When looking at Discotek’s deep dive July schedule, I can’t help but smile. For those following Go Nagai’s Devilman saga, the next series release is coming, and there’s more Osamu Tezuka’s works being offered! The late 60s was a prime time for fans of this artist’s works. It is also worth noting his cinematic output didn’t get a wide release.
Honourable mentions go to Astro Boy: The Complete 1980 Series, along with City Hunter and its 1991 continuation, which together do a solid job of capturing what made 90s anime so memorable.
Devilman: The Complete TV Series (1972)
Before Go Nagai went full dark with the manga, the original TV series told a more family-friendly version of the story. Teenager Akira Fudo merges with the demon Amon, inheriting his power while holding onto his human soul, and uses that strength to defend Earth from demonic invasions. It’s campy and colourful in all the best 70s ways, and it’s essential viewing for anyone who wants to understand why later adaptations like Devilman Crybaby landed so hard.
Osamu Tezuka’s A Thousand and One Nights
Released in 1969, this is part of Tezuka’s bold Animerama trilogy of adult animated films. Drawing loosely from Arabian Nights, it follows Aladdin through a string of episodic adventures touching on love, survival, and freedom. It pushed what animation could do at the time, mixing serious dramatic weight with Tezuka’s signature cartoony style in ways that still feel surprisingly daring.
Sherlock Hound: Complete & Unabridged
This anthropomorphic reimagining of Holmes and Watson as canines is a lively and comedic take on everything fans know of this famous detective. Here, this version of London has a dose of mad science and a version of Moriarty who is hardly notorious. Instead, he’s downright hilarious, which makes this introduction to Doyle’s character more accessible.
With the first six episodes co-directed by a young Hayao Miyazaki, it’s easy to see the beginnings of classics like Castle in the Sky. It’s a great entry point for fans just starting to explore classic anime. And for those who can’t access the original Pioneer releases, this Blu-ray edition is a welcome update, offering everything on one disc instead of five.
