With so many studios making reboots and remasters of old shows and movies, it can be fun to look back at older classics and see which shows really shined. This is just as true for anime with many shows recently getting reanimated for viewing by new audiences.
The 70s were an amazing era for anime with many shows coming out that still influence shows coming out to this day. Some shows are still so good there's no need to watch a remaster — the originals are still strong to this day.
10 Doraemon
The original run of Doraemon isn't just one of the longest-running anime of all time, it's also a fantastic show to watch with kids. Spanning over 1700 episodes, the show follows the adventures of a blue robot from the future named Doraemon and his young ward Nobita.
The show was so popular it even got remade in 2005 with a new animation style. This reboot of sorts is still getting new episodes showing just how strong the story from this classic anime is to this day.
9 The Story Of Perrine (Perrine Monogatari)
The animation for The Story of Perrine may be dated but the story itself remains as powerful as it was during its initial release over 40 years ago. One part historical drama and another part slice of life, the story follows a young woman named Perrine who is trying to travel to France with her mother and father, but both of them die along the way.
She's forced to work in her grandfather's 1880's factory while trying to find a way to make him love her. Her grandfather doesn't know Perrine is his granddaughter as he didn't approve of her father's marriage. The characters in Perrine Monogatari aren't cardboard cut-outs and the show's realism is someone not often seen in anime today.
8 Lupin III (Lupin The Third)
Lupin the Third follows the antics of the famous thief Arsène Lupin's grandson as he tries to dodge Interpol, balance a love life, and manage his own impressive heists.
Lupin III's influence radiates out to this day with a new reanimated movie based on it coming out as recently as 2019. It also got a reanimated version of the series released originally in Italy in 2015.
7 Space Pirate Captain Harlock (Uchuu Kaizoku Captain Herlock)
Shows like Outlaw Star and Cowboy Bebop can be traced back to the stories told in Space Pirate Captain Harlock. Releasing at the tail end of the 70s, the show is based so far in the future that society has become lazy from modern conveniences. With a mysterious blue alien attacking, it's up to the strange crew of the Arcadia to save the day.
The show was quite groundbreaking for the time, and while it shows its age today, Space Pirate Captain Harlock is still worth checking out today.
6 Galaxy Express 999 (Ginga Tetsudou 999)
The Galaxy Express 99 from which the show gets its name is a train that travels throughout the universe. The rumor is that anyone that reaches the end of the line will be granted a mechanical body that allows them to live forever.
This sets the scene for Tetsurou who wants his own mechanical body after both of his parents died. He meets a mysterious woman named Maetel who offers him a ticket as long as he travels with her. This results in many fantastic adventures for viewers to enjoy.
5 Treasure Island (Takarajima)
The tale of Jim Hawkins is a timeless classic with the original novel Treasure Island by Robert Louis Stevenson being released back in 1882. It only makes sense that it would get an anime adaptation! With legendary director Osamu Dezaki behind the helm, the series became one of the better versions of this pirate story to ever appear on screen.
4 Mobile Suit Gundam
This was the series that started the entire Gundam franchise. While fans look back on it fondly today, the show was so unpopular upon its initial release it was almost canceled after just 39 episodes but the crew was able to expand it to 43.
It's hard to believe that with such a rough start that Mobile Suit Gundam ended up revolutionizing the anime industry and even winning awards. While underappreciated in its time, it's absolutely worth going back to watch it today.
3 Future Boy Conan (Mirai Shounen Conan)
Anyone that enjoys Studio Ghibli films should take the time to check out this early piece of Miyazaki's work. Future Boy Conan takes place in a post-apocalyptic world where only two people living on Remnant Island believe they are the only humans left on the planet. When a young girl washes up on the beach, everything changes and it leads to a fantastic adventure.
2 The Rose Of Versailles (Versailles No Bara)
Based on the best-selling manga by Riyoko Ikeda, Versailles no Bara follows an alternate telling of the history leading up to the French Revolution. It features an epic romance between Marie Antoinette and Oscar, a woman who has been raised as a man to lead the royale guard.
It's fantastic to watch the story knowing time is slowly ticking away before royalty is removed forever from France. The Rose of Versailles was critically acclaimed upon its original release and is still well-loved by viewers that check it out today.
1 Tomorrow's Joe (Ashita No Joe)
This boxing anime classic inspired every show like it that came after — Fighting Spirit and Megalobox would not be what they are without Tomorrow's Joe. It follows the underdog story of Joe Yabuki as he tries to go from troubled youth to Japan's boxing champion. Tomorrow's Joe ranks among the best shonen anime of all time despite being over fifty years old.