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Dragon Ball Super continues with its next chapter in October, beginning a brand-new arc following Granolah the Survivor. This series continues to prove to be one of the longest-lasting series ever. Dragon Ball first began in 1984 and while it received a long dry period with no new material, Dragon Ball Super returned the series, reviving the fanbase.
There's no doubt that the '80s possessed some of the most influential anime and anime characters of all time. Many fans like to consider characters like Goku a blueprint for many of the newer main protagonists in shonen anime.
Ryo Saeba (City Hunter)
Ryo Saeba is the main protagonist of City Hunter, an anime series that ran from 1987-1988. Ryo is the founder of his organization called City Hunter where he performs any task required of him.
He is known for his expertise with a gun, being able to accurately land a hit any way he wants every single time. He is also a skilled martial artist, being one of the early figures of action shonen for the Weekly Shonen Jump.
Pegasus Seiya (Saint Seiya)
Pegasus Seiya is the main protagonist of Saint Seiya, a series with a rather large franchise that goes by a bit unnoticed in the U.S. Saint Seiya's first animated series originally ran from 1986-1989. Pegasus is the best character in the series and his character perfectly follows in line with what a knight should be.
He is chivalrous, kind, merciful, reliable, and powerful. Pegasus has proven himself time and time again to be one of the strongest of the saints and the most skilled. While Saint Seyia and Pegasus have gone under the radar by many fans, chances are they helped shape their favorite newer manga series or main character in some way.
D (Vampire Hunter D)
D is from a 1985 anime movie called Vampire Hunter D, one of the best-animated horror films. The franchise has a few games, and an anime, and is originally a popular novel series that is still being published. The 1985 film has mixed opinions, but it does do a good job of showcasing D, the half-vampire half-human called a dhampir.
He possesses many similarities to characters like Geralt of Rivia from the Witcher. Both are beings with extraordinary skills that hunt monsters and neither are accepted by society of humans either. D possesses a vast array of magical skills and also expert swordsmanship.
Joe Yabuki (Tomorrow's Joe)
While Fighting Spirit has become the most popular boxing anime, there's no doubt that Tomorrow's Joe starring Joe Yabuki largely inspired it and many other boxing anime. This anime had two series with the first airing from 1970-1971 and the second running from 1980-1981.
Joe's character undergoes impressive character development from a delinquent with no clear purpose to a man who loves boxing and grows to care for new friends around him. His boxing fights don't always go the way fans might see and one in particular ends in a terrible result that causes Joe to hesitate in a boxing match.
Yang Wen-li (Legend Of The Galactic Heroes)
Yang Wen-li is one of the two main characters of Legend of the Galactic Heroes, a massive anime series based on a novel series written by Yoshiki Tanaka. While the anime ran in the 80s and the 90s, there is also a new series currently ongoing remaking the original series.
Yang Wen-li has a more lax personality than others admirals in the Free Planet Alliance, but he quickly proves himself to be the most valuable ally they had due to his quick thinking strategies and his ability to counter his rival, Kaiser Reinhard.
King Piccolo And Piccolo (Dragon Ball)
Piccolo and his father King Piccolo served as major antagonists in the original Dragon Ball series that ran from 1986 to 1989. The King Piccolo arc was the first arc where the heroes of Dragon Ball really began to die, creating a compelling and intimidating antagonist that completely changed the tone of the series.
Piccolo offered far more to the series than past antagonists have ever done and his battles with Goku are some of Piccolo's best fights in Dragon Ball. While in the 90s Piccolo is a hero, in the 80s he was a villain.
Kenshiro (Fist Of The North Star)
Kenshiro is the stoic main character of Fist of the North Star, the original animated series airing from 1984-1988. He is a character that has influenced many popular protagonists like Jonathan Joestar from JoJo's Bizarre Adventure and Guts from Berserk.
While Kenshiro is infamous for his pressure point techniques that cause bodies to explode, as well as his famous quote "You're already dead," he is actually an incredibly heroic man with a good heart. His story to retrieve his lover, Yuria is less a story of revenge and more of him persevering to save her.
Son Goku (Dragon Ball)
Son Goku is the main protagonist of Dragon Ball and could arguably be considered the most inspirational anime character of all time. He is known for his adoration of fighting and cares far more about winning the battle rather than the actual stakes.
He will no doubt protect his friends and avenge them if need be, but first and foremost he is a fighter. His trials in the original series are incredibly entertaining as fans see his story shift from a comedic gag to a more serious hand-to-hand combat series that gave fans one of the best martial arts anime of all time.
Reinhard Von Lohengramm (Legend Of The Galactic Heroes)
Like Yang, Reinhard is one of the main protagonists of Legend of the Galactic Heroes. He is a highly intelligent man who has used his mind to get him through the ranks of society, rather than his birthright. This took him as far as becoming the Kaiser of the Galactic Universe.
He possesses the most intriguing story out of the characters in the anime and is remarkably similar to Lelouch vi Britannia from Code Geass. Fans of Code Geass should definitely check out Legend of the Galactic Heroes as well as those fans that enjoy other anime with strategy and intrigue.
Raoh (Fist Of The North Star)
Raoh is one of the main antagonists of Fist of the North Star and is the eldest brother of the Hokuto Brothers, meaning he is Kenshiro's brother. Raoh and Kenshiro's rivalry alone is legendary, and many anime still struggle to surpass it. Raoh seeks to conquer the world and find true strength.
The final battle between Raoh and Kenshiro saw the two warriors at their limits in strength to test who was truly worthy to be the successor of the Hokuto no Ken (Fist of the North Star). Raoh successfully appears in the series as a menacing and intimidating antagonist while also being a sympathetic character with a genuinely intriguing backstory. His dynamic with Kenshiro also helps make him the best character in the series.