A little nostalgia in the form of the best 90s cartoons is good for the soul—especially if you’re going through a tough time like, say, a global pandemic. Why not give your brain some self-care with a trip back in time by watching some of the best 90s cartoon shows (or movies), many of which are currently streaming on Netflix, Hulu, and Amazon Prime Video.
For people who grew up in the 90s, tv shows like the hilariously sarcastic Daria or the lovable Rugrats were staples and perhaps reminders of a simpler time in life. MTV’s Beavis and Butt-head was a total game changer when it came to the type of humor that’s now basically become an animated genre unto itself. And then, of course, there’s the OG—The Simpsons, a legendary series that’s still airing new episodes on Fox.
Whether you’re looking for more adult humor or would prefer to revert back to a childlike state, there’s a little something for everyone in this list of the best 90s cartoons the decade had to offer. See them all—and where to stream—below.
When Maggie Winter was growing up, she collected stacks of J.Crew catalogs and sketched the women in their pages—those smiling, glossy-haired models in crewneck sweaters and button-down shirts. “The imagery just felt so aspirational,” she says. “Growing up in a small town, it’s like, ‘Oh, yes. Someday that’s what I want.’”
It was the ’90s and early ’00s, so her only connection with brands like J.Crew and Delia’s was through the pages that came in the mail. “I would keep them and look over them over and over again and could see myself in them,” she says. “I would imagine being that cool girl at the mall in a Delia’s book or imagine being that gorgeous girl biking down a shady beach lane in J.Crew.”
Now, two decades later, as cofounder and CEO of the beloved NYC fashion label AYR, Winter is putting out a catalog of her own—one that pays tribute to the pages of her youth while still feeling distinctly current (and, of course, peddling denim).
The cover of AYR’s first-ever catalog, launching almost six years after the beloved fashion brand was founded
Courtesy of AYR
The old-school channel might seem like an unusual bet for a digital-native brand, but printed mailers are in the midst of a renaissance of sorts, as venture-funded start-ups look to break through the noise of social media and heritage brands try to tap into the current thirst for all things nostalgic. Which means brands like AYR, which have built a customer base largely through word-of-mouth, Instagram, and email marketing, are going analog.
In 2019 these books look a little different. AYR’s catalog—the nearly six-year-old brand’s first foray into snail mail—doesn’t feature professional models, for one: Instead, Winter and cofounders Max Bonbrest and Jac Cameron (the company’s chief operating officer and creative director, respectively) rounded up a group of friends, family, and employees, and shot them near the brand’s SoHo store, using film for a lo-fi touch. They also tapped Amelia Diamond, the former head of creative at Man Repeller, to guest-edit the book, and illustrator Julie Houts to create grown-up paper dolls complete with cartoon pizza slices and an inner monologue about the “rejuvenating mindfulness exercise” of staring at one’s closet.
AYR is not alone in its appreciation—and embrace—of printed mailings. Last month, Guess, an iconic brand of the ’80s and ’90s, launched a campaign for climate change awareness with a zine called “Planet Saving Information.” It was inspired by one it made with the Environmental Media Association back in 1993.
If we could relive the ’90s every day, we would. We’re here for all of it: the chokers, the miniskirts, the baggy pants, the slew of pre-internet teen heartthrobs.
Sadly, we don’t have access to a time-travel machine, but we do have a ton of streaming services completely loaded with the best ’90s movies. And there are so many classics to choose from: There is, of course, Clueless, i.e., the absolute peak of the teen movie genre that features the decade’s most beloved heroine Cher Horowitz; the always comforting wackiness of Michael Jordan coaching the Looney Tunes in the epic basketball flick Space Jam; and then one of the lengthiest—but greatest—love stories of all time, Titanic.
Picking favorites is nearly impossible, given how many masterpieces came out of the era. Still, we waded through some of the best ’90s movies we could think of. Here’s what made the list. Happy streaming!
