There are plenty of anime that take place in fantastical fictional settings, and perhaps even more that are set in modern-day Japan. That doesn't mean that fans should forget the many historically-set and inspired anime that exist though. Whether they explore alternate histories or stick close to their period of inspiration, historical anime are often uniquely immersive in how they explore the nuances of culture and society for any given time period. While many historical anime incorporate different eras of Japan's history, like Samurai Champloo, Mononoke, Golden Kamuy and Demon Slayer, there are also series that explore pivotal eras in other countries. One of these is Le Chevalier D'Eon.
One of the factors making Le Chevalier D'Eon a standout among other historical anime is that it takes place in 18th-century, pre-Revolution France. While the series does heavily feature real-life historical figures, as characters, their stories diverge from reality and help unravel the alternate timeline of events that drives the series' plot. Another interesting feature about Le Chevalier D'Eon, aside from its intrigue and conspiracy, is that it takes inspiration from the life of transgender French spy Chevalier D'Eon.
The anime follows D'Eon de Beaumont as he attempts to solve the mystery of who murdered his older sister Lia, whose body is found in a casket floating down the Seine. The only clue provided is the word "psalms" written across the casket in blood. Coupled with Lia's mysterious death is a series of women's disappearances around France, leaving D'Eon to investigate these tragedies by order of King Louis XV. D'Eon has the help of other knights under the king's orders, but perhaps the most unusual form of aid comes from his sister herself. Angered and in unrest, Lia's soul enters D'Eon's body, and the two of them work together to uncover the mysteries and take revenge.
The Chevalier D'Eon that the de Beaumont siblings and their peculiar circumstance take inspiration from was actually herself a transgender spy. She worked as a diplomat in England and Russia under King Louis XV's spy service. The Chevalier would soon find herself embroiled in celebrity and controversy after publishing a book that included clandestine diplomatic documents. Unfortunately, another source of celebrity would be the fervent desire by the public to determine the gender she was assigned at birth -- something that was discussed and disputed up until her death in 1810. She would use this to her advantage, however, using the rumors to further mask her gender identity so that she could navigate society and live as she pleased.
Although Le Chevalier D'Eon is only very loosely inspired by the Chevalier and doesn't feature the specifics of her trans identity at all, it doesn't mean the series fails at being interesting on its own. Instead of starting in an alternate timeline, the series begins in line with French history and then diverges as characters are introduced and revealed to play different roles than their real-life counterparts. Le Chevalier D'Eon is also considered to be a spiritual successor to The Rose of Versailles, another series that took place in France leading up to the Revolution and toyed with gender representation.
Le Chevalier D'Eon is a drama that creatively incorporates history into its unique story of tragedy. The 24-episode series also makes a great effort to reference its source material visually, so it's filled with the detail and opulence that 18th-century France was known for. The anime is currently streaming on Funimation for any fan looking to further explore the breadth that exists within historical drama anime.