10 Great '90s Anime Everyone Forgot About (2024)

When people think of '90s anime, they tend to think of the ultra-popular series. Dragon Ball, Sailor Moon, or even Pokemon--series that remain popular even today, so much so they're often still getting new series today. Yet the '90s was more than just the A-List anime series.

There are tons of great anime from the '90s that are still worth watching even now. Many of the series were popular in the '90s or even in the early 2000s as anime experienced its first big boom, but have been forgotten since they're not constantly getting spin-offs and sequels. They're just as good as ever though, and fans who enjoy retro animation should make it a point to hunt them down.

10 Teknoman Showed How Popular Henshin Hero Anime Could Be

Available on DVD

Tekkaman Blade was the perfect series to be brought Stateside in the '90s, even if the series had to be heavily censored. The series aired on UPN as Teknoman, but it was perfect for an era where people liked seeing teenagers transform into armored heroes and battle against alien empires. The character designs for the heroes and villains alike were on point, making it easy for kids to dive into, while the deeper plot appealed to older audiences. Even now, it's worth watching for anyone that's a major fan of the henshin hero trope.

The series focused on Takaya Aiba, a young man working with the last protectors of humanity, the Space Knights. The Space Knights wage a losing war against the alien Radam, until Takaya reveals his power to transform into a Tekkaman, using the very armor and weapons of the enemies. From there, the series focuses on Takaya's history, and the Space Knight's desperate attempts to wipe out the Radam for good.

Tekkaman Blade

Action

Adventure

Earth's defence forces are engaged in a losing battle with the evil Darkon. A ship plummets to Earth and explodes, and out walks a stranger, unscathed, but suffering from amnesia.

Release Date

February 25, 1992

Cast

Megumi Hayashibara , Toshiyuki Morikawa

Main Genre

Animation

Seasons

1 Season

Creator

Ippei Kuri, Kenji Yoshida, Tatsuo Yoshida

Production Company

Sotsu Co., TV Tokyo, Tatsunoko Production

Number of Episodes

49 Episodes

9 Record of the Lodoss War Presented A Classic High Fantasy Epic

Available on Crunchyroll

Originally based on a series of Dungeons and Dragons roleplays, Record of the Lodoss War was exactly the kind of sweeping fantasy story people loved in the '90s and early 2000s. A young man named Parn sets out on an adventure to discover the truth about his father, only to wind up on a quest that will save the entire land of his home Lodoss. Along the way, five other allies join Parn on his goal, each with their own goals but destined to play a crucial role in stopping the evil Black Knight Ashram.

Record of the Lodoss War was a rite of passage to anime fans when it first reached the West in the early 2000s. The OVA series was considered the anime version of Lord of the Rings thanks to its high fantasy setting and story of good versus evil. Even now it remains an enjoyable watch, despite there being plenty of other high fantasy anime available these days for fans.

Record Of Lodoss War

TV-14

Anime

Action

Adventure

A group of medieval adventurers must participate in a war against dark forces in the land of Lodoss.

Release Date

June 30, 1990

Cast

Takeshi Kusao , Kappei Yamaguchi , Yumi Tôma , Hideyuki Tanaka

Main Genre

Anime

Seasons

1

Creator

Ryo Mizuno

Production Company

Kadokawa Media Office, Kadokawa Shoten Publishing Co., Marubeni, Tokyo Broadcasting System (TBS).

8 Gundam Wing Helped Gundam Become Popular In The West

Streaming on Hulu

Set in the distant future, Gundam Wing presents a world where humanity has finally made its way into space. However, the Earth Sphere Alliance uses their power to control the colonies without allowing them sufficient voice in government. In the hopes of changing things, a secret organization plans Operation Meteor, where five specially trained boys land on Earth in hyper-advanced Gundams to battle against Earth Sphere's OZ military forces.

Today, most anime fans remember G Gundam more than any other from the '90s. At one point however, Gundam Wing was the reason for Gundam's popularity in the West. The wildly different protagonists and their Gundam designs allowed younger viewers to imprint on their favorite. Meanwhile, the political elements dragged in older viewers, making it easy for all age demographics to love the series.

Mobile Suit Gundam Wing

TV-PG

Animation

Action

Adventure

A squadron of giant robot pilots of a beleaguered Earth colony bring the war to their oppressive home planet.

Release Date

March 6, 2000

Cast

Hikaru Midorikawa , Toshihiko Seki , Ryûzô Ishino , Akio Otsuka , David Kaye

Main Genre

Animation

Seasons

1

Creator

Kōichi Tokita

7 Bubblegum Crisis: Tokyo 2040 Is A Gritty Remake Of An '80s Classic

Available on Amazon Prime

Bubblegum Crisis Tokyo 2040 is the remake to the 1980s classic Bubblegum Crisis. Once again, the series follows a group of four women known as the Knight Sabers, battling against the rogue Boomer robots that are going out of control over the city. While the original offered a fun, '80s pop rock vibe, Tokyo 2040 embraced a more serious, grim tone and focused harder on the anime's futuristic setting.

For a time, Bubblegum Crisis Tokyo 2040 was touted as the superior series to the original Bubblegum Crisis. Fans argued the series took its setting more seriously and actually finished its storyline. While these days people appreciate Bubblegum Crisis for the groundbreaking cyberpunk experience it was, Tokyo 2040 is still worth experiencing just to see a different interpretation of these awesome characters.

6 Sorcerer Hunters Drew In Audiences With Its Great Relationship Dynamics

Available on Crunchyroll

In the world of Sorcerer Hunters, humanity is plagued by evil Sorcerers, powerful mages who use their powers to gain inordinate amounts of wealth and treat normal humans as their playthings. The only people capable of protecting humanity are the Sorcerer Hunters, a small yet talented group of humans specially trained to fight sorcerers. One such group consists of five young rookie Sorcerer Hunters, including one hiding a major secret that could decide the fate of the world.

Sorcerer Hunters might have way too much fanservice for some fans, but that didn't stop it from being hugely popular when it came to the West. Fans took to the cast thanks to their hilarious relationship dynamics, and because the series was shockingly queer-friendly for the era. The series never took itself too seriously, but wasn't afraid to ramp things up for the drama when needed. Lastly, it might've had some of the best music of the era, including its catchy opening "What's Up", it's serene and beautifully produced background music and its seductive end theme "Mask".

Sorcerer Hunters

TV-MA

Comedy

Fantasy

Adventure

In Spurna, the Sorcerers are the rulers and tiranize the people. The people have only one hope: The Sorcerers Hunters, a group of people devoted to free Spurna from the evil sorcerers.

Release Date

October 3, 1995

Cast

Jason Douglas , Tiffany Grant , Junie Hoang

Main Genre

Anime

Seasons

1

Production Company

Daume, King Records, T-Up

Number of Episodes

26

5 Slayers Poked Fun At All The Popular High Fantasy Ideas

Available on DVD

Based on a series of light novels, Slayers follows Lina Inverse, a young magician who operates as an adventurer alongside her friends. Unlike most fantasy heroes, Lina's primary focus is on how much a job pays and where she can find her next meal. Her only problem is she has no sense of self-restraint, so all her jobs tend to cause widespread destruction wherever she goes.

Slayers was once a mega franchise both in Japan and the West. That said, the series didn't get much time on television in America, which means it only stood out to fans who were willing to spend money on VHS tapes or DVDs. Still, it's a series that might've aged better than many of its peers; as fantasy anime becomes distressingly common, a series willing to poke fun at the genre's more ridiculous tropes is welcome. As more anime series get remakes, it feels like Slayers should be next up on that list.

4 You're Under Arrest Explored the Life Of Traffic Policewomen

Available on HIDIVE

Kosuke Fujishima was a respected mangaka in the '90s thanks to his world on Oh! My Goddess...and You're Under Arrest. You're Under Arrest follows Natsumi Tsujimoto and Miyuki Kobayakawa, two police officers recently assigned to work together at the Bokuto Police Station. While the job is supposed to be just focused on routine stops and traffic guidance, these two passionate women often find themselves plunged into more dangerous challenges.

You're Under Arrest was a popular franchise throughout the '90s and early 2000s. The manga got an OVA, multiple television series, and even a live-action J-Drama. Fans who might be expecting an anime Law and Order should look elsewhere, however. This series spends more time exploring the everyday stresses involved with working as a police officer, and the interpersonal drama of the police station itself. Even now, there's still plenty to love for people who prefer laid-back slice of life stories with a lovable cast.

You're Under Arrest

Crime

Drama

Comedy

Action

The adventures of two female police officers in modern Japan.

Release Date

October 5, 1996

Cast

Miyu Irino , Sakiko Tamagawa

Main Genre

Animation

Seasons

3

Studio

Studio Deen

Creator

Kōsuke Fujishima

Number of Episodes

101

3 Martian Successor Nadesico Is a Delightful Mecha Parody

Available on Crunchyroll

Akito Tenkawa is an amnesiac young man who found himself aboard the space battleship Nadesico. Staffed by a crew of talented yet quirky individuals, the Nadesico's main goal is to battle against an alien race set on wiping out humanity. While Akito wants to become a chef, instead he frequently finds himself battling the alien Jovian Lizards to protect the ship.

When Martian Successor Nadesico was released in the late '90s, mecha anime had been the dominant genre since the 1970s. With that in mind, it wasn't surprising to see a series like Nadesico that lovingly poked fun at the genre's established tropes gain such notoriety. While mecha anime doesn't have nearly the popularity today, it's still a blast as a mecha-comedy series.

Martian Successor Nadesico

TV-PG

Action

Comedy

Mecha

Some unknown presence is attacking Earth with dangerous robots and the only thing that can save the day is the crew of the Nadesico: a powerful spaceship.

Release Date

October 1, 1996

Main Cast

Houko Kuwashima, Yûji Ueda, Kira Vincent-Davis and Spike Spencer

2 Flame of Recca Is a Battle Shonen With Classic '90s Animation

Available on Tubi

Flame of Recca centers around Recca Hanabishi, a teenager with dreams of becoming a ninja. He agrees to become the willing vassal of anyone capable of defeating him, though his unique fighting style has made that nearly impossible. However, when he meets Yanagi Sakoshita, a strange young girl with the power to heal people, he agrees to become her servant without ever fighting her. Agreeing to protect her though sends them both down a path neither of them could've prepared for.

Flame of Recca attained some small popularity as battle shonen began to take off as a major genre. Long before Naruto, Flame of Recca made being a ninja look cool, as the characters duel with special ancient ninja weapons known as Madougu. Since Recca never made it to cable it was kept from reaching its true potential, but fans that enjoy anime with great tournament arcs should make it a point to check this show out.

Flame Of Recca

TV-PG

Action

Adventure

In modern Japan where the way of ninja is still practiced secretly, Recca discovers that he has a power to manipulate fire. Eventually he meets people who also has strange power, and he soon has to overcome his past and face his destiny.

Release Date

July 19, 1997

Cast

Kôsuke Okano , Hikaru Midorikawa

Main Genre

Animation

Seasons

1 Season

Studio

Pierrot

Creator

Nobuyuki Anzai

Production Company

Fuji Television Network, Pierrot DAR, Pierrot

1 Outlaw Star Was A Brilliant Sci-Fi Western

Available on Apple TV

Gene Starwind and his partner Jim Hawking have spent their lives working on small jobs on a backwater planet. However, when the two of them discover a strange girl inside a briefcase, their old life becomes a distant memory. The three of them are tasked with finding the Galactic Leyline, and given access to the hyper-advanced starship the Outlaw Star to do it.

Outlaw Star is probably one of the most popular shows from the early Toonami era that's gone forgotten today. The series was a perennial favorite, combining space opera and Western themes for a show that didn't look or feel like anything else on television at the time. Even now, the series is still as unique as it ever was, as no other series since has even attempted to copy it.

Outlaw Star

TV-MA

Action

Animation

Sci-Fi

The adventures of an outlaw crew of an advanced starship.

Release Date

January 8, 1998

Cast

Bob Buchholz , Brianne Siddall , Emily Brown , Lenore Zann , Wendee LeeMary Elizabeth McGlynn

Main Genre

Sci-Fi

Seasons

1

Creator

Production Company

Writers

Katsuhiko Chiba

Number of Episodes

Streaming Service(s)

Hulu

Franchise(s)

Outlaw Star

Directors

Mitsuru Hongô

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