Mostanimefans have recently been digging into the newer anime shows instead of looking at the old classics. It’s hard to find really good old anime shows due to them being buried under decades of series and films that are coming in by the thousands. When anime first came around, digital animation was not as sophisticated as it is today. The earliest series came out in the ‘60s, and it influenced each new show that came after it. Then, in the ‘90s, anime experienced a huge boom in viewership and fans when it moved beyond Asia into the Western households.
As the technology has improved in anime, so has the writing.Newer anime seriesare written for more modern audiences, where it’s easier to digest and viewers don’t necessarily have to consider cultural differences. However, true anime fans may be able to find some old-time gems. There are some great old anime that fans forget about, but if you’re a fan of the genre, they should definitely be watched. Here are the 20 best old anime series that should be re-watched.
20The Legend of Zorro
InThe Legend of Zorro, Diego Vega returns home from his trip to discover that his homeland was under the control of the army. Diego refuses to sit back and let the army mistreat his people. He decides to disguise himself as Zorro to protect those who are too weak to protect themselves. This historical adventure series became one of Ashi Productions most notable works. It consists of 52 episodes that are filled with plenty of drama and action for any anime fan to enjoy.
19Super Dimension Fortress Macross
An alien ship that crash-lands on Earth allows humanity to enter into a new age of technological achievement. When thealiens try to invadeyears later, the citizens of Macross are teleported light-years across the galaxy and now must fight to get back home.Super Dimension Fortress Macrossis a part of the mech anime genre with some tense romance moments. It is also the reason why the shonen genre became so popular as it showed otherworldly space opera and the portrayal of human struggle.
Lina Inverse is a rogue mage inSlayers, who, along with her band of adventurers, lives in a land of medieval sword and sorcery. She may be a teenager who can cause a lot of collateral damage and at times be very obnoxious, but she’s also known for her power and grace. Lina searches for gold, but finds a lot of trouble along the way.
This is a type of anime that will make any viewerjust feel goodafter watching it.Slayersdoesn’t always take itself too seriously, which is why it makes the show such a gem. It has lovable characters and slap of the knee comedy that will make anyone want to binge-watch the series.
17Space Battleship Yamato
Space Battleship Yamatois an interesting space opera. Humanity is under attack from aliens who don’t seem to be stopping anytime soon. They decide to send their last hope into space upon the battleship Yamato with a crew who’s tasked to retrieve a device to save Earth. This is a space opera in its purest form because at its core is adventure. Each character goes through acts of heroism, self-sacrifice, honor, and of course the great task to save humanity against all odds.
16Yu Yu Hakusho
Street thug Yusuke Urameshi dives in front of a car to safe a kid’s life. His act of heroism kills him, and he becomes a ghost. Yusuke’s able to see how his life and death affected those who knew him. He’s then returned to his body as a messenger for the underworld.
Yu Yu Hakushoestablished basic shonen tropes, but was also able to show that an anime drama could incorporate intense and over the top fight scenes. This series has become one of the most important that debut in the ’90s and paved the way for other shows in this genre.
15Fist of the North Star
Set in a post-apocalyptic world, Kenshiro practices the secret style of deadly martial arts inFist of the North Star. He decides to cleanse the world of evil by taking off bad guys' heads using his special skills. Kenshiro runs into enemies and allies along the way. This is the epitome of ’80s post-apocalyptic classic anime of shounen manga at the time of its airing. It showed huge men in aMad Max-esque wasteland who beat each other up in very gory kung-fu battles. The plot of the show is simplistic as villains and heroes join together in an action classic that shouldn’t be missed.
InBerserk, Guts is a lone warrior who’s born from a hanged corpse and turned into a child soldier. Everything in Guts' life is turned on his head when he has to kill the father-figure in his life before he even turns 10. He then continues life as a mercenary.
It’s safe to say thatnot everyone can handlethis anime due to the sheer cruelty that some of the characters are seen doing. The sheer violence inBerserkis honestly a lot for an anime fan that isn’t used to watching such dark anime.
Vash the Stampede has made a name for himself as a legendary gunman. He’s so popular that bounty hunters come after him due to the price on his head. Vash can’t remember why there’s a bounty on him, but once the shooting starts, he becomes a bloodthirsty warrior.
Trigunis an intriguing story with a mysterious main character. The other characters that travel with Vash are also fascinating to watch like the gunner priest or the insurance agent as they give another dimension to the show.
12Slam Dunk
Hanamichi Sakuragi inSlam Dunkis a young delinquent who needs to be straightened out. He turns to basketball and focuses on pursuing his dream as a professional player. Hanamichi joined the team to impress a girl, but learns that he has a deep passion for the game.
Slam Dunkis probably one of the best-selling manga stories as it is very relatable for any young man. Not only is it classic anime, but it is one of the bestbasketball anime showsto ever be created.
11Urusei Yatsura
Urusei Yatsurais an anime rom-com, and asScreen Rantsays, can be credited for kick-starting the subgenre. A misogynistic high school boy becomes the center of attention from an alien girl after winning a game of tag against her. The show has paved the way for anime rom-com, as many of the tropes seen inUrusei Yatsurahave been used in other anime. It is an early Japanese manga that deserves the attention and recognition of a great show.
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