Movies Like Martial Arts Encyclopedia

If you liked Martial Arts Encyclopedia (1934), a history movie directed by Mansaku Itami, here are 20 movies with a similar feel, based on TMDB's recommendations. Each one links to its cast, trailer and where it's streaming.

1
Gojoe: Spirit War Chronicle (2001)
★ 6.8/10Also history
Benkei, a master fighter and killer, vows never to take another life after his conversion to Buddhism. His faith in pacifism, however, is shaken and ultimately broken by the attacks from a trio of fighters known only…
2
Rurouni Kenshin Part I: Origins (2012)
★ 7.5/10Also history
In 1868, after the Bakumatsu war ends, the ex-assassin Kenshin Himura traverses Japan with an inverted sword, to defend the needy without killing.
3
Prizefighter: The Life of Jem Belcher (2022)
★ 6.2/10Also history
At the turn of the 19th century, Pugilism was the sport of kings and a gifted young boxer fought his way to becoming champion of England.
4
Panther (1995)
★ 6.3/10Also history
In this sprawling, fictionalized history of the Black Panthers, 1960s Oakland becomes a war zone as the Panthers battle for the right to exist.
5
Kubi (2023)
★ 6.9/10Also history
Lord Oda Nobunaga plans to control Japan where rival warlords battle by waging war against several clans. His vassal Araki Murashige stages a rebellion and promptly disappears.
6
Rurouni Kenshin: The Final (2021)
★ 7.7/10Also history
In 1879, Kenshin and his allies face their strongest enemy yet: his former brother-in-law Enishi Yukishiro and his minions, who've vowed their revenge.
7
The Current War (2018)
★ 6.7/10Also history
Electricity titans Thomas Edison and George Westinghouse compete to create a sustainable system and market it to the American people.
8
11 Rebels (2024)
★ 6.9/10Also history
When the brutal Boshin War breaks out in Japan, a group of inmates on death row unite to defend a fortress against the Imperial army.
9
Outlaws - For Greater Glory (2012)
★ 7/10Also history
A chronicle of the Cristeros War (1926-1929), which was touched off by a rebellion against the Mexican government's attempt to secularize the country.
10
Buddha: The Great Departure (2011)
★ 7.4/10Also history
Prince Siddhartha is heir to the Shakya kingdom, which is constantly at war with the more powerful Kosala kingdom. His father tries to raise as him as a warrior leader and to shield him from the miseries of the world…
11
The Secrets We Keep (2020)
★ 6/10Also history
In post-World War II America, a woman, rebuilding her life in the suburbs with her husband, kidnaps her neighbor and seeks vengeance for the heinous war crimes she believes he committed against her.
12
Medieval (2022)
★ 6.8/10Also history
The story of fifteenth century Czech icon and warlord, Jan Zizka, who defeated armies of the Teutonic Order and the Holy Roman Empire.
13
Making Waves: The Art of Cinematic Sound (2019)
★ 6.9/10Also history
The history of cinematic sound, told by legendary sound designers and visionary filmmakers.
14
A Call to Spy (2020)
★ 6.8/10Also history
The story of Vera Atkins, a crafty spy recruiter, and two of the first women she selects for Churchill's "secret army": Virginia Hall, a daring American undaunted by a disability and Noor Inayat Khan, a pacifist. These…
15
Radium Girls (2020)
★ 6.6/10Also history
Young women toiling in a factory are exposed to hazardous material which takes a disastrous toll on their health.
16
Iron Fists and Kung Fu Kicks (2019)
★ 6.7/10Also history
The fantastic story of how an ancient martial art, Chinese kung fu, conquered the world through the hundreds of films that were produced in Hong Kong over the decades, transformed Western action cinema and inspired the…
17
Dalíland (2022)
★ 5.9/10Also history
In 1973, a young gallery assistant goes on a wild adventure behind the scenes as he helps aging genius Salvador Dali prepare for a big show in New York.
18
Fate/Grand Order the Movie: Divine Realm of the Round Table: Camelot 1 Wandering; Agateram (2020)
★ 7/10Also history
The wandering knight, Bedivere, reaches the end of his journey. It is A.D. 1273 in Jerusalem. The Holy Land has been transformed into a massive desert and its people have been forced out of their homes as three major…
19
The Rose of Versailles (2025)
★ 7/10Also history
In an age of revolution, Marie Antoinette and her protector Oscar François de Jarjayes face tough choices as women growing into their distinct roles.
20
The Smashing Machine (2025)
★ 6.4/10Also history
In the late 1990s, up-and-coming mixed martial artist Mark Kerr aspires to become the greatest fighter in the world. However, he must also battle his opioid dependence and a volatile relationship with his girlfriend…