We're at the point where anime from the 2000s are fondly looked upon by fans as retro titles. It may seem like only yesterday to some, but we are decades away from what many consider to be one of the best eras for anime fans. Whether you're looking for some older anime to watch or just want to take a trip down memory lane, there are plenty of great anime from the 2000s to stream.
Crunchyroll has some of the best anime from your childhood, including numerous classics from the 2000s. Here are some of the best 2000s anime you can stream on Crunchyroll, from top shonens to forgotten gems.
5 iconic anime from the 2000s that have become more popular over time
Some of the most famous anime series from the 2000s didn't have the best start and became popular later.
Full Metal Panic! is a typical watch if you're going down the rabbit hole of the year 2000. The series follows Sousuke Sagara, a member of the military group Mithril, who is tasked with guarding a seemingly normal high school student named Kaname Chidori. Kaname actually has subconscious knowledge that causes various agencies and organizations to target her. This is where Sousuke comes into play. But his military upbringing and lack of everyday social skills puts him at odds with Kaname and makes him stand out as a headache.
Full Metal Panic! is a great action comedy that has unfortunately fallen into obscurity among modern audiences. The series has several seasons and multiple comedy spin-offs courtesy of Kyoto Animation. The series really shines when it focuses on the dynamic between Sousuke and Kaname, the two being one of anime's most overlooked pairings.
Samurai Champloo
It seems as if Samurai Champloo is getting more (deserved) recognition in recent years. Although by no means an obscure series, the anime has often been overshadowed by director Shinichiro Watanabe's most notable work; Cowboy Bebop.
Arrange the covers in the correct Japanese release order.
Start
Arrange the covers in the correct Japanese release order.
Easy (5) Medium (7) Hard (10)
Set in the Edo period and featuring various anachronistic elements, the series follows a young girl named Fuuu as she sets out alongside a disheveled outlaw named Mugen and a ronin named Jin to find a samurai who smells like sunflowers. The series is up there Bebop as one of Watanabe's best works, with the animation, soundtrack and character writing absolutely knocking it out of the park and creating Samurai Champloo stand out as one of the best anime of the decade.
Naruto
You can't talk about great anime from the 2000s without being polite Naruto. One of the infamous “Big 3” next door One piece and Bleach, Naruto is one of the most iconic anime of all time and remains a franchise favorite for newcomers and veterans alike.
Among the original series and ShippudenNaruto was everywhere in 2000. It's easy to see why the series was so popular. Naruto is an interesting protagonist who is easy to root for and has some great moments of growth throughout the series along with a strong supporting cast and one of the most interesting power systems in anime.
Ouran High School Host Club
If romance is more your thing, the 2000s had plenty to choose from. From over-the-top harems to more compelling romances, the 2000s had it all. One of the best romance anime of the decade was Ouran High School Host Club.
Haruhi Fujioka is a scholarship student at the titular and very prestigious Ouran Academy. But when Haruhi accidentally breaks an expensive vase, Haruhi has no choice but to join the school's host club, which she originally thought was a boy, and pay off her debt by helping to entertain customers. If you like Shojo romances and you like reverse harems, Ouran High School Host Club is something you should definitely have on your watchlist. The series is fun, still looks great, and is obviously a solid romance anime that even those who aren't usually into the genre will enjoy.
Considered by fans to be one of the best anime of the century and the pinnacle of the 21st century, Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood is one of those series that you have to watch at least once. The same can be said for its predecessor, which deviates significantly from its source material and still manages to create something that is incredibly enjoyable and unique.
Brotherhood does a great job of fully adapting the manga and giving fans all the great twists and turns of Hiromu Arakawa's iconic story The series follows brothers Ed and Alphonse Elric as they set out to find a way to reclaim their bodies after a botched human transmutation ritual that left Ed without an arm and a leg and forced him to bind Al's soul to the armor after the younger Elric completely lost his original body during the ritual. Brotherhood September as it focuses on the tight sibling bond between Ed and Al, but what really makes the series such a great watch is the incredibly strong supporting cast, each with their own complexities and individual character arcs.
Soul Eater
With Atsushi Ohkubo's adaptation Fire Force end, why not go back to the series that served as the mangaka's escape? Soul Eater is one of the often overlooked great shonen anime of the 2000s, with a relatively short adaptation run and a departure from the manga towards the end that doesn't do it any favors.
It takes place in the city of death, where the students of the Academy of Deadly Weapon Masters are divided into two groups, the human hybrids who transform into weapons called Deadly Scythes, and the meisters who wield them. Soul Eater follows a cast consisting of Maka Albarn and her partner, Soul, Black Star and his partner Tsubaki, and Death the Kid and his partners, the Thompson twins. Even though Soul Eater has to distance itself from the source material, it's still a visually striking, fun shonen series. Although no one would complain if the series gets the “Brotherhood” treatment in the future.
The Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya
Haruhi Suzumiya was an icon of the anime scene in the 2000s, becoming one of the most recognizable and beloved characters of the decade. It may be hard for some to imagine all those years away from the series' peak, but anime fans absolutely loved watching Haruhi and the rest of the SOS Brigade misadventure.
The Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya is another great KyoAni adaptation, with the series looking just as good as you'd expect. Two decades later, The Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya It still stands out as one of the best series of the 2000s, with the eccentric and charismatic Haruhi stealing absolutely every scene and its dynamic, while the more subdued Kyon serves as the highlight of the series. One major knock against the anime is the infamous Endless Eight arc, which can test the patience of even the most dedicated fans. But it's worth it. And if you end up liking the anime, you can watch 2010 The Disappearance of Haruhi Suzumiyawhich in itself is one of the best anime movies of the decade.
One piece
The One piece the anime premiered in late 1999, so that technically makes it a 1990s anime, but the series would become a staple of the 2000s anime scene. Chances are, if you were an anime fan growing up at the time, Luffy's journey to becoming the Pirate King and finding the legendary One Piece served as one of your first experiences with the medium.
While the series is notorious for its filler and has some consistency issues, the anime is still worth watching. Whether you're a manga fan who wants to see their favorite scenes animated, or just someone who wants to experience the series for the first time, One piece anime is a fun time. Since the Elbaf Arc aired during the spring season after a 3-month hiatus, fans are expecting big things from the anime.
