Forgotten 2000's: The Anime Classics of Your Childhood
Updated: Sep 26, 2021
Written by: Adrian Andulan
Published on: September 24, 2021 at 20:00 PHT (GMT+8)
The 2000’s were a glorious time for anime, bringing out some of the biggest names in anime such as Naruto, Bleach, Fullmetal Alchemist, and Death Note. With the return of titles such as Shaman King, it’s obvious that people cherish these anime classics. But as much as some of these titles lasted the test of time, others seem to have been forgotten from the mainstream. This list is dedicated to some of the anime released between 2000 to 2009 that might just trigger a good hit of nostalgia.
With the troubling times the world has faced, sometimes a bit of nostalgia can help ease the burden of worry. Sit back, relax, and enjoy the wave of childhood memories.
1. D.Gray-Man
“D. Gray-man” tells the story of Allen Walker, who lives in an alternate 19th century where demons (also known as “Akuma”) run rampant and are hunted down by people called exorcists using holy weapons known as Innocence. Allen Walker is a new recruit to an organization of exorcists called the Black Order, who are dedicated to the destruction of Akuma and the mysterious Millenium Earl, the greatest threat to humanity.
“D. Gray-man”has all the action and comedy that shounen fans are familiar with, but also has the bits of dark fantasy and gothic aesthetics to add flavor to your typical shounen battle series. This series was a hit during its run, spawning a dedicated fanbase and even returning in 2016 with a sequel series titled “D.Gray-Man: Hallow”. And while it may seem dated compared to more contemporary demon slaying titles like “Demon Slayer” and “Jujutsu Kaisen”, it’s no less entertaining or fascinating.
2. Vampire Knight
The story of “Vampire Knight” centers around Yuki Cross, a student at the prestigious Cross Academy. Here, the classes are separated into Day Class and Night Class. While the Day Class hosts the humans, the Night Class hosts the elite vampire society. Yuki is a member of the disciplinary committee, who must maintain order between the two classes. She must also find a way to solve the tension that she feels between Kaname, a Pureblood vampire that saved her as a child, and Zero, a human and member of the discipline committee that has a hatred for vampires.
From love triangles, gothic soundtracks, and sexy vampires, “Vampire Knight” checked all the boxes for the perfect, angsty, mid-2000’s vampire romance that everyone craved. And while it might not shine as well as it did before (let’s be real it had a lot of problematic issues), it still managed to be one of the most well known shoujo fantasy romances of the time. And everybody loves the idea of vampire boyfriends.
3. School Rumble
Tenma Tsukamoto and Kenji Harima are two high school students who just want to confess their feelings to the one they like. Tenma wants to confess to Oji Karasuma, but is struggling to tell him how she feels. Meanwhile Kenji is in love with Tenma, but situations keep happening that make it impossible for him to confess. The two get caught up in ridiculous situations as they try to get through high school and deal with the ridiculous troubles they find in love.
“School Rumble”is everything you love in a school comedy romance, including misunderstandings, love triangles, and a lot of over-the-top comedy. It’s everything you’ll need for a successful slice-of-life comedy and, if the legacy left by “School Rumble” is anything to go by, the makings of an anime classic.
4. Katekyo Hitman Reborn!
Sawada Tsunayoshi is the quintessential school loser. Unpopular, untalented, and super shy, Sawada is barely surviving school. Until it changes when he meets Reborn, a baby who also happens to be a hitman who tells Sawada that he is a member of the most powerful Mafia family in Italy. And the Vongola Famiglia has finally decided to bring their trouble to Sawada. Now Sawada, and his friends, must learn to gain the strength to survive the hardships that the Mafia will