Roughly equivalent to 'Feudal Japan', any series set before (or around the beginning of) the
Meiji era
when the
Shoguns were deposed. The time subdivisions most often found in Japanese media include the
Sengoku period (the "Warring States" era of civil war, from about 1467-1573), the
Edo period (after Japan was united under the Tokugawa shogunate, 1603-1868)
* For the curious, the 30 years in between those two is called the Azuchi-Momoyama period; important in history, not so much in media.
, and the
Bakumatsu/early Meiji era (see above). Think
Akira Kurosawa.
Jidai Geki, like the American
Western, can be idealized or realistic,
soapy drama or hardass action, and feature a rich cast of
character tropes. Jidai Geki that emphasize swordplay are often referred to as
chanbara, especially the live-action movies, and counted on for lots of hot
Samurai action (
Ninja,
Ronin, and
Yakuza are also frequent players).
Though it may seem American and European directors have been
pilfering borrowing these conventions — sometimes whole
plots — for years, Jidai Geki pieces have long borrowed in equal measure from westerns and
noir; Kurosawa himself was known to be a fan of director
John Ford.
George Lucas took some inspiration from this cross-pollination while writing
Star Wars — guess where he got the word "Jedi".
A subtrope of
Period Piece.
Some notable historical names that have been originating from this era includes:
- Genpei War:
- Minamoto no Yoritomo
- Minamoto no Yoshitsune
- Saito no Yosashibo Benkei
- Taira no Kiyomori
- Tomoe Gozen
- Sengoku period:
- Edo period:
- Bakumatsu period:
Examples of shows taking place in this era:
open/close all folders
Vague Period
Video Games
- Kenseiden in which Benkei shows up as a boss and the final boss is an indeterminate individual named "Yonensai"
- Ōkami: Sure it's an alternate world, but the setting clearly takes inspiration from Heian and Sengoku period stories, events and characters.
- Kid Niki, despite the Totally Radical American marketing, clearly takes place in some sort of medieval Japanese setting.
Genpei War
Sengoku Period
Anime and Manga
Film
Literature
Video Games
- The Summer arc of AIR
- One of the mods that came bundled with Civilization III's second expansion pack, Conquests, is called "Sengoku: Sword of the Shogun," and is more or less Exactly What It Says on the Tin: A Daimyo Is You. Unite Japan and become Shogun.
- A popular Game Mod for Europa Universalis III features a series of scripted events designed to simulate the politics of Japan in this era.
- Guwange is only specified as being in the late Muromachi period, but "late Muromachi period" overlaps with the Sengoku Jidai
- Nobunaga's Ambition naturally
- The Onimusha series, which showcases several historical figures and events from the period amidst a larger storyline involving a war between two demon clans.
- Sengoku, a real-time-with-pause strategy game focused on the plots and intrigues of the era.
- Samurai Warriors, effectively a version of Dynasty Warriors, but set in the Sengoku era instead of Imperial China.
- Sengoku Basara...well, theoretically, at least.
- Sengoku Rance...also, theoretically, at least.
- Shogun: Total War and its sequel.
- Way of the Samurai 3, which puts it before the creation of the "Way of the Samurai" (now known as Bushido) in the title.
Western Animation
- The short Australian CGI spoof Samurice.
Web Original
- The MSF High Forum has recently had a theme day, that replicates this era.
Edo Period
Bakumatsu/Early Meiji
