Underrated '90s Anime That Are Still Worth Watching

Despite the cliché "an ancient evil has awakened" premise, Record of Lodoss War is a grand fantasy drama that no one should miss. After being plagued by war for thousands of years, Lodoss and its kingdoms are on the verge of peace. However, hope for peace shrivels once an ancient witch awakens and causes political turmoil throughout the land. It's up to a mixed-race party of champions to stop the kingdoms from sliding back toward war and to defeat the evil witch. 

Continuing where the OVA series left off, You're Under Arrest is a 1996 TV series about two women and their hectic life behind the badge. Patrolwomen Natsumi and Miyuki may struggle with each other during the beginning of their arranged partnership, but through the course of the series, their friendship strengthens with each crazy case they tackle. A delightful action comedy starring two great women in blue.

Based on the Izumo cycle of Japanese mythology, Blue Seed follows the journey of Momiji Fujimiya, who learns her average life isn't as average as it may seem. Upon hearing she's the latest descendant of the great Kushinada family, she's enlisted by a government agency to use her inherited powers to stop the demonic plant monster called Aragami from destroying Japan. While the "monster of the week" storyline from the early episodes are a little repetitious, Blue Seed eventually steps into its own with its interesting take on Japanese folklore. 

Inspired by the literary works of French novelist Jules Verne (Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea) and conceptualized by anime legend Hayao Miyazaki, Nadia: The Secret of Blue Water follows the adventure of 14-year-old Nadia la Arwall on her quest to get back to Africa. Along the way, she joins Captain Nemo on the Nautilus submarine to save the world from Neo-Atlantis and its sinister leader, Gargoyle. She's joined by Jean Ratlique, a young and courageous inventor. It's a captivating anime adventure series by some of the best in the industry. 

Blue Gender takes the campy "man versus bug" plot from Starship Troopers and kicks it up a notch. The 1999 anime series takes place in a bleak future where humanity is at the mercy of the Blue, a race of alien bugs that took over Earth. Previously suffering from a disease known as B-cells, Yuji Kaido awakens from his cryogenic slumber only to witness the horrible future he now finds himself in. He is then enlisted to join the fight against the Blue by a beautiful and cold soldier named Marlene Angel. Anyone who enjoys a good, mature sci-fi story about stomping alien bugs will love Blue Gender. 

His and Her Circumstances is a 1998 romantic comedy about an egotistical girl named Miyazawa Yukino who lives a false life as the ideal high school student. When a newcomer named Arima Soichiro tops Yukino's grades, it threatens her popularity. Soichiro also discovers Yukino's true spoiled self and he blackmails her to get what he wants. To say they started their relationship off on the wrong foot would be an understatement. However, the two later develop feeling for one another and learn the value of being true to themselves.