A while back, I read a wish by a reviewer that more BL series had historical settings. I have to agree!
I do understand the difficulty regarding historical settings with live-action. Unless they produce characters who look like they are wrapped in bedsheets, they cost. My Roommate is a Detective is so marvelous to a large degree because it is so incredibly beautiful, nearly lush in its settings, clothing, props, and music. The acting is good too. The storylines vary considerably--but the look: oh, my!
The Flower That Seems to Truly Dance by Saki Tsukahara is another nice exception. It takes place during World War II. The protagonist, Soutarou Kuramoto, meets a young man, Haruomi Asuma, who is an onnagata, especially renowned for his dancing. The story runs from 1941 to the end of the war. It involves fire from a bombing and a meeting in a hospital--and great clothes, of course.
The theme is not too heavy-handed. It is implied that the war has changed expectations and goals: traditions continue through art, aesthetics, while traditional familial expectations have a lessening hold. It is a theme that Agatha Christie tackles in her mysteries: the cozy English village looks the same but in truth, it will never be quite the same again.
