedia, looks like it's what the OP wants - shogunate, anti-foreigner and foreign powers (UK in this case) all bouncing off each other in a small town.

Come to think of it, the situation is probably not too far off a multi-faction MMO - you've got the three main sides, with subfactions inbetween.
The twist is, the foreign powers will more than happily fight among themselves (British, French and American), the anti-foreigner forces are sub-divided into factions who are barely on speaking terms with each other (some don't like each other, plus they're isolated like terrorist cells to prevent the government security forces from rolling them all up with one good tip).
Even the supposedly united Bakufu had a fair amount of political manoeuvring amongst themselves, since different sides of the government had opposing views on opening Japan up.

[Mr White]

Thanks so far for the suggestions.

I've read Rurouni Kenshin and watched the 1st OVA. Thanks for suggesting it.

I was also suggested 'The twilight samurai' and 'Hidden blade' by someone else.

I'm going to pass on 'The last samurai' as I've already seen it and I'm told it portrays a very simplistic (incorrect?) view on the situation.

[Fri]

I've watched twilight samurai, and I'll second the recommendation.

[Brother Oni]

I'm going to pass on 'The last samurai' as I've already seen it and I'm told it portrays a very simplistic (incorrect?) view on the situation.

Sorry, I only mentioned The Last Samurai as a reference point for your desired time era and forgot to remove it. :smallredface:

[dehro]

watched twilight samurai a few years ago..can't remember if it's the right time-frame, but it was a very accomplished movie..
I third the recocomendation

[Mr White]

I've watched the twillight samurai last night. It was a good movie but more a portrait of the protagonist than a story. While it was set in the right period, it was only mentioned in passing and in fleeting images.

I'm moving on to hidden blade.