The 2000s was a spectacular decade for anime. One of the highlights of this time was the establishment of the big three Shonen titles. These shows brought many newcomers to the anime community. However, the 2000s were not dominated solely by action anime. Many genres of anime proliferated thanks to the release of many quality titles during this decade.
Romance was one of the most popular genres of anime airing in the 2000s. During this decade, not only was the romance genre able to hone its tropes, but many romance series added new staples for series to come. The 2000s also had a renascence of both mecha and slice-of-life anime. Even if these anime are different in genre, these shows still share a distinctive 2000s look and feel.
10 FLCL Is The Perfect Mix Of Robots, Rock, And Angst
Everything about FLCL screams 2000s punk, and that is not a bad thing. No matter how far-fetched the plot of FLCL gets, everything in this show fits together. FLCL begins as a show about misunderstood teens who wander around a town. However, the show quickly transforms into a mecha/sci-fi battle series.
FLCL is a series that could only have been made in the 2000s, with the less-than-stellar sequel series being testaments to this idea. The tone of the show and characters such as Haru fit the mold of that decade very well. The music of The Pillows also adds another element of 2000s teen angst which defines much of this series.
9 Ouran High School Host Club Is One Of The Most Successful 2000s Romance Animes
A viewer can take one look at the art style of Ouran High School Host Club and discern that the show was made in the 2000s. The character designs, setting, and overall feel of this series are characteristic of many shojo anime coming out during the 2000s. While Ouran High School Host Club is self-aware, the show embraces many of the tropes of the romance genre.
The utilization of roses as symbols, the over-the-top nature of after-school clubs, and the many possible pairings make Ouran High School Host Club a series that utilized the tropes of the 2000s to become a classic.
8 Samurai Champloo And The Wave Of Shin'ichiro Watanabe
Cowboy Bebop aired in the late 1990s and became a massive hit. The show's creator's, Shin'ichiro Watanabe's, popularity continued into the 2000s when he released the series Samurai Champloo. This action series was popular during the 2000s and had specific allusions to cultural ideas of its time.
Samurai Champloo mixes samurai and hip-hop culture. For example, one of the show's protagonists, Mugen, uses break dancing as a part of his fighting style. The series also utilizes the music samples of Nujabes. This marrying of hip-hop and samurai culture worked very well because it came out during the 2000s.
7 The Melancholy Of Haruhi Suzumiya Was Unavoidable For Anime Fans
There are a few series that dominated the anime community while they were airing. The Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya is one of those shows. During the 2000s, the adventures of Haruhi and the SOS Brigade were being discussed in most major anime outlets. It is hard to forget the countless individuals who learned the dance from the show's ending.
Moments from The Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya became iconic. One of these moments, in particular, being the performance of "God Knows." The series also has a well-rounded cast of characters, many of whom have unique powers and abilities. Despite being an unconventional series, Haruhi dominated much of the anime community while airing and long after.
6 Naruto Became A Cultural Staple Of Anime
Naruto introduced many people to anime during the 2000s. Of course, all of the shonen's big three defined much of the anime community during their time. However, two series that are often compared to one another are Bleach and Naruto. While both are products of the 2000s, the original Naruto series left a longer-lasting impression.
Naruto has a similar energy and feel to most 2000s shonen series. Like many shonen from its time, Naruto has a lot of comedic moments. While the original Naruto series did not revolutionize all of anime, it encapsulates much of what does and does not work about 2000s shonen.
5 One Piece Saw Many Of Its Peaks During The 2000s
One Piece is a series that has been able to stay culturally relevant for over two decades. However, the adventures of Luffy and his pirate gang are often associated with the 2000s. This correlation between One Piece and the 2000s may be because One Piece was very successful during this time.
One Piece was an ever-present force during the 2000s. The series was airing consistently from the beginning to the end of the decade. Again, One Piece is still popular today, but many individuals in the anime community associate this series with the 2000s.
4 Gurren Lagann Was A Major Revival For The Mecha Genre
While there was plenty of well-received mecha anime throughout the 2000s, only a few of them reached the same level of success as Gurren Lagann. The series is well known for its battles and their scale. Action and mecha anime during the 2000s often had massive fights. However, none of these shows went to the lengths that Gurren Lagann did.
The sheer zaniness that accompanied many of the show's fight scenes is what propelled Gurren Lagann to being one of the most popular mecha series of its time.
3 Inuyasha Is A Great Mix Of Fantasy And Action
While fantasy/action may not have been the most common genre paring during the 2000s, Inuyasha broke the mold to find mainstream success. There were several reasons why Inuyasha was popular during the 2000s.
The storytelling and world-building in the anime are vast and well crafted, drawing many viewers to the show. Inuyasha has compelling characters as well. Part-human and part-animal characters are a staple of anime, but Inuyasha's half-human half-canine character design became synonymous with 2000s anime.
2 Death Note Is One Of The Most Popular Shows From The 2000s
Death Note is one of those rare anime series that interested both those familiar with the medium and those who were not. The story of Light attempting to become a god through a Death Note is a thrilling narrative that interested many different audiences. For this reason, the show became one of the most popular anime of the 2000s.
Part of the reason that Death Note became popular during its run is that the show encapsulates much of 2000s visual media. Death Note uses a bleak color palette, suspenseful music, dark themes, and anti-heroes to appeal to a specific brand of media that was popular while Death Note was airing.
1 Cardcaptor Sakura Was The Definitive Magical Girl Show For Many In The 2000s
The magical girl genre has been popular for several decades. However, the genre experienced a boom in popularity during the 2000s. While many would point to Sailor Moon as the quintessential magical girl show of the 2000s, the series had experienced its peak during the 1990s.
However, one magical girl anime that experienced extreme popularity throughout the 2000s was Cardcaptor Sakura. This series utilized character designs, music, and a general aesthetic that was popular during the 2000s. The look and feel of Cardcaptor Sakura were well received by fans and allowed the show to become immensely popular.