1980 in Anime
Anime in 1980
Due to the success of Galaxy Express 999 and Gatchaman. Compilation Movies Post 1979 became more common, usually created with the express goal of condensing a series from show length into film length. These helped to make some anime more accessible as those who couldn’t commit to a full show could watch the film instead. Some, mainly those by Toei, reused animation from the original show, though some used original animation and the plot was rewritten to work in the different runtime.
Compilation Movies released this year:
Tomorrow’s Joe- The ambiguous ending of the original is remarkably kept intact.
Nobody’s Boy: Remi-By the same studio and director. It also kept the surprise twist revealed in its sequel.
From the Apennines to the Andes- Miyazaki helped touch up the animation as a favor to Takahata.
Cyborg 009-Somewhat easier as the series started with a film, meaning the film is a remake and conclusion as well as an anniversary celebration.
The Wizard of Oz(1980)
An Adaptation of the 1900 L.Frank Baum novel airing on World Masterpiece Theatre and the first American adaptation on the show. Taking a queue from the 1939 film, the story begins in Black and White and transitions to color, but with the film switching from monaural Vistavision to Quadraphonic Cinemascope[1].
The Little’ Bits(1980)
A 26 episode series produced by Tatsunoko Productions in cooperation with TV Tokyo. Directed by Masayuki Hayashi and produced by Ippei Kuri.. The series enjoyed popularity in Europe,the Middle East and Spanish speaking countries. It was often compared to the Smurfs. The series follows a race of tiny people living in a village, focusing mainly on the children. Willbit is the main protagonist and is in love with Lillabit but clashes with Snagglebit over her affection. All characters follow the “Bit” naming scheme. The most controversial of the characters was “Drunkabit” which in the original Japanese was depicted as Drunk, something unchanged in the English dub to some controversy. Despite “Drunkabits’ alcoholism he proves to still be a caring father to Lillabit , who he adopted after her parents died and is respected as the town doctor. The plot of the last two episodes has the children characters learn her parents are alive and were exiled and go to search for them. They are revealed to belong to a warring tribe called the Wanderbits that nearly drove the Bits to extinction. In the end after Lillibits parents help save the children and turn on their tribe, they are allowed back into the village. Immediately after an earthquake, actually a man walking by, causes devastates the village and everyone is forced to work together to rebuild. Liillibit is also show not be able to talk to animals and recruit their help such as Snuffly the flying Squirrel and Blue the Hedgehog. The show frequently touted messages and morals for children, including messages on family and prejudice[2].
The Wonderful Adventures of Nils(1980-1981)
Based on the 1906 novel of the same name by Swedish author Selma Lagerlof. It ran for 52 episodes on NHK and was produced by Pierrot(it was their first animated series as they were founded in 1979, sticking true to the original but adding a pet hamster and more scenes to Smile the Fox, adding cut animal sidekicks. It was directed by Hiyasuki Toriumi. Nils Holgersson is a 14 year old boy who is lazy and disrespectful and loved to bully the animals on the farm. One day while home alone, Nils captures a Nils, a gnomelike creature in Scandinavian folklore, who turns Nils into a Tomte himself along with his pet hamster, granting him the ability to talk the animals. The animals all try to get revenge on the shrunken Nils for their torment on his hands. Niles escapes by jumping onto a goose named Morten’s back, as Morten wants to join the flock. As a result her is taken along for a ride as they fly and adventure across Sweden,encountering other animals and Nils begins to learn lessons about helping others and not being selfish. Nils also learns from the Tomte that if he changes his ways, the Tomte might change him back.
Maeterlinck’s Blue Bird: Tyltyl and Mytyl’s Adventurous Journey(1980)
Based on the 1908 play by Maurice Maeterlinck. Directed by Hiroshi Sasagawa with character designs by Leiji Matsumoto and running for 26 episodes. The series is set in a German speaking country in the 1970’s and follows 12 year old girl Mytyl and her 13 year old brother Tyltyl as they attempt to catch the Blue Bird of Happiness which would bring them eternal happiness with the aid of the fairy Berylune. They are followed by a cat and dog named Shanet and Tyrol who are given anthropomorphic forms and the ability to talk by Berylune.
Invincible Robo Trider G7(1980-1981)
A series created by Hajime Yatate and produced by Sunrise. Narration was provided by Ichirou Nagai, who did the narration on Mobile Suit Gundam. Takeo Watanabe and Yuushi Matsuyama wrote both the soundtrack for Mobile Suit Gundam and Trider G7 but they were later discovered to have sampled other tracks to finish it on time. The series attempted to be as realistic as possible to prove a Mecha Giant Robot scenario. The world is attacked by an alien invasion of Giant Mechanized robots. The robots only kill and cannot communicate but several are taken down and researched. While the fear they will return is present, that fear does not seem to materialize but the nations of the world still prepare(one character theorizes that because space is so vast they likely will never encounter the robots or the species who invented them and first contact was just a fluke. He also doesn’t believe the aliens intended to be hostile invaders as any intelligent species would at least try to make peaceful contact first rather than invade immediately. Another belief is that the Mecha design wouldn’t have taken off if it wasn’t proven to work as designing human shaped machines for combat would be deemed impractical over Tanks and Ship designs.
America, the Soviet UNion, and China are the ones to build Giant robots, as they are the only world powers with enough resources, money, land and people to undergo this endeavor. Other nations in the world begin to fight amongst themselves to gain the resources necessary such as a war in South America as Brazil invades its neighbors. Canada and Mexico allow the US to annex them. The European Union grows much tighter while Africa and the Middle East has factions fighting amongst themselves to be the one to united the lands(though India succeeds in building a Mecha called Vishnu which devastates Pakistan). China has conquered Korea and attacked Japan but America sees China as too valuable an Ally in the war with the Machines and cannot help. Japan however, begins to fight back and win, making some nervous that they have become an imperial power and making America and the Soviet Union hesitant on joining aside. Japan gains its first Mecha in the titular Robo Trider G7 due to a scientist studying the machines defecting to the country. Adults are initially used to pilot the Mechas but China begins to employ Child soldiers(including the removal of the one child policy) and Japan is forced to do the same when the Home Islands are invaded and they need all able bodied pilots. One such child is the protagonist Watta[3].
Rescueman(1980-1981)
Directed by Hiroshi Sasagawa. Produced by Kenji Yoshida for Tatsunoko Productions. The series is the third in the Time Bokan Series(Yatterman is seen as not counting). It follows three individuals Atachi, who wants to become the most beautiful woman in the world, Sekobitchi who wants to become the greatest scientist in the world, and Duwarusuki, who wants to be the greatest hero in the world. The catch is that all three are villains and are obsessed with their own ambitions rather than doing any actual good. In a twist, three time patrollers were killed and passed on the power to time travel not to worthy successors but to these three villains, who freely tamper with history when they realize that time travel creates an alternate universe where there changes stick instead of risking the space time continuum or altering their own. The three still end up being accidental heroes such as opposing an evil queen to kill her because Atachi thinks she is prettier than her, Sekibitchi proving his genius by solving a problem, or Duwarusuki genuinely doing good. The inspiration for the series came specifically because Doronbo and her gang where the most popular part of Yatterman and the popularity of Lupin the Third[4].
Back to the Forest(1980)
A TV Special airing on Fuji TV based on the children’s novel Jakobus Nimmersatt by German author Boy Lornsen. The story focuses on animals who’s forests are being torn down by humans, forcing them to declare war.
Monchhichi(1980)
Based on the line of Japanese stuffed Monkey toys made by the Sekiguchi Corporation that were released in 1974 and licensed by Mattel, which brought them over to the US. Tokyo 12 adapted the series[5].
Lalabel, the Magical Girl(1980-1981)
A Magical Girl series by Toei Animation that aired on TV Asahi. The series followed a Magical girl named Lalabel who lived in a magical world until a thief named Biscus stole several magical tools. She startles the thief and the tools fall through a portal into the human world. Lalabel falls through and is found by an elderly couple called the Tachibanas, who let her stay with them when they find out she is an orphan. Lalabel escapes until she can capture Biscus. She attends school with the granddaughter of the Tachibanas Teko and begins to fall in love and growing happy on Earth. In the finale she defeats Biscus and all the magical items are used up, rendering both human, meaning Lalabel stays on earth.
Doraemon: Nobita’s Dinosaur(1980)
The first animated Doraemon Feature film. Based on a Doraemon story of the same name by Fujiko Fuji (who also wrote the script) and directed by Hiroshi Fukutomi. The pilot centers on Nobita, wanting a pet, using Doraemon’s time machine to abduct an egg, which hatches into a Plesiosaur that eventually becomes too big to hide after Nobita puts it in a pond and then a lake. After being forced to reveal what he did. His friends and Doraemon transport the Plesiosaur back in time but are attacked by a group of what turn out to be Dinosaur hunters from the 24th Century. Nobita takes the time machine and hides it in what later turns out to be the Loch Ness in Scotland before he retrieves it once they’re clear of the hunters. They then bring the Plesiosaur back to its own time period but the time machine is destroyed by the Dinosaur hunts and the group is forced to make their way through the Bering, or the land bridge between Asia and North America that broke apart to split the continents, encountering Dinosaurs along the way, to reach a point where the time machine parts where left on an earlier tripe, eventually defeating the hunters, saying goodbye to the Plesiosaur and going him.
Phoenix 2772(1980)
Based on the Osamu Tezuka Manga, which features the encounter of various people throughout history with the titular Phoenix. The film is set in the distant future of the title. The Earth is dying due to lack of resources and climate, leading humans to be created in test tubes and assigned roles by computers. Godo was born as a cadet and raised by a robot made named Olga. Rock. The dictator candidate for Prime Minister(“Played “ by the Metropolis antagonist), sends Godo to kill the capture the Phoenix as its blood will heal the Earth but Rock actually wants to drink the blood and become immortal. Godo is troubled by the mission as he views all living things as sacred. He is further conflicted when he learns Olga will be destroyed. He is also in love with Rena, who is the bride to be of Rock. Godo and Rena are caught and Godo is sent to a labour camp in Iceland where he meets Doctor Saruta, who plots a way to escape, find the Phoenix and save the world. The two are saved during a breakout by Olga and Pincho, a pet of Rena’s she commanded to help rescue Godo. On a ship, the crew find the Phoenix but it is too powerful and shapeshifts into various monsters. Godo hears that Rena married Rock and gives in to despair, leading to the crew being killed one by one including Saruta. Godo freezes and cradles Olga after she is killed. Godo’s declaration of love leads to the Phoenix also calming down into a smaller peacock live form and speaks to Godo, making a deal to grant one wish and revives Olga on the condition he gives the Phoenix something. It then disappears after reviving Olga and the two see the Phoenix createa paradise like planet for them to live on. Godo still wants to return to Earth and gathers food from the planet to go back only for Rock to arrive there to capture him along with Rena, who seems happy with Rock. Rock goes into the planet and finds the Phoenix there and tries to kill it, causing the planet to begin to shake and collapse, killing Rena and blinding Rock. The Phoenix is revealed to have possessed Olga as part of their deal and asks to be killed so that Godo can drink its blood and become immortal but he refuses, instead asking for his life in exchange for the revival of the Earth. The Phoenix agrees and Godo collapses dead into Olga’s arms with the Phoenix leaving Olga’s body soon after. And the planet exploding. The Earth is shown to be recovering with plant life as human ships begin to arrive. Godo is seen being revived as a baby being held by a human version of Olga as the ship arrive.
The film was distributed by Toho. It was seen by American critics as well drawn and imaginative but two long in parts with scenes that could have been cut. Many fans who saw Mighty Atom Super Train were hoping it told the origin of the Phoenix, which it did not. Despite its flaws it won the San Diego Comic Con Inkpot award in 1980(an award voted on by fans at Comic Con, usually given to an installment in a franchise with a large fandom, in this case animated films)[6].
Twelve Months(1980)
Directed by Yugo Serikawa, Kimio Yabuki, and Tetsuo Imazawa. Produced by Toei Animation in partnership with Soyuzmultfilm from Russia. Based on the fairy tale of the same name by Samuil Marshak with music composed by Vladimir Ivanovich krivtsov performed by the National Petrograd Philharmonic. The plot follows a spoiled young queen that asks for a bouquet of Galanthus, a spring wildflower in the winter in exchange for a reward of gold. A greedy woman of the evil stepmother variety sends her young stepdaughter Anja instead of her own daughter to fetch it. Anja knows it is impossible but is forced outside and nearly freezes to death but is awoken by a light from a bonfire and meets several spirits revealing themselves as personifications of the twelve months. When Anja tells them her task they take pity on her and temporarily bring spring to allow the flowers to grow but she cannot say how she got them. Anja returns and presents the bouquet but the queen is not satisfied and demands to see where she got the flowers.
Space Emperor God Sigma(1980-1981)
A series created by Toei’s Television Division but produced by Academy Productions. Popy, which now ha da contract with Bandai for toys. Tadao Nagahama and Takashi Ijima planned on departing Toei along with Katsuhiko Taguchi. The series was set in 2050 AD where mankind had advanced into the stars but were then attacked by the Elder, aliens who’s planet had been conquered in the future, now using time travel to come from 2300 AD and obtain Earth’s Trinity Energy, which was used to conquer their home in their own time with God Sigma being Earth’s main defense. Due to the popularity of dark series, the angle that the aliens were desperate and that the future humans were an evil conquering empire was addressed as it made the morality far less black and white.
Captain(1980)
Based on the manga by Akio Chiba which ran concurrently with another Chiba Manga Play Ball. It aired on TV Asahi. The Manga ran from 1972 to 1979. The Manga swapped out protagonists as when a character graduated from school, they left and a new protagonist started their journey. While this worked for the Manga, the Anime kept one due to its shorter run[7].
King Arthur and the Knights of the Round Table(1980-1981)
A series based on Arthurian Legend, specifically the Once and Future King but merging most versions together. Produced by Toei Animation and consisting of 30 half hour episodes. The series covers the entirety of Arthur’s life, beginning with the death of his father plunging the sword into the stone and his death and his body being taken to Albion[8].
Fisherman Sanpei(1980-1982)
Based on the manga by Takao Yaguchi that ran from 1973 to 1983. The series was adapted into 109 episode on Fuji TV. It’s simple premise and slice of life setting likely contributing to its longevity.
Don Quixote(1980)
A 23 Episode series directed by Kunihiko Yuyama based on Miguel De Cervantes’ Don Quixote and airing on Tokyo Channel 12[9].
Toward the Terra(1980)
Based on a Science Fiction Manga by Keiko Takemiya that ran from 1977 to 1980. The series proved difficult to classify, the author was female but it had a broad appeal and in a first for a manga series, it was ultimately chosen to declare it the General winner since it qualified for both anyway, winning the award in 1979. Upon conclusion in 1980 it was adapted by Toei Animation and director Video Onchi.
The plot is set in the 31st century where humanity us ruled by Supercomputers called the Super Dominance which selects certain humans. This occurred after a war on Earth and Pollution rendered Earth inhospitable. The Supercomputers also select parents for children. A race of humans have evolved as psychics and now seek to exterminate the super computers while rescuing as many as possible from being brainwashed or killed. Earth or Terra is seen as the promise land and they believe it is no habitable and wish to one day return there.
Ganbare!! Tabuchi-kun!! (1980)
Translated as roughly “Good Luck! Tabuchi-kun. The series is a baseball gag series similar to American comic strips with four panels called a Yonkoma, created by Hisaichi Ishii, it ran in Manga Action nMagazine from 1978 to 1979 and after it ended, Ishii went onto create more baseball gag comics. The main characters based on Professional Baseball player Koichi Tabuchi. Since there was little to no plot to the strips. It was adapted into one Animated film, made up mostly of gags with a weak plot, like the Bad News Bears of Anime.
Space Runaway Ideon(1980-1981)
A television series Produced by Sunrise and directed by Yoshiyuki Tomino immediately after his success on Mobile Suit Gundam and aired on TV Tokyo. The series is set in the year 2300, where mankind has begun colonizing other planets. On the planet Solo in the Andromeda Galaxy they find the remains of several tanks which can combine into a Mecha and a Spaceship. They restore the machines but cannot get the tanks to move. An alien civilization called the Buff Clan came across the planet Solo. Among the group is the young daughter Karala, who vanishes along with her assistant Mayaya. The Buff Clan suspect the humans were involved and attack. Cosmo Yuki, the protagonist,, jumps into the tanks with his friends, which activate on their own and combine to repeal the Buff Clan. Another attack is sent and the leader of the Military force Bes Jordan has the Odeon tanks equipped with weapons while the Buff Clan obliterate the cities on Solo and try to capture the Ideon. Karala and Malaya are mistaken for colonists and taken to safety with the others. The Odeon pilots include Tekuno, Bento, Cosmo, Kasha, and Moera. Karala and Mayaya are discovered to be aliens and Mayaya is killed but Yes allows Karala to live. She tells everyone the legend of Ide. The power of Ide once save the buff clan and they’ve been searching for it with the energy powering Ideon and the solo ships. The Solo ship fights the Buff Clan in Space on the planet Saurus and confront Buff Clan commanding officer Gije in his own mobile suit. Orders are received that Karala can be killed for associating with humans.These orders lead Buff Clan member Abadidi to chase the Solo Ship only to be killed. Harulu, Karala’s sister takes control. Karala tries to make peace with Harulu on a nearby planet but is rejected and is shown to be willing to die, earning the respect of the Solo Ship crew.
The Solo ship arrives on the planet Ajian and the Buff Clan attacks commence with Ideon destroying missiles fired on Earth, but destroy much of the planet itself. The Solo ship engages Harulu’s ship and the latter is destroyed. Harulu reunited with Daram Zuba, a former member seeking to overthrow the Buff Clan Emperor with Gije’s help. The Solo Ship heads to earth by chased by Daram but cannot be allowed on Earth for fear of bringing the war and stop at the moon to use a supercomputer there to study the Idea power. Several children sneak onto the Ideon and it becomes stronger to protect the children, developing more weapons. One character attempts to take advantage of this by putting children as the pilots but the Ideon’s cannons suddenly fire without warning, killing her, illustrating the Ideas thinks that’s a bad idea. Gilje is betrayed by Zaram and tries to join the Solo ship but few trust him even when he kills Daram in battle. The Solo Ship leaves Earth and continues to repel attacks from the Buff Clan. Moera is killed and Gilje takes his place as an Ideon pilot. As the deaths mount, including Gilje in a battle, the Ideon begins to change to become more and more powerful. In one attack, Karala is taken and discovered to be pregnant with Bes’s child. The leader of the Buff Clan Doba vows to kill his own daughter. While the Solo Ship makes a move to rescue her, allowing Karala to escape in the chaos with Ideon attacking. Doga declares the Ideon to be destroyed, causing his own soldiers to turn on him before they themselves are killed by the Ideon, unaware of this. A handful of survivors escape at the Solo Ship crashes and destroys the base on the Ideon[10].
Space Warrior Baldios(1980-1981)
A Series by Ashi Productions and Kokusa Big-sha. The series ran for 39 episodes. The series is set in a future world where pollution forced humanity underground. The Emperor is assassinated by Zeo Gattler and his followers, who frame a team of scientists who found the solution for the planet’s decay. Gattler’s followed destroy the work of the scientists , loads the population on a fortress and sets off to conquer a new planet. The son of the leader scientist Marin Raygun, tries to escape but in doing so is caught in Algol’s Warp drive and arrives in the year 2100 , where Gattler’s army attacks a martian colony and he joins the military organization Blue Fixer and their Mecha, the Space Warrior Baldios. Gattler devastates the Earth by causing the polar ice caps to melt. This causes Marin Raygun to realize that Gattler was responsible for the disaster that forced them to leave via a closed time loop and has a final battle where he kills Neo Gattler.
Do your Best Genki(1980-1981)
Based on the manga by You Koyama that ran from 1976 to 1981. It is a sports series about a boy raised by a single father who wants to be a boxer like him. It was made by Toei Animation and won the Shogakukan Manga award for Shonen in 1979.
Makoto-Chan(1980)
Based on a comedy manga that ran from 1976 to 1988 about socially awkward kindergartner Makoto Sawada with a series filled with toilet and adult humor. The animated film adaptation was directed by Tsuomu Shibayama(who mostly directed Doraemon) and distributed by Toho.
The Tomb of Dracula(1980)
Based on the Marvel Comics series of the same name that ran from 1972 to 1979. The plot is a greatly condensed version of the series which had little overarching story. The summarized plot is that Dracula crashes a satanic ritual intended to sacrifice a bride to Satan and takes her as his own. Dracula find he cannot bite the girl as she resembles his long lost love from he was Vlad the Impaler. Satan vows revenge and tries to steal her back. Meanwhile the descendants of the Harkers and the Helsings come together to defeat Dracula but are approached by the worshippers of Satan. Satan's followers lure Dracula into a trap where the windows a boarded quickly by crosses and a Silver crossbow bolt is fired, Dracula turns into mist and the bolt shoots and kills Dracula's wife and his unborn son. He is able to assist his wife in escaping. A Satanic ritual is conducted in which Dracula is stripped of his powers but the Satanists kidnap his wife. Dracula, stripped of his powers leads to a surreal scene of Dracula eating fast food, specifically a cheeseburger and fries for the first time in full outfit and appearances. Dracula returns to Transylvania to be turned again and gain the strength to save his wife while Satan intends to possess his dead child, originally intending to sire an Antichrist. Dracula fights a vampire but due to having the cross burn his hand as Vampire before he became human, he now has an unhealed cross shaped scar on his hand which he uses to melt a vampire's face with his touch. He is once more transformed and cuts the injured hand off before engaging the Satanists. The Helsing and Harker group, having been previously betrayed by the Satanists and unaware of their true nature, attack. Dracula kills the Antichrist, cutting off Satan's connection to the mortal world before Helsing blows himself up with a bomb in a wheelchair, seemingly killing Dracula and allow Dracula's wife and the Harkers to escape. The film has become a source of memes in the present day due to over the top acting and bad animation[11].
Nextworld(1980)
Based loosely on a 1951 Osamu Tezuka story, though ironically he wrote the script for the film. The Manga was considered the last part of a trilogy with The Lost World and Metropolis as the first and second installments. All three installments feature Shunsaku Ban and his nephew Kenichi as the main characters. Lost World wasn’t adapted as the premise involved traveling to an alien planet populated by Dinosaurs and was likely to similar to film adaptations of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle’s the Lost World.Tezuka, as he’d done with Metropolis, rewrote Nextworld. The original story had involved atomic tests during the Cold War creating mutant animals. That decided to leave earth before the two superpowers of America and the Soviet Union blew each other up. Now it was a sequel to both Metropolis and Mighty Atom: Super Train once more follow Kenichi and Tina. Kenichi was aged up into a teenager while Tina was shown to still a child to create drama as she did not age while Kenichi did. The film addressed the idea of a Cold War Hot scenario in the future, as the original story was written in the 1950’s at the height of the Cold War paranoia. The protagonists are now involved to stop an international incident from escalating into World War Three due to an evil Supercomputer intending to launch nuclear weapons[12].
The Monster Kid(1980-1982)
Based on the Manga by Fujiko A.Fujio that ran from 1965 to 1969 on TV Asahi and TBS in the US. The series follows a young monster kid who lives with the adult monsters of Dracula, the Wolfman and Franeksntein and they are forced to live in a modern suburban area and end up battling other monsters summoned by the Demon Group Demonish. The series was made largely due to the success Fujio’s other creation Doraemon was enjoying.
Muteking, The Dashing Warriors(1980-1981)
Proced by Tatsunoko Productions for Fuji TV. The series follows Twelve Year old Tin Yuki who’s father was laughed at for predicting alien would invade. Ran met an alien sheriff named Takoro who was chasing space criminals seeking to become masters of the Earth. Ran becomes the hero Muteking to thwart their schemes. The series was unsuccessful in the US.
Ojamanga Yamada-kun(1980-1982)
Based on the Comedy Manga by Hisiachi Ishii. The series lasted for 103 episodes on Fuji TV. Episode consisted of 3 7 minute stories on Sundays from 7 to 7:30pm.
Black Jack(1980-1981)
With the success of the Mighty Atom, Tezuka’s second most popular character, Black Jack, was adapted to the screen by Mushi Productions[13].
Gigantor(1980-1981)
An in color remake by Tokyo Movie Shinsha of Mitsuteru Yokoyama’s manga Tetsujin 28-go. It was directed by Tetsuo Imazawa produced by Shigeru Akagawa and Tora Horikoshi. It aired on Nippon Television with Fred Ladd adapting all 51 Episodes into English. Despite the timing, the creators insisted they were not inspired to revive the 60’s icon due to the success of the Mighty Atom. Though the proximity of the remakes did lead to Tezuka considering a crossover between the two[14].
Adieu Galaxy Express 999(1980)
The sequel to the 1979 film. On Earth, an unknown amount of time later, Tetsuro on Earth receives a message from Maetel that seems to be a cry for help and once more boards the Galaxy Express 999. On the way there Tetsuro reunited with Captain Harlock and reveals his intentions. Harlock gives him a signal flare to fire if he needs help but it needs to be fired into space. Tetsuro reaches reache the final destination of the Galaxy E xpress 999 which to his shock is a planet named Maetel, the mechanization homeworld. It is here that Tetsuro realizes that Maetel originally intended to bring him to the planet to sacrifice him and turns him into a mechanized slave, one of many and that Maetel did this multiple times(flashbacks to first film show the two first meeting and then departing mixed in with previously unseen scenes of the two). Tetsuro angrily slaps Maetel when he learns the truth, that she originally intended to sacrifice him, but is captured by Maetel’s mother Queen Prometheum. However, Maetel saves Tetsuro and reveals her intent to destroy the planet using a weapon created by her father, the engineer of the city. Maetel hesitates to do so but Tetsuro does activate the destruction of the planet and shoots the signal flare that allows Harlock and Emeralds to arrive to rescue them as the planet collapses. Maetel reveals that the body of Tetsuro’s mother was used to provide Maetel with a body of her own and departs to Pluto where her true body is preserved, promising to reunited with Tetsuro in her own body and they once more say a tearful goodbye.
Notes
[1] OTL the Adventures of Tom Sawyer was released in place of Wizard of Oz. Because the Adventures of Huckleberry Finn adapted both that book and The Adventures of Tom Sawyer ITTL, there is no need seen for a remake(I’d say at least more than ten years before remaking something and that previous adaptation was in 1976, hit 1986 and then we’ll talk), and so this series is butterflied away, leading World Masterpiece Theater to choose something different in its place. Since ITTL they’ve yet to adapt an American story(OTL their first was Rascal the Raccoon which was butterflied away). They choose Wizard of Oz, allowing them to employ the change where the film switches from monaural Vistavision to Quadraphonic Cinemascope to simulate the wonder of entering Oz, an effect Space Battleship Yamato III did OTL. They do not outsource the production ITTL as they previously did that with Jack and the Beanstalk and that was a failure, making World Masterpiece Theatre more hesitant to endorse another created work.
[2] OTL the name of Drunkabit in English was Snoozabit and they dubbed him as always being sleepy rather than drunk. Naturally this is controversial ITTL, but it did try to teach kids to be careful when adults are showing signs of being drunk, that they may not be in control of what they do and tried to squeeze a lesson in there.
[3] FYI I made pretty much all of this up. Despite the mission statement of “trying to be a realistic Mecha Series”, Robo Trider G7 still follows, a Robot Invasion of Earth, a scientist who defected from the villains, builds a robot, dies and passes the robot to a child main character. It took the “realistic” Mecha angle and did my own take on it. ITTL its more inspired by Tomino’s other work and the more successful Gundam. I imagine ITTL there’s an Alternatehistory.com timeline which imagines a similar premise as the series occurring in 1940, meaning America, the Nazis, the Soviet Union, and Japan are the world powers building Mechas with different leaders in charge complete with historical figures as Mech pilots such as General Patton, Elvis Presley, John F.Kennedy and world leaders getting their own Mechs for Stalin, Hitler and the US President.
[4] Rescueman has been tweaked compared to OTL and the heroes are now basically the villains as a nod to the villains of Time Bokan usually stealing the show anyway, justified by them not being too evil beyond being thieves and incompetent at that.
[5] Monchhichi toys had a boost in sales ITTL thank to Pippi Longstocking and TTL’s 3000 Leagues in Search of Mother popularizing monkeys, making them more successful, and the Monkey craze allowed the company to bill their toys as “Don’t buy a real monkey. Buy a stuffed Monkey. They’re much easier. They don't throw feces and won't bite you.”
[6] Phoenix 2772 does better ITTL due to Tezuka being more famous and it being just a year after the Phoenix appeared in Mighty Atom: Super Train so more people recognize it. ITTL Alan Moore’s League of Extraordinary Gentlemen composites the Tezuka’s Phoenix with the Phoenix Force of X-Men fame.
[7] Captain was adapted into a film first. Changed to an anime as a concept such as rotating protagonists would really only work as a series.
[8] OTL King Arthur as a series was released OTL in 1979 followed by a sequel, King Arthur: Prince on White horse which had the characters in a futuristic setting. My plan ITTL is to delay that version so that it becomes an Anime adaptation of the similar premise of the Comic Camelot 3000 which debuted in 1983.
[9] This series was of the funny animals variety OTL with animals in the main role. Personally I think you should have at least one faithful adaptation before you go the talking funny animal route. That’s not why Animal Treasure Island was butterflied away, that was just a coincidence based on the logic of Miyazaki leaving before he suggested the idea.
[10] A Significantly more upbeat ending even if its still a sad one than OTL where the TV show and the film ended differently but both with the everyone dying and shown to be reborn. The first destroys both races and the second destroys the universe.My guess is Tomino is in better health thanks to Gundam doing a lot better and so he decided to give the series a happier ending. Thing is OTL this series was the heavyweight champion of downer endings and inspired Hideakki Anno’s Neon Genesis Evangelion. ITTL by changing it things are going to be very different down the line for Evangelion. Also ITTL the series sells better but OTL the DVD box set was overproduced and when the second boxset and movie came out they produced less, resulting in the opposite problem of 80,000 to 120,000 yen DVD boxes. Here with Gundam being a success it sells better helped by lacking a downer ending.
[11] The plot is changed slightly to make a bit more sense but I personally enjoyed the OTL film on an ironic level. You can watch the film on YouTube but this review of it I think illustrates my points:
[12] Nextworld is Radically different from OTL due to the success of Metropolis, with the same people involved, meaning the plot changes to be a sequel. I imagine it being some combination of Metropolis and the Sum of All Fears.
[13]OTL an Astro Boy series in color aired at this time, since the series debuted earlier in 1977, its position is replaced with Tezuka’s second most popular character Blackjack, who already made a recent appearance in Mighty Atom: Super Train so audiences are familiar with him.
[14] OTL Gigantor and Astro Boy both had in color remakes at the same time, ironically given they premiered the same year. Not ITTL once again due to Mighty Atom’s earlier in color debut so there's an argument to be made that the Gigantor staff remade the show because of Mighty Atom's success even though they didn't do that OTL.
And now for those who have been Butterflied Away
Be Forever Yamato. Has been butterflied away as TTL’s equivalent Space Asteroid Icarus, never needed to retcon its ending away. The effect where the film switches from monaural Vistavision to Quadraphonic Cinemascope when the Yamato enters the Double Galaxy is used ITTL for the Wizard of Oz instead. Space Battleship Yamato III is butterflied away for the same reason and also because Matsumoto is working on Galaxy Express 999's film sequel.
Tomorrow’s Joe 2. A continuation of the OTL Anime. ITTL the Anime was completed and a compilation movie was released leaving no need for Tomorrow’s Joe 2 to exist and any kind of sequel after the Manga's point would go against the author's intentional ambiguous ending. Instead two series would later be released show two possible futures are the Manga's ending. It's kind of like how OTL there is a comic book series where Archie marries Betty and another where he marries Veronica released at the same time.
Ganbare!! Tabuchi-kun!! Another Film. Butterflied away due to personal reasons. Two films of the same franchise the same year seems redundant especially for a comedy.
I have one more thing before we finish with 1980. I'll give you a hint. It's a Miyazaki film, but one that he didn't make OTL but wanted to. One that...quite frankly sounds bizarre on paper. And yes it's getting its own post. Because I have some Concept Art.
Due to the success of Galaxy Express 999 and Gatchaman. Compilation Movies Post 1979 became more common, usually created with the express goal of condensing a series from show length into film length. These helped to make some anime more accessible as those who couldn’t commit to a full show could watch the film instead. Some, mainly those by Toei, reused animation from the original show, though some used original animation and the plot was rewritten to work in the different runtime.
Compilation Movies released this year:
Tomorrow’s Joe- The ambiguous ending of the original is remarkably kept intact.
Nobody’s Boy: Remi-By the same studio and director. It also kept the surprise twist revealed in its sequel.
From the Apennines to the Andes- Miyazaki helped touch up the animation as a favor to Takahata.
Cyborg 009-Somewhat easier as the series started with a film, meaning the film is a remake and conclusion as well as an anniversary celebration.
The Wizard of Oz(1980)
An Adaptation of the 1900 L.Frank Baum novel airing on World Masterpiece Theatre and the first American adaptation on the show. Taking a queue from the 1939 film, the story begins in Black and White and transitions to color, but with the film switching from monaural Vistavision to Quadraphonic Cinemascope[1].
The Little’ Bits(1980)
A 26 episode series produced by Tatsunoko Productions in cooperation with TV Tokyo. Directed by Masayuki Hayashi and produced by Ippei Kuri.. The series enjoyed popularity in Europe,the Middle East and Spanish speaking countries. It was often compared to the Smurfs. The series follows a race of tiny people living in a village, focusing mainly on the children. Willbit is the main protagonist and is in love with Lillabit but clashes with Snagglebit over her affection. All characters follow the “Bit” naming scheme. The most controversial of the characters was “Drunkabit” which in the original Japanese was depicted as Drunk, something unchanged in the English dub to some controversy. Despite “Drunkabits’ alcoholism he proves to still be a caring father to Lillabit , who he adopted after her parents died and is respected as the town doctor. The plot of the last two episodes has the children characters learn her parents are alive and were exiled and go to search for them. They are revealed to belong to a warring tribe called the Wanderbits that nearly drove the Bits to extinction. In the end after Lillibits parents help save the children and turn on their tribe, they are allowed back into the village. Immediately after an earthquake, actually a man walking by, causes devastates the village and everyone is forced to work together to rebuild. Liillibit is also show not be able to talk to animals and recruit their help such as Snuffly the flying Squirrel and Blue the Hedgehog. The show frequently touted messages and morals for children, including messages on family and prejudice[2].
The Wonderful Adventures of Nils(1980-1981)
Based on the 1906 novel of the same name by Swedish author Selma Lagerlof. It ran for 52 episodes on NHK and was produced by Pierrot(it was their first animated series as they were founded in 1979, sticking true to the original but adding a pet hamster and more scenes to Smile the Fox, adding cut animal sidekicks. It was directed by Hiyasuki Toriumi. Nils Holgersson is a 14 year old boy who is lazy and disrespectful and loved to bully the animals on the farm. One day while home alone, Nils captures a Nils, a gnomelike creature in Scandinavian folklore, who turns Nils into a Tomte himself along with his pet hamster, granting him the ability to talk the animals. The animals all try to get revenge on the shrunken Nils for their torment on his hands. Niles escapes by jumping onto a goose named Morten’s back, as Morten wants to join the flock. As a result her is taken along for a ride as they fly and adventure across Sweden,encountering other animals and Nils begins to learn lessons about helping others and not being selfish. Nils also learns from the Tomte that if he changes his ways, the Tomte might change him back.
Maeterlinck’s Blue Bird: Tyltyl and Mytyl’s Adventurous Journey(1980)
Based on the 1908 play by Maurice Maeterlinck. Directed by Hiroshi Sasagawa with character designs by Leiji Matsumoto and running for 26 episodes. The series is set in a German speaking country in the 1970’s and follows 12 year old girl Mytyl and her 13 year old brother Tyltyl as they attempt to catch the Blue Bird of Happiness which would bring them eternal happiness with the aid of the fairy Berylune. They are followed by a cat and dog named Shanet and Tyrol who are given anthropomorphic forms and the ability to talk by Berylune.
Invincible Robo Trider G7(1980-1981)
A series created by Hajime Yatate and produced by Sunrise. Narration was provided by Ichirou Nagai, who did the narration on Mobile Suit Gundam. Takeo Watanabe and Yuushi Matsuyama wrote both the soundtrack for Mobile Suit Gundam and Trider G7 but they were later discovered to have sampled other tracks to finish it on time. The series attempted to be as realistic as possible to prove a Mecha Giant Robot scenario. The world is attacked by an alien invasion of Giant Mechanized robots. The robots only kill and cannot communicate but several are taken down and researched. While the fear they will return is present, that fear does not seem to materialize but the nations of the world still prepare(one character theorizes that because space is so vast they likely will never encounter the robots or the species who invented them and first contact was just a fluke. He also doesn’t believe the aliens intended to be hostile invaders as any intelligent species would at least try to make peaceful contact first rather than invade immediately. Another belief is that the Mecha design wouldn’t have taken off if it wasn’t proven to work as designing human shaped machines for combat would be deemed impractical over Tanks and Ship designs.
America, the Soviet UNion, and China are the ones to build Giant robots, as they are the only world powers with enough resources, money, land and people to undergo this endeavor. Other nations in the world begin to fight amongst themselves to gain the resources necessary such as a war in South America as Brazil invades its neighbors. Canada and Mexico allow the US to annex them. The European Union grows much tighter while Africa and the Middle East has factions fighting amongst themselves to be the one to united the lands(though India succeeds in building a Mecha called Vishnu which devastates Pakistan). China has conquered Korea and attacked Japan but America sees China as too valuable an Ally in the war with the Machines and cannot help. Japan however, begins to fight back and win, making some nervous that they have become an imperial power and making America and the Soviet Union hesitant on joining aside. Japan gains its first Mecha in the titular Robo Trider G7 due to a scientist studying the machines defecting to the country. Adults are initially used to pilot the Mechas but China begins to employ Child soldiers(including the removal of the one child policy) and Japan is forced to do the same when the Home Islands are invaded and they need all able bodied pilots. One such child is the protagonist Watta[3].
Rescueman(1980-1981)
Directed by Hiroshi Sasagawa. Produced by Kenji Yoshida for Tatsunoko Productions. The series is the third in the Time Bokan Series(Yatterman is seen as not counting). It follows three individuals Atachi, who wants to become the most beautiful woman in the world, Sekobitchi who wants to become the greatest scientist in the world, and Duwarusuki, who wants to be the greatest hero in the world. The catch is that all three are villains and are obsessed with their own ambitions rather than doing any actual good. In a twist, three time patrollers were killed and passed on the power to time travel not to worthy successors but to these three villains, who freely tamper with history when they realize that time travel creates an alternate universe where there changes stick instead of risking the space time continuum or altering their own. The three still end up being accidental heroes such as opposing an evil queen to kill her because Atachi thinks she is prettier than her, Sekibitchi proving his genius by solving a problem, or Duwarusuki genuinely doing good. The inspiration for the series came specifically because Doronbo and her gang where the most popular part of Yatterman and the popularity of Lupin the Third[4].
Back to the Forest(1980)
A TV Special airing on Fuji TV based on the children’s novel Jakobus Nimmersatt by German author Boy Lornsen. The story focuses on animals who’s forests are being torn down by humans, forcing them to declare war.
Monchhichi(1980)
Based on the line of Japanese stuffed Monkey toys made by the Sekiguchi Corporation that were released in 1974 and licensed by Mattel, which brought them over to the US. Tokyo 12 adapted the series[5].
Lalabel, the Magical Girl(1980-1981)
A Magical Girl series by Toei Animation that aired on TV Asahi. The series followed a Magical girl named Lalabel who lived in a magical world until a thief named Biscus stole several magical tools. She startles the thief and the tools fall through a portal into the human world. Lalabel falls through and is found by an elderly couple called the Tachibanas, who let her stay with them when they find out she is an orphan. Lalabel escapes until she can capture Biscus. She attends school with the granddaughter of the Tachibanas Teko and begins to fall in love and growing happy on Earth. In the finale she defeats Biscus and all the magical items are used up, rendering both human, meaning Lalabel stays on earth.
Doraemon: Nobita’s Dinosaur(1980)
The first animated Doraemon Feature film. Based on a Doraemon story of the same name by Fujiko Fuji (who also wrote the script) and directed by Hiroshi Fukutomi. The pilot centers on Nobita, wanting a pet, using Doraemon’s time machine to abduct an egg, which hatches into a Plesiosaur that eventually becomes too big to hide after Nobita puts it in a pond and then a lake. After being forced to reveal what he did. His friends and Doraemon transport the Plesiosaur back in time but are attacked by a group of what turn out to be Dinosaur hunters from the 24th Century. Nobita takes the time machine and hides it in what later turns out to be the Loch Ness in Scotland before he retrieves it once they’re clear of the hunters. They then bring the Plesiosaur back to its own time period but the time machine is destroyed by the Dinosaur hunts and the group is forced to make their way through the Bering, or the land bridge between Asia and North America that broke apart to split the continents, encountering Dinosaurs along the way, to reach a point where the time machine parts where left on an earlier tripe, eventually defeating the hunters, saying goodbye to the Plesiosaur and going him.
Phoenix 2772(1980)
Based on the Osamu Tezuka Manga, which features the encounter of various people throughout history with the titular Phoenix. The film is set in the distant future of the title. The Earth is dying due to lack of resources and climate, leading humans to be created in test tubes and assigned roles by computers. Godo was born as a cadet and raised by a robot made named Olga. Rock. The dictator candidate for Prime Minister(“Played “ by the Metropolis antagonist), sends Godo to kill the capture the Phoenix as its blood will heal the Earth but Rock actually wants to drink the blood and become immortal. Godo is troubled by the mission as he views all living things as sacred. He is further conflicted when he learns Olga will be destroyed. He is also in love with Rena, who is the bride to be of Rock. Godo and Rena are caught and Godo is sent to a labour camp in Iceland where he meets Doctor Saruta, who plots a way to escape, find the Phoenix and save the world. The two are saved during a breakout by Olga and Pincho, a pet of Rena’s she commanded to help rescue Godo. On a ship, the crew find the Phoenix but it is too powerful and shapeshifts into various monsters. Godo hears that Rena married Rock and gives in to despair, leading to the crew being killed one by one including Saruta. Godo freezes and cradles Olga after she is killed. Godo’s declaration of love leads to the Phoenix also calming down into a smaller peacock live form and speaks to Godo, making a deal to grant one wish and revives Olga on the condition he gives the Phoenix something. It then disappears after reviving Olga and the two see the Phoenix createa paradise like planet for them to live on. Godo still wants to return to Earth and gathers food from the planet to go back only for Rock to arrive there to capture him along with Rena, who seems happy with Rock. Rock goes into the planet and finds the Phoenix there and tries to kill it, causing the planet to begin to shake and collapse, killing Rena and blinding Rock. The Phoenix is revealed to have possessed Olga as part of their deal and asks to be killed so that Godo can drink its blood and become immortal but he refuses, instead asking for his life in exchange for the revival of the Earth. The Phoenix agrees and Godo collapses dead into Olga’s arms with the Phoenix leaving Olga’s body soon after. And the planet exploding. The Earth is shown to be recovering with plant life as human ships begin to arrive. Godo is seen being revived as a baby being held by a human version of Olga as the ship arrive.
The film was distributed by Toho. It was seen by American critics as well drawn and imaginative but two long in parts with scenes that could have been cut. Many fans who saw Mighty Atom Super Train were hoping it told the origin of the Phoenix, which it did not. Despite its flaws it won the San Diego Comic Con Inkpot award in 1980(an award voted on by fans at Comic Con, usually given to an installment in a franchise with a large fandom, in this case animated films)[6].
Twelve Months(1980)
Directed by Yugo Serikawa, Kimio Yabuki, and Tetsuo Imazawa. Produced by Toei Animation in partnership with Soyuzmultfilm from Russia. Based on the fairy tale of the same name by Samuil Marshak with music composed by Vladimir Ivanovich krivtsov performed by the National Petrograd Philharmonic. The plot follows a spoiled young queen that asks for a bouquet of Galanthus, a spring wildflower in the winter in exchange for a reward of gold. A greedy woman of the evil stepmother variety sends her young stepdaughter Anja instead of her own daughter to fetch it. Anja knows it is impossible but is forced outside and nearly freezes to death but is awoken by a light from a bonfire and meets several spirits revealing themselves as personifications of the twelve months. When Anja tells them her task they take pity on her and temporarily bring spring to allow the flowers to grow but she cannot say how she got them. Anja returns and presents the bouquet but the queen is not satisfied and demands to see where she got the flowers.
Space Emperor God Sigma(1980-1981)
A series created by Toei’s Television Division but produced by Academy Productions. Popy, which now ha da contract with Bandai for toys. Tadao Nagahama and Takashi Ijima planned on departing Toei along with Katsuhiko Taguchi. The series was set in 2050 AD where mankind had advanced into the stars but were then attacked by the Elder, aliens who’s planet had been conquered in the future, now using time travel to come from 2300 AD and obtain Earth’s Trinity Energy, which was used to conquer their home in their own time with God Sigma being Earth’s main defense. Due to the popularity of dark series, the angle that the aliens were desperate and that the future humans were an evil conquering empire was addressed as it made the morality far less black and white.
Captain(1980)
Based on the manga by Akio Chiba which ran concurrently with another Chiba Manga Play Ball. It aired on TV Asahi. The Manga ran from 1972 to 1979. The Manga swapped out protagonists as when a character graduated from school, they left and a new protagonist started their journey. While this worked for the Manga, the Anime kept one due to its shorter run[7].
King Arthur and the Knights of the Round Table(1980-1981)
A series based on Arthurian Legend, specifically the Once and Future King but merging most versions together. Produced by Toei Animation and consisting of 30 half hour episodes. The series covers the entirety of Arthur’s life, beginning with the death of his father plunging the sword into the stone and his death and his body being taken to Albion[8].
Fisherman Sanpei(1980-1982)
Based on the manga by Takao Yaguchi that ran from 1973 to 1983. The series was adapted into 109 episode on Fuji TV. It’s simple premise and slice of life setting likely contributing to its longevity.
Don Quixote(1980)
A 23 Episode series directed by Kunihiko Yuyama based on Miguel De Cervantes’ Don Quixote and airing on Tokyo Channel 12[9].
Toward the Terra(1980)
Based on a Science Fiction Manga by Keiko Takemiya that ran from 1977 to 1980. The series proved difficult to classify, the author was female but it had a broad appeal and in a first for a manga series, it was ultimately chosen to declare it the General winner since it qualified for both anyway, winning the award in 1979. Upon conclusion in 1980 it was adapted by Toei Animation and director Video Onchi.
The plot is set in the 31st century where humanity us ruled by Supercomputers called the Super Dominance which selects certain humans. This occurred after a war on Earth and Pollution rendered Earth inhospitable. The Supercomputers also select parents for children. A race of humans have evolved as psychics and now seek to exterminate the super computers while rescuing as many as possible from being brainwashed or killed. Earth or Terra is seen as the promise land and they believe it is no habitable and wish to one day return there.
Ganbare!! Tabuchi-kun!! (1980)
Translated as roughly “Good Luck! Tabuchi-kun. The series is a baseball gag series similar to American comic strips with four panels called a Yonkoma, created by Hisaichi Ishii, it ran in Manga Action nMagazine from 1978 to 1979 and after it ended, Ishii went onto create more baseball gag comics. The main characters based on Professional Baseball player Koichi Tabuchi. Since there was little to no plot to the strips. It was adapted into one Animated film, made up mostly of gags with a weak plot, like the Bad News Bears of Anime.
Space Runaway Ideon(1980-1981)
A television series Produced by Sunrise and directed by Yoshiyuki Tomino immediately after his success on Mobile Suit Gundam and aired on TV Tokyo. The series is set in the year 2300, where mankind has begun colonizing other planets. On the planet Solo in the Andromeda Galaxy they find the remains of several tanks which can combine into a Mecha and a Spaceship. They restore the machines but cannot get the tanks to move. An alien civilization called the Buff Clan came across the planet Solo. Among the group is the young daughter Karala, who vanishes along with her assistant Mayaya. The Buff Clan suspect the humans were involved and attack. Cosmo Yuki, the protagonist,, jumps into the tanks with his friends, which activate on their own and combine to repeal the Buff Clan. Another attack is sent and the leader of the Military force Bes Jordan has the Odeon tanks equipped with weapons while the Buff Clan obliterate the cities on Solo and try to capture the Ideon. Karala and Malaya are mistaken for colonists and taken to safety with the others. The Odeon pilots include Tekuno, Bento, Cosmo, Kasha, and Moera. Karala and Mayaya are discovered to be aliens and Mayaya is killed but Yes allows Karala to live. She tells everyone the legend of Ide. The power of Ide once save the buff clan and they’ve been searching for it with the energy powering Ideon and the solo ships. The Solo ship fights the Buff Clan in Space on the planet Saurus and confront Buff Clan commanding officer Gije in his own mobile suit. Orders are received that Karala can be killed for associating with humans.These orders lead Buff Clan member Abadidi to chase the Solo Ship only to be killed. Harulu, Karala’s sister takes control. Karala tries to make peace with Harulu on a nearby planet but is rejected and is shown to be willing to die, earning the respect of the Solo Ship crew.
The Solo ship arrives on the planet Ajian and the Buff Clan attacks commence with Ideon destroying missiles fired on Earth, but destroy much of the planet itself. The Solo ship engages Harulu’s ship and the latter is destroyed. Harulu reunited with Daram Zuba, a former member seeking to overthrow the Buff Clan Emperor with Gije’s help. The Solo Ship heads to earth by chased by Daram but cannot be allowed on Earth for fear of bringing the war and stop at the moon to use a supercomputer there to study the Idea power. Several children sneak onto the Ideon and it becomes stronger to protect the children, developing more weapons. One character attempts to take advantage of this by putting children as the pilots but the Ideon’s cannons suddenly fire without warning, killing her, illustrating the Ideas thinks that’s a bad idea. Gilje is betrayed by Zaram and tries to join the Solo ship but few trust him even when he kills Daram in battle. The Solo Ship leaves Earth and continues to repel attacks from the Buff Clan. Moera is killed and Gilje takes his place as an Ideon pilot. As the deaths mount, including Gilje in a battle, the Ideon begins to change to become more and more powerful. In one attack, Karala is taken and discovered to be pregnant with Bes’s child. The leader of the Buff Clan Doba vows to kill his own daughter. While the Solo Ship makes a move to rescue her, allowing Karala to escape in the chaos with Ideon attacking. Doga declares the Ideon to be destroyed, causing his own soldiers to turn on him before they themselves are killed by the Ideon, unaware of this. A handful of survivors escape at the Solo Ship crashes and destroys the base on the Ideon[10].
Space Warrior Baldios(1980-1981)
A Series by Ashi Productions and Kokusa Big-sha. The series ran for 39 episodes. The series is set in a future world where pollution forced humanity underground. The Emperor is assassinated by Zeo Gattler and his followers, who frame a team of scientists who found the solution for the planet’s decay. Gattler’s followed destroy the work of the scientists , loads the population on a fortress and sets off to conquer a new planet. The son of the leader scientist Marin Raygun, tries to escape but in doing so is caught in Algol’s Warp drive and arrives in the year 2100 , where Gattler’s army attacks a martian colony and he joins the military organization Blue Fixer and their Mecha, the Space Warrior Baldios. Gattler devastates the Earth by causing the polar ice caps to melt. This causes Marin Raygun to realize that Gattler was responsible for the disaster that forced them to leave via a closed time loop and has a final battle where he kills Neo Gattler.
Do your Best Genki(1980-1981)
Based on the manga by You Koyama that ran from 1976 to 1981. It is a sports series about a boy raised by a single father who wants to be a boxer like him. It was made by Toei Animation and won the Shogakukan Manga award for Shonen in 1979.
Makoto-Chan(1980)
Based on a comedy manga that ran from 1976 to 1988 about socially awkward kindergartner Makoto Sawada with a series filled with toilet and adult humor. The animated film adaptation was directed by Tsuomu Shibayama(who mostly directed Doraemon) and distributed by Toho.
The Tomb of Dracula(1980)
Based on the Marvel Comics series of the same name that ran from 1972 to 1979. The plot is a greatly condensed version of the series which had little overarching story. The summarized plot is that Dracula crashes a satanic ritual intended to sacrifice a bride to Satan and takes her as his own. Dracula find he cannot bite the girl as she resembles his long lost love from he was Vlad the Impaler. Satan vows revenge and tries to steal her back. Meanwhile the descendants of the Harkers and the Helsings come together to defeat Dracula but are approached by the worshippers of Satan. Satan's followers lure Dracula into a trap where the windows a boarded quickly by crosses and a Silver crossbow bolt is fired, Dracula turns into mist and the bolt shoots and kills Dracula's wife and his unborn son. He is able to assist his wife in escaping. A Satanic ritual is conducted in which Dracula is stripped of his powers but the Satanists kidnap his wife. Dracula, stripped of his powers leads to a surreal scene of Dracula eating fast food, specifically a cheeseburger and fries for the first time in full outfit and appearances. Dracula returns to Transylvania to be turned again and gain the strength to save his wife while Satan intends to possess his dead child, originally intending to sire an Antichrist. Dracula fights a vampire but due to having the cross burn his hand as Vampire before he became human, he now has an unhealed cross shaped scar on his hand which he uses to melt a vampire's face with his touch. He is once more transformed and cuts the injured hand off before engaging the Satanists. The Helsing and Harker group, having been previously betrayed by the Satanists and unaware of their true nature, attack. Dracula kills the Antichrist, cutting off Satan's connection to the mortal world before Helsing blows himself up with a bomb in a wheelchair, seemingly killing Dracula and allow Dracula's wife and the Harkers to escape. The film has become a source of memes in the present day due to over the top acting and bad animation[11].
Nextworld(1980)
Based loosely on a 1951 Osamu Tezuka story, though ironically he wrote the script for the film. The Manga was considered the last part of a trilogy with The Lost World and Metropolis as the first and second installments. All three installments feature Shunsaku Ban and his nephew Kenichi as the main characters. Lost World wasn’t adapted as the premise involved traveling to an alien planet populated by Dinosaurs and was likely to similar to film adaptations of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle’s the Lost World.Tezuka, as he’d done with Metropolis, rewrote Nextworld. The original story had involved atomic tests during the Cold War creating mutant animals. That decided to leave earth before the two superpowers of America and the Soviet Union blew each other up. Now it was a sequel to both Metropolis and Mighty Atom: Super Train once more follow Kenichi and Tina. Kenichi was aged up into a teenager while Tina was shown to still a child to create drama as she did not age while Kenichi did. The film addressed the idea of a Cold War Hot scenario in the future, as the original story was written in the 1950’s at the height of the Cold War paranoia. The protagonists are now involved to stop an international incident from escalating into World War Three due to an evil Supercomputer intending to launch nuclear weapons[12].
The Monster Kid(1980-1982)
Based on the Manga by Fujiko A.Fujio that ran from 1965 to 1969 on TV Asahi and TBS in the US. The series follows a young monster kid who lives with the adult monsters of Dracula, the Wolfman and Franeksntein and they are forced to live in a modern suburban area and end up battling other monsters summoned by the Demon Group Demonish. The series was made largely due to the success Fujio’s other creation Doraemon was enjoying.
Muteking, The Dashing Warriors(1980-1981)
Proced by Tatsunoko Productions for Fuji TV. The series follows Twelve Year old Tin Yuki who’s father was laughed at for predicting alien would invade. Ran met an alien sheriff named Takoro who was chasing space criminals seeking to become masters of the Earth. Ran becomes the hero Muteking to thwart their schemes. The series was unsuccessful in the US.
Ojamanga Yamada-kun(1980-1982)
Based on the Comedy Manga by Hisiachi Ishii. The series lasted for 103 episodes on Fuji TV. Episode consisted of 3 7 minute stories on Sundays from 7 to 7:30pm.
Black Jack(1980-1981)
With the success of the Mighty Atom, Tezuka’s second most popular character, Black Jack, was adapted to the screen by Mushi Productions[13].
Gigantor(1980-1981)
An in color remake by Tokyo Movie Shinsha of Mitsuteru Yokoyama’s manga Tetsujin 28-go. It was directed by Tetsuo Imazawa produced by Shigeru Akagawa and Tora Horikoshi. It aired on Nippon Television with Fred Ladd adapting all 51 Episodes into English. Despite the timing, the creators insisted they were not inspired to revive the 60’s icon due to the success of the Mighty Atom. Though the proximity of the remakes did lead to Tezuka considering a crossover between the two[14].
Adieu Galaxy Express 999(1980)
The sequel to the 1979 film. On Earth, an unknown amount of time later, Tetsuro on Earth receives a message from Maetel that seems to be a cry for help and once more boards the Galaxy Express 999. On the way there Tetsuro reunited with Captain Harlock and reveals his intentions. Harlock gives him a signal flare to fire if he needs help but it needs to be fired into space. Tetsuro reaches reache the final destination of the Galaxy E xpress 999 which to his shock is a planet named Maetel, the mechanization homeworld. It is here that Tetsuro realizes that Maetel originally intended to bring him to the planet to sacrifice him and turns him into a mechanized slave, one of many and that Maetel did this multiple times(flashbacks to first film show the two first meeting and then departing mixed in with previously unseen scenes of the two). Tetsuro angrily slaps Maetel when he learns the truth, that she originally intended to sacrifice him, but is captured by Maetel’s mother Queen Prometheum. However, Maetel saves Tetsuro and reveals her intent to destroy the planet using a weapon created by her father, the engineer of the city. Maetel hesitates to do so but Tetsuro does activate the destruction of the planet and shoots the signal flare that allows Harlock and Emeralds to arrive to rescue them as the planet collapses. Maetel reveals that the body of Tetsuro’s mother was used to provide Maetel with a body of her own and departs to Pluto where her true body is preserved, promising to reunited with Tetsuro in her own body and they once more say a tearful goodbye.
Notes
[1] OTL the Adventures of Tom Sawyer was released in place of Wizard of Oz. Because the Adventures of Huckleberry Finn adapted both that book and The Adventures of Tom Sawyer ITTL, there is no need seen for a remake(I’d say at least more than ten years before remaking something and that previous adaptation was in 1976, hit 1986 and then we’ll talk), and so this series is butterflied away, leading World Masterpiece Theater to choose something different in its place. Since ITTL they’ve yet to adapt an American story(OTL their first was Rascal the Raccoon which was butterflied away). They choose Wizard of Oz, allowing them to employ the change where the film switches from monaural Vistavision to Quadraphonic Cinemascope to simulate the wonder of entering Oz, an effect Space Battleship Yamato III did OTL. They do not outsource the production ITTL as they previously did that with Jack and the Beanstalk and that was a failure, making World Masterpiece Theatre more hesitant to endorse another created work.
[2] OTL the name of Drunkabit in English was Snoozabit and they dubbed him as always being sleepy rather than drunk. Naturally this is controversial ITTL, but it did try to teach kids to be careful when adults are showing signs of being drunk, that they may not be in control of what they do and tried to squeeze a lesson in there.
[3] FYI I made pretty much all of this up. Despite the mission statement of “trying to be a realistic Mecha Series”, Robo Trider G7 still follows, a Robot Invasion of Earth, a scientist who defected from the villains, builds a robot, dies and passes the robot to a child main character. It took the “realistic” Mecha angle and did my own take on it. ITTL its more inspired by Tomino’s other work and the more successful Gundam. I imagine ITTL there’s an Alternatehistory.com timeline which imagines a similar premise as the series occurring in 1940, meaning America, the Nazis, the Soviet Union, and Japan are the world powers building Mechas with different leaders in charge complete with historical figures as Mech pilots such as General Patton, Elvis Presley, John F.Kennedy and world leaders getting their own Mechs for Stalin, Hitler and the US President.
[4] Rescueman has been tweaked compared to OTL and the heroes are now basically the villains as a nod to the villains of Time Bokan usually stealing the show anyway, justified by them not being too evil beyond being thieves and incompetent at that.
[5] Monchhichi toys had a boost in sales ITTL thank to Pippi Longstocking and TTL’s 3000 Leagues in Search of Mother popularizing monkeys, making them more successful, and the Monkey craze allowed the company to bill their toys as “Don’t buy a real monkey. Buy a stuffed Monkey. They’re much easier. They don't throw feces and won't bite you.”
[6] Phoenix 2772 does better ITTL due to Tezuka being more famous and it being just a year after the Phoenix appeared in Mighty Atom: Super Train so more people recognize it. ITTL Alan Moore’s League of Extraordinary Gentlemen composites the Tezuka’s Phoenix with the Phoenix Force of X-Men fame.
[7] Captain was adapted into a film first. Changed to an anime as a concept such as rotating protagonists would really only work as a series.
[8] OTL King Arthur as a series was released OTL in 1979 followed by a sequel, King Arthur: Prince on White horse which had the characters in a futuristic setting. My plan ITTL is to delay that version so that it becomes an Anime adaptation of the similar premise of the Comic Camelot 3000 which debuted in 1983.
[9] This series was of the funny animals variety OTL with animals in the main role. Personally I think you should have at least one faithful adaptation before you go the talking funny animal route. That’s not why Animal Treasure Island was butterflied away, that was just a coincidence based on the logic of Miyazaki leaving before he suggested the idea.
[10] A Significantly more upbeat ending even if its still a sad one than OTL where the TV show and the film ended differently but both with the everyone dying and shown to be reborn. The first destroys both races and the second destroys the universe.My guess is Tomino is in better health thanks to Gundam doing a lot better and so he decided to give the series a happier ending. Thing is OTL this series was the heavyweight champion of downer endings and inspired Hideakki Anno’s Neon Genesis Evangelion. ITTL by changing it things are going to be very different down the line for Evangelion. Also ITTL the series sells better but OTL the DVD box set was overproduced and when the second boxset and movie came out they produced less, resulting in the opposite problem of 80,000 to 120,000 yen DVD boxes. Here with Gundam being a success it sells better helped by lacking a downer ending.
[11] The plot is changed slightly to make a bit more sense but I personally enjoyed the OTL film on an ironic level. You can watch the film on YouTube but this review of it I think illustrates my points:
[12] Nextworld is Radically different from OTL due to the success of Metropolis, with the same people involved, meaning the plot changes to be a sequel. I imagine it being some combination of Metropolis and the Sum of All Fears.
[13]OTL an Astro Boy series in color aired at this time, since the series debuted earlier in 1977, its position is replaced with Tezuka’s second most popular character Blackjack, who already made a recent appearance in Mighty Atom: Super Train so audiences are familiar with him.
[14] OTL Gigantor and Astro Boy both had in color remakes at the same time, ironically given they premiered the same year. Not ITTL once again due to Mighty Atom’s earlier in color debut so there's an argument to be made that the Gigantor staff remade the show because of Mighty Atom's success even though they didn't do that OTL.
And now for those who have been Butterflied Away
Be Forever Yamato. Has been butterflied away as TTL’s equivalent Space Asteroid Icarus, never needed to retcon its ending away. The effect where the film switches from monaural Vistavision to Quadraphonic Cinemascope when the Yamato enters the Double Galaxy is used ITTL for the Wizard of Oz instead. Space Battleship Yamato III is butterflied away for the same reason and also because Matsumoto is working on Galaxy Express 999's film sequel.
Tomorrow’s Joe 2. A continuation of the OTL Anime. ITTL the Anime was completed and a compilation movie was released leaving no need for Tomorrow’s Joe 2 to exist and any kind of sequel after the Manga's point would go against the author's intentional ambiguous ending. Instead two series would later be released show two possible futures are the Manga's ending. It's kind of like how OTL there is a comic book series where Archie marries Betty and another where he marries Veronica released at the same time.
Ganbare!! Tabuchi-kun!! Another Film. Butterflied away due to personal reasons. Two films of the same franchise the same year seems redundant especially for a comedy.
I have one more thing before we finish with 1980. I'll give you a hint. It's a Miyazaki film, but one that he didn't make OTL but wanted to. One that...quite frankly sounds bizarre on paper. And yes it's getting its own post. Because I have some Concept Art.
