The story of an anthropomorphic kitten, a rescue mission, and an inventive post-apocalypse.
If you ask a viewer what full-length anime films were released in the 1980s, the first things that come to mind are the works of Hayao Miyazaki – everyone's favorite My Neighbor Totoro and Kiki's Delivery Service.
But today we are going to talk about feature-length films by other directors. Among them are some famous ones and some that few have heard of.
1. Night on the Galactic Railroad, 1985
The life of the anthropomorphic kitten Giovanni is not like a fairy tale – he has to take care of his sick mother, his father is missing somewhere, and his classmates make fun of him. But one day something amazing happens.
After dozing off on the grass on the day of the Star Festival, Giovanni wakes up next to a mysterious train that has descended from the sky. Thus begins his journey into the unknown with his old friend Campanella, one of the passengers.
The movie is based on a story by Kenji Miyazawa, one of the most famous Japanese authors of the 20th century. In the anime, the boys were replaced by talking cats – the emphasis is on the feelings and experiences of the characters, so it does not matter what they look like.
2. Toward the Terra, 1980
In the distant future, humanity has abandoned the polluted Earth – people have been forced to live in space. Now their lives, full of strict rules and restrictions, are controlled by a computer.
Children are grown in test tubes and given to random "parents" for a while, and after 14 years they are forced to take a maturity test. Dissent is suppressed, and people with superpowers, called Mu, are feared and destroyed.
Some Mu defy the system and band together to defend their right to live. The main character, teenager Jomy, wants nothing to do with them, but one day he finds out that he is not like everyone else.
3. Wings of Honneamise, 1987
Honneamise is a monarchy in an alternate world where there is a Cold War and no one has ever flown into space. The people of the country live in poverty, all the money goes to intelligence and defense – space flights are not a priority here.
But the space program still exists, even though no one takes it seriously. Shirotsugh Lhadatt, a major in the Space Force, is also skeptical, but after meeting a missionary girl, he gets excited about the idea of exploring space and even volunteers.
Gainax's debut feature is an outstanding movie with excellent animation and a well-thought-out plot. It deserves no less attention than the well-known Evangelion, but is undeservedly rarely remembered.
4. Barefoot Gen, 1983
A boy named Gen lives with his big family in Hiroshima in 1945. The children know hunger and the fear of bombs, but that does not stop them from enjoying the summer.
They fight and make peace, go to school and help their pregnant mother, play and have fun: life goes on as usual, despite the war. But on August 6th, everything changes – an atomic bomb is dropped on the city.
Like Grave of the Fireflies, Barefoot Gen is a very sad anime that will stay with you for a lifetime. And it is definitely worth watching, because the terrible things happening on the screen were a frightening reality for some.
5. Crusher Joe, 1983
Mercenaries known as Crushers receive an important mission – to transport a terminally ill girl to another planet for surgery. Along the way, they encounter all kinds of obstacles, from the mysterious disappearance of their charge to skirmishes with the military and pirates.
Crusher Joe is a solid comedy action movie set in space. The more than two hours do not let the viewer get bored: the movie is full of events, and the battles and shootouts are appropriately diluted with cozy moments and humor.