Senki

Senki is a Japanese term pronounced senki, written with the characters 戦記. It literally means a “war chronicle” or “military history,” combining 戦 (sen) meaning war or battle and 記 (ki) meaning record or chronicle. In scholarly and literary contexts, senki refers to accounts that document wars, campaigns, battles, and related events, often focusing on strategic developments, leadership, and outcomes.

The term is a generic label rather than a fixed genre. Its exact meaning depends on how it is used in a given work. In historical writing, senki can describe primary or secondary sources that recount military affairs. In popular media, senki is frequently used in titles and narratives that emphasize war, conflict, or veterans’ experiences, ranging from novels and manga to film and games. Because it centers on combat narratives, works labeled senki commonly explore themes of strategy, courage, sacrifice, and the consequences of war.

Cross-linguistically, the same kanji characters appear in Chinese as 战记 (zhànjì), with a related meaning, though readings and usage differ by language. In Japanese, senki is primarily a noun and is often encountered as part of longer phrases or titles related to war storytelling or historical documentation.

See also: war chronicle, military history, historical narrative, war literature.