Anime Comment: Top 5 Retro Animes You HAVE to Watch

We can classify as "retro" those series/gadgets/clothes/etc which are older than 15 years.

Anime fans, just like any computer or sport aficionados, sooner or later encounter "retro" stuff. These "old" items are not only nostalgic (specially when you grew up with them), but they provide a glimpse of the history behind the industry. Where we were, and where we are now.

Most retro animes are not only masterpieces, but they constitute the foundation of many modern anime series. For example, Mazinger Z existed before Gundam and Evangelion. Kenshiro's Hokuto Shinken blasted enemies before Goku's Kame Hame Ha, and Kisaragi Honey transformed into the magical girl Cutey Honey way long before Usagui Tsukino called herself Sailor Moon.

Often under-appreciated because "they are too long," or because "their animation sucks," I often slap kids who say they don't know who Kenshiro is. Or Cutey Honey. or Devilman. Or Maetel. But they do know who Eren Jaeger is and ship him with Levi Ackerman instead of Mikasa.

Felt the stone hit your jab? Perhaps you are in some need of discovering the wonders of the anime past, and teaching yourself to enjoy the characters of legend.

Here I introduce you to my selected Top 5 list of Retro Anime, considering both their influence in the anime world as well as the originality of their plots. These are, by no means, the oldest animes or the most influential, but each one left a mark in the anime community and have a permanent place in our hearts.

And we begin with...

1. Fist of the North Star

The Fist of the North Star (Hokuto no Ken) follows the story of Kenshiro, the inheritor of the secret martial art Hokuto Shinken, in his path for revenge in a post-apocalyptic world.

This is a prime shounen work which capitalizes the concept of a character seeking revenge against his previous friends, engaging in fiercely martial arts fights to protect the innocent, and giving names to his final moves.

Many argue though that Hokuto no Ken took many cues from Mad Max. It is rumoured that Xena's war cry is a direct adaptation of Kenshiro's "ATATATATATATATATA!" Perhaps it is time for you to see if it is true??

2. Devilman

Written and illustrated by Go Nagai, Devilman was first releases as a manga and then as an anime. Both stories differ a bit, however, the anime follows the story of Devilman, a demon who occupies the body of student Akira Fudo to cause calamities and seed evil so the demonic kingdom can invade Earth. However Devilman falls in love with Miki, and has to fight against his fellow demon brothers to protect her. Devilman has been catalogued as an iconic series with dark tones given its graphic violence, casual blasphemy, and the theme of using evil to fight evil.

3. Cutie Honey

Another Go Nagai work, Cutie Honey (also spelled Cutey Honey) is the story of Kisaragi Honey, a pretty young teen in all-girls Catholic high school. In the first episode, Honey's father is murdered by the criminal organization Panther Claw, which seeks the possession of the Elemental manipulation Device. Before her father dies, she is told that she is not a human but an android powered by the device. Using that same power Honey is able to transformed into a red-haired heroine whose name is Cutey Honey. There have been several anime releases, movies, and video games of Cutey Honey, and it is considered a very influential magical girl series (Sailor Moon took much of its enemies design from Honey!).

4. Galaxy Express 999

If there is an anime that has touched my heart, in really profound ways, it is Galaxy Express 999. This masterpiece was created by Leiji Matsumoto, and tells the story of Tetsurou, a poor young boy whose dream is to board the Galaxy Express 999 train to obtain a mechanical body for him and his mother.

Tetsurou's adventure starts with the loss of his mother to the hands of mechanical people, who look down on the population with flesh bodies. Tetsurou is helped to escape his certain death by a mysterious blonde lady in black named Maetel, who also helps him again to revenge the death of his mother.  Maetel offers Tetsurou a ticket to the Galaxy Express 999 to obtain his mechanical body, and this is where the anime develops. Tetsurou sees with his own eyes the consequences of having a mechanical body, and every episode is a lesson and a reminder of the precious moments that we have in this life, and how to cherish the concept of love and friendship.

I cried a lot watching this anime, and I am not ashamed to say it. Galaxy Express 999 is definitely a great introduction to the Leijiverse (Queen Emeraldas, Captain Harlock) which influenced many space animes in the years to come.

5. The Rose of Versailles

This is probably my favorite anime of all time. When I watched it during college it made all of my friends cry.

The Rose of Versailles is based on the French Revolution time period, and focuses on the character of Oscar François de Jarjayes, a girl who is raised as a man to become her father's successor as leader of the Palace Guards.Upon seeing the suffering of the French people, she is torn between her loyalty to Marie Antoinette and her sense of justice, while also addressing her conflicting desires to live as a soldier or simply fall in love with someone (Axel von Fersen, and André Grandier)

The anime tackles several real French historic moments (the Affair of the Diamond Necklace, the taking of the Bastille), and is so well-made and filled with drama that it rivals the best soap operas I have ever seen. This series is a MUST for anyone who considers him/herself an otaku. In all honesty, it is the first question I ask upon meeting someone new in the anime world.

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Watching retro animes is the same as watching classic movies. They're slow, build up the drama, and present you with wonderful doses of seeing the world through different eyes.

I can only hope that you enjoy them all!