Whenever a manga becomes successful, there's always a good chance of it getting an adaptation in some form. Most of the time, this is an anime adaptation. Manga and anime go so hand in hand that it's basically impossible to talk about one without bringing up the other, and there are endless discussions among fans over which version of a given series is better.
However, for every manga that manages an anime adaptation, there are a bunch that don't get one at all. Sometimes it's because they're not popular enough, to get one, but other times it's because they get adapted into a different medium instead. Here are some of the best manga from the '80s that never got a serialized television anime.
10 Caravan Kidd
In a strange futuristic world, the Helgebard Empire is sweeping the continent. Taking advantage of the chaos, Wataru and his partner Babo sell stolen items on the black market. One day, they come into contact with Mian Toris, who immediately demands they become her pets and accompany her on her journey.
Caravan Kidd is a sci-fi comedy adventure with tons of ridiculous hijinks. Wataru, Mian, and Babo are always getting in each other's way, and the result is a spectacular disaster that leaves readers laughing.
9 Fuuko In The Cafe
Fuuko is a high school girl working as a waitress at a cafe so that she can get over her shyness. As she works at the cafe from day to day, she meets a variety of people all with different outlooks and perspectives on life.
Fuuko In The Cafe might seem like a rather leisurely slice of life, but it's actually a rather dramatic series. While some stories in the manga have aged badly, it's still a decent read for anyone who enjoys more down-to-earth stories.
8 Pineapple Army
Whenever someone needs help with a problem that no one else can help with, they call former marine and mercenary Jed Goshi. However, he's not a bodyguard or a detective — he's a military instructor, and his role is to train his clients until they're strong enough to handle their problems by themselves.
Pineapple Army was drawn by Naoki Urasawa, who would later become famous for works like 20th Century Boys and Monster. Pineapple Army is not as amazing as those two series, but it has a charm to it that makes it enjoyable all the same.
7 Dragon Half
Mink is a half-human, half dragon girl who is in love with a man called Dick Saucer. However, Dick Saucer is a dragonslayer, which puts him at odds with Mink. Therefore, she resolves to search out a potion that will make her a full human, but it turns out that she'll have to fight the Demon Lord to get it.
Dragon Half is a comedy manga that parodies common JRPG tropes and fantasy stories. While it had a very short OVA release, it never got a full TV anime series.
6 The Journey Of Shuna
Hayao Miyazaki is generally known as a film director, but most are unaware that he is also a prolific mangaka as well. One such work is The Journey of Shuna, a one-volume story about Prince Shuna, who journeys to find the golden seeds so that he can restore his valley's dying crops.
The Journey of Shuna is a classic Miyazaki story, with his unique art style and storytelling approach all over it. Prince Shuna's perilous adventure puts him at odds with terrors like ferocious cannibals and enslaving man-hunters, making it a tense, engaging fantasy story.
5 Blazing Transfer Student
Transfer student Noboru Takizawa arrives at his new school, and he quickly learns that any conflict here can be settled with a fight. He soon gets embroiled in a conflict between students over the beautiful Yukari Takamura, and decides to throw his own hat into the ring.
Blazing Transfer Student is such stereotypical shonen manga that it's almost a parody, and the characters are so hot-blooded that it almost doesn't seem real. Every chapter is packed full to the brim with unbelievable action scenes. This manga hits the ground running, and never slows down once.
4 3x3 Eyes
Pai is a mysterious three-eyed girl whose destiny changes when she crosses paths with a young man named Yakumo. When the two are attacked by a monster, Yakumo takes a fatal blow meant for Pai. Pai manages to save Yakumo's life, but only by turning him into an immortal undead servant. The two of them set out for a way to become fully human.
3x3 Eyes is an epic supernatural tale complete with moments of mystique and romance. The relationship between Pai and Yakumo is the crux of the series, and it is one that is quite notable.
3 One-Pound Gospel
Kosaku Hatanaka is a strong up-and-coming boxer, whose only flaw is his insatiable appetite. Despite his amazing strength, his repeated failures at weigh-in cause him to be considered a laughingstock in the boxing community, even though his ability is acknowledged. While dealing with these problems, Kosaku becomes infatuated with a nun named Angela, who takes it upon herself to help Kosaku get over his eating issues.
Rumiko Takahashi is a legendary mangaka, and One-Pound Gospel is only one of her many works. While it is not as well known as some of her others, it is a fun, lighthearted rom-com that fans will surely enjoy.
2 Rough
Keisuke Yamato is a swimmer, while Ami Ninomiya is a diver. The two of them come from rival families, both of which own confectionery shops. Despite the animosity between the two families, Keisuke and Ami slowly become close and fall in love.
Rough is another in manga veteran Mitsuru Adachi's catalogue of sports-romance works. Unfortunately, it was never as popular, but it's still got plenty of interesting plotlines to read. While it never got an anime adaptation, it did receive a live-action movie adaptation in 2006.
1 Video Girl Ai
Yota Moteuchi, depressed after learning that his crush is in love with his best friend, decides to rent a video from a mysterious video store called Paradise. He plays the video at home and soon discovers that the video summons a digital girl named Ai Amano. As a Video Girl, Ai is meant to cheer Yota up, but since she was played on a broken video recorder, she instead falls in love with Yota herself.
Video Girl Ai was one of the first major works of Masakazu Katsura of I"s and Zetman fame. It is a hilarious jaunt full of hijinks, but it also has moments of sincere romance. While the series never got a full TV anime series, it did get several live-action dramas.