While not as iconic a decade as the 1990s, the 2000s were nonetheless a great era foranime. Some of the most famous and popular anime of all time likeNaruto,Bleach, andTengen Toppa Gurren Laganntook off during this time, and with how many people grew up with those anime and others, it’s hard to deny the era’s impact and influence on the community for years to come.
The 2000s was a great era for anime, but unfortunately, not everything from that era left a mark. Whether due to a lack of proper licensing or the story simply failing to maintain relevancy after its conclusion,manyanime from the 2000shave all but been forgotten by mainstream culture, despite how much they hold up after so many decades. A few of those anime are especially worth highlighting, as despite their lack of attention, they’ve long been some of the best anime a person can watch.
Kiba
Cast
In the fantasy series Kiba, Zed and his friend Noah are transported from their dystopian city to a mystical world where they become Shard casters. As they harness magical powers, they face the challenge of preventing an impending catastrophe that threatens their new world.
Madhouse’sKibastars Zed, a young man frustrated with his lot in life who’s suddenly transported to the mystical, war-torn world of Templar. There, Zed gains the power of a Shard Caster, someone who can use marble-like objects called Shards to cast magic and summon monsters, and it’s through becoming a Shard Caster and uncovering the truth of his new world that Zed finally gains the freedom he sought.
Between being a tie-in for a card game and not having a proper English release, it makes sense thatKibahas largely been forgotten, but even so,Kiba’s great animation and dark storytelling make it a great anime to watch, especially with how popular theisekaigenre has become. Finding a legal means of watchingKIbamight be difficult, but if anyone does manage to come across it, they won’t be disappointed in the slightest.
9Noir (2001)
Anime Series By Bee Train; Directed By Koichi Mashimo
Bee Train’sNoirstars Mireille Bouquet, a Corsican assassin whose quest to solve the mystery of her parents’ murder leads her to Kirika Yuumura, an amnesiac Japanese assassin who seems to be connected to Mireille’s past. The two are forced to work together to uncover the truth of their connection, a mystery that goes far deeper than anyone could have expected and is centered heavily around their shared pseudonym of “Noir”.
Noiris the first of Bee Train’s “girls-with-guns” anime trilogy, and sure enough,Noirdoes an amazing job of selling itself as a series with great gun-based action and storytelling that rewards the viewer for paying attention, all of which is perfectly complemented by the stellar direction and score of Koichi Mashimo and Yuki Kajiura, respectively. Few anime lean into gun-based action as well asNoirdoes, and that hasn’t changed, even after almost 25 years.
Hikaru no Go
Hikaru no Go follows Hikaru Shindo, a young boy who discovers an ancient Go board inhabited by the spirit of Fujiwara-no-Sai, a legendary Go player. Together, they embark on a journey into the world of professional Go, with Hikaru striving to master the game and Sai seeking the divine move, or “hand of God.” The series explores themes of friendship, competition, and personal growth within the realm of a traditional board game.
InStudio Pierrot’sHikaru no Go, when Hikaru Shindo stumbles upon an old Go board, he becomes possessed by Fujiwara-no-Sai, the ghost of a genius Go player who previously haunted some of the greatest players in history. Hikaru decides to let Sai play Go through him so he can one day play the Divine Move, a perfect and original play, but sure enough, Hikaru soon finds himself wanting to become a player in his own right.
As popular asHikaru no Gomight have been during its run,the general obscurity of Go, especially in the West, leftHikaru no Goas little more than a cult hit following its conclusion, something that wasn’t helped by the anime not fully adapting the manga. The great character writing still makes it a solid sports anime, however, and any fan of the genre will surely find a lot to like about it.
Digimon Data Squad
In Digimon Data Squad, Marcus Damon partners with Agumon to protect both human and Digital worlds from rogue Digimon and sinister plots, balancing battles and personal growth.
Toei Animation’sDigimon Data Squad, also known asDigimon Savers, is the fifth anime in the long-runningDigimonfranchise. In this series, after bonding with a runaway Agumon, delinquent student Marcus Damon is recruited into the Digimon Data Squad, a secret organization protecting society from Digimon, and his time there quickly puts him at the center of a conflict that puts humans and Digimon alike at risk of destruction.
By 2006,Digimonwas mostly dead as an anime franchise, meaning thatDigimon Data Squadcame out at the wrong time to leave an impact on an already floundering franchise, which also wasn’t helped by it being so different from what people associated withDigimon. That being said, a lot ofData Squad’s appeal comes from how much it leans into traditionalshonenanime tropes, so even the most traditionalDigimonfans are bound to find something to like about it.
Reborn!
Reborn!, released in 2006, centers on “No Good” Tsunayoshi Sawada, who is unexpectedly next in line to lead the Vongola mafia family. Guided by Reborn, a skilled but cursed infant hitman, Tsuna embarks on an unconventional journey to learn the ways of a mafia boss.
In Artland’sReborn!, the weak-willed and clumsy Tsunayoshi “Tsuna” Sawada sees his life change when he meets Reborn, an infant hitman working for Italy’s notorious Vongola crime family. Tsuna, a distant descendant of the founder, is set to become the next head of the family with Reborn’s training, and despite his protests, Tsuna always finds himself dragged along with Reborn and the insane trials he puts him through, even as they take a turn for the supernatural.
WhileReborn!started off fairly popular, thanks to an excessive amount of filler and the anime not adapting the manga’s last two arcs,Reborn!gradually fell into obscurity after its anime and manga ended and there was nothing left to do with the franchise. The wayReborn!fell off in popularity is unfortunate, but anyone looking for a unique action series would be remiss to pass it up.
Rave Master
Rave Master follows Haru Glory as he embarks on a quest to find the Rave Stones, which hold the power to vanquish the Dark Bring, stones that bring chaos and destruction. Alongside his friends, Haru aims to restore peace to the world, facing numerous adversaries and challenges on his journey. The series combines elements of fantasy, adventure, and action, set within a richly detailed world.
Studio Deen’sRave Mastertakes place 50 years after the titular Rave Master saved the world from destruction with the power of the now-missing Rave stones. In present day, a terrorist organization called Demon Card is bringing new evil to the world with the power of magic weapons called Dark Brings, and it’s up to the new Rave Master, Haru Glory, to travel across the world to find the Rave stones and save the world from destruction.
While Hiro Mashima is best known for creatingFairy Tail,the writing inRave Masterhas a level of craft and maturity that’s often absent from Hiro Mashima’s later works, and overall, the anime did a great job of adapting it into animation. Unfortunately, the anime ended right before the story truly took off, and while it’s unlikely to ever see a continuation, it’s still worth watching for any fan of Mashima’s work.
Anime Series By Kyoto Animation; Based On The Visual Novel By Key
Kanon
Kanon is a 2006 anime series that follows Yuichi Aizawa, a high school student returning to a town he visited seven years ago, where he reconnects with several girls whose lives are intertwined with his forgotten past. Adapted from the visual novel by Key, Kanon explores themes of memory, emotion, and the supernatural through a dramatic and poignant narrative.
Kyoto Animation’sKanonstars Yuichi Aizawa, a cynical high schooler who comes to live with his cousin in a city he hasn’t visited in seven years. As Yuichi slowly remembers what made the city so special, he becomes involved in the lives of several girls his age, all of whom have some prior connection to him and, in many cases, an odd relation to the supernatural that only he can deal with.
While it might not have the prestige of its most immediate contemporary,Clannad,Kanonis filled with plenty of heartbreaking drama for all the characters involved, and it does so all while effortlessly combining five separate stories into a singular narrative, as well. The comparisons toClannad, combined with its age, have causedKanonto fall into obscurity, but anyone looking for a series that captures the core aesthetic of Kyoto Animation should certainly giveKanona try.
Magical Girl Lyrical Nanoha
An engaging anime series that revolves around Nanoha Takamachi, a seemingly ordinary elementary school girl whose life is transformed when she encounters an injured ferret, who is actually a mage named Yuuno from another dimension. He bestows Nanoha with magical powers, turning her into a formidable magical girl tasked with retrieving powerful artifacts known as Jewel Seeds. As Nanoha masters her new abilities, she faces various magical adversaries and forms crucial alliances. The series delves into themes of friendship, responsibility, and the moral complexities of wielding great power, all while balancing intense magical battles with touching character development.
Seven Arcs’Magical Girl Lyrical Nanohais a long-running magical girl franchise centered around Nanoha Takamachi, a young girl who awakens to magical abilities after an encounter with an alien ferret named Yuno Scrya. Nanoha starts off helping Yuno retrieve dangerous artifacts called Jewel Seeds, and as the series evolves, with Nanoha aging alongside it, she constantly takes on bigger responsibilities in the wider universe, all with her partner, Fate Testarossa, by her side.
Not only do the ever-escalating political elements make for a wholly unique narrative for a magical girl anime, butthe wayMagical Girl Lyrical Nanohacontinually escalates its action and drama as the characters grow into adulthood is always fun to watch.Nanohamight only be popular in Japan, but it’s still a great anime that anyone can enjoy, and witha newNanohaanime in development, there’s never been a better time to start watching.
Zatch Bell!
Zatch Bell! is an anime series that follows Kiyo Takamine, a high school student, who becomes the caretaker of Zatch Bell, an amnesiac but powerful Mamodo. Partnered by a spellbook that endows Zatch with special abilities, Kiyo must compete against other Mamodos vying to become the Mamodo King. The series intricately blends themes of friendship, responsibility, and battle-driven strategy within a fantastical narrative framework.
Toei Animation’sZatch Bell!stars Kiyomaro Takamine, an arrogant genius who, one day, meets Zatch Bell, an amnesiac young boy sent to Kiyomaro by his father to help him make friends. As it turns out, though, Zatch is one of 100 demons fighting in a battle to determine the next king of the demon realm, and coincidentally, Kiyomaro is the human who has to work with Zatch and call upon his lightning magic to fight anyone who comes after them.
Zatch Bell!always stood out because of itsaction, characters, and writing that was both comedic and heartfelt, and that made it one of the best anime to watch in the 2000s, even more so than some of the more contemporary hits. The anime’s abrupt cancellation led toZatch Bell’s decline in popularity, but with the popularity of its sequel,Zatch Bell! 2, there’s plenty of hope for a revival.
The Melancholy Of Haruhi Suzumiya
The Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya centers on high school student Kyon, who inadvertently becomes involved with the eccentric Haruhi Suzumiya and her unusual club, the SOS Brigade, which seeks to find aliens, time travelers, and espers. Unbeknownst to Haruhi, she possesses the power to alter reality, leading to a series of strange and supernatural events that Kyon and the other brigade members must navigate.
Kyoto Animation’sThe Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiyastars Kyon, a sarcastic high schooler forced to join the SOS Brigade, a club made by the eccentric Haruhi Suzumiya for discovering supernatural oddities. Ironically, all the other members are the supernatural oddities Haruhi has been searching for who have gathered to observe Haruhi and her godlike powers, all of which Haruhi is kept blissfully unaware of, much to Kyon’s constant frustration.
Between its great art and animation and writing that always knows how to get the most out of its story,The Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiyaalways excels at getting the most out of its contrasting genres and themes, resulting in a story that always manages to do something great. The anime’s abrupt ending caused it to fall into obscurity, but of all theforgotten anime of the 2000s that deserve a watch, no anime is more worth watching thanHaruhi Suzumiya.
