For several decades, the anime and manga industry has been heavily dominated by the Shonen demographic, and most of the mainstream series are intense battle action. A majority of the best-selling manga of all time are also Shonen series, including One Piece, Naruto, Dragon Ball, Demon Slayer, and many more. On the other hand, while most Seinen anime and manga often fall behind in global recognition, they always offer some of the most unique stories in the medium. The 1980s and 1990s were not only a phenomenal decade for Shonen, but Seinen thrived during the era. Among the several incredible stories, Hitoshi Iwaaki’s 1989 manga, Parasyte, claimed its spot as one of the most acclaimed series of all time.
It’s Iwaaki’s most renowned work so far, and its popularity only increased after it received an anime adaptation in 2014. However, while most global fans are most familiar with the creator because of Parasyte, not many knew about his underrated historical manga, Historie, until recently. The manga began serialization in Kodansha’s Afternoon magazine in 2003. An anime adaptation by LINDENFILMS was announced in January this year, and the latest update unveils the release window and more updates. According to Anime News Network, the latest issue of the Afternoon magazine confirmed that the anime will premiere in January 2027. Additionally, Nobunaga Shimazaki, the voice behind Shinichi Izumi in Parasyte: The Maxim, will play the role of Eumenes in Historie. The anime also revealed more cast members in a new promo video.
What Is Historie About?
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This acclaimed story is set in mid-14th century BC Greece, following a fictionalized account of Eumenes, who later became known throughout the world as the secretary and general of Alexander the Great. Alexander is famous for being one of the greatest military commanders in history. The story follows a fictionalized version of his life before he gained fame as Alexander’s right-hand. Eumenes was born into a wealthy family in the city-state of Cardia.
He was later falsely accused of causing his adoptive father’s death and was sentenced to enslavement. The boy escaped the horrible life and embarked on a journey to find a new place in the world. Thanks to his intellect and skills in warfare, he eventually became known far and wide for his genius. He traveled great distances and overcame countless struggles while also befriending many influential figures of the time. While Alexander is one of the most famous historical figures of all time, Eumenes is an unsung genius whose story remains unknown to the world.
Even now, much about Eumenes’ history is a mystery, which is why Iwaaki took creative liberty to tell his version of the past. The manga won the 14th Japan Media Arts Festival Grand Prize in the Manga Division in 2010, and two years later, it was awarded the Grand Prize at the Osamu Tezuka Culture Prize. Additionally, since August 2024, the manga series has been published digitally in English by Kodansha and is available to read on the official K Manga app.
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