90s Retro Cyberpunk Anime Style MidJourney SREF and Prompt Guide
--sref 4022240025

Anime

Cyberpunk

Sci-fi

Version: v 7
SV: 6
sref code and prompt case 1 --sref 4022240025
sref code and prompt case 2 --sref 4022240025
sref code and prompt case 3 --sref 4022240025
sref code and prompt case 4 --sref 4022240025

If you generate different style variations using this sref, please make sure you either use the standard Midjourney version shown on this page or copy the full parameter string from the prompt, including the P code. To highlight the unique advantages and features of the style, we have carefully crafted custom prompts for each sref. By using these prompts, you can perfectly replicate the sref's effects.

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sref Style Analysis

The style presented by this SREF code points extremely clearly to a combination of 90s Cyberpunk Anime and Retro-futurism.

Let's break down why it belongs to this genre:

  1. High-Contrast Dark Lighting: Much like classic Hong Kong neon nightscapes, the overall tone of the image is dark, but locally illuminated by intense light sources (fluorescent blue, neon red, flame orange). This "glow in the darkness" is a typical cyberpunk visual language.
  2. Specific Noise and Film Texture: Observe the graininess in the image; this isn't just digital drawing. It deliberately simulates the texture of old VHS tapes or early Cel Animation scanned through a cathode ray tube TV—slightly blurry with minor color bleeding. This gives a strong "nostalgia filter" feel.
  3. Color Aesthetics: It makes extensive use of the classic Cyan and Magenta complementary color clash, along with deep black backgrounds. This color scheme instantly brings to mind golden age Japanese animation masterpieces like Ghost in the Shell, Akira, or Cowboy Bebop.

If this style were linked to a specific famous artist, it strongly reminds one of Yoshiaki Kawajiri's hard-edged, adult-oriented dark anime style, or the tech aesthetic filled with intertwined mechanics and biology found in Masamune Shirow's works.

The reason this style is so impressive lies in its immersion. It's not just a picture; it carries a cinematic sense that "a story is happening." That dim, mysterious atmosphere with a sense of technological fragmentation instantly pulls the audience into a dystopian future world.

What is "90s Retro Cyberpunk Anime Style"

90s Retro Cyberpunk Anime Style is a visual style that pays homage to and reconstructs the golden age of Japanese sci-fi animation from the end of the last century.

It’s not just a simple "anime style"; its core lies in simulating the aesthetic imperfections of the Analog Era. It doesn't pursue the perfect smoothness of modern CG but instead emphasizes the hand-drawn feel of lines, the heaviness of colors, and the graininess of the image. It incorporates lighting techniques from Film Noir to express the contrast of "high tech, low life." In this style, light is usually not used for illumination but to create mood—harsh neon, the ghostly glow of holographic projections—all implying a digital world full of danger and temptation.

Usage Scenarios for "90s Retro Cyberpunk Anime Style"

This SREF style has strong emotional appeal and a sense of specific era symbolism, making it particularly suitable for the following scenarios:

  1. Lo-Fi / Synthwave Music Cover Design: This style is a visual match made in heaven for Synthwave and Vaporwave music, perfectly fitting that nostalgic yet psychedelic auditory experience.
  2. Indie Game Art: For games aiming to build a retro sci-fi, suspense puzzle, or cyberpunk theme, this art style can greatly save on world-building costs and instantly establish the game's tone.
  3. Streetwear Prints: Retro anime patterns are currently very popular in Streetwear. These high-contrast, brightly colored patterns look excellent printed on black t-shirts or hoodies.
  4. Concept Design and Moodboards: When directors or writers need to conceive a story about hackers, future cities, or cybernetic modifications, this style can quickly provide visual inspiration.

Prompt Inspiration for "90s Retro Cyberpunk Anime Style"

To use this SREF effectively, your prompts should contain vocabulary with "sense of era" and "lighting texture."

Prompt Inspiration Examples:

  • Prompt 1: A retro anime screenshot of a hacker girl in a rainy neon city, glowing holographic screens, dark atmosphere, 1990s style, VHS grain effect --ar 1:1
  • Prompt 2: Close up of a cyborg geisha with broken porcelain skin, glowing red eyes, traditional fan, dark cyberpunk background, cel shading, high contrast --ar 1:1
  • Prompt 3: Underwater scene, mysterious woman with floating jellyfish, bioluminescent lighting, dark green and blue tones, retro anime aesthetic, vintage tv static --ar 1:1

Want to get more magic spells to precisely control image details? Upgrade to become a site member to unlock all the prompts on the website, making every generation of yours amaze your social circle.

More Prompt Tips & Tricks


You can explore further by combining the following prompt command for MidJourney:

  • --sv: There are six versions of the Style Reference feature in Midjourney version 7 when using images. Use the --sv parameter to choose between them. --sv 6 is default. --sv 4 is the old V7 sref model (prior to June 16, 2025). Using --sv 6 and --sv 4 may produce different style results.
  • --s: Default value is 100, can be set from 0 to 1000. The higher the value, the more detailed the image, and the closer the style may be to reality.
  • -niji 6: Using this command will give the image a more anime style.
  • --sw: Default value is 100, can be input from 0 to 1000. A higher value makes the style closer to the original.
  • You can now blend multiple --sref codes together (for example --sref 123 456 )
  • You can weigh individual codes or urls as follows --sref 123::2
  • You can also read more guides on How to use SREF Code

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This website stands out as one of the pioneering libraries I discovered in my AI art journey. What truly sets it apart is its comprehensive offering: not just unique style codes, but also intricate blends and full prompts. The inclusion of complete prompts is particularly valuable, as it's an artistic choice that many creators hesitate to share openly.

Felix Koutchinski

Felix Koutchinski

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As a beginner in MidJourney, I struggled to create the style of images I envisioned and felt lost with keyword usage. This led me to create this website for sref codes and examples with prompts, aimed at helping newcomers easily generate high-quality images and find joy in their creative process.

underwood

underwood

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There are many Midjourney Sref galleries online, but promptsref.com is my go-to resource. If you're looking for a comprehensive collection of Midjourney Srefs, this is the only website you need.

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