The 90s was a great decade for anime, with incredible series such as Cowboy Bebop, Neon Genesis Evangelionand others making their mark on the anime community. It wasn't too bad a decade for shonen anime either. While classic titles like Dragon Ball and Ranma ½ premiered in the 80s and aired in the 90s, there were tons of great anime released sometime between 1990 and 1999.
However, not all of these anime have managed to stay in the public eye over the years. By looking back at some of the decade's biggest titles, we get to revisit some incredible series that would have otherwise continued to go under the radar.
1990: The Three-Eyed One
Osamu Tezuka is often referred to as the “Godfather of Manga”, having written a variety of comics and served as an influence for countless mangaka who came after him. Although comics like Astro Boy and Black Jack are some of his most well-known, Tezuka has released plenty of great comics over the years that fans may find enjoyable. One that is often overlooked is The three-eyed one.
The series follows Sharaku Hosuke, a young boy who is transformed into an evil sorcerer who can wield incredible power, set to conquer the world if he opens his third eye. Sharaku wears a bandage over his eye to avoid this, and he is unaware of his sinister alter ego or their plans. This is actually the second adaptation of the series, as a TV movie, Akuma Tou no Prince: Mitsume ga Tooruwas released in 1985.
1991: City Hunter '91
City Hunter was one of the biggest series of the 80s, and like many other popular titles of its era, its success bled into the 90s with the release of various films and a couple of sequels. City Hunter '91 was the only series that actually premiered in the 90s and aired a year after the final episode of City Hunter 3 and the following City Hunter: Bay City Wars and City Hunter: Million Dollar Conspiracy.
As a series, City Hunter '91 is more or less the same as its predecessors. It has the same style, but adds some more comedic elements at times, which may or may not be according to some fans. The final episode is quite divisive among fans, but overall it's a good final entry to the anime series.
1992: Yu Yu Hakusho
One of the great anime of its time, Yu Yu Hakusho is a typical 90s anime. You can't go over the best '90s series without mentioning the incredible adaptation of Yoshihiro Togashi's breakout manga. The series definitely has a devoted fan base, but it always feels like it gets overlooked when discussing some of the best shonen of all time.
The series mixes martial arts with supernatural elements. It's a great battle with some great fights throughout, and the world and lore does a great job of drawing you in. It's pretty much a perfect series from start to finish, and an absolute must for anime fans.
1993: Slam Dunk
The release of The First Slam Dunk in 2023 may have served as an introduction to the series for many. It's an incredible film with stunning visuals and a strong, condensed story. But that doesn't mean the original 1993 series isn't worth watching.
Slam Dunk may be one of the best sports anime of all time. It's a classic underdog story, with an incredible cast of characters who all get their chance to develop and shine throughout the series. If you're looking for something exciting outside of the usual battle encounters, Slam Dunk is a unique series that you won't regret checking out.
1994: DNA²
The 90s had plenty of creative comics, but you won't find many as weird and interesting as DNA². The series follows Junta Momonari, who, due to an “allergy” to women, vomits when he is aroused by a member of the opposite sex. Things take an unexpected turn when a girl named Karin claims to have traveled from the future to stop Junta, who is apparently becoming a huge playboy, from fathering 100 children and overpopulating the world. But when Karin accidentally turns him into a playboy thanks to a DNA-altering bullet, she fights to rectify the situation before it's too late.
DNA²is a wild series that acts as a fantastic time capsule from the era it comes from. Romance anime can be pretty straightforward at times, though DNA²has an interesting hook that helps it stand out from its peers. An OVA sequel was released in 1995, and while the series is great on its own, the OVA is a great watch.
1995: H2
While titles like Slam Dunk, Hajime no Ippo, and Captain Tsubasa get a lot of love and recognition, there are plenty of other great sports series that don't always get the attention they deserve. H2 is one of these.
Due to an elbow injury, Hiro Kunimi decides to give up baseball when he starts high school, despite being one of the best players in his middle school along with his best friend, Hideo Tachibana. While Hideo attends another high school with his childhood friend, Hikari, Hiro enters Senkawa High School and joins their soccer team. But when Hiro meets Haruka Koga, the manager of their school's unofficial baseball team, he decides to switch and once again pursue baseball.
1996: Case closed
Case closed is one of the longest-running anime out there, with 1,174 episodes that have aired since it premiered in January 1996. In the nearly three decades that the series has been around, it has become one of the most recognizable anime and manga.
The series follows Shinichi Kudo, a well-known high school detective who has worked with the police to solve a variety of difficult cases. But when Shinichi is ambushed by members of a crime syndicate called the Black Organization and forced to take a strange drug, he ends up turning into a 7-year-old. Still as sharp as ever, Shinichi adopts the alias Conan Edogawa and sets out to learn more about the mysterious Black Organization in hopes of reversing the effects of the drug.
1997: The File of Young Kindaichi
Case closed may be one of the most well-known mystery anime out there, but there are tons of other great mystery series that are often overlooked. One of them is the 1997s The File of Young Kindaichi. The series follows high school student Hajime Kindaichi, an incredibly talented young detective whose grandfather was considered Japan's greatest detective. Hajime goes around solving all kinds of cases, from gruesome whodunnits to locked-room brain mysteries.
Mystery novel fans' ears may have perked up a bit when they read the name “Kindaichi.” Hajime's grandfather is probably none other than Kosuke Kindaichi, the famous detective created by the legendary mystery writer Seishi Yokomizo. Hajime definitely lives up to his last name, med The File of Young Kindaichi with plenty of memorable cases that both fans of Yokomizo's novels and mystery series in general would love.
1998: Trigun
Trigun is definitely up in the discussion for greatest 90s anime. The series received a new adaptation with 2023's Trigun Stampedeand a sequel season, Trigun Stargazewill be released in 2026. But for many, the original name still reigns supreme.
The series follows Vash the Stampede, an outlaw with a $60,000,000,000 bounty and a bad reputation. The only problem is that Vash isn't the madman his reputation would suggest he is. Vash is followed around the planet Gunsmoke by insurance agents Milly Thompson and Meryl Stryfe, but the trio find themselves in a tough situation when a group of legendary assassins sets their sights on them.
1999: One Piece
The One Piece Anime just started in the late 90s, and it's been going strong ever since. The story of Monkey D. Luffy's journey to become the Pirate King and find One Piece has resonated with millions over the years, and One Piece is now one of the biggest anime in the world. While the success of the manga is a big reason why, don't forget the impact that Toei's long-running anime adaptation has had.
The One Piece the anime has some hit-or-miss moments, with pacing definitely being an issue. The series will be seasonal, with the end of the Egghead Arc marking the end of the original format. The last few episodes have already been some of the best the series has put out, but with this new approach, it looks like the One Piece anime could keep going for years to come.
One Piece
- Release date
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October 20, 1999
- Network
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Fuji TV
- Directors
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Hiroaki Miyamoto, Konosuke Uda, Junji Shimizu, Satoshi Itō, Munehisa Sakai, Katsumi Tokoro, Yutaka Nakajima, Yoshihiro Ueda, Kenichi Takeshita, Yoko Ikeda, Ryota Nakamura, Hiroyuki Kakudou, Takahiro Imamura, Toshihiro Ma Shihi Endo, Toshihiro Ma Shihi Endo, Kadota, Sumio Watanabe, Harume Kosaka, Yasuhiro Tanabe, Yukihiko Nakao, Keisuke Onishi, Junichi Fujise, Hiroyuki Satou
- Author
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Jin Tanaka, Akiko Inoue, Junki Takegami, Shinzo Fujita, Shouji Yonemura, Yoshiyuki Suga, Atsuhiro Tomioka, Hirohiko Uesaka, Michiru Shimada, Isao Murayama, Takuya Masumoto, Yoichi Takahashi, Momoka Toyoda
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Mayumi Tanaka
Monkey D. Luffy (voice)
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Kazuya Nakai
Roronoa Zoro (voice)
