The ’90s were a decade full of revelatory series for anime, coming out with some absolute bangers like Pokémon, Cowboy Bebop, Serial Experiments Lain, Berserkand Sailor Moon. With retro-futuristic vibes like classically rough, handcrafted animation cels and technologically retro yet advanced anachronisms juxtaposed with surreal imagery, the anime from this decade in particular holds a special place in many fans’ nostalgic hearts. And a select few from ’95 that are turning 30 this year are some of the best!
While prior and following decades had anime with their own merits, there was just something about the ’90s that evoked a certain adventurous air to both discover new things in the world and within oneself. From relatable small-town tales of overcoming mundane but personal challenges to incredible undertakings involving technologically advanced robots or fantastical lands, these anime are not only beautifully animated but tend to focus on introspective themes that give timeless relevancy amidst retro visuals.
1) Neon Genesis Evangelion
As Earth is attacked by strange celestial alien beings known as Angels, it’s up to the mysterious scientific organization NERV, headed by Gendo Ikari, to defend humanity through the use of Evangelion, giant piloted humanoid “robots”. When Gendo calls upon his abandoned son Shinji to become one of these pilots, Shinji, alongside fellow pilots Asuka Langley Soryu and Rei Ayanami, faces a lot more at stake than defending humanity from giant monsters, as the secrets behind NERV and Gendo’s ambitions are revealed.
Neon Genesis Evangelion is widely renowned as a classic and one of the absolute best anime of not just the ’90s, but of all time. Absolutely packed with metaphysical and psychoanalytic symbolism, allegories, and frankly just all-around excellent action and imagery, this is a series that only gets more interesting over time and with every watch. With so much to offer, the rabbit hole of theories and thought-provoking relatability is practically endless. While fans over the years have been confused or even upset over the abstract original ending and esoteric analogies throughout the series, sometimes it can take even multiple rewatches to catch the obscure foreshadowing, references, and connections.
Neon Genesis Evangelion can be streamed on Netflix.
2) Whisper of the Heart
Shizuku Tsukishima, a 14-year-old junior high schooler who enjoys reading and writing, notices that the books she checks out of the library are often checked out by the same person, Seiji Amasawa, and becomes curious as to who the boy is who shares her taste in literature. Following a cat to an old antique shop, she notices a curious statue of a cat, Baron, to which the shop owner recounts the statue’s tragic backstory. When she finds Seiji at the shop, they get off to a rocky start, but the two grow closer as Shizuku learns that Seiji has a plan for his future to become a luthier. Unsure of her own writing talents and future, Shizuku becomes dismayed. But as her and Seiji’s bond strengthens and with the Baron as inspiration, although uncertain of her own potential, Shizuku decides to put her heart into writing.
Although Hayao Miyazaki tends to dominate the role of director when it comes to Studio Ghibli favorites, Whisper of the Heart is a gem directed by Yoshifumi Kondō. In this more realistic story, Shizuku faces the very relatable question: “What if I’m not good enough?” A tale of determination, taking leaps of faith, she learns that putting effort towards your goals is the first step. Whether someone is “good enough” doesn’t matter as long as you put your heart into whatever it is you’re passionate about. Since the film’s 1995 debut, Shizuku has been such an inspiration to audiences, her face has become the basis for the ChilledCow YouTube channel’s Lofi Girl, created by Dimitri Somoguy.
Whisper of the Heart can be streamed on Netflix or Max where available.
3) Ghost in the Shell
In the technologically advanced near-future, humans have become capable of melding their bodies with machines. Major Motoko Kusanagi of Niihama City’s Public Security force, Section 9, is a police officer with her own cyborg capabilities. While protecting the city by investigating cyber crimes, she becomes more involved in one complicated case in particular, more than she’d imagined. While trying to track down a mysterious cyborg hacker known as the “Puppet Master”, Motoko not only begins to question what it means to be truly human in a world where the lines between man and machine blur, but also begins to question her own being as a “ghost” in a highly advanced mechanical shell. And the one who may hold the answers may be none other than her target.
From the original 1995 film to the latest Science SARU project, Ghost in the Shell, as a franchise with several TV and film adaptations, has decades of worthwhile content for cyberpunk anime connoisseurs. Filled with sci-fi cyberpunk escapades, the series ponders philosophical, thought-provoking questions. With technological advances already mind-bogglingly convoluted, anticipating the future filled with ineffable technological innovations can be unsettling. With society already so reliant on certain technologies, humans becoming so attached to technology that they become the cyborg equivalent of Theseus’s Ship, brings even more uncertainty than what AI already presently offers.
Ghost in the Shell can be streamed on Pluto TV and Tubi.
4) Romeo and the Black Brothers
In a small village in Switzerland, the young boy Romeo lives happily with his family until one day a man named Luini, aka the “God of Death” who’s infamous for buying children to sell as chimney sweeps in Milan, strolls into town. Setting his eye on buying Romeo, Luini burns down Romeo’s family cornfield, leaving their means of income incinerated and Romeo’s father injured and in need of a doctor. In order to help his family, Romeo decides to sell himself to Luini and begins his journey to Milan, where Romeo meets and becomes fast friends with another enslaved boy named Alfredo Martini. With a gang known as the Wolf Pack making life as a chimney sweep difficult, Romeo and Alfredo form a fraternity of chimney sweeps called The Black Brothers, who endeavor to fight back.
Though many anime tend to take place in Japan, it can be a refreshing change of pace to view an anime set in Europe, whether set in a small Swiss town or the bustling city of Milan. While not many have probably heard of this actually highly rated series (a whopping score of 8.31 on MyAnimeList), Romeo and the Black Brothersaka Romeo’s Blue Skiesgives an aesthetic more akin to Studio Ghibli vibes, perhaps a tinge of Red pig (which, also being a 90’s anime, released just a month prior to this series’ debut) given the Italian setting.
5) Slayers
Constantly roaming to find bandits to steal treasures from, Lina Inverse may look like a damsel in distress, but, as a powerful sorceress, even the bandits who try to ambush her don’t stand a chance, not that the oblivious swordsman Gourry Gabriev knew such before swooping in to try to save her. Even so, offering to escort her to Atlas City, Lina accepts despite her doubts about Gourry’s witless demeanor. Unbeknownst to her, since Lina happened to pick up a powerful magical item from her latest maraud, two mysterious figures are now on their tails to snatch it for themselves, the fate of the world itself at stake.
If Slayers looks and sounds quintessentially “90’s”, that’s probably due to both the stereotypical art style and comedic gags of that time and the English dub voice cast being primarily comprised of 4Kids veterans, such as those who’d voiced various characters from Pokémon. With talent such as Lisa Ortiz as Lina Inverse (various voices), Eric Stuart as Gourry Gabriev (Brock and James), and Veronica Taylor as Amelia Wil Tesla Saillune (Ash Ketchum), Rachael Lillis as Cally and Paula (Misty and Jessie), even if you haven’t seen the Slayers series before, it’s sure to still strike a sense of nostalgia.
What’s your favorite series from ’95? Let us know in the comments!
