“Why won’t it end? I want to binge-read it!” I say this several times whenever I go through my “Plan to Read” list of manga. Some of the biggest offenders are historical manga, which often take their time to end (which makes sense, it’s not like time has stopped ending, so I would expect there to be plenty of events). That being said, there are plenty that rival the Big 3 in terms of length and convolution. Despite that, I wait patiently (and sometimes not so patiently) for them to end. This list is composed of my top 10 historical manga that have yet to finish.
#10: Shut Hell
A somewhat strange story from 13th century Mongolian wars, this is one of the older manga that I have put on hold. It started back in 2008 (yes, that’s old), and is still going. Sadly, there are only 11 volumes in 8 years. This guy is reaaaaaally slow.
Oh well. The art kinda reminds me of Blade of the Immortal, Hiroaki Samura. That’s cool.
#9: Shoukoku no Altair
Taking a swing towards Persia, we have this interesting and somewhat deep historical manga revolving around a master falconer in a company of knights. It’s got style and attitude and compared to the previous entry is pretty long. Starting in 2007, it now has around 16 volumes. Much faster
#8: Otoyomegatari
A pretty well-developed tale of cultures and life in a difficult time, circumstances and marriage, customs, integrity and morals. When a girl of 20 is told to marry a 12 year old (hooray for women’s rights), the girls journey through womanhood begins. It’s quite an interesting tale and I hope it ends some time soon (not likely). Sadly, there are only 8 volumes out since 2008.
#7: Blood and Steel
Two survivors of a massacre by a group of rogue martial artists from Wudong meet and begin a journey of revenge that takes them to some pretty dangerous and scary places. Oh dear. I sure hope they brought they jammies, it gets cold at night.
This manhua is actually coming out quick, with 14 volumes since 2011.
#6: Ad Astra: Scipio to Hannibal
I mean, it’s Scipio and Hannibal, two of the greatest generals and strategists of history. What else can I say? Right up my alley.
Only 8 volumes since 2011. Damn…
#5: Kingdom
Several volumes and a couple of CG-infused anime seasons later, this manga is still going strong. Considered to be one of the best historical manga out there, the story focuses on a pair of kids during the Warring States period.
Damn… 40 volumes since 2006… Get some sleep, why don’t ya?
#4: Vinland Saga
C’mon. If you read manga at all, you’ve at least heard of the top 5 entries on this list for sure. Maybe not the next one, but definitely all of the others. Vinland Saga is just… huge. It feels the way you would think standing in front of a Viking feels. Overwhelming.
Yessss…. 16 volumes since 2006.
#3: The Ravages of Time
Manga has no qualms with milking historical epics, and the Romance of the Three Kingdoms is a gold mine unlike any other. The Ravages of Time is probably the best currently ongoing example of a manga about the Romance of the Three Kingdoms. I mean, look at that cover photo. It’s just so great.
53 volumes since 2001? Really?
#2: Historie
You won’t catch me calling that many things “perfect”. It’s a hard word to throw around. It’s a lot of commitment to an opinion and I don’t try to commit to an opinion unless I am confident in it.
That being said, this comes damn close to deserving that descriptor. The scale and scope, the characterizations, the plot and premise. Everything is on point with this tale of a scribe in Alexander the Great’s court.
Sadly, only 9 volumes since 2003.
#1: Vagabond
Yes, this is still a thing. I swear, this manga is going to last as long as Miyamoto Musashi’s actual time on this Earth. It’s tough to believe that there is enough material, but to be honest, I’m happy that it’s still going on. That being said, I want it now.
37 volumes since 1998. I swear to god…
Well that’s all for now. Thanks for reading and have a great day!
popculturemecha 
I am semi-interested in Otoyomegatari, as it is drawn by the creator of Emma.
I’d say give it a shot. More than a couple of people I know were skeptical before starting, but were pleasantly surprised.