There’s something magical about 90s anime. Maybe it’s the hand-drawn art, the emotionally charged soundtracks, or the way stories were told—unfiltered and often ahead of their time. If you’re a long-time fan or someone just diving into the classics, the 90s delivered some of the most iconic anime of all time.
Here’s a countdown of the top 10 anime from the 1990s that you absolutely need to watch. Let’s ride the nostalgia train, shall we?
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#10: Great Teacher Onizuka (1999)
Imagine a 22-year-old ex-gang member becoming a high school teacher—not your typical educator, right? That’s Eikichi Onizuka for you. He’s brash, a little pervy, but has a golden heart underneath all that muscle.
What makes Great Teacher Onizuka (GTO) special is its perfect balance of crude comedy and heartfelt life lessons. Every episode is unpredictable. One moment you’re laughing at Onizuka’s ridiculous antics, and the next you’re tearing up because he helped a student rediscover their self-worth.
It’s wild, real, and surprisingly wholesome.
#9: Trigun (1998)
Ever seen a space cowboy with a $60 billion bounty on his head? Meet Vash the Stampede. With spiky blonde hair, red coat, and a pacifist heart, he’s one of the most lovable gunslingers in anime.
Trigun mixes sci-fi, westerns, and comedy in a way few anime have. But beneath the jokes and explosions lies a deeply philosophical show about violence, redemption, and humanity.
It starts light but gets heavy—like a slapstick comedy slowly turning into a Shakespearean tragedy. And trust me, it works.
#8: Revolutionary Girl Utena (1997)
Get ready for something… different.
Revolutionary Girl Utena is part magical girl, part fairy tale, part psychological mind-trip. It follows Utena, a girl who wants to be a prince, as she duels her way through a surreal academy filled with secrets.
The show is packed with symbolism, strange architecture, and recurring metaphors that’ll have you questioning reality. It’s not for everyone, but if you love deep, artistic anime with feminist undertones, Utena is a treasure.
You don’t just watch Utena—you experience it.
#7: Yu Yu Hakusho (1992)
Before Jujutsu Kaisen and Bleach, there was Yu Yu Hakusho.
Yusuke Urameshi, a teenage delinquent, dies saving a kid… only to come back as a Spirit Detective. What follows is a whirlwind of demons, martial arts, and friendship that defines the shonen genre.
The Dark Tournament arc? Still one of the best arcs in anime history.
It’s got everything: awesome battles, memorable villains, and that classic 90s animation style that just hits differently. Plus, the characters? Pure gold. Kuwabara forever.
#6: Berserk (1997)
Warning: Berserk is not for the faint of heart.
This anime pulls no punches—literally and figuratively. Guts, the protagonist, is a lone swordsman with a massive blade and a mountain of trauma. Set in a medieval world plagued by war and demonic corruption, Berserk is as brutal as it is beautiful.
Despite its age, the 1997 version remains the definitive adaptation thanks to its haunting atmosphere and gut-wrenching storytelling.
You’ll be scarred. You’ll be speechless. But you’ll never forget it.
#5: Slam Dunk (1993)
Slam Dunk didn’t just make basketball popular in Japan—it made anime fans fall in love with sports anime.
Hanamichi Sakuragi, a red-haired delinquent, joins his school’s basketball team to impress a girl. But what starts as a goofy romance plot becomes a legit underdog sports story filled with growth, grit, and buzzer-beater drama.
The animation is dynamic, the characters are hilarious yet relatable, and the matches? They’ll have you on the edge of your seat—even if you don’t care about basketball.
#4: Hunter x Hunter (1999)
Before the 2011 reboot came the OG 1999 version. And while both are excellent, there’s something raw and nostalgic about this one.
Hunter x Hunter follows Gon, a boy looking for his absentee father. But it quickly becomes a deep dive into morality, power, and human nature. The show hides darkness under its cheerful art style, slowly peeling back layers to reveal something far more complex.
And don’t even get me started on Hisoka. That man is nightmare fuel wrapped in charm.
#3: Rurouni Kenshin (1996)
Set during the Meiji era of Japan, Rurouni Kenshin tells the story of Himura Kenshin, a former assassin who now vows never to kill again.
Kenshin’s journey is equal parts action and redemption. The sword fights are legendary—fluid, precise, and emotional. And the story touches on real historical events with enough drama to keep things intense.
It’s more than just samurai battles. It’s about making peace with your past and finding a new path forward.
#2: Neon Genesis Evangelion (1995)
Few anime have sparked as much debate as Evangelion.
On the surface, it’s about teenagers piloting giant robots to save the world. Dig a little deeper, and you’ll find a psychological exploration of depression, identity, and trauma.
Evangelion broke all the rules. It challenged what anime could be. And its finale? Oh boy, people are still arguing about it decades later.
Love it or hate it, you can’t ignore it. It’s anime history.
#1: Cowboy Bebop (1998)
If there’s one anime from the 90s that transcends the medium, it’s Cowboy Bebop.
Set in a futuristic, jazz-filled universe, the show follows Spike Spiegel and his crew of bounty hunters as they chase criminals—and their pasts—across space.
Each episode blends action, noir, westerns, and existential melancholy into a poetic symphony. The music by Yoko Kanno is legendary. The animation? Gorgeous. And the ending? Bittersweet perfection.
Cowboy Bebop isn’t just a show. It’s an experience. And in 26 episodes, it tells a story that sticks with you long after the final “See you, Space Cowboy…”
Conclusion
The 90s were a golden age for anime. They gave us bold storytelling, unforgettable characters, and moments that defined our love for the medium. Whether you’re in it for the action, the emotion, or the sheer nostalgia, these 10 anime are essential viewing.
So grab your favorite snack, queue up one of these classics, and dive back into the decade where anime dreams were drawn by hand—and written straight from the soul.
Because honestly? They just don’t make ’em like they used to.
