People born after the 90s era often talk about must-watch retro anime and then bring up shows that were made after the 2000s. This has become normal as we are starting to see anime that were released post-2000s era pop up on websites like Retro Crush.
Surely, by considering how the 80s and 90s were more than 20 years ago, most anime that came right after can be considered retro now.
But we are here to change that, specifically recommending to you, the reader, some of the must-watch retro anime from the 80s and 90s in the list below
Retro Anime Which Everyone Must Watch
Here is a list of some of th best Retro Anime that you should be watching right now:
Bubblegum Crisis
The 80s and 90s were a time that gave birth to a lot of sci-fi cyberpunk fiction, which continues to influence modern media to date, with games like Cyberpunk 2077 as well as its anime spinoff named Cyberpunk Edgerunners.
The show we want to discuss and recommend from the retro era is Bubblegum Crisis, a must-watch anime from 1987
Bubblegum Crisis is a sort of tokusatsu show, due to the fact that it involves characters donning masked armors, but in a sci-fi futuristic setting. These characters are called the knight sabers, a female group of mercenaries who wear exosuits to fight threats.
Slam Dunk
Anime is one medium in which stories based on real-life sports are well-respected and talked about. The 80s and 90s saw the rise of a lot of sports anime that are still being talked about today. But the most influential among them has to be Slam Dunk.
The original manga for Slam Dunk was created by the legendary manga artist Takehiko Inoue, known for his other incredible works such as Vagabond and a manga about wheelchair basketball, which is still being published.
Slam Dunk is a must-watch retro anime. It follows the story of Hanamichi Sakuragi, a high school delinquent whose life takes a turn when he joins the basketball team and falls in love with the game.
Ranma ½
When talking about some of the great female manga artists ever, we cannot leave out Rumiko Takahashi. She is, without a doubt, one of the prominent figures in retro anime history, with several influential works, especially with Ranma ½ in the late 80s.
The story follows a colorful cast of characters, but in the middle of all of them, Ranma is the character who stands out. Ranma is cursed to transform into a woman every time they come in contact with cold water, and turn back to a man when in contact with warm water.
Ranma ½’s gender bending characterization has been a point of popular discussion among various circles, influencing the importance of studying gender roles around a playful writing that blends gag and martial arts.
Patlabor: The Mobile Police
We have talked about Patlabor previously in a list about popular mecha anime. This show is once again set in a future where science has advanced to a point where machines can be deployed for autonomous labor work.
The term Patlabor stands for Patrol Labor, and that’s exactly what the series is about. Unlike most of the mecha anime shows that were released around the time, Patlabor: The Mobile Police is a slice of life show with normal day-to-day conflicts.
Patlabor is a must-watch anime recommendation from us. The reason is that it was created by a group called Headgear, which consisted of some of the most prolific mecha genre creators in the anime industry.
Revolutionary Girl Utena
One of the most prominent themes that defined anime as a medium was the genre of magical girls; it was elevated with shows like Sailor Moon and then later the iconic Card Captor Sakura. But there is one retro anime that is considered the perfect deconstruction of this genre.
Revolutionary Girl Utena was directed by the legendary Kunihiko Ikuhara, who also worked on Sailor Moon, but due to issues with creative control, he left the production to work on Revolutionary Girl Utena.
The anime is a must-watch as it is lauded for exploring themes of gender and sexuality, with its attempt at bold themes that blend into its beautiful avant-garde art.
Yu Yu Hakusho
Yu Yu Hakusho is not really an obscure anime, but for many born after the 2000s, it is still a show that they are not aware of.
The original manga was being published around a time when the popular Dragon Ball manga was also being serialized, so it made both rival series to each other. But no matter which series won the debate, Yu Yu Hakusho stayed as the pinnacle of 90s shonen manga.
Written and illustrated by the legendary Yoshihiro Togashi, Yu Yu Hakusho follows the story of Yusuke, a high schooler who is met with an accident while trying to save a life. Still, his bravery leads to him becoming a spirit detective for the underworld.
Cowboy Bebop
Cowboy Bebop is definitely one of the greatest retro anime of all time. This is not something we are claiming, but a fact that has been debated forever. Even Websites like IMDB list Cowboy Bebop as one of the highest-rated anime shows of all time.
It was created by the legendary anime director Shinichiro Watanabe, who went on to work on several fan favorite shows in the future, but Cowboy Bebop is that one show that successfully cemented his legacy as one of the greats.
There are a lot of things to unpack when trying to explore what makes Cowboy Bebop a must-watch anime, the main draw being that it was one of the few anime to break through stereotypes and tropes set by every other anime.
The world, music, and characters of Cowboy Bebop blended well enough to make it feel separate from the regular Japanese anime; instead, it felt like something out of Hollywood.
Slayers
Before the era of Isekai anime, regular fantasy anime with a band of characters going on grand adventures was the main trope. Slayers is one of the popular shows that is well remembered as one of the retro fantasy anime.
Originally adapted from the light novels written by Hajime Kanzaka, into manga and then turned into an anime by director Takashi Watanabe as a must watch series.
Slayers follows the story of Lena Inverse, a sorceress, and her band of warriors journeying across a fantasy world, fighting against evil wizards and other villains on the way. Pretty simple premise, but the show has been popular enough to give way to spinoff novels and OVAs.
Akira
We have been constantly recommending all the cool retro anime throughout this list but now it is time to bring up some of the retro anime which are a must watch, and Akira is definitely one which we couldn’t miss out on mentioning.
Akira is a marvel of an animated film created by the prolific sci-fi anime director Katsuhiro Otomo. The movie is constantly brought up and praised as an important landmark not only for anime but in the history of animation in general.
The plot of the film follows a story set in a futuristic dystopia where childhood friends turn on each other amidst an uprising that blends in technology and religious prophecies.
Akira has influenced countless media across the world, and references to the film are still seen in newer films, anime, and comics.
Ashita no Joe
Ashita no Joe is going to be the oldest anime we mention in our list, but it is definitely one that stands the test of time for the kind of mature story it tells through the medium of anime.
When talking about boxing anime, Hajime no Ippo is a show that definitely comes to the mind of most people in the present day and age. But long before that show, Ashita no Joe was the anime that successfully told a compelling story about the sport of boxing.
Ashita no Joe is a retro anime that is a must-watch for its realistic portrayal of the sport. We would also argue that it goes beyond just the topic of boxing and delves into deeper themes of human psychology and emotions.
