There’s a tendency to always be looking forward when it comes to new forms of entertainment, but anime is quite careful to not forget its past and the pivotal programs that helped define the medium, especially during iconic periods like the 1990s.
There’s a healthy amount of older, retro content when it comes to anime. Some classic programs can effectively mask when they were produced, but there are lots of retro anime series that unabashedly embrace their ‘90s aesthetic.
10 Yu Yu Hakusho Wears The 90s On Its Sleeve
Yu Yu Hakusho is one of the decade’s more satisfying examples and still holds up under modern scrutiny. Yu Yu Hakusho introduces an exciting cast of powerful characters led by juvenile delinquent turned spirit detective, Yusuke Urameshi. Yu Yu Hakusho’s pacing, character growth, and heavy focus on tournament battles all help the anime excel, but it also has a distinct look that’s hard to separate from the ‘90s. Yu Yu Hakusho’s colors and character designs feel removed from modern times, but this becomes even more apparent with their ‘90s outfits.
9 Ranma ½ Is A Bright, Silly Blast Of ‘90s Nostalgia
Rumiko Takahashi is a prolific mangaka whose work all feels very emblematic of the 1980s and ‘90s. All of Takahashi’s series have gained popularity, but Ranma ½ is heralded as one of her most impressive works. Ranma ½ leans into martial arts staples, yet there’s inherent absurdist comedy that drives the anime forward due to the transformative aspect of the series. The soft look and character designs in Ranma ½ immediately bring the 1990s to mind, but even the premise feels like something that’s steeped in the past.
8 Rurouni Kenshin’s Wandering Samurai Speaks Directly To 90s Ideals
Rurouni Kenshin is another foundational anime series that also feels intrinsically linked to the 1990s and the decade's changing relationship with anime series. Rurouni Kenshin is set all the way back in Japan's Meiji era, but the concept of a contemplative wandering swordsman feels like it's ripped straight from the 1990s. Kenshin is an honorable protagonist who grows in remarkable ways over the course of his journey.
There's tense action, lots of blood, and constant death that surrounds Rurouni Kenshin, yet it still evokes the '90s with its color palette and presentation of its rogue samurai.
7 Berserk Uses The Artistry Of The ‘90s To Reflect Its Blunt, Brutal Nature
Kentaro Miura's Berserk has become one of the most celebrated manga series of all time and there have been several anime adaptations of the series, most of which fail to capture the detailed complexity and nuance of Miura's artwork. Berserk adaptations have succumbed to copious CG elements and other factors that do the dark fantasy series a disservice. The '90s Berserk is only 25 episodes, but it's an impressive adaptation and one that happens to feel deeply representative of the look of the decade.
6 Outlaw Star’s Voyage Through Space Is Full Of Retro Charm
The 1990s was full of anime series that followed a ragtag crew of unlikely teammates on some sort of galactic adventure. There's a natural tendency with these anime to predict the future and immerse their storytelling in futuristic technology. Outlaw Star follows the exploits of Gene Starwind and his crew of space pirates as they search for a legendary treasure. There are a lot of similar series from this era, but Outlaw Star stands out from the crowd due to its distinct animation style – whether it's in response to the characters, ships, or the recesses of outer space.
5 Tenchi Muyo! Drowns In 1990s Customs And Characteristics
Harem anime series are still prevalent in the medium, but they were especially popular in the 1990s, with Tenchi Muyo! arguably being the most prevalent from the decade. The series looks at Tenchi Masaki, an unassuming teenager who is suddenly befriended by an unusual group of girls from outer space.
Tenchi's complex relationship with these women results in constant comedic misunderstandings. Tenchi Muyo! is very much a product of its time, but it also perfectly represents the look of '90s anime and the types of characters that were popular in series at the time.
4 Mobile Suit Gundam Wing Is A Moody Mecha Series With A ‘90s Vibe
Mecha series continue to dominate anime, but within this genre of giant robot battles there’s an extra level of reverence towards the massive Mobile Suit Gundam series. There are dozens of Gundam anime, some of which connect together and others that are content to tell self-contained mecha stories. Mobile Suit Gundam Wing is one of the more popular Gundam offshoots due to its representation on Cartoon Network’s Toonami block. It’s hard to watch Gundam Wing and not think about the 1990s. The outfits and even the mobile suit designs push a ‘90s aesthetic that’s oddly fitting for the futuristic series.
3 Revolutionary Girl Utena Strives To Redefine Hero Stereotypes
Magical girl anime series were incredibly popular during the 1990s, but some of these series actually work hard to subvert genre expectations and extreme gender roles. Revolutionary Girl Utena is groundbreaking in terms of how it explores the typical damsel in distress and knight in shining armor archetypes.
Utena's growing understanding of herself is legitimately moving and the whole series is steeped through colors, characters, and transformations that scream 1990s. Revolutionary Girl Utena works as well as it does because it looks like so many other magical girl series of the decade, but it actually strives for so much more.
2 The Vision Of Escaflowne Crafts A Classical World That’s Full Of Wonder
The Vision of Escaflowne is a surprisingly ambitious series that pulls from a variety of different genres, particularly mecha, magical girl, and isekai texts. Hitomi Kanzaki is a typical high schooler until she's whisked away to a bold fantasy world that's full of strange mechanical creatures and a monarchy that faces unrest. Escaflowne is filtered through Hitomi's bewilderment over the new world that she enters, as well as her gradual development into one of the nation's most important figures. Gaea's landscape, the design of the Escaflowne, and the more classical character models are all highly representative of this bygone decade.
1 Blue Gender Is A Grim Look At A Gruesome Alien Invasion
Some exceptional anime turn to extraterrestrial threats as sources of horror and Blue Gender is one of the more staggering and despondent riffs on the subject matter. The 26-episode anime series hit at the very end of the 1990s, but it still very much feels like a product of the decade rather than a series that shares more with the sensibilities of the 2000s. Blue Gender shows a world in ruin and rampant despair. These depressing alien narratives can indulge in CG, but Blue Gender utilizes a traditional approach that manages to make the vicious Blue as frightening as possible.