There are plenty of classic anime that are still worth watching. The medium has a long and storied history filled with well-remembered shows. Shows like Astro Boy have cemented themselves as timeless classics. Many more shows of its ilk are great to watch if viewers give them a chance.
Sometimes, people can be so focused on the latest seasonal anime that they don’t pay attention to other great anime from the ’70s, ’80s, and ’90s. Plenty of amazing action, romance, horror, and comedy anime have been released in these decades. For any anime fan looking to watch something more retro, there are plenty of options to choose from. A simple binge-watch is all it takes to turn anyone into a fan of these series, given enough time.
10 Fist of the North Star Is Still A Martial Arts Anime Masterpiece
Streaming on Crunchyroll
Fist of the North Star may be over forty years old now, but its quality is timeless. Kenshiro’s journey across a war-torn Earth still feels fresh decades later and is just as violent as most fans remember. Kenshiro’s fights against the likes of Mr. Heart and Raoh are well-animated brawls that leave everyone involved bruised and bloody. The fights aren’t the only thing about the series that makes it so great.
Fist of the North Star also has a varied list of characters to show how martial arts can be used for good or evil. Toki’s dedication to pacifism contrasts with other fighters like Jagi, who are cruel and violent towards their opponents. Antagonists like Shin also have deep ties to Kenshiro’s past and pose a serious threat to everyone he comes across. There’s no doubt that Fist of the North Star is still worth watching after all these years.
9 The Original Dragon Ball Expertly Mixes Action and Comedy
Streaming on Crunchyroll
The original Dragon Ball anime is still amazing, even without the flashy transformations and attacks seen in later franchise entries. Goku’s early adventures are a lot more comedic at the start of the series. The humorous antics that Goku and Bulma get up to together are still hilarious decades later and prove that Akira Toriyama’s writing hasn’t aged a day. As the show continues, though, the action ramps up tremendously.
Dragon Ball is famous for popularizing tournament arcs, and the bouts from the Tenkaichi Budokai contests contain some of the best fight scenes in the whole franchise. Battles between Tien and Yamcha or Piccolo Jr. and Krillin have great choreography and fluid animation. Goku is also forced to learn from his defeats to grow stronger, and his never-say-die attitude is inspiring to see on screen. To truly see how far Goku has grown on his journey to surpass his limits, watching Dragon Ball is a necessity.
8 Mobile Suit Gundam's Harrowing War Marked the Birth of the Real Robot Genre
Streaming on Crunchyroll
The original Mobile Suit Gundam did not shy away from showing its viewers the horrors of war. Instead of having its giant robots powered by supernatural forces, Mobile Suit Gundam mechas are man-made weapons of mass destruction used in a brutal war. The Earth Federation and the Principality of Zeon’s brutal war devastate the battlefields, leaving casualties on both sides. These harrowing events have a profound effect on Amuro Ray, the pilot of the titular Gundam.
Amuro grows from a frightened child, terrified to fight into a hardened soldier. This change isn’t exactly positive, as Amuro is forced to leave several soldiers and acquaintances on the White Base to be killed or scarred by the mobile suit battles. As much as Amuro tries to put an end to the conflict, sometimes his involvement only escalates the scale of the war. Later entries may feature flashier mobile suits, but the original Gundam anime sets the blueprint for the drama and themes that would define later series.
7 Space Pirate Captain Harlock Is An Early Sci-Fi Anime Classic
Streaming on Crunchyroll
There’s a good reason Space Pirate Captain Harlock is still considered one of the most iconic sci-fi anime to ever hit TV screens. Harlock’s crew of aliens and outcasts are pitted against an oppressive alien regime that’s subjugating the people of Earth. The alien invaders, the Mazon, seek to reclaim their stake on Earth after exploring it in the distant past. But that won’t stop Harlock and his crew from fighting tooth and claw to reclaim it from their grasp.
Space Pirate Captain Harlock shines whenever it explores its characters. Tadaishi Daiba, the crew’s youngest member, struggles to cope with the loss of his mother as he grows into a capable member of the crew. Harlock himself is a charismatic and rebellious leader who always brings out the best of his team’s strengths. There are few early sci-fi anime that capture the rebellious spirit that Space Pirate Captain Harlock proudly wears on its sleeves.
6 The Original Ranma 1/2 Anime Is Just as Hilarious as It Was When It First Released
Streaming on Hulu
The original Ranma 1/2 anime is still one of the funniest of its era. Released in 1989, the series’ unique premise of having Ranma switch genders after touching water is still well executed. Ranma’s banter with his love interest, Akane, is still a treat to watch, and their bickering goes a long way to making their relationship believable. The cast of side characters is just as fun to watch in their own right.
Ranma 1/2‘s supporting characters do a lot to elevate the series’ quality. The passionate upperclassman Tatewaki Kuno competes with Ranma over their shared affection for Akane at school and even develops a crush after seeing their female appearance. Ryoga Hibiki is another reoccurring rival for Ranma, despite his tendency to get lost on his way to challenge the martial artist. Ranma 1/2 just scratches an itch that no romance anime has been able to since its release.
5 Space Battleship Yamato Set the Standard for Several Sci-Fi Anime to Come After It
Streaming on Crunchyroll
Space Battleship Yamato is another staple of 1970s sci-fi anime, one that was hugely influential on other titles in the genre. Tensions are high for the crew of the Yamato, who are forced to traverse the universe for a device that can cleanse the Earth of severe radiation. With the fate of the planet in their hands, the Yamato crew rush to the planet Iscandar and clash with the alien Gamalians over how both species can coexist. These layered themes about coexistence and humanity would inspire many mecha anime classics like Macross and Evangelion to delve into a similar subject.
The series is at its best when it makes its viewers think critically about what it takes to make lasting peace a reality. The show reveals that the Gamalians can be just as human as the crew of the Yamato. Their planet is on the brink of collapse, and they hope to irradiate the Earth to make it suitable for their race to survive. This puts into question whether the Yamato crew should sacrifice their pursuit to save their race to let another live, and vice versa.
4 Galaxy Express 999 Is a Masterful Anime Film Every Fan Should Watch
Streaming on Crunchyroll
Galaxy Express 999 is a sci-fi classic that tackles meaningful questions about what it means to be human. The story revolves around Tetsuro, a boy who looks to board the Galaxy Express space train and get his body replaced with a mechanical one. As Tetsuro travels from planet to planet on his quest, the danger of his circumstances only increases. Tetsuro’s stop at Saturn’s moon Titan sees him get knocked out by bandits and in complete disarray.
Tetsuro’s other stops only reveal the sacrifices necessary to get an immortal, metallic body. On the planet Pluto, Tetsuro encounters people who feel nothing but remorse for exchanging their humanity for superficial beauty or longer lives. It truly makes Tetsuro reconsider his goals and whether living forever is even worth all the loneliness that comes with it. Galaxy Express 999 is a masterpiece that every anime fan should see at least once.
3 Lupin III Part 1 Starts the Long-Running Anime Franchise With Style
Streaming on Tubi
Lupin III Part 1 is a blast for fans looking for a thrilling anime all about pulling off daring heists. To this day, no other retro anime can capture that quite as well as Lupin III, and the first animated entry sets the benchmark for future parts to come. Each episode sees Lupin and his gang trying to steal various artifacts and journey worldwide. The series adopts an episodic structure, which allows it to flesh-out its great cast of characters.
Lupin himself is a charming goofball who’s never a bore to watch on screen. His unbreakable friendship with his right-hand man, Daisuke Jigen, is wonderful to watch. The two always have each other’s backs, even if they get on each other’s nerves in their downtime. Lupin III Part 1 is great for anyone looking to get a glimpse at what makes this legendary franchise so amazing.
2 Urusei Yatsura's Sci-Fi Romance Anime Is Filled With Charm
Streaming on Crunchyroll
Urusei Yatsura is another classic romance anime, and it’s one of the genre’s funniest to boot. High schooler Ataru Moroboshi soon befriends the alien Lum, and the show takes time to slowly build up their relationship. The dynamic between the two is truly sweet, with Lum endlessly doting on the normally flirtatous Ataru. Soon enough, Ataru ends up attracting the attention of another alien «Onis», leading to the cast expanding even more.
Urusei Yatsura’s other characters are just as inviting as its main couple. Shutaro Mendo may be the narcissistic heir to a massive corporation, but seeing his overdramatic antics and his legion of fangirls never gets old. Cherry’s bizarre predictions of how Ataru will meet his doom are also downright hilarious and lead to plenty of other funny moments. Urusei Yatsura still holds up very well, and it’s easy to see why it received a recent remake.
1 Speed Racer's Insane Anime Races Are A Blast to Watch
Streaming on Tubi
Speed Racer is one of the most iconic racing anime of all time, and the original stands the test of time for how delightfully outlandish it gets. Speed himself has a desire to win fair and square, even if it means that his villains will go to ridiculous lengths to cheat. For example, episode 37 has Speed’s Mach 5 car being hijacked by the villainous Mr. Fastbucks. Fastbucks isn’t just out to sabotage Speed’s car, though, as his grand plan involves getting rich by destroying the world’s gas supplies.
It’s this kind of ridiculousness that makes Speed Racer so charming. One minute, it seems like Speed is participating in a normal race in his Mach 5. But just when viewers get comfortable, the series will shift to Racer X’s exploits, busting international corporations’ evil schemes. Speed Racer truly feels unpredictable, and that’s a part of why it remains so timeless.
