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20+ Best 90s Aesthetic Anime To Watch Right Now, According to IMDb

We can all agree that 90s anime is of a different vibe entirely and have some of the best aesthetics in the anime medium. 90s aesthetic anime are generally a bit rare, and many of them are not popular enough for everyone to recognize.

Today,Ā we will be diving back to the 90s to take a look at some of the best 90s aesthetic anime, which are available for everyone to watch. This is gonna be a nostalgic dive for many people, so just get seated, and we will take a lot at these priceless anime.

20+ Best 90s Aesthetic Anime Ranked

21) Slayers

Slayers

  • IMDB Ratings:Ā 6.8/10
  • Number of Episodes:Ā 26
  • Genre:Ā Adventure, Comedy, Fantasy
  • Studio:Ā E&G Films

One of the anime, alongside Sailor Moon, introduced a lot of memorable girl characters throughout this series. This is a memorable series for both fans and the people who watched this.

This is the perfect example for describing the 90s aesthetic anime, and it is a unique as well as a fun watch,Ā despite some of its bad reviews.Ā It is ranked as a classic anime by the fandom and was indeed hugely popular at that time, on top of setting new standards for anime as a whole.


20) Sailor Moon

Sailor Moon

  • IMDB Ratings:Ā 7.7/10
  • Number of Episodes:Ā 46
  • Genres:Ā Fantasy, Romance
  • Studio:Ā Toei Animation

Another anime, which revolutionized the genre and set high standards for female characters, Sailor Moon, is best at what it does, captivating the audience. It was truly a genre-defining anime and one that was popular and remained the same for ages.

Sailor Moon is widely recognized for its fanbase and as the epitome of a 90s aesthetic anime. This show can be enjoyed by anyone, irrespective of age. It is not a long shot to say that this anime is still popular and lives inside people’s hearts as the best show even now.


19) InuyashaĀ Ā 

Inuyasha

  • IMDB Ratings:Ā 7.9/10
  • Number of Episodes:Ā 167
  • Genres:Ā Action, Adventure, Comedy, Fantasy, Romance, Supernatural, Isekai
  • Studio:Ā Sunrise

InuyashaĀ is one of the more recent anime out on this list, but it maintains the 90s vibe and manages to convey its charm of it perfectly.Ā This anime does not need more introduction, as many of us already know about this popular franchise.

Inuyasha is still popular and running significantly as a franchise, with its sequels receiving good reception. It is also available to watch on many platforms, which still keep this anime for nostalgia and its popularity.


18) Golden Boy

Golden Boy

  • IMDB Ratings:Ā 8.0/10
  • Number of Episodes:Ā 6
  • Genres:Ā Ecchi, Comedy, Adventure
  • Studio:Ā APPP

Infamous for its Ecchi parts, Golden Boy is indeed a memorable journey and a good, short watch at that.Ā It is a unique anime, befitting of the adventure genre, and hits close to home than most of the other anime in this list.

Golden boy also shows us a variety of cultures, as well as many different kinds of people, just in the course of 6 episodes.

Along with all these things, it does not forget the core of the series, nor what it wanted to convey through its runtime. This makes it a magical watch, just for the sheer amount of effort put into this series.


17) Perfect Blue

Perfect Blue

  • IMDB Ratings:Ā 8.0/10
  • Runtime:Ā 1hr 21 min
  • Genres:Ā Dementia, Horror, Drama, Avant-Garde
  • Studio:Ā Madhouse

Coming up, we have a visual wonder and masterpiece from Madhouse and Satoshi Kon. This movie is one of the most brilliant and thought-provoking Satoshi Kon creations to ever exist.

And to think this was the directorial debut of Satoshi Kon, which further elevated the value of his name and brought him great fame.Ā This movie mainly focuses on the psychological aspect, which will drive you crazy with its premise, underlying story, and a great cast.

Even with all of these advantages, the most striking feature of this movie is the 90s aesthetic anime vibe that it perfectly conveys in its short runtime.

To top it off, this movie is one of the extremely rare Dementia genres and a classic at that.Ā This movie was able to achieve greatness, which no other anime of this genre was able to reciprocate the same.


16) Akira

Akira

  • IMDB Ratings:Ā 8.0/10
  • Runtime:Ā 2hr 4min
  • Genres:Ā Seinen, Action, Adventure, Sci-Fi, Supernatural, Horror
  • Studio:Ā Tokyo Movie Shinsha

There are only two titles that come to mind when thinking aboutĀ racing anime, and Akira is one of them.Ā No doubt, Akira is a trendsetter and a revolutionary anime that premiered at that time.

It is a futuristic movie that was way too ahead of its time. The movie was so popular and resonated so much with viewers even now that a new Akira anime was also announced to satisfy the fans.

This movie is a perfect blend of all the sci-fi elements with a war backdrop, all the while following the soothing 90s aesthetic anime vibe. All of these tropes in the movie made it to be one of the best anime in its genre and niche.


15) Revolutionary Girl Utena

Revolutionary Girl Utena

  • IMDB Ratings:Ā 8.1/10
  • Number of Episodes:Ā 39
  • Genres:Ā Shoujo, Comedy, Drama, Fantasy, MysteryĀ 
  • Studio:Ā J.C.Staff

Going by the name alone, we can see the great feats this anime achieved, just with the drama and mystery sub-genre.Ā It set new standards for the Drama genreĀ while neatly wrapping it up under a mystery backdrop.

It was aĀ Shoujo animeĀ that received praise as well as backlash for many of the debatable recurring themes present in the anime. But looking at a bigger perspective, it was a raw portrayal of some specific harsh themes.

This anime can get as realistic as it can get and also change its pace to drift to a comedy and fantasy sub-genre in an instant. It was very popular among the fanbase, for its portrayal of themes and for maintaining the best aesthetic in anime.


14) Serial Experiments Lain

Serial Experiments Lain

  • IMDB Ratings:Ā 8.1/10
  • Number of Episodes:Ā 13
  • Genres:Ā Avant-Garde, Dementia, Mystery, Sci-Fi, Supernatural
  • Studio:Ā Triangle Staff

Where there is dementia, there is always the mention of the groundbreaking mystery and thriller anime Serial Experiments Lain.Ā This was an original anime that was focused on the blurring lines between reality and technology.

This might come off as an unrealistic or outrageous portrayal of the ability of the software, but whatever the portrayed in the anime could be real and was categorized as a danger at that time.Ā 

The anime follows the unique Dementia genre and requires watching it multiple times to understand the crux and all the mysteries in the story.

The plot, as well as the surrounding mystery, would not make sense when watching normally, and you need extra attention, as well as intuitive thinking, to understand the concrete meaning behind this series.Ā 

The 90s aesthetic vibe it gives off while building the sci-fi world is one of the unique showcases of the aesthetic we have watched till now.


13) Trigun

Trigun

  • IMDB Ratings:Ā 8.2/10
  • Number of Episodes:Ā 26
  • Genres:Ā Action, Adventure, Sci-Fi
  • Studio:Ā Madhouse

Who doesn’t remember the classic action anime Trigun? An anime that retained its flavor and its aesthetic for ages, Trigun is a special anime for all of the fans.

Trigun was a unique story, which was centered more around the action as well as character development. This series has one of the most memorable casts and main characters in anime.Ā The aesthetic is also well presented and beautifully showcased with the 90s animation style, which wouldn’t have been possible nowadays.

Trigun reached such high popularity that a film called Trigun Badlands was released in 2010, and a new Trigun anime, called Trigun Stampede, will be airing in the Winter of 2023.


12) Initial D

Initial D

  • IMDB Ratings:Ā 8.4/10
  • Number of Episodes:Ā 26
  • Genres:Ā Action, Drama, Racing
  • Studio:Ā Gallop, Studio Comet

If you are searching for a classic andĀ best racing anime of all time, Initial D is perfect for you. It vividly blends in the aesthetic of the 90s with racing themes and shows us a unique product.

Racing anime is very rare and unique, and this shines brightly out of the numerous adaptations.Ā Watching the old-school races indulges its viewers in layers and layers of nostalgia.

The animation for this series is also top-notch, and it is bigger series than you can expect. The source material, manga, is also pretty long but falls short of the epic presentation of the anime.


11) Princess Mononoke

Princess Mononoke

  • IMDB Ratings:Ā 8.4/10
  • Runtime:Ā 2hr 13min
  • Genres:Ā Action, Adventure, Fantasy
  • Studio:Ā Studio Ghibli

Is it the old classics you are looking for? Then Studio Ghibli has all your desires covered, with its wide range of movies that cater to a large audience. Studio Ghibli is internationally renowned for its quality of movies and the emotional impact it creates with each of its titles.

Arguably, this might be one of Ghibli’s best production, with some of the best soundtrack, animation, production values, and story. Even if this anime had a fantasy setting, it struck chords with many viewers and left them in awe in the wake of this movie.

Princess Mononoke is also famous for its brilliantly depicted 90s aesthetic anime style, which we love so much. This gave rise to a lot of popularity and new possibilities for Studio Ghibli.


10) Great Teacher Onizuka

Great Teacher Onizuka

  • IMDB Ratings:Ā 8.5/10
  • Number of Episodes:Ā 43
  • Genres:Ā Slice of Life, Comedy, Drama, Seinen
  • Studio:Ā Pierrot

Great Teacher Onizuka was a very distinctive anime and also had a distinctive art style of the 90s.Ā It is unique in the sense that it blends Slice of Life aspects in many of its episodes. The formula ofĀ mixing Slice of Life and comedy genresĀ to create something new was developed by this anime.

Great Teacher Onizuka was a bold and realistic attempt at its depiction, which worked in its favor. Aside from the great story and likable characters, we can also notice the special feel of the 90s aesthetic anime art style, which is a further plus point for the series.


9) Detective Conan

Detective Conan

  • IMDB Ratings:Ā 8.5/10
  • Number of Episodes:Ā 1067
  • Genres:Ā Shounen, Adventure, Comedy, Mystery
  • Studio:Ā TMS Entertainment

An anime that survived all these years and still airing due to its fanbase and popularity, Detective Conan still manages to strike at the core of the mystery genre.

Initially starting with intense mystery themes, this anime has been continuing and recreating the same formula since the 90s. It can be called the starting point for detective mystery and thriller anime tropes.

It also magically blends in those tropes flawlessly with the 90s aesthetic anime style, which makes the viewers pining for more. This can be called one of the best watches if you are looking for anime in this genre.


8) Yu Yu HakushoĀ 

Yuu Yuu Hakusho

  • IMDB Ratings:Ā 8.5/10
  • Number of Episodes:Ā 112
  • Genres:Ā Shounen, Action, Martial Arts, MythologyĀ 
  • Studio:Ā Pierrot

Regarded as one of the top-tier Shounen anime, YYH received praise unanimously for all of the tropes done right and for giving us a memorable watch.

This anime is the most peculiar addition to this list, as the style ofĀ this anime is a mixture of the 90s aesthetic style and the retro aesthetic style.

This blend of elements worked vastly in its favor, as the anime acquired great popularity, and its reach extended far and wide. The story is also condensed into 4 arcs through 112 episodes, which will be a memorable and nostalgic watch for everyone.


7) Rurouni Kenshin

Rurouni Kenshin

  • IMDB Ratings:Ā 8.5/10
  • Number of Episodes:Ā 94
  • Genres:Ā Shounen, Samurai, Action, Adventure, Comedy, Romance
  • Studio:Ā Gallop, Studio DEEN

The most famous and popular Samurai anime of all time also deserves to be on this list, with its vivid blend of 90s aesthetic anime style as well as retro art style.

Rurouni Kenshin is one of theĀ best sword-fighting animeĀ of all time, and there is no other that can top the standards this anime sets. Having some of the best and most unique animation styles for it, the anime received far more praise than the source material.

This anime stands firm, even now, as much newer anime try to copy these tropes and styles but fail to reciprocate it exactly. It is also pretty evident that this anime is still loved even after these many years when the series is still getting sequels.


6) Neon Genesis Evangelion

Neon Genesis Evangelion

  • IMDB Ratings:Ā 8.5/10
  • Number of Episodes:Ā 26
  • Genres:Ā Dementia, Mystery, Thriller, Action, Drama, Suspense, Sci-Fi, Avant Garde
  • Studio:Ā Gainax, Tatsunoko Productions

The anime that is infamously remembered for its indecipherable ending, Neon Genesis Evangelion’s ending, brought a lot of riots and death threats after the series was completed.

This series did receive a lot of attention, even if that was directed in the wrong direction.Ā The series was more understood over the upcoming years than in its release year. The Evangelion movies were also released for alternate storytelling for the timeline of the series.

The remake movies have a better and easy-to-understand conclusion than the rest of the series. Nevertheless,Ā the original is still better, due to its bold portrayal and courageous attempt, during a time when things like these were shunned, and it maintains the iconic 90s aesthetic style as well.


5) Slam Dunk

Slam Dunk

  • IMDB Ratings:Ā 8.7/10
  • Number of Episodes:Ā 101
  • Genres:Ā Sports, Shounen
  • Studio:Ā Toei Animation

If there are more and more anime about the sports genre now, it’s purely due to the hype and the effect it created in the series.Ā This was the pinnacle of sports series, and many popular sports anime and manga were created using the same formula from this anime.

Slam DunkĀ is all about basketball, one of the most exhilarating and fast-paced sports of all time. The series even received a movie recently that was a huge hit with the fans. Bringing this sport to fruition and making it successful, with the 90s aesthetic anime style, makes it unique in its category.


4) Berserk

Berserk

  • IMDB Ratings:Ā 8.7/10
  • Number of Episodes:Ā 25
  • Genres:Ā Seinen, Mythology, Military, Gore
  • Studio:Ā OLM

One of the oldest and most popular Seinen, no doubt thatĀ BerserkĀ is the number one Seinen manga, having many memorable characters and some of the best villains in the medium.

Berserk is a special anime coined with the best 90s aesthetic anime style, which led to its huge popularity bump. The manga is still ongoing to this date and holds a special place for all of the fanbase.

Sadly, due to the untimely death of Berserk, we may not be able to see the same ending as Kentaro Miura has envisioned. But, we received news that a new anime adaptation for Berserk is in the works, which will faithfully adapt the source material.


3) Dragon Ball Z

Dragon Ball Z

  • IMDB Ratings:Ā 8.8/10
  • Number of Episodes:Ā 291
  • Genres:Ā Shounen, Action, Adventure, Comedy, Fantasy
  • Studio:Ā Toei Animation

What more than to start the top 3 of this list with one of the best Shounen series of all time?Ā All the Shounen series we see today have most of their tropes very similar to that ofĀ DBZ.

Along with maintaining the 90s aesthetic through its whole runtime, it also secretly combines it with the retro style to make it look better.Ā DBZ is also the series that raised the bar for the Shounen series and gave a strong head start for the whole genre.


2) Cowboy Bepop

Cowboy Bepop

  • IMDB Ratings:Ā 8.9/10
  • Number of Episodes:Ā 26
  • Genres:Ā Seinen, Action, Sci-Fi
  • Studio:Ā Sunrise

One of the best original anime of all time, Cowboy Bepop left its mark on the world with its groundbreaking sci-fi story blending in with western elements.

This anime has a subtle combination of the 90s aesthetic style, retro style, as well as Cowboy tropes and styles to make it look more appealing. With this, the anime rose to new heights of popularity and was a huge hit with Japanese as well as Western audiences.

Cowboy Bepop still holds strong even now with its sci-fi elements and story. Cowboy Bepop is also the favorite anime of many celebrities.


1) Legend of The Galactic HeroesĀ 

Legend of The Galactic Heroes

  • IMDB Ratings:Ā 9.1/10
  • Number of Episodes:Ā 110
  • Genres:Ā Seinen, Drama, Sci-Fi
  • Studio:Ā K-Factory, Kitty Film Mitaka Studio

The number one in this list should undoubtedly be given to the best space and sci-fi anime of all time, Legend of The Galactic Heroes.Ā This series has some of the best drama and space conflicts of all time. The drama in the anime is elevated by the military and the war backdrop.

If there was ever a contender for best Seinen anime, it would be this series, which comes close to Berserk.Ā One of the best storytelling, plot, characters, soundtrack, and drama, this anime has a plethora of good pointsĀ and is considered a classic.

There is also a remake of this series, with newer animation and cut-out filler sequences compared to the original. Even then,Ā the original is still considered the best because of its 90s aesthetic animation style and having some of the best filler arcsĀ in the anime medium.

With this, we mark the end of our best 90s aesthetic anime you can watch right away. We will make sure to come up with more interesting and intriguing topics like these to strike back again.

All of the anime in this list can be considered a classic due to the impact they had on the anime medium. Most of these anime are also popular for defining specific tropes and archetypes for future series.


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