Best Action Anime of 1991

Goku Son and his companions are enjoying a camping trip when three mysterious foes suddenly ambush them. After a brief skirmish, Cooler, the fourth villain, emerges. Driven by a thirst for revenge over his brother Frieza's downfall, Cooler sets his sights on Goku. Goku barely manages to escape with Gohan Son and goes into hiding. Frustrated by this setback, Cooler and his minions launch an unyielding hunt for Goku, determined to track him down and exact their vengeance.

Gohan Son and Piccolo are enjoying a quiet moment when they detect a powerful energy approaching Earth. News quickly spreads that this energy is a small planet heading straight for the planet. Gokuu Son and Kuririn try to redirect the tiny planet with a Kamehameha, but their efforts fail, and both are thrown back. Just as the object nears Earth's surface, it suddenly changes course and eventually explodes. The small planet reveals itself to be a carrier for what looks like a castle. A large army emerges and announces that the planet now belongs to Slug, the king of the universe. While protecting the city from the invasion, Gohan accidentally loses their Dragon Ball, which Slug promptly takes. By reading Bulma's thoughts and confiscating her Dragon Radar, Slug commands his forces to gather the wish-granting spheres. Once he has the Dragon Balls, Slug uses them to regain his youth, becoming youthful, intelligent, and immensely powerful. With these new abilities, Slug begins his plan to conquer the world.

In "City Hunter '91," Ryo Saeba continues as the City Hunter, a "sweeper" working in Tokyo's streets. With his partner Kaori Makimura, they handle cases for people in desperate need of assistance. While Ryo uses his excellent marksmanship to fight crime, he also has a weakness for beautiful women. Kaori must keep his ecchi tendencies in check using her giant hammer.

After the demon lord Hadlar was defeated, every monster was freed from his evil influence and relocated to the island of Delmurin to coexist peacefully. The only human residing on the island is a boy named Dai, who was raised by the kind monster Brass. Dai's ambition is to become a hero when he grows up. That dream starts to become reality when Hadlar is revived and the former hero Avan arrives to train Dai for the upcoming battle. However, Hadlar, revealing that he now serves an even more powerful demon lord, comes to kill Avan. In an attempt to save his students, Avan uses a self-sacrifice spell to attack, but he cannot defeat Hadlar. Just when it appears that Dai and Avan's other student, Pop, are doomed, a mark appears on Dai's forehead, granting him sudden superpowers that allow him to fend off Hadlar. The two students then set out on a journey to avenge Avan and restore peace to the world.

In the medieval kingdom of Pars, young Prince Arslan struggles with the coldness of his father and the distance of his mother, longing to understand the world beyond the castle walls. Though he witnesses widespread suffering and slavery among his people, he holds onto a vision of a fairer society. Everything crumbles when Lusitania invades Pars, forcing Arslan to mature rapidly. "Arslan Senki" chronicles the prince's wartime journey as he fights to recover his homeland and protect those he loves, aided by a loyal group of advisors. Along the way, Arslan uncovers hidden truths and confronts enemies who despise him for his royal birth, yet he also discovers unexpected allies. While portraying the brutal realities of war, "Arslan Senki" is also the tale of a young man's struggle to uphold his ideals amid overwhelming odds.

To the casual observer, Maki, Reimi, and Yuka hardly seem like top-notch crime fighters—which is probably why they're stuck handling traffic duties instead of more thrilling police work. But everything changes when Yuka is abducted by a white slavery ring run by a businessman with political connections, leaving the rest of the police too intimidated to act. Now Maki and Reimi have no choice but to slip into skintight battle armor, commandeer a tank, and teach that slaver that if you play with fire, you'll end up getting your own ass burned.

Lupica, yet another space princess from the endless stream of them who apparently discovered Earth through some travel brochure, shows up and kidnaps Ataru! However, Lupica isn't interested in Ataru for his good looks or winning personality—since he lacks both. Her true aim is the galaxy's most potent love potion, which she plans to use to make her beloved agree to marriage. To obtain it, she requires the being with the strongest lust in the entire cosmos...

A full three years have passed since Gargoyle and Neo-Atlantis were defeated, but now a fresh threat emerges in the form of Geiger. This new foe wields advanced robotic technology and plans to spark a global war, then take control amid the resulting turmoil. Once again, Nadia and Jean are thrust into action, striving to keep the world from bringing about its own destruction.

The last occasion Saki left a school was to swap her school uniform for prison attire, but when federal authorities required someone to penetrate a merciless crime syndicate operating inside an elite high school, they decided they required the most formidable bad girl available. Now Saki is back on the streets for a decisive final exam, equipped with a concealed gadget that merely appears to be a yo-yo, and permitted to employ any level of force to accomplish her mission. Saki is charming, dangerous, and prepared to risk everything—since if she fails this assignment, her next garment will be a body bag.

Lupin takes part in a dangerous car race stretching from Madrid to Paris. The ultimate reward is Napoleon's dictionary, which contains the key to the Treasure of the Empire—an object desired by numerous parties. Accompanied by his companions, Lupin vies for the prize while being chased nonstop by Inspector Zenigata and various international secret agents. Vintage cars and modern weaponry amplify the thrill and peril of the competition.

Approximately 1,800 years ago in China, the Han dynasty's authority declined, and conflict erupted across the land. Liu Bei, a young and impoverished seller of straw mats from the countryside of Hebai Hsing, formed an oath of eternal brotherhood with the heroes Guan Yu and Zhang Fei. Together, Liu Bei began constructing his vision of a righteous kingdom that would aid citizens suffering from persecution.

Hyoi and Ryoi, siblings who can morph into cats, are assigned to solve the mystery of a fast-spreading demon plague characterized by tentacles. Their mission becomes increasingly urgent as the plague threatens to consume them and the other students. In the end, they must confront their former Dark Cat instructor, Jukokubo, and discover whether they can halt the malevolent force he has unleashed.

Late one dark night in New York City, Ryu is pursued and ambushed by assassins. After eliminating them, he finds an ID card belonging to the Friedman Company. The following day, news breaks that Dr. Ned Friedman has found a cure for cancer. However, his press conference reveals nothing, prompting reporter Sarah to start digging into the matter with her friends Robert and Jeff. While passing by Dr. Friedman's residence, Ryu hears a young girl crying for help. Sarah and her group also investigate the house and happen to cross paths with their colleague Ryu. Inside, they find that Dr. Friedman has been performing biotechnological experiments on living human subjects, possibly connected to the power of the Evil Gods that Ryu once defeated. When Ryu's friend Irene is abducted, he must once again embrace his role as the Dragon Ninja to take down this new threat and rescue her.

The Abashiri family has long been infamous as one of the most powerful and fearsome criminal organizations in the world. Led by the terrifying Daemon Abashiri, the clan is preparing for their greatest and most audacious heist. During a bank robbery, Daemon reveals that his youngest child, Kikunosuke Abashiri, is the first daughter born into the family in eighteen generations, and this announcement leads him to decide to retire from their criminal life. To Kikunosuke's horror, her father has enrolled her at the prestigious Paradise Academy, intending to mold her into a proper lady. However, she soon realizes that the school is just as merciless as the underworld she left behind. How will Kikunosuke navigate an academy where the teachers are intent on eliminating their students?

In "Psychic Wars," surgeon Ukyo Rettsu handles an unusual case: an elderly patient whose apparent cancer is actually a message from ancient Japan, warning of an imminent demonic invasion of Earth. To stop this threat, Ukyo travels through time to confront the ancient demon race.

Inheriting from the classic Wizardry game, The Proving Grounds of the Mad Overlord, the story follows a group of adventurers who enter a dungeon to stop a powerful wizard's quest for absolute power. Along the way, they encounter new companions, each burdened by personal conflicts that become linked with the main objective.

Characters from Go Nagai's famous works—such as Devilman, Mazinger, and Violence Jack—are suddenly transported into a parody world where they become super deformed versions of themselves. Stuck in this chaotic and whimsical setting, they fight one another as they try to find a way to return to their own universes.

The ruler of the Tower of Wind aims to acquire the fabled power of the Dragon's Head. To accomplish this, they recruit fighter Moka, thief Buruman, and magic user Kiriman to retrieve it. However, the Dragon's Head is locked away inside the Temple of Fire, forcing Moka to confront the sect that has guarded it for generations in order to claim it.

Shakotan★Boogie brings to the screen a manga series that originally appeared in Young Magazine back in 1985, penned by Michiharu Kusunoki—the same creator behind Lullaby for Wednesday's Cinderella. The story revolves around young women, gangs, and cars, specifically following a crew of local troublemakers who boost vehicles, swap out their license plates, and then pit them against rival gangs in races before ultimately selling them off. The storyline continues from the conclusion of the 1987 live-action film that starred Kazuya Kimura.

After the TV series' events, the celestial war is over, and both Gai and Shurato have been erased from history. But a new threat appears, prompting the eight guardians to return to Earth and investigate. While Shurato tries to regain the trust of his comrades in a world that no longer remembers him, a mysterious adversary emerges with an enigmatic scheme focusing on them.

Tadashi is a high school student who is addicted to computer games. After spending a long day playing the game Zenon, a character named Sartova visits him in a dream. In an anime-like twist reminiscent of The Last Starfighter, she transports him into the world of Zenon, where the game now carries real human stakes. The story begins with our hero Hiroshi casually beating an arcade machine and impressing all his nerdy friends. When he returns home, he discovers a strange new game waiting on his computer. The game promises him a chance to win the affection of a beautiful girl, so Hiroshi clicks "Yes" to begin—only to have the screen turn to static before his eyes. The next day, Hiroshi starts telling his friends about this mysterious game, and they are uncertain whether to believe him. But then, in the middle of class, a massive electrical storm erupts, leaving behind a single white egg. When Hiroshi touches it, the egg opens, revealing a beautiful, stark-naked girl with green hair. This girl, Hiroko, bestows upon Hiroshi the name Zenon and grants him various powers, including ESP. That is all well and good, but from that moment on until the very end, Hiroshi/Zenon finds himself constantly battling all sorts of evil villains and powerful enemies to protect his new sweetheart.

The series "Genji Tsuushin Agedama" centers on Agedama, an elementary school student who deals with ordinary childhood difficulties. What those around him do not realize is that he is also a superhero in training named Agedaman. Together with Wapuro, his floating computer companion, Agedama battles a criminal organization capable of turning people into various types of monsters.

This 1991 OVA follows a mad scientist and the woman who betrayed him. Her infidelity drives the scientist to convert her into a bionic sex machine engineered to completely please her man. Yet she remains unfaithful, leaving the scientist's son to track her down and carry out revenge. The work comes from Monkey Punch, the creator behind Lupin III.

In Tomoe ga Yuku! (Tomoe Will Go!), the protagonist Tomoe is bold enough to roller skate down highways for excitement. After a friend dies in a roller skating crash, Tomoe becomes a member of the stunt group Green Ship. Still grieving her friend's loss, she has no hesitation about starting a romance with the group's leader, Kazusa. Before long, she learns that Green Ship is actually a cover for an assassin training facility. Forced to flee both her new life and her love, Tomoe must reignite her fierce determination to battle the organization that now wants her dead.

Hakuo Gakuin, once a prestigious high school renowned for its martial arts, has entered a period of decline after its rival Seishikan poached its best students. Acting Principal Hojo Himeko sends Yagyu Ranko to Fuma Village to request aid from the legendary Fuma ninja clan. The Fuma leader dispatches Kojiro to Hakuo, where he confronts the formidable Yasha clan, commanded by Asuka Musashi, who fights on behalf of Seishikan. When Kojiro's allies join him, a long-overdue ninja conflict between the two clans resumes, reigniting a battle that had remained dormant for 500 years.

Keiko Okura, Yumi Sudou, and Mai Ishiki use their psychic powers in secret to keep peace at their high school. After a disturbing dream that Yumi believes predicts future events, the three look into the newly formed psychic research club at their school. As their investigation proceeds, the girls start to fear that their abilities might not be enough to stop the dangerous plan they have uncovered.

Azalea has been living on the Colony-Planet of Dinahl, her memories a blank until a mysterious voice calls out her name. A second voice urges her to come to a park perched atop a towering skyscraper. When she arrives, she finds others who share her condition, none of them able to remember their pasts or how they ended up following this summons. Each of them possesses an extraordinary ability: Eno's psychic powers, Umoth's X-ray vision, Neia's teleportation, Azalea's telepathy, and Locke's mastery over electricity. Who has gathered them, and what awaits these five superhuman psychics?

Computer prodigy Joe Takami hacks into a heavily classified computer system while searching for data about a mysterious girl, only to discover far more than he anticipated. After unearthing proof of a covert government experiment, he finds himself fleeing for his life, with both his closest friend and his own personal computer turning hostile. A relentless squad of high-tech ninja tracks his every move, forcing Joe to rely on the unpredictable abilities awakening inside him to survive. He must find a way to evade the government's assassins before they eliminate the human genetic experiment known as Joe Takami.

In "My Sky: Detective Story," the main character Yasuda Ippei—voiced by Shonozaki Ken—is the child of Yasuda Seijiro (played by Osugi Ren), who serves as the chairman of the massive Yasuda Group. Born into a high-status family, Ippei demonstrates no flaws and earns the respect of those around him. With exceptional academic ability, he finishes high school in two years and gains admission to Tokyo University's Faculty of Law without sitting for entrance exams. Seeking to cultivate his own personal sense of justice, Ippei declines his inheritance from the Yasuda Group and enrolls in the police academy instead. Working as a detective at Kyobashi Police Station, he confronts serious criminal threats with bravery and persistence.

Condition Green, also referred to as Platoon #801, consists of five members: Keith, George, Edward, Yang, and Shaw. This squad is tasked with safeguarding their home planet in the Inferious galaxy from extraterrestrial threats. When the villainous Emperor Vince of Gazaria begins conquering the nearby planets Kal and Granad, Condition Green serves as the final barrier against his assault on their world.

In a peculiar fusion of samurai cinema and Shonan-style biker action, Tokyo street punk Masao acquires a prized FZR "katana" motorcycle. Transforming into a knight of the road, Masao wages war on criminals wielding a real katana sword. This story is adapted from the manga by Shinichi Sugimura in Young Magazine.

This manga depicts the life of Shizuya Kondou, a man who designs underwear by day and is "don" of a gang at night.

The story is set in the present day, centering on motorcycle gangs that forge and dissolve alliances as they clash for dominance over a local gas station, eventually rallying beneath a strong leader. This plot mirrors the struggles of Japan's 16th-century civil war, with motorcycles standing in for horses and blades for swords.

Within a celestial Buddhist realm where deities vie for dominance amidst the clouds, Nio-maru is in search of his younger sister, from whom he was separated during a plane crash in the human world.

A young man named Takeru Aoyama presses on with his quest to locate the Three Sacred Treasures, hoping to rescue humankind as he courageously battles the Chimimouryou—malevolent spirits from Japan's mythical folklore that dwell in mountains and rivers.

In "Ryuujin Kappei," Kappei is pulled into a strange picture book and transported to the Edo period, four hundred years in the past. The King of Evil seeks to eradicate all sound and melody, endangering the enchanting music of Princess Shizu. To stop this threat, Kappei rides the Dragon Lord and wields a courageous sword, setting out to foil the King of Evil's sinister plans.