Kara Dennison
May 19, 2025 
Appreciating is a pretty straightforward thing: you see an anime you like, and you like it. Done! But the history of anime is vast, and series are constantly building on and taking inspiration from each other. From remakes to spiritual successors, you can learn a lot about what you love by watching what came before. And fortunately, RetroCrush makes that easy! Join us as we check out three series that will help you appreciate your faves even more.
The Rose of Versailles
Riyoko Ikeda’s classic manga The Rose of Versailles got new life this year as a beautifully animated feature film. But if you’re curious how the series looked before the 2020s, you can dive into the original retro anime! All 40 episodes are available to watch on RetroCrush.
Follow the tragic, romantic stories of Marie Antoinette and Oscar François de Jarjayes as the French Revolution looms. While the legendary queen was initially meant to be the protagonist, Lady Oscar quickly takes over as the central character. Her struggles with societal expectation, identity, and love take center stage against a backdrop of unrest and revolution.
Nadia: The Secret of Blue Water
Neon Genesis Evangelion is close to earning the title of “retro anime” itself. Time does tend to march on. But if you’re curious about Hideaki Anno’s inspiration, look no further than Nadia: The Secret of Blue Water. This classic series was inspired by the works of Jules Verne and based on a concept by legendary director Hayao Miyazaki—an impressive pedigree! It follows circus performer Nadia and young professor Jean as they investigate the ancient mysteries of Atlantis.
The parallels between Nadia and Evangelion become increasingly less subtle as the series continues. In fact, the story that became Evangelion was originally conceived as a direct sequel to Nadia! But, as Gainax could not secure the rights to the series from NHK, it became the series we all know it as today.
Future Boy Conan
Speaking of Miyazaki, his directorial debut is now available to watch on RetroCrush! 1978’s Future Boy Conan is a legendary retro anime, based on the the post-apocalyptic novel The Incredible Tide. While Miyazaki admitted to the show not doing well in its time, historians and fellow creators alike list it as one of the greatest anime of all time.
Even if you’ve never seen it, you may be thinking it looks familiar. If that’s the case, we suspect you’ve seen Keep Your Hands Off Eizouken! Reanimated scenes from the series, renamed Future Boy Conaso, feature in the first episode. Regardless of what its director may think, it’s become synonymous with stunning worldbuilding and inspired animation. And episodes are being uploaded to RetroCrush as we speak, so you can enjoy it at last!
