80’s Anime
It is nice to learn how all your anime got so good, and there is no better place to go than the 80’s. As anime was introduced to the United States, the generation of the nineties got a taste of Japanese culture which inspired a whole generation of anime fanatics.
The honorable mentions presented here are sure to touch the soul of anyone past thirty and even some 20-year-olds.
Form Voltron!
Current kids know of Voltron, The Legendary Defender. It’s current iteration, which is popular especially among the LGBT community for a popular homosexual main character Takashi Shirogane (also known as Shiro the hero), has helped enlivened LGBTQ+ representation in media of cartons targeting children and young adults.
The Voltron of the 80’s was of particular note because it was among the first taste young kids in America had of anime. Based upon the original work of Beast King GoLion and Armore Fleet Dairugger XV, the mixing of these two cartoons was a media success in America.
Ronin Warriors
Another honorable mention is Ronin Warriors, an anime about five teens empowered by mystical samurai armor as they fight the Dark Dynasty. Originally named the Legendary Armor Samurai Troopers, these teens fought Talpa the demon lord of the Netherworld using the power of the five virtues, teamwork and friendship.
This show was alongside Voltron as a popular cartoon for teenagers. It introduced Japanese culture to America in a way that was not presented before in animation. The show included references to japanese folklore and history for example the Date Clan, shinobi, and a mature undertone in the introduction of the main characters and villains. The armors used by the kids were once pieces of Talpa which had been separated from the dark lord (a physical manifestation of the accumulated evil of mankind).
Only when tempered by the virtues of the teens in their defense of the earth could the mystical armor be wielded against evil.
It's Worth a Watch
Blockbuster stores, the precursor to Netflix with the VHS had entire sections dedicated to anime. One anime, a show about police piloted mechanized troopers called Patlabor is worth watching.
These shows aided the invasion of Japanese Anime into our hearts with the creation of an entire community of Japanese to English Translators who bought and translated whole mangas and anime into English subtitles.
There are thousands of manga and anime websites dedicated to spreading the gospel of cool fights and mature storylines that anime has blessed us with.
