The expansive anime universe offers many different tales with compelling characters, engaging plots, and epic moments. While some anime come and go, many deliver outstanding and memorable experiences. Those types of anime typically contain well-written storylines, characters, and events that will excite people more.
For our ongoing series of articles depicting the best anime, we’d like to highlight the best anime from the 1960s. From Cyborg 009 to the iconic Astro Boy, there are many classic gems you should add to your watchlist.
Of course, if we’ve missed any of your favorites, feel free to comment below and we’ll add them when we can!
Astro Boy
Astro Boy is a classic 60s anime that’s still pumping out new material today for modern audiences. This anime follows Astro, a robot boy who defends Japan against many dangerous adversaries. With his strength and distinct abilities, he hopes his acts of kindness will show his world’s humans that robots aren’t evil beings.
What makes Astro Boy great is its incredible mix between social commentary and science fiction elements. It delivers a critique of society’s values while entertaining viewers with Astro’s thrilling adventures throughout the tale. This anime was also one of the first of its kind to air in the United States and its use of cel-shading and hand-drawn animation set the stage for future anime to follow.
Astro is an endearing character with many likable qualities. Most of his endeavors are entertaining and meaningful, demonstrating values of kindness, righteousness, and themes that will leave an impact on modern fans who watch it today.
Speed Racer
Speed Racer is another anime from the 60s that charmed the hearts of children at the time. It has fun racing sequences, likable characters, and decent storylines. The racing sequences introduced many children to the fabulous sport of motorsports with its imaginative car designs and adrenaline-pumping races.
Speed, the anime’s protagonist, is just as entertaining. He’s a talented racer who strives to do the right thing. His loyalty to his family and friends is inspiring, and he never says “no” to a challenge. His persistence, sense of justice, and bravery make him the ideal role model for younger viewers to follow.
In addition to having fun villains like Red X and a wonderful mix of different genres like sci-fi, action, and drama, Speed Racer is a great series to check out if you’re looking for something to satiate your retro needs.
Kimba The White Lion
Princess Knight
Princess Knight is a great 60s anime that broke new ground for its time. It had a strong female lead and fun storytelling brimming with progressive themes. The anime follows Princess Sapphire, a girl raised as a prince and born with a girl’s body and a boy’s mind. She’s raised as a boy because there are no male successors in her kingdom. Although some evildoers want to reveal her secret, Sapphire disguises herself as “Princess Knight” and uses her sword of justice to vanquish foes.
This anime’s known for breaking gender stereotypes through its dual protagonist Sapphire. The princess herself is another reason why this series is incredible. She’s a fearless heroine who fights for what’s right.
Sapphire remains strong even when the odds are stacked against her. Many people will be inspired by her bravery and resilience. This anime also incorporates a unique blend of fairy-tale elements, action, and fantasy aspects that’ll keep viewers engaged and excited. This anime paved the way for much shoujo anime and ushered in a new era of programs for the anime industry.
Gegege No Kitaro
Gegege No Kitaro is a classic horror comedy that received a remake from Toei Animation in 2018. This anime explores Japanese folklore and the supernatural, showcasing different Yokai many will find appealing. Many episodes contain great underlying messages that’ll strike a core with folks and incorporate great humor and slapstick.
Kitaro, the anime’s protagonist, is enjoyable to watch in the series. He’s a half-human, half-yokai paranormal investigator who fights against evil supernatural beings. He’s fearless and driven by his undying sense of justice and empathy for Yokai and humans.
This anime provides an intriguing insight into Japanese myths and folklore. Therefore, if you’re looking for a fun and entertaining horror comedy with a great cast, I’d recommend giving Gegege No Kitaro a try.
Gigantor
Gigantor is an iconic anime from the 60s era that launched the mecha genre. It was one of the first shows that made use of robots as central characters and focus on the relationship between the powerful robot Tetsujin and his young companion Shotaro. They work together to battle numerous evildoers who want to use Tetsujin to fulfill their devious desires.
For its time, the animation quality was superb. Everything from the way the robots moved to how they fought looked stunning during the 60s. These mechanical organisms went on to inspire many other creators and authors in the genre. Furthermore, Gigantor explores moral and ethical issues despite being a show targeted toward a child audience.
You can expect the show to tackle all types of topics such as war, politics, and ethical dilemmas. This helps the anime stand out from other childish anime and it set the standard for many other series. With its innovative storytelling and lovely technological designs, Gigantor is a classic anime that’s worth revisiting.
Prince Planet
Prince Planet is a fun sci-fi series from the 60s revolving around a space cadet named Prince Planet. He’s tasked with traveling to Earth to see if they meet the standards of the Galactic Union of Worlds. He changes his name to Bobby and finds himself battling countless aliens and humans to protect the Earth from danger.
This anime features characters with distinct characteristics that set them apart. You’ll enjoy seeing Bobby ruin his enemy’s plans and interact with all types of extraterrestrial life. The anime delves into the idea of heroism and highlights the good and bad aspects of the job. Bobby must make numerous sacrifices and tough decisions in most battles, leading to tense character moments. For those looking for a simple and fun sci-fi action series to watch from the 60s, this is worth your time.
Himitsu no Akko-chan
Himitsu no Akko-chan is one of the earliest magical girl series with a great premise and cast. It follows Atsuko Kagami, an upbeat schoolgirl who adores mirrors. One day, a mirror she received from her mother breaks, so she buries it in her yard. She gets contacted by a spirit, who loves that Akko treated the mirror with respect.
The being grants Akko a magic mirror that’ll let her become anything she wants. The idea of becoming anything you want is something many people will adore about Himitsu no Akko-chan’s story. It helps the anime stand out from most magical girl series from the past to the present and leads to many fun and amusing circumstances involving Akko and her future companions.
The show tackles themes that’ll resonate with many children and adults. These include growing up and developing close bonds with people. The anime also highlights aspects of poverty and environmentalism.
For the time, Himistu no Akko-chan had great animation and beautifully drawn backgrounds. For those who love magical girls but want to see a 1960s spin on the genre, check this anime out.
The Little Norse Prince
The Little Norse Prince is one of the best anime to grace the 60s era. It follows Horus, a boy who uncovers the sword of the sun. With a small bear named Koro at his side, he embarks on a quest to fight the evil Grunwald and his subordinates. This anime touches upon ideas concerning justice and morality, which are ideas that will resonate with many distinct audiences.
Horus is a brave and courageous boy. You’ll adore seeing him stand up to villains like Grunwald who desire world domination. Through his endeavors, Horus learns the true values of honor, friendship, and trust, three concepts that are timeless and relatable. The animation is one of the anime’s strong points. It’s rich, expressive, and detailed from its characters’ expressions to its lush landscapes.
The fight scenes are astonishing and will keep viewers engaged throughout the anime. There is a part of the movie where you’re greeted with 30 minutes of still frames. However, if you can look past that flaw, you’re in for a fabulous time with this old gem.
Cyborg 009
Cyborg 009 is a classic gem from the 60s that’s often compared to Go Nagai’s Devilman a lot. This anime gives viewers a negative view of war-like conflict among the human race just like Devilman. However, it goes for a more lighthearted approach. This story revolves around Joe, a boy who gets kidnapped by a top-secret organization. They transform him and 8 others into cyborgs.
Joe and his friends rebel against this group and escape. With their newfound abilities, they must save the world while defending themselves against the organization’s other cyborgs.
As mentioned earlier, this story tackles mature topics from war to discrimination. This was rare for the time period and helped the anime stand out from others. It makes viewers contemplate humanity and the moral implications of turning humans into robotic beings.
Furthermore, the anime’s animation looked great for the time. The dynamic fight scenes and high-speed chase segments kept viewers excited and each cyborg carried different personalities and weapons to stand out. In addition to having phenomenal music, Cyborg 009 is a great 60s anime that’s worth checking out.
So, there we have it, our picks for the best 60s anime of all time!
What do you think of our picks? Do you agree? Are there any notable omissions? Let us know in the comments below!