In the Edo period of Japan, a strange disease started in the mountains and rapidly spread across the country. This version of small pox, named the Redface Pox, only infected and killed men.
Within the first years of the outbreak, only one-forth of the male population remained, sending the gender roles of Japan into upheaval.
Whereas men once worked the fields and fished the seas, now women take up the role. Whereas businesses were once passed from father to son, now fathers are forced to leave them to their daughters. Now a rarity, men became coveted by women in order to produce children. Having a husband became a status symbol and men often found coin selling their bodies to women in the same way women once did for men.
This is the tale of the first female Shogun after the dawn of the plague who navigated the turbulent times and set the foundation for an Inner Chamber of male concubines that serve as consorts to the Shogunate.
As a woman, I find Ooku delightful, almost too much so at times. Yet, while I find it an amusing alternate history series, it is also a magnificent period drama in its storytelling as well. If you are looking for more anime recommendations like Ooku: The Inner Chambers, head on down below.
Anime Like Ooku: The Inner Chambers
For Fans of Imperial Palace Life
The Story of Saiunkoku
Although her family was once nobles, they fell on hard times. Now, with her father making a pittance as an archivist, Shuurei takes odds jobs to make ends meet.
One day, she receives an offer to become the emperor’s consort for a huge sum of money. She accepts in hopes that it could further her own governmental ambitions.
While The Story of Saiunkoku is innately different from Ooku in that it plays gender roles straight, it tells a similar story of Ooku.
The Story of Saiunkoku is all about the loves, lives, and various political intrigues within an imperial palace, though The Story of Saiunkoku is clearly more Chinese Imperial Palace inspired.
If you enjoyed Ooku for the various relationships and intrigues surrounding the characters, then The Story of Saiunkoku is a great option. However, it is a shoujo story, so it is a bit less on the mature side and features more than a few tired tropes.
Raven of the Inner Palace
Within the imperial palace, the emperor lives with his consorts. One such woman is the Raven Consort, who does not perform night time duties and remains in solitude.
This Raven Consort, a title currently held by the young Liu Shouxue, is charged with handling spiritual matters brought to her – everything from finding lost items to sending on spirits. It is even said that she can perform curses.
After living her days often undisturbed, she is visited by the young emperor Xia Gaojun, whose visits become even more frequent as the pair bond and she assists him in unraveling the spiritual mysteries of the inner palace.
Although Raven of the Inner Palace has a more supernatural-driven plot, it takes place entirely inside the walls of a Chinese-style Imperial Palace. Like Ooku, it tells the intrigues and plots that go on in the imperial court between the young new emperor, his ministers, and his consorts.
However, while Ooku is built on drama and political maneuvering, Raven of the Inner Palace follows a consort who dispels supernatural hauntings and curses, as is her job, while also slowly growing closer to the emperor who had grown curious about her. It does have a few political intrigues, but is not dedicated to them.
For Fans of Historical Drama
Shouwa Genroku Rakugo Shinjuu
Former yakuza member Yotarou is fresh out of prison and looking to keep his nose clean. In order to stay out of trouble, he aspires to the stage of Rakugo, a traditional Japanese form of comedic storytelling.
Inspired by a man he saw perform while incarcerated, he seeks out the man to mentor him, forcing the unwilling, but distinguished Yakumo Yuurakutei to take on his first apprentice.
While Shouwa Genroku Rakugo Shinjuu is still a historical period drama, it takes place in a post-World War II era Japan and not the Edo period like Ooku.
However, the notable thing that these two series share outside of being period dramas is that they feature the same style of storytelling. Both series have a singular episode in the present day of some characters, then spend the vast bulk of the series telling a story set in the past, setting up how things got to that point.
That said, both series are also excellent dramas. They explore the characters wonderfully and intricately explore the politics of the time period, although Shouwa Genroku Rakugo Shinjuu is more historical and not alternate history like Ooku.
Otogizoushi
In Kyoto, ancient capital of Japan, the city is quickly slipping into corruption while suffering from famine and disease.
Unable to ignore this any longer, the government sends archery master Minamoto no Raiko to recover a legendary gem that may hold the power to save them all.
After Raiko falls ill, his sister Hikaru secretly takes his place and makes the journey herself.
When men fall, women will pick up the slack – that is what these series have in common. While Otogizoushi is set in the Heian period and is definitely more of an action adventure drama than a character-driven one, like Ooku, it follows a woman who takes up the role of a man after he grows ill.
Like Ooku, disease is ravaging the people, and a man is sent to receive an item to attempt to fix that. However, when he falls ill, his sister takes up his quest, not unlike Ooku and the Shogun’s daughter having to take his place.
Hidamari no Ki
In 1855, Japan is entering a turbulent time. In it, the lives of two men intersect over the love of the same woman.
Ryoan Tezuka is doctor trained in new Western medical techniques. Manjiro Ibuya is a samurai that is a staunch supporter of the dwindling samurai tradition and honor.
This is the tale of two men who walk distinctly different paths in a rapidly changing Japan.
Both Ooku and Hidamari no Ki take place in a similar time period. In essence, Hidamari no Ki is actually a great series if you want to see the non-alternate history version of the Edo period.
While Hidamari no Ki’s story following a doctor and a samurai is decidedly different from the palace intrigues in Ooku, because it follows a doctor, the series also features how problematic smallpox and other illnesses are. Although, smallpox kills indiscriminately in Hidamari no Ki, rather than the version that just kills men in Ooku.
The Heike Story
The Taira Clan, also known as the Heike, have developed authority in Japan. When a young girl disrespects a representative of the clan, her father pays the price with his life.
Later, this girl, now adopting the name Biwa after the instrument her father played, approaches Taira no Shigemori, the eldest son of the Taira Clan leader.
To him, she reveals the power of her eye to see the future and portends the downfall of his clan. He reveals to her the power in his eye to see the wandering ghosts of the dead and, after learning of how her father died, offers to take her in in hopes that she can help him steer his clan away from disaster.
Times are changing in Feudal Japan, though Ooku presents an alternate Edo period and The Heike Story tells a fictionalized version of the Genpei War in the late Heian period.
Regardless, both of these series are historical dramas with a big dose of fiction wedged in that follow the intrigues of Japanese nobility.
While Ooku is an interesting exploration of historical gender roles, The Heike Story is more an artistic depiction of a fall from grace for one clan so powerful that grew arrogant.
For Fans Of Mature, Low Action Samurai Stories
Hyouge Mono
During the Warring States era, one vassal of Oda Nobunaga learned of the art of tea ceremony from Oda himself and the legendary tea master, Sen no Soueki. This vassal, Furuta Sasuke, seeks to lead a fortuitous life and now walks the path of the Hyouge Mono.
When it comes to tales about samurai families, typically they are tales of bloodshed and honor. However, the samurai had other pursuits outside of the battlefield. While Hyouge Mono and Ooku take place in different time periods, they share a similar passion for telling mature drama stories about characters living rather peaceful lives.
While Ooku is focused on politics and exploring its characters, Hyouge Mono is focused on tea ceremony as an art form and philosophy. Both series also enjoy moments of comedy, though Hyouge Mono more so.
House of Five Leaves
Masanosuke Akitsu is a skilled swordsman, but his meek personality sees him continuously masterless and wandering as a ronin.
Released by yet another master, he is approached by Yaichi, a carefree man who hires him as a bodyguard on a whim. Taking this job entangles Masa in a gang known as the Five Leaves that pits him against his own principles.
Ooku’s alternate history period drama plot is notably different from House of the Five Leaves which is about a samurai bodyguard. However, what they have most in common is being set in a historical period, but not really being about action.
Ooku establishes itself as more of a political drama, but House of the Five Leaves is surprising in that it is about a samurai bodyguard that doesn’t actually fight that much. He is meek and gets caught up with a gang of chivalrous thieves. Instead of battles, the series is about him questioning the morality of the acts he is involved in.
Do you have more anime recommendations like Ooku: The Inner Chambers? Let fans know in the comments section below.
