Best old school Anime / Manga which still holds up well if not perfectly today?

[Antilocal123]

None of them, maybe Early Family Guy I guess?

 

[RanmyakuIchi's icon RanmyakuIchi RanmyakuIchi]

Lot's of older Anime still hold up well, or are at least enjoyable. I have a soft spot for Hokuto no Ken. Things like Cowboy Bebop, Trigun, and Evangelion fall under old school these days too.

 

[Goblin Slayer]

Ah, myself, I still sit down and re-watch Tenchi Miyo from time to time.
The character dynamics and story are like a finely woven tapestry. Full of mystery and chaos.

Some people I grew up with, who watched it, were more into the constant yelling of Dragon Ball

<shakes head> Brurururu

Don’t get me wrong, I like Dragon Ball, yes, but I always found myself more interested in Tenchi.
Of all the characters, I found myself liking Mihoshi the most.
Not from some odd waifu crush, we didn't call them that. I just felt sorry for the poor girl.

I always thought Kiyone was a FILTHY GOBLIN!!!! Though, she was awful to that poor little blonde girl... goblins are mean, awful... do horrible things to elf girls... make them eat goblin cheese...
<shakes head> Brurururur...

...goblins...

 

[GlueEater CFO]

Old school? uhhhh damn I guess GTO. The manga is easily an 11/10 for me. The anime is great too but when they reneged on the message from the manga that soured it a bit for me.
Onizuka turning that class into a new generation of respectable adults through his unorthodox ways, earnestness, and the obstacles they go through is just a solid wholesome experience.

Granted in the beginning he was deadset on smashing a student but that sputters out pretty early and a knee slapping comedy full of warmth, hijinks, and absurdity is waiting for you to experience it.
other honorable mentions:
Samurai Champloo
Mobile Suit Gundam
G gundam
Macross Plus: The movie
Mysterious Girlfriend X
M.A.R
Eyeshield 21

 

[bittersweetlemur]

I don't really count it as old skool as it came out post 2000s, but I gotta show some love for Cromartie High. Rewatching it right now and I find it as funny as when I first watched it, over 10 years ago.
Gotta love Freddie

 

[JackNoir413]

i got into gundam a few months ago and i believe 0079 still holds up pretty well. im talking about the anime i didnt watch the movies im a grown man i can watch the whole 43 episodes idgaf.
if you want something that's not as old, 0083 startudst memory is REALLY good as a war drama imo plus the animation is great.


i actually enjoyed 0079 better than gundam zz and maybe even gundam z but idk i think z was really good too i think its a fair fight.

 

[Maw]

Hikaru no Go though Sangatsu no Lion is basically the x walk so y can run of it

 

[NeonKnights]

スペースコブラ - Space Adventure Cobra (1982-83)

 

[_-_AceDragon_-_]

スペースコブラ - Space Adventure Cobra (1982-83)

Posts like this are the reason I'm here! thanks for sharing the episode too as I'd probably not have watched it otherwise.

 

[fake-kun]

Mobile Suit Gundam (the first anime series).

 

[JackNoir413]

Mobile Suit Gundam (the first anime series).

Z and ZZ too but 0079 is just so good man. tomino realized the producers didnt watch the show and wrote a whole war drama to sell toys.

 

[Cardboardtubeknight Cardboardtubeknight]

BIG OOOOOOOOOO

 

[C-MS]

Considering how the anime industry has become a Black Company has a whole, even anime of the early 2000's can be consider Old School like Suzumiya and Lucky Star.

If you think my opinion is valid I will say Gunslinger Girl. Both seasons. Yes, "Il Teatrino" has a lot of flaws, but has a few things that makes it worth it.

Oh, yeah, there is this anime that is like a mix of a lot of good western movies call Monster. I read everywhere that is a must but always forget to watch it because I must protect my lolis.

 

[Yousef]

That’s an oddly specific question, and not sure in which way is it specific

 

[Zerohour2k12]

Gungrave
Outlaw Star
GTO
Blue Gender
Helsing
Monster
Black Lagoon
Gundam U.C
Project Arms
Hokuto no Ken
Metal Armor Dragonar
Hajime no Ippo
Golgo 13
Trigun

 

[Arklem]

Perfect Blue is still one hell of a movie, Satoshi Kon was a genius

 

[Segadude113]

This game is based on a lot of older anime, mainly Dragonball but there's references to others too like Sailor Moon

Post automatically merged: Jun 7, 2025

 

[MDGeistsfavMC5song]

Perfect Blue is still one hell of a movie, Satoshi Kon was a genius
View attachment 78177

thanks!... i cant believe i forgot to mention Perfect Blue!

 

[Mopeybloke]

Well, a lot of movies. And TV shows, but I think movies from the 80's and forward hold up as a rule. I ain't sure anyone mentioned Miyazaki, but his 80's and 90's stuff seems to be his most cherished period for people.

Ah, myself, I still sit down and re-watch Tenchi Miyo from time to time.

Which version of Tenchi do you rewatch? Myself, I had the most fun with the Unviverse/movies timeline. I don't care much for Ryo-Ohki.

 

[Dyne]

What I'm getting from this thread is that basically all the old school anime holds up, if it was good to begin with.
Yeah I agree with that.

 

[Mopeybloke]

@Dyne The shows I tend to see people refusing to rewatch are the really long ones. They're best watched while airing on the telly, so you can catch one episode a day/week and be part of your schedule. If you look at them in terms of binge-watching, which is probably how most people revisit a show, then it's a daunting thought.

 

[MadzombieBane]

The gayest but most timeless anime ever

 

[funkyrol]

I mean there's a several others, but I'd have to say Cowboy Bebop holds that distinction of "timelessness" that you could still watch years later and it will still hold up to that period. Hell, I'm would even say that I watched Cowboy Bebop as a kid, a teen and as an adult. All 3 periods of my life, that anime is TIMELESS with the comedy, action, scifi themes and overall plot to a Tee.

 

[Amag0k1]

What I'm getting from this thread is that basically all the old school anime holds up, if it was good to begin with.
Yeah I agree with that.

100% but we have to give the kids some selection, as they can be too lazy to even look. Let us show them the power of the 80s and 90s anime.

 

[Ikagura Ikagura]

Mobile Suit Gundam (the first anime series).

Thematically it's still great (war ain't cool) but I'll be honest, since it was the 70's it looks really, really rough in term of animation and design

As much as I liked several 70's animes like Captain Harlock it's probably the 80's that really made them shine in style and animation. The exception could be Lady Oscar since it was a Shoujo from Dezaki so it wouldn't require too much as it's fairly grounded.

On the other hand the trilogy of movies redrew several moments for the best imo.