While the early 2000s may seem like a lifetime ago for some, the period between 2000 and 2009 is full ofanimegold. 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. Somehave even been receiving reboots and sequelsin recent years. With so manypopular 2000s animeto go through, newer audiences have plenty of great starting points.
Updated August 03, 2025 by Mark Sammut:The 2000s was such a great era for anime, arguably the best of all time. Consequently, two more of thebest 2000s animehave been added as recommendations: Higurashi and Spice and Wolf.
Bleachis 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.
Bleachis full of action and takes sword fights to a new level. Anime fans looking for a lengthy action series will want to check out theanime adaptation of Tite Kubo’s manga. While some of the filler arcs are notoriously exhausting to get through, at its peak,Bleachfeatures 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.
With the release of its sequelYashahime: Princess Half-Demonand the hundreds of TikToksreminiscing about love trianglesand waking up to that iconic closing theme, it is no wonderInuyashais 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. Inuyasharevolves 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.
Inuyashashowcases Rumiko Takahashi’s incredible talentfor crafting likable characters who are equally apt at humor and drama, with this particular series balancing the two incredibly well.
Arguably thegreatest gambling animeof all time,Kaijiis relentless. The story follows the eponymous character as he is dragged into the underworld due to a debt, showing the lengths he has to go to try and regain control of his life. Beyond Kaiji’s desperation and slow-building addiction, the anime reveals an organization that uses people like him as not only revenue but also entertainment.
Most gambling anime are about geniuses who rarely ever come close to losing, and these types of stories are satisfying. However,Kaijidiffers due to following a “normal” protagonist who is consistently over his head and can fail at any given moment. No outcome is guaranteed, which makes every situation extremely intense.
As awesome as this2000s animeis, the second season aired in 2011, so it cannot fully be counted for this discussion. The first season is overall superior to the sequel, although the latter’s opening arc is stronger than anything in the former.
The Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiyais 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 ofLucky Star, which debuted the following year).Haruhi Suzumiya’smix 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 Suzumiyais 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 theambitious but polarizing Endless Eight arc, which did seem to derail the show’s momentum. Finally,The Disappearance of Haruhi Suzumiyais a masterpiece, but that film came out in 2010 and requires sitting through both seasons to fully appreciate.
Narutois 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. Narutofinds friends and rivals along the wayand 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,Narutowas inescapable throughout the decade, even more so thanBleachorOne Piece. WhileShippudenmostly aired after 2010, its predecessor’s canon arcs are contenders for the best in the series, delivering consistently great action, comedy, and world-building.
If there is one big criticism that can be thrown atSkip Beat!, it would have to be the anime’s length. The adaptation barely scratches the manga’s surface, which has over 50 volumes and has been going on for more than two decades. Still, the anime serves as a good entry point into this story, beautifully introducing the three main characters, along with showcasing the mangaka’s incredible talent for blending humor and drama.
After learning that her boyfriend was using her as a doormat while he pursued fame, Kyouko decides to become a superstar herself in the name of revenge. Before long, she ends up in the middle of a love triangle with her ex and another famous actor who she initially dislikes.Skip Beat!works mainly due to Kyouko, who is just an all-round delight.
Anime and horrordo not go together all that often, but the industry has produced a few memorable scary stories over the decades. Except for maybeAnotherandElfen Lied,Higurashiis arguably the most famous horror anime of all time, and it is considerably scarier than either of those two shows.
While the franchise became convoluted with its more modern releases, the original season andKaihold up incredibly well, offering 50 episodes filled with dread, gore, shocking reveals, and the most terrifying girls in anime.Higurashiis a must-watch for pretty much any horror fan who is also into anime, but it is harder to recommend to people who are not into the genre. Still, it also works well as a mystery story and a psychological thriller.
Satoshi Kon should need no introduction to anime fans. The creative force behindPerfect 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 Agentis 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.
One of the most influential romanceanime of the 2000s,Toradorais still pretty popular as a gateway option to not just this genre but also the medium in general. That said, the series seems to get a bit more criticism nowadays, with Taiga’s tsundere antics being particularly divisive. Still, as long as someone is fine with some over-the-top slapstick, they will find a cute story that starts comedic and gradually ramps up the drama, culminating in a mostly satisfying finale.
Toradoraprimarily revolves around the budding relationship between Ryuji and Taiga, two people who could not be more different. Initially, they are essentially just using each other to further their other romantic interests; however, they steadily become closer, and their journey is quite lovely.
Anime has a couple of standoutstories revolving around music, withBocchi the Rockbeing probably the most famous recent example. While that show might conjure up flashbacks ofK-On!, it arguably has more in common with 2004’sBeck, 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,Beckis 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.Beckdives 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.
