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Some of the most successful shonen anime came out in the 2000s, such as Masashi Kishimoto’s Naruto, Tite Kubo’s Bleach, and Hiromu Arakawa’s Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood. It goes without saying that the 2000s were one of the best periods for shonen fans, who experienced some of the most epic moments in anime, from character transformations to incredible story arcs.
We hate to break it to you, but the 2000s also produced its fair share of weaker shonen anime that didn’t quite match the quality of its most iconic series. Unfortunately, most of these 2000s shonen anime are completely unwatchable today, as time further exposed their mediocre storytelling, bad animation, and lack of originality.
Gokusen
- Year Released: 2004
- Episode Count: 13 episodes
At some point, there came a trend in anime where high school teachers became protagonists for action, comedy, and slice-of-life shows. One of those is Gokusen, which introduced the viewers to Kumiko Yamaguchi, a passionate teacher with a not-so-ordinary background. After all, she wasn’t just a teacher on an all-boys campus but also a secret yakuza clan leader.
While the premise itself is intriguing, Gokusen comes off as a generic copy of the infamous Great Teacher Onizuka (GTO), which executes the delinquent-teacher concept far better. Instead of watching Gokusen’s 13 episodes, it’s more worth it to revisit Eikichi Onizuka and his unforgettable journey in GTO. Also, the Japanese live-action adaptation of Gokusenis far more entertaining and memorable than its anime counterpart.
Shakugan No Shana
- Year Released: 2005
- Episode Count: 24 episodes
When Shakugan No Shana first came out, many fans praised it for its incredible soundtrack, visuals, and exciting storyline. Shana is celebrated as a strong female lead, and that was rare for a lot of anime at the time, making the series stand out in a genre dominated by male protagonists.
Over time, rewatching Shakugan No Shana reveals flaws that weren’t noticeable during its initial run. From the indecisive male lead to the unnecessary love triangle, the anime could have been better without these predictable tropes. The fights, on the other hand, may be flashy and still worth seeing because of the crimson-haired Shana, but there are other aspects of the anime that can easily be off-putting to the viewers.
The Prince of Tennis
- Year Released: 2001
- Episode Count: 178 episodes
When it comes to sports anime that heavily features tennis, The Prince of Tennis by Konomi Takeshi is one of the first titles that comes to mind. Ryoma Echizen is a tennis prodigy who joins the Seigaku team to compete against other teams from qualifiers to nationals. Just like any other sports anime, it has training and tournament arcs, featuring the main team until they reach their dream championship.
While the journey to the top is inspiring, the number of episodes fans had to watch to get there could be overwhelming. On top of that, almost every match in The Prince of Tennis features the same reaction scenes from the onlookers and the same camera angles, which makes the games exhausting to watch. Not to mention, the techniques used by the players in this series become so over-the-top that the matches start to feel like supernatural battles rather than actual tennis games.
Before we forget, The Prince of Tennis is still ongoing, so getting into this long-running anime from the very beginning could be a daunting task.
Buzzer Beater
- Year Released: 2005
- Episode Count: 13 episodes
Buzzer Beater is yet another sports and shonen anime that was released in the 2000s. It has an ambitious plot, pitting ordinary basketball players against extraterrestrial athletes in an intergalactic league. Sounds exciting, right? However, the anime never quite lived up to its potential, as the sports execution feels surprisingly flat for such a bold premise.
Buzzer Beater could have been the next great basketball anime after Slam Dunk, yet it ultimately fell short of expectations. Watching this anime now would hardly feel worthwhile, given how poorly it has aged compared to other sports anime.
Ikki Tousen
- Year Released: 2003
- Episode Count: 13 episodes
Ikki Tousen is a cult-classic guilty-pleasure anime, featuring anime girls fighting each other in battle royale style. From one episode to another, viewers get to witness intense combat sequences, over-the-top action, and, of course, an endless parade of fanservice moments that range from cheeky to downright absurd.
Regarding the story, Ikki Tousen can’t offer much in terms of depth or meaningful character development. The series was clearly marketed toward those ecchi fans, prioritizing fanservice over narrative coherence. For those who are curious about Ikki Tousen, it’s best approached as a guilty-pleasure spectacle that entertains on a surface level.
Ragnarok the Animation
- Year Released: 2004
- Episode Count: 26 episodes
For a longtime Ragnarok player, watching Ragnarok the Animation was a disappointing experience. The adaptation couldn’t do justice to the rich world, diverse character classes, or intricate lore that made the MMORPG game so engaging. Worse, the series didn’t even try to capture the sense of adventure and strategy that made the game so compelling.
Understandably, it’s difficult to translate the depth and freedom of an MMORPG like Ragnarok Online intoan anime. However, that doesn’t mean other anime adaptations of games have failed spectacularly. It’s just that Ragnarok the Animation feels like it completely missed the point of what made the game so special.
Beyblade
- Year Released: 2001
- Episode Count: 51 episodes
Beyblade is one of those shonen anime that became a huge part of our childhood days. At the time, owning a Beyblade was a flex, especially those designed with rare parts or limited-edition features that could dominate real-life Beyblade battles.
However, giving Beyblade a watch now for the sake of nostalgia might not be worth it anymore. It’s a shonen anime that only exists to promote the toy line, with much of the story feeling like a thin excuse to showcase battles and spinning top gimmicks.
