Anime’s ongoing explosive rise in popularity has shown no signs of slowing, and exciting new titles are fiercely battling one another to establish themselves as modern classics. Each year, it seems another hot, ultra-hype series arrives and attempts to crown itself anime’s next big thing, building on the tried and true tropes the classic shows popularized.
In some cases, though, those classic shows simply did it better than all the titles they influenced. Anime has had a number of ‘golden eras’ over the years, but fans consistently point to the ’90s as the decade with the most memorable, lasting shows. While right now might be the best time to be an anime fan, nothing compares to the ’90s.
Cowboy Bebop
Animated by Sunrise, Original Anime Series
Cowboy Bebop is one of those rare shows that has achieved the status of anime royalty. There’s little left to be said about the series that hasn’t already been said, and nearly 30 years on from its debut, Cowboy Bebop remains one of the most popular titles in anime history.
The dark and moody 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 eyes. There’s a style to Cowboy Bebop that no other anime series has come close to replicating, and it’s unlikely a show ever will.
Trigun
Animated by Madhouse, Based on the Manga by Yasuhiro Nightow
Those nostalgic for the ’90s have a certain rose-tinted vision of what it looked like, especially those who never experienced the decade themselves. Trigun is the sort of ‘cool’ ’90s aesthetic a lot of people thought the decade looked like, and it’s glorious to behold nearly three decades later.
Trigun is a full package of flash, style, and substance, and has left itself a legacy as a wholly entertaining Space Western certified classic. The series was revisited in 2023’s Trigun Stampede, which made masterful use of CGI visuals to give the series a striking, modern coat of paint.
Berserk
Animated by OLM, Based on the Manga by Kentaro Miura
Berserk is arguably the most legendary manga series to have never been fully adapted into an anime, despite its incredibly large fan base begging for a studio to tackle it. Nevertheless, one adaptation it did receive is one of the best of the ’90s. 1997’s Berserk adapts the Golden Age arc, and though some of its visuals have aged, the series perfectly captured the essence of the manga.
The never-ending dark, disturbing, and overwhelmingly moving journey of Guts, who is tasked to survive 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 entrypoint into the world of anime today.
Yuyu Hakusho
Animated by Pierrot, Based on the Manga by Yoshihiro Togashi
The way the biggest titles in the industry battle one another for the top spot in Weekly Shōnen Jump today, the biggest titles of 30 years ago were doing much of the same thing, with eventual anime adaptations helping certain series skyrocket in popularity. Yuyu Hakusho was one of those titles, battling with the likes of Dragon Ball for bragging rights each week.
Though creator Yoshihiro Togashi might be better known for his later Hunter x Hunter, Yuyu Hakusho was a powerhouse in its own right, making use of highly popular tournament arcs to generate hype and fanfare. Many of the tropes found in shōnen anime today started in Yuyu Hakusho, and the series remains a worthwhile watch all these years later.
Neon Genesis Evangelion
Animated by Gainax, Original Anime Series
Like Cowboy Bebop, Neon Genesis Evangelion is one of the definitive classic anime series of the 1990s. For 30 years, fans have dissected and discussed the many mysteries of Evangelion, while new fans have fallen victim to the clutches of those many mysteries on their own personal journeys into anime.
The series’ infamous, divisive finale has only added to its reputation as one of anime’s all-time greats. Evangelion finally came to an end earlier this decade with the fourth of its rebuild movies, a spin-off of sorts that has helped the series remain relevant after all this time.
Dragon Ball Z
Animated by Toei Animation, Based on the Manga by Akira Toriyama
There are few anime series as recognizable as Dragon Ball Z, and there may be no anime series as important to the medium’s growth in the West. While the show undeniably shows its age, its influence cannot be understated. In the ’90s and early 2000s, an entire generation of fans in the United States were introduced to anime through the adventures of Goku and company.
Despite pacing issues and inconsistent visual quality throughout its lengthy 250-plus episodes, the anime’s highs are still downright impressive, and the biggest fights still pack a powerful punch. Every one of the top battle shōnen shows of today contains a little bit of Dragon Ball, and the original series is still worth a watch today.
Initial D
Animated by Studio Comet, Studio Gallop, Pastel, and Studio Deen, Based on the Manga by Shuichi Shigeno
Of all the top genres in anime, the one that’s celebrated far less than it deserves is the sports genre. Many of the most successful franchises in the industry tell thrilling sports stories, and the ’90s featured a few of the most popular ever. Among them was Initial D, a cult classic racing series that ran for nearly 20 years.
With high-energy street racing sequences that displayed a deep understanding of car culture, as well as compelling characters and high production quality, Initial D holds up just as well today as it did when it debuted. Racing isn’t the most common sport featured in anime, but fans will find it done incredibly well in Initial D.
Revolutionary Girl Utena
Animated by J.C.Staff, Original Anime Series
The magical genre really rose to the top during the 1990s, with Sailor Moon leading the charge in bringing new eyes to the blossoming genre. However, 1997’s Revolutionary Girl Utena arrived and flipped the magical girl genre on its head, employing surreal storytelling to blend the usual tropes with existential themes.
While 2011’s Puella Magi Madoka Magica is often celebrated for its unique take on the genre, Revolutionary Girl Utena did it first and did it with bizarre style. Some aspects of the series might show their age nearly three decades on from the show’s debut, but it remains a highly worthwhile watch.
Serial Experiments Lain
Animated by Triangle Staff, Original Anime Series
Nearly 30 years on from its iconic and mysterious debut, Serial Experiments Lain has become an odd watch. Its vision of a future ruled by comedically large computer towers and bundles of thick wires is amusing to behold. On the other hand, its depiction of people becoming entirely lost in online personas is nothing less than prophetic.
Serial Experiments Lain is cryptic, intentionally confusing, haunting, and packed with those classic ’90s vibes, and it’s proven itself a highly influential cyberpunk classic. The technology at the center of the series has aged, but the message at its heart is as relevant today as it ever was.
Great Teacher Onizuka
Animated by Pierrot, Based on the Manga by Tooru Fujisawa
Compared to many of its contemporaries, there are certain aspects of Great Teacher Onizuka that haven’t aged all that gracefully. The show can be crude and downright stupid at times, but that doesn’t stop its comedic moments from being laugh out loud funny, nor does it stop its heavier moments from hitting hard.
GTO is an unexpectedly 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. Though it’s aged somewhat, the series is still a highly entertaining experience.
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Wataru Takagi
Eikichi Onizuka
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Isshin Chiba
Ryuuji Danma
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Junichi Suwabe
Kouji Fujiyoshi
