Feeling Nostalgic? Here Are 8 ’80s Anime You Can Stream Right Now on Crunchyroll

It’s easy to miss classic anime with so many new shows being released every year. While recent series have had their ups and downs, the 1980s were a particularly strong decade for anime, producing some truly exceptional shows.

The 1980s were a great decade for anime, featuring popular shows like Dragon Ball and Fist of the North Star, plus many other unforgettable series. If you want to revisit these classics or discover them for the first time, Crunchyroll has a fantastic collection of ’80s anime for you.

Dragon Ball

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It’s clear that Dragon Ball is the most successful anime from the 1980s. While many fans know Dragon Ball Z, which aired from 1989 to the late ’90s, the original Dragon Ball series is just as enjoyable and well-made as other anime from that era.

The original series has a lot more physical comedy and spends more time on adventure at the beginning. But it’s still Dragon Ball, so you can expect tons of action! With 153 episodes, it’s a commitment, but it’s such an enjoyable show that the time will pass quickly.

City Hunter

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City Hunter is a beloved anime from the 1980s, consisting of four seasons plus several movies made for both theaters and television. The story centers around Ryou Saeba, a crime fighter who works to keep the streets of Tokyo safe with the help of his partner, Kaori Makimura.

Beyond its cool 1980s style, City Hunter is a fantastic detective series packed with exciting action. It also features plenty of funny and heartwarming moments, and one of the best parts is watching the relationship between Ryou and Kaori grow.

Urusei Yatsura

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Rumiko Takahashi was a huge force in manga during the 1980s, creating popular series like Maison Ikkoku, Ranma ½, and Urusei Yatsura. Urusei Yatsura was her breakout hit, and although she continued to make many well-known manga both during and after its run, it remains a classic romance series from that decade.

Urusei Yatsura is a classic anime and one of the first to popularize the love-triangle storyline, where one character is pursued by multiple romantic interests. The story centers on Ataru Moroboshi, a mischievous guy who accidentally saves Earth from aliens by winning a game against the alien princess, Lum. However, a mix-up leads Lum to believe Ataru proposed to her, even though he’s already dating Shinobu. Now, Ataru has to juggle Lum’s energetic advances while trying to win back Shinobu’s affection, with Lum moving in and complicating everything.

Fist of the North Star

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I’ve noticed even people who aren’t familiar with Fist of the North Star likely recognize the “Omae wa mou shindeiru” meme. What’s interesting is that unlike a lot of memes that come from pretty mediocre sources, Fist of the North Star itself is actually a really good series – it still stands up even today.

If you’re familiar with the iconic look of 1980s anime, Fist of the North Star really delivers. It’s got everything you’d expect – intense action, a world after a disaster, and a distinctive style. If you haven’t seen it yet, it’s worth checking out!

Kimagure Orange Road

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Although Dragon Ball is famous for helping to make anime popular around the world, Kimagure Orange Road is often forgotten. Despite appearing to be a typical romantic comedy, it was actually a hugely influential series in the shonen rom-com genre.

Kimagure Orange Road centers around Kyousuke Kasuga, a high school student whose family is constantly moving to avoid attention due to their psychic abilities. On his first day at a new school, he becomes infatuated with the cool and somewhat mysterious Madoka Ayukawa. However, Madoka’s friend, Hikaru, quickly develops a crush on Kyousuke, creating a complicated love triangle. As Kyousuke tries to win Madoka’s heart while managing Hikaru’s affections, he also has to protect his family’s secret from being discovered.

Kimagure Orange Road blends classic romantic comedy elements, such as love triangles, with a supernatural twist. It’s also a pioneering anime, being one of the first to use time loops as a key part of its story. The main character, Madoka, is a great example of the now-popular ‘tsundere’ personality type. Whether you enjoy a good love triangle or are interested in anime history, this ’80s series is definitely worth watching.

Dirty Pair

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While not hugely famous, the ‘girls with guns’ genre is familiar to many anime fans thanks to shows like Lycoris Recoil, Black Lagoon, and Akiba Maid War. However, one of the earliest and often forgotten examples of this type of anime is Dirty Pair.

Dirty Pair centers around Kein and Yuri, two agents from the World Welfare Work Association. Known as the ‘Dirty Pair,’ they tackle a variety of missions, usually with plenty of chaos and destruction along the way. The anime skillfully blends action and humor, making it a good choice for fans of the ‘girls with guns’ genre, or anyone curious about it.

Mobile Suit Zeta Gundam

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When you think of classic ’80s anime, Gundam always comes to mind. While the first Gundam series actually started in the ’70s, the ’80s brought a wealth of fantastic Gundam shows, with Mobile Suit Zeta Gundam from 1985 being a standout example.

Set eight years after the first series, Zeta follows Kamille Bidan, an inexperienced Gundam pilot. After attacking a member of the Earth Federation’s oppressive Titan force, Kamille joins the Anti-Earth Union Group and becomes entangled in the war between them. Zeta is a strong sequel to the original, boasting compelling characters and a fantastic story that unfolds over 50 episodes.

2025-12-31 17:35