The 90s were a very special decade for anime, especially in the West. This was the era when the medium became most popular, with programming blocks like Toonami bringing Japanese hits to American children. Of course, not all anime shown in the 90s were family-friendly, but that only made some of them more iconic.
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Anime from the 90s that were too serious for children – Top 10
10. Ninja Scroll
One of the many violent anime films of its time, Ninja Scroll exemplified the gritty and brutal anime action of the 1990s. Featuring fictionalized versions of historical Japanese figures, the film pitted a wandering swordsman against super-powered ninja demons in a quest for gold. Furthermore, the film's animation was unlike anything many Westerners had seen before: stylish, skillful, and ahead of its time.
9. Evangelion
Neon Genesis Evangelion was a watershed moment for the mecha anime genre, and the medium trembled in its wake. The series pitted giant piloted "robots" against enemy angels, with the pilots being teenagers like the insecure Shinji Ikari. This made the series as much a profound drama as an action series, especially when the final two episodes aired.
08. Berserk
The Berserk is arguably the best adaptation of the series, and it's far superior to the infamous Berserk . Of course, children looking for a fun adventure series got much more than they bargained for. The anime is packed with all the bloody violence, sex/nudity, and dark themes seen in the manga.
07. Serial Experiments Lain
Released in 1998, Serial Experiments Lain showcased the increasingly surreal nature of more adult anime at that time. The show grapples with concepts like loneliness and isolation as Lain Iwakura delves deeper into the online world of The Wired. This leads her to question the nature of her reality and identity, making the anime as a whole incredibly philosophical and open to debate.
06. Now and Then, Here and There
In short, Now and Then, Here and There had a rather unique art style, unlike most adventure and action anime of that period. As such, it's an older isekai anime, which may appeal to those who enjoy modern works in this genre, such as Slime and The Rising of the Shield Hero. Given how it was defined by modern isekai archetypes, however, it managed to be a thoroughly dark story that is probably too much even for adults.
Anime from the 90s that were too serious for children – Top 5
05. Blue Gender
Blue Gender represented the growing popularity of anime in the West, as it was one of the first anime after the iconic Dragon Ball Z to be distributed in the US by Funimation. Initially set in a dark future where monsters have devastated humanity, Blue Gender was a brutal mecha series full of violence and sexual content. To that end, it had to be heavily edited when localized, especially since it was intended for the Toonami programming block on Cartoon Network.
04. Battle Angel
Thus, known as Gunnm in Japan, Battle Angel was a 1993 OVA that adapted the manga series Battle Angel Alita. This cyberpunk anime series had two episodes that served as rough retellings of the manga's initial volumes. Furthermore, it involved Gally (Alita) making her first enemies and falling in love with the tragic Yugo, elements also seen in the 2019 live-action film.
Anime from the 90s that were too serious for children – Top 3
03. Jin-Roh
Initially based on the manga Kerberos Panzer Cop, Jin-Roh: The Wolf Brigade was a gem of dark and almost dystopian science fiction anime. In short, the story takes place in a brutal and harsh version of Japan that was conquered by Nazi Germany (which in this universe won World War II). The protagonist Kazuki is a member of a special police squad that comes into conflict with a violent sect of left-wing separatists who oppose the government.
02. Genocyber
Genocyber was a 5-part OVA from 1994, but it was based on an unfinished dark cyberpunk manga. The bizarre anime focused on a young woman who was molded into a living weapon known as Genocyber. After a traumatic loss, she goes on a rampage, unleashing her cyborg powers and raining hell upon all those who stand in her way.
01. Cyber City Oedo
Finally, we have this one, in which many OVAs from the 1980s and 1990s had an air of elegance and were frequently connected to the cyberpunk genre. Cyberpunk became more popular than ever through the Ghost in the Shell series, but before the anime film of that franchise emerged, there were several other anime in the genre. One of them was Cyber City Oedo 808, which featured three notorious criminals who were chosen to hunt down other criminals to shorten their sentences in a harsh but bright future.
So, folks, did you get a feeling of nostalgia for these 90s anime? Leave a comment below and see you next time!