Best Adventure Anime of 2000

On her fifteenth birthday, Kagome Higurashi is suddenly dragged by a demon into the old well at her family's shrine, sending her back to feudal Japan, a time when demons roamed freely. There, she becomes the target of relentless attacks from creatures driven by their desire for the Shikon Jewel, a small orb of immense power that she unknowingly carries. In this dangerous situation, she meets Inuyasha, a half-demon boy who initially mistakes her for Kikyou, a shrine maiden he holds a grudge against. This resemblance sparks a strong hostility from Inuyasha toward Kagome. Yet, once he understands the peril they both face, he puts his animosity aside and offers his help. During a struggle over the Shikon Jewel, the sacred object is broken into countless fragments that scatter across the land. Alarmed by the potential chaos this could cause, Kagome and Inuyasha embark on a difficult mission to gather the shards before they can be misused.

Yuugi Mutou is a lonely and somewhat naive high school student with a deep fascination for games. While staying with his grandfather, who runs a game shop, he stumbles upon an ancient Egyptian artifact called the "Millennium Puzzle." Legend has it that whoever solves the puzzle will have any wish granted. Determined to make friends, Yuugi dedicates himself to solving it. After years of effort, he finally completes the puzzle and mysteriously finds his wish has come true. Around the same time, a new card game called "Duel Monsters" begins to gain widespread popularity. In this game, players known as duelists battle each other using monster cards, supported by magic and trap cards to disrupt their opponent's strategies. Yuugi quickly becomes skilled at the game and enjoys a peaceful life with his newfound friends. But Yuugi's tranquility is short-lived. The undefeated duelist and egocentric billionaire Seto Kaiba kidnaps Yuugi's grandfather, forcing him into a duel for the rare "Blue Eyes White Dragon" card. This event thrusts Yuugi into a world of intense battles, with stakes escalating as dark forces begin to meddle from the shadows. After unexpectedly defeating Kaiba with the help of his "other self"—the spirit of a nameless pharaoh residing within the puzzle—Yuugi unofficially becomes the top duelist, known as "The King of Games." However, this new title attracts envy, and Yuugi must use all his intelligence and willpower to protect what he holds most dear.

Taichi Yagami and his companions have progressed to junior high school, but in that time, they've lost touch with their Digimon partners. So Taichi is startled when he receives an unexpected distress call summoning him to the Digital World. Upon arriving, he discovers that Digimon are terrified of the mysterious Digimon Emperor, who is somehow preventing them from Digivolving! Back in the real world, Hikari Yagami and Takeru Takaishi find themselves together in the same fifth-grade class. They share three classmates: Daisuke Motomiya, who reminds them both of Taichi; Miyako Inoue, a genius with technology; and Iori Hida, Miyako's neighbor. When these three youngsters receive "D-3" Digivices, they—together with Hikari and Takeru, who still have their original Digivices—form the next generation of "Chosen Children" who must save the world once more. Using the power of the Armored Digi-Eggs, they must foil the Digimon Emperor's schemes to extend his dominion over the entire Digital World.

Ceres was a tennyo who descended from the heavens to bathe in a stream, leaving her hagoromo on a nearby tree as the key to her return. When the robe was stolen, the thief forced her into marriage, resulting in a lineage of descendants mixed with human and tennyo blood. In the present day, Aya Mikage is a descendant carrying significant tennyo blood. On her sixteenth birthday, during a celebration with her twin brother Aki, her grandfather attempts to kill her because her latent tennyo powers threaten to transform her into Ceres, a figure capable of destroying the Mikage family. Since Aya can reverse this transformation, the change occurs repeatedly. With her protector Yuuhi by her side, Aya must keep Ceres at bay, though her complicated relationship with an ex-worker of her villainous grandfather serves as a potential distraction.

Hamtarou is a tiny, fluffy, and utterly charming hamster. After his owner, fifth-grader Hiroko Haruna, moves into a new home, Hamtarou encounters other hamsters and quickly forms friendships. Together, they form the Ham-Hams, a group of explorers eager to go anywhere. While their owners are away, the Ham-Hams embark on wild adventures throughout the city, ranging from theatrical performances to fantastical candy realms. At the same time, the humans navigate their own personal dramas. Hamtarou interacts with a diverse cast of characters, finds himself in and escapes from precarious situations, and assists Hiroko and her friends on multiple occasions. Despite all the excitement, he remains irresistibly adorable. It is time for Hamtarou!

Long ago, humans and demons coexisted peacefully until the demons turned hostile and conspired to free Gyumao, a malevolent entity imprisoned for millennia. Genjo Sanzo, a renegade priest, joins forces with three demon companions—Sha Gojyo, Son Goku, and Cho Hakkai—to undertake a dangerous expedition westward. Their mission is to prevent the resurrection of Gyumao and reestablish equilibrium between the human and demon realms.

The 21st century was meant to herald humanity's golden era of space exploration. But those dreams are cast aside when Earth is suddenly assaulted by alien beings. These colossal invaders crush everything in their path, leaving only ruin and death behind. Having lost loved ones to the attack, Takuto Kaneshiro takes up arms against the extraterrestrial threat. Driven by a desire for revenge, the embittered young man must search for potential allies, though the boundary between ally and enemy is dangerously blurred. As old powers collapse and new chances emerge, many are eager to exploit the turmoil. Takuto soon discovers that the aliens might be the least puzzling aspect of the deeper truth behind the catastrophic invasion.

In the 1920s, Japan faces invasion from demonic forces. To counter this threat, the government has developed sturdy, steam-powered mecha suits, but only young women possessing the right blend of virtue and spirit can pilot them effectively. Into this situation comes Sakura, a girl from the countryside who arrives in the Imperial Capital to join the Imperial Flower Combat Troop. She has the necessary qualifications to become a skilled mecha pilot, but she is shocked to discover that this secret defense unit operates under the guise of a musical theater troupe—and they take their cover role extremely seriously. Between costumes, memorizing lines, and battling demons in giant robots, Sakura must learn the ropes, perfect her stage performance, and do her part to save the nation.

The sequel to the renowned Medabots franchise continues the adventures of Ikki and Metabee. After facing a mysterious adversary named Jinkai and the so-called Death Medabots, Ikki, Metabee, Nae, and Erica team up to overcome these foes.

Genki is an avid video game enthusiast who finds himself transported into the Monster Rancher world. There, he crosses paths with Holly and a group of monsters including Mochi, Suezo, Golem, Tiger, and Hare. Picking up the narrative where the previous tale ended, Genki and his companions set out to win the Legend Cup, aiming to release Holly’s father from the clutches of the mysterious disc.

Set during the Edo or Tokugawa era (1600–1868), the series follows Ran, a female wandering samurai whose proficiency with the katana is rivaled only by her love for sake. She is accompanied by a Chinese martial artist who introduces herself as Lady Meow of the Iron Cat Fist. The narrative unfolds through standalone episodes that function as brief vignettes chronicling their various adventures.

In the realm of Mushrambo, humanity has nearly vanished. After a lethal virus drove mankind to the brink of extinction, a new species known as the Enterrans was crafted to sustain life on Earth. But peace between the Enterrans and their human creators did not endure. A conflict erupted, pitting the Enterrans against humans and their mechanical allies. The Enterrans emerged victorious, renaming Earth as Enterra in celebration of their triumph. Before humanity's final collapse, one of the last scientists sealed his daughter, Yakumo Shindou, inside a cryogenic chamber. His hope was that she would eventually awaken and discover the human refuge called Shinzo, thereby reviving humanity and bringing harmony back between humans and Enterrans. Centuries after the war, Yakumo stirs from her slumber and meets an Enterran named Mashura, who vows to aid her journey. Joined by fellow Enterrans Sago and Kutal, the group must track down Yakumo's missing memories and locate Shinzo. Yet not all Enterrans are friendly; some will stop at nothing to ensure humanity never returns.

Marin is a cheerful junior high school girl living with a caring adoptive family. Her ordinary life is shattered when a strange mirage appears in the sky above the entire planet. Deadly androids known as Monomakia descend from this sky formation, called Brigadoon, and begin to pursue Marin. While fleeing, she discovers a blue bottle in a shrine, and from it emerges a protector: an alien named Melan Blue, who wields a sword and a gun. Together, they must save Earth while facing family troubles, prejudice at school, and the police, all while uncovering the truth about Marin's past and Melan Blue's mysterious mission—and learning to trust each other. Set in 1969 Japan, the story features a colorful cast of friends and enemies.

Following Gutsy Galaxy Guard's triumph over the Zonder Empire and the 31 Primevals, a fresh menace emerges on Earth. GGG—led by Guy Shishio and the newly-built GaoFighGar—joins forces with their French counterpart, Chasseur, to fight the evil organization BioNet. Among Chasseur's soldiers is Renais Cardiff Shishioh, a former BioNet cyborg driven by a relentless need to destroy those who stole her humanity. But as GGG and Chasseur clash with BioNet, GGG's bases across the globe come under sudden attack, and the recently-found "Q-Parts" plus the original Gao Machines are taken by Mamoru Amami, who has been kidnapped and cloned by an even greater threat called the "Eleven Kings of Sol." Forced off Earth by the United Nations, GGG must travel to the farthest reaches of the galaxy to fight the Eleven Kings of Sol and rescue Mamoru before time runs out.

Yuko and Eri are two ordinary girls who are transported to an alternate world populated by miniature people. The inhabitants of this mysterious land view them as their "Great Protectors," destined to safeguard their realm in a time of crisis. The two girls embark on a journey alongside a band of village warriors to discover how they arrived in this world and how they might return home. However, a conflict is brewing, and these Great Protectors have become a political prize coveted by every faction seeking to rally the people to their side.

Gigatron commands his Destronger army to Earth, aiming to plunder the planet's abundant energy supplies to fuel their ongoing conflict with the Autobots. A victory for the Destrongers would shift the balance of power in their favor, allowing them to destroy the Autobots and expand their conquest across the universe. To support this objective, they abduct Dr. Ohnishi, a top Earth scientist specializing in energy and natural resources. Koji, the son of Dr. Ohnishi, is approached by Fire Convoy, who assigns him a mission to save his father. Despite the valiant efforts of Fire Convoy and the Autobots, they fail to extract the doctor from the Destrongers' grasp. Consequently, it falls to Koji and the Autobots to rescue Dr. Ohnishi while defending Earth and its resources from Gigatron and his forces.

Two eccentric scientists, Professor Hiiragi and Count Collection, both successfully open a dream portal to the Sixgate world, an alternate dimension where mythical beings exist. Recruiting his daughter Rokuna and her friend Mondo as the Mon Colle Knights, Professor Hiiragi tasks them with collecting six magical items before Count Collection does. When combined, these items can alter dimensional barriers, enabling either a peaceful merging of Sixgate's magic with the human world, mind control over all monsters, or even a complete reformation of reality. This synopsis covers details from the Japanese version and also includes the variant broadcast on Jetix.

Step into the latest chapter of Guruguru’s saga, where reluctant hero Nike and pure-hearted heroine Kukuri return to rescue the world. This whimsical adventure, filled with bizarre monsters and eccentric personalities, invites you into a strange yet thrilling realm. To defeat the malevolent King Giri, Kukuri must travel through each territory, befriend the local monsters, and recruit them to her cause. Simultaneously, Nike must earn the recognition of the Four Kings of Nature to claim their legendary weapons: the Sword of Wind, the Sword of Water, the Sword of Earth, and the Sword of Fire. Will Nike and Kukuri successfully fulfill their roles as the chosen hero and heroine? Witness their quest and discover the outcome.

Set in a future where the malevolent mechanical alien empire Garufa launches its war machines against Earth, the planet’s survival depends on GEAR (Guard Earth and Advanced Reconnaissance), a defensive organization established to combat the invasion. Their ultimate weapon is the GEAR Fighter Dendoh, a powerful war mecha piloted by two elementary school students, Kusanagi Hokuto and Izumo Ginga. As they face the Garufa threat, the bond of friendship between Hokuto and Ginga becomes crucial, potentially unlocking the Dendoh’s full power to defend their world.

A series based off of the Shin Megami Tensei: Devil Children franchise.

Eight years ago, Western civilization arrived in 19th-century Japan, introducing mechanized dolls and steam-powered innovations that began to spread across the land. The Wind Gang, a group of doll and steam enthusiasts, believes in using their creations to violently usher in a new Industrial Era. One day, they attack and destroy the peaceful village where a young doll user named Hiwou lives. Hiwou and his companions escape with a giant doll called Homura. Now, Hiwou sets out to find his father, hoping to gain his help in defeating the Wind Gang and restoring peace to Japan.

More Time Bokan adventures.

On an island village, Sol and Dong live with their widower father, who works as a fisherman. One day, a white puppy comes into their lives. They take him in and name him Max. But after their father dies at sea and events separate Max from Sol and Dong, the dog must summon the strength to journey home and be reunited with them.

It's a comedy about children in elementary school.