The "graphic drama" (as described by Saito Productions) which initially premiered in 1971 was produced in the wake of Golgo 13's initial groundswell in popularity from its initial publication in 1968. The anime employed a "scale animation" style whereby the action effects were added onto still and scale images of manga panels prior to filming episodes with sound effects, giving a rough look similar to gekiga manga. In contemporary terms, it's closer to a motion comic with voice acting than a conventional animated work.