Recommend me some 80s anime

[Chrono1995]

I've been on a bender lately and have found that the current anime market is just boring as hell. So, I've been hunting for some stuff from the 80s or at the latest the early 90s and I have no idea where to go.

So, yeah. You've read the title. Recommend something really good.

[Undrave]

Saint Seiya!

Oh yeah!

ADV got 60 episodes (right?) out in two DVD thinpacks sets.

Altough personally I'm more of a fan of the manga :p

[silverwings]

Ronin Warriors/Samurai Troopers.

Both versions are 80's-ish but the dub really adds on the 80s cheesey dialogue to great effect.

[Sr.Infierno]

Zeta Gundam
Gundam 0080
Ranma 1/2
Macross

[Umino]

Why just 80's anime? Why not go earlier into the awesome-ness that is 70's anime? ^_^

Dirty Pair
Tokimeki Tonight (Very funny, good luck finding it in Japanese)

[Classic Speedy]

Original Dirty Pair. "Project Eden" and the OAVs are the best, though I haven't seen the TV series yet.

[Beefy]

Appleseed (1988), not to be confused with Appleseed (2004).

[Leaping Larry Jojo]

The best 80s anime tend to be the long series. There were a few good movies. The 80s OAVs tend not to be very good.

At any rate, my personal faves--

Armored Trooper Votoms
Zeta Gundam
Megazone 23 (Part 1 and 2 only)
Dagger of Kamui
Galaxy Express 999 (on VHS only--WHY VIZ, WHY???)
Space Adventure Cobra
Macross
Genesis Climber Mospeada

I really recommend Votoms if you like Robert Heinlein and Joe Haldeman science fiction novels.

[Kazuya Prower]

Dragon Ball is a great 80s anime.

[Umino]

Galaxy Express 999 (on VHS only--WHY VIZ, WHY???)

VIZ licensed the series?!

[Daizaburo Estes]

(I bet you guys predicted this >.<)

FIST OF THE NORTH STAR.

Try to pick up the subbed VHS tapes used. The now out-of-print DVDs are very below par for anime DVDs(as per usual from Manga), and are so low quality that they're really not worth the 20+ dollar price. Also, the dub is a sad effort, so I suggest that--if you don't mind doing so--you stick to the Japanese original. You know, the version WITHOUT the weird techno music.

[Leaping Larry Jojo]

VIZ licensed the series?!

No, I'm talking about the movies. They *are* good movies. At least the first one is.

[Gary L Thompson]

I would definitely concur with "Armored Trooper Votoms", "Dragonball", and "Galaxy Express 999" movie.

If you like old-fashioned rock'em sock'em action and beating the totally evil villian, "Voltron" is definitely your cup of tea. Though my money has always been on the vehicle team as the far better storyline, those episodes are very hard to track down compared to the lions episodes. Incidently, Season 2 has episodes of interest, but ultimately leads nowhere and ends up as very disappointing (and avoid the modern remake, "Voltron the Third Dimension" like the plague!). I greatly enjoyed "Robotech" as well, and though it told a totally different story than the three Japanese series, I think both it and the originals can be enjoyed for what they are (personally, I think "Genesis Climber Mospeda" AKA "Robotech the New Generation" is the best of all, though generally the least appreciated episodes).

The "Mysterious Cities of Gold" and "Nadia of the Mysterious Seas" are great epics, and (very) loosely based on the works of two great novelists. Monkey Punch's "Three Musketeers" captures the spirit of the original swashbuckler, and it also does perfect justice to one of literature's all-time great villianesses, Milady.

"Project A-KO" is a brilliant comedy (I think the three sequel movies failed to measure up to the first, though I think the OAV series is rather good). "Urusei Yatsura" is a great sitcom as well. "All-Purpose Cultural Catgirl Nuku Nuku" OAV is a nice sci-fi/family melodrama farce of early 1990s vintage. "Aura Battler Dunbine" may well be worth looking up as well, the other great classic by the creator of "Gundam". There's the color series "Astroboy", not as good as the original 1960s series, but I think it has its moments.

These series would be very difficult to track down, but I still think they would be well worth the effort: "Swiss Family Robinson" and the "Jungle Book". Hey, don't laugh, the "Jungle Book" has some heavy drama that puts the Disney versions to shame. And the "Swiss Family Robinson" has a very winsome lead character.

The last isn't anime (unless you're one of those who group everything that happens to be actually drawn in Japan as "anime"). However, it is one of the great action series of the 1980s, "Galaxy Rangers". Of the three cowpunchers-in-outer-space series of that decade ("Saberider" and "Bravestarr" were the others), it ranks as the best.

[Dark Fact]

Try to pick up the subbed VHS tapes used. The now out-of-print DVDs are very below par for anime DVDs(as per usual from Manga), and are so low quality that they're really not worth the 20+ dollar price. Also, the dub is a sad effort, so I suggest that--if you don't mind doing so--you stick to the Japanese original. You know, the version WITHOUT the weird techno music.
"Oh man, I've got such a splitting headache!"


No, I'm talking about the movies. They *are* good movies. At least the first one is.
They are great movies. Although I didn't think Scott McNeil was convincing enough as Harlock. :sad:


The "Mysterious Cities of Gold" and "Nadia of the Mysterious Seas" are great epics, and (very) loosely based on the works of two great novelists. Monkey Punch's "Three Musketeers" captures the spirit of the original swashbuckler, which does perfect justice to one of literature's all-time great villianesses, Milady.
Mysterious Cities of Gold can be watched on Youtube. Come to think of it, some 80's anime can also be watched on Youtube...even Glass Mask!


There's the color series "Astroboy", not as good as the original 1960s series, but I think it has its moments.
Really? I thought the 80's series was better because it stuck closer to Tezuka's original manga!

Try watching "Prefectural Earth Defense Force" and "Outlanders" if you get the chance. ;)

[AstroNerdBoy]

Original Dirty Pair. "Project Eden" and the OAVs are the best, though I haven't seen the TV series yet.

Its pretty much more of the same Kei/Yuri goodness -- nothing spectacular, but worthy of a rental.

[Jon T]

Space Adventure Cobra

The movie of Space Adventure Cobra (the only thing officially licensed in English, with both a UK and US dub) is good, but the general consensus is that the 31 episode TV show was better, and after having seen the majority of it, I'd have to agree. It's just a pity the older shows with no immediate nostalgia factor don't sell in the US market.

One decent and popular long-running 80s/90s show that was 99% licensed in the US would be City Hunter, which is really an all-out action/comedy hybrid. One thing that immediately struck me about the series when compared to modern-day anime is that virtually all the characters in a given story tend to be at least 20 years old - which makes a nice change!

There were 140 episodes of City Hunter spread across four distinct series, a theatrical movie and three TV specials; there's even a brand-new spin-off of sorts in Japan at the moment, Angel Heart (just one indication of the characters' longevity in Japan).

In the US, everything from City Hunter was released in one form or another from ADV aside from the final TV special. However, good luck finding the final two TV series boxsets ADV put out; the longer first two series over 4 boxsets didn't sell well, so ADV drastically underproduced the sets of the shorter 2 final series. Now that all of City Hunter is OOP, the last two TV boxsets are now very hard to find.

I'm actually still looking for ADV's boxset of City Hunter '91, so if there are any US fans out there who might be able help me, by all means drop me a PM... I guess you could call this my XYZ to you ;)

[RAINMAN]

Ronin Warriors/Samurai Troopers.

Both versions are 80's-ish but the dub really adds on the 80s cheesey dialogue to great effect.


That because RW is one of the best dub shows nobody knows.

[Undrave]

I second Mysterious Cities of Gold and Nadia, both great series.

Off course with Mysterious cities of Gold you gotta look past the fact all the characters speak the same language XD, but otherwise it's great. Sadly for you the only DVD available for it that I know of are in French (I own the whole serie on DVD :D ). On a little side note since the serie is still very popular in France (it was a France/Japan co-production) they are working on animating more of the story, this time in the form of a movie ^_^.

Isn't Nadia released in boxsets by ADV?

[herbkir]

Urusei Yatsura, one of the all-time-greatest old-school anime sitcoms, is being re-released in DVD boxsets, 9 so far, sub only since no English dubs exist for any but the first few TV episodes, and in those the dub was crap. The box sets are readily available on eBay and through anime retailers. If money's tight, you can also find the first half of the series, about 95 episodes, on used VHS along with all the movies and OVAs. (^_*)

[veemonjosh]

The 80's Astro Boy set. If you live in the USA (which you do), all 51 episodes that have an english dub (two were severly spliced) are out on a DVD box set for only $20!

[Conan-san]

Heavy Metal L-Gaim, the power of TurnA without all the nasty kill all individuals crap.

Also has a Cool as fook theme song

[Daizaburo Estes]

"Oh man, I've got such a splitting headache!"

:D Man, I love the Streamline dub.

[Bakasama]

I second Mysterious Cities of Gold and Nadia, both great series.

Off course with Mysterious cities of Gold you gotta look past the fact all the characters speak the same language XD, but otherwise it's great. Sadly for you the only DVD available for it that I know of are in French (I own the whole serie on DVD :D ). On a little side note since the serie is still very popular in France (it was a France/Japan co-production) they are working on animating more of the story, this time in the form of a movie ^_^.

Isn't Nadia released in boxsets by ADV?

I think you got that confused with "The King's Fifth", which the Mysterious Cities of Gold is very loosely based on. There was going a sequal to Mysterious Cities of Gold but they didn't get funding from the Japanese investors to get it started.

[Undrave]

I think you got that confused with "The King's Fifth", which the Mysterious Cities of Gold is very loosely based on. There was going a sequal to Mysterious Cities of Gold but they didn't get funding from the Japanese investors to get it started.

No no, the sequel that fell apart was going to be a serie. The director of Mysterious Cities of Gold ALWAYS wished he could continue the serie, and while it's REALLY popular in french speaking area of the world, there wasn'T enough funding France-side to make it happen. Now he's got a NEW project going on to make an animated movie to make a sequel. There's even character designs floating about, including one of a Japanese character (because the plan was always to have Esteban and friends eventually reach Japan in their quests for the OTHER Cities of Gold). It's something really recent.

[Gary L Thompson]

Really? I thought the 80's series was better because it stuck closer to Tezuka's original manga!

Try watching "Prefectural Earth Defense Force" and "Outlanders" if you get the chance. ;)

Well, like I told you, I personally liked the episodes I saw, but a lot of people at the time were disappointed because of the missing "Goku factor" (i.e., optimistic never-say-die hero whips all comers) that they liked so much about the 1960s original. (Tezuka ran into the same problem with his "Leo the Lion" sequel to "Kimba").

I must say "Prefectural Earth Defense Force" is really an insane watch.


One decent and popular long-running 80s/90s show that was 99% licensed in the US would be City Hunter, which is really an all-out action/comedy hybrid. One thing that immediately struck me about the series when compared to modern-day anime is that virtually all the characters in a given story tend to be at least 20 years old - which makes a nice change!

There were 140 episodes of City Hunter spread across four distinct series, a theatrical movie and three TV specials; there's even a brand-new spin-off of sorts in Japan at the moment, Angel Heart (just one indication of the characters' longevity in Japan).

In the US, everything from City Hunter was released in one form or another from ADV aside from the final TV special. However, good luck finding the final two TV series boxsets ADV put out; the longer first two series over 4 boxsets didn't sell well, so ADV drastically underproduced the sets of the shorter 2 final series. Now that all of City Hunter is OOP, the last two TV boxsets are now very hard to find.

I'm actually still looking for ADV's boxset of City Hunter '91, so if there are any US fans out there who might be able help me, by all means drop me a PM... I guess you could call this my XYZ to you ;)

You reminded me that I had forgotten to list another '80s classic by the same creator of "City Hunter"--another series in the "Lupin III" tradition, "Catseyes", except this time the main characters are a trio of female international art thieves. If you're acquainted with the cafe-owner ward/main squeeze of Ryo Saeba's buddy/rival Hayato Inuin AKA Umibozu AKA Falcon, she's much like the oldest sister of the trio, the leader of the Catseyes gang. The middle sister is the muscle as well as the heart and soul of the gang--and in love with the detective in charge of capturing them! The kid sister is basically the mascot of the gang, as well as its resident technogeek. The series is a really a lot of fun, and well worth looking up (probably a French version would be your best bet).


I second Mysterious Cities of Gold and Nadia, both great series.

Off course with Mysterious cities of Gold you gotta look past the fact all the characters speak the same language XD, but otherwise it's great. Sadly for you the only DVD available for it that I know of are in French (I own the whole serie on DVD :D ). On a little side note since the serie is still very popular in France (it was a France/Japan co-production) they are working on animating more of the story, this time in the form of a movie ^_^.

Isn't Nadia released in boxsets by ADV?

Ironically, I never saw the "Mysterious Cities of Gold" except in French or Spanish (I didn't have access to cable TV in those days, unfortunately), but even watching the episodes without having a clear understanding of the story was enough to clue me in that it was one of the best cartoons of the decade. Gainax was taking a crack of making its own "Mysterious Cities of Gold" series when it made "Nadia", which ended up far outshining its inspiration (when Sailor Moon went to the top of the polls of favorite characters in Japan, she displaced Nadia, who had held on to that spot several years after her series ended).


No no, the sequel that fell apart was going to be a serie. The director of Mysterious Cities of Gold ALWAYS wished he could continue the serie, and while it's REALLY popular in french speaking area of the world, there wasn'T enough funding France-side to make it happen. Now he's got a NEW project going on to make an animated movie to make a sequel. There's even character designs floating about, including one of a Japanese character (because the plan was always to have Esteban and friends eventually reach Japan in their quests for the OTHER Cities of Gold). It's something really recent.

Since French series have started to rival anime as the latest cartoon fad to hit American shores, I'm surprised he hasn't approached CN, Disney, DiC or Nick in search of co-production funding.

[Bakasama]

No no, the sequel that fell apart was going to be a serie. The director of Mysterious Cities of Gold ALWAYS wished he could continue the serie, and while it's REALLY popular in french speaking area of the world, there wasn'T enough funding France-side to make it happen. Now he's got a NEW project going on to make an animated movie to make a sequel. There's even character designs floating about, including one of a Japanese character (because the plan was always to have Esteban and friends eventually reach Japan in their quests for the OTHER Cities of Gold). It's something really recent.

Uh, I believe the company was working on the sequel to Mysterious of Cities of Gold a few years ago for the 20th anniversay. As I understand it the French side was willing to put the money for it but the Japanese side didn't.

The only new project I've heard of is a cartoon based on Scott O'Dell's "King's Fifth", titled, "Les Aventure d'Esteban et Zia".

http://www.lescitesdor.free.fr/actualite/naez/naez.html

Note this is NOT a sequal to "Mysterious Cities of Gold"

This, however, is:

http://www.lescitesdor.com/actualite/mco2/mco2images/mco2images.html

The site is in French but I think the pics give a fair idea what it could been like.

[Undrave]

If you check the MCO2 news

http://www.lescitesdor.com/actualite/mco2/mco2.html

He got an email in september 2005 from Chalopin's assistant explaining that the Mysterious Cities of Gold sequel was going to be an animated movie.

Those previous images were presented at Japan Expo 2003 and were for a potential serie. Chalopin and Deyries had plans for the rest of the serie beyond episode 39 since ... since they started working on the project really. Deyries even reveals some of them in an interview on the french DVDs.

You can now find MCG at a certain site where people put up illegual copies of episodes ;)

[Jon T]

You reminded me that I had forgotten to list another '80s classic by the same creator of "City Hunter"--another series in the "Lupin III" tradition, "Catseyes", except this time the main characters are a trio of female international art thieves.

Yeah Cats Eyes is also a darn good show; I just love Hojo's more neo-realist designs present here and in City Hunter. Speaking of Lupin III, Cats Eyes of course has the extra bonus of being animated by the one and only TMS, which automatically makes things much easier on the eye!

It's just doubly unfortunate with City Hunter's apparent failure in the US market and the age of the show, that Cats Eyes is yet another classic that probably won't be getting an official release any time soon.

As an interesting addendum to all this, if anyone (in the US only, unfortunately for me) wants either the ultra rare City Hunter 3 or City Hunter 91 DVD sets, I did notice one of each on Amazon. Trust me, if you like the show, you won't be disappointed (well with City Hunter 3 at least; still can't speak for City Hunter 91). City Hunter 3 (and apparently 91) also have far better picture quality than CH1 or 2; i.e. no ghosting artifacts.

[Golgo13]

-Area 88
-Armored Trooper VOTOMS
-Gundam 0080
-Space Adventure Cobra
-Golgo 13: The Professional
-Patlabor

[Golgo13]

Almost forgot the best anime movie of the 80's:

-Wings of Honneamise.

[j32885]

Anime Titles, 1980s
- Akira
- Castle In The Sky
- Dragonball (Original Show, Not DBZ)
- G Force (Turner's Version Of Gatchaman)
- Grave Of The Firefies
- Gundam UC (0079, 0080, Zeta, ZZ, & CCA)
- Kiki's Delivery Service
- Nausicaa Of The Valley Of The Wind
- Patlabor (OVA & TV)
- Robotech (Macross, Southern Cross, & Next Gen)
- Ronin Warriors (TV & OVAs)
- Saint Seiya
- Urusei Yatsura
- Voltron
- Wings Of Honneamise

[Undrave]

I got Collection 1 of Saint Seiya and while it's fun and got some sweet animation for an 80s title, I can't help but feel like the manga's better.

[kempobot]

-Ashita no Joe 2 (i don't think this has been licensed, but if you like hajime no ippo, you'll love this)
-Ranma 1/2 (about the first 3 seasons)
-Touch (overall, good love story)
-Kimagure Orange Road (another highschool romance story, but one of the better ones)
-SDF Macross (probably one of the best animes every made, yet again another love story)
-Dr. Slump (outrageously funny, i hope this gets licensed here soon)
-Urusei Yastura (i don't like it as much as ranma, but it's still entertaining)

[Daizaburo Estes]

-Dr. Slump (outrageously funny, i hope this gets licensed here soon)

Whoa, I can't believe I forgot to mention that. Well, probably because it's so hard to find and there are no ongoing fansubs of it in existence right now.

If you wouldn't mind me asking, how have you been able to watch it? I loved the first episode but couldn't find another torrented after that, and I don't think it's out on DVD in Japan, even!

[risusa]

I really like Maison Ikkoku. Some of the best character development I've seen in an anime, though I haven't seen all 90+ episodes yet. :)

Castle of Cagliostro is probably my favourite 80's anime movie.

[Chrono1995]

Holy crap. I think I'm going to look into about twenty of these.

[Daizaburo Estes]

Castle of Cagliostro is probably my favourite 80's anime movie.

Correction, 1979.

[Agent S7]

AKIRA

If you're in to dark, violent, twisted psychological thrillers about killer psychics, this is the one for you.

~s7

[rubberchicken]

Heavy Metal L-Gaim, the power of TurnA without all the nasty kill all individuals crap.

Also has a Cool as fook theme song

...buh? Turn-A is the most positive and optimistic Tomino show I've seen.

Anyway, most of what I'd say is already up... Zeta, Lupin, Nadia, Gundam 0080.

A couple of others:

Gunbuster
Goshogun: The Time Etranger (it takes the characters from a mecha show, but it's not a robot movie. It does a generally good job of getting across the characters and their personalities, even if you never watched Goshogun.)
Aura Battler Dunbine - This is only if you've watched other Tomino shows and liked them, though. Bit of a gamble otherwise.

[MilkManX]

Bubblegum Crisis. Original OVA. You have to watch it subbed though. The DUB job is sooo bad.

[Pc-Famicom64]

Ganba (have not watch it yet) .

Surlock Hounds (Have not watch it yet as well, But The 1st 6 Episodes are Directid by Hiyao Mayazaki) .