Anime Hot Topic #2: Influential Anime

[Mynd Hed]

It's that time again! Boot your Discuss-o-Trons straight to "Conversify," because it's time for a new Anime Hot Topic.

Today's question is this:

What do you think is the single most influential anime ever, and why?

Now remember, this is NOT a "what's your favorite anime" thread. We're not talking about the anime that you like the best, or even the one that you think is the best. We're talking about the anime that you think is the most influential, the one that has inspired the most creative minds and influenced their work, whether that work is in the anime field or outside it. And don't forget to tell us why you feel that way: is the anime you chose the most widely influential, so that you're constantly seeing homages to it everywhere, inside and outside the anime world? Or is its influence limited to just a few people who recognize its true greatness, but those few people are some of the most creative minds of our time? Give a few examples of animes and/or live action films and television shows and/or people (critics, producers, directors, actors, musicians, anyone) who you think have been influenced by your choice, and tell us why you think that way.

Have at it!

 

[KingKoopa]

Airing on Adult Swim right now, it's definately Lupin III. Lupin was the inspiration for many characters, including the much loved Bebop cast. It has so many movies and TV specials it's hard to count. It's done plenty for anime.

 

[Maphmaa]

The mother of 'em all...

My vote goes to Mobile Suit Gundam. Not only did it become the definative mecha series in Japan (its Star Trek, so to speak) but it also presented giant robots in a different light. In Gundam they weren't super-invincible robots that a solitary hero controlled, but simply military tools. It has also influenced many other contemporary mech series like Gundam Wind and SEED as well as shows like Eva.

 

[Proteus3]

I also agree with Mobile Suit Gundam. Mobile Suit Gundam changed mecha shows forever and still has a heavy influence over mecha shows today. Mobile Suit Gundam changed many things. First, the enemy wasn't a flat, one-dimensional evil character. MSG was the first mecha show to show there is no truly good or bad in war.

Mobile Suit Gundam was revolutionary in its day. It was the first mecha show that didn't put the name of the mecha on the TV screen when that mecha appeared and it was the first not to have the name of the attacks yelled out. It also showed that the mechas were mass produced, war units. Previous mecha shows had mobile armor of the week faced against one hero.

Mobile Suit Gundam set the stage for animation that wasn't aimed purely at children. Even more impressive is how Mobile Suit Gundam is a reflection of the era in Japan. To get a better explanation, go to this site.

Mobile Suit Gundam defined the mecha genre as we know it today. Even a few years after it was made, it started influencing anime with the next great mecha series- SDF Macross. Evangelion, Rahxephon, Nadesico, and many others wouldn't exist without Mobile Suit Gundam.

 

[Outside Angel]

Yeah, they about said it. MSG takes the cake, redefining mecha for ever after. But, I also have to give props to Bishoujo Senshei...what would shoujo anime be without it?

 

[Cyporiean]

For me, the Most influential Anime is Memories.

Otomo's masterpiece has helped me out of a jam several times..

 

[Ben]

I'm surprised the obvious choice hasn't been Astroboy (Tetsuwan Atomu). This show has influenced science fiction worldwide and founded the Japanese anime industry. Osamu Tezuka's creation not only set the standard for the visual style of anime (with the large eyes supposedly drawn after Tezuka watched Bambi forty-something times), it also set into motion the seemingly eternal anime fascination with the human-technology relationship.

In fact, I am helping a professor on a book and am about to start research on Astroboy to study why he gained such worldwide appeal. It should be an interesting project.

 

[stanteau]

I hate to sound like a broken record but EVA.I mean,Akira was the most influential in America and Lupin and Doreamon got the whole thing started,but when put into perspective EVA had the biggest impact.Bebop,Doremon,GitS;SAC,they all had HUGE advertising campaigns.LAst year when I wa sin JApan you couldn't go 2 feet within a manga shop without seeing SAC ads.It was insane.EVA had NO advertising whatsoever.They didn't even run commercials for it,not a single commercial in the least.Within 3 episodes it was the biggest anime in Japan by almost a full point and EoE stands as the 3rd hughest grossing movie in Japanese cinema history!

Than on the states side,it is still the highest selling non-televised (though I think that may change with the TAN) anime in the US.

As far as what it did to the industry,it has spawned a billion ripoffs and really pushed the limits of content on television.In fact,in 1997 it was used as an example when some congressman we're trying to get television content standards raised.It was the lead in sparking one of the biggest controversies in all of Japanese media.It can be argued that EVA changed the face of anime for that time period.In the years leading to 1995/96 anime was mostly generic,safe seires much like it is now.Than EVA came and there was a rebirth of risky,mature animes in Japan.There's my opinion.

 

[Conan-san]

I'd also have to say EVA but to provide a non oneliner aswer I will pick Metropolis.

I felt it was the eaisest the best (non series based) anime movie That I have seen (my Prevois one being Akira). The Va was great on both tracks. the animation (which normaly I couldent care less) blew me away and the story, while takeing some ques from Akira

Spoiler

Tima near the end for example (very tempting to shout out "Tetsuo!" at the top of my lungs as she died)

was on par with the likes of Eva.

 

[Ajax]

Record Of Lodoss War.
This started the whole RPG thing in anime not to mention in video games too. Ryo Mizuno's masterpiece is what got me into other animes like Slayers, Those Who Hunt Elves, Orphen, etc. I mean who doesn't love the epic tale of Lodoss and its fantasy world. A lot is owed to this anime.

 

[Ben]

Originally posted by Conan-san
I'd also have to say EVA but to provide a non oneliner aswer I will pick Metropolis.

I felt it was the eaisest the best (non series based) anime movie That I have seen (my Prevois one being Akira). The Va was great on both tracks. the animation (which normaly I couldent care less) blew me away and the story, while takeing some ques from Akira

Spoiler

Tima near the end for example (very tempting to shout out "Tetsuo!" at the top of my lungs as she died)

was on par with the likes of Eva.

Metropolis was enjoyable but had several serious flaws. First, it brought nothing new to science fiction; all its themes and plot devices are simply re-hashes of previous works (Asimov's Robot series springs to mind with the human-robot detective duo). While I enjoyed the homage to Dr. Strangelove at the end, it's simply the most obvious example of the film's lack of originality. Second, the character designs were very racially prejudiced, stereotyping Westerners as the big-nosed, big-eyed conniving, back-stabbing villains (the two Japanese characters are, of course, the only moderately realistic-looking and emotionally reasonable human characters in the film).

It was visually stunning and I liked it, but it was far from perfect and hardly influential (it passed with little more than a blip in both the US and Japan).

 

[Jade_GL]

I would have to say Akira. Call me a sucker for the classics, but this movie is the anime classic for me. Not only that, but I believe it's one of the few anime that has crossed borders and made anime acceptable to many more people. I mean, you can say you watch Shoujo Kakumei Utena (just an example) and maybe 1 out of 4 will know what you're talking about. SAy something about Akira, and at least 3 out of 4 have seen it and have an opinion. I think it's really bridged a gap for people in the west. Not only that, but it was cutting edge animation and just a huge movie.

SO there.

I would also put a vote in for Bishoujo Senshi Sailormoon. I mean, it's still a musical in Japan, even since it's been off the air since 1997. It spawned three movies, three specials, the musicals, five seasons, and a popular set of 18 tankubon of the manga. Not only that, but untold numbers of doujinshi, artbooks, and products. Really, it's the major magical girl anime. Also, it's crossed that gap to other countries as well.

Maybe Dragonball too, but I haven't formulated my thesis on that yet.

 

[Sandro]

MSG, no contest. It redefined mecha anime and pretty much changed Japan, and later the world, forever. Plus, at least from what I've heard, you can't go anywhere in Japan without seeing something related to Gundam. Not to mention that the franchise has been going on for 20+ years. Now, what other anime has come remotely close to that?

 

[Will Sturnick]

I'd have to go with Mobile Suit Gundam. I don't have anything to say that hasn't already been said in this thread.

Originally posted by Sandro
Now, what other anime has come remotely close to that?

I know this isn't an anime franchise but Sentai has been going in Japan for almost 27 years.

 

[The Tentacle of DOOM]

Hmm--personally, this is like asking "most influential film"--it sounds easy but everything ties together, and becomes matters of opinion so quickly that it's barely worth asking. After all, if Anime Y is heavily influential now, but was influenced by Anime Z is Anime Z more influential by default? Or does one account for waning popularity? And why does Genre A deserve more attention than Genre B...?

And so forth and so forth we go on, without ever reaching anything close to a conclusion...

 

[Proteus3]

There is another show that comes close to Gundam's 24 years. Macross recently had its 20th Anniversary. Macross was also pretty influential in the world of anime. It had a very unique combination of mecha, music, and a love triangle. It sort of built upon what MSG started, but Macross was created by fans of MSG. Shoji Kawamori's transforming valkyrie designs were a large influence to other mecha shows in the 1980s. Macross isn't as influential as MSG or as prolific, but still influential and legendary in its own right.

Cutey Honey was an influential anime for a more taboo genre of anime. I believe it was one of the first, if not the first, anime to have nudity in it. It caused a huge controversy in Japan in the 1970s. Cool Devices was also quite influential for that genre, though I probably can't explain why without getting banned.

 

[Mynd Hed]

And so forth and so forth we go on, without ever reaching anything close to a conclusion...

Well, yeah. That's kind of the point. If this were the sort of question to which we could reach an obvious and simple answer, it wouldn't be worth discussing.

 

[stanteau]

The thing about Akira is while it's huge here the movie never even came close to reaching the popularity the movie did,in fact oit just barey made back the money it took to make the thing.

 

[andrael]

Originally posted by Outside Angel
But, I also have to give props to Bishoujo Senshei...what would shoujo anime be without it?

If you're talking about Bishoujo Senshi Sailor Moon... It may have sparked a resurgence in magical girl shows, and is probably the best-known example of a magical girl series; but outside of the magical girl genre, I don't think it was all that influential. Certainly if you're talking shoujo anime and manga in general, a much more influential series would be something like Rose of Versailles.

 

[Sheamon]

I hate to sound like a broken record but EVA.I mean,Akira was the most influential in America and Lupin and Doreamon got the whole thing started,but when put into perspective EVA had the biggest impact.Bebop,Doremon,GitS;SAC,they all had HUGE advertising campaigns.LAst year when I wa sin JApan you couldn't go 2 feet within a manga shop without seeing SAC ads.It was insane.EVA had NO advertising whatsoever.They didn't even run commercials for it,not a single commercial in the least.Within 3 episodes it was the biggest anime in Japan by almost a full point and EoE stands as the 3rd hughest grossing movie in Japanese cinema history!

Than on the states side,it is still the highest selling non-televised (though I think that may change with the TAN) anime in the US.

Did you read the first post? This is most INFLUENTIAL. Not most POPULAR.

As far as what it did to the industry,it has spawned a billion ripoffs

Eva spawned practically no ripoffs. I can't think of a single one. And don't say RahXephon, Pilot Candidate, Gasaraki, Nadesico, Xenogears, or any other show like that because they're basically what Eva is -- a mysterious mecha show in the vein of old Tomino anime. Evangelion 'ripped off' (or was influenced by if you prefer to say, as I do) Mobile Suit Gundam and Space Runaway Ideon, 2 mega revolutionary animes from 1979-1982. It throws an immense number of mecha cliches in a pot, mixes them together, then throws them back at the viewer through mysterious means. Just because other shows do this same, very common thing doesn't mean that they were Eva ripoffs. Eva invented none of these things that its so well known for - Teenage pilot who refuses to/hates to pilot his mecha(Gundam), Instrumentality(Ideon), mysterious quiet girl(Key the Metal Idol, and before...), and so on... Hense, it is neither influencial nor something that is ripped off.

and really pushed the limits of content on television.In fact,in 1997 it was used as an example when some congressman we're trying to get television content standards raised.It was the lead in sparking one of the biggest controversies in all of Japanese media.It can be argued that EVA changed the face of anime for that time period.

And thats really the only big impact Eva had. Because Anno was so selfish and needed to get so much violence on TV in episode 18, the censorship climate became insane, screwing over many animes. Cowboy Bebop is a perfect example. 13 episodes including the first episode and the last eight were cut because of the climate Eva created.

In the years leading to 1995/96 anime was mostly generic,safe seires much like it is now.Than EVA came and there was a rebirth of risky,mature animes in Japan.There's my opinion.

Thats bull. Already named one in Key the Metal Idol, whose release started a year before Eva. Shouldn't we give Key the credit then? Its about as ridiculous sounding as what you're saying.