Top 25 Best 90s Retro Aesthetic Anime of All Time to Watch Right Now

Top 25 Best 90s Retro Aesthetic Anime of All Time to Watch Right Now

The anime industry has received much love and fame over the past few years. Regarding endless possibilities and entertainment, anime series hold a separate space. 

If you have recently discovered the fantastic storylines and entertaining forms of anime series, here are the top 25 retro aesthetic anime series of all time. picks.

List of Top 25 Best 90s Retro Aesthetic Anime of All Time to Watch Right Now

Below we have mentioned the top 25 best 90s retro aesthetic anime series of all time. 

Ghost In The Shell

Premiered – 1995
Director – Mamoru Oshii
Genre – Sci-Fi
IMDb Ratings – 7.9/10

If you are fond of watching sci-fi and hacker-cracker movies, then Mamoru Oshii’s Ghost In The Shell will give you goosebumps. The plot follows a world of 2029, where a human can replace their body parts with the help of cybernetic technology. 

Yu Yu Hakusho

Premiered – 1990
Director – Noriyuki Abe
Genre – Adventure, Supernatural
IMDb Ratings – 8.5/10

This series revolves around the adventure and supernatural powers of Yusuke Urameshi, who was killed in a car accident. Still, he was later revived by Koenma, the son of the ruler of the afterlife.

Neon Genesis Evangelion

Premiered – 1995
Director – Hideaki Anno, Masayuki, Kazuya Tsurumaki
Genre – Sci-Fi, Psychological Drama
IMDb Ratings – 8.5/10

Neon Genesis Evangelion is one such anime retro movie that combines all the forms of drama into one product. It deals with psychological drama, science-fiction storylines, and the futuristic city of Tokyo.

Ranma 1\2

Premiered – 1986
Director – Tomomi Mochizuki
Genre – Romantic Comedy, Adventure
IMDb Ratings – 7.9/10

Ranma 1\2 is a romantic comedy anime drama film that Rumiko Takahashi wrote. The plot concentrates on Ranma Saotome, the movie’s protagonist, who can change his gender into a female when exposed to cold water.

Dear Brother

Premiered – 1991
Director – Osamu Dezaki
Genre – Romantic Drama
IMDb Ratings – 7.6/10

Dear Brother anime movie follows the romance and drama of our protagonist Nanako Misonoo, a young high school girl. When she joined the first year of Serian Academy, she faced many incidents, such as love, romance, chaos, and heartbreak.

City Hunter 

Premiered – 1985 to 1991
Director – Kenji Kodama
Genre – Action, Comedy
IMDb Ratings – 7.7/10

City Hunter undoubtedly ranked top when defining a perfect combination of action and comedy.  The original storyline was written and developed by Tsukasa Hojo. The overall storyline concentrates on Ryo Saeba. He was assigned to care for his friend’s sister and eventually made a heart connection.

Sailor Moon 

Premiered – 1991
Writer – Naoko Takeuchi
Genre – Supernatural, Magic
IMDb Ratings – 7.7/10

I believe no other supernatural and magic anime movies or shows can match the popularity of the 1991’s release, ‘Sailor Moon.’ The storyline follows the commendable adventures of Usagi Tsukino and her struggles to find the ‘Silver Crystal.’

Akira 

Premiered – 1988
Director – Katsuhiro Otomo
Genre – Cyberpunk
IMDb Ratings – 8/10

We can not describe the popularity and glory of Katsuhiro Otomo’s one of the best creations, Akira. The overall storyline, presentations, and characters have built the punky world of Akira from scratch. Undoubtedly, Akira can be considered a pioneer for advanced sci-fi and adult animation shows. 

Cat’s Eye

Premiered – 1985
Director – Kenji Kodama
Genre – Action, Crime, Mystery
IMDb Ratings – 7.2/10

If you have watched the Cat’s Eye anime serial, you will recall the three sisters named Hitomi, Rui, and Ai and their beloved cafe, ‘Cat’s Eye Cafe.’ however, the story not revolves around the cafe and sisters but it does also includes the mystery of their father’s disappearance.

Whisper of The Heart 

Premiered – 1995
Director – Yoshifumi Kondo
Genre – Romantic Drama
IMDb Ratings – 7.9/10

Whisper of the Heart is an adaptation of Aoi Hiiragi’s ‘Mimi O Sumaseba.’ later, the anime was directed by Yoshifumi Kondo and released on July 15, 1995. The characters are the profound force behind the success of the Whisper of the Heart movie. The plot concentrates on Shizuku, a 14-year-old girl, and her quest to know who will be her life partner. 

Princess Mononoke 

Premiered – 1997
Director – Hayao Miyazaki
Genre – Fantasy Drama
IMDb Ratings – 8.3/10

Hayao Miyazaki is one of the most reputed Japanese animators whose work often entertains kids and adults. And, when discussing his artworks, how can we forget to mention one of the most entertaining fantasy drama anime series, ‘Princess Mononoke.’

Cowboy Bebop 

Premiered – 1998
Director – Shinichiro Watanabe
Genre – Science-Fiction
IMDb Ratings – 8.9/10

Shinichiro Watanabe’s 1998 release ‘Cowboy Bebop.’ was released with 26 episodes on October 24, 1998. The Cowboy Bebop storyline revolves around the futuristic world and criminals. 

Mobile Suit Gundam Wing 

Premiered – 1995
Director – Masashi Ikeda and Shinji Takamatsu
Genre – Military Science-Fiction
IMDb Ratings – 8/10

Mobile Suit Gundam Wing was released in 1995 with a storyline that concentrates on an after-colony timeline. Moreover, Mobile Suit Gundam Wing also revolves around the war between Earth and its close colonies.

Perfect Blue 

Premiered – 1997
Director – Satoshi Kon
Genre – Psychological thriller
IMDb Ratings – 8/10

The Perfect Blue is a psychological thriller directed by Satoshi Kon and released in 1997. The plot follows an idol group, ‘CHAM.’ and a girl who quits the group to pursue her career in acting. But her life went on a roller-coaster ride when she left the group. 

Creamy Mami, The Magic Angel 

Premiered – 1983
Director – Osamu Kobayashi
Genre – Magic, Fantasy, and Mystery
IMDb Ratings – 7.2/10

The storyline follows a ten-year-old girl, Yu, who falls in love with her friend, Toshio Otome. And one day, she decided to become a teen idol, Megumi Ayase.’ and perform on behalf of her. 

Remi, Nobody’s Boy

Premiered – 1980
Director – Osamu Dezaki
Genre – Coming of Age, Adventure, and Family
IMDb Ratings – 7/10

Remi is an adopted and disregarded son of a father who desperately needs some money. After learning the reality, Remi comes across a musician, Vitalis. Later, Remi and Vitalis start their journey to find Remi’s real parents. 

Revolutionary Girl Utena 

Premiered – 1997
Director – Kunihiko Ikuhara
Genre – Romance and Magic
IMDb Ratings – 8.1/10

Revolutionary Girl Utena follows the lead character, Utena Tenjous, an orphanage girl impressed by a prince. And her inspiration compels Utena to become a prince herself. Also, she joined Ohtori Academy and later jumped into a ritualistic battle. 

Boys Over Flowers 

Premiered – 1992
Director – Shingeyasu Yamauchi
Genre – Romantic Comedy
IMDb Ratings – 7.5/10

Boys Over Flowers, a.k.a. Hana Yori Dango, is regarded as one of the most affluent romantic comedy-drama anime released in 1992. The storyline revolves around Makino Tsukushi, a high school girl who joined an exclusive school where she met with students from wealthy and prestigious backgrounds.  

Serial Experiments Lain 

Premiered – 1998
Director – Ryutaro Nakamura
Genre – Techno-Horror
IMDb Ratings – 8.1/10

If you like to watch supernatural and horror movies, then Serial Experiments Lain will give you jaw-dropping experiences. The story is all about an introverted girl, Lain Iwakura. She later finds out that her classmates are receiving emails from those students who passed away a long time ago.

Hunter X Hunter 

Premiered – 1998
Director – Noriyuki Abe
Genre – Fantasy, Adventure
IMDb Ratings – 9/10

Hunter X Hunter is popularly known as one of the best-written anime series ever. Here, we see a young boy, Gon, who starts looking for his father, but the journey in which he stepped in is not easy. Since his father is a professional hunter, Gon had to undergo many difficulties and unexpected challenges.  

Roujin Z

Premiered – 1991
Director – Hiroyuki Kitakubo
Genre – Science-fiction
IMDb Ratings – 6.8/10

Hiroyuki Kitakubo’s Roujin Z was released in 1991, and the core concept of the movie is still relevant to a certain extent. The ‘Z Project.’ was developed to allow young enthusiasts to explore their passion. But eventually, these robotic machines started taking over humans and creating mess around the city.  

Slayers 

Premiered – 1989
Genre – Adventure, Fantasy Comedy
IMDb Ratings – 7.5/10

1989’s release, Slayer, centers around the life of a powerful yet greedy Lina, who uses her skills and powers to achieve almost everything. Renowned Janapnese novelist and story writer Hajime Kanzaka wrote this anime movie. 

Dragon Ball Z

Premiered – 1989
Director – Daisuke Nishio
Genre – Adventure, Fantasy
IMDb Ratings – 8.8/10

There is hardly anyone who may not know about the worldwide popular Dragon Ball Z. Dragon Ball Z follows our beloved protagonist, Goku, and his son, Gohan. This movie also encounters a mysterious being, ‘Raditz.’ He defines himself as Goku’s half-brother. 

Rurouni Kenshin 

Premiered – 1994
Genre – Romance, Adventure
IMDb Ratings – 8.5/10

Nobuhiro Watsuki is the writer of superhit, ‘Rurouni Kenshin.’ anime series. It was released in 1994, but the show’s popularity is still unfazed. The concept is all about Himura Kenshin, a legendary, powerful swordsman. 

Cardcaptor Sakura 

Premiered – 1999
Director – Morio Asaka
Genre – Magic, Supernatural
IMDb Ratings – 7.2/10

Cardcaptor Sakura has gained a huge amount of fans from around the whole world. Sakura Kinomoto is the movie’s lead character who accidentally opens a book kept in his father’s library. This storyline resonates with the famous Pandora’s box mystery. The creators locked the Clow Cards as it contains deadly superpower forces.  

Final Thoughts

Here’s all you need to know about the top 25 retro aesthetic anime series of the 90s era. No doubt, many anime series, and shows are available online, but the list of anime movies from the 90s timeline will excite you more than anything. 

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