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Lately, I’ve been noticing a growing interest in ’80s and ’90s anime. While the Algorithm rules all, and some of the retro anime things I’ve seen on social media can be attributed to me, the responses I’ve been seeing to the material always seem to lament how much better the artwork for anime movies and shows was 30 and 40 years ago.
On the one hand, I think part of this has to do with a sort of modern-day exhaustion. Many times, a lot of a particular medium may have pieces that are very similar. It’s these similarities that, a few years into the future, may define the particular era they were apart of. Looking at past works can give consumers a respite from what feels like the monotony of what they’re used to seeing. I think this is very apparent in music, but of course, it also happens with anime.
On the other hand, though, there is something to say about the more personal, hand-drawn anime of the ’80s and ’90s compared to the modern-day digital rendering. Add to that the fact that a lot of ’80s and ’90s anime had a certain kind of edge to them, and it starts to make sense why some may want to seek them out especially.
That brings me to my latest bout of nostalgia, which had me on Etsy finding all manner of goodies from legendary and classic anime, like Sailor Moon, Akira, Perfect Blue, and Revolutionary Girl Utena. If you, as an anime lover, are in a particularly nostalgic mood, these goodies from ’80s and ’90s anime are right on time.
I feel like this sticker would even appeal to people who aren’t familiar with the classic movie. $4
JessicaShopComb on Etsy
Akira has always had a very particular and pleasing aesthetic, and this poster’s clean lines and spare placements make it a perfect blend of ’80s film and more modern design. $17+
This Sailor Moon shirt is adorable with a cute color palette. It also goes up to size 3X. $32+
I’ve never seen acrylic art made with stickers, but the vibe of this is so on-brand for Sailor Moon and just works. $40
I have also never seen a VHS lamp, but I’ve now learned that Sailor Moon fans are nothing if not creative. $50
Keep your Sailor Moon fandom in your hand with this crystal popsocket. $27
This darling sticker features Utena Tenjou and Anthy Himemiya from Revolutionary Girl Utena. Choose between different finishes for $4+.
More Revolutionary Girl Utena! This time in the form of enamel pins, which will run you $25+.
This Perfect Blue T-shirt perfectly captures the mood of the movie. Its sizes go up to 2XL for $29.
More moody Perfect Blue realness — though, maybe I should say “struggles with realness,” considering the movie’s plot. The poster is $20+, depending on size.
The next four items, including this one, aren’t from a specific anime, but just encapsulate the art of ’80s and ’90s anime — and the general mood of the ’80s and ’90s overall — so well. This one is $6.
We really loved random triangles and squiggles in the ’80s and ’90s, didn’t we? This cute ‘n’ squiggly holographic sticker is $6.
I love love love this kind of anime art style and wish it would make a comeback. Just a little. As a treat. $2+ for this ’80s-style anime girl sticker pack.
More ’80s anime girl cuteness in sticker form for $6.
After you’re done stocking up on ’80s and ’90s anime goodies, head over to this list of X-Men merch to keep it semi-retro. Then, you can read about why a certain ’90s manga holds up.