1981 anime
The guide lists 29 anime from 1981 (+3 on 1980). Most common genres that year: adventure (19%), mecha (19%), comedy (16%) and science fiction (14%). Busiest studios: Toei Animation (6), Nippon Animation (3) and TMS Entertainment (3).
Winter 1981 season
- Hello! Sandybell Toei Animation
- The Swiss Family Robinson: Flone of the Mysterious Island Nippon Animation
- Beast King GoLion
- Golden Warrior Gold Lightan Tatsunoko Production
- Yattodetaman
- Robot King Daioja Sunrise
- Ohayō! Spank TMS Entertainment
Spring 1981 season
- Belle and Sebastian Toho
- Ai no Gakko Cuore Monogatari Nippon Animation
- Little Women Toei Animation
- Dotakon Kokusai Eiga-sha
- Dr. Slump Toei Animation
- Fūsen no Doratarō Nippon Animation
- Queen Millennia Toei Animation
- Tiger Mask II Toei Animation
Summer 1981 season
- GoShogun Ashi Productions
- Manga Mito Kōmon TV Tokyo
- Ninja Hattori-kun Shin-Ei Animation
Fall 1981 season
- Dogtanian and the Three Muskehounds BRB Internacional
- Ulysses 31 DIC Entertainment Corporation
- Superbook
- Urusei Yatsura Studio Pierrot
- God Mars TMS Entertainment
- Galaxy Cyclone Braiger Toei Animation
- Fang of the Sun Dougram Sunrise
- Honey Honey no Suteki na Bouken Kokusai Eiga-sha
- Jarinko Chie TMS Entertainment
- Miss Machiko Studio Pierrot
- Dash Kappei Tatsunoko Production
All 1981 anime
- Dogtanian and the Three Muskehounds
- Ulysses 31 science fiction and adventure
- Superbook fantasy and adventure
- Urusei Yatsura comedy and science fiction
- Hello! Sandybell slice of life and drama
- The Swiss Family Robinson: Flone of the Mysterious Island adventure
- Belle and Sebastian historical
- God Mars mecha
- Ai no Gakko Cuore Monogatari school
- Galaxy Cyclone Braiger adventure and mecha
- Beast King GoLion mecha and science fiction
- Golden Warrior Gold Lightan mecha
- GoShogun mecha
- Fang of the Sun Dougram mecha
- Yattodetaman science fiction
- Little Women school and romance
- Dotakon comedy
- Manga Mito Kōmon
- Dr. Slump
- Robot King Daioja mecha
- Fūsen no Doratarō
- Queen Millennia science fiction and adventure
- Tiger Mask II
- Honey Honey no Suteki na Bouken romance and adventure
- Jarinko Chie
- Ninja Hattori-kun
- Miss Machiko comedy
- Ohayō! Spank comedy
- Dash Kappei comedy