The best anime of the 80s. Part Two [Old School Anime] (Topic)

We continue our Old School Anime series, focusing on the best anime of the last century. Last time we started talking about the best anime of the 80s. This is a continuation of the material.

Robot Carnival

This is an experimental almanac, which consists of 9 short films about the interaction of humans and robots [consider this "Love, Death, Robots" from the 80s anime world]. For many directors, this was their first job, and they had absolutely no restrictions in the creative process. All works are different, but the stories are united by a common theme - to show how people's lives have changed, after they themselves were able to create this very life with their own hands. I want to highlight the stories "Clouds" and "Presence".

Laputa: Castle in the Sky

The third major project of Hayao Miyazaki of the 80s, which I want to talk about separately. Laputa Sky Castle returns to the topic of ecology and how humanity is destroying it. And against the background of seemingly evil robots, it turns out to be much more inhuman.

In the story, the little boy mechanic Pazu meets the girl Keiko, who literally falls on him from the sky. It turns out that there is a crystal on her neck, which the government and pirates are hunting for, as with it you can get to the secret heavenly fortress.

Miyazaki borrowed the idea from "The Adventures of Gulliver" when he discovered the flying island of Laputa. Moreover, the author himself did not know about the true meaning of the word Laputa, which comes from the Spanish la puta, meaning sex workers. At the same time, the story itself is full of the best elements, here you have romance, and sky pirates, and government conspiracies, and mythical creatures, as well as allusions to the confrontation between climate and man.

Mobile Suit Zeta Gundam

Continuation of the original Gundum. It was the second major mech in 80s anime alongside Macro. In the courtyard 0087 is the year of the space age. The one-year war between the Earth Federation and Zeon is over and 8 years have passed. The Earth Federation has created an elite task force known as the Titans, who are in charge of hunting down the remaining forces of Zeon. However, the power hungry Titans have fared no better than Zeon in spurring the creation of a rebel faction called the Alliance Against Earth Group.

17-year-old Camille Bidan lives in the Green Noah colony, where the Titans base is located. Camille gets into trouble after attacking a Titan officer. He steals a prototype of a new Gundam and soon finds himself in the middle of a dangerous conflict. This Gundam is also being hunted by former Zeon pilot Quattro Badjen.

Urusei Yatsura

Urusei Yatsura is a comedic love story that transcends space, time and species. Released in 1981, it has spawned hundreds of imitators and imitators in the genre.

The earth is facing a huge crisis. Aliens want to invade the planet. Humanity's only hope lies with Ataru Moroboshi, who was chosen by chance to represent Earth in a one-on-one duel with an alien representative. If an earthling manages to rip the horns off the alien's head within 10 days, they will stop the invasion and fly away. There is only one problem with this plan. Ataru is a stupid loser.

Partly he was lucky, because his opponent is the invading princess Lum, who can fly. For motivation, Ataru's girlfriend promises that she will marry him if he succeeds. And he copes, only Lum herself perceives the fact that he took her horns as a wedding ritual between them. This is how the anime talks about the development of their relationship.

Ranma ?

Ranma Saotome is a martial arts master and child prodigy. While studying in China, he and his father fall into cursed springs. Now Ranma turns into a girl when cold water hits him, and only hot water can turn him back into a boy. His father turns into a panda under the same conditions.

The situation becomes even more complicated when Ranma learns that his father had long ago arranged for him to marry one of his friend Soun Tendo's three daughters so that the couple would inherit the dojo. Although Soun learns of Ranma's predicament, he remains determined to pursue the engagement and chooses his youngest daughter Akane, who is herself a skilled martial artist and notorious for her hatred of men.

Patlabor

The story unfolds in the near future 1998-2002 [near future by the standards of the 80s]. Robots called Labors are involved in heavy construction work. The Tokyo police have their own patrol or patrol fleet to combat crime / terrorism and accidents. Noah Izumi is the main character of the series, who works in the police unit No. 2.

Anime is another creation of Mamoru Oshi, and the motives of cyberpunk and futurism are immediately visible here.

Saint Seiya

In ancient times, a group of young people dedicated their lives to protecting Athena, the goddess of wisdom and war. These people were able to fight without weapons - just one blow from their fist was powerful enough to tear the sky itself apart and shatter the earth beneath them. These brave heroes came to be called Saints, as they could summon the power of the Cosmos from within.

Now, in our day, a new generation of Saints is about to appear. Young and energetic, Seiya is fighting a tough battle for the Sacred Pegasus Armor, and he will not let him get in the way. Six years of hard work and training pays off in his victory.

Legend Of The Galactic Heroes

This is an epic space opera that revolves around politics and ideals. The 150-year stalemate between the two interstellar superpowers, the Galactic Empire and the Alliance of Free Planets, comes to an end as a new generation of leaders emerges: the idealistic military genius Reinhard von Lohengram and Admiral historian Jan Wenley.

As Reinhard rises in the ranks of the Empire with the help of his childhood friend Siegfried Kirheis, he must deal not only with the war, but also with the remnants of the crumbling Goldenbaum dynasty in order to free his sister from the Kaiser and unite humanity under one roof.

Meanwhile, on the other side of the galaxy, Yang - a strong supporter of democratic ideals - must stand firm in his convictions and show his student Julian Minz that autocracy is not the solution to the problem.

As ideologies clash between the many victims of the war, the two strategic masterminds must ask themselves what the real reason for their battle is.

City Hunter

The classic 80s anime City Hunter is an example of how comedy, action, and drama are a winning combination.

Ryo Saeba, known as "City Hunter", is a detective from Tokyo. Together with his partner Kaori Makimura, they solve dangerous cases related to crime. Ryo is still a heartthrob, but Kaori is always ready to put him in his place.

Thanks to this 80s anime, titles like Sailor Moon, Cowboy Bebop and Fullmetal Alchemist have emerged that have copied its format.

Gunbuster

This is another fur title from the 80s, which is dear to the hearts of millions. He talks about a war between aliens and a team of young people who control combat robots. One such pilot is Noriko Takaya, who enters a pilot training school despite her lack of skills. There she meets Kazumi Amano, a seasoned high school student who does not look like her at all. Now they both have to work together and go through the hard fate of a pilot: the loss of friends, family and their own life.

Gunbuster is an emotional roller coaster ride from Gainax, so you can experience it yourself. Over the course of six episodes, we watch these young pilots drop everything to protect Earth from aliens.

Maison Ikkoku

This 80s comedy anime largely inherits the ideas of Urusei Yatsura and Ranma ? and tells about the guests of the Ikkoku apartment building, and often about the life of the young student Yusaku Godai and his relationship with the new house manager, widow Kyoko Otonashi.

De facto, the entire inn is a family that actively reacts to the environment. Throughout 96 episodes, viewers see what happens to the characters and what problems they face. Each of them has a bright personality, life, and they suffer the consequences of their actions.

Although the series' imagery is a bit dated, Maison Ikkoku accurately captures the atmosphere of the time. Anime really represents an era when dreams and passion are the best in life.

Bubblegum Crisis

For a series more than three decades old, Bubblegum Crisis is one of the best female anime in the cyberpunk setting. While the animation may not be up to today's standards, there is something eye-catching about hand-drawn graphics.

A giant earthquake destroyed Tokyo in the past. Thanks in part to recent progress and the Genome Corporation, the new city of Mega-Tokyo has been built in its place. However, Genome is developing a plan to take over the world. Luckily for the people of Tokyo, there is the Knights of the Saber, a group of mercenaries composed entirely of women who wear costumes that make them extra strong.

This is a full-blown mecha series that never slows down with its constant battles, transformations, speedy chases and lack of fillers.

Barefoot Gen

In the last post, I called Tomb of the Fireflies the first heartbreaking anime, of which there will be two. And the second is "Barefoot Gen". And if the first title tells about the end of the war and its consequences, then this anime is about its climax. The plot centers on a little boy named Gen, who, together with his mother, survives the nuclear bombing of Hiroshima. The story continues after the war ends and Gen grows up.

I don’t know if it’s worth mentioning that this is a very serious drama that touches on the horrors of war and shows how propaganda easily affects young minds. Only one beginning, where we are shown in detail how bodies burn out from an explosion, leaves a very large trace in the mind. "Barefoot Gen", despite its simple visual style, is one of the heaviest anime of the 80s.

The Topic of Article: The best anime of the 80s. Part Two [Old School Anime].
Author: Jake Pinkman