The 25 Best 90s Retro Aesthetic Anime to Watch Right Now

Anime is fantastic, and the period of the 90s has been iconic for anime. We cannot forget about the past of anime as it plays a massive role in entertainment. here are some of the best 90s retro anime.

In terms of anime, a lot of content can be regarded as retro. The young kids might not know how anime was from the 90s. There is a lot of new anime on the internet now, but it is good to go back in time and watch some fantastic retro anime.

In this article, we will share with you the 25 best anime from the 90s that are regarded as retro aesthetic, and if you all want to know more then, please continue reading this article. Anime lovers will enjoy this article.

25. Yu-Gi-Oh

Directed by: Hiroyuki Kakudo
Written by: Toshiki Inoue
Studio: Toei Animation
Cast: Yugi Mutou voiced by Yukito Tsukishiro (Sub); Seto Kaiba voiced by Kenjiro Tsuda (Sub); Bakura; Bakura voiced by Rica Matsumoto (Sub); Yami Yugi voiced by Dan Green (Sub).
IMDb Rating: 7.3/10
Available on: Hulu.

The story’s plot is about Yugi Mutou, who is often bullied by people but loves all kinds of games. One day, he solves an ancient puzzle known as the Millennium Puzzle, and he becomes a host to a mysterious spirit with the personality of a gambler. The new personality calls himself Yami Yuugi, and he comes forth when Yugi faces trouble.

This show opened the fans to card-based battle gaming, and the show displays earnest friendships, with catchy music making it a must-watch of the 90s.

24. Battle Angel Alita

Directed by: Hiroshi Fukutomi
Written by: Akinori Endo
Studio: Madhouse
Cast: Alita voiced by Amanda Winn Lee (Sub); Chiren voiced by Mami Koyama (Sub); Gally voiced by Miki Ito (Sub).
IMDb Rating: 7.3/10
Available on: It can be rented on Vudu, Amazon Instant Video.

Battle Angel Alita or Gunnm is a 90s anime movie based in a sci-fi world. The movie’s plot is how Dr. Ido, a doctor and a mechanic, uses his skills to create a bounty hunter cyborg, and he calls her Gally. He lets her live free in the world to create a life for herself, but the plot develops when Gally remembers her life on Mars.

This movie is one of the best anime movies, and the characters of the movie make this movie much more enjoyable. In 2019, Hollywood made a movie adaptation of this movie. The film did great follow the same plot as the anime film. Many anime fans went to see the film, and it is good to say that the movie did not ruin this 90s classic.

23. Petshop of Horrors

Directed by: Toshio Hirata
Written by: Tatsuhiko Urahata, Yashuiro Imagawa, Akane Inoue
Studio: Madhouse
Cast: Count D voiced by Toshihiko Seki (Sub); Leon Orcrot voiced by Masaya Onosaka (Sub); Q Chan voiced by Miho Yamada (Sub); Jason voiced by Andrew Philpot (Sub).
IMDb Rating: 7.4/10
Available on: HIDIVE.

The plot of the anime series is centered around Count D, a mysterious owner of a pet shop in Los Angeles Chinatown. The pets from Count’s shop have a contract with three crucial points, any buyer who would breach the contract would die, and the shop would not be responsible for it.

Due to the breach of contract, multiple deaths have occurred around the town, and upon investigating, every clue leads to Count’s shop.

The anime is based on the original manga of the same name, and it is a horror mystery. This was the best anime of its genre, giving its viewers nightmares because of its spine-chilling scenes and dialogues. I feel that a remastered version of this anime series would break a majority of the records set by the new age anime series.

22. Slayers

Directed by: Takashi Watanabe
Written by: Takao Koyama
Studio: E&G Films
Cast: Lina inverse voiced by Megumi Hayashibara (Sub); Ruby Eye Shabra nigdo voiced by Daisuke Gori (Sub).
IMDb Rating: 7.5/10
Available on: Hulu and Funimation.

The show is fun to watch, and it features Lina, a powerful but greedy conjurer. She uses her skills to take care of the bandits who get in her way. One such incident led her to meet Gourry Gabriev, a kind-hearted swordsman who used his skills to protect her from a bandit.

Even though the series had certain flaws for its time, it was ignored by the viewers because it had memorable characters and humor, which makes the series fun to watch.

21. Soul Hunter

Directed by: Junji Nishimura
Written by: Junji Nishimura
Studio: Studio Deen
Cast: Taikoubou voiced by Hiro Yuuki (Sub); Dakki voiced by Ymi Kakazu (Sub); Nataku Li voiced by Kouki Miyata (Sub).
IMDb Rating: 7.5/10
Available on: Video.

The plot of the show is based a thousand years back in time. It has a ruthless witch who has enslaved the emperor and brought his empire under her control. To stop the evil witch, the Confederation of the Immortal Masters decides to assign this task to a young wizard with extraordinary magic skills to stop the witch.

Dark magic and witchcraft were famous genres in the 90s, and this show is the prime example of it. With unique plot development and good music, this anime was the best genre.

20. Revolutionary Girl Utena (1997)

Director: Kunihiko Ikuhara
Writer: Chiho Saito
Starring: Jurota Kosugi, Yuri Shiratori
IMDb Rating: 8.1/10
Rotten Tomatoes Rating: NA
Streaming Platform: Prime Video

Revolutionary Girl Utena is a fantastic anime series where the story revolves around a tomboy schoolgirl called Utena who attends the fabulous Ohori Academy.

The series has an excellent IMDb rating of 8.1/10, which makes the fans feel amazing, and the series also has a great cast, making the series even better.

19. Mobile Suit Gundam Wing (1995)

Director: Masahi Ikeda
Writer: Katsuyuki Sumizawa
Starring: Zechs Merquise, Heero Yuy, Relena Darlian
IMDb Rating: 8/10
Rotten Tomatoes Rating: NA
Streaming Platform: Hulu

The story of this anime is fantastic, which revolves around powerful weapons known as Gundams that are sent to the planet Earth to destroy the powerful OZ and make the Space Colonies accessible.

Mobile Suit Gundam Wing is an excellent anime with an IMDb rating of 8/10. You all can watch this anime on Hulu.

18. Dragon Ball Z (1989)

Director: Daisuke Nishio, Shigeyasu Yamauchi
Writer: Takao Koyama
Starring: Son Goku, Bulma, Krillin, and others
IMDb Rating: 8.5/10
Rotten Tomatoes Rating: 91%
Streaming Platform: Funimation, AnimeLab, Hulu

Dragon Ball Z is one of the best anime and has a fantastic story that has inspired many people worldwide. The story revolves around Goku’s adventures along with Z warriors who save and defends the planet Earth against evil.

Dragon Ball Z teaches us about loyalty, teamwork, and trustworthiness. This anime has a lot of powerful characters.

17. Sailor Moon (1992)

Director: Naoko Takeuchi
Writer: Naoko Takeuchi
Starring: Katie Griffin, Kotono Mitsuishi, Megumi Ogata
IMDb Rating: 7.7/10
Rotten Tomatoes Rating: NA
Streaming Platform: Hulu

Sailor moon is a great anime where the story revolves around a soldier who is pretty, and then she becomes a Pretty Guardian. The series was first released in 1992 and is a superheroine anime series.

The anime has an excellent IMDb rating of 7.7/10. The writer of this anime is Naoko Takeuchi. You all can watch this anime on Hulu.

16. Neon Genesis Evangelion (1995)

Director: Kazuya Tsurumaki, Hideaki Anno
Writer: Hideaki Anno
Starring: Rei Ayanami, Asuka Langley Soryu, Shinji Ikari
IMDb Rating: 8.5/10
Rotten Tomatoes Rating: 100%
Streaming Platform: Netflix

This is one of the best anime, and everyone should watch this anime at least once as this anime has a great story that revolves around violent monsters who comes to the planet Earth to destroy human beings.

However, the story turns when a young man joins a small group of pilots.

15. Outlaw Star (1998)

Director: Mitsuru Hongo
Writer: Katsuhiko Chiba
Starring: Bob Buchholz, Ayako Kawasumi
IMDb Rating: 7.9/10
Rotten Tomatoes Rating: NA
Streaming Platform: Hulu

Outlaw Star stands for one of the best 90s anime. This anime has a great story about Gene Starwind, an adamant guy and a jack of all trades.

He has a friend called Jim Hawking, who is also a stubborn guy. The anime has an excellent IMDb rating of 7.9/10. This is a futuristic series.

14. Cowboy Bebop (1998)

Director: Hajime Yatate
Writer: Hajime Yatate
Starring: Koichi Yamadera, Aoi Tada
IMDb Rating: 8.9/10
Rotten Tomatoes Rating: 100%
Streaming Platform: Netflix

The story of the anime revolves around Bebop, a spaceship from abroad who was a bounty hunter, and he also had a group of skilled comrades who embarked on a new journey full of adventures.

This anime is unique and has an excellent 8.9/10 on IMDb. The story Cowboy Bebop is fantastic, and everyone should watch this anime as this is one of the best 90s anime, and it is terrific. This series shows tremendous character growth.

13. The Big O (1999)

Director: Kazuyoshi Katayama
Writer: Hitoshi Ariga
Starring: Steve Blum, Mitsuru Miyamoto, Akiko Yajima
IMDb Rating: 7.5/10
Rotten Tomatoes Rating: NA
Streaming Platform: Watch

The Big O is a fantastic anime that was released in the year of 1999. The story of this anime revolves around the residents of Paradigm City, where a mysterious incident occurs to lose their memories of the residents of Paradigm City.

The anime has a fantastic cast and an IMDb rating of 7.5/10, which shows how great the anime is. This anime falls under the mecha genre. The art style of this anime is fantastic.

12. Case Closed (1996)

Director: Kenji Kodama
Writer: Gosho Aoyama
Starring: Alison Viktorin, R. Bruce Elliott, Colleen Clinkenbeard
IMDb Rating: 8.5/10
Rotten Tomatoes Rating: NA
Streaming Platform: Netflix

Case closed, also known as Detective Conan, was released in 1996. The anime had a great storyline around a detective prodigy who is only 17 years old.

The anime is unique and has an IMDb rating of 8.5/10, which just makes this anime better. It also has a great cast. You all can watch this anime on Netflix. This anime has a retro charm.

11. Space Pirate Captain Harlock (1978)

Director: Rintaro
Writer: Leiji Matsumoto
Starring: AyonFakuda, Yu Aoi
IMDb Rating: 7.8/10
Rotten Tomatoes Rating: NA
Streaming Platform: Apple TV

The story of this anime revolves around an outlaw crew called Harlock, who leads the starship aboard to undertake raids against the planet Earth’s oppressors.

This anime is unique and has an IMDb rating of 7.8/10, and you all can watch this anime on Apple TV, which is a piece of great news for anime lovers. This series is top-rated. The evil characters are bloody disgusting.

10. Digimon Adventure (1999)

Director: Mamoru Hosoda
Writer: Reiko Yoshida
Starring: Kinoko Yamada, Chika Sakamoto, Takahiro Sakurai
IMDb Rating: 7.3/10
Rotten Tomatoes Rating: NA
Streaming Platform: Hulu

The story of this anime revolves around a creature from Tokyo who hatches eggs, and that egg emerges from the computer screen in Taichi Yagami’s house.

This anime has bizarre noir. However, this series also shows or perfectly represents a good anime element. This is one of the classic programs.

9. The legend of Zorro (1996)

Director: Katsumi Mizoguchi
Writer: Sukehiro Tomito
Starring: Ikuya Sawaki, Maria Kawamura, Kenyu Horiuchi
IMDb Rating: 7.7/10
Rotten Tomatoes Rating: NA
Streaming Platform: Prime Video

This anime has a fantastic story that revolves around a teenager who is lazy but slowly changes into a bold swordfighter to bring justice to California during the 19th century.

The anime has an excellent IMDb rating of 7.7/10, and it was directed by Katsumi Minoguchi, who is a fantastic director. The anime also has a good cast that makes the anime even better. You all can watch this anime on Prime Video.

8. His and Her Circumstances (1998)

Director: Katsumi Mizoguchi
Writer: Sukehiro Tomito
Starring: Ikuya Sawaki, Maria Kawamura, Kenyu Horiuchi
IMDb Rating: 7.7/10
Rotten Tomatoes Rating: NA
Streaming Platform: Prime Video

The story of this anime revolves around a scholar who tries to hide a juvenile streak of vanity, and then the story takes a turn when a boy who is self-conscious from a home that is broken falls in love while he tries to become the topper of the school.

7. Serial Experiment Lain (1998)

Director: Ryutaro Nakamura
Writer: Chiaki J. Konaka
Starring: Ayoko Kawasumi, Kaori Shimizu
IMDb Rating: 8.1/10
Rotten Tomatoes Rating: NA
Streaming Platform: Funimation

This is a good anime with an IMDb rating of 8.1/10 and is one of the best 90s anime. This anime has a good story and can be considered a masterpiece.

The anime also has a good cast which makes this anime even better. You all can watch this anime on Funimation.

6. The Vision of Escaflowne (1996)

Director: Kazuki Akane
Writer: Hiroaki Kitajima
Starring: Fumihiko Tachiki, Tomakazu Seki, Maaya Sakamoto
IMDb Rating: 7.8/10
Rotten Tomatoes Rating: NA
Streaming Platform: Prime Video

This is a good anime with an IMDb rating of 7.8/10 and is one of the best 90s anime. This anime has a good story and can be considered a masterpiece.

The anime also has a good cast which makes this anime even better. You all can watch this anime on Prime Video.

5. Martian Successor Nadesico (1996)

Director: Tatsuo Sato
Writer: Sho Aikawa
Starring: Chris Patton, Kira Vincent- Davis
IMDb Rating: 7.6/10
Rotten Tomatoes Rating: NA
Streaming Platform: Funimation

This is a good anime with an IMDb rating of 7.6/10 and is one of the best 90s anime. This anime has a good story and can be considered a masterpiece.

The anime also has a good cast which makes this anime even better. You all can watch this anime on Funimation, and you all should watch this anime at least once in a lifetime

4. One Piece (1999)

Director: Tatsuya Nagamine
Writer: Eiichiro Oda
Starring: Mayumi Tanaka, Tony Beck, Laurent Vernin
IMDb Rating: 8.8/10
Rotten Tomatoes Rating: 7/10
Streaming Platform: Crunchyroll, Netflix

This is a good anime with an IMDb rating of 8.8/10 and is one of the best 90s anime. This anime has a good story and can be considered a masterpiece. The anime also has a good cast which makes this anime even better.

You all can watch this anime on Netflix, and you all should watch this anime at least once in a lifetime. This anime can be considered one of the pivotal programs.

3. Romeo’s Blue Skies (1995)

Director: Kozo Kusuma
Writer: Michiru Shimada
Starring: Ai Orikasa, Maria Kawamura
IMDb Rating:8.6/10
Rotten Tomatoes Rating: NA
Streaming Platform: Amazon Prime Video

This is a good anime with an IMDb rating of 8.6/10 and is one of the best 90s anime. This anime has a good story and can be considered a masterpiece. The anime also has a good cast which makes this anime even better.

You can watch this anime on Amazon Prime Video, and you all should watch this anime at least once in a lifetime. This is a dark fantasy series.

2. Sorcerer Hunters (1995)

Director: Koichi Mashimmo
Writer: Hiroyuki Kawasaki
Starring: Megumi Hayashibara, Shinnosuke Furumoto
IMDb Rating: 6.5/10
Rotten Tomatoes Rating: NA
Streaming Platform: Crunchyroll

This is a good anime with an IMDb rating of 6.5/10 and is one of the best 90s anime. This anime has a good story and can be considered a masterpiece.

The anime also has a good cast which makes this anime even better. You all can watch this anime on Crunchyroll, and you all should watch this anime at least once in a lifetime. This one has a distinct animation style and is one of the best in the anime community.