After years of anticipation from manga readers, Historie has finally confirmed its television anime release window.
The upcoming adaptation of Hitoshi Iwaaki’s acclaimed historical manga is officially scheduled to premiere in January 2027, with animation production handled by LIDEN FILMS.
Alongside the release announcement, the production also revealed the anime’s lead voice actor.
Nobunaga Shimazaki will voice protagonist Eumenes, the brilliant strategist who eventually becomes one of the closest figures to Alexander the Great.
Nobunaga Shimazaki Returns To Another Hitoshi Iwaaki Story
The casting choice immediately caught attention among anime fans because Shimazaki already has history with one of Hitoshi Iwaaki’s most famous works.
The actor previously starred in Parasyte -the maxim-, the anime adaptation of Iwaaki’s legendary sci-fi horror manga.
Now, he returns to another major project based on the author’s work, this time stepping into a completely different genre focused on ancient history, politics, war, and strategy.
Many fans are already praising the casting, especially considering Shimazaki’s ability to portray intelligent and emotionally layered protagonists.
Historie Tells The Story Of Eumenes
The anime adapts the long-running manga centered around Eumenes, a historical figure who would later become a renowned general and secretary under Alexander the Great.
Rather than immediately focusing on large-scale warfare, Historie explores Eumenes’ early life, personal struggles, intelligence, and gradual rise within a dangerous ancient world filled with political tension and conflict.
Kodansha’s official description highlights the series as a massive historical epic filled with danger, ambition, and destiny.
The story mixes grounded historical elements with deeply human drama, something that helped the manga stand out over the years.
One Of The Most Respected Historical Manga Ever Made
Since launching in Kodansha’s Afternoon magazine back in 2004, Historie has steadily built a reputation as one of the strongest historical manga of its generation.
The series currently has over 4.7 million copies in circulation.
It has also received major recognition across the Japanese manga industry over the years.
Among its achievements:
- Won the Media Arts Festival Award for manga in 2010
- Won the Tezuka Osamu Cultural Prize in 2012
- Won Best General Manga at the 49th Kodansha Manga Awards in 2025
The manga currently has 12 collected volumes published in Japan.
Hitoshi Iwaaki Has Wanted To Tell This Story For Decades
According to comments included with the anime announcement, Hitoshi Iwaaki revealed that the roots of Historie go back more than 40 years.
The author explained that he first imagined the story decades before his professional manga debut and later started sketching the project over 20 years ago inside what he described as a very small studio.
That long creative journey is part of why many fans see Historie as one of Iwaaki’s most personal and ambitious works.
LIDEN FILMS Takes On Another Major Adaptation
The anime adaptation will be produced by LIDEN FILMS, the studio known for projects such as Tokyo Revengers, Call of the Night, and Insomniacs After School.
While the full staff lineup has not yet been completely revealed, the announcement alone has already generated strong excitement online.
Historical anime remain relatively rare compared to fantasy and isekai series, making Historie stand out even more among upcoming 2027 titles.
Fans Hope The Anime Captures The Manga’s Scale
One of the biggest discussions surrounding the adaptation is whether the anime can properly capture the manga’s detailed storytelling, political depth, and grounded atmosphere.
Historie is known for its careful pacing, mature themes, and strong character writing rather than relying on nonstop action.
Because of that, longtime readers are hoping the adaptation gives the material enough room to breathe instead of rushing through key events.
With the premiere still set for early 2027, more trailers, visuals, and staff details are expected to arrive over the coming months.
