What Was That Show…?: Anime on American TV
Did you know that since 1963 there hasn’t been a single year when anime didn’t air on American television? True, for a stretch in the ‘70s it was mostly just MushiPro titles running in syndication, but they were there all the same, reaching kids who had no idea this show they loved came from across the Pacific. By the ‘80s, of course, the number of anime series started going up, up, up. How many anime series and movies would you say have aired on American TV? 10? 50? 100? Over 9,000? I honestly didn’t count, but over the course of putting this list together that last number has started to sound pretty accurate.
There’s been so many anime on American TV that you can easily be forgiven for forgetting which shows you watched way back when. Not to worry – I’ve got your back. Organized by year, this is as complete a list as possible of every anime that has aired on American TV (barring a few exceptions I’ll get to in a minute). As long as you can remember the year you saw the show, the channel it was on, and/or have the patience to click through an awful lot of entries, you’ll find the show you’re looking for and a lot more besides.
About syndication: Syndication means a show was offered as a package to any channel willing to pay for it. If a series is listed under “syndication,” it may have aired on a network you got, but not necessarily. Even if you did get the channel it was on, the series wouldn’t necessarily have aired at a reasonable time. (Five a.m. Sailor Moon airings, anyone?)
Exceptions: In the interest of saving sanity and server load times, this list does not (currently) cover video on demand (VOD) channels, The Anime Channel, or Funimation Network. Colours TV, ImaginAsian TV, Starz Edge, Starz Encore Action, KTEH, and the International Channel are similarly excluded. Network One is excluded because I couldn’t find any kind of schedule, but they aired Streamline titles from 1994-98.
Caveats: I have attempted to be as thorough as possible, but I am still only human. If you notice something missing, see an entry with incorrect data, or have any other comments, please reach out to us on social media via Facebook, Twitter, Instagram or anywhere else you can find us. Some of the syndication data from the ‘60s and ‘70s is spotty. While the first year a program entered syndication is (hopefully) always listed, subsequent years the series was available are sometimes unknown.
Sources: I have relied on many of the usual suspects in putting this list together, including Wikipedia (cross-checked against citations, of course!), the ever-valuable Anime News Network Encyclopedia, and the internet archivist’s best friend, The Wayback Machine. Particular thanks are also due to the editors at the Toonami Wiki (especially the wonderful souls who added the broadcast sections!), user mbanu at Old School Otaku for scraping the Sci-Fi movie schedule, Fred Patten’s Watching Anime, Reading Manga, Fred Ladd’s Astro Boy and Anime Come to the Americas,Jonathan Clements’ and Helen McCarthy’s Anime Encyclopedia, and others I am sure I have accidentally forgotten but were no less valuable.
Happy remembrances!
-Lisa Marie Cooper
1963
NBC
Syndication
- Astro Boy
- Eighth Man
1964
NBC
Syndication
1965
NBC
Syndication
- The Amazing 3
- Astro Boy
- Eighth Man
- Gigantor
- Kimba: The White Lion
1966
NBC
Syndication
- The Amazing 3
- Astro Boy
- Gigantor
- Kimba: The White Lion
- Marine Boy
- Prince Planet
1967
NBC
Syndication
- The Amazing 3
- Astro Boy
- Kimba: The White Lion
- Speed Racer
1968
Syndication
1969
Syndication
1970
Syndication
1971
Syndication
1972
Syndication
1973
Syndication
1974
Syndication
1975
Syndication
- Astro Boy
- Force Five: Starvengers
- Force Five: Grandizer
- Kimba: The White Lion
- Princess Knight/Choppy and the Princess
1976
Syndication
- Brave Raideen
- Force Five: Gaiking
- Force Five: Starvengers
- Force Five: Grandizer
- Kimba: The White Lion
- Princess Knight/Choppy and the Princess
1977
Syndication
- Force Five: Gaiking
- Force Five: Danguard Ace
- Force Five: Grandizer
- Kimba: The White Lion
- Princess Knight/Choppy and the Princess
- Tales of Magic/Merlin’s Cave/World Famous Fairy Tales
1978
Syndication
- Battle of the Planets
- Force Five: Danguard Ace
- Force Five: Spaceketeers
- Kimba: The White Lion
- Princess Knight/Choppy and the Princess
- Tales of Magic/Merlin’s Cave/World Famous Fairy Tales
1979
Syndication
- Battle of the Planets
- Force Five: Spaceketeers
- Kimba: The White Lion
- Princess Knight/Choppy and the Princess
- Star Blazers
- Tales of Magic/Merlin’s Cave/World Famous Fairy Tales
1980
Syndication
- Astro Boy (1980)
- Battle of the Planets
- Kimba: The White Lion
- Star Blazers
- Tales of Magic/Merlin’s Cave/World Famous Fairy Tales
1981
Syndication
- Astro Boy (1980)
- Battle of the Planets
- Star Blazers
- Tales of Magic/Merlin’s Cave/World Famous Fairy Tales
- Ulysses 31
Christian Broadcasting Network
- Superbook - reader submission
1982
Syndication
- Battle of the Planets
- Star Blazers
- Tales of Magic/Merlin’s Cave/World Famous Fairy Tales
- Ulysses 31
Christian Broadcasting Network
- Superbook - reader submission
- The Flying House
1983
Syndication
- Battle of the Planets
- Star Blazers
- Tales of Magic/Merlin’s Cave/World Famous Fairy Tales
Christian Broadcasting Network
- The Flying House
1984
Nickelodeon/Nick Jr.
- Belle and Sebastian
Syndication
- Battle of the Planets
- Star Blazers
- Tales of Magic/Merlin’s Cave/World Famous Fairy Tales
- Voltron
1985
Nickelodeon/Nick Jr.
- The Adventures of the Little Prince
- Belle and Sebastian
Syndication
- Battle of the Planets
- Captain Harlock and the Queen of a Thousand Years
- Macron 1
- Robotech
- Tales of Magic/Merlin’s Cave/World Famous Fairy Tales
- Voltron
1986
Nickelodeon/Nick Jr.
- The Adventures of the Little Prince
- Belle and Sebastian
- The Mysterious Cities of Gold
Syndication
- Captain Harlock and the Queen of a Thousand Years
- G-Force: Guardians of Space
- Macron 1
- Maple Town
- Robotech
- Tales of Magic/Merlin’s Cave/World Famous Fairy Tales
1987
Nickelodeon/Nick Jr.
- The Adventures of the Little Prince
- Belle and Sebastian
- The Mysterious Cities of Gold
Syndication
- Bionic Six
- Maple Town
- Sylvanian Families
- Tales of Magic/Merlin’s Cave/World Famous Fairy Tales
1988
HBO
- The Adventures of Tom Sawyer
- Tales of Little Women
Nickelodeon/Nick Jr.
- Adventures of the Little Koala
- The Adventures of the Little Prince
- Belle and Sebastian
- The Mysterious Cities of Gold
- Noozles
Syndication
- Bionic Six
- Sylvanian Families
- Tales of Magic/Merlin’s Cave/World Famous Fairy Tales
1989
Nickelodeon/Nick Jr.
- Adventures of the Little Koala
- The Adventures of the Little Prince
- Belle and Sebastian
- Grimm's Fairy Tale Classics
- The Mysterious Cities of Gold
- Noozles
USA Cartoon Express
Syndication
- Dragon Warrior
1990
The Family Channel
- Wowser
Nickelodeon/Nick Jr.
- Adventures of the Little Koala
- The Adventures of Peter Pan
- Belle and Sebastian
- The Littl' Bits
- The Mysterious Cities of Gold
- Noozles
USA Cartoon Express
Syndication
- Dragon Warrior
- Maya the Honey Bee
1991
CBS
Nickelodeon/Nick Jr.
- Adventures of the Little Koala
- Jungle Tales
- The Littl' Bits
- Noozles
USA Cartoon Express
Syndication
- Adventures of the Little Mermaid
- Dragon Warrior
- Honeybee Hutch
- Maya the Honey Bee
1992
HBO
- Pinocchio: The Series
Nickelodeon/Nick Jr.
- Adventures of the Little Koala
- Grimm's Fairy Tale Classics
- The Littl' Bits
- Noozles
USA Cartoon Express
Syndication
- Honeybee Hutch
- Huckleberry Finn
- Maya the Honey Bee
- Tic Tac Toons
1993
MTV
Nickelodeon/Nick Jr.
- Noozles
- Adventures of the Little Koala
- The Littl' Bits
- Grimm's Fairy Tale Classics
Sci-Fi
USA Cartoon Express
Syndication
1994
Cartoon Network
Nickelodeon/Nick Jr.
- Grimm's Fairy Tale Classics
- The Littl' Bits
USA Cartoon Express
Syndication
1995
Cartoon Network
Nickelodeon/Nick Jr.
- Grimm's Fairy Tale Classics
- The Littl’ Bits
Sci-Fi
- 8 Man After
- Akira
- Casshan: Robot Hunter
- Demon City Shinjuku
- Dominion Tank Police
- Lensman
- Lily C.A.T.
- Odin: Photon Space Sailor Starlight
- Project A-Ko
- Project A-Ko
- Robot Carnival
- Vampire Hunter D
- Venus Wars
UPN
USA Cartoon Express
Syndication
1996
Cartoon Network
Nickelodeon/Nick Jr.
- The Littl’ Bits
Sci-Fi
- 8 Man After
- Akira
- Casshan: Robot Hunter
- Demon City Shinjuku
- Dominion Tank Police
- E.Y.E.S. of Mars
- Gall Force: Eternal Story
- Lensman
- Lily C.A.T.
- Odin: Photon Space Sailor Starlight
- Project A-Ko
- Project A-Ko
- Record of Lodoss War
- Robot Carnival
- Ronin Warriors
- Roujin Z
- Vampire Hunter D
- Venus Wars
USA Cartoon Express
Syndication
1997
Cartoon Network
Cartoon Network/Toonami
Sci-Fi
- 8 Man After
- Akira
- Casshan: Robot Hunter
- Demon City Shinjuku
- Dominion Tank Police
- E.Y.E.S. of Mars
- Gall Force: Eternal Story
- Green Legend Ran
- Iria: Zeiram
- Lily C.A.T.
- Odin: Photon Space Sailor Starlight
- Project A-Ko
- Project A-Ko
- Record of Lodoss War
- Robot Carnival
- Roujin Z
- Tenchi Muyo in Love
- Vampire Hunter D
- Venus Wars
USA Network
Syndication
1998
Cartoon Network/Toonami
Sci-Fi
- 8 Man After
- Adieu: Galaxy Express 999
- Akira
- Casshan: Robot Hunter
- Demon City Shinjuku
- Dominion Tank Police
- E.Y.E.S. of Mars
- Fatal Fury
- Galaxy Express 999
- Gall Force: Eternal Story
- Green Legend Ran
- Iria: Zeiram
- Lily C.A.T.
- Odin: Photon Space Sailor Starlight
- Project A-Ko
- Record of Lodoss War
- Robot Carnival
- Roujin Z
- Tenchi Muyo in Love
- Vampire Hunter D
- Venus Wars
Toon Disney
Syndication
1999
Cartoon Network/Toonami
Cartoon Network/Toonami: Midnight Run
Fox Kids
Kid’s WB
Sci-Fi
- 8 Man After
- Adieu: Galaxy Express 999
- Akira
- Armitage III: Poly-Matrix
- Casshan: Robot Hunter
- Demon City Shinjuku
- Dominion Tank Police
- E.Y.E.S. of Mars
- Fatal Fury
- Galaxy Express 999
- Gall Force: Eternal Story
- Green Legend Ran
- Iria: Zeiram
- Odin: Photon Space Sailor Starlight
- Project A-Ko
- Project A-Ko
- Record of Lodoss War
- Roujin Z
- Tenchi Muyo in Love
- Urusei Yatsura: Beautiful Dreamer
- Vampire Hunter D
- Venus Wars
Syndication
2000
Cartoon Network/Toonami
Cartoon Network/Toonami: Midnight Run
Fox Kids
- Cybersix
- Digimon
- Dinozaurs
- Escaflowne
- Flint the Time Detective
- Monster Rancher
Kid’s WB
PBS
2001
Cartoon Network/Adult Swim
Cartoon Network/Toonami
Cartoon Network/Toonami: Midnight Run
Fox Kids
- Digimon
- Medabots
- Mon Colle Knights
- Monster Rancher
- Transformers: Robots in Disguise
Kid’s WB
Sci-Fi
Syndication
- Tama and Friends
2002
Cartoon Network/Adult Swim
Cartoon Network/Toonami
Cartoon Network/Toonami: Midnight Run
Fox Kids/ABC Family
- Beyblade
- Digimon
- Medabots
- Mon Colle Knights
- Monster Rancher
- Shinzo
- Transformers: Robots in Disguise
FoxBox
G4/Tech TV
Kid’s WB
Nickelodeon
Syndication
- Tama and Friends
2003
ABC Family/Jetix
- Beyblade
- Medabots
Cartoon Network/Adult Swim
- The Big O
- Blue Gender
- Cowboy Bebop
- FLCL
- Inu Yasha
- Kikaider
- Lupin the Third
- Mobile Suit Gundam: Char's Counterattack
- Reign: The Conqueror
- Trigun
- Yu Yu Hakusho
Cartoon Network/Saturday Video Entertainment System
- .hack//sign
- Dragon Ball
- Gundam 0080
- Pokémon
- Transformers: Armada
- Yu-Gi-Oh!
- Zoids/Zero
Cartoon Network/Toonami
Cartoon Network/Toonami: Midnight Run
FoxBox
G4/Tech TV
- Armitage III: Dual Matrix
- Banner of the Stars
- Betterman
- Boogiepop Phantom
- Crest of the Stars
- Dual
- Gate Keepers 21
- Geneshaft
- Ghost in the Shell
- Gungrave
- Macross Plus
- Patlabor I
- Serial Experiments Lain
- Silent Mobius
- Soul Taker
Kid’s WB
2004
ABC Family/Jetix
Cartoon Network/Adult Swim
Cartoon Network/Toonami
FoxBox
- F-Zero GP Legend
- Kirby: Right Back at Ya!
- One Piece
- Shaman King
- Sonic X
- Ultimate Muscle
G4/Tech TV
Kid’s WB
MTV2
2005
4Kids TV
- F-Zero GP Legend
- Kirby: Right Back at Ya!
- Magical DoReMi
- Mew Mew Power
- One Piece
- Shaman King
- Sonic X
Cartoon Network/Adult Swim
- The Big O
- Case Closed
- Cowboy Bebop
- Cowboy Bebop: The Movie
- Escaflowne: The Movie
- FLCL
- Fullmetal Alchemist
- Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex
- Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex 2nd Gig
- Gigantor
- Inu Yasha
- Inu Yasha: Affections Touching Across Time
- Inu Yasha: The Castle Beyond the Looking Glass
- Kakurenbo: Hide and Seek
- Lupin the Third
- Metropolis
- Neon Genesis Evangelion
- Paranoia Agent
- Samurai Champloo
- S-CRY-ed
- Super Milk Chan
- Trigun
- Witch Hunter Robin
- Wolf’s Rain
- Yu Yu Hakusho
Cartoon Network/Toonami
G4/Tech TV
Jetix/Toon Disney
Kid’s WB
2006
4Kids TV
Cartoon Network/Adult Swim
- The Big O
- Bleach
- Cowboy Bebop
- Eureka Seven
- FLCL
- Fullmetal Alchemist
- Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex
- Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex 2nd Gig
- Gigantor
- Inu Yasha
- Inu Yasha: Fire on the Mystic Island
- Inu Yasha: Swords of an Honorable Ruler
- Lupin the Third
- Neon Genesis Evangelion
- Paranoia Agent
- Samurai Champloo
- Shin-Chan
- Trigun
- Trinity Blood
- Voltron
- Yu Yu Hakusho
Cartoon Network/Toonami
- Bobobo-bo Bo-bobo
- Castle in the Sky
- Dragon Ball Z
- Dragon Ball Z: Fusion Reborn
- Dragon Ball Z: Wrath of the Dragon
- Duel Masters
- IGPX
- MAR
- Naruto
- Nausicaa of the Valley of the Wind
- One Piece
- Pokémon Battle Frontier
- Pokémon Chronicles
- The Prince of Tennis
- Princess Mononoke
- Spirited Away
- Transformers: Cybertron
- Yu-Gi-Oh! GX
- Zatch Bell!
G4/Tech TV
Jetix/Toon Disney
- Beyblade
- Daigunder
- Digimon
- Mon Colle Knights
- Oban Star-Racers
- Shinzo
Kid’s WB
- Pokémon
- Spider Riders
- Transformers Cybertron
- Viewtiful Joe
- Yu-Gi-Oh!
2007
4Kids TV
Cartoon Network/Adult Swim
Cartoon Network/Toonami
Fuse
Jetix/Toon Disney
- Astro Boy (2003)
- Beyblade
- Daigunder
- Digimon
- Digimon Data Squad
- Shinzo
Kid’s WB
- Spider Riders
Spike TV
Sci-Fi
2008
4Kids TV
CW4K!DS
Cartoon Network/Adult Swim
Cartoon Network/Toonami
Jetix/Toon Disney
- Beyblade
- Digimon
- Digimon Data Squad
- RoboDz
- Shinzo
Nickelodeon/NickToons
- Domo TV
Spike TV
Sci-Fi
- Appleseed
- Black Lagoon
- Blood+
- Cowboy Bebop
- Dead Leaves
- Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex
- Gundam 00
- Gurren Lagann
- Kai Doh Maru
- MD Geist
- MD Geist II
- Ninja Scroll
- Noein
- Now and Then, Here and There
- Read or Die
- Strait Jacket
- Street Fighter Alpha
- Tactics
- X/1999
2009
Cartoon Network
Cartoon Network/Adult Swim
Chiller
CW4K!DS
Disney XD
Jetix/Toon Disney
Nickelodeon/NickToons
- Domo TV
Sci-Fi/SyFy
- Gundam 00
- Gurren Lagann
- Kai Doh Maru
- Macross Plus
- Monster
- Rave Master
2010
Cartoon Network
Cartoon Network/Adult Swim
CW4K!DS/Toonzai
Disney XD
Nickelodeon/Nicktoons
SyFy
2011
Cartoon Network/Adult Swim
Disney XD
G4
Nickelodeon/Nicktoons
SyFy
Toonzai
2012
Cartoon Network/Toonami/Adult Swim’s Toonami
- The Big O
- Astro Boy
- Bleach
- Blue Submarine No. 6
- Casshern Sins
- Cowboy Bebop
- Deadman Wonderland
- Dragon Ball Z
- Durarara!!
- Eureka Seven
- Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood
- Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex
- Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex 2nd Gig
- Gigantor
- Gundam Wing
- Inu Yasha
- Kekkaishi
- Naruto
- Outlaw Star
- Samurai 7
- Tenchi Muyo GXP
- Tenchi Muyo!
- Trigun
- Yu Yu Hakusho
G4
Nicktoons
Toonzai/Vortexx
2013
Cartoon Network/Adult Swim’s Toonami
- Akira
- The Big O 2
- Bleach
- Cowboy Bebop
- Eureka Seven
- Evangelion 1.11: You Are (Not) Alone
- Evangelion 2.22: You Can (Not) Advance
- FLCL
- Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood
- Fullmetal Alchemist: Conqueror of Shamballa
- Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex
- IGPX
- Inu Yasha
- Kick-Heart/li>
- Naruto
- One Piece
- Samurai 7
- Soul Eater
- Summer Wars
- Sword Art Online
- Tenchi Muyo GXP
- Trigun: Badlands Rumble
Nicktoons
Vortexx
2014
Cartoon Network/Adult Swim’s Toonami
- Akira
- Attack on Titan
- The Big O
- The Big O 2
- Black Lagoon
- Bleach
- Blue Exorcist
- Cowboy Bebop
- Dragon Ball Z Kai
- Dragon Ball Z: Broly - The Legendary Super Saiyan
- Dragon Ball Z: Cooler's Revenge
- Evangelion 1.11: You Are (Not) Alone
- Evangelion 2.22: You Can (Not) Advance
- FLCL
- Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood
- Fullmetal Alchemist: The Sacred Star of Milos
- Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex
- Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex 2nd Gig
- Gurren Lagann
- Hellsing Ultimate
- IGPX
- Inu Yasha
- Inu Yasha: The Final Act
- Naruto
- Naruto: Shippuden
- One Piece
- Soul Eater
- Space Dandy
- Summer Wars
- Sword Art Online
Disney XD
Nicktoons
Vortexx
2015
Cartoon Network/Adult Swim’s Toonami
Chiller
Disney XD
Nicktoons
2016
Cartoon Network/Adult Swim’s Toonami
Disney XD
Digimon Fusion
2017
Cartoon Network/Adult Swim’s Toonami
- Attack on Titan
- Black Clover
- Cowboy Bebop
- Dragon Ball Super
- Dragon Ball Z Kai
- Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex
- Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex 2nd Gig
- Hunter x Hunter (2011)
- Jojo's Bizarre Adventure (2012)
- Lupin the Third: The Italian Adventure
- Mobile Suit Gundam Unicorn RE:0096
- Mobile Suit Gundam: Iron-Blooded Orphans
- Naruto: Shippuden
- One Piece
- One Punch Man
- Outlaw Star
- Sand Whale and Me
- Tokyo Ghoul
- Tokyo Ghoul √A
Disney XD
SyFy
Nicktoons
2018
Cartoon Network/Adult Swim’s Toonami
- Alpaca Alien: PACALIEN
- Attack on Titan
- Black Clover
- Boruto: Naruto Next Generations
- Cowboy Bebop
- Dragon Ball Super
- Dragon Ball Z Kai
- FLCL
- FLCL Alternative
- FLCL Progressive
- Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex 2nd Gig
- Hunter x Hunter (2011)
- Jojo's Bizarre Adventure (2012)
- Lupin the Third: The Italian Adventure
- Megalo Box
- Mind Game
- Mob Psycho 100
- Mobile Suit Gundam: Iron-Blooded Orphans
- My Hero Academia
- Naruto: Shippuden
- One Punch Man
- Outlaw Star
- Pop Team Epic
- Space Dandy
Disney XD
KidsClick
Nicktoons