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The retro, classic, nostalgic, unmissable anime list thread

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speedpop

Has problems recognising girls
There was a discussion that took place amongst myself and a few GAF users several months ago on the value of animation before Neon Genesis Evangelion came about, and whilst there was a lot of bumping of the heads and verbal mumblings on certain people's ignorance, the truth eventuated that not many people knew about anime before then outside of the few who were discussing the situation in the first place.

Granted it is Evangelion, a series that whether it enjoys it or not has been selected to define what anime is and what anime has become. The problem is this: it's from 1995. In fact, out of the top 20 NeoGAF anime list (here), there are only two anime listed that predate 1995; both of which are positioned at #14 and #18 respectively, both have a very big reputation in terms of the field they are in, and both were helmed by respected directors in Katsuhiro Otomo and Shoji Kawamori. Even then, Akira is the only title in the top 20 that was released in the late 1980s. What about the anime from before Akira's inception? Or why was there never a series or movie listed in the top 20 that was from the 1970s?

That is where this thread steps in. There are countless of series, movies and OVAs in the latter half of the 20th century that deserve attention. Back when some of the most noted and esteemed directors of today were merely young and brash directors providing brilliant ideas to their studios, or staff who were part of the key animation processes in some of most honoured anime that we reflect back on. Why go back to this era? In a similar way.. it's like someone being born in the 1980s going back and listening to bands such as The Beatles, Led Zeppelin, Pink Floyd, etc - just because their creation output was done before you were born does not necessarily mean you cannot go back and experience it for yourself.

I had enlisted the aid from several people to help list titles after titles of anime, some of which I had not even seen or heard about before. One person who went out of their way was FnordChan, who had sent me three massive PMs filled to the brim with information not only on titles, but descriptions and his own personal opinions as well. I felt that I couldn't let these go to waste so I included a lot of his own writings into this list because without his help, this thread would be in shambles. As a side-note, if I had included everything he listed, it would be 100+ titles. Major props and gratitude also head out to duckroll, Hitokage, 7Th, Himuro (no idea what your new username is!), Orin, syllogism, and dead, who helped fill the list substantially on that lonely night. Thanks also to Tera and Ono on Rizon for listing several hentai when I requested help.

So now comes the listing area. I wasn't too sure exactly how to go about it but I've decided to give a rough list, provide the year/s it was produced in, genre of type if applicable, and perhaps a picture to accompany it (all of which were supplied via ANN). Hopefully through this way some people might notice something in the myriad of the list and decide to track down a certain anime. If you're an anime fan and only see one title from this list that you've never seen before then this thread has served its purpose.
 

speedpop

Has problems recognising girls
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Astro Boy (1963) - Basically the start of everything that was concerned with anime, the first footprint in a very long track if you will. Osamu Tezuka was the Godfather of manga and anime with this release, and the original 193 episodes released for this series is often quite a nostalgic experience for many children born in the 1970s-80s because of the reruns done by commercial TV. As FnordChan says, "The One, the only, the show that changed everything."


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Ashita no Joe (1970) - Before there was Ippo, there was Joe Yabuki. A down-on-his-luck male who decides to take up boxing but without the glorified aspects of what Hajime no Ippo is.
FnordChan said:
Full of sordid despair rather than upbeat energy, replacing youthful optimism with tragic characters resigned to their fate.

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Lupin III (1971-72 plus several movies) - The first seven episodes of this series is quite dark in tone with Masaaki Osumi at the director's seat, until Hayao Miyazaki and my main man Isao Takahata stepped in to give the series some joy into the Arsene Lupin III character we loved and brought the series to a close.
FnordChan said:
Highlights include the entirety of the first TV series and the first three movies: Mystery of Mamo (1979) which hearkens back to Lupin's darker origins, Miyazkai's Castle of Cagliostro (1979), perhaps the perfect incarnation of Lupin and one of the finest anime films ever made, and The Fuma Clan Conspiracy (1987), generally considered a close runner-up to Cagliostro.

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Gatchaman (1972) - One of Tatsunoko Production's more successful series, it brought the concept of superheroes into Japanese lives and created the sentai formula. A group of five individuals donned the suits to protect the planet against the evil group of villains known as Galactor, who were notorious for stealing and trying to control the planet's natural resources. Sounds a bit like something from Captain Planet or Power Rangers but it's more awesome.


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Future Boy Conan (1978) - Seen by many as the stepping stone for Miyazaki's Laputa, it was adapted from The Incredible Tide by Alexander Key. A boy named Conan is born during a post-apocalyptic era where much of the planet is covered by oceans. He meets a girl who is kidnapped by the ruling capital of the globe, and thus begins his adventure to rescure her.


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Galaxy Express 999 (1978) - A little boy is determined to get his body replaced with a robotic one, only possible by reaching the Immortal Planet. He travels with an unknown and mysterious woman aboard the train Galaxy Express 999. Along the way they stop at differing planets.


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Mobile Suit Gundam (1979) - One of the more famous mecha series was surprisingly cancelled without filling out it's full run of 52 episodes due to low popularity at first. Re-runs attracted new fans and the rest is relatively history. The story premise revolves around human colonies and the fighting that ensues when a colony decides to break off and declare war.
FnordChan said:
You're best off experiencing the original show in it's abridged movie trilogy format. Later spinoffs are many and varied, with highlights including the sequel Zeta Gundam (1985) which benefits from a greater budget and a ton of mid-80s style, the movie Char's Counterattack (1988), and the supremely badass OVA series 0083: Stardust Memory (1991).

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The Rose of Versailles (1979) - A woman is raised from birth as a man to become the successor to her father's lead of the Palace Guards. Dubbed Lady Oscar, she consequently becomes embroiled between her duty and her desire to help the poverty stricken citizens during the French Revolution.


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Urusei Yatsura (1981) - The breakthrough creation by Rumiko Takahashi. Aliens decide to invade Earth and give a randomly selected human to defend their planet by playing a game of tag. Ataru is selected, who also happens to be the most perverted teenager alive, and has to chase the beautiful alien princess Lum. The problem is, once he wins his girlfriend Shinobu will assure him of marriage. But once he wins, Lum becomes his unofficial wife as well. Cue crazy relationship problems fueled with jealousy.


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The Super Dimension Fortress Macross (1982) - I love Macross to bits but I'll leave the description in FnordChan's hands.
FnordChan said:
The breakthrough mecha show that combined giant robots that transformed into jet planes with a pop music soundtrack to create a compelling, wildly popular series. It's a bit camp, but the mecha are awesome, the animation a labor of love by hardcore proto-otaku (particularly the drop dead gorgeous feature film adaptation Macross: Do You Remember Love? (1984)), and the tone of the show unlike anything else. Later sequels range from the serious, such as the gorgeous Macross Plus (1994), to the cheerfully ludicrous, such as Macross 7 (1994), which takes the concept to it's logical conclusion. The original series and Plus are readily available on DVD, while all of Macross 7 is available subtitled. Fans of Macross Frontier are advised to go back to the source, as F incorporates elements of all the earlier series. However, the original sequel, Macross II, is best ignored as even the creators have quietly excised it from continuity.

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Space Adventure Cobra (1982) - Infamous space pirate Cobra is on the run and surgically alters his face and erases his memories. Now leading a normal life, he begins to remember his past and his android partner returns after impersonating a domestic robot. Along with his insane Psycho-gun, they clash with old and new enemies.


BarefootGen.jpg


Barefoot Gen (1983) - Gen is a young boy growing up in the city of Hiroshima during the summer of 1945. Depicting the struggles of citizens within the "last hour" of Japan during World War II, its absolutely frightening animation of the city itself being bombed will always leave an impression. Barefoot Gen shows the tribulations that a little boy must go through during a dark period, losing those close to him but always maintaining an optimistic outlook.


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Fist of the North Star (1984) - Kenshiro wanders a post-nuclear world protecting those who need him the most. Being the successor to the Hokuto martial arts school, he searches for his girlfriend Julia who was taken by a man named Shin who is using the Nanto martial arts. Muscle-bound men who talk too much, tons of fighting, massive muscle-bound men the size of houses, and of course Ken's famous "atatata" attack that makes even E. Honda's One Hundred Handslap cry with jealousy. Fist of the North Star has it all.
 

speedpop

Has problems recognising girls
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Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind (1984) - Created before the inception of Studio Ghibli proper, and part of a manga creation that spanned over a decade, it put Miyazaki and the company he helped co-found on the map. A young princess of the small isolated kingdom Valley of the Wind begins a struggle to preserve an inhabitable ecosystem that has been created due in part to a vicious war in the past that is in the balance of repeating itself. It follows her struggles to gain acceptance from both sides of the conflict; the epitome of nature vs humanity.


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Dirty Pair (1985) -
FnordChan said:
Our heroines, code named the "Lovely Angels" work for the WWWA, an intergalactic organization dedicated to keeping the peace. Alas, when they go into the field as trouble shooters, Kei and Yuri tend to leave havoc and destruction in their wake, leading to their hated nickname the "Dirty Pair". Set in the same universe as Crusher Joe but generally more lighthearted, our duo wears skimpy, wrestling inspired uniforms, are driven around by a huge cat who's smarter than they are, and occasionally (as in the movies) even play it somewhat seriously.

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Angel's Egg (1985) - A collaboration between Mamoru Oshii and artist Yoshitaka Amano, Angel's Egg is something of a mixture between fantasy and surrealistic moments. It follows the daily life of a young girl who is the keeper of a mysterious egg who meets an equally mysterious man who decides to accompany her. With little dialogue, haunting music and gorgeous imagery, Angel's Egg is definitely something to watch at least once.


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Touch (1985) - Adapted from Mitsuru Adachi's famous high school baseball manga, it follows the lives of three childhood friends, two twin brothers and a girl who grew up next to each other. It follows the three as they grow older, affections abounding at times, and their shared love of baseball. Unlike typical sports anime (yet typical of Adachi's style), Touch shows the key moments of events throughout the characters outside of the sport in general.


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Maison Ikkoku (1986) - Maison Ikkoku is an apartment complex that houses a colourful assortment of tenants. Godai Yusaku is one such tenant who is hopelessly and furiously trying to study to gain entrance into university, but is constantly hampered by the other people. The previous landlord decides to retire and brings in Kyoto Otonashi to be the new live-in manager, who Godai falls for. Practically the greatest thing Rumiko Takahashi has ever created so you all must watch this!


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Project A-Ko (1986) -
FnordChan said:
Wonderfully over the top parody anime about a superpowered high school girl, her whiny best friend, and the scientific genius determine to win the love of said whiny friend via robotic killing machines. The resulting conflict causes enough damage to their all girl's high school as it is, but on top of that the aliens show up, at which piont things really go out of control. While the later sequels have highly diminishing returns, the original is utterly hysterical.

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They Were 11 (1986) -
FnordChan said:
Despite being vastly influential, shoujo manga artist Moto Hago has had only one of her stories adapated into anime, but at least it's a good one. Our hero has just completed the writen portion of the examination to go to a prestigous galactic university, but first he has to get through the pratical: survive two months on a derelict spaceship with nine of his collegues. But where did the eleventh person come from? Hard SF with a gender bending twist.

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Bubblegum Crisis (1987) -
FnordChan said:
This cyberpunk classic feels like a cross between Blade Runner and Streets of Fire, combining the dystopian urban setting and androids run amuck with the Steinman Wagnerian rock opera soundtrack. It's about four women who moonlight as vigilantes who fight dangerous robots and mecha with suits of powered armor, all lovingly rendered as a high budget OVA series.

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City Hunter (1987) - Follows the hijinks of freelance detective Ryo Saeba who will do anything to keep Tokyo clean from crime as well as anything to chase the ladies. His sidekick Kaori Makimura has a massive mallet to make sure he doesn't go rampart on anything that is female with two legs.


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Kimagure Orange Road (1987) - A classic love story drama that revolves around a young man trying to capture the heart of a girl who seems distant from him. Another girl has fallen in love with him and constantly tries to get his attention. What makes this all worse is that Kyosuke Kasuga has psychic powers that allows him to do various things that others cannot, whilst trying to keep it a secret even though his family does not care about using these powers freely.
 

speedpop

Has problems recognising girls
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Wings of Honneamise (1987) - Follows the trials and tribulations behind the Royal Space Force. Considered a joke by many of the other Government agencies, the RSF rush to finish off their space program and send the first man into space before the military takes over and starts a war over the technology.
FnordChan said:
Fanboy animators Gainax got their first big break with this feature film about an alternate Earth's struggling space program and it's attempts to get the first man into outer space. This was a labor of love, combining in-depth world building and off-kilter design with excellent animation and a story with characters whose motivations can be complex and uncomfortable. The result was a commercial bust but a critical favorite.

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Akira (1988) - Top secret experiments, advanced psychological children, gang warfare on motorcycles, and in the centre is a young man who has just had his psychic powers explode taking matters into his own hands on a society that is closely heading to chaos after World War III. There will always be manga vs anime debates over this one, but the movie can stand on its own feet.
FnordChan said:
You may have heard the complaints about the ending - and, admittedly it isn't the most coherent thing ever - but Akira is a hugely influential classic for a reason, combining jaw-dropping animation, a cyberpunk aesthetic that looks cutting edge to this day, an astonishing soundtrack, and intense science fiction to create a masterpiece about a decaying city on the edge of total collapse. If you watch one old school anime, this should be it.

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Gunbuster (1988) -
FnordChan said:
After the commercial failure of Honneamise, Gainax hit upon the idea that would define their career and make their fortunes: let's add teenage girls and lots of titty to a mecha show. However, while Gunbuster is absolutely shameless in it's fanservice and rips it's plot off directly from Aim for the Ace! (no, really), the hard SF aspects (about the difficulty of travelling to the fight in an interstellar war), slick animation, and sheer fun made this a classic. A pandering classic, perhaps, but a classic.

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Sakigake!! Otoko Juku (1988) - The precursor to many delinquent anime, Otojuku is a private school filled to the brim of students who have been expelled from various other educational systems. Each student is trained to "revive the spirit of Japan" and that consists mainly of fighting and tons of violence that also happens to be completely over-the-top.


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Legend of Galactic Heroes (1988) - When space opera is mentioned, Legend of the Galactic Heroes is usually brought up almost immediately. It follows the struggles between a conflict that has been ongoing for decades between the Galactic Empire and the Free Planets Alliance. Light on intense animation, it more than compensates with fantastic characters, political intensive story and the strange feeling that you're watching something more epic than it should be.
FnordChan said:
If you don't feel like jumping into the full series, try the first movie, whose climax is a space battle set to Ravel's "Bolero" - all 15 minutes of "Bolero"

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Patlabor (1988) - [Patlabor 1 & 2 (1989 & 1993)] Patlabor follows the day-to-day activities of the Special Vehicles 2 division within the police force. Humanoid robots called "Labors" have been created and are used throughout several industries whether it be construction or simply fire-fighting. Occasionally a labor is piloted for use in crime, hence the creation of the patrol labor units, "patlabors". There are two additional OVAs, as well as two movies that were directed by Mamoru Oshii.


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Ranma 1/2 (1989) -
FnordChan said:
For a while there in the early-90s, Ranma was the biggest thing since sliced bread among the hardcore of American anime fandom. This was before anime fandom went completely mainstream and the only way to get the stuff subtitled was to shell out big money for VHS tapes. It's about Ranma, a cocky teenage martial artist and his lazy father who fell into cursed Chinese springs, causing the father to turn into a panda and the son to turn into a buxom redheaded girl when they're splashed with cold water, with hot water changing them back. This causes complications when they arrive in Tokyo to marry off Ranma to one of the daughters of the father's best friend. Cue romantic comedy tension, gender bending hijinx, and a succession of other attractive women all vying for Ranma's attention. If there's one thing Rumiko Takahashi can really pull off, it's goofy hijinx and unending plots, and both traits are in full effect here. The first season of the TV series (20 episodes or so) is pretty darned good, following the manga closely, but when it returns in a second season the show quickly goes off the rails, with a ton of filler and some episodes here and there that get it's groove back. Still, those early eps are a lot of fun (with later manga-faithful OVAs capturing the feel of the early episodes) and it's interesting to watch from today's persepctive and try to understand just what a sensation it was among US fandom before everything hit the big time.

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Nadia: Secret of Blue Water (1989) - Inspired by Jules Verne's classic Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea, from a concept crafted by Hayao Miyazaki, and directed by Hideaki Anno, things usually can't get bigger than that. The series follows Nadia and Jean, two unlikely heroes who fight to save the world from Gargoyle who is determined to rule the world with his Neo-Atlantean army and restore the mythical empire of its namesake. With some beautiful animation and a mysterious story filled with intrigue, you can't go much wrong with Nadia.


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Yawara! A Fashionable Judo Girl (1989) - Created by Naoki Urasawa of Monster and 20th Century Boys fame, Yawara is a young girl who was taught judo by her grandfather who also happens to have been a world champion at the martial art. He is determined to see her gain a gold medal at the next Olympics, and whilst she doesn't enjoy doing it, she slowly begins to appreciate what she does more as she begins to understand why her grandfather loves judo. Along the way a sports reporter and cameraman team stumble upon Yawara in action against a would-be robber and are convinced that she is going to be the next big superstar, following her along the way to success.


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Record of Lodoss War (1990) - Originally created as a Dungeons & Dragons type role-playing game, Lodoss and the kingdoms that surround it have known nothing but war. Raging for thousands of years and a moment of peace overcoming the land, a witch has appeared hell-bent on creating more chaos by controlling Lodoss. A warrior by the name of Parn has stood up, containing five more comrades of differing races, to fight against the witch and prevent the wars from continuing even further. An excellent fantasy OVA animated by Madhouse, albeit a bit short on episodes numbering only 13.


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Brother Dear Brother (1991) -
FnordChan said:
When a modest middle-class girl gets accepted into a prestigious high school, the last thing she expected was to be nominated to be a member of the ultra-snooty Sorority where she suddenly finds herself engaged in psychological warfare with stone cold world class bitches. Ryoka "Rose of Versailles" Ikeda's other major animated manga is supremely melodramatic, with our heroine trying to befriend drug addicts, the emotionally unstable, and a mysterious college student she adopts as her "older brother". Brother Dear Brother has more bitch per second than any other cartoon you will ever watch.

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Here is Greenwood (1991) - Kazuya arrives at Greenwood, an all-male student campus known for it's crazy characters that inhabit the dorm. The problem is his roommate, Shun, is a female. The student president and head resident of the dorm explain to Kazuya that they feel he is the only one trusted to share a room with Shun. A few days later however, Kazuya walks into the men's bathroom only to find Shun there using a urinal. Expect comedic romance mania.
 

speedpop

Has problems recognising girls
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Only Yesterday (1991) - Masterfully directed by Isao Takahata, a businesswoman ventures onto her country trip, only to begin reminiscing about her past as a 10 year old. Certain moments trigger nostalgic memories that have long been forgotten; visiting a bath house during the summer break with her grandmother, a crush on the popular boy at school who's naturally gifted at sports, her household life as the youngest daughter in a family of three girls. Whilst the memories flood to her, she becomes closer to a family friend.


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Otaku no Video (1991) - Kubo is your normal main character, going about his daily life without any hassles or extreme excitement. That is until he runs into his old buddy, Tanaka. Tanaka slowly brings him into his circle of friends, of which all of them being otaku. Kubo eventually makes the decision to become the Otaking, successfully creating his own anime and shops. What follows is some insanely stupid yet funny moments all within the two episodes. Created by Gainax, they take it upon themselves to poke fun at the otaku culture and themselves.
FnordChan said:
The whole package is hysterical in an "it's funny because it's true" sort of way.

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Crayon Shin-chan (1992) -
FnordChan said:
Still on-air after 15 years, Shin-chan is occasionally compared to the Simpsons, with the idea that the titular hero is a naughty boy in the same way that Bart likes the get into trouble. But, while Shin-chan's antics concerned parents the same way that Bart was a cultural menace when he first appeared, our hero isn't intentionally troublesome as he is highly precocious, in a manner that usually results in him hitting on attractive women, showing off his ass with the buri-buri dance, and occasionally flashing his friend "Mr. Elephant"...if you know what I mean. Meanwhile, Shin-chan's parents, teachers, friends, dog, and later a little sister all try to keep up. If you've seen the TV adaptation you may think that the show is a lot raunchier than it is, due to the re-written script which upped the adult level of the gags. However, it's a bit of a shame the producers took that route, as Shin-chan is an all ages show at heart and is very funny without needing to throw in extra gags, even if those jokes are written by Evan Dorkin and Sarah Dyer. The re-written dub version is available on DVD, but you can find some of the original material fansubbed and it's worth the effort

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Giant Robo (1992) -
FnordChan said:
Originally adapted in the 60s as a live action series (known in the US as Johnny Socko and his Giant Robot), by the time GR finally got it's shot at an anime version it's aesthetic was decidedly old school. Fortunately, the director, Imagawa, plays the retro angle to the hilt and the results are amazing. It's still got an oddly Egyptian themed robot controled by a young man in shorts and a suit jacket, but rather than 60s cheese Imagawa gives Robo a bulky, dangerous look, lending it's robot duels (backed by an epic orchestrated score) plenty of gravitas and, frankly, badassery of the highest order. Things crank up even more when the rest of the cast - the Experts of Justice, pitted against the captains of the criminal group Big Fire - are revealed to be superheroes, with completely insane fight scenes accompanying the mecha action. The end result is non-stop ass kicking, and if it took Imagawa years to get the final OVA out the door, it was worth the wait.

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Video Girl Ai (1992) -
FnordChan said:
The early 90s were chock full of tales about shy, loveable guys who suddenly have a beautiful girl fall into their life. This is one of the finer examples, with our hero stumbling across a mysterious video store where the owner assures him that he'll find the perfect video to end his loneliness, offering our hero a tape of a girl that will say nice things to him. However, when our boy gets home and puts the tape in, the girl pops out of the screen and proceeds to cheerfully turn his life upside down. Video Girl Ai is a bit risque - manga artist Katsura can draw an ass like you wouldn't believe - but the sexual humor is surprisingly tame and, unlike later examples of the genre whose heroes are useless and generally offered a full harem of women to obsess over, here our hero is awkward but not spineless and the story is about a love triangle, not a love polygon.

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Ah! My Goddess [OVA] (1993) - The OVAs are probably the only thing worthwhile to watch from this anime series, merely due to the fact that the characters were well written and the romantic levels never went overboard. Keiichi Morisato one day picks up the phone to call his senior dorm-mate only to be put through to the "Goddess Help Line". A few days later a beautiful goddess named Belldandy appears in his room, telling him that the agency Keiichi called has sent her to grant him a wish. Thinking that the whole thing is a joke, he wishes for her to stay with him forever. The wish is then granted much to Keiichi's surprise with what continues a heartwarming romance tale between a normal man and a goddess.


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The Irresponsible Captain Tylor (1993) - The sci-fi genre is usually grounded in realistic portrayals to the point that if a humourous moment does arise, it looks dreadfully out of place. The Irresponsible Captain Tylor goes out of its way to disprove that notion and does it with style. As you can imagine from the title, Tylor isn't the most certified of people to be near a space outfit, let alone becoming a Captain commanding a destroyer ship. At times delving between the line of stupidity and genius, Tylor and his crew manage to cause chaos onboard by never sticking to the strict rules one should during a tenure at the military. Not only do they keep themselves busy with antics as absurd as holding swimsuit competitions during the middle of a war, but they manage to save humanity at the end of the day.


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I Can Hear the Sea/Ocean Waves (1993) - A TV production movie by Studio Ghibli, directed by Tomomi Mochizuki, was used to help younger directors find their feet within the company. It tells the story of two friends who meet an exchange student from Tokyo who has been labeled a snob by everyone within the school. Although it's another high school romance, it did the job excellently.


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The Cockpit (1993) - Based on Leiji Matsumoto's Battlefield manga, these three episodic stories all have one thing in common in that they depict the life of soldiers from the Axis powers during World War II. All three show the grim reality of war on a side that was at its knees and hardly ever portrayed by mainstream press.

Sonic Boom Squadron is about a pilot who, at the end of the war, is commissioned to be a kamikaze pilot. It traces the last few hours in his life and the feelings he and his fellow comrades go through.

Slipstream is about a Luftwaffe pilot who must choose between his duty as a soldier, or the duty to the world. He guards a bomber loaded with Germany's final hope to win the war in Europe; the world's first atomic bomb. The woman he loves is also on board the bomber.

Knight of the Iron Dragon is about two Japanese soldiers stuck on an island about to be invaded by the Allies. They witness their comrades leave to go back to the homeland and fight another day. Before they themselves set off, a messenger on a bike arrives only to find the camp he is to deliver the message of reinforcements to has dispersed and that leaves him no choice but to head back to his own headquarters under attack.


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Please Save My Earth (1993) -
FnordChan said:
You should be warned now that this short OVA series doesn't really have an ending so much as a stopping point, but now that all the manga is available in the US it's easier to recommend this superior shoujo SF OVA series. It's about a group of teenagers who are all sharing dreams about their past lives as alien observers on a lunar base who are cut off by war and die of disease. Now that they're coming of age on earth, the students are busy coming to terms with their past lives and all the emotional baggage that comes with it, while using their budding paranormal abilities to try to stop one of their number who has gone rogue. The execution is lovely (particularly the soundtrack work by Yoko Kanno) and it's one of the few examples of shoujo science fiction anime I can think of

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Memories (1995) -
FnordChan said:
A superior anthology film based on short manga by Katsuhiro "Akira" Otomo. The first sequence, "Magnetic Rose", is a hard SF tragedy about a salvage ship who answers an SOS and stumbles across the asteroid home of an old opera singer who has left behind a haunted legacy, this is perhaps the most striking of the three segments, with a script by Satoshi Kon and a score by Yoko Kanno. However, the other two parts are stunning in their own way, with "Stink Bomb" offering up pitch black comedy about a hapless pharmaceutical worker who takes the wrong pills in his search for cold medicine and becomes a biological weapon in the process, unwittingly leaving carnage in his wake, all set to an off-kilter ska soundtrack. Finally, "Cannon Fodder" is directed by Otomo as a European art comic come to life, presenting a fable about war with stunning visuals. On top of all this, the ending theme, "In Yer Memories" just completely rules.
 

Hitokage

Setec Astronomer
Patlabor (1988) - [Patlabor 1 & 2 (1989 & 1993)] ... There are two additional OVAs, as well as two movies that were directed by Mamoru Oshii.
To clarify, it originally came out as an OVA, which was then followed by the movies in the same continuity, they also rebooted the franchise as a TV show and the second OVA is a sequel to that. I personally prefer the first continuity, but if you simply love seeing the characters onscreen doing what they do best, then you'll probably get a kick out of the second.
 

Askani

Member
Great thread. To honor it, I will go home tonight and pick one of these shows I have not seen and find a way to get a hold of it.
 

mintylurb

Member
No Macross 7? PHAIL!!

Anyway, it's a pretty nice list. Good to see Nadia and patlabor up there. Imo, Nadia was the last good animu gainax did before they went all Bones on us. Oh, patlabor tv and ova2 just don't get enough love. One of my fav mecha animu.
 

Dascu

Member
Fucking bookmarked. A lot of shows on that list that I'm interested in viewing. Damn anime backlog.
 

XiaNaphryz

LATIN, MATRIPEDICABUS, DO YOU SPEAK IT
Excellent thread, the only big titles I can think of not listed yet are some Macross and Gundam stuff (I know you called out the originals), the original Tenchi OVAs and the Dominion: Tank Police OVAs. And does El Hazard count? It ended in 96, but technically started in 95 before Eva came out.

In before "OMG where's Dragon Ball/DBZ/Sailor Moon!?!" ;)
 

Evlar

Banned
Looks like a great list- it includes most of the titles that sprang to my mind and quite a few I know little or nothing about. I just wish it was easier to find 80s stuff with decent localization.
 

Ridli

Member
Now that is how you make a list. Seriously, anything that I could have possibly contributed is already there.

Space/robot anime was my thing during this time, so obviously having MS Gundam up there is great, although 0083 is easily my favorite of the franchise. If you happen to be one of the people who are picking through this thread and like giant robots, but you can't get past the undeniably "early" look and sound of the original Mobile Suit Gundam, don't let 0083 slip past!

In addition, The Irresponsible Captain Tylor is one of my most favorite shows ever. I'm probably going to have that opening song (click here) stuck in my head all day now :)
 

Evlar

Banned
Also, I'm a little concerned about the omission of Grave of the Fireflies (1988). I understand why you're not stuffing the list with Ghibli movies: watching Nausicaa will propel most anyone with interest in the genre to pursue other Miyazaki works, and I suppose Only Yesterday is meant to do the same for Takahata's films, but Grave of the Fireflies is such an important work of itself that it must be given recognition outside the oeuvre of its director and studio.
 

Snaku

Banned
I'd like to add...

33c22yw.jpg


Taro the Dragon Boy (1979)
Conceptualized by eventual Studio Ghibli co-founder and mentor of Hayao Miyazaki, Isao Takahata, with Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind and Puss in Boots animator, Yoichi Kotabe, on as animation director, Tatsu no ko Tarô feels very much like a very early Miyazaki film. It's the story of a lazy and selfish young boy who's only ambition in life is to eat, sleep, and wrestle with animals. This changes when he meets a wizard who gives him a potion that grants him the strength of 100 men. The catch is that he can only use it when he's helping others in need. It's a beautiful film, and is suitable for both child and adult audiences. Though parents should be warned there is some innocent casual nudity.

XiaNaphryz said:
In before "OMG where's Dragon Ball/DBZ/Sailor Moon!?!" ;)

Dragon Ball definitely deserves to be on the list. Most people have only seen Dragon Ball Z, and Dragon Ball is a very neglected and often overlooked classic in America.
 

Hitokage

Setec Astronomer
15-DirtyPair.jpg


Dirty Pair (1985) -
There's also a followup OVA series of sorts that came out in 1989, with a slight change in style but the same fun as the original set of episodes.

Sample:
dirtypairova2_zps1969ac7f.jpg

(These characters are supposed to be 19. Notice how they're not drawn as if they were 9.)

Among the movies, I prefer the Flight 005 Conspiracy.


However, avoid the 1994 remake Dirty Pair Flash, which looks like this:

dirtypairflash_zps8542989a.jpg
 

stuminus3

Member
What's weird is that all that 1980s stuff is anime to me, I don't know what it is you crazy kids watch now.

Project A-Ko FTW!
 

Vox-Pop

Contains Sucralose
Love Ranma 1/2.
Does anyone remember that anime about a kid soccer player who was in some sort of professional league? I think it aired in Japan in the 80's.
 

ilikeme

Member
Oh fuck. So much good stuff.

And this just reminded me I'm in the middle of watching:

Brother, Dear Brother [Finally finished watching this in late August 2012. One of my all-time favourite series now. Completely brilliant and funny as they come. Drama drama drama drama!]

Legend of the Galactic Heroes
Maison Ikkoku
Touch
City Hunter
Future Boy Conan
Galaxy Express 999

Woah why do I do that. I just start and stop. Oh well. I'll read the OP later... yeah I know stupid to answer before reading but. There was just so much great shit here. I'll bookmark the thread for when I have time. Whatever it says, great job.
 

Evlar

Banned
Squeak said:
One of the 5 greatest tv-series ever, period

008.jpg
Evidently a substantial number of tourists to PEI to this day are Japanese, most of whom have never read the book but are nostalgic for the anime series.
 

Hitokage

Setec Astronomer
XiaNaphryz said:
Excellent thread, the only big titles I can think of not listed yet are some Macross and Gundam stuff (I know you called out the originals), the original Tenchi OVAs and the Dominion: Tank Police OVAs. And does El Hazard count? It ended in 96, but technically started in 95 before Eva came out.

In before "OMG where's Dragon Ball/DBZ/Sailor Moon!?!" ;)
The focus here is to recommend titles that need extra attention, whereas everyone's heard of stuff like Dragon Ball/Sailor Moon.
 
Obligatory recommendation of Yu Yu Hakusho (1990)

YuYuHakusho1.jpg


I also want to recommend Detective Conan (1994)

film1.jpg


If you like mysteries then you'll love this show. The only "problem" it has is that it's a VERY long series (if you even consider that a problem) and is still on the air in Japan.
 

jman2050

Member
speedpop said:
38-OtakunoVideo.jpg


Otaku no Video (1991) - Kubo is your normal main character, going about his daily life without any hassles or extreme excitement. That is until he runs into his old buddy, Tanaka. Tanaka slowly brings him into his circle of friends, of which all of them being otaku. Kubo eventually makes the decision to become the Otaking, successfully creating his own anime and shops. What follows is some insanely stupid yet funny moments all within the two episodes. Created by Gainax, they take it upon themselves to poke fun at the otaku culture and themselves.

Still the best thing Gainax has ever made.
 

zoku88

Member
Hitokage said:
The focus here is to recommend titles that need extra attention, whereas everyone's heard of stuff like Dragon Ball/Sailor Moon.
Well, isn't Gundam pretty well-known though? :lol

Although, I guess many ppl have seen the suckier newer titles rather than the original series
 

jman2050

Member
zoku88 said:
Well, isn't Gundam pretty well-known though? :lol

Although, I guess many ppl have seen the suckier newer titles rather than the original series

The original series must be cursed or something. As was said already they never actually finished the series like they wanted to in Japan because of low ratings. Then when the show finally gets its time in the sun in America after twentysomething years... well, I'll just say that the Toonami showing began in July of 2001. You do the math :/
 

robot

Member
Awesome, Awesome Awesome.

I was one of those kids fueling the anime scene in the early 90's spending hundreds (maybe thousands) on Ranma 1/2 VHS tapes and anything else I could get my hands on. You're pretty much spot on with the 1st series kicking the most ass, I still own the OVA's on DVD and for some reason watch Tendo Family Christmas Scramble every time I wrap xmas presents. Still have a box full of at least a hundred VHS tapes in my attic, including the few Zillion releases we got here.

Giant Robo is a series I will always recommend when an anime topic comes up, it's the definition of epic robot insanity and has only been rivaled by the recent Gurren Laggan.

And finally, for some reason I never watched Gunbuster - then lo and behold got the movie collection on BluRay for Christmas. Cant wait to watch it.

Oh, and I didnt see Dangaioh up there! or Tenchi Muyo - the start of Pioneers anime boom!
 

gdt

Member
I have a question about an anime.

I remember it had (what I now know to be) 80's animation. They all had long hair and weird crystal/glass suits of armor. It was mostly guys. In my youth I remember the heroes losing all the time. I just remember it to be very sad. I used to watch them when I was on vacation in the Dominican Republic.

Anyone know what series I'm talking about?
 

jman2050

Member
gdt5016 said:
I have a question about an anime.

I remember it had (what I now know to be) 80's animation. They all had long hair and weird crystal/glass suits of armor. It was mostly guys. In my youth I remember the heroes losing all the time. I just remember it to be very sad. I used to watch them when I was on vacation in the Dominican Republic.

Anyone know what series I'm talking about?

This is just an educated guess, but I think you're describing Saint Seiya/Knights of the Zodiac.
 

Hitokage

Setec Astronomer
And finally, for some reason I never watched Gunbuster - then lo and behold got the movie collection on BluRay for Christmas. Cant wait to watch it.
Gunbuster gets props for being the only anime I know of that remembers time progresses differently during light-speed travel, but beyond that I wasn't crazy about it.
 
Don't forget Saint Seiya, oh and the Jojo Bizzare's Adventure OVAs, too bad they'll never animate part 4.

I don't know about the 80's OVAs quality but Devilman is the best manga by Go Nagai, anyone should read it.

gdt5016 said:
I have a question about an anime.

I remember it had (what I now know to be) 80's animation. They all had long hair and weird crystal/glass suits of armor. It was mostly guys. In my youth I remember the heroes losing all the time. I just remember it to be very sad. I used to watch them when I was on vacation in the Dominican Republic.

Anyone know what series I'm talking about?
yeah probably Saint Seiya, it was very popular in a lot of latin countries, and huuuuuge in Europe, especially in France and Italy
 

itsinmyveins

Gets to pilot the crappy patrol labors
Not that big of a fan of anime, but man, the two Patlabor movies (especially the second) are awesome.
 

Althane

Member
Guybrush Threepwood said:
Obligatory recommendation of Yu Yu Hakusho (1990)

YuYuHakusho1.jpg


*blink*

Wait, YYH is only one year younger than I am?

Holy shit I'm young. o.o;;

Also: Great list, I've not seen a tenth of the anime on that list, but now I know what to look for!
 

Squeak

Member
The golden years of anime and manga was in the 70's and 80's and maybe a few years into the 90's. Not that anything great hasn't been produced since, but some unquantifiable momentum and fuel of a special zeitgeist ran out...

NGE was really the beginning of the end for me. I really never understood its appeal. Frankly I think it pretty much stinks.

It's pretentious, pathetic (in the real sense of the word), formulaic and way way way drawn out.
Gunbuster is an infinitely better series. It's really weird that it's been made by the same man.
Kind of like Back to the Future vs. Polar Express with Zemeckis.
 

B.K.

Member
jman2050 said:
Then when the show finally gets its time in the sun in America after twentysomething years... well, I'll just say that the Toonami showing began in July of 2001. You do the math :/

September 11 wasn't the only reason they cancelled Mobile Suit Gundam. The show had horrible ratings. They'd already announced before 9/11 that the show was cancelled. It wouldn't be shown again after the first airing. 9/11 was just an excuse for them to get rid of it early and put something else on to get more ratings.
 

jman2050

Member
B.K. said:
September 11 wasn't the only reason they cancelled Mobile Suit Gundam. The show had horrible ratings. They'd already announced before 9/11 that the show was cancelled. It wouldn't be shown again after the first airing. 9/11 was just an excuse for them to get rid of it early and put something else on to get more ratings.

Like I said, cursed!
 
Amazing list. I'd add to it, but my mind is adrift.

speedpop said:
36-HereisGreenwood.jpg


Here is Greenwood (1991) - Kazuya arrives at Greenwood, an all-male student campus known for it's crazy characters that inhabit the dorm. The problem is his roommate, Shun, is a female. The student president and head resident of the dorm explain to Kazuya that they feel he is the only one trusted to share a room with Shun. A few days later however, Kazuya walks into the men's bathroom only to find Shun there using a urinal. Expect comedic romance mania.
That's a rather simplistic description of the series. It places way too much weight on the one particular scenario with Shun, which is only really explored in the first episode. It's more of an comedy ensemble series following the stories (and personalities) of a group of dorm residents, with Kazuya as the cornerstone of the narrative.

Excellent, a must watch... but hard to find.
 
Squeak said:
The golden years of anime and manga was in the 70's and 80's and maybe a few years into the 90's. Not that anything great hasn't been produced since, but some unquantifiable momentum and fuel of a special zeitgeist ran out...
Not even Cowboy Bebop? FLCL?
 

grandjedi6

Master of the Google Search
And I haven't seen any of these animes. Read Anne though back in school but thats not the same thing at all.

Evlar said:
Evidently a substantial number of tourists to PEI to this day are Japanese, most of whom have never read the book but are nostalgic for the anime series.
Wait, isn't Anne a part of Japanese curriculum or something? I could have sword I've read that somewhere.

EDIT:
Anne has become such an icon in Japan, where the book has been part of the school curriculum since 1952, Japanese could almost be considered a second language in Prince Edward Island.
http://www.canoe.ca/Travel/Canada/AtlanticCanada/2008/04/24/5407991-sun.html
 

JayDubya

Banned
Evlar said:
Or YKK? Haibane Renmei?

Or this really great show called Evang... Oh wait.

I will take this thread as some useful advice when I get around to perusing this stuff. I have to assume a lot of it is also much harder to get ahold of.

The wife loves Anne of Green Gables, and we certainly didn't know there was an anime of it.

Edit: Yeah, I recommend the Lodoss OVAs early and often in all these types of threads.
 
Nihon Mukashi Banashi

2hs6de8.jpg



10080.jpg


Highly influential for any child living in Japan during the 70s, which means a VAST majority of anime creators today. Sadly, it often goes unnoticed compared to Yamato, Galaxy Express 999, Tetsuwan Atom, Doraemon, etc.
 

exarkun

Member
Fuckawesome thread. This is probably the best list of great anime shows I've seen. Nothing really grabs me like shows like Ranma and the like used to.

Bookmarked.
 
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