Summary
1994 was still the era of anime wherein VHS tapes ruled. It was the best possible way for fans in North America to view anime except for a few random cases on some TV channels. It’s not like today where anime is literally within one’s reach whether it’s on the computer, phone, console, or whatever.
Distribution aside, 1994 was a big year for movies and OVAs along with some outstanding seasons. For example, there was the underrated Studio Ghibli movie,Pom Poko, about a bunch of Tanuki trying to live in peace with humans. There were also movies based on franchises likeDoraemon,Dragon Ball Z, andCrayon Shin-chan. Movies aside, let’s moslty look at some old anime seasons.
7Blue Seed
A Reverse Inuyasha
Blue Seedwas a manga first in 1992 before it made its 1994 anime debut. North America would not start getting the series on VHS until 1996 and it was a popular one for tape trading fiends. It’skind of likeInuyashain that it features a young teen, Momiji, whom demons are chasing. A demon-infused humanoid, Mamoru, thinks very little of Momiji at first but soon starts to appreciate her and fights alongside the human forces. The biggest difference is that demons are invading the present day inBlue Seedinstead ofInuyasha’ssetting of feudal Japan.
6G Gundam
A Tournament Arc With Mechs
G Gundamis one of the wildest interpretations oftheGundamseriesever. The world no longer fights in wars and instead settles disputes through tournaments. Every country in the world sends a Gundam pilot to fight and the country that wins gets to dictate global politics until the next tournament.
It’s like the Olympics but way more epic and the anime focuses on Japan’s fighter, Domon, and his Burning Gundam. It was released in Japan in 1994 but the West would not have easy access to it until it hit the Toonami block on Cartoon Network in 2002.
5Lupin The Third: Dragon of Doom
Move Over James Cameron
Lupin the Third: Dragon of Doomis technically a movie but it was not theatrically released in 1994. Instead, it was a TV special, following a long line ofLupin the Third-based TV specialswhich began airing in 1989 and rarely missed a year. This was, in fact, the sixth one and it featured some of the best action thanks to the talented team at TMS. It revolves around Lupin and his crew diving into THE Titanic to rescue a lost treasure that belongs to Goemon’s clan. North America wouldn’t see it until 2003 and with the dubbed version, they actually refer to theTitanicmovie even thoughLupin the Third: Dragon of Doomwas released before that movie even existed.
4New Cutie Honey
Full Of Fan Service
New Cutie Honeyis a retelling of theCutie Honeystory that began in 1973 with a manga. It’s kind of likeSailor Moonif that anime regularly showed the girls without their clothes on. It is an incredibly thirsty anime for the fans and probably by the fans too who grew up reading the manga in Japan. It takes place in a post-apocalyptic society with mutants running rampant and the only hero that can save the world is a reincarnation of the infamous Honey. This was another anime that was released in 1996 via the VHS market in North America past the original debut in Japan in 1994.
3Sailor Moon S
Uranus And Neptune Appear
Speaking ofSailor Moon,Sailor Moon Swas the third season of the anime which began in 1992 after the manga hit in 1991. This third season started in Japan in 1994 and the West would not get it until 2000 as part of the Toonami block. The version of the series overall was heavily censored on Cartoon Network because of a few things. Sexuality is one issue, especially in season three with the introduction of Sailor Uranus and Sailor Neptune. They join Sailor Moon and the others for the first time as they fight against a mad scientist who is trying to get ahold of the Holy Grail through crystallized hearts.
2Street Fighter 2: The Animated Movie
A Tale Of Two Adaptations
Street Fighter 2: The Animated Movieis the only theatrically released movie to get on this because it is important to note for a few reasons. First, it was released in 1994 in Japan and a dub would soon follow in 1995 for North America. Instead of getting this movie in 1994, Western fans were treated to the live-action film starring Jean-Claude Van Damme which has become a cult hit as a bad movie.
Of the two, the anime was of course more faithful to theStreet Fightersource materialeven though a showering Chun-Li was never in the games. Fan service aside, 1994 saw many fighting games into anime adaptations beyondStreet Fighter 2: The Animated MovieincludingFatal FuryandSamurai Showdown.
1You’re Under Arrest
A Low Stakes Police Drama
You’re Under Arrestis a pretty chillanime about a wild bunch of police officersjust trying to live their lives. There is action in it but it mostly revolves around police chases instead of shootouts. It began as a four-episode OVA but it was popular enough to get adapted into a full series which added 47 more episodes to the roster. North America would not get it until 1999 and at that point, it was being released as the full series and not just the OVA. It’s not the best anime from 1994, but the animation is good and again, it’s a pretty relaxing watch.
