Most Influential Japanese Anime Cartoons

Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex is an anime television series based on the manga series, Ghost in the Shell, Stand Alone Complex revolved around the story of the members of a team called Public Security Section 9. Written and directed by Kenji Kamiyama, it first aired in Japan in 2002 and released in other parts of the world a year after. Its lead character, Agent Motoko Kusanagi, turned heads because of her beauty and fighting skills which were crucial to the appeal of the series.

Dragon Ball Z: A Japanese manga series written and illustrated by Akira Toriyama, Dragon Ball Z was one of the most-watched anime to have ever been shown in world television. Inspired by the classic novel in China entitled Journey to the West, it was about the adventures of Son Goku as he trained in martial arts from his childhood until he reached adulthood. He explored the world in search of the seven Dragon Balls with the capacity to grant wishes through the help of a wish-granting dragon.

Fist of the North Star: Illustrated by Tetsuo Hara and written by Buronson, Fist of the North was a Japanese anime series that took place in a post-apocalyptic world that had been destroyed by a nuclear war. The story of this anime series revolved around Kenshiro the warrior, who was also the successor of a deadly martial art dubbed as Hokuto Shinken. The protagonist of this story dedicated his life to fighting against the ravagers who took advantage of the poor and the innocent.

Samurai Champloo: Taking place during the Edo period and characterized by its anachronistic, hip-hop setting, this television series was the first directorial effort of Japanese director Shiichiro Watanabe, following the widely acclaimed Cowboy Bebop. It followed the swordsman Mugen and a brave young girl named Fuu, who asked him to accompany her to Japan to find the “samurai who smelled like sunflowers.”

Saint Seiya: Adapted into an anime television series from 1986 to 1989, this story focuses on mystical warriors called Saints who wore sacred armors called Cloths. These Saints pledged to protect the reincarnation of Athena in her fight against the Olympian gods, who sought to gain rule over the Earth.