During the 1980s, there was a gradual shift in the anime form. New animation technology was being reached and stories started to get bolder. Creators were able to do more anime that weren't just the standard shonen or shojo of the Osamu Tezuka or Go Nagai era but rather strived to become something else. Anime such as the groundbreaking Akira directed by Katsuhiro Otomo which helped lay the groundwork for future animes. While animes like Akira have stuck with the viewer subconscious, there are some anime during the 80s that faded away from the casual eye.
Here are the 10 Popular Anime Of The 80s That Time Has Forgotten.
10 Royal Space Force: The Wings Of Honneamise
A science-fiction anime that came out in 1987, Royal Space Force: The Wings Of Honneamise, stars Shirotsugh who after being inspired by a woman named Riquinni, becomes the first astronaut in an alternate world. Directed and written by Hiroyuki Yamaga and composed by award winner Ryuichi Sakamoto, crafts an anime tale that's a coming of age story filled with personal strife.
A fun fact about this anime is that it was the first production from Studio Gainax, the same studio that created the super popular Neon Genesis Evangelion and later Tengen Toppa Gurren Lagann.
9 Angel's Egg
Released in 1985 to director Mamoru Oshii and designed by Yoshitaka Amano of Final Fantasy fame, the film is 71 minutes that is more akin to visual art rather than telling a proper story. The science fantasy anime tells the story of an unnamed girl living in an abandoned city finding food, caring for a mysterious egg. The film was critically panned by critics who criticized it's often sparse structure, but despite not finding work for years, Mamoru Oshii considers it one of the highlights of his career. Since then, the director has created many acclaimed animes including 1995's Ghost in the Shell.
8 Space Adventure Cobra
Based on the 1978 manga simply called Cobra, the film was released in 1982 and it was directed by Osamu Dezaki. This science-fiction anime stars the titular Cobra as he's asked by the beautiful Jane Royal to stop the pirate guild and Crystal Bowie, Cobra's arch-nemesis. Cobra is armed with a special weapon called the "Psychogun" which is grafted on his left hand.
The film has created a following amongst anime lovers and has inspired the likes of Hideki Kamiya when he developed the character of Dante in the legendary Devil May Cry franchise. Notably from the character's mannerisms and personality.
7 Urusei Yatsura
Produced by Kitty Films and running from 1981 to 1986, Urusei Yatsura stars Ataru Moroboshi, a perverted high schooler who is chosen by the alien race known as the Oni, to participate in their game. By touching the horns of an opposing Oni, humanity is able to retain the right to live on planet earth.
After touching the horns of the oni, Princess Lum Invader, the anime shifts focus on being a slice of life focusing on the daily lives of both Ataru and Lum who sticks around after Ataru accidentally proposes to her. With twelve OVAs, six films and over 195 episodes, the series helped launch Rumiko Takahashi's career. Eventually creating the series known as Inuyasha.
6 Ranma 1/2
Another Takahashi creation, Ranma 1/2 is a comedy anime produced by Studio Deen, taking place in the Chinese province of Qinghai. After falling into the cursed springs of Jusenkyo, Ranma and his father learn that they are able to transform into another being. Ranma is able to change genders while his father is able to turn into a fearsome panda. The anime is filled with the relationships between the main cast and supporting characters, which help drive the plot of the story. Combined with the arranged marriage overtone between Ranma and his betrothed Akane, creates an anime that became one of Takahashi's finest works.
5 Patlabor: The Movie
Based on the manga created by Masami Yuki, Patlabor is a science fiction anime film directed by Mamoru Oshii and written by Kazunori Ito. The team behind the Ghost in the Shell film. Similar to Ghost in the Shell, Patlabor takes place in a technologically advanced Japan set during the year 1999. The Tokyo Metropolitan Police Department is ordered to take down rogue robot units known as Labors, after they went haywire even after being shut down. One of the earliest works done by Production I.G, the film was a part of a franchise that contained several OVAs, light novels and sequel films.
4 Wicked City
A Japanese OVA, the dark fantasy anime Wicked City takes place near the tail end of the 20th century. Here, humanity is secretly co-existing with the demon world with the Black Guard police force being the bridge between the two. Incredibly erotic and violent, the production was the debut of director Yoshiaki Kawajiri. Best known for future anime works such as Ninja Scroll and the second Vampire Hunter D film, Vampire Hunter D: Bloodlust. The film later got a live-action adaptation in Hong Kong also called Wicked City, although it changed aspects of the film such as the demons being replaced with "Rapters" and overall creative liberties with the plot.
3 Vampire Hunter D
The original Vampire Hunter D film, produced in 1985, is a science fiction dark fantasy film about a vampire hunter simply called "D." Taking place in the far-flung future of 12,090 AD, D is hired by a girl named Doris Lang in order to protect her from the powerful vampire lord known as Count Lee.
Originally a series of novels with illustrations by Final Fantasy's Yoshitaka Amano, the film has since garnered a cult following amongst its American fanbase and was the first of many media adaptations of the franchise.
2 Appleseed
The other creation of Masamune Shirow's works, along with Ghost in the Shell, the 1988 OVA adaptation by Studio Gainax takes place in a post World War 3 Japan. Set in a fictional city called Olympus, the denizens of the city are humans, cyborgs and biological artificial beings known as the Bioroids. Sharing elements relating to post-humanism, the concept of a utopia and being an overall cyberpunk crime thriller, Although not as famous as Ghost in the Shell, Appleseed is still arguably a solid companion piece to those more familiar to Shirow's more famous work.
1 Gunbuster
A Japanese OVA series produced by Studio Gainax between 1988 and 1989, it's directed by the creator of future Neon Genesis Evangelion fame, Hideaki Anno. Inspired by Top Gun, the anime takes place in the future of 2023 where humanity is fighting against an alien race known as the Uchuu Kaiju using giant mechas.
Running for about 6 episodes, the anime is considered the spiritual predecessor to Neon Genesis Evangelion, having a couple of elements following up from the anime. Sharing elements such as young teenage characters and giant robots fighting against an extraterrestrial threat.