The medium of anime has given us a lot of great stories throughout the years, and the 80s were a decade of evolution and diversification for the medium. Here are 20 anime that helped define that decade.
Mobile Suit Zeta Gundam
The follow-up to the original 1979 “Mobile Suit Gundam”, this 1985 anime follows the story of pilot Kamille Bidan and his inner struggle with identity and trauma, leading to a lot of dark places. In many ways, this anime raises the ante of the previous one while maintaining the core elements that made the first one so good.
Gunbuster
Noriko Takaya is chosen to go into space to help the military with an alien invasion. But as she deals with the enemy, she has to face her own trauma, her self-doubt, and the cost of time passing by, leading to a haunting and captivating story that may surprise a lot of people.
Fist of the North Star
One of the definitive shonen series of the decade. “Fist of the North Star” follows the heir to the legendary fighting style Hokuto Shinken, Kenshiro, as he searches for his fiancée, Yuria. It’s filled with action, but also with great characters and a lot of tragedy.
City Hunter
Japan’s comedic and over-the-top answer to James Bond and “Miami Vice”. City Hunter follows former mercenary Ryo Saeba and his partner in crime, Kaori Makimura, as they have to do multiple protection jobs for clients in different scenarios. It’s funny, it’s packed with action, and the banter between Ryo and Kaori is remarkable.
Saint Seiya
Back in the 80s, “Saint Seiya” was one of the most expensive anime ever made, and it shows. The animation (at least for the time), the art, the music, and even the direction were an outstanding step upward for the medium. This series also became a global phenomenon, helping popularize anime in Europe and Latin America.
Maison Ikkoku
Legendary manga author Rumiko Takahashi has written a lot of amazing stories, but his seinen romantic comedy “Maison Ikkoku” is one of his most underrated works. The 80s anime adaptation by Studio Deen does a great job of capturing the essence of the story while also providing a sense of aesthetic that is cherished even to this day by Rumiko enthusiasts.
Bubblegum Crisis
Taking a lot of cues from “Blade Runner” and “Streets of Fire”, this anime follows a group of women who have to deal with a dystopian government in the distant future. It captures the cyberpunk of the 80s while also giving audiences a great story with a solid main cast.
Akira
You should definitely read the manga since it differs greatly from the movie and it is a great story in its own right. That being said, the 1988 “Akira” movie has become a timeless classic. It is one of the best animated productions of all time and was also instrumental in popularizing anime in the West.
Super Dimension Fortress Macross
A sci-fi epic that manages to combine that with the mecha genre and idols, “Macross” has become one of the longest-running and most iconic series in the medium. Its movie adaptation, “Do You Remember Love?”, has also become quite iconic among anime fans.
Armored Trooper VOTOMS
During a war between two sides across space, soldier Chirico Cuvie is tasked with finding an object within his own ranks. He is then captured because of betrayal after he finds a mysterious woman. This begins his journey as a fugitive as he searches for answers. Haunting, atmospheric, and filled with action and good writing, this 1983 anime is still a wonderful experience and helped push the mecha genre.
Ranma 1/2
The first “Ranma 1/2” is a certified classic and helped author Rumiko Takahashi become much better known all over the world. Moreover, the story’s ability to mix absurd comedy with martial arts and romance is uncanny, leading to some hilarious moments.
Legend of the Galactic Heroes
Widely regarded by many as one of the greatest anime ever made, this series stands out because of its complex characters, the questions it presents on the matter of leadership and power, and how that combines with a galactic conflict that doesn’t have heroes or villains.
Captain Tsubasa
The most iconic football anime ever made, it tells the story of the young Tsubasa Oozora as he attempts to become a professional footballer and win the FIFA World Cup with Japan. It is a fun, inspirational, and heartfelt story about fighting for your dreams, which helped popularize football in that country.
Kinnikuman
A battle shonen anime that mixes comedy, wrestling, powers, and friendship while also parodying Ultraman… Yeah, “Kinnikuman” was some series, and it’s a shame it never took off abroad since it was a foundational franchise for shonen in Japan.
Cobra
Imagine mixing “Star Wars” with James Bond and making it go through an anime filter… that’s “Cobra” for you. An iconic piece of space opera that had moments of levity that made it quite endearing and memorable at the same time.
Dr. Slump
The fun adventures of android Arale Norimaki are one of the most iconic stories of 80s anime. Its episodic nature allowed the cast to go through some truly absurd situations, but that is part of the series’ charm.
Dirty Pair
Mixing crime dramas with sci-fi, “Dirty Pair” excelled in the 80s because of its strong character writing and fun dynamics between the main duo. It became a formula that has been used multiple times ever since in the medium.
Urusei Yatsura
Rumiko Takahashi’s breakthrough series, the 1981 anime adaptation became a hit in Japan and cemented several tropes in the romantic comedy genre. Moreover, the character of Lum has become one of the most iconic in the medium.
Dragon Ball
The most iconic anime franchise of all time. The first “Dragon Ball” anime manages to faithfully adapt the charm of author Akira Toriyama’s manga, making the story of Goku and his friends a worldwide phenomenon.
