When you talk of anime of the 80s, you talk of the Japanimation. It is the north-American amalgamation of Japan and anime, and it preceded the word 'anime'. Mostly the anime made in the 80s didn't make it to retailers in the market and remained visibly unknown. It is, therefore, no surprise that this era boasts of hidden gems in every genre.
Even though the internet boom popularised the majority of anime, yet some of them got lost in time shuffle. The list contains 10 classic romance anime from the 80s, anime that we strongly feel were ahead their time.
10 MACROSS: DO YOU REMEMBER LOVE (1984)
Macros: Do You Remember Love became a cult favorite in the 80s and a benchmark of Japanese animation back in the day. To date, it defines the quintessential classic 80s anime with an original storyline and old-school artwork. A classic in every sense of the word, it tells the tale of Hikaru Ichijyo a fighter pilot who saves a pop star Lin Minmay, in a galaxy far away. They fall in love but their romance is short-lived and they separate ways. The story doesn't end for Hikaru and Lin here, and they meet again.
Hikaru sets out to seek Minmay's help in order to avert an impending crisis. As they come face to face, love is sure to blossom again.
9 LADY LADY!! (1987-1988)
Lady Lady!! is Lynn's story, a young girl who loses her mother at five and lives with her father ever since. Lynn's dad fails to make time for her, so she's on her own. Lynn faces the day to day challenges alone and eventually grows into a mature lady. Lynn's life takes a turn when she falls in love, and begins to experience things she's never experienced before. Lady Lady!! It is a feel-good tale of romance and it makes for an easy holiday watch.
8 LADY GEORGIE (1983-1984)
Lady Georgie is a historical Shoujo romance that captures the essence of the Australian and English life. The story deals with Georgie, a pretty young girl who's fiercely loved by her father and her two brothers. Oddly, Georgie's mother considers her a total abomination. As she grows up, she falls in love with a British aristocrat and she discovers quite a few things.
Turns out, Georgie was picked up by her father from the woods and raised as his own. Upon discovering the truth from her mother, she sets out in search of her real parents. The anime takes intriguing twists as her two brothers follow her to aristocratic annals of London.
Lady Georgie is blessed with fantastic artwork in addition to a thrilling storyline.
7 THEY WERE ELEVEN (1986)
They Were Eleven is way too beyond its years. Made in 1986, it brilliantly captures sci-fi and Space genres. The story deals with an elite space academy that invites applications from all over the globe. A tough entrance examination can only guarantee admission to the academy. We are introduced to the protagonist Tada, one of the top ten candidates who are to take the final of the entrance exam. The final step requires 10 candidates to survive in a spaceship for 45 days. Only there's an extra, eleventh candidate on board.
As soon as the candidates meet with the 11 members, numerous difficulties follow. They were Eleven prides itself on Brilliant storytelling, combining elements of romance, sci-fi and, mystery.
6 GLASS NO KAMEN (1984)
Glass no Kamen aka Glass Mask is the story of a 13-year-old girl Kitajima Maya with a penchant for acting. As Maya is discovered by a theatre actress Tsukikage, her story begins. She's part of the great game now and she finds herself knee-deep in challenges of the acting world. Between chasing sought-after roles, Maya is balancing her love life with the media mogul Hayami Masumi. But timing isn't her best friend. If you are a sucker for dated art with great storylines, Glass Mask is an excellent series to chose from.
5 TOKIMEKI TONIGHT (1982-1983)
A well-known anime, Tokimeki Tonight deserves more appreciation from our end. It is a thoroughly entertaining series dealing with the story of a vampire family. Ranze is the protagonist of the anime, a school going girl. She's a crossbreed, born of a vampire father and werewolf mother (consider Twilight's Bella and Jacob having a baby).
But here's the problem: Ranze is a late-bloomer, she hasn't gotten any powers by now much to the dismay of her parents. And She falls in love with a human named Makabe-kun, to top it all. The anime navigates Ranze's place in her family and outside of her home. Watch it, if you are Adam's Family fan for the theme almost converges in both.
4 THE KABOCHA WINE (1982-1984)
The Kabocha Wine details the story of a transfer student Aoba Shunsuke, a newcomer at Sunshine School. He's greeted by a big girl Natsumi on his first day and the two immediately bond. The Kabocha Wine is an intriguing entry in the list, an unusual romance if you will. It is a love story of a huge girl and a small boy in comparison. More than its story, it has an important message for the viewers. It emphasizes body positivity and the fact that love really is unconditional. Which reminds, didn't Netflix arrive with Tall Girl in 2019?
3 NATSU E NO TOBIRA (1981)
Natsu e No Tobira, an anime that was way ahead of its time for it debated on rationalism. It dealt with the story of Marion, a kid who believes in the rationalist school of thought. Not only does Marion believe in rationalism, but he also goes to the extent of blatantly rejecting affection for irrationalist behavior.
Marion's thought process is challenged when he falls in love with an older courtesan. As their romance snowballs, we realize Marion hides secretes deep down. Natsu e No Tobira is considered a forerunner to romance and shounen-ai anime and it makes for a compelling watch.
2 HELLO! SANDYBELL (1981-1982)
Hello! Sandybell is an epitome of what light, Shoujo, romance anime should look like. It traces the story of a young Scottish girl Sandybell who's lost her mother. But that doesn't deter Sandybell's dreams and aspirations. Her life takes a U-turn after a rich lady gives her a white Lily. Turns out, there's a lot to more her life than she knows. As secrets from the past unfold, Sandybell finds love and happiness. Hello! Sandybell finished it's run in 47 episodes, but it struck a chord with its artwork, story, and narration.
1 MAISON IKKOKU (1986-1988)
Maison Ikkoku is a blast from the past. The plot deals with a boarding house by the name of Maison Ikkoku. Yuusaku Godai lives amongst the boisterous tenants of the boarding house. Yuusaku prefers silence over the upbeat atmosphere of the place. Since that seems highly unlikely, Yuusaku packs his bags for better. However, he reconsiders his decision after a beautiful Kyoko Otonashi takes charge as the manager.
Maison Ikkoku picks pace from a fairly simplistic plot and evolves into one of the most intriguing storylines of its time. Kyoko's story arc is way ahead of its time for she's shown as a middle-aged fearless and independent woman. Truly great storytelling with this one.