The '90s Anime You Should Be Watching (But Probably Aren't)

Chasing trends and trying to keep up with all the modern hits emerging every season in the anime world can be endlessly exciting. However, just as rewarding is to go back to old-school classics, of which ‘90s anime has plenty. When thinking of ‘90s anime, most fans immediately remember the most prominent franchises an entire generation grew up watching -- Sailor Moon, Dragon Ball Z, and the more unique cult classics like Neon Genesis Evangelion and Serial Experiments Lain.

These titles, even decades later, hardly struggle to attract modern audiences. Nonetheless, the prolific decade of the ‘90s has even more forgotten or underappreciated anime series no one even mentions today. Even if these ‘90s anime were influential and beloved at the time, modern fans should be giving them more attention.

Puppet Master Sakon Is a Truly Unique Mystery Anime

A breathtakingly immersive mystery story, Puppet Master Sakon differs from other crime-solving anime in one key aspect -- instead of a conventional detective, its hero, Sakon Tachibana, is a puppeteer and a proficient ventriloquist. Coming from a family of renowned Bunraku masters, Sakon teams up with his loudmouthed puppet Ukon to solve compelling murder mysteries across Japan.

The gimmick of Puppet Master Sakon, while unusual at first glance, hardly takes away from the tantalizing suspense of the anime’s storylines, each arc being both entertaining and genuinely unpredictable in how the cases Sakon tackles play out. Paired with a mystifying soundtrack and gorgeous ‘90s animation, Puppet Master Sakon presents viewers with a true hidden gem of the detective genre.

Humans & Monsters Wreak Havoc in Hyper Police’s Vibrant World

The ‘90s were, arguably, the best decade for science fiction anime. From Ghost in the Shell to Cowboy Bebop, some of the most inventive versions of the future were presented to fans within the decade. While less of a classic than the aforementioned shows, Hyper Police is more than worthy of modern fans’ attention. Hyper Police’s setting clashes sci-fi with fantasy, and humans co-exist with all sorts of quirky monsters.

The series’ protagonists are also an assorted bunch, united by their mission to enforce the law -- with varying success -- as members of a private police company. Unlike some of the more grounded sci-fi anime, Hyper Police is a chaotic blast of non-stop fun that doesn’t take itself too seriously, its lighthearted tone and wacky comedy bringing out tons of distinctive ‘90s charm.

Anime Fans Would Either Love or Hate Betterman -- But It Still Deserves a Watch

Another ‘90s sci-fi anime, Betterman, however, has the complete opposite appeal of Hyper Police’s lightheartedness. Released in the post-Evangelion era of “weird” mecha anime, Betterman is a part of the then-popular Brave franchise. It follows Keita Aono, a teenage boy who gets recruited as a mecha pilot by Akamatsu Industries to fight a mysterious force known as Algernon.

In Betterman, exciting action-adventure meets an eerie, disquieting, and confusing plot progression, with elements of psychological horror and surrealism. Being a very unconventional anime that constantly causes tonal whiplash, Betterman might not be everyone’s cup of tea. However, fans of experimental anime should definitely make up their own opinion about this forgotten gem of the ‘90s.

Be-Bop Highschool Is a Charming Delinquent Anime With Nostalgic Flair

Back in the day, the delinquent theme was incredibly popular in anime and manga. Yet, few of these aged anime about thugs with hearts of gold stood the test of time as well as Be-Bop Highschool. The series is an episodic OVA, with each hour-long segment telling a different story about its unlikely heroes -- “tough guys” Toru and Hiroshi, who constantly get into trouble.

An early ‘90s anime based on a manga that began serialization in the ‘80s, Be-Bop Highschool feels even more old-school than its age implies. Nonetheless, it still manages to merge together larger-than-life comedy with a realistic portrayal of Japanese gang culture in the ‘80s in a way modern fans would undoubtedly find entertaining.

Those Who Hunt Elves Was Ahead of the Game in Making Fun of the Isekai Anime Premise

The isekai anime trend is considered to be a modern fad. However, stories about ordinary people getting stuck in magical worlds existed in anime for decades, including titles that made fun of the concept long before subversive isekai comedy became a subgenre in and of itself.

Those Who Hunt Elves is a series from 1996 that follows a mismatched group of people from modern Japan getting transported to a magical world. To get back home, they need to collect fragments of a spell scattered across this fantasyland. Yet, they hardly go about doing so conventionally. Those Who Hunt Elves is not your typical adventure -- instead, it’s a raunchy comedy filled to the brim with crude yet hilarious gags. And, despite the series’ age, even modern fans would find it refreshingly engrossing.

Eat-Man Is a Cyberpunk Anime Classic That Doesn’t Take Itself Too Seriously

Eat-Man is a curious cult classic sci-fi anime that isn’t remembered by many now, having been released at the same time as much more revered contemporaries like Trigun and Cowboy Bebop. Nonetheless, this peculiar series possesses a singular charm that makes it deserving of recognition.

Set in a stylish, gritty cyberpunk world, Eat-Man follows the episodic adventures of Bolt Crank, a mercenary with a peculiar ability to recreate any inorganic matter he eats. Eat-Man has two adaptations, the original 1997 series and a more manga-accurate remake titled Eat-Man ‘98. And while the latter version is considered superior, both possess a bizarre charm and hilarious boldness exclusive to ‘90s anime.

Dear Brother Is the Quintessential Old-School Shojo Anime Drama

Older shojo stories tend to be disregarded by modern fans as overly melodramatic and outdated in the kinds of narratives they portray. And, while the aforementioned traits are undeniably present in Dear Brother, it remains a genre-defining classic of timeless appeal. The story of Dear Brother revolves around Nanako Misonoo, a student at an all-girls Seiran Academy facing the most extreme of adolescent struggles.

For being a ‘90s anime based on a manga dating back to 1974, Dear Brother explores shockingly daring topics, including emotional and physical abuse, suicide, queer themes, and toxic sexual relations. Yet, for all its heavy content and melodramatic flair, Dear Brotherremains an exceptional classic all fans of strong character-driven storytelling should consider a must-watch.

Neighborhood Stories Adds Novelty & Depth to Shojo Anime Clichés

Another old-school shojo series, Neighborhood Stories is equally as unafraid of coming off as overly melodramatic as Dear Brother. Its story, however, revolves around a much more conventional rom-com premise, chronicling the love story of aspiring fashion designer Mikako Kouda and her childhood best friend, Tsutomu Yamaguchi. Neighborhood Stories was based on a manga by Ai Yazawa, famous for creating Nana and Paradise Kiss.

So, for all of the series’ superficial dramatics and conventional premise, it carries the same character depth and nuance as all of Yazawa’s most well-known stories. Even if Neighborhood Stories’ characters come off as one-dimensional at first glance, they swiftly develop into surprisingly complex individuals, and the intrigue of seeing their messy relationships to the end keeps viewers engaged throughout.

Steam Detectives Is an Excellent ‘90s Mystery Anime With an Engrossing Setting

An inventive detective anime with an immersive steampunk setting, Steam Detectives might not be the most popular ‘90s mystery anime, yet it’s still deserving of fans’ attention. The plot of Steam Detectives revolves around a trio of detectives, led by child genius Narutaki, who solve crimes in the smog-filled megapolis of Steam City.

Steam Detectives is an episodic anime that puts an emphasis on atmosphere, engrossing viewers in its noir aesthetic that blends seamlessly with the tense yet engaging detective plots and the immersive retrofuturistic setting. While not revolutionary, Steam Detectives is outstandingly unique and entertaining, working with familiar stylistic elements to bring to life a truly captivating story.

The Irresponsible Captain Tylor Is an Effortlessly Lovable Parody of the Space Opera Genre

Back in the day, the space opera genre was ever-present in anime, with close to every sci-fi title being a variation of the same sci-fi adventure. Nonetheless, The Irresponsible Captain Tylor’s titular hero is not your typical intergalactic savior. Instead, Tylor is a charmingly careless young man who accidentally earns the status of captain, possessing a unique ability to get out of even the most dire situations unscathed.

The Irresponsible Captain Tylor takes the earnest concept of the space opera and turns it into an entertaining farce, with Tylor constantly finding himself in life-or-death situations he resolves through sheer luck and nonchalant laxity. The resulting anime is a timeless comedic blast that pokes fun at the fundamentals of its genre while still maintaining a level of sincerity needed for a truly masterful sci-fi work.