Top 10 Anime Series on VHS

Crying Freeman (1994)

Based on the manga series that ran from 1986-1988, this six-part OVA series was dubbed in English by Streamline Pictures and released on VHS from January 1994 to February 1995. The original release in Japan was 1988-1994. The dub is actually pretty decent, but the main gripe people have with the manga is that it starts out with an intriguing premise but becomes almost silly by the end due to the story arc and the inclusion of new characters. However that may be, I have been a big fan of Kazuo Koike’s work since a friend introduced me to the Lone Wolf and Cub movies years ago.

Dirty Pair (1985)

Kei and Yuri, two young women who have a reputation for leaving a trail of destruction behind them, work for the World Welfare Works Association as ‘trouble consultants’. They consistently barely save the day and must rely on each other’s individual skills. In addition, an occasional co-agent named Mughi, who is a Coeurl, joins the team. In science fiction lore, a Coeurl is a cat-like creature with two shoulder-height tentacles, usually black in color, that was introduced in a Canadian science fiction short story in 1939. The author of that story was A. E. van Vogt, who was a notable influence on later science fiction legend Philip K. Dick. Dirty Pair is an action-packed and humorous series set in a smart and hip Blade Runner-style future.

Bubblegum Crisis (1987)

This is an excellent science fiction series from Youmex (ユーメックス株式会社), who also were responsible for another favorite, Dragon’s Heaven (1988). Bubblegum Crisis has more of a “high tech, low life” cyberpunk aspect that really emulated the works of Gibson and captured the look of the popular James Cameron and Ridley Scott films that influenced so much of the 90s anime aesthetic. Fast bikes that transform into mecha, gun battles with T-1000-look-alikes, and a great soundtrack make these OVAs exhilarating to watch.

Berserk: The Sword-Wind Romance [剣風伝奇ベルセルク] (1997)

Here’s a little change from the science fiction setting, and by far the most violent series on this list. Berserk is a 25-episode series adapted from a much larger manga work set in a medieval European-inspired dark fantasy world. The story centers around the character of Guts, a lone mercenary, and includes part of the Black Swordsman arc and continues through the Golden Age arc of the original Berserk manga series. The anime removes key plot points and characters who are present in the manga, but also removes some of the brutality that was present as well. To be fair, this was the first anime to be produced for Berserk.

Ronin Warriors (1988)

Ronin Warriors, originally Yoroiden Samurai Troopers in Japan, is one of the oldest anime series to air largely uncut to international markets. It is one of the most faithful animes to be broadcasted on basic cable; the footage was never cut or edited, and the dialouge remains true to the original. The story is about five young men with mystical armor fighting to save modern-day Japan from the evil Talpa, who wants to take over the mortal world. 

Super Dimensional Fortress Macross (1982)

In this space opera, Lynn Minmei, Misa Hayase and Hikaru Ichijyo (not Rick Hunter) form a dramatic love triangle as they fight to survive the Zentradi in the first human-alien war. Despite this basic premise, SDF Macross has plenty of intriguing character designs and creative depictions of alien technology, which is all you can hope for in a good science fiction story. It’s also extremely interesting that SDF Macross created one of the very first “idols” in the character Minmay, turning her voice actress Mari Iijima into an instant celebrity. There definitely would never have been a Hatsune Miku without Lynn Minmay to pave the way! 

Cowboy Bebop (1998)

This anime is no stranger to Top 10 lists and just might be the most beloved anime on this list. Cowboy Bebop came out right around the time when I was in high school, so you can bet I watched this on Adult Swim back in the day. In fact, Cowboy Bebop aired the night of Adult Swim‘s launch on September 2, 2001. The story relates the adventures of bounty hunter Spike Spiegel and his team aboard the spaceship Bebop, and while it is definitely a space-western, it has no problem incorporating elements of film noir, black comedy, spy action, slapstick humor, and parody.

AD Police Files (1990)

In this ever-foreseeable future, many difficult and undesirable jobs are handled by specially designed androids called BUMAs or “boomers.” Unfortunately, many of them have a habit of going haywire and turning on their human creators, and only the AD Police are equipped to deal with them. AD Police Files is a prequel to Bubblegum Crisis, and as you can probably tell from that brief synopsis, borrows heavily from the film noir cyberpunk story of Blade Runner and Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep? (1968).

Serial Experiments Lain (1998)

1998 seems to have been a great year from anime fans. Not only did they receive Cowboy Bebop and Trigun, but they were also treated to the cyber-existential crisis thriller known as Serial Experiments Lain.

Trigun (1998)

Last but not least, Trigun is a relative newcomer compared to some of the classics in this list, but it remains highly entertaining. In this futuristic western, the protagonist of Trigun goes by a couple names, some know him as Vash the Stampede, but he’s infamous for being “The Humanoid Typhoon.” Vash has a $60 billion (double dollar) bounty on his head due to his supernatural powers and ability to destroy entire cities. This was originally a manga as well, created by Yasuhiro Nightow and released in 1995.