Yokoyama Mitsuteru Sangokushi

Aired: 1991

Adapted from Mitsuteru Yokoyama's epic historical manga, this anime traces the late Han dynasty into the Three Kingdoms era of ancient China. Iconic moments such as the Yellow Turban Rebellion, the Oath of the Peach Garden, the Battle of Guandu and the Battle of Red Cliffs unfold around colourful heroes including Liu Bei, Guan Yu, Zhang Fei, Cao Cao, Sun Quan and Zhuge Liang. The series weaves political intrigue, large-scale battles and intimate human drama with stately theme songs by Fence of Defense and Mizumori Yusa, contributing significantly to the Three Kingdoms boom that swept Japan in the early nineties.