Warning: The following contains spoilers for Heike Monogatari, available to stream on Funimation.
As the Fall 2021 anime season begins drawing to a close, some anime titles have already finished airing, including the almost criminally under-watched Heike Monogatari (The Heike Story). Beginning its run in September 2021 and airing its final episode in late November -- about a month earlier than most other anime shows of the Fall 2021 season -- the series is unique for a number of reasons.
Sadly, its very uniqueness is likely what contributes to Heike Monogatari being so under-watched in the first place. The series has a distinct look and feel that makes it easily stand out from most other anime titles out there, both currently airing and completed. However, this also means it falls just outside of what may be considered mainstream, despite being produced by Science Saru (Ping Pong The Animation, Keep Your Hands Off Eizouken!) and directed by former Kyoto Animation member Naoko Yamada (K-On!, Sound! Euphonium, A Silent Voice).
A historical anime, Heike Monogatari is based on the accounts of the struggle for dominance over Japan in the late Heian period between two clans: the Taira/Heike and the Minamoto. Although the majority of the main characters are based on real historical figures, the story is told through the eyes of the fictional Biwa -- an orphaned lute player who was gifted with the ability to see into the future with one of her eyes. Taken in by Taira no Shigemori, she becomes the narrator of the clan’s downfall.
Heike Monogatari may have already been at a major disadvantage for two reasons. The first is that, as previously mentioned, the series began airing nearly a full month earlier than most other shows of the Fall 2021 season; it showed up too late to be classified as a summer anime but pre-empted its fall anime peers. Fans who are used to searching for what to watch at the start or end of any given season could therefore have missed out on the premiere entirely, unknowingly excluding it from their potential weekly line-up.
The second major reason is that, as a historical anime, Heike Monogatari would likely never have achieved the same level of awareness and popularity as, say, a shounen action piece, or even attracted the same kind of attention as some of the non-shounen titles airing in the same season (for example, the game-based Takt Op. Destiny or P.A. Works’ anime-original The Aquatope on White Sand). Perhaps in part because the subject matter may be thought of by many viewers as somewhat dry, historical shows simply don’t tend to do as well as their compared to action, adventure, romance or comedy counterparts.
In addition, even as a historical anime, Heike Monogatari bucks the trend of what usually does well in terms of viewership. Historical shows that have attracted larger audiences are frequently set in the Edo or Meiji period -- Rurouni Kenshin, Gintama, Samurai Champloo or Peacemaker Kurogane, just to name a few examples. Conversely, titles set in the Heian period (794-1185) are far fewer and further between, and typically nowhere near as widely watched; Otogi Zoshi, Shonen Onmyouji, Genji Monogatari Sennenki and Chouyaku Hyakuninisshu: Uta Koi all fly well under the radar of the majority of audiences.
Nonetheless, it would be a disservice to write off Heike Monogatari as dull or dreary. Even for those who know nothing at all of Japanese classical history (or who don’t want to look up the story on Wikipedia), the Taira clan’s doom is patently inevitable; however, it’s this unfolding Shakespearean-like tragedy that makes the show so compelling. Like watching an oncoming trainwreck in slow motion, the audience, along with Biwa, becomes witness to a civil war that quite literally established the national colors of Japan: the blood-red of the Taira standards and the white of the Minamoto’s.
The drama of the series is further heightened by its well-rounded characters. Very few of the cast are seen as either flatly evil or paragons of morality -- they’re simply people, each with their own strengths and faults. Some play an active hand in orchestrating the ill-fated events of the Taira, while others -- particularly the female characters -- are caught haplessly up in the tide.
Stylistically, Heike Monogatari is also a step away from the mainstream, standing out for its fine, subtle linework and uniform yet vivid color palette. Together with the distinctive character designs, the artwork is somewhat reminiscent of Japanese woodblock prints, but with a contemporary flair thanks to its fluid movement and sharp camerawork. Viewers may well be reminded of Science Saru’s Masaaki Yuasa, whose trademark visual style is certainly present in the show even if Yuasa himself did not have a direct hand in its creation.
Although it may have failed to make waves this season as far as general popularity is concerned, Heike Monogatari is more than deserving of a look, particularly for fans who are seeking something a bit different from the norm. What the series lacks in mass recognition, it more than makes up for with its tragic beauty.
