The 70s was a great decade for anime. But for some reason, no one remembers these popular titles.
Anime. It has the power to evoke strong feelings in people. But throughout its history, anime has always been about getting away from reality. Yet the very definition of anime has evolved throughout time.
There have been many, many anime shows that have come and gone before the likes of My Hero Academia, One Piece, and Dragon Ball. Although they were well-liked at the time, some shows have since lost their lustre, with some being brought back into the public eye only because of tribute shows or occasional revivals.
With that said, here are the 10 popular anime of the 70s that time forgot
Mazinger Z
Mazinger Z, one of Mangaka Go Nagai’s many works, is a pioneering example of the mecha anime genre. Over 90 episodes of the anime were shown between 1972 and 1974. The protagonist of Mazinger Z, Kouji Kabuto, pilots the titular robot in an ever-increasing battle against the villainous scientist Dr Hell, who has complete control over a variety of mechanical animals.
Science Ninja Team Gatchaman
Science Ninja Team Gatchaman, also known as Battle of the Planets in America, is a superhero show created by Tatsuo Yoshida for Tatsunoko Productions in 1972. The show follows the adventures of five characters as they battle an international technological organisation intent on seizing control of the world’s resources.
The anime, which focused on environmental protection and cutting-edge science and technology, ran for more than a hundred episodes and inspired both a live-action movie and two direct sequels. The series also influenced the Super Sentai franchise in Japan, which led to several remakes, including a live-action film released in 2013.
Heidi, Girl of the Alps
Nippon Animation (known then as Zuiyo Eizo) created the anime in 1974 based on the Swiss book Heidi’s Years of Wandering and Learning. The story of Heidi, a young girl of five, who is sent by her Aunt Date to live with her grandfather. The anime follows Alice through her daily life in the Swiss Alps, with an emphasis on the bonds she forms with her fellow cast members.
Casshan
Tatsuo Yoshida’s latest anime series for Tatsunoko Productions centres on a humanoid robot named Tetsuya Azuma. Who transformed into an android so he could travel the world and wipe out robots after the first android, Buraiking, had conquered the planet. At 35 episodes long, the series was successful enough to spawn a 1993 video animation, a 2004 film, and video game creator Shinji Mikami’s inspiration for the game Vanquish. A new version of the show, titled Casshern Sins, debuted in 2008–2009.
