With so many anime releasing every season, every year, it's tough to keep up with them all. There's so much out there that it can be a little overwhelming, and that's just modern titles. Over the decades, thousands of anime have aired, with each era having some amazing titles that defined that generation.
The 90s had some incredible anime that many fans look back at fondly, while others are just discovering them for the first time. With so much variety, there's no shortage of unique titles to explore. If you're feeling nostalgic, be sure to check out these great 90s anime on Crunchyroll.
The Irresponsible Captain Tylor
It might not be the first series you think of when you hear "'90s anime", but The Irresponsible Captain Tylor is a fun series that stands out from a lot of the series that are coming out today. Grand space adventures aren't really in anymore, but they sure were popular in the '80s and '90s.
The titular Tylor is a lazy lecher who aspires to do nothing but live an easy life and stay as far away from trouble as possible. But when he accidentally manages to diffuse a hostage situation, he's rewarded with command over an old space cruiser. Stuck with leading the ship and its crew, Tylor is thrust into the very trouble he'd been hoping to avoid.
Yu Yu Hakusho
Though it might not be as popular as iconic titles like Dragon Ball and One Piece, Yu Yu Hakusho definitely stands as one of the top shonen series of the '90s.
When 14-year-old delinquent Yuusuke Urameshi saves a child from being hit by a car, he's given the opportunity to regain his life by completing various tasks. Yuusuke then sets out to protect humanity from evil threats as a Spirit Detective. Yu Yu Hakusho
has great visuals and a story that makes it stand among the best shonen out there. If you've never seen this one, or if it's been a while, it might be time to give it a watch.
Key the Metal Idol
You might've come across this series recently, with it making the rounds across social media. Key the Metal Idol might not be the most well-known series, but it's definitely a hidden gem of its era and would make for a great watch.
The series follows 17-year-old Tomiko Mima, who looks human but is actually a robot. When her "grandfather" passes away, she is told that she can become human if she makes 30,000 friends. Tomiko moves to Tokyo, set on accomplishing her task by becoming an Idol. At the same time, an old rival of her grandfather's seems to have more nefarious plans in mind for the mysterious Tomiko.
Great Teacher Onizuka
A sequel to mangaka Toru Fujisawa's lesser-known series Shonan Junai Gumi and Bad Company, Great Teacher Onizuka continues the adventures of Eikichi Onizuka, a now former delinquent who's looking to lose his virginity and stumbles into a teaching job because of it.
Onizuka is put in charge of some of the worst kids out there, and while other teachers have struggled, this former gang leader is more than prepared to handle them. GTO is a great series that definitely tackles some heavy subject matter from time to time, though Onizuka is always able to turn things around.
Cardcaptor Sakura
Magical Girl anime aren't as popular as they used to be, and while Sailor Moon stands as the most well-known of the genre, there are plenty of great alternatives out there. One of the best of the '90s is Cardcaptor Sakura.
The series follows Sakura Kinomoto, who, after accidentally releasing the "Clow Cards" upon her hometown, is tasked with tracking them down. While it might not have enjoyed the same success as Sailor Moon, Cardcaptor Sakura is still iconic and an absolute must-watch for any fans of the magical girl genre or anyone interested in it.
Trigun
Though it recently received a new adaptation that modernized the visuals and style, there's no beating the original Trigun. It's a must-watch for any anime fan, and a great series for anyone looking to see some of the best the '90s has to offer.
Trigun follows Vash the Stampede, a man with a $$60,000,000,000 bounty who has a reputation as a violent maniac who destroys all he comes across. Except, Vash isn't anything like that. Vash travels the planet Gunsmoke alongside insurance agents Milly Thompson and Meryl Stryfe, who follow him around to minimize the damage he's said to cause. But things get serious for the trio as they're hunted by a group of legendary assassins.
Record of Lodoss War
Before the Isekai genre eventually flooded the anime landscape, more straightforward fantasy titles like Record of Lodoss War were the norm. The series follows Parn and his friends as they travel across Lodoss to investigate strange happenings across the island. The group is eventually dragged into a conflict that will determine the future of Lodoss.
Record of Lodoss War still looks great all these years later. Everything about the series screams '90s, and if you're looking for an interesting fantasy narrative with that timeless old-school anime aesthetic, this should be right up there on your list.
