We're at the point where 2000s anime is fondly looked back on by fans as retro titles. It may feel like it was only yesterday to some, but we're decades away from what many consider to be one of the best eras to be an anime fan. Whether you're looking for some older anime to check out or just want to take a trip down memory lane, there are tons of great 2000s anime you can stream.
Crunchyroll has some of the best anime from your childhood, including many 2000s classics. From hit shonen standouts to forgotten gems, here are some of the best 2000s anime you can stream on Crunchyroll.
5 iconic anime from the 2000s that became more popular over time
Some of the most famous anime series of the 2000s didn't get off to the best start and became popular later.
Full Metal Panic! is a typical watch if you're going down a 2000s rabbit hole. The series follows Sousuke Sagara, a member of a military group called Mithril, who is assigned to watch over a seemingly normal high school student named Kaname Chidori. Kaname actually possesses subconscious knowledge that causes various agencies and organizations to target her. That's where Sousuke comes in. But his military upbringing and lack of everyday social skills puts him at odds with Kaname and makes him stick out like a sore thumb.
Full Metal Panic! is a great action comedy that unfortunately seems to have fallen into obscurity among modern audiences. The series has several seasons and a more comedy-heavy spin-off courtesy of Kyoto Animation. The series really shines when it focuses on the dynamic between Sousuke and Kaname, with the two being one of the most overlooked anime duos out there.
Samurai Champloo
It seems that Samurai Champloo has received more (deserved) recognition in recent years. While by no means an obscure series, the anime was often overshadowed by director Shinichiro Watanabe's most notable work; Cowboy Bebop.
Rearrange the casings in the correct Japanese release order.
Start
Rearrange the casings in the correct Japanese release order.
Light (5)Medium (7)Hard (10)
Set in the Edo period and known for its various anachronistic elements, the series follows a young girl named Fuuu, who sets out with a disheveled outlaw named Mugen and a ronin named Jin to find a samurai who smells like sunflowers. The series is up there with Bebop as one of Watanabe's best works, with the animation, soundtrack and character writing completely knocking it out of the park and making Samurai Champloo stand out as one of the best anime of the decade.
Naruto
You can't talk about great 2000s anime without bringing it up Naruto. One of the infamous “Big 3”, next door One Piece and Whiten, Naruto is one of the most iconic anime of all time, remains a popular franchise for newcomers and veterans alike to enjoy.
Between the original series and ShippudenNaruto was everywhere in the 21st century. It is easy to understand why the series was so popular. Naruto is an interesting and easy protagonist to root for, and he gets 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 of options to choose from. From oversaturated harems to more punchy romances, the 2000s had it all. One of the best romantic anime of the decade was Ouran High School Host Club.
Haruhi Fujioka is a scholar at the titular and highly prestigious Ouran Academy. But when Haruhi accidentally breaks an expensive vase, Haruhi has no choice but to join the school's host club, who at first thought she was a boy, to pay off her debt by helping to entertain the customers. If you like Shojo romances and enjoy reverse harems, Ouran High School Host Club is something you should definitely have on your watch list. The series is fun, still looks great, and is of course a solid romance anime that even those not usually into the genre can enjoy.
Considered by fans as one of the best anime of the century and a standout film of the 21st century, Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood is one of those series you have to watch at least once. The same can be said of its predecessors, which clearly deviate from the source material and still manage to create something that is incredibly fun 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, who set out to find a way to get their bodies back after a botched human transmutation ritual that left Ed without arms and legs and forced him to bind Al's soul to a weapon after the younger Elric completely lost his original body during the ritual. Brotherhood shines when it focuses on the close 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 the adaptation of Atsushi Ohkubo's Firepower over, why not go back to the series that served as the mangaka's breakout? Soul Eater is one of the often overlooked great shonen anime of the 2000s, with the adaptation's relatively short runtime and diversion from the manga towards the end doing it no favors.
Set in Death City, where the students at the Death Weapon Meister Academy are divided into two groups, human hybrids who transform into weapons called Death Scythes, and masters who wield them, Soul Eater follows an ensemble 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 it has to move away from the source material, Soul Eater is still a visually striking, fun shonen series. Although no one would complain if the series ended up getting the “Brotherhood” treatment in the future.
The Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya
Haruhi Suzumiya was an icon of the 2000s anime scene, standing as one of the decade's most recognizable and popular characters. It may be hard for some to imagine all these years away from the series' peak, but anime fans absolutely loved following Haruhi and the rest of the SOS Brigade's misadventures.
The Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya is another great KyoAni adaptation, where the series looks just as good as you'd expect. Two decades later, The Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya still stands as one of the best series of the 2000s, with the eccentric and charismatic Haruhi stealing absolutely every scene and her dynamic with the more subdued Kyon a highlight of the series. The only 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 well worth it. And if you end up liking the anime, you can watch the 2010s The Disappearance of Haruhi Suzumiyawhich itself is one of the best anime films of that decade.
One Piece
The One Piece The anime premiered in late 1999, so technically that makes it a 90s anime, but the series would go on to be a staple of the 2000s anime scene. Chances are, if you were an anime fan growing up around that time, Luffy's journey to become the Pirate King and find the legendary One Piece served as one of your earliest experiences with the medium.
Although the series is notorious for its filler and has some issues with consistency, the anime is still a watchable watch. Whether you're a fan of the manga 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. With the Elbaf Arc airing throughout the spring season after a 3-month hiatus, fans are expecting big things from the anime.
