Here is a list of notable anime from the 1960s, a pioneering era in Japanese animation, particularly for the TV anime format:
1960
- Astro Boy (1960 Pilot) – Prototype of what would become “Astro Boy.”
1961
- Otogi Manga Calendar – The first Japanese anime TV series.
1963
- Astro Boy (Tetsuwan Atom) – Considered the first popular Japanese TV anime, created by Osamu Tezuka.
- Wanpaku Ōji no Orochi Taiji – A theatrical film known in English as “The Little Prince and the Eight-Headed Dragon.”
1964
- Shōnen Ninja Kaze no Fujimaru – A ninja-themed anime series.
- Big X – Created by Osamu Tezuka, a science fiction anime involving a Nazi invention.
1965
- Jungle Taitei (Kimba the White Lion) – A classic anime also created by Osamu Tezuka, often credited with being one of the first full-color TV anime series.
- Obake no Q-tarō – A light-hearted anime about a ghost that befriends humans.
1966
- Sally the Witch (Mahōtsukai Sally) – Considered the first “magical girl” anime.
- Prince Planet (Yūsei Shōnen Papii) – A space-themed superhero anime.
- Rainbow Sentai Robin – A team-based superhero anime series.
- Bōken Gabotenjima – An adventure series that aired for a short time.
1967
- Golden Bat (Ōgon Bat) – An anime adaptation of one of Japan’s oldest superheroes.
- Captain Ultra – A sci-fi anime with a futuristic setting.
- Mach GoGoGo (Speed Racer) – An anime about racing cars, later popularized in the U.S. as “Speed Racer.”
- Pyūta no Bōken – A series of animated shorts about a boy and his adventures.
- Perman – A superhero anime created by Fujiko Fujio.
1968
- Kaibutsu-kun – A comedic anime about a prince from the Monster Land.
- GeGeGe no Kitarō – A supernatural series about yokai (Japanese ghosts/monsters).
- The Great Adventure of Horus, Prince of the Sun – A landmark anime film by Isao Takahata and Hayao Miyazaki.
1969
- Sazae-san – A long-running slice-of-life anime that started in 1969 and continues to this day.
- Dororo – An anime about a ronin and his quest to reclaim his stolen body parts, created by Osamu Tezuka.
- Star of the Giants (Kyojin no Hoshi) – A baseball anime considered one of the most influential sports anime of all time.
- Moomin – An anime adaptation of the Swedish-Finnish Moomin stories.
This era was foundational in shaping the anime industry, with many series helping to establish the genres and styles that would become popular in the following decades.
