Best Adventure Anime of 2004

High school student Ichigo Kurosaki leads a normal life until his family is targeted by a Hollow, a malevolent spirit that devours human souls. During the attack, he encounters Rukia Kuchiki, a Soul Reaper who is wounded while defending Ichigo’s relatives. To protect his family, Ichigo accepts Rukia’s proposal to assume her powers, thereby becoming a Soul Reaper himself. Since Rukia cannot recover her abilities, Ichigo takes on the difficult responsibility of eliminating the Hollows infesting their town. He is not solitary in this mission, as he is eventually aided by his friends and classmates Orihime Inoue, Yasutora Sado, and Uryuu Ishida, each possessing distinct talents. As Ichigo and his companions adjust to their new roles and support one another both in combat and daily life, the young Soul Reaper discovers that Hollows are not the sole danger threatening the human world.

That chaotic structure, that din of hissing steam and creaking joints, with smoke billowing as it moves on its own... That castle belongs to the great wizard Howl, renowned for both his magical abilities and his reputation as a womanizer—or so the gossip goes in Sophie Hatter's small town. Sophie, as the plain daughter of a hatmaker, doesn't expect much from her future and is content to work hard in the shop. However, Sophie's simple life takes an exciting turn when she becomes trapped in a troubling situation, and the mysterious wizard appears to rescue her. Unfortunately, this brief encounter spurs the vain and vengeful Witch of the Waste—driven by jealousy over a past conflict with Howl—to place a curse on the maiden, transforming her into an old woman. In an effort to return to normal, Sophie must join Howl and a host of eccentric companions—from a powerful fire demon to a hopping scarecrow—in his living castle, on a perilous adventure as a raging war tears their kingdom apart.

Fuu Kasumi, a clumsy young waitress, spends her days working peacefully at a small teahouse. That all changes when she accidentally spills a drink on a customer. A group of samurai begins harassing her, and she desperately calls on another samurai in the shop, Mugen, who swiftly defeats them with his wild fighting style, which incorporates movements reminiscent of breakdancing. Unfortunately, Mugen then picks a fight with the unwilling ronin Jin, who wields a more precise and traditional sword-fighting technique, and Jin proves to be a formidable opponent. The problem is, they destroy the entire shop and accidentally kill the local magistrate's son in the process. For their crime, the two samurai are captured and set to be executed. However, Fuu rescues them and hires the duo as her bodyguards. Though she has no place to return to, the former waitress wishes to find a certain samurai who smells of sunflowers and enlists the help of the now-exonerated pair. Despite initially disapproving, the two eventually agree to assist the girl on her quest. Thus, the three embark on an adventure to find this mysterious warrior—that is, if Fuu can keep Mugen and Jin from killing each other. Set in an alternate Edo Period of Japan, Samurai Champloo follows the journey of these three eccentric individuals in an epic quest full of action, comedy, and dynamic sword fighting, all set to the beat of a unique hip-hop-infused soundtrack.

The Great Kanto Desert is all that remains of post-apocalyptic Japan, a blistering expanse of sand and ruins where survival is a daily struggle. For ordinary people, this barren wasteland offers nothing but hardship. But for those who have spent too long under the scorching sun, the desert becomes a place to carve out a legend. One such figure is the masked handyman known as Sunabouzu, or Desert Punk, whose reputation for completing any job—no matter how dangerous or depraved—is unmatched. Ruthless and cunning, he is a force of crude destruction feared by the desert's inhabitants. Yet Junko Asagiri, the "Vixen of the Desert," quickly discovers that Sunabouzu has a glaring weakness: he is easily manipulated by his insatiable lust for large-breasted women. Through their chaotic escapades across the Kanto Desert, Sunabouzu brings together a bizarre cast of characters who entertain themselves with senseless violence and perversion in a world already ruined by their ancestors. And, like those before them, they have learned absolutely nothing.

Kyou kara Maou! centers on Yuri Shibuya, an ordinary Japanese high school student. One day, he steps in to help a classmate who is being bullied. His friend manages to get away, but Yuri becomes the bullies' new target and has his head forced into a toilet. Instead of water, he finds a swirling portal inside the toilet bowl that pulls him into another world, one that closely resembles medieval Europe. There, he is informed that his black hair and black eyes—features exclusive to the demon royal bloodline—mean he is destined to become the next Demon King. Some demons are skeptical of Yuri's arrival and consider him unfit to rule. But after he wins a duel using his magical abilities, they gradually start to accept him as their monarch. Yuri must now discover what it truly means to be a Demon King while striving to maintain harmony between demons and humans in this unfamiliar land.

In a Japan just a few years from now, crime has become so rampant that the government has legalized firearms for citizens to defend themselves. To counter this surge of lawlessness, the Recently Armed Police of Tokyo was formed, tasked with hunting criminals using lethal force. Kyohei Tachibana, a talented culinary student, dreams of saving enough to become a pastry chef in France. When four young mercenaries—Jo, Meg, Sei, and Amy—ask him to be their cook, he is forced into a difficult decision. As the group takes on the most dangerous jobs in the chaotic city of Tokyo, Kyohei accepts his inevitable plunge into the underworld—and he will end up doing far more than just cooking.

Rushuna is a stunningly beautiful blonde Senshi, or gun expert, who wanders the world with a singular goal: to create peace not by wielding weapons, but by disarming opponents with a smile and stripping away their desire to fight. Despite her aversion to combat, she is often compelled into battle, where she displays remarkable marksmanship. During her travels, she encounters Yajirou, a sword-wielding mercenary who decides to accompany her on her quest.

For more than five centuries, mysterious white-haired children, forever appearing as eleven-year-olds, have been sighted across Europe. Displaying maturity beyond their years and aging never, they possess supernatural abilities. Their eternal quest is for a specific girl, guided only by a clue featuring a crescent moon. In 2012, an athletic boy named Tohma becomes entangled in this long-standing mystery.

Arusu has an unwavering belief in magic. She is convinced that magic is real and should be used for good deeds and playful fun. However, she is suddenly transported into another world, one controlled by a secretive group of elite witches. These witches are not interested in fun—they are busy capturing sprites, the native magical creatures of this realm, and forcing them into slavery. When Arusu understands that her new reality is not a dream, she resolves to make a difference.

The Danger Service Agency (DSA) is staffed by three operatives: Mikura, Kurokawa, and Harada. Mikura serves as the group's muscle, Harada as its intellect, and Kurokawa as a bitter former cop who fancies himself in charge. They accept any job, so long as it involves considerable danger and, of course, payment. Crossing them is a bad idea if you want to live to see supper. Their most significant case may turn out to be discovering who has put a bounty on Kurokawa's head.

The Sanzo Ikkou presses onward in its westward trek, bound for a mission to stop a demon from being resurrected. Genjo Sanzo, Cho Hakkai, Sha Gojyo, and Son Goku battle their way toward their objective, but their journey is riddled with inner conflict. When they come across a powerful duo of enemies hailing from the west, the unity of the group—and the success of their mission—could hang in the balance.

The planet Mars is now almost completely submerged in water, with humanity living aboard enormous city-ships that sail across the open oceans. Life on Mars is tough—the economy is failing, jobs are hard to find, and food is both expensive and heavily sought after. Gram and his friends do everything they can to survive, but work continues to vanish. Some people have turned to piracy as a way to fight the government's corruption, and one of those groups is the feared pirates of the Ship of Aurora. The Earth government, which controls Mars, has sent a new team of military pilots to stop them. Using their specialized mecha, the Round Bucklers, they are tasked with making the Martian seas safe for everyone. Unlucky timing puts Gram in the wrong place, and he ends up on the run with the most wanted pirates on Mars. The surprising part? He's actually starting to like them!

In the 20th century, a great war erupted between humans and monsters. Since then, the monsters have ruled the world through fear, though they mostly stay hidden from public sight. A boy named Bokka reflects on the past and wonders what became of the Meros Warriors, who bravely defended humanity against the demons. He soon encounters Kurofune and learns about the power of the Meros and the I-bar machines they ride into battle. Only warriors can see and hear the Melody of Oblivion—a phantom girl who waits in hiding to be rescued and to become humanity's savior. During a fight between Kurofune and a demon, Bokka discovers something beyond his wildest dreams: he too can hear that melody. Throughout his journey, Bokka meets many monsters and their agents, as well as friends and companions, as he uncovers the true extent of his newfound powers. He must continue fighting evil in the hope of releasing Boukyaku no Senritsu and freeing a world that has forgotten its once beautiful melody.

In the year 972 A.D., Kyoto, the capital of ancient Japan, has deteriorated into a corrupt and decayed city plagued by selfish samurai and onmyoji obsessed with political power. Compounding the crisis are widespread famine and disease. Unable to overlook the city's dire state, the Imperial Court dispatches the renowned samurai Minamoto no Raiko, celebrated for his archery, to retrieve a legendary gem believed to possess the power to save the world. However, Raiko falls ill. Consequently, his youngest sister, Hikaru, secretly undertakes the journey in his stead. During her quest for the gem, Hikaru encounters numerous individuals and experiences many adventures.

In the dark century, humanity suffers under the rule of the Vandel, devils who command monsters. The Vandel Busters hunt these devils, and the Zenon Squad is the most powerful team on the continent. A young boy named Beet dreams of joining them. But one day, because of Beet's mistake, the Zenon Squad is defeated by the devil Beltose. The five dying busters sacrifice their life force into their five weapons, the Saiga, bestow them upon Beet, and then perish. Years later, the young Vandel Buster Beet sets out on his journey to fulfill the Zenon Squad's wish and end the dark century.

After the invention of marble-shooting devices called B-Daman, a competitive sport known as B-DaBattles emerged. But these B-Daman also conceal enhanced firing abilities that could be abused for fighting purposes. One evening, an item hidden behind the walls of a restaurant summons Yamato Daiwa—a boy raised by cats. Yamato has been experiencing visions of this item, which looks like a machine everyone recognizes. He does not realize that what lies behind the walls is not just a device, but the very fate of the world.

Three centuries ago, in the icy wilderness of Siberia, Jubei Yagyu fought a brutal battle against Kitaretsusai of the Northern Yagyu clan. The clash came at a heavy price, leaving his daughter Freesia frozen in a state of suspended animation. Now, due to modern global warming, Freesia breaks free from her frozen prison and moves to Japan as a transfer student in middle school. There she befriends Jiyuu Nanohana, unaware that Freesia's true motive is to take the Lovely Eye Patch from her—an item Freesia believes rightfully belongs to her.

R.D. is a delivery boy employed by Mach Storm, a company that also operates as a Zoid Battling team. He works there to fund his search for the legendary Alpha Zoid, a creature rumored to exist by his father, whom R.D. passionately believes. During his debut in the Coliseum, R.D. faces a team capable of fusing Zoids. He soon learns that he possesses a Zoid that can fuse with his own, the Liger Zero. This discovery marks the beginning of his quest to uncover the truth about the Alpha Zoid.

Spanning from ancient times to the far future, Hi no Tori depicts how the legendary immortal bird Phoenix acts as a witness and chronicler for humanity's unending struggle in pursuit of power, justice, and freedom. The story is divided into five arcs: 1. Reimei-hen (Dawn), 2. Fukkatsu-hen (Resurrection), 3. Igyou-hen (Transformation), 4. Taiyou-hen (The Sun), 5. Mirai-hen (Future).

A comet blazes across the sky, casting a brilliant glow over the people of Earth. At that moment, a massive army of viruses invades the real world, crushing everything in its path. Netto and Enzan activate cross fusion to intervene, but are transported to an unknown location, where they are confronted by the one responsible for the attack—Duo.

After Gravion unleashed its ultimate attack, the Zeravire threat seemed to have halted for a time. But when it suddenly resurfaces, the Earth Gult and its ultimate weapon, the super robot Gravion, are once again called upon to protect this world. Meanwhile, the EFA is developing its own countermeasures against the Zeravire—the Grand Trooper. Now, as they fight to repel the Zeravire, the people of Earth Gult and the EFA must safeguard their future, confront their pasts, and uncover the secrets behind the Zeravire.

The peaceful realm of Neotopia comes under assault from the Dark Axis, sinister invaders from a different dimension intent on conquering the world. In response, Neotopia relies on the covert Super Dimensional Guard and its champions, the Gundam Force. Under the leadership of Captain Gundam, the Gundam Force—a squad of Gundams each possessing unique powers—receives assistance from a young boy named Shute. Together, they will do whatever it takes to protect Neotopia from the Dark Axis and achieve total victory.

Koto accidentally seals away the Sun Goddess Amaterasu, leaving her trapped in another world with no way back. Meeting priestesses who battle the evil in this unfamiliar realm, she learns that Black Towers scattered across the land keep Amaterasu imprisoned, each guarded by dangerous monsters. Koto must now find a way to help defeat these creatures and restore the world to its original state.

Through the long-distance warp known as the "Exodus Project," Worns, Ryer, and the other crew members of "Watchers Nest" manage to flee Earth. Misaki, who was engaged in the final battle with "Ghoul" at that moment, is not there; before her eyes, the Earth transforms and becomes sealed inside a time barrier. Ryer and the others search for a way out of this spacetime labyrinth, but the Earth shifts into various shapes. Countless "Nows" emerge due to differing time axes. And Misaki, who should have vanished because of the Exodus Project incident, still afortiori. Before Ryer and the others, different versions of Misaki appear: Misaki from the training school, Misaki from her childhood days. Are these reflections caused by the conflicts within Misaki? She awakens a second time, and when she arrives at the answer, that history is now heading in a completely different direction. Will Misaki, Ryer, and the others ever find a true happy ending?

In postwar Japan, Prof. Shikishima has turned Shikishima Industries into a major force in robotics development. Yet the company's success hides a wartime secret, one that led to the death of Prof. Kaneda, Shikishima's former teacher. Now Kaneda's son, Shoutarou, is on the verge of discovering that truth—and his life will be transformed.

Riku Tachibana is a normal first-year junior high student who anticipated a calm, everyday life, but shortly after beginning middle school, he gets drawn into a duel with a mysterious figure who identifies himself as a "Warrior of Earth," and Riku's world is turned upside down. Riku learns that he is a member of the supposedly extinct "Warriors of Heaven." By wielding a device known as "DRIVE" and summoning a Shikigami—referred to as a "Divine Beast"—named Kogenta to fight by his side, Riku commits his life to combating the Warriors of Earth.

A decade has passed since the decisive confrontation with Unicron. Many Decepticons who fought in that battle have joined with the Autobos to mine Energon, an alternative energy source. But a new evil has emerged—Alpha Q, who schemes to steal the Energon from the Autobots with the aid of Scorponok and the Terrorcons. This new threat aims to revive Megatron and Unicron in order to reignite the old flames of war.

After completing three years of training, Shobu returns to compete in the Battle Arena tournament alongside his friends. But soon he comes across a new threat: Zakira and his group, the Fua Duelists. Zakira proves to be a powerful kaijudo duelist, matching Hakuoh in strength. When Zakira kidnaps Hakuoh and turns him into an enemy, Shobu and his friends must act quickly to stop them. Can they succeed in time, or will Shobu lose everything and be left utterly devastated?

While playing baseball with friends Yuka and Kohei, Dandoh hits a rogue fly ball that destroys the principal's potted plants. Instead of being angry, the principal is impressed by his swing and introduces Dandoh to golf. Under the guidance of a former professional golfer, Dandoh embarks on a golfing adventure. Together, they compete in a tournament with hopes of reaching the national championships.

Based on Yutaka Hara's popular storybook series, Kaiketsu Zorori chronicles the exploits of a crafty fox named Zorori, who dreams of becoming the King of Mischief, complete with his own castle and a beautiful wife. While Zorori is infamous for his pranks and deceptive acts, his cunning schemes frequently misfire and end up aiding those he targets; despite his villainous and immoral facade, he is genuinely kind-hearted and sentimental. Yet, Zorori possesses the cleverness, intelligence, and resourcefulness to always find a way out of even the most dire predicaments. Accompanied by the twin boar bandits Ishishi and Noshishi, he continues his journey to make his late mother proud.

The toy company Wiz, also referred to as Dark Wiz Company, uncovers crystals holding faint traces of DNA from creatures known as Legendz and develops them into a battle game. After a baseball game, a young boy named Shu receives one of these crystals—called a soul figure—from his father. As Legendz rapidly grows in popularity among children, Wiz employees begin hunting Shu for his unique soul figure, which has the power to revive real Legendz instead of mere digital images. Shu must fight his way to victory and keep the soul figure as his own.

One day, seven multi-colored shooting stars descended to Earth, each possessing terrible powers. Anyone who obtained one of these stars would transform into a monster, their deepest desires taking physical form. Dr. Mishina and Dr. Kishiwada secretly acquired the red, green, and blue stars and began studying them, eventually succeeding in controlling their power with the aid of a special helmet. This newly developed helmet, called "Musumet," was as large as an automobile helmet. When worn, it turned the user's body into the strongest on Earth, receiving signals from the brain and amplifying inherent abilities to an unlimited degree. To harness the power of Musumet, maintain world peace, and protect against disasters caused by the remaining shooting stars, Dr. Mishima and Dr. Kishida founded a secret organization named "MET." However, Dr. Mishima died before achieving his goal. His bereaved daughters—Aoi, Midori, and Kurenai—resolved to become Musumet themselves in order to carry out their father's will. Even when transformed into Musumet, their attire remained unchanged except for helmets, gloves, and boots. Thus, they had to arrive at incident scenes in whatever they were wearing: sometimes school uniforms, sometimes gym suits, sometimes swimsuits, and depending on the situation, even naked—and they performed great feats regardless. At other times, they were ordinary adolescent girls dreaming of romantic meetings with boyfriends. Can they balance saving the world with their love lives?

This animated variety program showcases the creations of Monkey Punch and was broadcast on WOWOW, with each episode lasting 52 minutes. Twelve episodes aired from July 31, 2004, to June 25, 2005, and it also included a 15-minute DVD-exclusive special titled Crime Mate.

In a future era, humanity is under assault by creatures called Bug-chine, which appeared several years earlier. No ordinary human weapon can stop the Bug-chine, but salvation exists in the AMDrivers—soldiers wielding state-of-the-art AM Technology. Wielding overwhelming power, they vanquish Bug-chine one after another, rising as heroes who also capture the admiration of their fans.

The story centers on Dogtato, known in Japan as Jagainu-kun, a heartwarming tale about a dog that is actually a potato, or a potato that is actually a dog—something along those lines. (The name combines jagaimo for potato and inu for dog, resulting in Jagainu or Dogtato.) Dogtato's world is populated by his charming friends who are part vegetable and part animal, constantly engaging in zany antics and misadventures.

Because of global warming, the polar ice caps have melted. The entire human population is confined to a single island as marine life begins to evolve. A group of children use a submarine and their robot companions to explore the depths, uncovering a secret ancient underwater civilization with treasure. This offers a new opportunity for humanity to live beneath the sea, but a greedy real-estate tycoon stands in the way of peace.