Spring 1988 Anime

Set in 1950s Japan, Tatsuo Kusakabe relocates his family to a rural house to stay close to his wife, who is hospitalized for a prolonged illness. His daughters, Satsuki and Mei, soon adapt to their new life in the countryside. One day, Mei pursues a small, rabbit-like creature into the woods, where she encounters Totoro, a gigantic, magical forest spirit, and they quickly forge a connection. Soon after, Satsuki also meets Totoro, and the two sisters share a series of whimsical adventures with nature and other forest spirits.

As World War II approaches its conclusion in 1945, relentless American air raids inflict widespread devastation across Japan, destroying numerous cities. "Grave of the Fireflies," or "Hotaru no Haka" in Japanese, chronicles the lives of Seita and his younger sister Setsuko, forever altered by the brutal realities of war. Stripped of their mother, father, home, and any hope for a bright future, the siblings must confront the grim aftermath of the conflict. Left homeless and stranded, Seita and Setsuko wander the countryside, battling hunger and sickness. Despite encountering apathy and occasional cruelty from those around them, their unyielding optimism in the face of overwhelming hardship sustains them, temporarily delaying the inevitable conclusion of their tragic journey.

In Universal Century 0093, Char Aznable, commanding the space rebel group Neo Zeon, promotes the idea of humanity relocating to space in order to secure peace. To advance this cause, he intends to send the immense asteroid Axis colliding into Earth, creating a catastrophic winter that would make the planet impossible to live on. This aggressive scheme also lets him address a personal conflict with Amuro Ray, which began with a comrade's death during the One Year War, even though they have sometimes fought on the same side. The Earth Federation's Londo Bell unit is the only group capable of stopping Char's plan. Led by seasoned Captain Bright Noa, and with Amuro Ray piloting the sophisticated Nu Gundam, Londo Bell launches an operation to safeguard Earth. As the original Gundam story heads toward its climactic finale, the decisive battle between Londo Bell and Neo Zeon determines the planet's future and concludes the bitter feud between Char and Amuro.

With technological advancements, humanity has developed versatile robots called Labors to assist with everyday tasks. Unfortunately, some individuals use these machines for illegal activities, leading police departments worldwide to employ specialized "Patrol Labors," or Patlabors, to combat Labor-related crimes. New recruit Noa Izumi becomes part of a dedicated Patlabor unit, operating her own mech named Alphonse. Working alongside her peers, Izumi aims to safeguard society against those who misuse this formidable technology. As she settles into her role, she navigates the challenges of balancing her personal and professional life while forming friendships with aloof colleague Asuma Shinohara, fellow pilot Isao Oota, and others in her brigade. Together, they confront conspiracies, internal conflicts, and even supernatural perils.

Following World War III, humanity rebuilt and created Olympus, a high-tech city run by the supercomputer Gaia and inhabited by Bioroids—genetically engineered beings who handle all administrative tasks. Olympus provides its residents with comfort and safety. But a recent increase in crime breaks the city's peace. Deunan Knute and her partner Briareos Hecantochires, part of Olympus's Enhanced SWAT team, are tasked with dealing with the most perilous threats. When a terrorist group threatens Olympus's stability, Deunan and Briareos vow to stop them no matter what.

Ryo Saeba operates as a private detective by day and takes on the role of a sweeper to fight crime in the city during other hours. Though highly skilled, he is prone to being distracted by beautiful women. His partner, Kaori Makimura, frequently finds herself shielding their female clients from Ryo's unwanted advances.

Leona Ozaki becomes a member of the elite Tank Police in Newport City. Alongside her fellow officer Al and her custom mini-tank Bonaparte, she fights to counter the dangers posed by Buaku and the Puma Sisters.

Thousands of years ago, the evil Emperor Talpa sought to conquer the world. After his defeat, he was exiled to the Nether Realm, and his armor was split into nine separate pieces. In the present day, Talpa has returned with the aim of reclaiming Earth, having recovered four of the armor fragments. The remaining five pieces are held by the only ones who can stop him—the Ronin Warriors.

In northern Europe, Dolbar, the reincarnated form of Odin, holds absolute power. Meanwhile, in Siberia, Hyoga rescues a man who warns him of unrest in Asgard. Athena decides to investigate the situation and sends Hyoga to scout ahead. But when Athena and the others arrive in Asgard, Hyoga has disappeared. Dolbar then captures Athena, intending to take control of the Sanctuary, as the Bronze Saints attempt to aid her while battling the God Warriors.

Kiteretsu is a boy with extraordinary scientific talent who created a robot sidekick called Korosuke. Using the time machine he invented, he regularly embarks on time-travel adventures with his friends and Korosuke. Living in the same neighborhood is Miyoko, who essentially serves as his girlfriend. His rival Tongari possesses several characteristics reminiscent of Honekawa Suneo. Meanwhile, Buta Gorilla (Kumada Kaoru) functions as the local neighborhood bully and shares many traits with Gian (Takeshi Goda), except that he frequently picks on Korosuke, despite them all being in elementary school.

Mobile Suit SD Gundam Mk-I is a compilation of humorous short segments based on the Mobile Suit Gundam franchise. The first episode spoofs major moments from the One Year War. In the second episode, Amuro, Kamille, and Judau compete to determine who has the best pension management abilities, but Char interrupts their competition. The third episode features the SD Olympics, where a range of characters participate in different athletic events, setting humans against mobile suits.

The story picks up from the Lady Lady series. At Lynn’s school, the prestigious Lady Quest award is presented annually to the most refined young lady. Lynn is resolved to achieve this honor.

Gunma Akagi, a teenager from the countryside, frequently stirs up trouble with his customized tractor, frustrating his father Souichirou Akagi, who is working hard to maintain a respectable reputation for his political aspirations. One evening, while driving on the highway with his close friend Tamotsu Oishi, another vehicle passes Gunma. Interpreting this as a challenge, he attempts to overtake the mysterious driver but suffers a spectacular crash. The defeat sparks his competitive nature, driving him to seek revenge at any cost. Gunma leaves his peaceful rural home and moves to the city, determined to become a Formula One champion.

Sonic Soldier Borgman is a science fiction series blending super sentai elements with non-combining mecha technology. The narrative follows a trio that resembles a sentai team in their fight against the Youma organization. The group consists of three members associated with the primary ranger colors of pink, blue, and green. The main characters are Chuck, Ryo, and Anise, with Ryo serving as the leader. Chuck and Anise also work as teachers at a public school. Their students frequently assist the Borgman or cause problems, and some even learn their secret identities. Ryo rides a modern blue motorcycle capable of self-upgrading and speech. The transformation phrase is "Borg. Get On." Each team member wields a personalized cannon matching their armor color, used exclusively to defeat the monsters encountered.

Despite the Destrons being forced off Earth, a small team of Cybertron Pretenders has stayed behind as a precaution. Under the leadership of Metalhawk—who takes the human identity of "Hawk"—these Pretenders blend into human society, employing their Pretender shells to take on human size and appearance. The Cybertrons' vigilance proves necessary when Destron Pretenders emerge, guided by an enigmatic entity called Devil Z. In response, both the Cybertrons and Destrons expand their ranks by enlisting humans to become Junior Headmasters and Godmasters, also known as Powermasters.

The narrative follows nine-year-old Wataru Ikusabe, who is mysteriously transported to a divine realm known as Soukaizan, where he is destined to become its savior. During his journey to rescue this magical world, he succeeds in turning a clay sculpture into a semi-autonomous miniature Super Robot.

In "Spirit Warrior," Kujaku, a young mystic with a mysterious past, possesses remarkable supernatural abilities stemming from a dark omen at his birth. Brought up by priests, he uses his powers for good. However, the malevolent Siegfried von Mittgard seeks to steal Kujaku's birthright and rise as the Regent of Darkness, intending to rule the world. To stop this, Siegfried has sent ruthless agents to destroy Kujaku before he can achieve his full destiny. As danger closes in, Kujaku must uncover the truth of his origins before his inner power becomes uncontrollable.

In "Little Baldy Hagemaru," the main character, Hagemaru Hageda, is a fourth-grader residing in Japan alongside his extremely thrifty parents. Their obsession with penny-pinching forms the central theme of the series. Hagemaru has a pet dog named Pesu, who often remarks on the family's cheapness and complains about not getting enough to eat. His best friend is his classmate Masaru Kondo, and Hagemaru has a crush on another student, Midori. Each episode generally centers on Hagemaru's daily life at school, with moments involving his teacher, whom he calls "miss," and his other classmates. Every installment wraps up with a highlight reel of the top ten moments.

Taking the form of an MTV-style rock music video, Hurricane Live! 2032 merges scenes from Bubblegum Crisis with musical performances by Kinuko Omori and the Knight Sabers.

A Cinderella-like story, Fashion Lala follows a young girl named Miho who has a difficult relationship with her family. Miho has a passion for designing clothes, but her aunt and three cousins doubt that someone so young can be talented and make fun of her creations. Meanwhile, a contest for the next "Disco Queen" is approaching, and Miho desperately wants to create a dress for someone to wear in the competition, since she is not old enough to participate herself. With resolve and a touch of magic, Miho's aspirations might become reality!

Mako, a charismatic new teacher at Gyunabe High School, strives to inspire her students. She encounters unforeseen obstacles from a classroom largely controlled by the playful Obayashi, who orchestrates attempts to glimpse her underwear and humiliate her. Adding further complexity, the principal assigns her as the school's rugby coach. These strains could push Mako to contemplate resigning from her position.

Based on the role-playing game Legend of Xanadu, the story begins when the evil wizard Reichswar slays the King and takes a magical crystal, aiming to conquer Xanadu with its power. Soon after, the newly widowed Queen Rieru is captured. In response, a brave young hero, carrying the enchanted sword Dragonslayer, sets out on a journey to rescue her.

Topo Gigio, the beloved character from Maria Perego, returns after more than twenty years in this animated series, setting off on new thrilling adventures and meeting a host of fresh companions. As the first mouse astronaut to journey into the Milky Way, Topo Gigio defies the limitations of what a mouse can accomplish. Coming from a future era 2,388,400 years ahead, Topo is friendly and able to speak with humans. In his neighborhood, he forms bonds with a girl, her pet mouse, some cats, and other mice.

When Kenichi Kokuhou was a young child, he became lost in the mountains and was never located. Yet, unbeknownst to everyone, Kenichi was raised in the wilderness by his adoptive father. Upon turning 15, Kenichi learns the truth about his origins from his foster father. After discovering this, he resolves to venture into civilized society where his biological parents reside. Every encounter Kenichi has in the town fills him with amazement and bewilderment. His family is overjoyed to see their son alive, but taken aback by how wild and unlike other children he has become. Now, a new chapter of his life is about to start. His untamed behavior and physical resilience create numerous disruptions in the town. Kenichi approaches situations in his own unique manner, but it is so foreign that most people cannot grasp his intentions. Will he manage to adapt to life in the town?

After Rin's mother passes away, she vows to one day become a Lady and travels to England to meet her extended family. At first, she is not warmly welcomed—especially by her stepsister Sara—but over time they become a happy family. Rin (also known as Lynn) has a strong interest in horses and racing, and she wins a good number of competitions. The series is divided into two parts: the first follows Rin as a young child, and the second when she is around thirteen years old.

The main character, known as Ryuu or the Crying Dragon, is an enigmatic man who frequently plays games with gang members. He only secures victories through "ron," a mahjong move where one waits for an opponent's tile to complete a winning hand. The term "ron" is also called "naki" in mahjong, which shares the same pronunciation as the Japanese word for "crying." This mahjong anime is based on a manga by Nojo Junichi from the 1980s and 1990s.

Dommel is a lazy dog who spends his time doing nothing but eating and sleeping. His owner, Semafoor, is an inventor who creates the strangest things imaginable. Together, this combination leads to a series of amusing events.

In "What's Michael?" (TV), Michael is a plump orange cat living with a pair of kind but extremely naive humans who believe they are his keepers. In reality, his days are filled with small escapades and obstacles, like dodging the local feline tough, Nyazilla—a fierce rival Michael knows he can never defeat—and hunting for scraps at nearby shops. He also hangs out with his animal companions and does his best to amuse his human roommates. Beyond his everyday life, Michael has a lavish fantasy world that would make even his fellow cat Garfield's daydreams seem tame, complete with corporate and nightlife settings centered on felines, plus his own version of a dancing American superstar also named Michael.

Based on the manga by Tanaka Keiichi, Doctor Chichibuyama follows the lecherous director of an isolated mountain hospital who, alongside his accomplice and a beautiful young nurse, terrorizes the patients.

Drawing from the difficult adolescence of renowned author George Abe, this narrative follows his formative years. Despite coming from an affluent family, he begins forging ties with members of the yakuza.

In this story, Mami Sakura is a schoolgirl who realizes she possesses special powers: she can detect when someone is in distress and instantly teleport to help them. She keeps this secret from her parents, confiding only in her classmate Kazuo Takahata. The narrative centers on Mami using her abilities to put on a puppet show for children who are less fortunate.

Toei's month long run of fairy tale stories.

Three reporters from the school paper get transported back to the Edo period.

Continuation of the series from 1987.

Dagon's tiny rocket ship crash-lands on a lush blue planet, touching down in a patch of green grass. He soon befriends the local inhabitants: Zipzap Mantis, General Ant Garibaldi, Andy Ant, Doctor Marilyn Wasp, and many others. And yes—they're all insects. That's because Dagon himself stands only a single centimeter tall! The small residents of the weed-covered land grow curious about this visitor from outer space. But when Dagon rescues them from the dangerous attacks of their fierce enemies, Gulpo Toad and Godzi Lizard, the insects are convinced he's a SUPER-BUG! This world is also home to far more terrifying creatures known as the Sapiens—human beings. To recover his rocket, Dagon will have to face these gigantic beings head-on! And so begins Dagon's hilarious and heart-pounding adventure on planet Earth...

First Bikkuriman film.

The second season of the 1985 anime Pro Golfer Saru.

This anime series adapted classic fairy tales and literary works from both Western and Eastern traditions. It first aired as a segment of the morning children's show Hirake! Ponkikki. Later, the episodes were gathered and released on VHS.