Best ’80s Anime

The ’80s were a fantastic time for all kinds of media, and anime was no exception. Some fantastic animators and directors started their careers during this era, launching many series and franchises that became classics or are still producing content to this day.

With lots of shows being reanimated these days for modern audiences, it can be fun to look back at the best ’80s anime to see what might get a whole new look next. Some of the decade’s shows still hold up to this day with great animation (for the era) and gripping stories, and while they might not always be the easiest to find on streaming services, they are generally worth the effort of tracking down.

Updated on November 12, 2024, by Mark Sammut: Fall 2024 is shaping up nicely so far, and the lineup even includes a revival of an anime that originally started in the ’80s (but mostly aired during the ’90s). Still, if someone feels like watching a few classics instead, they can check out some golden oldies. Two more recommendations have been added .

To qualify, an anime must have aired its first episode in the 1980s and completed most of its run during the decade. Also, no movies.

21 Igano Kabamaru

MyAnimeList: 7.81

Raised as a ninja by his strict grandfather, Igano Kabamaru knows nothing outside the mountain life, which leads to a bit of a culture shock when the protagonist suddenly finds himself attending a school in Tokyo. Puppy love, rival schools, and fish-out-of-water humor define Igano Kabamaru, an anime that is silly but a lot of fun.

Igano Kabamaru feels dated beyond its animation as its premise and characters are quite basic. However, the anime does its shonen tropes well, and they are relatively timeless.

20 Armored Trooper Votoms

MyAnimeList: 7.67

Despite not being an instant hit, Mobile Suit Gundam‘s eventual success launched a decade of mecha, spawning plenty of classics that are still highly regarded to this day. That said, while they can still be charming, most of the genre’s releases during the decade have not aged particularly well, and shows like Space Emperor God Sigma and Video Warrior Laserion will likely struggle to keep most viewers’ attention in this day and age.

Walking the line between classic and charmingly dated, Armored Trooper Votoms is a must-watch for mecha fans but a difficult recommendation for people who are not that familiar with the genre. Unlike super robot shows, Sunrise’s series treats mecha as essentially tank weapons to be wielded by their wielders, and a fight’s outcome is determined by a pilot’s abilities. While resulting in fairly repetitive designs, this decision paves the way for mostly captivating battles, and there are plenty of them throughout the series. At more than 50 episodes, Armored Trooper Votoms threatens to overstay its welcome, but the individual chapters are generally high quality.

19 The Mysterious Cities Of Gold

MyAnimeList: 7.74

Like quite a few forgotten anime from the ’80s, The Mysterious Cities of Gold is simultaneously impressive but also difficult to recommend. For one, the show is not easy to find in this day and age, provided someone is not willing to purchase episodes on a platform like Amazon Prime Video. Secondly, the story unquestionably shows its age through generally surface-level characterization, although the main protagonists are likable enough to carry the series. Naturally, the animation is very dated, especially since it was not necessarily ground-breaking for its era.

That said, The Mysterious Cities of Gold is also quite charming in a classic fantasy-adventure type of way. Its 16th-century setting helps distinguish it from most other anime, and the writing is generally endearing and family-friendly.

18 Astro Boy

MyAnimeList: 7.16

Astro Boy‘s influence on manga and anime cannot be understated. Osamu Tezuka’s original series was a smash hit that set most of the standard tropes that would come to define traditional shonen stories, and it has received quite a few adaptations over the decades. The 1963 anime is mainly worth watching as a historical artifact, while the 2003 adaptation is likely to be most people’s entry in the franchise if they decide to go with a series. However, overall, the 1980 version is the pick of the bunch, as long as realistic expectations are maintained regarding its animation (which is decent for the era).

At this point, Atom’s story is legendary. Created to replace his master’s son, Atom is abandoned, only to be saved by Dr. Ochanomizu. While stepping up as Japan’s hero in its time of need, Atom constantly strives to learn what it means to be human, and he meets plenty of resistance due to his birth. With strong writing and lovable characters, Astro Boy is comfortably one of the best ’80s anime.

17 Charge!! Men’s Private School

MyAnimeList: 7.42

Fist of the North Star was huge during the ’80s (and still is, to be honest), to the point of naturally inspiring some similar stories. Charge!! Men’s Private School wears its inspiration loudly and proudly, basically selling itself as FOTNS in high school. That said, it would be a disservice to diminish this show to just a copycat, as it does establish a unique identity fairly quickly.

Charge!! Men’s Private School has a pretty strong sense of humor, especially during its earliest episodes that focus on parodying action tropes of its era. The story also goes to some incredibly bizarre places, even more so than FOTNS. While losing steam towards the end of its run, and concluding well before the manga’s ending, this manly anime is still a treat.

16 Space Adventure Cobra

MyAnimeList: 7.67

Space Adventure Cobra is very dated; honestly, the 1982 anime kind of feels like a remnant of the ’70s, which makes sense considering the manga debuted in that decade. After recovering memories that remind him of his badassery, Cobra sets out to engage in planet-hopping adventures, ones that are filled with gunfights, cigars, and women.

Yes, Space Adventure Cobra is not the deepest show out there, but it is quite charming in a cheesy-type of way. Also, compared to space operas, anime that lean into over-the-top fantasy and action are not extremely common, particularly during the ’80s. Despite being packed with cliches, this sci-fi series was and still is relatively unique, at least for the industry.

15 Sherlock Hound

MyAnimeList: 7.37

This loose adaptation of Sherlock Holmes stories comes from Hayao Miyazaki — the famed director of many Studio Ghibli films — working with the animation studio that produced the original Animaniacs show. It has a lot of wacky antics combined with mystery-solving those familiar with Sir Arthur Conan Doyle will enjoy.

The show is great for kids and adults alike with many anime fans still watching it today due to it being free to watch on YouTube. Compared to many other great ’80s anime, Sherlock Hound‘s animation has aged relatively well, and the same can be said for the humor. Now, this series will probably not blow away many people since it plays things fairly safe, but it is fun and wholesome.

14 Saint Seiya: Knights Of The Zodiac

MyAnimeList: 7.75

Outside of Dragon Ball, Saint Seiya is perhaps the most popular ‘80s anime as it managed to crossover from Japan into Western countries. Inspired by Greek mythology, Saint Seiya revolves around a group of teenagers who are given magical powers so they can protect Athena and take on other gods from the pantheon.

A classic battle shonen series, Saint Seiya moves along at a blistering pace compared to other anime from this era. Good animation, simple but effective storytelling, and an epic soundtrack combine to create one of the best anime of the ’80s.

13 Urusei Yatsura

MyAnimeList: 7.73

Urusei Yatsura is arguably the most influential anime comedy of all time, and the property is still popular to this day. In 2022, Ataru and Lum made a comeback in the form of a well-done reboot, and that series is a good entry point for people who never experienced the 1981 version. That said, even though the latter is unquestionably dated in its animation, the show’s humor holds up reasonably well, which serves as a testament to its characters’ timelessness.

Despite carrying the “sci-fi” banner, Urusei Yatsura casts a far wider net than just one genre. The anime essentially parodies Japanese culture, both historical and of its era; consequently, the show can feel like something of a time capsule for the early 1980s. However, so many of its gags are still relevant to this day, making the ride fairly easy to enjoy when viewed through a modern lens.

12 Gunbuster

MyAnimeList: 7.87

A 6 episode OVA series, Gunbuster is a brilliant mecha anime that has aged amazingly. Gainax’s animation is a notch above most ’80s shows, but what cements this anime as a classic is its characters. Gunbuster boasts an irresistible cast of fully developed personalities, including an endearing lead in Noriko Takaya.

When not engaging in epic mecha battles, and there are plenty of those, Gunbuster devotes its time to fleshing out its pilots and villains. The show is also consistently funny, perhaps even more so than most comedies.

11 Silver Fang

MyAnimeList: 8.02

Mostly forgotten in this day and age, Silver Fang is not particularly known outside Japan, although it proved to be popular enough in its home country to receive a 1999 seinen sequel that lasted for a decade. Although human characters play a part, Silver Fang is primarily told from the perspective of a pup named Gin, who is recruited by other dogs as they prepare to face off against a bear.

While the English version was butchered in its VHS release as it tried to cater to a younger audience, the original iteration tells a relatively mature story that can get quite graphic and violent at times.

10 Dragon Ball

MyAnimeList: 7.96 (Dragon Ball)

It is impossible to ignore the impact Dragon Ball has had on all anime. Both it and its sequel Dragon Ball Z premiered in the ’80s and won over fans in the East before being brought over to Western audiences. While the latter is the more popular overall show, the former represents the ’80s far more, and it is arguably underrated due to its successor’s inescapability. Dragon Ball blends comedy, adventure, and action incredibly well, delivering lovable characters that actually grow quite a bit throughout the series. Yes, some of the humor has aged like milk, but the show is still overall great.

Akira Toriyama was absolutely on fire during the ’80s, with Dr. Slump & Arale-Chan also being adapted to great success. The main character Arale even featured in an episode of Dragon Ball making it an adorably hilarious fictional crossover.

9 Fist Of The North Star

MyAnimeList: 7.96 (Season 1)

“You are already dead…” Fist of the North Star may be more recognized today as the subject of tons of hilarious memes, but it was a serious hit back in the ’80s. This martial arts-based post-apocalyptic epic is quite bloody and violent at times but still tells an engaging story of overcoming incredible odds to defend what he cares about most.

Fist of the North Star’s influence on anime can still be felt today, from his signature Hokuto Hyakuretsu-ken attack being emulated in JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure to inspiring multiple parodies in Gintama. Modern battle shonen would not be the same if Fist of the North Star had never come out, and its storytelling stands head and shoulders above many projects that followed suit. The animation is, unsurprisingly, rough, but it is not a deal breaker.

8 City Hunter

MyAnimeList: 7.91 (Season 1)

City Hunter was massively popular throughout the ’80s with three separate seasons coming out as well as several movies based on the series. The show follows a mercenary group called City Hunter as they face the perils that come with their dangerous line of work. While it has a lot of focus on action and drama, there are plenty of lighthearted moments for viewers to enjoy as well.

An arguably underrated anime icon, Ryo Saeba sits at the show’s center, and he manages to effortlessly juggle humor and action convincingly. Kaori is also a great character in her own right, and she is quite popular in Japan.

7 Touch

MyAnimeList: 8

Touch is a fantastic slice-of-life story that shows how simple themes like growing up and finding one’s place in the world can be incredibly compelling. There is a romantic triangle of drama between Tatsuya, Kazuya, and Minami that anyone who remembers the struggles of being young and in love identifies with immediately.

With an epic twist in the middle of the show, things change drastically. We don’t want to give out any spoilers, but we promise Touch is an anime still worth watching despite being over 30 years old.

6 Macross

MyAnimeList: 7.90

What happens when the human race learns it is no longer truly alone? In the world of Macross, an alien ship that crashes on Earth is repurposed by the United Nations to try and become a defense force for the planet. During the ship’s first voyage, tragedy strikes and the crew sparks a galactic war before being transported to the far reaches of space.

While the series came out in the ’80s, it still is receiving new sequels to this day including Macross Frontier in 2008 and Macross Delta in 2016. Those wanting to check out the new shows should check out the original to see where the story started.

5 Ranma ½ (Season 1)

MyAnimeList: 7.76

Ranma ½ follows the story of Ranma, a boy who gets a curse that makes him turn into a girl whenever he is splashed with cold water. With warm water turning him back into a boy, hilarious antics ensue as Ranma has to deal with a variety of wacky situations. The show is still highly regarded by queer anime fans to this day for its themes of gender fluidity and breaking the norms of gender roles.

Comedy is difficult to get right, and a lot of ’80s anime humor has aged poorly. Although not a 100% exception due to the existence of Happosai, who is like Master Roshi but worse, Ranma ½ has largely stood the test of time, with most of its punchlines still successfully hitting the mark. At over 140 episodes, the show does, admittedly, lose some steam as it goes along, but it remains consistently enjoyable.

Now, only the first season of
Ranma ½
can be considered as an ’80s series, which means the first 18 episodes. Season 2 also aired 9 episodes during the decade. While this might seem like a drop in the bucket,
Ranma ½
‘s first season is by far the best and mostly sticks to the manga, rather than focusing on filler like the later sequels. As such, the anime warrants a mention, especially since the opening season aired separately from its successors.

4 Mobile Suit Zeta Gundam

MyAnimeList: 7.90

Considering how the original Mobile Suit Gundam was almost canceled at only 39 episodes, it can be hard to believe it managed to get a sequel. It took into the mid-80s for it to happen, but by that time, fans were eager to see more.

Mobile Suit Zeta Gundam has many of the classic tropes expected in Gundam shows today, building up into what the series would fully become in the future. While the characters can be a bit polarizing, Zeta‘s core narrative is fantastic, morally ambiguous, and addictive. Char is not only among the franchise’s best characters but also one of the most memorable antagonists of the 1980s.

3 Maison Ikkoku

MyAnimeList: 8.19

Maison Ikkoku is one of the greatest slice-of-life stories of all time and its influence on that genre of anime can still be seen today. It follows the love story between Yuusaku and the new manager of his boarding house Kyoko.

The eccentric tenants that live with Yuusaku create some hilarious moments that really add to the lighthearted nature of the show. The story covers roughly five years of time and is given room to breathe thanks to the series lasting nearly 100 episodes, allowing the characters and their relationships to develop organically.

2 Tomorrow’s Joe 2

MyAnimeList: 8.72

The impact of Asao Takamori’s Ashita no Joe manga should not be overstated. Joe Yabuki’s journey from the slums to the top of the boxing world comes packed with drama, tragedy, life lessons, unbeatable highs, and devastating lows. The manga was adapted into a 1970 anime, producing 79 episodes. Nearly a decade later, Joe made a comeback for a second season, one that is considerably better than its predecessor.

Ashita no Joe 2 is a timeless anime in every sense of the word. Like most sports shows, someone doesn’t have to be a boxing fan to enjoy Ashita no Joe 2 as its themes are universal and its storytelling fantastic. There is a reason this series continues to be referenced to this very day, and it is arguably the best ’80s anime when speaking strictly about shows that ended during this decade.