>>Back in the 1994 there was an anime Macross Plus (often described as being anime version of "Top Gun"). The aircraft flown by the rival of the protagonist looked like the YF-23, while the one flown by the protagonist didn't seem to have a real-life analog with its forward-swept wing. Then a few years later in 1997 some early images of the Sukhoi S-37 surfaced -- there it was, a canard planform aircraft with forward-swept wings...
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>The Grumman X-29 first flew in 1984: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Grumman_X-29

Perhaps I should clarify - the aircraft depicted in the anime was a podded (i.e the engines are contained in nacelles) twin-engine vehicle -- with a configuration quite similar to the Sukhoi Su-27 (it is thought that mecha designer Kawamori may used it as a template). The Grumman X-29 did feature canard planform and forward-swept wings, but is single engine configuration.
( http://www.macross2.net/m3/macrossplus/yf-19.htm )
( http://www.macross2.net/m3/macrossplus/yf-21.htm )
Of course, one feature that exists in the anime that doesn't appear in real life is the ability for the aircraft to transform into humanoid robots.

There were some amusing comments made by Mr. Kawamori (one of the mecha designers of the Macross franchise) who had designed the VF-1 Valkyrie (which resembles the Grumman F-14 in jet form -- http://www.macross2.net/m3/sdfmacross/vf-1-vfmf.htm ) for the TV series "Super Dimensional Fortress Macross". He had done some design work on "Diaclone" toys (many of which were released in the USA as Transformers). One of the things he was dissatisfied with in the designs was that although in vehicle configuration they had a cockpit/cabin, it would disappear in the process of transformation (or more specifically, parts would intrude into the cockpit/cabin -- so if there were indeed occupants on-board, they would be skewered, crushed mangled mangled and likely be killed). The VF-1 Valkyrie design came about from this desire to keep the cabin/cockpit intact. The other amusing comment he made was that Macross was one of the first series to feature mecha that didn't wear pants -- i.e. the hip joint was exposed and not covered over hidden (which typically gives appearance of pants/trousers).