Anime and manga are two of Japan’s most popular cultural aspects and both have been so popular worldwide that it is almost impossible not to have seen or read or heard of at least a few titles of anime/manga. There is a wide number of old anime series and I am sure that many of you who read this list will feel nostalgic remembering those times during your childhood when you used to watch them on TV.

Shaman King

Shaman King was between the first anime I watched on TV and I remember I saw it dubbed in my language, not Japanese and that I immediately fell in love with Tao Ren. It caught me right away and introduced me to the world of shamans. I remember we also had albums where we would collect stickers and used to pretend to be the main characters of the series while playing outside. Good Times!

Asakura Yoh is the 13-year-old protagonist of the anime and together with his guardian ghost, Amidamaru and his friends participate in the battle with other shamans to become a Shaman king. The anime is funny, exciting to watch, the graphics are adorable and the plot is very interesting.

Inuyasha

The series takes place in Feudal Japan and our main protagonist is no other than Inuyasha, who is half-demon, half-human, and desires to get rid of his human half by getting the sacred jewel and being able to transform into a full-fledged demon. He falls in love with Kikyo, the priestess protecting the Jewel, but their peaceful days end after Naraku, a half-human plans on stealing the jewel and tricks both of them. This leads to Kikyo’s death after sealing Inuyasha and burning the Jewel withing her body.

However, no one expected the Jewel to come back to the Feudal Era 50 years later within Kikyo’s reincarnation, Kagome.

Kagome is a 15-years-old girl from the modern period that gets dragged into the Feudal Era through the well inside the shrine she lives at.

Kaleido Star

The anime follows Sora Naegino, a Japanese girl who flies to America so she can take the audition for her beloved Kaleido Stage, a circus and theater company that tells wonderful stories through their acrobatics and performances.

The series follows Sora’s growth and the difficulties she goes through to become acknowledged and a better acrobat and trapeze artist and the true Star that Kaleido Stage is looking for.

Captain Tsubasa

Captain Tsubasa is the most famous soccer manga and anime and has had a big influence on Japanese soccer, including the J-League players and even some of the foreign soccer players around the world.

The manga was serialized in Weekly Shonen Jump and Tsubasa’s motto "ボールは友達" (Boru wa Tomodachi/The Ball is my friend) has become a famous phrase around the soccer fanatics.

Cowboy Bebop

The science fiction series is a masterpiece in the anime world and was remarked for the unique style, beautiful graphics, interesting plot, and amazing soundtrack.

The action takes place in 2071 and the story focuses on our main protagonist, Spike Spiegel and his rivalry with the criminal, Vicious that wants to eliminate our protagonist after finding out he had an affair with his girlfriend.

If you are an anime fan, it is impossible to not know Cowboy Bebop as it’s a legend among any anime fanatic and will probably be one of the most influential series for many years to come.

What are your personal favorites and which series did you love the most as a child?