I haven't read most of the books that D&D is based on, even though I'm old enough.
When I was growing up it was Battle Of The Planets, He-Man, Transformers, Ulysses, Cities Of Gold, Thundercats, Akira, etc, etc.
These were the things I loved, but there is a massive quality difference between this cartoon pap and the kind of books that people bring up when talking about influences.
Cowboy Bebop? Give me a break. If they even used Thundercats as a way of designing 5E I'd drop it faster than a piece of used toilet paper the day after Vindaloo night.
I'm not familiar with Manga/Anime based RPGs, but I know they exist and they sound more of what you are looking for. That isn't a fob off, as it might sound (and even if it was, it's still more polite than yours), it just makes sense.