The 90s were a blooming era for the anime industry: the sci-fi genre finally hit its stride and kids’ shows like Sailor Moon and Pokemon found their way into the Western mainstream. Here are our picks for the greatest anime series of the decade that aren’t Dragon Ball Z or Neon Genesis Evangelion.
One of the earliest works in the magical girl genre, Cardcaptor Sakura revolves around Sakura Kinomoto, a 10-year-old girl who accidentally releases a set of magical cards. Using her newly discovered magical power, she embarks on a journey to retrieve the scattered cards and prevent them from wreaking havoc on the world.
Not exactly a deep cut, the anime is highly underrated among Western anime fans. Cardcaptor Sakura’s power lies in its cast of relatable, genuinely likable characters and the touching relationships they develop throughout the series. The show will make even the most cynical viewer’s heart melt.
Outlaw Star is a space western with fantasy elements that follows the adventures of a young treasure hunter Gene Starwind and his partner in crime Jim Hawking. Joined by a diverse crew made up of a bio-android, an assassin, and, of course, a cat girl, Gene and Jim embark on a journey across space, encountering pirates and various dangerous forces.
Even though the series got eclipsed by other sci-fi sagas of the time, it is still worth checking out for the banter and the action alone.
The Vision of Escaflowne is a fantasy adventure series about a high school girl, Hitomi Kanzaki, transported to the world of Gaea, a planet filled with giant mecha, dragons, and warring kingdoms. There she meets a prince named Van Fanel, and they embark on a quest to stop the Zaibach Empire's plans for conquest and restore peace to Gaea.
This anime ambitiously fuses mecha with shoujo and political intrigue. If you like the idea of isekai but hate most of the new-age takes on it, this one's for you. There won’t be any harems or fanservice, but there will be a love triangle, although romance is never the main focus of the series.
4. His and Her Circumstances (1998-1999): Refreshing & Funny
Better known as simply Kare Kano, this is a romance comedy about two high school students. Yukino is vain and loves to be praised; her attempts to maintain the facade of the perfect model student are interrupted when she meets Soichiro, her new academic rival who outshines her in every aspect.
Those who enjoyed Kaguya-sama: Love is War might want to check this one out. The anime stands out in the sea of romance shoujo thanks to the quirky but realistic personalities of the main characters and manages to keep things fresh from episode to episode.
The story is about a young boy named Shu who is transported into a dystopian future. The desolate world he discovers around him is entangled in violent conflicts.
Despite its cartoon-like appearance, this is a dark, intense series not for the faint of heart. If you’ve watched Grave of the Fireflies, expect a similar emotional ride. The anime does not shy away from depicting the brutality of war, but it does so in a subtle way, without overdoing it. The series also features one of the most memorable villains in anime ever.
These 90s babies deserve all the love.
The 90s were a blooming era for the anime industry: the sci-fi genre finally hit its stride and kids’ shows like Sailor Moon and Pokemon found their way into the Western mainstream. Here are our picks for the greatest anime series of the decade that aren’t Dragon Ball Z or Neon Genesis Evangelion.
One of the earliest works in the magical girl genre, Cardcaptor Sakura revolves around Sakura Kinomoto, a 10-year-old girl who accidentally releases a set of magical cards. Using her newly discovered magical power, she embarks on a journey to retrieve the scattered cards and prevent them from wreaking havoc on the world.
Not exactly a deep cut, the anime is highly underrated among Western anime fans. Cardcaptor Sakura’s power lies in its cast of relatable, genuinely likable characters and the touching relationships they develop throughout the series. The show will make even the most cynical viewer’s heart melt.
Outlaw Star is a space western with fantasy elements that follows the adventures of a young treasure hunter Gene Starwind and his partner in crime Jim Hawking. Joined by a diverse crew made up of a bio-android, an assassin, and, of course, a cat girl, Gene and Jim embark on a journey across space, encountering pirates and various dangerous forces.
Even though the series got eclipsed by other sci-fi sagas of the time, it is still worth checking out for the banter and the action alone.
The Vision of Escaflowne is a fantasy adventure series about a high school girl, Hitomi Kanzaki, transported to the world of Gaea, a planet filled with giant mecha, dragons, and warring kingdoms. There she meets a prince named Van Fanel, and they embark on a quest to stop the Zaibach Empire's plans for conquest and restore peace to Gaea.
This anime ambitiously fuses mecha with shoujo and political intrigue. If you like the idea of isekai but hate most of the new-age takes on it, this one's for you. There won’t be any harems or fanservice, but there will be a love triangle, although romance is never the main focus of the series.
4. His and Her Circumstances (1998-1999): Refreshing & Funny
Better known as simply Kare Kano, this is a romance comedy about two high school students. Yukino is vain and loves to be praised; her attempts to maintain the facade of the perfect model student are interrupted when she meets Soichiro, her new academic rival who outshines her in every aspect.
Those who enjoyed Kaguya-sama: Love is War might want to check this one out. The anime stands out in the sea of romance shoujo thanks to the quirky but realistic personalities of the main characters and manages to keep things fresh from episode to episode.
The story is about a young boy named Shu who is transported into a dystopian future. The desolate world he discovers around him is entangled in violent conflicts.
Despite its cartoon-like appearance, this is a dark, intense series not for the faint of heart. If you’ve watched Grave of the Fireflies, expect a similar emotional ride. The anime does not shy away from depicting the brutality of war, but it does so in a subtle way, without overdoing it. The series also features one of the most memorable villains in anime ever.
