You will find no shortage of exceptional old anime series on this list — many of which are available now on streaming services such as Netflix, Hulu and Crunchyroll.
1. 'Astro Boy' (1963)
"Astro Boy," the first anime series based on the beloved manga written and illustrated by Osamu Tezuka, is considered the foundational iteration of pure Japanese illustration in television history. Although the animation may seem dated, the show was a giant leap forward in its own right, inspiring modern anime artists.
2. 'Speed Racer' (1967)
This Japanese animation classic, also known as Mach GoGoGo, tells the story of a brave young boy who loves racing and family above everything else. The series was an absolute boom for the anime industry as the series caught fire across the globe, even surpassing the overwhelming success of the comic books.
3. 'Space Battleship Yamato' (1974-1975)
"Space Battleship Yamato" is a sci-fi manga and anime series set in the distant future during an intergalactic war that has left Earth's surface an uninhabitable radioactive wasteland. Survivors have retreated to subterranean colonies as they fight to hold out hope.
4. 'Mobile Suit Gundam' (1979)
It might be pretty obvious from the series title, but this original series is packed with hours of mech suit action and space station drama.
5. 'The Rose of Versailles' (1979-1980)
"The Rose of Versailles" is a beautifully crafted peek into the years leading to the French Revolution. Viewers witness this tumultuous time period through the eyes of Marie Antoinette and the Dauphine, who provide an alternative historical perspective.
6. 'Fist of the North Star' (1987-1988)
With story arcs that mirror other apocalyptic films and TV series, "Fist of the North Star" follows the epic quest of Kenshiro, a martial artist with a special set of skills that help him navigate this dystopian landscape.
7. 'Legend of the Galactic Heroes' (1988-1997)
"Legend of the Galactic Heroes" is a futuristic anime series about political players navigating interstellar conflict. Like "Cowboy Bebop" and "Dragon Ball Z," the expansive setting forces protagonists to save Earth and many other planets in the galaxy.
This massive world-building lends itself to occasional filler episodes for exposition, though these are few and far between some of the best anime storylines.
8. 'Dragon Ball Z' (1989-1996)
This beloved franchise is still one of the most popular anime found on primary streaming services. With the protagonist of Goku, a star-studded cast of memorable characters and no shortage of fun and dramatic side stories that each feel like an epic quest through a fictional version of Japan, what's not to love?
9. 'Yu Yu Hakusho' (1990-1994)
"YuYu Hakusho" follows the adventures of a teenage delinquent who becomes a spirit detective, charged with maintaining a balance between dimensions and saving the innocent from evil forces.
10. 'Sailor Moon' (1992-1997)
"Sailor Moon" and her magical girl gang make up one of the most popular manga and anime series to ever come out of Japan. Similar to "Ghost in the Shell," it provided balance to a male-protagonist-dominated medium, although without the graphic content of an adult series.
11. 'Neon Genesis Evangelion' (1995-1996)
Watch one episode of this sci-fi series (or read one installment of the manga of the same name), and it will change your thoughts about the art form. The illustrations are beautifully crafted, the fight scenes are fast-paced and the franchise offers several movies that complete the manga story sufficiently.
12. 'Rurouni Kenshin' (1996-1998)
This modern anime series is set in the distant past and primarily focuses on the adventures of Himura Kenshin, a masterless swordsman who wanders Meiji-era Japan in search of redemption. Many fans of the samurai genre point to this series as the first anime experience that hooked them on the popular medium.
13. 'Serial Experiments Lain' (1998)
"Serial Experiments Lain" is one of those anime that will pull you in from the first episode and drag you down into dark places of your consciousness.
14. 'Cowboy Bebop' (1998)
"Cowboy Bebop" is a beloved manga and anime series about a ragtag band of bounty hunters that embarks on several exciting missions and misadventures. It is one of the more modern anime series on this list, but its visionary neo-space Western animation style and well-developed characters made it an instant classic.