Romance is one of the most popular genres among anime fans worldwide, as it allows creators to share heartfelt and memorable tales of love and tragedy. Like most other popular anime genres, this category saw a huge boom in quality and popularity during the 90s, with many of the best romance anime being released during this decade.
Still, despite the plethora of amazing romance series released during this time, there were a handful that stood out because of their revolutionary story and characters. These anime took the usual tropes of the genre and turned them into innovative and memorable shows, most of which remain beloved by millions of fans even decades later.
After a fateful meeting with a mysterious prince left her enchanted, a girl named Utena vows to become just like her savior. As such, when she is enrolled in the prestigious Ohtori Academy, she decides to live her life as a prince, resulting in her admission to the school’s swordsmanship competition. Although hesitant at first, she accepts in the hope of saving Anthy, a princess being offered as a prize to the winner due to her enigmatic power to revolutionize the world.
A series that has been praised countless times for being far ahead of its time, Revolutionary Girl Utena is a complex critique of romance anime’s signature tropes. While still romantic at its core, the series challenges the idea of female characters being damsels in distress by having a heroine as a protagonist. It also involves deep, eye-opening character studies that make it one of the most beloved and iconic series written by a woman.
Ever since she was a young girl, Yukino’s world has revolved around being praised and admired by her peers, pushing her to study harder and try to stand out from the crowd. As such, when a boy named Soichiro steals her spotlight by scoring higher on the high school entrance exam, she begins a heated rivalry against him. Yet, as they get to know each other better, their masks start to crack, reforming something much more special.
His and Her Circumstances caused shock across the globe by being one of the first romance series not to focus solely on the romance or hilarious situations experienced by its main couple, but on their personal lives as well. The series takes fans on a moving journey of acceptance and growth, as the protagonists learn not only what love is, but how to overcome the trauma and pain that held them back.
Recruited to test experimental high-tech aircraft for the U.N. Spacy Military, former best friends Isamu and Guld are forced to confront their fractured relationship. Things only get worse when Myung, a friend of both who grew distant after their fallout, returns to their lives as the producer of an upcoming AI Idol, plunging the trio into a tense and dangerous adventure for the fate of the world.
Widely considered one of the most influential mecha anime of the 90s, Macross Plus takes its characters on an emotional and thrilling quest to save the world. Unlike many other shows, whose entire appeal is the budding bond between the characters, this beloved OVA centers on the struggles that come with a relationship strained by time. The show manages to intertwine this outstanding emotional plot with amazing action scenes, making it a true treat for audiences.
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