The 1970s solidified genres like mecha, magical girls, and space operas, and laid the groundwork for much of the modern anime industry.
Here’s a list of notable anime from the 1970s, another transformative decade for the medium:
1970
- Attack No. 1 – The first female sports anime focused on volleyball.
- Ashita no Joe – A boxing anime that became a cultural phenomenon.
1971
- Lupin III – The original series of the master thief Lupin III, based on the manga by Monkey Punch.
- Andersen Monogatari – An anime adaptation of Hans Christian Andersen’s fairy tales.
- Marvelous Melmo (Fushigi na Melmo) – An Osamu Tezuka magical girl anime.
- Inakappe Taishō – A comedy anime about a boy from the countryside.
1972
- Triton of the Sea (Umi no Toriton) – Directed by Osamu Tezuka, this series focused on an underwater adventure.
- Akado Suzunosuke – A historical martial arts anime.
- Gatchaman (Science Ninja Team Gatchaman) – A superhero team anime, known in the U.S. as “Battle of the Planets.”
- Devilman – A dark, supernatural series based on Go Nagai’s manga.
- Dokonjō Gaeru – A comedy anime about a boy and his talking frog.
- Mazinger Z – The original mecha anime that introduced giant piloted robots.
1973
- Doraemon (1973 series) – An early adaptation of the famous robotic cat.
- Kerokko Demetan – A fantasy anime centered around frogs.
- Dororon Enma-kun – A supernatural anime by Go Nagai.
- Wansa-kun – A slice-of-life series about a dog.
1974
- Heidi, Girl of the Alps – A classic series from Isao Takahata and Hayao Miyazaki.
- Space Battleship Yamato – A pioneering space opera anime.
- Getter Robo – Another mecha anime that introduced the combining robot concept.
- Majokko Megu-chan – A magical girl anime that helped solidify the genre.
1975
- The Adventures of Maya the Honey Bee – A children’s anime about a honeybee’s adventures.
- Ikkyū-san – A historical comedy about a famous Zen monk.
- La Seine no Hoshi – A story set in Revolutionary France.
- Time Bokan – The first series of Tatsunoko’s Time Bokan franchise, known for its comedic villains.
- UFO Robo Grendizer – A mecha anime by Go Nagai, part of the Mazinger series.
- Dog of Flanders – A tragic story of a poor boy and his dog, set in Belgium.
1976
- Candy Candy – A romantic story about an orphan girl.
- 3000 Leagues in Search of Mother – Directed by Isao Takahata, this series is an emotional journey about a boy searching for his mother.
- Gaiking – A mecha anime with a dragon-shaped robot.
- Blocker Gundan 4 Machine Blaster – A lesser-known mecha series.
- Magne Robo Gakeen – Another combining mecha series.
1977
- Yatterman – Part of the Time Bokan series with comedic villains and heroes.
- Angie Girl – A detective anime set in Victorian England.
- Voltes V – A popular mecha anime, especially in the Philippines.
- Lupin III: Part II – The second season of the Lupin III franchise, featuring more of the master thief’s adventures.
- Chōdenji Robo Combattler V – A mecha anime with a combining robot.
1978
- Future Boy Conan – Directed by Hayao Miyazaki, this is a post-apocalyptic adventure.
- Captain Harlock – A space opera anime about the space pirate Captain Harlock.
- Galaxy Express 999 – A sci-fi epic involving a journey through space aboard a mystical train.
- Haikara-san ga Tōru – A romantic comedy set in the Taisho era.
- Daltanious – A mecha anime featuring a robot with a lion’s head.
- Wakakusa no Charlotte – A drama about a young girl growing up in 19th-century France.
1979
- The Rose of Versailles – A historical romance set during the French Revolution, following the life of Lady Oscar.
- Mobile Suit Gundam – The start of the Gundam franchise, a milestone in the real robot genre.
- Anne of Green Gables – Directed by Isao Takahata, based on the famous Canadian novel.
- Doraemon (1979 series) – A longer-running and more successful adaptation of the famous robot cat.
- Tōshō Daimos – A mecha anime with a romantic subplot.
- Kum-Kum – A prehistoric comedy anime.
