The 90s was the decade for a lot of famous anime: Cowboy Beebop, Yu Yu Hakusho, Slam Dunk. With jaw-dropping action scenes, fluid animation, new and improved concepts and stylish characters, it saturated the years with its well-rounded plots and memorable characters. Despite being known for action, this era also unveiled multiple romances that became a staple worldwide and even shifted into the early 2000s.
With a diverse selection to choose from, we're going to return to a simpler time. This list is going to tell you about 10 of the best romance anime of the 90s, ranked according to IMDb.
10 Armitage III (1995) - (7.0)
Armitage III is a cyberpunk OVA series written by Chiaki J. Konaka, the author of many psychological stories such as Serial Experiments Lain. In the year 2046, the overpopulation has led to the colonization of Mars. When Detective Ross Sylibus is transferred there to investigate the murder of a Third—a robot that looks and acts like a human—he is paired with Naomi Armitage, a beautiful cop with a sour attitude.
The story centers on adventure and mecha, but it also features a romance between Ross and Sylibus that spans across four episodes and a movie. Anyone looking for some action in their romance would find this to be right up their alley.
9 Boys Over Flowers (1996 - 1997) (7.4)
Boys over Flowers is a classic romance everyone has heard about once in their life. Written by Yoko Kamio, it centers on the protagonist Tsukushi Makino, a girl from a middle-class family who attends an elite school for the rich, Eitoku Academy.
The school is ruled by the F4, a group of four boys who have been best friends since childhood. After Tsukushi refuses to yield to Tsukasa Domyouji, the son of the wealthiest and most powerful family in Japan, he begins to take an interest in her until his curiosity changes to love. Unfortunately for him, Tsukushi instead falls for his soft-spoken and kindhearted friend, Rui Hanazawa.
8 Video Girl Ai (1992) (7.5)
Video Girl Ai is a science fiction romance. Originally written by Masakazu Katsura, most recently known for his character designs in the video game Astral Chain, it follows protagonist Yota Moteuchi. Upon discovering that the girl he likes, Moemi Hayakawa is in love with his best friend, Takashi Niimai, he decides to rent a video from a mysterious store.
After deciding on the video "I'll Cheer You Up!" staring Ai Amano so he can be encouraged to pursue a love life again, she comes to life. There's just one problem: Ai is released from the video broken, forgets her original purpose, and falls in love with Yota, instead.
7 Child's Toy (1996 - 1998) (7.6)
Child's Toy isn't as well-known overseas, but the manga won the 1998 Kodansha Manga Award for Shoujo and was even nominated at the American Anime Awards in 2007 for best comedy. Written by Miho Obana, Child's Toy follows two elementary school kids until adulthood: Sana Kurata, an energetic child actress, and Akito Hayama, the misfit of their class.
After dealing with their opposing ideals, Sana and Akito grow closer and begin to open up to one another about their problems. Although the comedy is eccentric and will you a hearty laugh, it deals with sensitive tones at times. The coming-of-age romance between Sana and Akito is also a pleasure to watch and makes them one of the most memorable couples in a shoujo to this day.
6 Neighborhood Story (1995) - (7.7)
Neighborhood Story was written by Ai Yazawa, famed author of Nana and I'm Not An Angel. Mikako Kouda and Tsutomu Yamaguchi have been childhood friends since infancy since because they live in the same apartment building. They both attend Yazawa Art School, a school that specializes in fashion design.
Mikako even has a fashion line "Happy Berry" where she sells her designs and creations she makes during her free time. Although their friendship has been platonic, Mikako begins to see him in a new light, only to fall in love with him. Neighborhood Story also has a sequel called Paradise Kiss.
5 The Vision of Escaflowne (1996) (7.8)
The Vision of Escaflowne is another mecha romance on this list, which happened to be quite popular in the 90s, but with a dash of fantasy. It's produced by Sunrise Studios, the master company of original series and faithful light novel adaptions.
The series follows high schooler Hitomi Kanzaki, a high school girl who is transported to another world. That world is called Gaea and it's an alternate dimension that was created from the wishes of the people of Atlantis when it began to sink into the ocean. After saving Van Fanel, prince and pilot of the mech Escaflowne, they discover their destinies are linked and fall in love.
4 His And Her Circumstances (1998) - (7.8)
His and Her Circumstances was written by Masami Tsuda. It depicts a romance between Yukino Miyazawa, a two-faced girl who acts perfectly to hide her sour personality, and her academic rival Soichiro Arima, a boy who holds a lot of scars from his past. After Arima discovers Yukino's true personality, he blackmails her into doing his homework to spend more time with her because of his crush.
After clearing up their differences, they become friends and fall in love with each other, dating throughout the series. It's rare to find romance that continues after the confession, so His and Her Circumstances stands out in that regard.
3 Fushigi Yuugi: The Mysterious Play (1995 - 2002) - (7.9)
Fushigi Yuugi: The Mysterious Play was written by Yuu Watase, famed author of other manga such as Ceres: Celestial Legend and Absolute Boyfriend. It tells the story of two high school girls, Miaka Yuuki and Yui Hongo, who are pulled into a book they found in the library named The Universe of the Four Gods, which is based on four mythological creatures of China.
However, Maika is cast as the Priestess of Suzaku, a girl destined to gather the seven Celestial Warriors to summon Suzaku and obtain three wishes, and ends up falling in love with the Celestial Warrior Tamahome. When Maika's wish turns into finding a way to be together with Tamahome, Yui becomes jealous and attempts to get revenge against her for the pain she suffered after being transported into the book's world.
2 Nadia: The Secret Of The Blue Water (1990 - 1991) (7.9)
Nadia: The Secret of the Blue Water was inspired by the works of Jules Verne and the exploits of Captain Nemo. It also happened to be a concept from masterful storyteller Hayao Miyazaki. Set in the year 1889, the series follows two 14-year-old orphans: a kindhearted inventor, Jean Roque Lartigue, and Nadia la Arwall, a former circus performer who wears a mysterious pendant and wishes to return to her home in Africa.
Between their around-the-world adventures and struggles against the Neo-Atlantean forces, Jean and Nadia form a bond of trust, fall in love, and unearth the mysterious surrounding Nadia and her pendant.
1 Revolutionary Girl Utena (1997) - (8.0)
The last entry is Revolutionary Girl Utena, a shoujo anime beloved for its strong characters and genre-breaking twists. Created by Chiho Saito from Be-Papas, an artist collective founded by Kunihiko Ikuhara, the story follows Utena Tenjou, a girl who wishes to be a prince because of her strong personality and tomboyish ways.
When Utena competes in a series of sword duels and wins the hand of Anthy Himemiya as a prize, Utena soon realizes she must revolutionize the world to free Anthy. The story, as well as the romance between Utena and Anthy, has continuously been praised for its heartbreaking dynamic.