From intense space operas to hilarious gender-bending comedies, the 1980s anime pushed creative boundaries and defined entire genres that are still going strong today.
It’s the decade that made anime what it is, 80s like a shrine to anime greatness. This era birthed some of the most iconic series that laid the foundation for everything we binge-watch today.
Here’s a rundown of the best 1980s anime, guaranteed to bring you back to the time when everything was more extra—and we loved it.
1. Captain Tsubasa
| Genre | Action, Sport, Shounen |
| Episodes | 128 |
| Aired | 1983-1986 |
| Studio | Tsuchida Production |
Captain Tsubasa laid the foundation for sports anime.
A football prodigy, Tsubasa Oozora, is obsessed with becoming the best football player in the world, and for some reason, soccer balls seem to defy the laws of physics around him. I mean, have you seen the curvature on that shot?
This anime is credited with inspiring actual professional football players. Yep, those wild kicks and slow-motion, 10-episode-long goals really did work!
The epic kicks in Captain Tsubasa will have you convinced that football is more intense than any world-ending anime battle.
2. Ranma ½
| Genre | Action, Comedy, Ecchi, Romance, Slice of Life |
| Episodes | 143 |
| Aired | 1989-1992 |
| Studio | DEEN |
Ranma Saotome, a martial artist with a slight problem—he turns into a girl when splashed with cold water and reverts back with hot water.
Cue awkward moments, gender-bending humor, and lots of martial arts showdowns.
This was one of the first anime to play with gender identity, albeit in a way that mostly involved Ranma yelling, “I’m not a girl!” a lot.
The love triangles alone are worth it, but really, watching Ranma juggle martial arts tournaments with the perils of accidentally turning into a girl is the kind of life struggle we can all relate to.
If you’re into Ouran High School Host Club‘s quirky humor and love for bending gender norms, Ranma was doing it before it was cool, with added high-kick action!
3. Mobile Suit Zeta Gundam
| Genre | Action, Drama, Mecha, Sci-fi |
| Episodes | 50 |
| Aired | 1985-1986 |
| Studio | Sunrise |
In this mecha classic, Kamille Bidan gets dragged into an intergalactic war between the Earth Federation and the rebellious Titans. Spoiler: it’s not exactly a lighthearted comedy.
The series has one of the most downbeat endings of any Gundam series, so stock up on tissues.
Want to question your life choices while watching giant robots punch each other? This 1980s anime is the one. It’s a master class in realizing the universe is a dark and unforgiving place, but at least the mechs look cool!
4. Saint Seiya: Knights of the Zodiac
| Genre | Action, Fantasy, Shounen |
| Episodes | 114 |
| Aired | 1986-1989 |
| Studio | Toei Animation |
Five warriors don magical armor and fight for the goddess Athena. Spoiler: It’s basically a fashion show with a side of cosmic destruction.
The armors are inspired by actual constellations. Astrology buffs, this is the anime for you!
If you ever wanted to see what would happen if horoscopes were deadly weapons, Saint Seiya is here to fulfill your cosmic combat dreams.
5. Legend of the Galactic Heroes
| Genre | Action, Drama, Sci-fi |
| Episodes | 110 |
| Aired | 1988-1997 |
| Studio | Sentai Filmwork |
Two brilliant tacticians, Reinhard von Lohengramm and Yang Wen-li, duke it out in a galaxy-wide chess game that just happens to involve actual battleships and the fate of humanity.
With over 100 episodes, it’s the anime equivalent of committing to reading War and Peace—in space. This isn’t just an anime, it’s a political drama wrapped in space opera.
You’ll feel smarter just watching this 1980s anime and you’ll finally be able to talk to that one friend who won’t shut up about the brilliance of Legend of the Galactic Heroes.
If you enjoy Code Geass for its masterful strategy, political maneuvering, and complex characters, you’ll find a lot to love in Legend of the Galactic Heroes. Plus, you’ll come out of it feeling like a galactic genius.
6. Dragon Ball
| Genre | Action, Adventure, Comedy, Fantasy, Shounen |
| Episodes | 153 |
| Aired | 1986-1989 |
| Studio | Toei Animation |
If you’re a fan of Naruto or One Piece, Goku’s journey to become the strongest fighter ever will feel like the ancestor of every shonen hero you know and love.
Goku, a monkey-tailed boy with super strength, goes on a quest to find the Dragon Balls, magical orbs that grant wishes. Along the way, he meets colorful characters, fights a lot, and somehow still finds time to grow into a Super Saiyan by the end of his teenage years.
Goku’s love for food knows no bounds. If eating contests were part of martial arts, Goku would win every time.
Because without Dragon Ball, your childhood was probably 87% less epic. Plus, how else are you going to understand Dragon Ball Z memes?
7. Macross
| Genre | Action, Drama, Mecha, Music, Romance, Sci-Fi |
| Episodes | 36 |
| Aired | 1982 |
| Studio | Tatsunoko Production, Studio Nue |
The last humanity is under attack by giant alien warlords, and the only thing that can save us is a love triangle and transforming fighter jets.
Macross series helped pioneer the idol singer anime trope. Yes, one of the key weapons against aliens is a pop star.
If you like your alien invasions with a side of catchy tunes and jet fighters that morph into robots, this 1980s anime is the perfect mix of high-stakes action and karaoke.
8. Fist of the North Star
| Genre | Action, Drama, Sci-fi |
| Episodes | 109 |
| Aired | 1984-1987 |
| Studio | Toei Animation |
If you loved JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure for its muscly heroes, epic fights, and outrageous one-liners, Kenshiro walked so JoJo could run.
In a post-apocalyptic world where everything is terrible, Kenshiro goes around making things worse for the bad guys—by making them explode with a single punch. “You’re already dead” has never been said more confidently.
Kenshiro’s signature line, “Omae wa mou shindeiru,” became one of the most iconic quotes in anime history.
9. Magical Princess Minky Momo
| Genre | Mahou Shoujo, Magic, Fantasy |
| Episodes | 63 |
| Aired | 1982-1983 |
| Studio | Ashi Production |
If you want to see the roots of the magical girl genre (with a ton of sparkles), Minky Momo is a charming, rainbow-hued trip down memory lane.
Minky Momo is a magical girl from a kingdom in the sky, tasked with bringing hope and dreams back to the human world. Think of her as an early 80s version of Sailor Moon with more rainbow sparkles.
10. Maison Ikkoku
| Genre | Comedy, Drama, Romance, Slice of Life |
| Episodes | 96 |
| Aired | 1986-1988 |
| Studio | DEEN |
Yusaku Godai, a college student, falls in love with the widowed manager of his boarding house, Kyoko. Cue romantic hijinks with a side of slapstick comedy, because nothing says “romantic tension” like constant misunderstandings.
The 1980s anime is based on a manga by Rumiko Takahashi, who also created Ranma ½—this woman knows her way around a love triangle.
If you’ve ever had an unrequited crush that involved embarrassing situations, Maison Ikkoku is going to feel painfully relatable. It’s also a reminder that finding love can be just as awkward in anime as it is IRL.
So, dust off your VHS tapes (or find these streaming somewhere—you know, modern convenience and all), and prepare for a nostalgia-fueled binge of over-the-top action, awkward romance, and enough epic hair to make you appreciate the 1980s anime in all its glory!
