Personal Aesthetics Wiki

90s Extreme (also known as The Sonic Effect) is an aesthetic of the 1990s and 2000s, characterized by the desire of pushing boundaries and embracing a bold, edgy and adventurous attitude. This trend permeated various aspects of culture, from sports and fashion to marketing and media.

This aesthetic is largely influenced by the debut of Sonic the Hedgehog in 1991 as well as Bart Simpson in 1989. 90s Extreme branched off into the related Y2K Attitude trend in the late 1990s and early 2000s.

Visuals[]

  • The word "X-Treme" and the letter "X" are consistently used in brands.
  • Bright shades of red, green, pink, blue and yellow.
  • Graphic prints and abstract/geometric designs.
  • Oversized shirts, baggy jeans and loose-fitting clothes.
  • Iconic brands like FUBU, Tommy Hilfiger and Cross Colors.
  • Popularity of extreme sports like skateboarding, BMX and surfing.
  • Chunky sneakers and skate shoes like Vans and DC Shoes.
  • Hip-hop and rock were prominent music genres.
  • Baseball caps being worn backwards and sunglasses are cool fashion choices.
  • Pixelated art, early video game aesthetics, and basic digital interfaces.
  • Products were marketed as "extreme" to appeal to a younger, thrill-seeking audience. This included everything from snacks like Doritos and Gushers to beverages like Surge soda.
  • Movies, TV shows, and video games often featured high-octane action and stunts, reflecting the extreme ethos.
  • The extreme trend was closely tied to youth culture, emphasizing independence, rebellion, and a do-it-yourself attitude.

Vendors[]

Media[]

Anime/Manga[]

  • Cowboy Bebop
  • Dragon Ball Z
  • Ranma 1/2
  • Rurouni Kenshin
  • Sailor Moon
  • YuYu Hakusho

Cartoons/Comics[]

  • Adventures of Sonic the Hedgehog
  • Batman: The Animated Series
  • Beavis and Butt-Head
  • Bill & Ted's Excellent Adventures
  • Captain Planet and the Planeteers
  • Denver, the Last Dinosaur
  • Extreme Dinosaurs
  • Freakazoid!
  • Gargoyles
  • Hammerman
  • Mighty Max
  • ProStars
  • Reeboot
  • Ren & Stimpy
  • Rocket Power
  • Rude Dog and the Dweebs
  • The Simpsons (1989-present)
  • Calvin and Hobbes (1985-1985)
  • Stone Protectors
  • Street Sharks
  • SWAT Kats: The Radical Squadron
  • Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles
  • The Super Mario Bros. Super Show!
  • Toxic Crusaders
  • Widget the World Watcher
  • X-Men: The Animated Series
  • Yo Yogi!

Commercials[]

  • Pepsi Max advert (1993/1994)
  • Sega adverts (Early 90s)
  • Nintendo Play It Loud (1994-1996)
  • Tiger Electronics adverts

Movies[]

  • Airborne
  • An Extremely Goofy Movie
  • Heavy Metal 2000
  • Hercules (1997)
  • The Iron Giant
  • Point Break
  • Super Mario Bros. (1993)
  • Tarzan (1999)
  • Toy Story
  • Wayne's World

Networks[]

  • Kids WB
  • MTV
  • Nicktoons
  • Toon Disney/Jetix/Disney XD

Television[]

  • ER
  • Monster Jam
  • Power Rangers
  • Sliders
  • The X-Files
  • X-Fire
  • X-Games

Video Games[]

  • After Burner
  • Crash Bandicoot (1996-present)
  • Crazy Taxi
  • Disney's Extreme Skate Adventure
  • Duke Nukem 3D
  • Doom
  • Earthworm Jim
  • Heavy Metal: F.A.K.K. 2
  • Killer Instinct
  • Mortal Kombat
  • MX vs. ATV (2001-2022)
  • Out Run
  • Quake
  • Revolution X
  • Shadow Warrior
  • Smash TV
  • Sonic the Hedgehog (1991-present)
  • Donkey Kong Country
  • Super Hang-On
  • Tony Hawk (1999-2020)
  • Total Carnage

Gallery[]

References[]