The 1990s was a time of experimental media in virtually every genre. It was a trend for television shows, movies, video games, and literature to challenge the conventional ways of storytelling, plot, and character development.
Few other types of entertainment pushed the experimental line more than anime, and it might have been the incoming wave of animated shows from Japan that prompted the trend in the first place. These anime movies and shows were so influential that they started franchises and genres on their own, and now have a permanent legacy in the cultural zeitgeist.
Neon Genesis Evangelion (1995)
The popularity of Neon Genesis Evangelion marked the beginning of a new era in experimental animation. This series initially tricks the viewer into thinking it's a fairly conventional mecha show with a focus on action, but it's really about human beings and what it means to be human on both a psychological and spiritual level.
Fighting for the survival of humanity is an interesting way to tell a story already, with plenty of external threats to shock and dismay the audience, but this anime explores the limits of the human mind as much as the limits of technology. It takes on bigger issues like sex, death, guilt, and child abuse, and the anime expresses these stories in a way that was surreal, genuine, and artistic. That's why the theme of Evangelion resonates with viewers on a deeper level than big giant robots fighting.
Samurai Pizza Cats (1990)
The formula of wisecracking superheroes that aren't exactly the most morally upstanding wasn't something that Marvel invented. The Samurai Pizza Cats were created as a parody of Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles and the whole trend of shows about mutant anthropomorphic vigilantes.
The Pizza Cats mocked all kinds of anime tropes, including the trend of superheroes that look the same in and out of uniform. It's not for kids, with much of the political and socially-charged jokes and humor delivered in fast quips and punchlines that only adults will understand.
Sailor Moon (1993)
In some ways, Sailor Moon fits into certain magical girl and superhero conventions, but the important and unusual difference is that she wasn't diligent or moral or descended from a family of secret samurai or have a magical shrine in her backyard. It takes a whole season and a couple of fake-outs before the audience finds out that Serena isn't just Sailor Moon but also the Moon Princess.
On the way there, the anime produces some serious dialogue and drama that's not just superhero related but also grounded in the real issues of being a young adult. When they fought demons and evil spirits they were superheroes, but in their regular lives they were also trying to do the right thing, and that often reflected in the way their fights would end. This grounded what would normally be pure fantasy in reality, an unusual feature in shoujo anime for the time.
Nadia: The Secret of Blue Water (1991)
It was a show that was based on ancient legend and archaeology that had a steampunk theme years before it was cool. The influence of Nadia: The Secret of Blue Water started a new era when it came to mystery and adventure, and later viewers would compare it to shows like The Last Airbender with the whole "magical children on a journey" motif.
The show ran for two seasons and was unconventional at the time with its linear storyline as opposed to one-and-done episodes. As the story progresses and the plot intensifies, the adventure moves beyond solving ancient mysteries to preventing world domination, so it's not just for kids.
Ghost In The Shell (1996)
Ghost In the Shell might be one of the most influential anime movies of all time. It not only helped popularize and redefine cyberpunk, but it also inspired The Matrix and started a franchise that includes everything from many spin-off prequels shows to video games and every kind of merch imaginable.
The main character is the now iconic Mokoto Kusanagi who is also given the nickname Major, which is her title within the clandestine military organization that owns her prosthetic, cybernetic body. She's having an existential crisis connected to the uncomfortable fact that the only original part of her left is her brain, and who has ever seen their own brain? The internet, a fairly new concept at the time, plays an important role in the plot and its resolution.
The Vision of Escaflowne (1994)
Another anime that played with the idea of steampunk, The Vision of Escalflowne was a new and interesting take on the genre known as isekai, a type of speculative fiction in which a character is transported from the real world into another world by some kind of magical means.
Another feature that sets this series apart is the dark fantasy aesthetic, which recalls mature-themed stories that make it more like Game of Thrones than Alice in Wonderland. The underlying plot of the series, which consists of a machine that can shape and change destiny, is also an innovative idea.
Perfect Blue (1997)
Any anime directed by Satoshi Kon and produced by Madhouse isn't only going to be deeply experimental but also gorgeous. Perfect Blue does a lot with visuals and music to deliberately challenge the viewer's perception, mimicking the experiences of the main character as she is stalked by a fanatic and slowly descending into madness.
The story revolves around Mima Kirigoe, a former J-pop star who's trying to break into more serious drama. Her psychological trauma as she suffers from pushy directors and abusive fans would be enough to make this a horror story but the worst is yet to come. The way that visuals and music are used move Perfect Blue from thriller into horror, as the movie is both scary and compelling.