Top 10 Most Important Moments in Anime History
Top 10 Most Important Moments in Anime History
Top 20 Most Controversial Anime Moments of All Time
Welcome to WatchMojo, and today we’re counting down our picks for the most iconic moments, scenes, or episodes that completely changed the anime industry.
#10: 20th Choujin Olympics Arc
“Kinnikuman” (1983-86) These days, every great shounen anime has a good, old fashioned tournament arc. If you want to know why, you have to go all the way back to 1983’s “Kinnikuman.” More specifically, the 20th Choujin Olympics Arc. At its core, it’s nothing more than a classic tournament. Kinnikuman enters, meets some quirky characters, beats them up, and calls it a day. But, the brilliant intersection of plot development, character growth, and high-octane action was so popular, it quickly became the formula for all future shounen. Whether you’re a fan of the World Martial Arts Tournament, the Chunin Exams, U.A.’s Sports Festival, or something else, you have “Kinnikuman” to thank for it.
#9: Usagi’s First Transformation
“Sailor Moon” (1992-97) While not the first magical girl in anime, Usagi Tsukino is easily the most iconic. After all, she shook the entire anime landscape with nothing more than heart, her pigtails, and, of course, Moon Prism Power. “Sailor Moon’s” legendary transformation scenes popularized the trend of creating highly-detailed cuts of animation that could be used across several episodes. Usagi’s influence spread way beyond the magical girl genre, though. Nowadays, it’s commonplace for any kind of show to reuse high-quality animation for specific transformations, attacks, or evolutions. In fact, at this point, it’s weirder when they don’t. Who knew the Moon Prism Power had so much impact?
#8: Naruto vs. Sasuke
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“Naruto” (2002-07) The fated throwdown between star-crossed rivals is an anime staple for a reason. But, even compared to the decades of jaw-dropping bouts that came before, the original “Naruto” takes the trope to another level. The series spent over a hundred episodes meticulously nurturing the conflict between the two young Genin. Then, when Naruto and Sasuke finally came to blows at the Valley of the End, the animators went all out. The gorgeously fluid action pushed the limits of not only the rival trope, but the entirety of battle shounen. This one fight singlehandedly proved that “Naruto” was something special, and its peers needed to catch up, or risk getting left behind forever.
#7: Combining 2D & 3D
“Ghost in the Shell” (1995) Back in the 90s, most anime productions were hesitant to acknowledge the growing viability of CGI animation. “Ghost in the Shell,” however, took that as a challenge. With a groundbreaking new process called digitally generated animation, “Ghost in the Shell” managed to combine traditional cel artwork with three dimensional graphics. To say it worked would be a major understatement. All it takes is a single viewing to understand why this film is considered a benchmark for 3D animation in anime. Without “Ghost in the Shell” revolutionizing what the medium could do, it’s hard to say if there’d even be a market for CG anime today.
#6: Ace Dies
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“One Piece” (1999-) Anyone who flicked on this show expecting sunshine and rainbows all the time was left sorely disappointed. In this famous scene, Luffy actually fails. Big time. And, as a result, his older brother dies. Ace’s death marked a major tonal shift in “One Piece,” and since it’s one of the longest-running anime of all time, that alone is grounds for respect. But, above all that, it shook the foundation of what fans expected out of battle anime. In this case, the hero couldn’t just power-up and overcome the odds. It sounds simple, but when this episode aired, Ace’s death showed the world that “One Piece” - and shounen as a whole - wasn’t playing around anymore.
#5: Shorter Seasons
“My Hero Academia” (2016-) You know the saying “less is more?” Well, it took some anime a long time to learn that lesson. Luckily, “My Hero Academia” was the exception. Its first season only ran for thirteen episodes, and since then, it’s never aired more than twenty-five in a single year. But, the studio wasn’t cheaping out on quality. Quite the opposite, actually. In the past, most battle heavy anime aired year-round, leading to glacially slow pacing and lackluster animation. By pouring more resources into fewer episodes, “My Hero Academia” became an all-killer, no-filler sensation. The trend took off, and now, almost every single shounen airs in tight, pre-planned seasons, instead. “My Hero” really did save the day.
#4: Movie Mayhem
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“Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba – The Movie: Mugen Train” (2020) With one, quick trip to theaters, “Demon Slayer” went from a hit show to a record-breaking phenomenon. The numbers don’t lie. “Mugen Train” was the highest-grossing film of 2020, period. No ifs, ands, or buts. For context, that’s the first time a non-American production has ever topped the worldwide box office charts. Alongside that, “Mugen Train” also became the top-earning Japanese movie of all time, too. Just in case it didn’t have enough records under its belt. Given the staggering results, it’s really no surprise that every popular show is now getting a theatrical release. If “Mugen Train” was any indication, the future of anime is on the big screen.
#3: The First Super Saiyan Transformation
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“Dragon Ball Z” (1989-96) Goku. Namek. Golden hair. Need we say more? With a legacy that almost speaks for itself, the debut of Super Saiyan helped usher in what anime is today. Especially for action-oriented shows. Even by today’s standards, there aren’t many iconic power-ups that don’t owe something to this historic screamfest. But, it didn’t just influence anime itself; it also influenced those who watched it. On a pure fan level, this scene had kids around the world yelling out in hopes of growing their own golden hair. Talk about good marketing. Over the years, there’s been a lot of rip-offs and remakes. No matter what, though, Goku’s first Super Saiyan transformation remains the literal gold standard.
#2: “Spirited Away” Wins the Academy Award for Best Animated Feature
“Spirited Away” (2001) Despite its creative merits, anime has traditionally been considered a niche in English-speaking countries. But, then, “Spirited Away” came along. Hayao Miyazaki’s magnum opus drew such rave reviews, English-language critics couldn’t ignore it anymore. In 2001, the movie made history as the first Japanese film to ever win the Academy Award for Best Animated Feature. Just like that, “Spirited Away” was a trailblazer for the whole medium. Its unprecedented success put anime on the map as not just a mainstream form of entertainment, but a worthwhile art form in its own right. The fact that anime continues to grow in the worldwide market is at least in part because of what “Spirited Away” accomplished.
#1: The Porygon Episode
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“Pokémon” (1997-) In 1997, Porygon debuted in “Pokémon,” and anime hasn’t been the same since. We aren’t kidding. Dubbed the “Pokémon Shock,” the now-infamous episode features Pikachu unleashing a thunderbolt inside the internet, causing a frenzied light show in the process. The visual effects sent more than 600 viewers to the hospital with symptoms of epileptic seizures. In response, Japanese broadcasters came together to enforce industry-wide regulations on flashing colors in anime. To this day, any scenes with bright lights or lots of movement are intentionally dimmed in post production before they’re allowed to air. So, if you ever have to crank up the brightness to watch a cool fight, remember that Porygon’s to blame. Did we miss any industry-shaking moments? Let us know in the comments below!
