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Anime in the 60's

Anime in the 70's

Anime in the 80's & 90's

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Anime In The 80's & 90's

The 1980's, known as the "Golden Age of Anime", was one of the best years for Anime production. Now, the Japanese animation medium was a national mainstay and an international cult fan favorite. Anime began to kick into high gear and gained more recognition in America allowing new series to be syndicated.

This decade featured the most new Anime on American television with 21 new shows airing. Two of which used a process called splicing. Splicing is taking footage from different series and pasting them together to create one new series. Examples of Anime series that used splicing were Carl Macek's Robotech and the Force Five which was created from five different Anime series.

One of the anime series, Akira, was not initially successful in Japan; however, internationally, it was a spark that ignited interest in the international fan base. With its incredible, somewhat gory animation, action, and gripping storyline, Akira became one of the best-known Anime feature films all over the world. Unfortunately, Osamu Tezuka's death in 1989, brought a close to the era.

The 1990's was the "New Age of Anime". Syndication in the 1990s made it possible for old Anime series from the 60s thru the 80s to return to television. They brought back Speed Racer and G-Force (Battle of the Planets). By the fall television season, three more Anime series: Dragon Ball, Sailor Moon, and Teknoman, were scheduled.

In 1995, Ghost in the Shell, was another feature film set in a cyberpunk-like era. Released worldwide, Ghost in the Shell received as much, if not more, acclaim than Akira and helped to solidify Japanese Anime as the ultimate, alternative medium to conventional Animation. Anime had finally returned to stand with its roots.