Kick It Old School With One of These '90s Cartoons Streaming on Netflix
:upscale()/2020/01/07/952/n/1922283/7fb49bfc5e14fd55e19592.99413146_.jpg)
Forget the '80s! It's time for some '90s nostalgia. It was the decade of the Tamagotchi, of pagers, and Zune. A time before Google and GPS, and back when Apple wasn't cool. It was a period when rom-coms still thought negging and stalking were romantic, and TV cartoons disappeared from the schedule without warning. It was the dawn of the internet and the forgotten era of Blockbuster. No matter its flaws, the '90s were a damn good time and gave us so much goodness – especially the cartoons. In fact, the '90s had incredible shows and movies that, looking back, really pushed forward animation for kids. Check out some of our favorites that are currently streaming on Netflix ahead.
The Rugrats Movie
The original Rugrats show premiered in 1991 on Nickelodeon, and ran for eight seasons. The success of the show not only was due to the adorable babies going on adventures, but the fact that there was a lot of adult jokes and commentaries. Definitely a good reason to rewatch these adorable children.
Watch The Rugrats Movie on Netflix.
Pokemon: Indigo League
Back then it was easy to catch them all – there was only 151! Before Pokemon was an international juggernaut, it was a video game, but its plot made for a great kids' cartoon and soon the series became even more famous than the game for some kids. The first season premiered in 1998 and ran for over 80 episodes, and made way for over 20 movies and countless TV specials.
Watch Pokemon: Indigo League on Netflix.
Adventures of Sonic the Hedgehog
Who says video game adaptations never work? Based on successful video game series of the same name, this show was silly but perfect for fans. It premiered in 1993, and ran for only one season of 65 episodes. Years later, we're finally going to see a live-action of this classic video game icon.
Watch Adventures of Sonic The Hedgehog on Netflix.
The Magic School Bus
This beloved book series about an elementary teacher taking kids on magical and educational school trips not only became a TV kids' show, but also many games. It was also recently rebooted by Netflix. The original animated series, however, ran from 1994 to 1997. Turning educational lessons into fun episodes is no easy task, but The Magic School Bus always found a way.
Watch The Magic School Bus on Netflix.
Hey Arnold! The Jungle Movie
Hey Arnold! aired from 1996 to 2004 on Nickelodeon and is centered on Arnold, a fourth-grader who lives with his grandparents in a big city. Jazzy and street-smart, the show never pulled any punches. Every now and then, it would give us all the feels, especially when it dealt with Arnold's parents, which is why this movie is the best!
Watch Hey Arnold! The Jungle Movie on Netflix.
The Super Mario Bros Super Show!
Like Sonic, Mario also had its cartoon and it was full of slapstick humor. But The Super Mario Bros Super Show! had one distinct difference: between the animated segments, each episode also had a live-action portion with two actors portraying the brothers, Mario and Luigi. This show aired from December 1989 to 1994 and had 52 episodes.
Watch The Super Mario Bros Super Show! on Netflix.
Beavis and Butt-Head Do America
Beavis and Butt-Head made edgy humor into a thing. This film was even a major box-office hit and had guest performances of big stars such as Demi Moore and Bruce Willis. The plot is pretty simple: Beavis and Butt-Head's TV set is stolen and they travel across America in search of it. It was released in December 1996 and for some time held the biggest opening box office in the United States.
Watch Beavis and Butt-Head Do America on Netflix.
Case Closed
Also known as Detective Conan, this is a classic for anime fans. It has over 900 episodes, and it's the 16th-longest anime series ever made. The story is about a detective who was mysteriously turned into a high-schooler during a case. Impersonating someone else, he embarks on many adventures and solves a multitude of mysteries along the way.
Watch Case Closed on Netflix.
Yu-Gi-Oh!
Remember when everyone was going crazy over a card game for children? Yu-Gi-Oh! remembers. Before Ready Player One was even a thing, this animated series told the story of a boy who is taken over by the spirit of a pharaoh obsessed with games, who will accept a challenge from anyone, anywhere. Of course, the manga also inspired a trading card game. It first aired in 1998.
Watch Yu-Gi-Oh! on Netflix.
Rurouni Kenshin
Also known as Samurai X, this tale of an 1870s swordsman was heavily censored back when it aired on Toonami. It premiered in 1996 and ran for 95 action-paced episodes with plenty of sword fights and political betrayals. The animated series also had original plot line s not adapted from the manga.
Watch Rurouni Kenshin on Netflix.
Neon Genesis Evangelion
A classic of Japanese animation, the cartoon turned many '90s kids into anime fans with its amazing fight scenes and world building. With only 26 episodes to tell the tale of Shinji, a mecha pilot fighting for the survival of the human race, Evangelion had a controversial ending. It first aired in 1996.
Watch Neon Genesis Evangelion on Netflix.