Anime is a medium of entertainment that’s experienced different bursts of popularity over the years, but it’s always been present in some capacity and never completely vanished. The anime series that are currently in production routinely defy expectations and make up some of the best anime series of all time, but it’s still important to look back and highlight the fundamental titles of the past.
Each decade in anime has a different flavor, but the 1970s were a crucial time period where science fiction reigned supreme. There are some excellent programs from the 1970s, some of which are still around in some form today and others that are completely products of their time.
10 Tiger Mask Establishes A New Classic In The Wrestling Genre
Tiger Mask helps kick off the decade and it’s one of the most memorable anime programs by the time that the 1980s arrive. Tiger Mask is a foundational wrestling anime that focused on Naoto Date, otherwise known as the titular Tiger Mask.
Date is a brutal fighter who works hard to stay alive both inside of the ring and at the opposing end of the many assassins that are sent his way. An engaging narrative comes together, but the real selling point for the series is the fluid and gorgeous fight sequences, which still hold up 50 years later.
9 Galaxy Express 999 Tackles Sci-Fi & Space Exploration With Clarity
There was a serious push towards science fiction anime during the 1970s and Galaxy Express 999 was one of the pivotal series that helped the genre dominate throughout the decade. Galaxy Express 999 deals with a futuristic society that found a way to achieve immortality by transferring memories into robotic bodies, yet it's an expensive procedure that only the elite could achieve.
These rich ideas, which were set against the vast recesses of outer space, inspired over 100 episodes and several films, which were also released in the 1970s.
8 Future Boy Conan Turns A Wasteland Into A Curious Adventure
Future Boy Conan is only 26 episodes, but it makes a strong impression in that brief time and amounts to one of the more unique anime series to grow out of the decade. The series is set in the future during a time when humanity is essentially extinct.
A young boy that's born after the Great Disaster, Conan, considers himself to be one of the last survivors until he meets a young girl named Lana. Conan and Lana explore this fractured and ruined world as their optimistic and juvenile attitudes shine a ray of hope in all of this darkness.
7 Space Battleship Yamato Inspired A Generation Of Space Anime
There are countless anime series that explore high-stakes space missions, but many of these iconic series would not be possible without the framework that was set by Space Battleship Yamato. The 26-episode anime ran from 1974 to 1975 but spawned a number of sequels and spin-offs that are still being produced to this day.
There's a simple goal in place where Susumu Kodai and his crew on the Yamato need to retrieve a pivotal device that can fix the growing problem on the Earth. The animation and characters aren't overly complicated, but there are such rich themes in play here.
6 Go Nagai’s Devilman Kicks Off A Dark Fantasy Classic
Go Nagai is an important voice in the manga and anime industry and is responsible for several major titles that came out of the '70s. Nagai's Devilman is a franchise that continues to be relevant today and receives modern updates and reinterpretations of the original story.
The anime is a dark mix of fantasy and horror where a meek teenager, Akira Fudo, reluctantly seizes the title of Devilman to ward off the demons that threaten Earth. Akira's struggle to retain his humanity and figure out who he can trust helps make Devilman as layered and suspenseful as it is violent.
5 The Rose Of Versailles Tells A Tender Relationship Through Real History
Historical anime have become increasingly popular, but back in the 1970s, something like The Rose of Versailles was very unique. The 40-episode anime series embraces slice of life and shojo sensibilities, but with the intrigue of a political drama.
The Rose of Versailles centers around a 15-year-old Marie Antoinette and "Oscar," a female French heir that's raised as a man. There's such a human story that's told here, but the fact that Marie Antoinette and Oscar's relationship has major repercussions on the French Revolution and the future of the country is a fascinating angle to the story.
4 Captain Harlock Is An Iconic Space Pirate That Should Not Be Underestimated
Anime thrives upon genre mash-ups that are able to creatively reinvigorate old genres. The idea of a “space pirate” is nothing new, but it was considerably more radical in the 1970s and anime like Space Pirate Captain Harlock helped solidify the staple.
Captain Harlock is a brooding outcast that’s turned into a reluctant hero and the anime amounts to an insightful character study as much as it travels through space and eliminates predators. It’s a basic formula, but one that’s allowed the genre to get more ambitious over time.
3 Lupin III Part 2 Features More Heightened Mayhem From The Gentleman Thief
Lupin III is another tenet of the manga and anime industry that’s still kicking half a century after its debut. The gentleman thief genre was prominent in literature before Lupin III, but this take on the subject matter is just so effortless. Lupin is a brilliant thief, but he’s also a bumbling fool.
This eccentric attitude leads him through dangerous missions that pay respect to classical mystery and adventure serials. The first two Parts of Lupin III are both from the ‘70s, but Part 2 refines the formula and routinely creates schemes that are both surprising and often hilarious.
2 Tomorrow's Joe Helps Get Boxing Anime On Its Feet
Anime doesn't always need superpowers or giant robots to connect with audiences and the success and longevity of Tomorrow's Joe (Ashita no Joe) is proof that a lovable and dedicated protagonist is more than enough.
Tomorrow's Joe plays out like an anime version of Rocky; Joe Yabuki is a derelict with no prospects that gradually turns into one of boxing's biggest stars. Sports anime is now a busy genre on its own, but Tomorrow's Joe was an institution of the 1970s and it's why the series continues to get remade in a modern context.
1 The Original Mobile Suit Gundam Redefines Mecha History
One of the most popular and overcrowded genres in anime are mecha series. There are numerous ways to approach a story about giant robots, but Mobile Suit Gundam truly helped mecha storytelling evolve in a major way.
The first Gundam series arrives in 1979, right at the end of the decade, but its elegant examination of politics, war, and heightened space combat left audiences needing more. Now, 40 years later, Mobile Suit Gundam is the most popular mecha anime with dozens of series under its belt. Gundam has come a long way, but Amuro Ray’s initial mission is still groundbreaking.