Anime’s growing popularity shows no signs of slowing down, and exciting new titles are fighting fiercely to establish themselves as modern classics. Every year it seems like another super-hyped series comes along and attempts to crown itself the next big thing in anime, relying on the tried-and-true tropes that classic shows popularized.
In some cases, however, these classic shows simply did better than any of the titles they influenced. Anime has had a number of “golden ages” over the years, but fans consistently point to the ’90s as the decade with the most memorable and enduring series. While it may be the best time to be an anime fan, nothing compares to the 90s.
Cowboy Bebop
Animated by Sunrise, original animated series
Cowboy Bebop is one of those rare shows that has achieved anime royalty status. There’s not much left to say about the series that hasn’t already been said, and nearly 30 years after its debut, Cowboy Bebop remains one of the most popular titles in anime history.
The dark and brooding space adventures of Spike Spiegel and the rest of the Bebop crew are thrilling, moving, and feature a raw ’90s visual aesthetic that’s undeniably pleasing to the eye. There is a style to Cowboy Bebop that no other anime series has come close to repeating itself, and it’s unlikely any series ever will.
Trigun
Based on Monsiro Night
Those nostalgic for the ’90s have a certain rosy view of what they were like, especially those who never lived through that decade themselves. Trigun It’s the kind of “cool” ’90s aesthetic that many people thought that decade looked like, and it’s glorious to see nearly three decades later.
Trigun is a complete package of flash, style and substance, and has left itself a legacy as a fully entertaining certified Space Western classic. The series was revisited in 2023 Trigun Rushwhich masterfully used CGI visuals to give the series a striking and modern coat of paint.
Berserk
Animated by OLM, based on the manga by Kentaro Miura
Berserk is arguably the most legendary manga series to never be fully adapted into anime, despite its incredibly large fanbase begging for a studio to tackle it. Nonetheless, one adaptation he benefited from is one of the best of the ’90s. 1997 Berserk adapts the Golden Age arc, and although some of its visuals have aged, the series captured the essence of the manga perfectly.
The endless, dark, disturbing and extremely emotional journey of Guts, tasked with surviving in a world that wants nothing more than to see him dead, was masterfully brought to life in the ’90s anime. The series remains a popular entry point into the world of anime today.
Yuyu Hakusho
Animated by Pierrot, based on the manga by Yoshihiro Togashi
How the industry’s biggest titles compete for the top spot Weekly Shōnen Jump Today, the biggest titles from 30 years ago were doing much the same thing, with eventual anime adaptations helping certain series skyrocket in popularity. Yuyu Hakusho was one of those titles, struggling with players like Dragon Ball for bragging rights every week.
Although creator Yoshihiro Togashi is perhaps best known for his Hunter x Hunter, Yuyu Hakusho was a powerhouse in its own right, using wildly popular tournament arcs to generate hype and fanfare. Many tropes found in today’s shōnen anime began in Yuyu Hakushoand the series remains an interesting watch all these years later.
Neon Genesis Evangelion
Animated by Gainax, original animated series
As Cowboy Bebop, Neon Genesis Evangelion is one of the quintessential classic animated series of the 1990s. For 30 years, fans have dissected and discussed the many mysteries of Evangelionwhile new fans have fallen victim to the clutches of these many mysteries on their own personal anime journey.
The series’ infamous and controversial finale only added to his reputation as one of anime’s all-time greats. Evangelion finally came to an end earlier this decade with the fourth of its rebuilding films, a spin-off of sorts that helped the series stay relevant after all this time.
Dragon Ball Z
Animated by Toei Animation, based on the manga by Akira Toriyama
There are few animated series as recognizable as Dragon Ball Zand there is perhaps no animated series as important to the growth of the medium in the West. While the series is undeniably showing its age, its influence cannot be underestimated. In the 90s and early 2000s, an entire generation of fans in the United States was introduced to anime through the adventures of Goku and company.
Despite pacing issues and inconsistent visual quality throughout its 250+ episodes, the anime’s highs are still downright impressive, and the biggest fights still pack a powerful punch. Each of today’s best fighting shōnen shows contains a bit of Dragon Balland the original series is still worth watching today.
Initial D
Animated by Studio Comet, Studio Gallop, Pastel and Studio Deen, based on the manga by Shuichi Shigeno
Of all the major genres of anime, the one that is far less celebrated than it deserves is the sports genre. Many of the industry’s most successful franchises tell compelling sports stories, and the ’90s were marked by some of the most popular franchises of all time. Among them was Initial Da series of cult classic races that ran for almost 20 years.
Featuring high-energy street racing sequences that demonstrate a deep understanding of car culture, as well as compelling characters and high production quality, Initial D holds up as well today as it did in its early days. Racing isn’t the most common sport in anime, but fans will find it’s done incredibly well in Initial D.
Revolutionary girl Utena
Hosted by JCStaff, original animated series
The magic genre really took off in the 1990s, with Sailor Moon leading the charge in bringing new perspectives to this burgeoning genre. However, the 1997s Revolutionary girl Utena came along and turned the magical girl genre on its head, using surreal storytelling to mix the usual tropes with existential themes.
While the years 2011 Magical girl Madoka is often celebrated for its unique vision of the genre, Revolutionary girl Utena I did it first and with a weird style. Some aspects of the series might be showing their age nearly three decades after the series’ debut, but it’s still a very interesting watch.
Lain serial experiments
Hosted by Triangle Staff, original animated series
Nearly 30 years after its iconic and mysterious debut, Lain serial experiments has become a strange watch. His vision of a future ruled by comically sized computer towers and bundles of thick wires is fun to watch. On the other hand, its depiction of people entirely lost in online personas is nothing short of prophetic.
Lain serial experiments is enigmatic, intentionally confusing, haunting and filled with those classic 90s vibes, and it proved to be a very influential cyberpunk classic. The technology at the center of the series has aged, but the message at its heart is as relevant today as ever.
Grand Master Onizuka
Animated by Pierrot, based on the manga by Tooru Fujisawa
Compared to many of his contemporaries, there are certain aspects of Grand Master Onizuka who have not aged gracefully. The show can be crude and downright stupid at times, but that doesn’t stop its comedic moments from being funny, nor its heavier moments from hitting hard.
GTO is a surprisingly moving action comedy series that follows a delinquent teacher who comes to discover himself while helping his students do the same. The anime isn’t entirely faithful to its source material, but it captures enough of its spirit to have the same effect on its audience. Even though it’s getting a little old, the series is still a very entertaining experience.
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Wataru Takagi
Eikichi Onizuka
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Isshin Chiba
Ryuuji Danma
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Judge
Kouji Fujiyoshi
