Best Drama Anime of 1987

Renzaburou Taki seems like an ordinary office worker, but he is actually a member of the Black Guards, a covert group dedicated to preserving peace between humans and demons. With the peace treaty renewal deadline nearing, Taki is assigned to protect Giuseppe Mayart, a key human mystic, alongside Makie, a female demon. The task proves far more challenging than anticipated; as a faction of radical demons uses terrorist methods to break the agreement between the two realms, Giuseppe focuses on avoiding his duties to pursue romantic adventures with women.

In "Kimagure Orange Road," Kyousuke Kasuga lives a restless life because his family possesses supernatural abilities, forcing him to change schools seven times by his third year of middle school. His fortunes shift when he catches a stylish hat belonging to a beautiful girl, Madoka Ayukawa, but he soon discovers she is actually the feared "Madoka the Pick"—a rebellious student known for smoking, drinking, and fighting. Matters grow more complicated with Hikaru Hiyama, a lively first-year who develops feelings for Kyousuke. Caught in a romantic triangle with Madoka and Hikaru, Kyousuke must also navigate the unpredictable consequences of his family's paranormal powers.

Shirotsugh "Shiro" Lhadatt is a cadet in the Royal Space Force (RSF) of the Kingdom of Honneamise, despite never having left his home planet—something no one has ever achieved. The RSF is seen as a failure by its citizens and a government more focused on war with a neighboring nation than on advancing science. After attending a memorial for a fellow cadet, Shiro wanders the city at night and meets Riquinni Nonderaiko, a passionate young person enthusiastic about space exploration. Their interactions deepen, and Riquinni's motivation inspires Shiro to volunteer as a pilot for an upcoming rocket mission that could make him Honneamise's first astronaut. Soon after, Shiro and the RSF join forces with a dedicated group of experienced scientists and engineers eager to revive the nation's struggling space program. However, their efforts catch the government's attention, revealing possible hidden motives for the RSF. Despite major obstacles, this determined group persists, believing the cosmos may hold humanity's ultimate chance for redemption.

In the follow-up series, after Kenshiro defeated Raoh, a new adversary emerges: the warriors of the Gentou Kouken. Falco, the successor of the Gentou Kouken style, takes orders from an evil ruler named Jacko. Jacko claims to be the man chosen by the Tentei and commands his subordinates to capture all living people in order to build his Imperial Capital. Kenshiro once again rises from the shadows and puts an end to Jacko's tyrannical ways. Amidst the chaos, Lynn is captured and taken to the land of the Shura, a place inhabited only by ruthless fighters. Now Kenshiro must pursue her captor and defeat the three Rasho of that land in order to escape with his life and with Lynn.

Set in 1887, Serge Battour returns to a famous, remote boarding school in France, reflecting on his memories. The story flashes back to 1880, when Serge—the son of a deceased viscount and a Roma prostitute—first arrives at this same institution. He is talented, compassionate, and bright, but struggles with a sense of not belonging because of his mixed heritage. Upon arriving at school, he is placed as a roommate with Gilbert Cocteau, a strikingly beautiful and mysterious student who, for reasons unknown, works as a prostitute. Though Serge tries to build a connection with Gilbert, their relationship remains tense, yet an undeniable bond continues to exist between them.

At the height of the Heian period, Hikaru Genji, an illegitimate son of the emperor, lives a lavish existence as a noble courtier. His days are occupied with pleasures such as tea ceremonies, dance, and clever excuses for his many secret romances. Due to the complicated nature of his affairs, it is only a matter of time before his love entanglements grow ever more tangled and beyond his control.

In Super Dimension Fortress Macross Flash Back 2012, audiences witness Minmei's final concert, showcasing her most popular songs along with significant scenes from both the Macross television series and the film Macross: Do You Remember Love? Furthermore, this release includes a new animated segment illustrating the departure of Misa's colony ship, the Megaroad-01, as it sets off on its voyage into space.

Akemi Nakajima, a high school student possessing remarkable computer programming abilities, welcomes transfer student Yumiko Shirasagi to his class. Although Yumiko experiences a sense of recognition toward Nakajima, she chooses not to investigate it. Later, once school lets out, Nakajima and a few classmates carry out a ritual meant to summon a demon. Through his computer, Nakajima successfully conjures the demon Loki, accompanied by a female offering. The unanswered question is what fate awaits Yumiko, who witnesses this happening.

Meg, the faithful and gentle sister; Jo, independent and bursting with energy; Beth, quiet and shy; and Amy, charming and precocious—the four March girls share joyful, lively days at home alongside their devoted mother as they await their father's return from the Civil War. Bound together by their mutual support, they face the challenges of growing up and blossom into extraordinary women.

At age five, Lynn lost her mother and now lives in England with her father. Because his job keeps him constantly busy, her father is rarely present, leaving Lynn to spend much of her time alone. Even as she faces this profound solitude, she remains committed to keeping the promise she made to her mother—to become a strong and elegant lady.

In 1625, young D'Artagnan departs from his Gascony hometown, carrying only his father’s sword and a letter of recommendation, with the blessing of his grandparents. This aspiring noble aims to meet Captain Tréville, leader of the Musketeers of the Guard and a former comrade of his father, to join their ranks and serve King Louis XIII. Dazzled by the splendor of Paris, D'Artagnan wanders the city streets and befriends a young orphan named Jean. During his adventures, he accidentally offends three Musketeers: Porthos, Aramis, and Athos. When their unauthorized duel is interrupted by Parisian guards, D'Artagnan and the three Musketeers join forces to fight off five soldiers loyal to Cardinal Richelieu, forging a swift bond among them. Together, these new allies work to foil Cardinal Richelieu’s schemes to ignite conflict between England and France and to defend the honor of Queen Anne d'Autriche, wife of Louis XIII. What sacrifices will they have to make in pursuit of their goals?

Two weeks before a concert at the Yaon Hibiya auditorium (August 26, 1987), while performing at the Shinjuku Loft club, GASP's lead vocalist To-Y (pronounced to-o-i) is ambushed by rival Aikawa Yoji. GASP is an up-and-coming band notorious for its violent streak, struggling to gain traction against the immense popularity of the chart-topping, fan-beloved Aikawa. The Yaon Hibiya show represents GASP's mainstream breakthrough out of the small-time club scene, but that opportunity is jeopardized by the schemes of Aikawa's manager, Ms. Kato of Koyama Productions. Kato wants To-Y to leave that "bunch of hoodlums" and go solo under a major label. Adding to the turmoil is a mysterious character who displays feline qualities, named Niya. Niya introduces herself as "To-Y's aijin" ("Niya, To-Y no aijin da yo!"), much to the dismay of Koishikawa Hiderou, who has feelings for To-Y. Koishikawa, also called "Sonoko-chan," is referred to as an "okama" by Niya. A recurring motif is that GASP, its fans, and its associates are viewed as abnormal by mainstream society, as reflected in their musical tastes, clothing, and habit of drinking Classic Coke—a factor that only intensifies their struggle for acceptance.

In the first half of the 21st century, the Space Administration is attempting to carry out the "Space Seeding Plan." As this plan is executed, two young couples are chosen. A couple named Adam and Hannah also voluntarily agree to participate in this plan, and after undergoing various tests of body and soul, they are selected as members. Their sperm and eggs are placed aboard the spacecraft Ozma, which travels to the distant universe.

Gun Koma, a high school student with a deep love for motorcycles and speed, gets invited by a classmate to take part in a demanding four-hour race that could launch him into the professional ranks. Keen to grab this chance, Gun agrees but discovers he has to partner up with his longtime street racing rival, Hideyoshi Hijiri. Even though the opportunity to race on a legitimate circuit is appealing, Gun has to put aside his animosity toward Hideyoshi if he wants any chance of winning.

This film is a re-edited version of the TV series, with some voice actors changed. Most notably, Keiko Toda takes over the role of Oscar from Reiko Tajima's original performances.

In the vastness of space, a crew of astronauts finds that their fellow crew member, Makimura, has died in suspicious circumstances, leaving behind a cryptic note foretelling his own murder. Despite their shock, the damaged condition of their ship forces them to evacuate immediately using escape pods. Determined to find the murderer, the survivors begin to suspect Kizaki, given his conflicts with Makimura over the sole female crew member, Nana Ichinomiya. Much to their surprise, they notice Makimura's pod following them, yet it fails to respond to any communication attempts. As the astronauts try to make sense of this strange situation, they uncover even more incredible stories about their deceased colleague, including one involving the Phoenix—a mythical bird said to grant immortality. Only after crash-landing on what seems to be a barren planet does the crew finally reveal the dark truth behind Makimura and his enigmatic pod. Set in a distant future, Hi no Tori: Uchuu-hen portrays the harsh reality of humans driven by intense desires, often ignoring the consequences of their deeds.

In "The Phoenix: Chapter of Yamato," Oguna, the youngest prince of Yamato, is commanded by his father to kill Takeru Kawakami, the leader of Kumaso. While crossing into Kumaso territory, he is struck by a stray arrow shot by Kajika, a local girl gathering food. Filled with guilt, Kajika helps Oguna reach her village for medical treatment. They quickly develop deep feelings for each other, but Oguna uncovers the devastating truth that Kajika is Takeru's younger sister. Torn between his emotions and his duty, Oguna seeks guidance from the Phoenix, a mythical immortal bird that watches over Kumaso. He must choose between abandoning his mission and family for the woman he loves or carrying out his father's order and killing Kajika's brother. "Hi no Tori: Yamato-hen" recounts the sorrowful story of a couple bound by fate, illustrating how true love can overcome hatred and hardship despite the uncertainties that lie ahead.

In Legend of the Forest, a peaceful woodland and its inhabitants confront devastation brought by humans. A squirrel, native to this forest, sets out on a fight to protect his home, facing numerous hardships and obstacles throughout his journey.

A manga by Tanimura Hitoshi that ran in Comic Burger serves as the source for this story. Teenager Kanemori Kousuke works as a covert operative for the international VN intelligence network. He utilizes his computer hacking talents to pursue global criminals. Eventually, he targets Neo-Nazis in the Arctic who are attempting to salvage a U-boat harboring a dark secret.

Based on the popular girl's manga Hana no Asukagumi! (The Glorious Asuka Gang!) by Takaguchi Satosumi.

While searching for the legendary Mapman—the last surviving member of the Nomad Star tribe—Lipumira locates him in Tokyo. His name is Gen Tokishima, and he is the only person capable of retrieving one piece of the starmap hidden within Earth. After obtaining that piece, Gen must choose whether to follow Lipumira on her reckless quest to find the remaining starmap fragments or stay on Earth. He makes his decision, only to discover that his girlfriend has already boarded the spaceship ahead of him, insisting on coming along. Unfortunately, as Gen learns the secret of the starmap, Lipumira's sisters devise plans to stop her—and they will do so at any cost. Note: Shown in theaters as a double bill with the anime feature TWD EXPRESS Rolling Takeoff.

On the northern Japanese island of Chironup, two foxes named Ken and Chin welcome the arrival of their cubs, Koro and Kan. The fox family lives happily, forming bonds with a local fisherman and his wife. Their peaceful existence is shattered when soldiers conducting military exercises decide to hunt the foxes for their pelts, forcing the family to flee. This gentle story subtly reflects the hardships of Japan's indigenous Ainu people and the northern islands disputed with Russia, following their occupation by Stalin's forces in 1945.

Kenji is a passionate motorcyclist whose greatest joy comes from riding his bike. He takes Tomomi along for a trip to Hakone, which leads to an encounter with a car driver known as "Wednesday's Cinderella" and their Porsche, said to be haunted by the "devil." Every week, motorcyclists gather to race against this driver, yet none have ever managed to win. Seeing this as a personal challenge, Kenji approaches a bike shop owner to have his motorcycle tuned specifically for competing against the driver, purely for the thrill. The shop owner initially refuses, haunted by past trauma triggered by the sight of Kenji's bike—and also due to the trauma carried by the Cinderella driver—but eventually agrees, hoping that Kenji's victory might help heal the driver's wounds.

In the port city of Yokohama, a motorcycle gang called the Kentauros—named after the centaurs of Greek mythology—consists of 93 members. When both Arthur and Ken develop feelings for the same woman, their friendship turns into a fierce rivalry, which they resolve by racing each other. The narrative follows the adventures and exploits of the Kentauros motorcycle gang.

Batsu and Terry are two tough students at their school who refuse to tolerate disrespect, even from teachers. They do not hesitate to jump into a fight when needed and protect strangers, especially pretty girls, from danger. Known for their combat skills, some classmates fear them while others look up to them. After rescuing an exceptionally beautiful girl from a gang, Batsu and Terry start a friendly rivalry to win her attention, though both notice the scars on her body. Despite causing trouble with the police, they earn the officers' respect by taking down the gang. In addition, they are the star pitcher and catcher on the high school baseball team.

Two episodes originally omitted from the main broadcast—one based on Masao Kume's Student Days and the other on Saneatsu Mushanokoji's The Friend Who Didn't Believe in Friendship—were later aired as special broadcasts on TV Asahi the following year.

Based on the children's book Doubutsu Kaegi, this film explores the impact of human conflict, especially the threat of nuclear war, on the animal kingdom. The animals convene a conference to develop ways to rescue the planet and compel humans to comply with their demands. The entire movie is realized through the medium of puppet animation.