The 1990s—no streaming, just sheer anime dedication. We taped every episode, traded VHS tapes like contraband, and if you missed a week? Tough luck. These anime were our childhood; larger-than-life characters, offbeat humor, and wild, wonky plots that made us laugh, cry, and gasp at our 4:3 screens. So get ready, because they don’t make ’em like this anymore!
1. Neon Genesis Evangelion
1 seasons | 26 episodes
Watch on: Netflix
We thought we were signing up for mecha action, but no. Evangelion was a full-on mindf*ck, with psychological horror, parental issues, and biblical references that we all pretended to understand. Thanks, Hideaki Anno. We’re totally not scarred for life or anything.
2. Cowboy Bebop
1 season | 26 episodes
Watch on: Crunchyroll, Hulu, Netflix
Shinichirō Watanabe’s masterpiece that made anime cool in the West. Space bounty hunting, the one and only Spike Spiegel, and the soundtrack that’s better than whatever you’re listening to right now. Still waiting on that live-action to do it justice, though.
3. Trigun
1 season | 26 episodes
Watch on: Crunchyroll, Hulu
Japan might’ve slept on Vash the Stampede in the ’90s, but did it blow up in the States or what? We couldn’t get enough of the gun-slinging pacifist who’s half clown, half philosopher, and all badass. Hats off to Madhouse for this cult classic that still slaps.
4. Berserk
1 season | 25 episodes
Watch on: Netflix
A black hole of medieval doom with big swords, bigger backstabbings, and a lesson: the real monsters wear human skin. Dark, gritty, and absolutely unforgettable Seinen for anyone who could stomach it. It’s okay, OLM and Kentaro Miura. We didn’t need sleep anyway.
SEE ALSO: Top High Fantasy Anime to Watch: Berserk & More!
5. Yu Yu Hakusho
4 seasons | 112 episodes
Watch on: Crunchyroll, Neflix, Hulu
Ghost boy turns detective, throws hands with demons, and somehow, Pierrot turns it into one of the most emotionally resonant things of the decade. YYH is the tournament arc blueprint and the reason why our standards for friendship and fight scenes are so high.
SEE ALSO: YYH & More Yokai Anime With Ghosts and Spirits
6. Ghost in the Shell
Film | 1h 23min
Watch on: Prime Video, Tubi TV
Before your smartphone started suggesting ads for things you just thought about, Masamune Shirow’s manga-turned-anime was exploring the implications of merging man with machine. This is where all your sci-fi faves got their homework from.
7. Dragon Ball Z
9 seasons | 291 episodes
Watch on: Crunchyroll
Toei knew exactly what the world needed in the 90s, and it wasn’t plot progression. It was Goku screaming for five episodes, and power levels over 9000, obviously. DBZ is the reason half of us got into anime, and the other half can’t stand the sight of a spiky hairdo.
SEE ALSO: Quintessential Shounen Anime: DBZ & More!
8. GTO: Great Teacher Onizuka
1 season | 43 episodes
Watch on: Crunchyroll, Netflix
Pierrot struck gold again with an ex biker gang leader turned teacher. Crude, funny, and weirdly heartfelt, GTO showed us that the best lessons come from the school of hard knocks, and the best person to teach you is the one who’s made all the mistakes.
SEE ALSO: Best Anime Comedies of All Time: GTO & More!
9. Slam Dunk
1 season | 101 episodes
Watch on: Crunchyroll
In 1993, Toei Animation decided sports anime needed to go hard or go home, and Slam Dunk happened. It’s an adaptation of Takehiko Inoue’s underdog story with all the heart, hustle, and high-flying action that sparked a basketball craze in Japan. That’s power.
10. One Piece
20 seasons | 1,100+ episodes
Watch on: Crunchyroll, Netflix, Hulu
Sneaking in at the tail end of the ’90s, Toei’s adaptation of Eiichiro Oda’s manga set sail on an adventure we didn’t know would take over our lives. Want to talk about commitment? We are still waiting to find out what the hell the One Piece actually is.
11. Sailor Moon
5 seasons | 200 episodes
Watch on: Hulu, Tubi TV
Toei’s glittery giant of a Shoujo anime hit the scene in 1992, proving that girls can rule the anime world, thank you very much. It’s Sailor Scouts kicking ass, taking names, and Tuxedo Mask doing… well, very little. A blueprint for every magical girl show that followed.
12. Princess Mononoke
Film | 2h 14min
Watch on: Netflix
Ghibli wasn’t content with just charming the pants off everyone; they went full eco-warrior here—gods, demons, and a girl who’ll gut you if you trash her forest. It’s breathtaking, it’s brutal, and it’s Hayao Miyazaki telling us to get our act together and respect nature, or else.
13. Digimon Adventure
9 seasons | 519 episodes
Watch on: Crunchyroll, Hulu
Digimon, aka the ’99 spawn of Tamagotchis we used to murder, introduced digital monsters and a darker storyline that Pokémon wouldn’t touch with a ten-foot pole. Sure, Pokémon might’ve won the popularity contest, but it’s Team Digimon for the OG crew.
14. Now And Then, Here And There
1 season | 13 episodes
Watch on: Apple TV
In the late ‘90s, Studio AIC decided that the medium wasn’t depressing enough, and we got this harrowing war story from a teenager’s POV. Never a commercial juggernaut, but the anime that made us cry our eyes out and appreciate our boring, non-abducted lives.
15. Serial Experiments Lain
1 season | 13 episodes
Watch on: Crunchyroll
I’m guessing that writer Chiaki J. Konaka’s pitch for this cyberpunk mindf*ck was “What if the internet, but terrifying?” Anime about a creepy virtual world that predates social media but nails our future online lives? This is why millennials are still side-eyeing their modems.
16. Rurouni Kenshin
3 seasons | 94 episodes
Watch on: Hulu
Studios Gallop and Deen blessed us with a ginger samurai named Kenshin, who vows never to kill again, then proceeds to kick all the ass. Non-lethally, of course. Historical, dramatic, and with the slickest sword fights this side of the Meiji Restoration.
17. Pokémon
25 seasons | 1,269 episodes
Watch on: Netflix, Hulu, Prime Video
Nintendo’s world domination plan disguised as a cutesy anime. It made 90s kids into capitalist overlords before we could spell “money.” The ultimate “collect them all” saga about friendship, gambling on pocket monster fights, and merch. So much merch.
18. Initial D
5 seasons | 81 episodes
Watch on: Crunchyroll, Hulu
An adaptation of Shuichi Shigeno’s manga that made drifting cool and the Toyota AE86 a legend. But it was never just about cars, okay? It’s honor, skill, and a tofu delivery boy becoming a drifting king. And some damn fine Eurobeat that intensifies.
19. Mobile Suit Gundam Wing
1 season | 49 episodes
Watch on: Crunchyroll, Hulu
In 1995, Sunrise decided that Gundams needed more politics and pretty boys (run if anyone says Wufei is their favorite). They were right. This anime is the reason half the West knows what Gundam is and why we all wanted that 1/144 scale Wing Zero custom model.
20. Detective Conan (Case Closed)
31 seasons | 1,100+ episodes
Watch on: Crunchyroll, Netflix
Since 1996, Conan’s been trying to hit puberty again while solving crimes and making fun of clueless adults with epic the-reason-you-suck speeches. It just goes to show that you don’t need height to reach the top shelf of classic 90s anime.
SEE ALSO: 10 Best Mystery Anime That’ll Keep You Guessing
That’s our roundup of the 1990s anime legends. Love ’em? Hate ’em? Sound off in the comments, share on your socials, and if you’re feeling extra nostalgic, check out our list of the best anime from the 1980s.
