Calling all thirty-somethings! Nostalgic anime (based on the 1990s)
Anime, a cultural treasure Japan has long been proud of and beloved for many years.
It’s not unusual for massive hits to emerge every year, and sometimes we see booms that come to symbolize an era.
Perhaps some of you even started something new because you were inspired by anime.
In this article, we’re highlighting classic anime that people in their 30s will likely find nostalgic!
Our focus spans the 1990s, with picks from the late ’80s through the mid-2000s.
Some of these titles are available on YouTube, so take your time and enjoy watching them.
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Calling all thirty-somethings! Nostalgic Anime Memories (1990s-based) (21–30)
Fruits Basket
Based on the manga by Natsuki Takaya, Fruits Basket is a work whose popularity is clear from the fact that it was adapted into an anime in 2001 and then remade in 2019.
The story follows the protagonist Tohru Honda, who ends up living in the home of her classmate Yuki Sohma due to an unexpected turn of events, and gradually learns the secrets of the Sohma family through their daily life.
The unique characters themed around the Chinese zodiac, as well as the way each one confronts their personal struggles, are key points of interest.
Its touching portrayal of family bonds and personal growth resonated with a wide audience and earned broad support.
Magic Knight Rayearth
The anime Magic Knight Rayearth is a fantasy series based on CLAMP’s manga.
It depicts three girls who are summoned to an alternate world called Cephiro and set out on a journey as Magic Knights to save it from crisis.
Set in a realm of swords and sorcery, the story’s appeal lies in how the girls fight and grow.
Another highlight is the beautiful artwork characteristic of CLAMP’s works; the delicate designs further accentuate the worldbuilding.
Along with its theme song, “Yuzurenai Negai” (Unyielding Wish), it’s a title that has surely left its mark on anime history.
Nadia: The Secret of Blue Water
Based on Jules Verne’s novels Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea and The Mysterious Island, this work was broadcast on NHK starting in 1990.
It is a project in which Hideaki Anno served as the overall director and is remembered as one of his signature masterpieces.
Packed with a variety of science fiction elements—from the Book of Genesis in the Old Testament to the legend of Atlantis—it is said to have had a major influence on later anime.
Not only are the characters compelling, but the incorporation of various legends in the background offers multiple angles of enjoyment.
Hikaru no Go
I bet a lot of people started playing Go because of its influence.
The anime Hikaru no Go, based on a manga serialized in Weekly Shonen Jump, aired on the TV Tokyo network from 2001 to 2003.
Go has long been considered a difficult subject for anime and manga, but Hikaru no Go completely changed that image and became a big hit.
The story begins when the protagonist, Hikaru, meets Sai, the ghost of a genius Go player.
There are so many highlights, like Hikaru’s relationship with his rival Akira and his personal growth!
Little Rich Boy
This work, which began airing in 1989, is based on a gag manga serialized in Monthly CoroCoro Comic by Yoshinori Kobayashi.
It’s a series that has been talked about for years for its exaggerated portrayal of the wealthy and for its many risqué jokes—some of which were even banned from broadcast.
The protagonist, Obocchama-kun, stands out with his striking appearance and outrageous behavior, which bring a lively flair to the show.
Centered around gag humor with adult jokes, it also became legendary for things like struggling to secure sponsors.
Dragon Ball Z
Dragon Ball Z is known as one of Japan’s representative anime works, even having been adapted into a Hollywood film.
Compared to the early days, the battle elements grew stronger, and the introduction of compelling allies and rivals captivated many fans.
The development where a rival is defeated, then becomes an ally to face an even more powerful enemy continues to live on as a classic formula in many shonen manga to this day.
It’s no exaggeration to say the series established a format for later Japanese anime, and it remains an enduringly popular work even now.
Fushigi Yûgi
The anime Fushigi Yûgi tells the story of Miaka Yūki, the protagonist who is drawn into a book set in ancient China called The Universe of the Four Gods, where she carves out her destiny as the Priestess of Suzaku.
Its unique world, reminiscent of ancient China, and the plot that sweeps her up in the duties of a priestess are especially compelling.
The interactions with a cast of distinctive characters are another highlight, and viewers are drawn in by the romances that unfold.
While featuring themes like the Four Symbols and the Twenty-Eight Mansions of ancient China, it also incorporates elements of the Five Phases theory and Nansō Satomi Hakkenden, so many people may have learned these terms through the series.