Mangaka
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Anime Protection Program
Your Gramme's Anime
100
-Tite Kubo is the mangaka of this popular shounen series. It has since become quite a massive franchise with a popular anime, a handful of video games, and a few movies.
What is Bleach
100
Music from this popular mecha series can be heard playing in the background during a sci-fi spoof episode of Magical Shopping Arcade Abenobashi. Gainax did not have to pay royalties for the music they used, since they were also the studio that produced the classic mecha they were spoofing.
What is Neon Genesis: Evangelion
100
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Who is Cloud (Final Fantasy VII)
100
This is one of the longest running manga in Japan, and the series has a cult following. While this series never took off in the United States, it is quite popular world wide. Perhaps it is because they changed the name “Hajime no Ippo” to this generic sounding title.
What is Fighting Spirit
100
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What is Lupin III
200
Known as the Godfather of both anime and manga, this mangaka created such classic manga as Astro Boy, Black Jack, Metropolis, Kimba the White Lion, and Buddha. He is credited with creating many of the current genres of manga/anime, including shoujou.
Who is Osamu Tezuka
200
During a funny scene of FLCL, they blatantly spoof the opening for this classic anime when a boxing glove fires from between Haruko’s legs and knocks Naota’s dad away before he can do anything perverted.
What is Lupin the 3rd
200
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Who is 'L' (Death Note)
200
Even though the video game franchise known as Gyakuten Saiban changed its name to this in the English versions of the games, it still makes sure to directly translate every “chapter” of the game which is a play on its Japanese name.
What is Ace Attorney: Phoenix Wright
200
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What is Mobile Suit Gundam
300
Naoko Takeuchi is one of the most famous female mangaka of all time. While her husband has become quite famous for manga like Yu Yu Hakusho and Hunter X Hunter, she is even more famous for this world renowned magical girl franchise.
What is Sailor Moon
300
The opening for this popular racing series makes a cameo during a bicycle chase in an early episode of School Rumble.
What is Initial D
300
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Who is Rurouni Kenshin
300
This classic anime changed its name to this simple title, while its original Japanese title “Mach GoGoGo” contained a triple Japanese pun.
What is Speed Racer
300
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What is Doraemon
400
Rumiko Takahashi is most famous for the series InuYasha, but she also created this incredibly popular gender bending comedy series.
What is Ranma 1/2
400
There are quite a few references to this classic series during the series Gurren Lagann. Since one of them contains a major spoiler for the series, let’s just focus on the few instances of “Cross Counter” punches from Gurren Lagann, and a short scene where Kamina and Simon try to escape their underground prison on a heard of mole pigs.
What is Ashita No Joe
400
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Who is Barrett (Final Fantasy VII)
400
This classic anime/manga has been remade quite a few times, both in Japan and overseas. Even though it’s been so popular here, few would recognize the main character’s original name (Atom) or the original title of the series “Tetsuwan Atomu” (or The Mighty Atom).
What is Astro Boy
400
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What is Cyborg 009
500
Akira Toriyama became famous in Japan for creating the manga “Dr. Slump”, but he has since become much more famous for creating this shounen franchise, who’s main character is loosely based off of a character from “Journey to the West”.
What is Dragon Ball
500
Taking the idea of paying homage to heart, mangaka Naoki Urasawa decided to base his entire manga “Pluto” off of a famous storyline from this classic manga/anime. In fact, Urasawa includes the classic series’ mangaka as a co-writer, even though he’d been dead for nearly 20 years.
What is Astro Boy
500
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Who is Mimiru (.hack//sign)
500
Even though this series predates color anime, it gained quite a following in the United States. In fact, it aired on Adult Swim for a couple of runs. Almost any Japanese person over the age of 20 knows this series as “Tetsujin 28-Go” the English title is quite different.
What is Gigantor
500
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What is Cutie Honey
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