Summary
- Anime series from the past have greatly influenced and shaped the medium, providing context for the traditions seen in today’s shows.
- Exploring older anime reveals excellent material that may have been overlooked during the major boom of the ’90s, offering a treasure trove for those willing to delve into the past.
- Old anime classics like
Space Battleship Yamato
,
Yu Yu Hakusho
, and
Gunbuster
are still worth watching today, as they showcase timeless designs and are an integral part of the medium’s history.
Modern writing and technology have done a lot to help anime evolve into a mainstream medium. The combination of gorgeous visuals and less clichéd writing has given anime more universal appeal than it’s ever had before, and it’s easily gotten to the point of being at the center of general pop culture all around the world.
The current landscape of anime has done wonders for its popularity, but that doesn’t mean older works are without their charm. While not every anime holds up that well today, there are still plenty of great older anime that are worth watching, whether it’s because of their great writing or surprisingly good animation that still holds up after decades.
This is true of a lot of anime from the 90s and even anime from the 60s, and there are a few that are especially worth highlighting.
20 Space Battleship Yamato Is Anime’s Original Space Opera
Anime series by Academy Productions; Based on the manga by Leiji Matsumoto
The original 1974 Space Battleship Yamato is, without a doubt, anime’s most seminal space opera. Devastated by unrelenting attacks from an alien adversary, humanity sends its last hope into space—that being the battleship Yamato and her crew, who are tasked with securing a device that might yet be able to reverse the devastation on Earth.
The brainchild of Leiji Matsumoto, Space Battleship Yamato is a space opera in the truest sense of the term. This is at its core a nautical adventure with a transplanted setting featuring acts of great heroism and self-sacrifice, honor, and the inherent nobility of a lone ship tasked with saving humanity against impossible odds. The series and its various sequels and remakes have always been at the center of science fiction in Japan, and it’s a series any sci-fi fan should try and watch at some point.
19 Yu Yu Hakusho Helped Build 90s Shōnen Anime
Anime series by Studio Pierrot; Based on the manga by Yoshihiro Togashi
Yu Yu Hakusho
- Created by
- Yoshihiro Togashi
- Cast
- Nozomu Sasaki , Justin Cook , Cynthia Cranz , Christopher Sabat , Kent Williams , Shigeru Chiba , Tomomichi Nishimura , Sanae Miyuki , Takumi Kitamura , Shuhei Uesugi , Jun Shison , Kanata Hongô
Studio Pierrot’s Yu Yu Hakusho stars Yusuke Urameshi, a delinquent middle schooler who, in a rare moment of kindness, dives in front of an oncoming car to save a child’s life at the cost of his own. The forces of the afterlife allow Yusuke to come back to life for his good deed, but in doing so, he becomes the latest spirit detective and must now harness new powers to protect humanity from villainous demons.
Thanks to its age and overall popularity in the 1990s, Yu Yu Hakusho helped to establish now-staple shōnen tropes, but it also proved that the genre could be more than collections of highly dramatized fight scenes. The series persists in some form to this day, but it’s best remembered as one of the most important series to debut in the early ’90s.
18 Devilman Influenced an Entire Generation of Anime & Manga
Anime series produced by Toei Animation; based on the original manga by Go Nagai
While Science Saru’s adaptation of DevilmanCrybaby was nothing short of phenomenal, there is a special charm in one of the earlier adaptations of the horror manga, namely the 1987 OVA series. Devilman follows Akira Fudo, a young man, who, after being reunited with his childhood friend, Ryo, is pulled into a grisly world of fighting devils to try and protect the people around him that he loves, regardless of the constant danger being thrown at him. Despite its age and campy English dub, the 1987 Devilman OVA is a testament to the series’ timelessness, that Devilman as a story is relevant for every generation, regardless of how grim it can be.
17 Gunbuster Helped Invent Modern Mecha Anime
Anime series by Studio Gainax; Directed by Hideaki Anno
If there were ever to be a competition to identify the most iconic ’80s anime ever made, Gunbuster would probably emerge victoriously. Robots, training montages, and badass sunglasses—this one has it all. The ’80s camp can be deceiving; although it might appear to be little more than Top Gun with robots, the story ventures to some dark places later on.
It’s also worth mentioning that Gunbuster is the directorial debut of Hideaki Anno of Neon GenesisEvangelion fame. Fans of his work will definitely want to check this one out, especially for how different in tone it is from his usual style, but its appeal for general audiences shouldn’t be understated as well. Finally, this anime series only six episodes long, meaning that there simply isn’t a good reason not to give it a look.
Gunbuster
received a sequel anime in 2006 titled
DieBuster
, although it was made by a different staff than the staff behind
Gunbuster
.
16 Revolutionary Girl Utena Is Still Inspiring Creators Today
Created by Chiho Saito & Kunihiko Ikuhara
Revolutionary Girl Utena is a unique exploration of trauma, growing up, and relationships that goes in directions that even the most seasoned anime fans would struggle to be prepared for. The series follows the titular Utena, a young woman who’s sworn herself to finding a mysterious “prince” that she idolized when she was young.
She soon gets pulled into a sword dueling tournament to win the hand of a mysterious girl named Anthy Himemiya, also dubbed “the Rose Bride” who seems to possess the power to revolutionize the world. The series is absolutely gorgeous, and despite having some bizarre twists, is a classic for a reason and has a powerful fan following even now.
15 Fist Of The North Star Martial Arts Anime At Its Finest
Anime series by Toei Animation; Based on the manga by Buronson & Tetsuo Hara
Everyone who’s ever made a “You Are Already Dead” joke is actually contractually obligated to watch Fist of the North Star. This post-apocalyptic ’80s classic absolutely embodies the zeitgeist in shonen manga at the time, that being huge dudes in a Mad Max-style wasteland beating each other up in gory kung-fu battles, and it really doesn’t get any better than that.
Fist of the North Star is structurally simple. The protagonist, Kenshiro, is the inheritor of a secret style of deadly martial arts. He takes it upon himself to cleanse the wasteland of evil by way of blowing bad guys’ heads up using a special technique. 40 years after its conception, Fist of the North Star is still one of the most influential action anime of all time, making this a shōnen action classic that isn’t to be missed.
Fist of the North Star
is set to receive a reboot in celebration of its 40th anniversary.
14 Speed Racer Is Still An Early Anime Classic
Anime series by Tatsunoko Productions; Based on the manga by Tatsuo Yoshida
Often compared to Jonny Quest, one of the most influential pieces of 1960s children’s media, Speed Racer was among the first anime series to receive localization for Western audiences. Starring the Racer family, the series was known for its instances of slapstick comedy and for its breakneck narrative pace, something showcased, intentionally or otherwise, with the speedy voice acting and hammy delivery of the cast.
As silly as it is today, there’s something remarkably endearing about the original run of Speed Racer. It comes across as terribly dated, with the fast-paced voice acting and terrible lip flaps being one of the biggest memes in animation, but anime fans may well enjoy experiencing such a seminal part of the genre’s history as Speed Racer. It also received a notable live-action movie adaptation helmed by the Wachowski sisters in 2008.
Watch on Amazon
13 Legend Of Galactic Heroes Is A Sprawling Space Epic
Anime series by Kitty Film Mitaka Studio & K-Factory; Based on the novel by Yoshiki Tanaka
Debuting in 1988, Legend of the Galactic Heroes is a sprawling space epic, and the use of the term “epic” is deliberate here, as Legend of the Galactic Heroes spans 110 episodes, as well as a handful of movies and side-stories.
Legend of the Galactic Heroes isa War and Peace-esque story full of shifting loyalties, complex interstellar politics, and engaging tactical fleet battles. Those looking to sink their teeth into a massive story with loads of characters and factions can end their search here. Don’t expect that the weight of interstellar war comes at the expense of the characters, though; Legend of the Galactic Heroes features an extremely memorable cast of well-developed characters. Overall, it’s one of the most iconic science-fiction anime in all of Japan, and anime fans would be remiss to pass it up.
Legend of Galactic Heroes
received a partial remake in 2018,
Legend of Galactic Heroes: Die Neue These
, available on Crunchyroll, which may be easier for newer fans to watch.
12 Vampire Hunter D: Bloodlust Was an Unexpectedly Flashy Adaptation of the Novels
Anime produced by Madhouse; based on the novels by Hideyuki Kikuchi
Based off the third novel in the book series of the same name, Vampire Hunter D: Bloodlust is a gothic horror masterpiece. The anime opens by introducing Charlotte Elbourne after being abducted by a vampire nobleman named Baron Meier Link. Her father subsequently hires a dhampir – a half-vampire – to attempt to rescue her. The anime film is a little over an hour in length, and is filled with gorgeously animated set pieces that make audiences feel as though they’re stepping foot in the world.
11 Urusei Yatsura Helped Invent Anime Romcoms
Anime series by Kitty Films; Based on the manga by Rumiko Takahashi
One of Japan’s preeminent manga artists, Rumiko Takahashi, can be credited for essentially inventing the rom-com as we currently know it in the worlds of anime and manga. Her works, like Ranma 1/2 and Inuyasha, have been wildly successful in their own right, but the earlier anime adaptations of her manga deserve attention as well.
Of particular interest is the lighthearted romantic comedy Urusei Yatsura, which features a no-good guy who unexpectedly finds himself at the center of extraterrestrial female attention. Hijinks ensue. In many ways, Urusei Yatsura is the prototypical anime rom-com, and many of the tropes that pervade the genre today can be traced back to this common ancestor. As shown with the recent remake, that style of writing still holds up plenty, and as such, the original anime is still more than worth watching.
10 Cutie Honey Is All Quirks & Personality
Anime series produced by Toei Animation; based on the original manga by Go Nagai
Cutie Honey is an offbeat magical girl series from Devilman creator Go Nagai. The series follows Honey Kisaragi, a seemingly average teenage girl attending Catholic school until one day when her father is killed by the mysterious and deadly Panther Claw organization. She soon learns that she’s actually an android that is capable of transforming into a sword-wielding superhero called Cutie Honey by calling out the phrase: “Honey Flash!” While Cutie Honey may not be super deep below the surface, the franchise is a ton of fun and exemplifies all the qualities that make classic anime so entertaining to watch.
9 Astro Boy Is Osamu Tezuka’s Most Iconic Work
Anime series by Mushi Production; Based on the manga by Osamu Tezuka
Considered by some to be the first-ever anime series to truly be popular, Astro Boy began life as a moderately successful manga series before making the jump to television in 1963. A hero story that combined a fairytale-like mythos with influence from the atomic age, Astro Boy was as influential to the world of anime as it was to the rapidly expanding genre of science fiction.
Without Astro Boy, anime as it’s known now might not exist. From mecha classics like Mobile Suit Gundam to modern-day shōnen staples like Dragon Ball Z and One Piece, many of anime’s all-time greatest hits owe something to the original Astro Boy. The original series is hard to watch by legal means, especially in the West, but with the various remakes that have been released over the decades, it’s easy enough for fans to understand why Astro Boy is such an influential work.
Astro Boy
most recently starred in the Netflix anime series
Pluto
, adapted from an arc of the original.
Watch on Amazon
8 Sailor Moon Is a Staple Shojo Series
Created by Naoko Takeuchi; anime produced by Toei Animation
Based on the original manga by Naoko Takeuchi, the original Sailor Moon anime is absolutely iconic, and spawned a number of feature-length film spin-offs and merchandise. Following Usagi Tsukino, a girl who gets pulled into the crime-fighting life of a magical girl and realizes her destiny is much greater than she ever could have imagined. The series is colorful, charming, and an absolute treat to watch for every type of anime fan.
While the series does have a reboot that cuts out all the filler from the original anime, Sailor Moon‘s iconic cadence as a retro shojo series has helped inspire a variety of up-and-coming creators around the globe.
7 Aim For The Ace! Set The Standard For Sports Anime
Anime series by Tokyo Movie; Based on the manga by Sumika Yamamoto
Aim For The Ace! is one of anime’s quintessential sports stories; it’s a classic tale of an untalented tennis player who’s able to rise through the ranks by the power of hard work and perseverance. Along for the ride are an intense coach, aloof role models, and a gaggle of jealous rivals who conspire to bring about the protagonist’s downfall.
Despite the straightforward premise and themes, Aim For The Ace! manages to be thoroughly endearing on account of how earnest it is. Aim For The Ace! is a show about how perseverance works out in the end, and, as the audience watches Hiromi struggle to improve, they’ll come to trust the process, as well. The series helped set a lot of the standards for sports anime, so it’s a must-watch for any big sports fans.
6 Future Boy Conan Is Hayao Miyazaki’s Most Underrate Classic
Anime series by Nippon Animation; Based on the novel by Alexander Key
Nippon Animation’s Future Boy Conan is an adaptation of Alexander Key’s The Incredible Tide that chronicles the adventures of the titular protagonist in a post-apocalyptic future in which war and climate change have obliterated most of humanity. Conan believes he and his grandfather to be the last humans alive, but this preconception is shattered when a mysterious girl washes ashore on their island refuge.
It’s impossible to mention Future Boy Conan without stressing that this is the first anime project which the now-legendary Hayao Miyazaki is credited as the lead director. Despite being an early work for him, the characteristic imagination and sense of setting that Hayao Miyazaki’s Ghibli films are beloved for shine through in Future Boy Conan, and anybody interested in Miyazaki’s work—or in Ghibli movies in general—should check this one out.
5 Super Dimensional Fortress Macross Perfectly Blends Space Fantasy High Drama
Anime series by Studio Nue; Created by Shoji Kawamori
Studio Nue’s Super Dimension Fortress Macross is one of the oldest and most influential sci-fi anime in all of Japan. When an alien ship crash lands on Earth, humanity enters a new age of technological achievement. But when an alien species attempts to invade years later, the citizens of the Macross are teleported lightyears away and must fight to return home.
One part epic mecha anime and one part tense romance, Super Dimensional Fortress Macross is responsible in part for popularizing multiple aspects of mecha anime. Both an otherworldly space opera and a very human tale of struggle, this series helped to lay the groundwork upon which series like Neon Genesis Evangelion and Code Geass would develop into what they are, and the original series and its spinoffs still stand as phenomenal sci-fi that can’t be ignored.
4 Mobile Suit Gundam’s Original Anime Is Still Great
Anime series by Studio Sunrise; Directed by Yoshiyuki Tomino
Mobile Suit Gundam
- Cast
- Hirotaka Suzuoki , Tôru Furuya , Toshio Furukawa , Kiyonobu Suzuki , Michael Kopsa , Brad Swaile , Cathy Weseluck , Chris Kalhoon
- Release Date
- April 7, 1979
- Seasons
- 1
- Creator(s)
- Yoshiyuki Tomino , Hajime Yatate
Although Studio Sunrise’s Mobile Suit Gundam doesn’t hold the title of the first mecha anime, it does deserve a lot of credit for revolutionizing the way that audiences going forward would view the mecha subgenre.
The original Mobile Suit Gundamwas groundbreaking for using its science-fiction setting populated with a healthy dose of giant robots to tell a remarkably grounded war story full of tragedy, action, and politics, a great contrast to the campy stories that typically populated the mecha genre up to that point. The show was inhibited by its modest budget, though, and a variety of mishaps during production resulted in some occasionally janky animation, yet the excellent storyboarding and character designs make it a worthwhile watch decades later, even with how better many of its successors may be on a technical level.
3 Ashita No Joe Is A Mature Underdog Story
Anime series by Mushi Production; Based on the manga by Asao Takamori & Tetsuya Chiba
1970’s Ashita no Joe is indisputably one of the most important and influential anime ever produced. Adapted from the manga of the same name, the 1970 television anime tells the story of a boxer named Joe rising to fame from nothing, struggling not only against his opponents but against society and the system itself to eke out his own niche.
Ashita no Joe isa gritty story of one man’s struggle to stake out his place in the world, and it resonated with the Japanese audiences of the ’60s and ’70s as their country weathered a period of economic and political transition. Young Japanese viewers at the time may have seen a bit of themselves in Joe, a character who, despite his chaotic surroundings, was able to forge ahead on his own path, even if it ended in his demise.
2 Dragon Ball Is Still The Face Of Shonen Anime
Anime series by Toei Animation; Based on the manga by Akira Toriyama
Toei Animation’s Dragon Ball tells the story of Son Goku, an odd young boy with a monkey tail and inhuman strength, as he goes on adventures with his friends, often in search of the titular Dragon Balls that can grant wishes when gathered together. The series started as a martial arts comedy that drew inspiration from Journey to the West, but by the time of Dragon Ball Z, it shifted gears into a sci-fi epic with over-the-top battles and feats of strength constantly being scaled against the entire universe.
No anime is more recognizable than Dragon Ball, and it’s more than earned that reputation. Between the simple, yet likable cast and stellar direction of its fight scenes, Dragon Ball is always a perfect encapsulation of everything that an action series needs to succeed, and while there are plenty of anime that look better on a technical level, the way in which Dragon Ball executes the basics can’t be matched. All in all, even after 40 years, its hard to see Dragon Ball as anything other than one of the truest cornerstones of anime.
1 The Rose Of Versailles Is A Dramatic Tale of Revolution
Anime series by TMS Entertainment; Based on the manga by Riyoko Ikeda
TMS Entertainment’s The Rose of Versailles is an operatic tale of love, war, drama, and intrigue. The story follows a cast of characters from different walks of life in the build-up to the French Revolution, and the anime leverages this setting marvelously. The audience can feel the mounting dread in the air as Paris creeps closer and closer to its descent into chaos, and the story’s characters must adapt.
Exceptional pacing, well-constructed characters, and passionate melodrama have made Versailles a classic for the ages. It’s also one of the most enormously influential works in the world of shoujo anime, being credited as a primary influence for creators like Kunihiko Ikuhara in his work on Revolutionary Girl Utena. With these elements and others in play, it’s easy to see The Rose of Versailles as one of the best old anime that have stood the test of time, if not the best.
