The anime medium is ever-changing and dynamic, beloved for its courageousness in exploring bold ideas and setting new trends. Anime’s history saw the rise and fall of countless genres and tropes that once defined the medium’s identity, only to sink into obscurity when replaced by something trendier. The ’70s and ’80s were the golden age of mecha anime — a genre modern fans steer clear of today.
The same fate, undoubtedly, awaits contemporary trends, like isekai and dark fantasy, which will live on only as outdated classics. Yet, some older series, if they were to come back now, would’ve been hits with contemporary audiences despite their aged themes. These timeless shows would work best in today’s anime landscape, as they already have predicted modern trends way before they became mainstream.
10 Serial Experiments Lain
Innovation and experimentation have always been intrinsic to anime’s avant-garde scene. Yet, what in 1997, during the release of Serial Experiments Lain, seemed odd and narratively confusing would’ve been a compelling social commentary in the modern day. Even at the time, Lain felt prophetic in its depiction of the internet, and most of the show’s predictions came true.
Serial Experiments Lain depicted many issues today’s social media society faces — from the blurring between reality and the online world to the horrors of submerging oneself in a world of delusions. Lain’s gradual abandonment of her real self in favor of a forged online identity might resonate with viewers today more pungently than ever before.
9 3×3 Eyes
The popularity of dark urban fantasy skyrocketed in recent years, boosted by such titles as Chainsaw Man and Devilman Crybaby. Despite being released back in 1991, 3×3 Eyes is a prime example of a gritty, intense dark fantasy adventure today’s fans would find enthralling.
Following the hectic escapade of a three-eyed demon girl named Pai and her immortal human slave, Yakumo, 3×3 Eyes combines the gory, ultra-violent appeal of old OVAs and the narrative sensibilities of modern dark fantasy anime. At the time, only four episodes of the OVA aired, adapting only the first few volumes of the original manga. Yet, fans of the source material see the potential in a modern 3×3 Eyes reboot.
8 Revolutionary Girl Utena
Kunihiko Ikuhara’s cult classic Revolutionary Girl Utena is a rare ’90s series that only became more influential with age, regarded as an icon of magical girl deconstructions even today. Brilliantly poignant and thought-provoking, the series seemed ahead of its time when it aired.
From its commentary on gender and social expectations in classic shojo romance to the heavy use of symbolism and unconventional visual metaphors, Utena subverted genre norms that still need to be challenged today. If a show as daring and unorthodox as Revolutionary Girl Utena was to come out now, it would become an instant classic.
7 Now And Then, Here And There
Many find the isekai genre to be hitting a wall, as its popularity and overabundance in the modern anime landscape go hand in hand with staleness and lack of inventive ideas. In many ways, old shows in the genre were much more daring, unrestricted by mainstream expectations. Now and Then, Here and There, a dystopian isekai from 1999, subverted the power fantasy of otherworldly adventure.
Instead of becoming a hero in an alternate reality, the protagonist Shu finds himself in a desolate land, forced to endure torture, starvation, and the horrors of war. Despite the grimness of Shu’s story, it might be the breath of fresh air the isekai genre is missing.
6 Wolf’s Rain
Released in 2004, Wolf’s Rain is a meditative post-apocalyptic adventure that follows a pack of shapeshifting wolves on their journey to the rumored Paradise — an escape from the desolate wasteland that persecutes their kind.
A niche and unexpectedly grim series for its time, Wolf’s Rain didn’t find much support in the early 2000s. However, it established a passionate cult following. A show as complex and nostalgically gloomy as Wolf’s Rain speaks more to the current generation of anime fans, who value a good balance of action and thought-provoking reflection in their dark fantasy shows.
5 The Irresponsible Captain Tylor
The ironic, over-the-top comedic sensibilities the anime fans of today favor can be found in the 1993 space opera The Irresponsible Captain Tylor. Just after the boom of the mecha sci-fi series has ended, The Irresponsible Captain Tylor offered audiences a more lighthearted take on a space adventurer hero.
The titular Captain Tylor is a childish, nonchalant man who gets out of trouble without even realizing he is in danger. While the age of space operas might be long gone, the witty humor of The Irresponsible Captain Tylor is universal, parodying all of anime’s most common archetypes modern audiences would recognize.
4 The Rose Of Versailles
The groundbreaking historical drama from 1979, The Rose of Versailles, follows the courageous commander of the Royal Guard, Lady Oscar, and Queen Marie Antoinette during the buildup to the French Revolution. One of the most influential works in the shojo genre, The Rose of Versailles pushed the boundaries of conventionality in shojo heroines.
Lady Oscar became an icon of gender nonconforming characters — a warrior raised to succeed in men’s trade who still values her femininity. Today’s anime landscape, which appreciates mold-breaking protagonists more than ever before, would benefit from more unorthodox, inspirational leads like her.
3 Vampire Hunter D
The futuristic dark fantasy Vampire Hunter D is a type of anime that could compel audiences from any generation. Sci-fi, vampires, occult science, post-apocalyptic setting — every core element of this iconic franchise is universally appealing and timeless. D’s travels as a hitman-for-hire who eliminates supernatural enemies vary from melancholy adventure tales to blood-chilling horror.
Yet, the stories never lose their poignancy and elegant visual flare unique to the pre-digital era of anime. The novels Vampire Hunter D is based on are still in active publication, which makes a modern rendition of the legendary character plausible.
2 Salaryman Kintaro
Seinen stories are often falsely limited in fans’ minds to blood and gore fests with no real maturity or substance. Yet, the recent rise in popularity of realistic seinen series, like March Comes In Like A Lion and Kaguya-sama: Love is War, indicates a change in this faulty consensus.
Similarly, Salaryman Kintaro is interested in exploring the complexity and internal development of its characters instead of focusing on violent action. Kintaro, the former leader of a biker gang, pursues the opposite of destruction that used to dominate his youth. After the death of his wife, he embarks on a journey of self-improvement today’s seinen fans might find insightful and refreshing.
1 Tomorrow’s Joe
Sports anime have been experiencing a golden age for the past decade. A heap of the most popular modern series is affiliated with the genre, and sports anime fanbases, characterized by their passion and loyalty, helped these shows stay relevant even after their conclusions.
Even by today’s standards, the ’70s boxing anime Tomorrow’s Joe is just as narratively compelling and thrilling as contemporary sports series. Underdog stories are a beloved staple of the sports genre, so there’s no reason why Joe Yabuki’s rise to boxing stardom wouldn’t resonate with modern audiences.
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