Throughout the 2000s, Toonami aired several great anime that longtime fans will likely remember. These nostalgic examples are proof.
Toonami began in 1997. The afternoon weekday block of anime and cartoons lasted until 2004. It then moved to Saturdays and was given a longer time slot to work with. After this point, it remained on the air, swapping out different shows until 2008. Then, the brand was shuttered for a good while.
Part of that might be because Adult Swim came into existence. They could show anime uncut, which gathered a huge audience. That’s not to say there weren’t good anime in the 2000 to 2008 era of Toonami. There are plenty of shows to get nostalgic about that still hold up today. However, tracking them down nowadays is a different story.
Updated on May 21, 2023, by Layann Basileh: Despite being firmly rooted in the past, there are still many gems hidden in the Toonami anime lineup to look back fondly on. Although some of these Toonami shows originally aired, either in the U.S. or internationally, years before the 2000s, Toonami would offer them another run on the silver screen during this era and another opportunity to leave a sentimental mark on the childhoods of their viewers. These reruns would also expose young anime fans to the charms beyond that of early 2000s anime, cementing an appreciation for beloved and iconic titles throughout the various eras of Japanese animation.
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20 Yu-Gi-Oh!
From the franchise that produced a card game second only to the infamous Pokemon cards, Yu-Gi-Oh! Duel Monsters would mark the original manga’s second anime adaptation. Whether viewers owned a pack of Duel Monsters cards or not, all were captivated by the adventures of the memorably haired Yugi Muto, his alter ego Yami Yugi, and his companions as they battled against other card duelists and delved into the depths of Yami Yugi’s past.
Toonami wouldn’t end up airing the entirety of the series, but its short run surely attracted the attention of what would become longtime fans of the anime.
19 Hikaru no Go
Genres collide as mind sports meet the supernatural in this coming-of-age anime that follows the journey of Hikaru, a young boy who becomes uniquely possessed by the ghost of a Heian period Go player. Instead of overtaking his body, the ghost resides in Hikaru’s mind and pushes him to enter Go matches, internally educating him on the complexities of the game as the matches unfold.
The series is credited with widely generating interest in Go among Japanese youth and introducing American audiences to the strategy board game.
18 Dragon Ball
The first animated installment to adapt one of the most distinguished mangas of all time, Dragon Ball made its debut in the 1980s but would air on Toonami in the early 2000s in the form of reruns, allowing another generation of fans to grow up with the legendary series.
While the shonen anime’s sequel series, Dragon Ball Z, would garner more popularity, it’s undeniable that Dragon Ball paved the way for its successor’s acclamation and began the fantastical, action-packed animated adventure fans continue to cherish in their hearts today.
17 The Prince of Tennis
Adapted from the eponymous bestselling sports manga, The Prince of Tennis follows tennis prodigy and protagonist Ryoma as he enters Seigaku, an academy renowned for its talented tennis team. The series touches on teamwork, passion for the sport, and its technical aspects.
Although not as prominent as Slam Dunk, a sports series that revolutionized basketball in Japan, The Prince of Tennis remains a significant entry in sports anime, with adaptations spanning stage musicals, live actions films, and even a reboot of the series in 2022 to celebrate its 20th anniversary.
16 Hamtaro
The wide-eyed image of this slice of life’s titular furry protagonist is no rare sight for those who dabble in Japanese media culture, which was even utilized as a symbol of government greed during student protests in Thailand in 2020. Hamtaro’s adorable, retro style and the twinkling eyes of its hamster hero have remained endearing to both new and old viewers.
The shojo series circulates around Hamtaro’s lighthearted misadventures with his equally cute Ham-Ham Gang and Laura (known as Hiroko in the original Japanese run), Hamtaro’s beloved ten-year-old owner.
15 Dragon Ball Z
Dragon Ball Z is an anime pretty much everyone even remotely familiar with the shonen genre is aware of. The amazing transformation and earth-shattering battles of this series make for some of the most iconic moments in anime history. Watching Goku, Vegeta, and the rest of the Z Warriors attain new heights in power to try and fight against various intergalactic threats makes for a great time indeed.
From Goku and Piccolo’s battle against Raditz to the fateful confrontation between Gohan and Majin Buu — the sheer number of memorable moments in this anime is simply mind-boggling. It’s easy to see why so many people hold Dragon Ball Z in high regard as one of the greatest anime ever made, with Dragon Ball Super doing its part in continuing the legacy of his historied series. Dragon Ball Z originally aired in the early 1990s but was featured on Toonami in the 2000s.
14 Duel Masters
Many anime that focused on certain card games or toys became the norm for quite some time. Shows like Beyblade and Yu-Gi-Oh! proved that such anime had the potential to become popular in the West as well. As a result, Duel Masters became another show that tried to cash in on this popularity by airing on Toonami, and most people would argue that it succeeded in this goal.
Duel Masters was a great show that took its card game to new heights of popularity with a simple yet engaging premise. People loved building up their own Duel Masters deck after watching this show, even if certain liberties were taken when it came to the actual rules during a game. Regardless, the adventure of Shobu and his friends as they try to become the ultimate duelist makes for a great time!
13 Gundam Wing
Gundam Wing was the first big show in the franchise to capture the youth in 2000, though the series initially aired in 1995. It was a grittier story and featured more Gundam models than any previous iteration before it. To call it a hit would be an understatement.
The show was so big that Toonami even started a nightly run of it, uncensored. This midnight block of anime later became Adult Swim. The unedited version changed some language and added blood, but it wasn’t anything shocking.
12 Tenchi Muyo
Tenchi Muyo also came out in 2000 on Toonami despite debuting in the nineties. It was the first series of Tenchi Muyo, but many more were soon to follow on Toonami. It is a typical harem anime except with fantastical space pirates and ancient Japanese magic.
The blending of the two genres worked well. Plus it had plenty of fan service for harem anime lovers. Much of it was censored on Toonami, though. Thankfully fans of this old anime can get all the fan service they want through other releases.
11 The Big O
The Big O was released in 2001 in North America, right after it finished airing in Japan. Most series on Toonami were brought over from the mid-90s to the early 2000s. So, The Big O being somewhat new was a nice change of pace. The anime would prove popular enough in the West that eventually a second season would be greenlit in association with Adult Swim.
It was a combination of a mech anime like Gundam, featuring a giant robot, and Batman: The Animated Series. The art style fits in well with the animated Batman series from a few years previous. For example, the city of Paradigm had an Art Deco design to it, much like Batman. It is a fun, over-the-top mech anime that should still please fans of the genre to this day.
10 Outlaw Star
Outlaw Star launched in 2001 on Toonami after debuting in the late 1990s as well. It was about a group of space adventurers who were trying to find a great treasure in the vastness of space. A syndicate of pirates was after the treasure as well, causing Gene and his crew all kinds of trouble.
Amazingly, this show didn’t have as long of a run as another outlaw space anime, Cowboy Bebop. That anime was an Adult Swim staple. While Outlaw Star had a good run on Toonami, it wasn’t everlasting. It still holds up though and there is even a Blu-ray collection of it.
9 Rurouni Kenshin
Rurouni Kenshin didn’t see the light of day in the West until 2003, originally airing in Japan in the 1990s. It was a twist to the typical samurai anime. The main character, Kenshin, was a retired samurai. He killed a lot in the name of war, but he was horrified by his crimes. So, he decided to hang up that method of swordplay.
He still fought in the anime, but he vowed never to kill again. Even with a reversed blade on his sword, Kenshin could still do some damage to the bad guys while keeping true to his word.
8 .hack//Sign
.hack//Sign was one of the anime to premiere during Toonami’s Saturday afternoon block. It was released alongside the first game, .hack//Infection. The game also came with an anime, .hack//Liminality, packaged with the disc.
It was a huge push to create this interconnected universe. While all three things shared some characters and the fake MMORPG, The World, each had a different approach to its storytelling. The show was like a thinking man’s anime. It was quiet, focusing a lot of time on psychology and existentialism.
7 Cyborg 009
Cyborg 009 came out around the same time as .hack//Sign. Funnily enough, it started on the normal weekday block before moving to the weekend time slot. The story follows nine heroes who each have their own set of mechanical implants.
The titular 009 agent can slow down time because of his Mach speed ability. It is a lesser-known anime now and is a bit simple and cliche nowadays. However, it is still worth tracking down for anime fans of cyborg shows.
6 Naruto
Naruto needs no introduction. It was one of the last big anime to premiere on Toonami during the Cartoon Network era, also as part of the weekend run around 2005. It was as close to another Dragon Ball Z-level hit as the anime block got. It didn’t have the bad habit of disappearing on new episode hiatuses either.
Naruto did air plenty of filler, though, but that’s not necessarily the anime’s fault. Giant shonen anime like Naruto is bound to have multiple side story arcs so that the manga side has a chance to get ahead. The early years of Naruto are a bit slow but this truly is a fantastic ninja anime.
5 Cardcaptors
Alternately known as Cardcaptor Sakura or CCS, this magical girl anime may have never risen to the height of fame that its predecessor Sailor Moon reached but the series is still widely considered to be a staple title in both the magical girl and shojo genre.
The anime follows Sakura Kinomoto, a preteen who accidentally breaks the seal of a magical book tucked away in her basement. The broken seal frees the Clow Cards, a magical card set with a mischievous streak. It’s up to Sakura, her newly discovered magical abilities, and a few loyal friends to capture the unleashed Clow Cards.
4 Pokemon: Master Quest
Pokemon: Master Quest marked the last season of adventures featuring the anime franchise’s original trio: Ash, Brock, and Misty. After five seasons of shenanigans, the trio travels through the last of the Johto region, and Ash enters the Johto League championship tournament. Ash’s loss there is the catalyst for his decision to bid farewell to his friends and journey to the Hoenn region to become a stronger Pokemon trainer.
It’s only Misty fans who have to part with a cherished character after Master Quest concludes, as Brock rejoins Ash and his new traveling troupe by the fourth episode of the following season.
3 YuYu Hakusho
This iconic shonen anime may have originally aired in the 1990s, but it would grace American television screens in the 2000s. Created by Yoshihiro Togashi, the same mangaka behind Hunter x Hunter, YuYu Hakusho revolves around junior high delinquent Yusuke Urameshi. Despite his rough reputation, Yusuke loses his life after selflessly saving a child from being struck by a car.
This good deed earns him a second chance at life with a few strings attached. After returning to the land of the living, Yusuke is charged with investigating and handling supernatural occurrences as a Spirit Detective.
2 Astro Boy (2003)
The 2003 rendition of Astro Boy is the third anime adaptation of the milestone science fiction franchise and was actually developed in part to celebrate the 40th anniversary of the 1963 anime adaptation. Released on the titular protagonist’s fictional birthdate, Astro Boy follows the same general plotline of its predecessors but incorporates the beloved whimsical visuals of the original anime alongside the darker themes and emphasized action sequences that the manga and 1980 anime adaption are known for.
If the 2009 film adaptation was a disappointment, consider giving this series a rewatch.
1 One Piece
Even those who don’t claim to be anime fans are familiar with this nautical adventure series. The One Piece franchise is one that boasts many accolades and even broke the Guinness World Record for the most copies published for the same comic book series by a single author twice.
Viewers watching One Piece on Toonami back in the 2000s would most likely have never thought they could be watching new episodes of the same show more than ten years later, but One Piece truly defies convention.
Fuente: successacademy.edu.vn
Categorías: Anime
