Robotech (the americanized version of Macross and some other anime) was broadcast on regular TV (local stations) in 1985. I watched the entire series (I was 12 at the time) with my jaw on the floor. Already The Last Unicorn had shown us what Japanese animation was capable of, and Robotech brought things up a notch (not in terms of animation quality, but in terms of story). Note that Robotech and the original Macross and other series are a bit different. We were watching akira by 1989 or 1990.
I distinctly recall that Robotech had a cross-dressing character well ahead of its time (for american audiences).
I distinctly recall that Robotech had a cross-dressing character well ahead of its time (for american audiences).