Best 2000s Anime

Key Takeaways

• The 2000s were a golden era for anime, with many iconic series that continue to captivate audiences today. Here are some of the best 2000s anime that you should definitely watch:
• Nana – A drama and romance story about two young women with the same name who become friends and navigate their lives in Tokyo.
• Mononoke – A horror anime that uses an unnerving aesthetic and sound design to create a nightmarish world filled with guilt, anger, and mystery.

While the early 2000s may seem like a lifetime ago for some, the period between 2000 and 2009 is full of anime gold. The 90s may have been one golden period for animation, but the 2000s continued that trend. Series that can grip viewers’ heartstrings, intense amounts of action, and comedic gold can all be found in this era.

Many of these series are still popular to this day, with loyal fanbases. Some have even been receiving reboots and sequels in recent years. With so many amazing 2000s anime to go through, newer audiences have plenty of great starting points.

Updated December 9, 2024 by Mark Sammut: The 2000s might have genuinely been the golden era for anime. Seriously, no other periods produced so many brilliant shows, and most of the major ones are relatively accessible in this day and age (at least compared to the 80s and 90s anime). To further highlight the decade’s quality, two more of the best 2000s anime have been added.

Here are the criteria for this article:

• Only anime that debuted in the 2000s will be considered. The only exception is
  One Piece
  since it aired fewer than 10 episodes in the 90s and more than 400 in the 2000s.
• No movies.
• MyAnimeList scores are included, but they do not determine the rankings.
• As these shows cover a wide range of genres, the rankings are fairly loose since they cannot be directly compared.

28 Afro Samurai

MyAnimeList: 7.36

The Emmy-nominated series featuring Samuel L. Jackson in a prominent role, Afro Samurai follows the life of the title character after witnessing his father being killed by a gunslinger. The gunslinger, Justice, was the owner of the Number 2 headband, and Afro’s father was the owner of the Number 1 headband. The wielder of the Number 1 headband is said to be the greatest warrior in the world and can only be challenged by someone with the Number 2 headband.

The series takes place in a feudal yet futuristic Japan, where Afro Samurai confronts a variety of enemies and even former friends on this quest for revenge. Afro Samurai is a mini-series, with only five episodes; however, the anime packs an incredible punch. With a music score from hip hop artist, The RZA from the rap group Wu-Tang Clan, amazing visuals, and an all-star cast, the series is a great example of 2000s anime.

27 Bleach

MyAnimeList: 7.96

Bleach is a very well-known and highly popular shonen anime, from the 2000s. The series follows Ichigo Kurosaki after he obtains the powers of a Soul Reaper. As he learns to master these newfound powers, he discovers many of his friends have powers of their own. Though the series starts with a lighter tone, things take a shift when Rukia (the Soul Reaper who shared her power with Ichigo) is sentenced to be executed. Ichigo and his friends go on a mission to infiltrate the Soul Society to save her and are thrown into an even bigger plot.

Bleach is full of action and takes sword fights to a new level. Anime fans looking for a lengthy action series will want to check out the anime adaptation of Tite Kubo’s manga. While some of the filler arcs are notoriously exhausting to get through, at its peak, Bleach features all-time great fight sequences, along with one of battle shonen’s best-paced storylines in the Soul Society arc. The original series spans 366 episodes, although an even better sequel debuted in 2022.

26 Inuyasha

MyAnimeList: 7.87

With the release of its sequel Yashahime: Princess Half-Demon and the hundreds of TikToks reminiscing about love triangles and waking up to that iconic closing theme, it is no wonder Inuyasha is a 2000s classic. Shonen and romance anime fans who may not have seen the original series will want to check it out, even if only to understand all the memes.

The series is full of characters that are loveable and some that are almost unredeemable. Inuyasha revolves around the protagonists’ Kagome (a human from modern-day Tokyo) and Inuyasha (a half-dog demon in the Feudal era), as they attempt to retrieve the shattered Shikon Jewel shards. Throughout their journey, they meet a variety of allies with their motives for seeking out the jewel shards. They also face plenty of powerful enemies along the way, most notably the scheming Naraku and his incarnations.

Inuyasha showcases Rumiko Takahashi’s incredible talent for crafting likable characters who are equally apt at humor and drama, with this particular series balancing the two incredibly well.

25 The Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya

MyAnimeList: 7.82 (Season 1)

The Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya is a pretty important anime, and its success might have inspired more studios to turn to light novels rather than manga for adaptations. The ED’s Hare Hare Yukai dance was inescapable for a while, and the anime helped make otaku culture more mainstream (with the help of Lucky Star, which debuted the following year). Haruhi Suzumiya’s mix of slice of life comedy, philosophical musings, and mystery was very novel in 2006, even if this blend might not seem that fresh when viewed through a modern lens.

Haruhi Suzumiya is difficult to rank. Season 1 is good with moments of greatness, despite the convoluted release order. The eponymous girl is purposefully obnoxious, and her antics involving Mikuru can be off-putting. However, Kyon is a fantastic male lead, and the rest of the characters are generally fascinating. Season 2 has the ambitious but polarizing Endless Eight arc, which did seem to derail the show’s momentum. Finally, The Disappearance of Haruhi Suzumiya is a masterpiece, but that film came out in 2010 and requires sitting through both seasons to fully appreciate.

24 Paranoia Agent

MyAnimeList: 7.66

Satoshi Kon should need no introduction to anime fans. The creative force behind Perfect Blue, Paprika, and a few other brilliant movies, the director is primarily associated with his cinematic output; however, Kon’s dip into TV should not be ignored. Directing all 13 episodes, Paranoia Agent is a thriller that utilizes a supernatural element to dive deep into a range of characters’ psyches, telling a captivating and cerebral story that lingers in a viewer’s mind long after the credits roll.

The basic premise involves a mysterious teenager who goes around smacking people with a bat, and these attacks have strange effects on the victims’ lives. While the full series is great, episode 3 is a masterpiece and one of the best anime episodes of the 2000s, if not just straight-up the best.

23 Beck: Mongolian Chop Squad

MyAnimeList: 8.29

Anime has a couple of standout stories revolving around music, with Bocchi the Rock being probably the most famous recent example. While that show might conjure up flashbacks of K-On!, it arguably has more in common with 2004’s Beck, at least in the sense that both of them prioritize music and try to provide a relatively realistic look at the industry. Out of the two series, Beck is the more grounded one, and it follows a group of boys who form a band as they try to make in-rounds into a cutthroat industry.

This journey is primarily framed from Koyuki’s point of view, a teenager who discovers his love for playing the guitar and jumps head first into the music world. Beck dives pretty deep into the instrument learning process, all the while creating tangible goals for the band and the protagonist. While visually dated to an extent, the anime has aged incredibly well overall.

22 Naruto & Naruto Shippuden

MyAnimeList: 7.99 (Naruto)

Naruto is one of the most well-known shonen anime, the series has everything fans of the genre could hope for. The series revolves around the adventures of Naruto a mischievous young ninja outcast. Naruto seeks recognition from the members of his village, as well as dreams of becoming the next Hokage. Naruto finds friends and rivals along the way and discovers that he is the host of a powerful fox, which was responsible for attacking the village in the past.

Arguably the most popular 2000s anime, Naruto was inescapable throughout the decade, even more so than Bleach or One Piece. While Shippuden mostly aired after 2010, its predecessor’s canon arcs are contenders for the best in the series, delivering consistently great action, comedy, and world-building.

21 Natsume’s Book of Friends

MyAnimeList: 8.30 (Season 1)

Natsume’s Book of Friends has been quietly producing iyashikei supernatural magic for the best part of two decades, with season seven airing as part of the Fall 2024 lineup. Technically, only the first two cours were released in the 2000s, so it does not feel 100% accurate to say the anime belongs to that decade. More importantly, Natsume’s Book of Friends has a timelessness that transcends era, and the seasons flow seamlessly despite being spread over roughly 15 years.

Natsume inherits a book of youkai names from his grandmother, which gives him control over the spirits. Rather than use this power, he decides to give all these names back to their owners, as long as they visit him and request it. He is also accompanied by Madara, a powerful youkai who mostly takes the form of an adorable cat.

Beautiful, relaxing, and frequently touching, Natsume’s Book of Friends is incredible.

20 Black Lagoon

MyAnimeList: 8.03 (Season 1)

Black Lagoon is just cool. The characters are cool, the action is cool, the setting is cool, and the sprinkling of philosophy is cool. Terminator-like anime maids are cool, town-wide brawls are cool, and psychotic twins with dark backstories are, well, captivating rather than cool. But, that still works.

Madhouse was on a roll throughout the 2000s, and while not its crowning achievement, Black Lagoon is among the studio’s most accessible and long-lasting shows. The basic concept revolves around a Japanese businessman who becomes a mercenary/pirate after realizing his company cares nothing about him. He ends up joining the crew that initially kidnapped him, introducing him to a high-octane life that gradually brings out the best (and worst) in him.

In some ways, Black Lagoon is an escapist fantasy similar to isekai, albeit with far more bullets and an overly long trip back to Japan. The anime is packed with fantastic and varied action sequences, each of which showcases the main group’s unique talents. Admittedly, Revy tends to take the spotlight, which is fine since she is one of the best female characters of the 2000s. It is just a shame Black Lagoon only received two seasons and an OVA.

19 Ouran High School Host Club

MyAnimeList: 8.16

Ouran High School Host Club is a romantic comedy that is full of satire and cliches found in the shojo genre. The series follows the misadventures of Haruhi and the other host club members. Haruhi is a scholarship student at Ouran High, a school primarily for the stereotypical rich kids. After accidentally breaking a very expensive vase belonging to the host club, Haruhi has to join the club to help pay off the debt.

The first episode centers around the members of the club all slowly realizing that, despite her appearance, Haruhi is a girl. The rest of the series involves them all trying to keep Haruhi’s identity a secret. The over-the-top use of satire is one of the reasons many fans still enjoy going back and watching the series, and Ouran High School Host Club is pretty comfortably among the funniest 2000s anime.

18 Aria

MyAnimeList: 7.67 (Season 1)

While the most popular 2000s anime were packed with action, the decade produced plenty of tension-free slice of life and iyashikei masterpieces. Arguably one of the more polarizing series, Aria is famously slow-paced, to the point that the first few episodes can be difficult to get through. Essentially, the story is set in a future world inspired by Venice (literally called Neo Venezia) and follows a group of gondoliers as they slowly guide people through the watery streets.

Aria is in no rush to get anywhere, with the focus being squarely on creating an immersive escapist fantasy. Despite taking a while to find its feet, Aria is a beautiful and therapeutic experience. Each season is better than the last, and the characters gradually blossom into endearing personalities who share charming relationships.

17 Baccano!

MyAnimeList: 8.35

Baccano! is a wild and incomplete journey that is simultaneously one of the best 2000s anime and one of the hardest to recommend. Barely scratching the surface of Ryogo Narita’s light novel series, the adaptation chronicles three storylines set in different years and connected through not-so-obvious means. The result is a purposefully messy and haphazard structure that seems almost like a commentary on storytelling in general, albeit one that still finds the time to explore larger-than-life characters stuck in ridiculous situations that might or might not be of their own doing.

Initially, Baccano! can be exhausting. The first few episodes throw so much information and personalities at viewers that the whole thing can start to seem pointless; however, things do start to click after a while, making the overall experience worthy of pushing through some growing pains.

16 Azumanga Daioh: The Animation

MyAnimeList: 8.04

Arguably one of the most influential anime of the early 2000s, Azumanga Daioh cast a shadow that defined the cute girls doing cute things genre, paving the way for future greats like Lucky Star and School Rumble. However, despite essentially popularizing CGDCT, Azumanga Daioh exists separately from the shows that would follow, offering humor, realism, and emotional subtlety that is wholly unique to itself. Many anime followed and still follow in its footsteps, but Azumanga Daioh is a singular experience with no direct peers.

The complex and timeless characters (mostly) avoid succumbing to tropes, instead being three-dimensional figures who all feel grounded in a sort of reality. Except for a male teacher’s antics, the humor has largely aged well, especially anything related to Ayumu, Chiyo, and Sakaki (who are just brilliant all-around characters). While mostly a slice of life, Azumanga Daioh still incorporates a sense of growth and forward momentum, culminating in a low-key but touching finale.

15 Nana

MyAnimeList: 8.56

Based on Ai Yazawa’s manga, Nana centers around the friendship between two women with the same name. They meet en route to Tokyo and end up sharing an apartment, setting things up for a heartwarming and powerful dynamic. Grounded in reality, Nana explores unhealthy relationships, the burden of ambition, and other themes that many young adults might relate to.

Unfortunately, the anime is not a full adaptation of the available manga and does not provide much closure. Despite that, Nana is still among the best 2000s anime and holds up better than most drama and romance stories from this era.

14 Major

MyAnimeList: 8.21 (Season 1)

Producing six seasons and a few OVAs between 2004 and 2012, Major was a staple of the 2010s and continues to be remembered as a pillar of the sports genre. While most of these stories focus on a high school club’s efforts to go national, Major takes a different approach by chronicling Goro’s career from childhood to playing in the Major League and eventually the World Series.

Viewers get to watch a brash but likable youngster push through early hardship, grow, and mature into one of baseball’s all-time greats, all the while establishing a family of his own. Sports anime are very common, but the genre has produced very few shows as ambitious, well-rounded, and charming as Major.

13 Mononoke

MyAnimeList: 8.42

Anime and horror don’t go together all that well. Plenty of shows manage to build up a sense of dread, but inspiring genuine fear often seems like a step too far. Mononoke comes the closest to crossing this threshold and the anime does it without utilizing jump scares.

Through an unnerving aesthetic and unsettling sound design, Mononoke teleports viewers into a nightmarish world defined by guilt, anger, and mystery. It is a beautiful show about ugly emotions and rotten people.

12 Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex

MyAnimeList: 8.42 (Season 1)

Although overshadowed by the 1995 movie, Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex arguably represents the franchise’s peak, particularly its main narrative. Split between episodic and serial storytelling, Production I.G’s anime follows Motoko Kusanagi and Section 9 as they take on an array of cases and public threats, including fantastic villains such as The Laughing Man.

Similar to the original film, Stand Alone Complex explores its share of cyberpunk and philosophical themes, all the while weaving a gripping detective mystery that also touches upon political tensions. The action, characters, and animation are all great and have aged incredibly well.

11 One Piece

MyAnimeList: 8.72

At this point, One Piece has produced more episodes post-2010 than during the 2000s. Furthermore, the series started in 1999, airing its first cour toward the end of that year. While an argument could be made that One Piece is not technically a 2000s series, quite a few of the anime’s best arcs aired during this era.

Arlong Park, Arabasta, Skypiea, Enies Lobby, and Thriller Bark are all top-notch sagas within the battle shonen genre, and they cemented the show’s legacy as an all-time great. Frankly, the Enies Lobby arc is enough to place One Piece very high among the decade’s greatest shows, and it is only marginally better than the arcs that surround it.

10 Death Note

MyAnimeList: 8.62

Anime fans who enjoy more mature themes will want to watch Death Note. The series follows Light Yagami, a model student and the son of the local police chief after he discovers a mysterious notebook. The book is actually a Death Note a tool used by shinigami (a form of grim reaper) to kill anyone. Light immediately begins using the book to create a crime-free society by writing down the names of known criminals.

Things don’t go as planned and, once challenged by the equally brilliant detective known only as L, Light spirals into a god complex. This, coupled with the Death Note, leads to perhaps the most complex and well-known battle of the minds in anime history. The series handles plenty of mature themes and will constantly have new viewers wondering what’s going to happen next. While arguably losing some momentum toward the end of its run, Death Note nevertheless features arguably the all-time greatest mind-battle in anime history, with L and Light’s cat-and-mouse game being nothing short of riveting.

9 Code Geass: Lelouch Of The Rebellion

Metascore: 8.70 (Season 1)

The Code Geass franchise is the perfect 2000s anime for fans who may have enjoyed watching Light Yagami’s scheming in Death Note. The main series follows an exiled prince, Lelouch vi Britannia, after a chance encounter with a mysterious woman. The woman, who he later learns is called C2, gives him the power of Geass. This power allows him to command anyone to do whatever he wants.

The story takes place after the Holy Britannian Empire (the Americas) takes over Japan using giant mech suits. Using this newfound power Lelouch becomes the leader of the resistance movement, to use them to get revenge on his royal family. There are tons of giant mech fights for action fans as well as plenty of double-crossing and scheming in the series.