10 Overlooked Horror Anime from the 1990s with Sci-Fi Elements

The 1990s marked a transformative period for anime, blending horror with emerging sci-fi concepts like cyberpunk worlds and space exploration. While mainstream hits dominated discussions, numerous chilling titles incorporating futuristic themes fell into obscurity. This list spotlights 10 forgotten horror anime from the decade, emphasizing those with space or sci-fi motifs, offering eerie narratives, psychological depth, and innovative visuals that merit revival.

1. Serial Experiments Lain (1998)

This cyberpunk psychological horror delves into a young girl's descent into a virtual reality that blurs identity and existence. With themes of isolation in a digital age, it remains a profound sci-fi terror overlooked by casual viewers.

2. Memories (1995)

An anthology OVA featuring sci-fi tales, highlighted by Magnetic Rose, a space horror about astronauts encountering ghostly illusions on an abandoned ship. Its atmospheric dread and cosmic isolation make it a hidden gem in extraterrestrial frights.

3. Genocyber (1994)

A brutal sci-fi OVA centered on a cybernetic entity unleashing gore and chaos in a dystopian world. Blending body horror with advanced technology, its extreme violence and existential themes have kept it underground.

4. Bio Hunter (1995)

This OVA follows demon hunters in a sci-fi setting where viruses mutate humans into monsters. With graphic transformations and urban paranoia, it captures 90s bio-horror but faded amid flashier releases.

5. AD Police Files (1990)

Set in a cyberpunk future, this OVA explores rogue androids and brutal crimes through a police lens. Its dark, violent sci-fi elements and social commentary on technology make it an underrated precursor to later horrors.

6. Cyber City Oedo 808 (1990)

Criminals in a high-tech prison world hunt fugitives in this action-horror OVA. Featuring explosive sci-fi chases and moral ambiguity, its retro-futuristic vibe and grim tone deserve more recognition.

7. Perfect Blue (1997)

A psychological thriller about an idol stalked by a fan, blending reality with hallucinations in a media-saturated society. Though not purely sci-fi, its tech-influenced paranoia echoes cyber themes, marking it as a forgotten mind-bender.

8. Darkside Blues (1994)

In a dystopian mega-city ruled by corporations, a mysterious stranger battles oppressive forces. This sci-fi horror mixes supernatural elements with cyberpunk rebellion, offering atmospheric dread that's largely unseen today.

9. Twilight of the Dark Master (1997)

Demons and humans clash in a futuristic Tokyo plagued by ancient evils. With sci-fi weaponry and apocalyptic horror, its blend of mythology and technology creates a unique, underappreciated nightmare.

10. Blue Submarine No. 6 (1998)

A post-apocalyptic OVA where humanity fights mutated sea creatures in submerged battles. Its oceanic sci-fi horror, environmental themes, and intense submarine warfare make it a forgotten aquatic terror.