Longtime members of the community will know that countless beloved fantasy anime series, many of which are still popular today, were released in the 21st century. From Inuyasha and Mononoke to Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood and Soul Eaterwas the decade stacked with memorable releases, many of which aired on Western television and served to bring more people into the anime fandom as a whole. But for every highly-acclaimed release that hit the small screen, an underwhelming, forgettable, and sometimes largely mean series awaited.
These six releases turned out to be everything from messy original series to poorly designed video game adaptations and bizarre OVAs. some of the worst fantasy anime released in the 2000s. While most of them aren't available to stream on any major service, this can prove to be a blessing, as your time is likely better spent with literally any other release from the historic decade. Whether the animation is lacking, the story is terrible, or the characters are downright annoying, these represent some of the worst series the 2000s had to offer.
The best fantasy anime of every year in the 2010s
Every year in the 2010s was filled with amazing fantasy anime. These stand out as the best.
Dragonaut: The Resonance
Released in 2007 and animated by the well-known studio Gonzo, Dragonaut: The Resonance follows Jin Kamishina, an 18-year-old boy who one day witnesses what appears to be a murder committed by a bizarre creature. As it turns out, the monster he saw was a dragon, which appeared on Earth after Pluto's destruction of an asteroid 20 years earlier. These dragons start appearing all over the planet, and Jin decides to fight back against them with the help of Toa, a mysterious girl who saved him in the middle of his first dragon battle.
If its story sounds somewhat incomprehensible, it's the same response critics received when the show was released. While its music and character designs aren't completely abysmal, the show's plot and boring CG dragon battles are remarkably underwhelming, making Dragonaut: The Resonance a strange relic of anime history. Unfortunately, its screenwriting, provided by Atsushi Maekawa from Dragon Ball Z fame, and its prolific animation studio didn't quite live up to fans' expectations.
Of all the entries on this list, Dragonaut: The Resonance is the only series available to watch on a major streaming service. If curiosity gets the best of you, all 26 episodes are available on Crunchyroll.
Demon lane
With humble beginnings as a PC eroge novel, Demon lane later came to the PlayStation 2 with a non-adult remake, which enjoyed considerably more success, and spawned a new visual novel, a manga series, and an anime adaptation. Unfortunately, the latter was far from polished. The anime series covers the entire PS2 game and follows Kurou Daijuuji, a struggling detective living in Arkham City. (No, not that one.) One day he's asked to search for a magical book, and his reward is a large chunk of cash. During his mission, he meets Al, a sweet girl with an unexpected secret.
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Fans of the PS2 game were immediately confused by the anime adaptation, as the 12-episode series makes many bizarre changes that simply weren't necessary, with some major game characters only getting a few seconds of screen time and others having their designs completely changed. The story is lacking (and in some respects completely non-existent), and the ending – if it can be called that – gives the audience no closure or satisfaction.
Moribito: Guardian of the Spirit
IN Moribito: Guardian of the Spiritthe female protagonist and spear wielder Balsa is a wandering warrior who seeks to atone for the eight people she has killed by saving as many people. One day she saves the life of Prince Chagum, and given her incredible strength, she is chosen to serve as the king's bodyguard. It turns out that Prince Chagum's own father had ordered his murder, forcing the two to embark on a dangerous journey as they learn more about each other, including the king's connection to a legendary water spirit of untold power.
Beginning as a single children's novel in 1996, Moribito: Guardian of the Spirit grew into a 12-book series that found incredible success and spawned a radio adaptation, manga series, and even a drama. Unfortunately, the anime didn't quite live up to expectations, although some may remember its very brief appearance on Adult Swim in the late 2000s. Although its story is solid, the show's slow pacing was met with criticism, and its finale was seen as incredibly anticlimactic, given the high stakes at play. The fantasy elements could also have been more developed.
Generation of Chaos
Generation of Chaos may only be a one-episode OVA, but its massive failure is worth mentioning. Inspired by the 2006 turn-based strategy RPG of the same name for the PSP, the show takes place in Neverland, a world where monsters and humans coexist. The heroes of this locale are Chiffon and Roze, the former being able to train monsters and the latter being of half-demon descent. During the OVA's short run, Roze learns that his power is waning and must try to regain control of it, while Roze's home is destroyed due to her half-demon blood.
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Despite being only 30 minutes long, reviews for Generation of Chaos are very negative, with complaints mainly focused on its generic and boring story, terrible art style, and forgettable characters. The OVA also chose to use the game's soundtrack, which doesn't fit the overall mood of the story being told. Some have tried to be forgiving when it comes to the show's use of 3D animation, considering it was released in 2001, but several other releases managed to utilize the technology in a much better state around the same time.
Kai Doh Maru
Regarding bad OVA releases, Production IG's Kai Doh Maruwhich was released in 2001 in Japan and 2003 in the US, was an experiment gone wrong. Its story takes place during Japan's Heian period, when evil spirits could still be found wandering the wilderness. A young girl chooses to fight these spirits while disguised as a boy, fighting for the honor of her lost love, Raikou Minamotono, who sacrificed himself to protect the city of Kyoto.
As the screenshots above show, Kai Doh Marus art style and color palette was polarizing upon release, with its muted scrolling animation impressing some but frustrating others. With a running time of just 46 minutes, the show's deep dive into Heian period politics is extremely rushed, with characters given no time to develop properly. For many, Kai Doh Maru is an example of wasted potential. If it was allowed to run for more episodes, it might have gained a few more fans.
Final Fantasy: Unlimited
Given the continued popularity of Final Fantasy game series, the colossal failure of the 2001s Final Fantasy: Unlimited hurt more than any other fantasy anime series of the decade. The series follows Ai and Yu Hayakawa, 12-year-old twins, as they venture to the parallel dimension of Wonderland to find their missing parents. Encountering a crazy (and sadly underdeveloped) character along the way, the series throws in some familiar aspects of Final Fantasy lore, including a character named Cid and the appearance of Chocobo and Cactuar. Those looking for a proper FF-style romp, however, will be sorely disappointed.
Although the series was created by Square and produced by Gonzo, it quickly lost its fan base when its many flaws were revealed. Final Fantasy: Unlimited was planned to run for 52 episodes, but its low ratings and the financial failure of Final Fantasy: The Spirits Within In 2001, the number was drastically reduced to 25. Too many Unlimited just felt too childish, and since the series was essentially cut in half, most characters never got a chance to shine. (It's worth mentioning, though, that its opening and closing themes are gorgeous. Even a broken clock is right twice a day, after all.)
