The entertainment medium is ever-evolving, as style, music, artwork, and stories grow with the times. For anime, that statement also rings true. Modern improvements in technology allow for animators and storytellers to push the medium with amazing feats of sakuga and insane plot twists.
Yet, it is also important to look at the anime that laid the foundation for all of that growth as well. Even with age, a lot of the titles that were released decades ago still manage to hold up even today.
To celebrate, we’ve compiled a list of titles that really held up well over the years. These are three anime that aged like fine wine.
Gurren Lagann (2007)
Anime That Aged Like Fine Wine
Regardless of the times, you can be sure that mech fighting anime will never go out of style. That is surely the case for Gurren Lagann, one of the archetypes of the now-beloved sub-genre of action anime.
Set in a distant future where humanity is driven underground, this show tells a story of defiance and rebellion, starring two teenagers, Simon and Kamina. Together, they fight to take back the surface with their ancient mecha known as Lagann, overcoming intense battles with other large mechs to further their goals.
The visuals that accompany these fights are, alone, enough to prove that Gurren Lagann has aged marvelously, as each fight has its own unique bombastic style. Each of these battles usually ends with one of Lagann’s typical, dramatic finishing moves, but they’re beautiful enough that we don’t mind watching them over and over again.
Gurren Lagann’s story is still amazing as well, as it is rife with twists and turns you won’t see coming, supported by a bevy of unique and likable characters.
Fullmetal Alchemist (2001)
Anime That Aged Like Fine Wine
Often overlooked due to the acclaim and success of its successor series, Fullmetal Alchemist Brotherhood, the 2001 installment of Fullmetal Alchemist holds up surprisingly well.
The story follows Edward and Alphonse Elric – two brothers that lost parts of their bodies when an alchemic transmutation to bring their mother back to life goes badly. In order to get their bodies back, they must now hunt for the mysterious Philosopher’s Stone.
What follows is an exciting yet harrowing mystery, as the brothers uncover a massive plot surrounding the Stone that involves the government and creatures known as Homunculi. This intriguing story is accompanied by hilarious back and forth between characters, creating one of the best rosters in all of anime as it progresses.
Fight scenes are still awesome as well, as the animation behind the creative and beautiful science that is transmutation leaps off the screen with vivid colors and detailed drawings.
Cowboy Bebop (1998)
Anime That Aged Like Fine Wine
The go-to anime that most people recommend for beginners who don’t know where to start is always going to be Cowboy Bebop. Airing back in 1998, this show follows the story of a ragtag group of hooligans aboard a spaceship set in the near future, and the trouble they get into.
Those adventures include everything from bounty hunting to simply finding food on the ship, as the show tends to follow an episodic, week-to-week storyline.
What makes Cowboy Bebop so accessible, even to this day, are its relatable themes and characters. Even the smallest adventure in the show explores ideas like existentialism, friendship, and memory, serving to develop the characters, their relationships, and its fascinating world all the while.
It also helps that Cowboy Bebop is still aesthetically pleasing, too, as its bumping jazz melodies and stylized sci-fi visuals are better than a lot of the anime currently airing now.
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