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Thus, it’s pretty obvious that fans have a tough time remembering anime from the 90s. Yet, there are some excellent anime from the decade that every anime fan should watch. Some of the best anime of all time come from the 90s, and fans shouldn’t overlook them.
Updated on February 6, 2022, by Suzail Ahmad: The anime industry continues to grow at a rapid pace and there are more anime to watch than ever. The 90s was an important decade for anime as there were many anime, which changed the anime industry forever. While some of the anime from the 90s might not be the most preferred choice for a newcomer, it is extremely important to watch them at some point due to their long-lasting impact on the industry. With that in mind, we have added more anime from the 90s that can be enjoyed by the fans.
15 Sailor Moon
Based on the manga written by Naoko Takeuchi, Sailor Moon is arguably the most popular shoujo series in the world. The series started to air in 1992, and it finished airing in 1997. The popularity of the anime resulted in the series getting several movie adaptations.
SailorMoon follows the adventures of a middle-school girl named Usagi Tsukino. Usagi befriends a feline, Luna, who surprisingly is able to talk. Luna gives Usagi a brooch that allows her to transform into Sailor Moon.
14 Hunter x Hunter
Hunter x Hunter is considered to be among the best-written manga series of all time. It constantly draws comparisons to other famous anime series such as One Piece, Naruto, etc.
Hunter x Hunter follows a young boy named Gon, who suddenly finds out that his father is alive. Excited by this revelation, Gon decides to start looking for his father, but his journey is not going to be easy as his father is a Hunter.
13 City Hunter
The name of Tsukasa Hojo’s City Hunter frequently pops up while discussing older anime series. City Hunter gained a lot of popularity throughout the world with its incredibly riveting story and action-packed scenes. It is a massive franchise that has a lot of movies and even spin-offs.
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CityHunter is set in the city of Tokyo, where a private eye Ryo Saeba ends up with the responsibility of taking care of his friend’s sister. This leads to plenty of romance and laughter, and it makes City Hunter an enjoyable watch.
12 Serial Experiments Lain
Serial Experiments Lain is an anime series that started to air in 1998. The anime has a total of 13 episodes, and it has an unorthodox imagery style. Serial Experiments Lain covers many philosophical topics, which sets it apart from the majority of anime.
The series revolves around a girl named Lain Iwakura, who is an introvert with a troubled family. Lain’s life drastically changes when she finds out that the people from her school have been receiving emails from a dead classmate.
11 Detective Conan
Ever since it first started to air in 1996, Detective Conan has become one of the longest-running anime with over 1000 episodes. The anime is based on the manga of the same name, which has been written by Gosho Aoyama.
The anime focuses on the adventures of Shinichi Kudo, who is a high school detective. After being captured by the Black Organization, he is forcefully fed a drug that turns him into a kid.
10 Pokemon
The original Pokemon series captured the hearts of young people worldwide. With its unique story and adorable Pokemon, the series appealed to a lot of people. Over the years, the popularity of Pokemon has only increased through games, anime, and other media.
It has grown into a major franchise that has fans all over the globe. In the anime, the series follows a young boy named Ash Ketchum, who sets out on a journey to become a Pokemon Master.
9 Dragon Ball Z
Not many anime can boast the same level of popularity in the world as Dragon Ball Z. The anime is the continuation of Dragon Ball, following Son Goku’s journey into adulthood. Throughout the series, Goku and his friends fight to protect the world against several strong villains.
Dragon Ball Z also focuses on the development of Goku’s son, Gohan. It also sees Piccolo and Vegeta undergo further character development in their own stories.
8 Neon Genesis Evangelion
Neon Genesis Evangelion takes place in the futuristic city of Tokyo. The protagonist is a young boy named Shinji, who is given the monumental task of destroying an Angel. He must accomplish this with the help of an Evangelion.
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Shinji barely manages to survive and ends up being hospitalized. This fight changes his life as he settles in Tokyo-3. Neon Genesis Evangelion is one of the few sci-fi anime series that have made an impact both in Japan and throughout the rest of the world.
7 Yu Yu Hakusho
Yu Yu Hakusho is another masterpiece by the great Yoshihiro Togashi. Unlike Togashi’s magnum opus, Hunter x Hunter, the author managed to finish Yu Yu Hakusho. This shonen series focuses on the adventures of Yusuke Urameshi, who is killed in a car accident.
Fortunately, Yusuke receives another shot at life from Koenma, who is the son of the ruler of the afterlife. Yusuke passes Koenma’s challenges and is revived. He receives the role of a detective in his new life.
6 Rurouni Kenshin
Rurouni Kenshin is based on the manga of the same name, written by Nobuhiro Watsuki. The anime aired from 1996 to 1998. Like all the other anime on the list, Rurouni Kenshin has withstood the test of time and is popular to this day.
The anime’s endurance demonstrates the quality of the story that Watsuki has written. Rurouni Kenshin follows the story of the legendary swordsman, Himura Kenshin, whose name instills fear in his opponents. However, Kenshin leaves his troubled past behind him and wanders over Japan, until he meets a young woman who is struggling with her martial arts dojo.
5 Great Teacher Onizuka
Great Teacher Onizuka, or GTO, is easily among the best shonen anime series. It follows a 22-year-old delinquent, Onizuka, who decides to become a teacher after seeing a teacher’s sway over a female student.
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Onizuka soon realizes that he has a sense of morality, and cannot commit immoral acts. He becomes an outstanding teacher who looks after his students and gives them invaluable lessons throughout the series.
4 Berserk
The manga was written by the late Kentarou Miura, who passed away earlier this year. Despite being a seinen series, Berserk’s popularity is comparable to any famous shonen series out there. Other manga authors have derived inspiration from Berserk. Miura’s brilliant story received an anime adaptation in 1997.
The manga covers two arcs: the Black Swordsman arc and the Golden Age arc. However, it is important to note that the anime doesn’t entirely cover both arcs. Despite not adapting every bit of content from the manga, the anime is still incredible.
3 Slam Dunk
Slam Dunk is one of the most well-known shonen series of all time, based on a manga by Takehiko Inoue. The series follows Sakuragi, who is knows nothing about playing basketball. Despite that, he ends up joining the school team in order to impress a girl.
Slam Dunk has an incredible balance between solemnity and cheerfulness, which makes it a must-watch series for sports anime fans. Despite the series ending many years ago, it still has an active fanbase.
2 Cowboy Bebop
Directed by the legendary Shinichiro Watanabe, Cowboy Bebop is considered by many to be the finest piece of anime that exists. The anime has a total of just 26 episodes, which aired from October 24, 1998, to April 24, 1999. It remains legendary even among modern audiences.
Cowboy Bebop takes place in the future, and it follows a crew of eccentrics that hunt criminals for bounties. The crew members aren’t always the most cooperative, but they still care about each other in their own way throughout their adventures.
1 One Piece
One Piece started airing in 1999 and is still going strong even after several decades. Based on Eiichiro Oda’s manga of the same name, the manga has broken several records already. Furthermore, Oda is showing no signs of stopping.
The series is centered around a young boy, Monkey D. Luffy, who aims to become the Pirate King. Soon, Luffy realizes that achieving such a big goal isn’t an easy task, so he begins to recruit crewmates who aid him on his journey. Named the Straw Hat Pirates, their adventures resonate with fans today just as much as they did 20 years ago.
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