Microid S

Microid S was produced by Toei Animation in 1973 as an adaptation of the manga series Microid Z, created by the legendary Osamu Tezuka. The series centers on three miniature beings—Yanma, Ageha, and Mamezo—who belong to a subterranean insect race attempting to conquer humanity. The story reflects the period's cultural fascination with environmental themes and the perspective of humanity through a diminished, otherworldly lens, fitting squarely into the era's experimentation with science fiction anime.

The design of the characters and the overall aesthetic were heavily influenced by Tezuka's signature expressive style, which Toei sought to translate into a television format to capitalize on the popularity of the tokusatsu and mecha genres gaining traction in the 1970s. While the series did not reach the same long-term international cult status as some of Tezuka's other works, it remains a notable example of the creative risks studios were taking with darker, more complex narrative tones during this developmental phase of Japanese animation.