History Main / JidaiGeki

* ''Film/TheGhostOfYotsuya'' -- based on a famous kabuki play written in 1825, during the Edo period

Jidaigeki can be idealized or realistic, operate as rigorous HistoricalFiction that [[ShownTheirWork show their work]]. It can also be like the American [[TheWestern Western]], [[SoapOpera soapy drama]] or hardass action, and feature a rich cast of [[CharactersAsDevice character tropes]]. Jidaigeki that emphasize swordplay are often referred to as ''chanbara'' (meaning "sword fighting"), especially the live-action movies, and counted on for lots of hot {{Samurai}} action ({{Ninja}}, {{Ronin}}, and {{Yakuza}} are also frequent players).[[note]]Although, it's also been said that if a critic likes a particular film, it's ''jidaigeki'', and if they don't, it's ''chanbara''.[[/note]] Given the fact that there are plenty of Edo-era buildings in Japan still standing, and that Edo-era costumes are dime-a-dozen, [[PropRecycling that period appeals a lot to Japanese TV producers]]. Compare the sheer number of [[Creator/TheBBC BBC]] [[CostumeDrama costume dramas]] [[UsefulNotes/VictorianBritain set in the Victorian era]], or the innumerable Chinese films and series set during the Qing dynasty.

** ''Film/ZatoichiMeetsYojimbo'': This is a crossover with the aforementioned ''Film/{{Yojimbo}}'' duology. While no year is mentioned, the presence of a flintlock pistol dates the movie to at least 1841.

* ''Film/{{Sanjuro}}''

* ''Film/{{Yojimbo}}''
* ''Franchise/{{Zatoichi}}''.
** ''Film/Zatoichi2003'', in particular, is set at the tail end of the period (if the presence of a [[UsefulNotes/TheAmericanCivilWar Civil War–era]] revolver is any indication).

* The ''VideoGame/ToukenRanbu'' stage plays jump all over the timeline. ''Theatre/TouMyu'' likes to come back to the Genpei War, and both it and ''Theatre/TouStage'' come back to the Heian period, the Bakamatsu period, and especially the Sengoku period.

** The series series is centered on Japanese swordmanship school duels, and they focus on famous samurai from the 14th century to the end of the Bakumatsu. That also means that the PlayerCharacter can somehow watch ([[BeenThereShapedHistory or participate in]]) the Ganryujima duel and Ryoma Sakamoto's murder.

* In universe example for ''Series/KamenRiderDouble'' has Shotaro and Akiko become fans of a Jidai Geki series, including a themed dream sequence.

* ''VideoGame/{{Kengo}}'' is a series centered on japanese swordmanship school duels, and they focus on famous samurai from the 14th century to the end of the Bakumatsu. That also means that the PlayerCharacter can somehow watch ([[BeenThereShapedHistory or participate in]]) the Ganryujima duel and Ryoma Sakamoto's murder.

* The very first ''VideoGame/TotalWar'' game, ''VideoGame/ShogunTotalWar'', has its expansion pack, ''Mongol Invasion'', present an AlternateHistory scenario where the ''kamikaze'' storm that stopped the 1274 Mongol invasion of the Japanese main islands in real life [[ForWantOfANail never happened]]. With the full force of the Mongolian Empire landing in Kyushu, the invasion turns into a grueling years-long war of attrition. Players can choose to be either the Mongols or the Hojo Clan in the campaign.

* ''VisualNovel/{{Miburo}}'', depicting the history of the GenderFlipped Shinsengumi and the various power plays of the Bakumatsu Era.

For Western depictions of Japanese history, see HollywoodMedievalJapan. Compare TheMiddleAges and TheWildWest, two popular Western historical periods that are roughly analogous to Jidaigeki. See also {{Wutai}} for {{Fantasy Counterpart Culture}}s that are based upon Japan. Related to SamuraiStories and NinjaFiction, which focus on fictional works that focus on the samurai and ''shinobi'' respectively, usually overlapping with Jidaigeki.

* ''Series//AbarenboShougun''

* ''Series//Abarenbo Shougun''

* ''Abarenbou Shougun''

* ''VideoGame/FateGrandOrder'': The GUDAGUDA events based on the ''Koha-ACE'' comics practically takes place in a wacky combination between the Sengoku and Bakumatsu era (which may include mechanized soldiers or UFO). Chief Servants from this include GenderFlip versions of [[UsefulNotes/TheShinsengumi Okita Souji]] and UsefulNotes/OdaNobunaga. Other periods pop up in the main story, mixed up during the 3rd Epic of Remnant Shimousa, and focusing mostly on the Heian Era in Lostbelt 5.5 Hell Realm Mandala: Heian-Kyo.

* ''LightNovel/{{Katanagatari}}'', set in a fantastic AlternateHistory where a different shogunate came to power at the end of the Sengoku period.

* More from Creator/AkiraKurosawa:

** ''Film/{{Yojimbo}}'' and ''Film/{{Sanjuro}}''

* ''Film/{{Onmyoji}}''

* ''[[VideoGame/{{Onmyoji}} Onmyōji]]'' is an interesting case. Being a Sino-Japanese game, it is guilty of both this ''and'' HollywoodMedievalJapan.

* ''VisualNovel/Gikei'', an adaptation with HistoricalGenderSwap, in which three characters from the present time end up stuck in the late Heian period up to the Genpei War, assuming the role of three historical characters in their place. Features a good amount of {{Infodump}} on the Heian period and its numerous customs, while also being a faithful adaptation, detailing the political intrigue between the samurai clans.

* ''Franchise/{{Zatoichi}}''. [[Film/Zatoichi2003 The 2003 version]], in particular, is set at the tail end of the period (if the presence of a [[UsefulNotes/TheAmericanCivilWar Civil War–era]] revolver is any indication).

* ''LightNovel/ShonenOnmyouji''

[[AC:{{Web Comics}}]]
* ''WebComic/BeneathTheClouds''

* ''Franchise/{{Zatoichi}}''. [[Film/{{Zatoichi2003}} The 2003 version]], in particular, is set at the tail end of the period (if the presence of a [[UsefulNotes/TheAmericanCivilWar Civil War–era]] revolver is any indication).

* ''VideoGame/RyuGaGotokuIshin''