Best Drama Anime of 2001

Following the loss of her mother in an accident, sixteen-year-old Tooru resides with her grandfather until his house undergoes renovations, forcing her to leave. Afraid of imposing on friends or facing familial judgment, she chooses to live alone in a tent in the woods, claiming she will find housing. One evening, returning from work, she discovers her tent has been buried by a landslide. Yuki Souma, the school’s prince, and his cousin Shigure Souma, a renowned author, find her in this predicament and offer her a place to stay until the renovations finish. At the Souma residence, Tooru uncovers a shocking secret: Souma family members who are embraced by the opposite sex temporarily transform into animals of the zodiac. This bizarre occurrence is not a joke but a heavy curse rooted in a dark past. As Tooru meets more members of the zodiac clan, she must determine if her kind and resilient spirit can help them overcome the burdens hidden within their home.

While rummaging through his grandfather's attic, Hikaru Shindou discovers an old go board. When he touches it, a mysterious voice speaks to him, and he soon passes out. Upon waking, he realizes the voice still lingers and belongs to Fujiwara no Sai, the ghost of an ancient go master. Once a go instructor for the Japanese Emperor during the Heian Era, Sai's love for the game transcends time and space, allowing him to keep playing as a spirit. Sai's ultimate ambition is to achieve a divine go technique that no one has ever mastered, and he hopes to do so by playing through Hikaru. Though Hikaru has no interest in board games, he reluctantly goes along, making moves as Sai directs. But after meeting the young go prodigy Akira Touya, a spark of passion for the game begins to grow within him. Inspired by his new rival, Hikaru's journey into the world of go has only just begun.

One quiet afternoon at her Paris apartment, professional assassin Mireille Bouquet gets a strange email from Kirika Yuumura, a Japanese schoolgirl, who proposes they "make a pilgrimage to the past" together. At first, Mireille dismisses the message as nonsense, but she changes her mind when it starts playing a song she remembers from her childhood. When the two meet in person for the first time, they are suddenly attacked by armed men. Mireille handles the assault skillfully, but she is surprised to find Kirika is also highly capable in combat, taking down several gunmen on her own. Despite her deadly efficiency, Kirika admits she feels no remorse for the people she kills. She also has no memory of how she learned these skills or even her true identity. Sensing a connection between their pasts, Mireille agrees to work with Kirika. Together, they set out to uncover the secrets of their histories. Using the code name "Noir," the pair's fragile partnership is put to the test as they take on jobs, each mission bringing them closer to discovering who they really are.

In the conflict between the Dragons of Heaven and the Dragons of Earth, the dream seer Princess Hinoto foresees humanity's end. The key figure, 15-year-old Kamui Shirou, must decide whether to side with the Dragons of Earth, destroying civilization to safeguard the planet, or with the Dragons of Heaven to save humankind. Following his mother's dying wish, Kamui returns to Tokyo after six years away. He attempts to steal the Sacred Sword from a temple guarded by Kyougo Monou, the father of his childhood friends Fuuma and Kotori. When Kamui's effort fails, a mysterious figure obtains the sword instead. Believing Kamui matches her prophecy, Hinoto dispatches the Dragons of Heaven to recruit him. Though Kamui initially rejects his fate, the relentless attacks by the Dragons of Earth on those he cares about force him to choose between his friends' lives and the Earth's fate, ultimately compelling him to pick a side.

A strange environmental event 22 years ago in the Kanazawa prefecture caused the land to split and rise upward to unprecedented heights, creating an isolated area known as the Lost Ground. Kazuma is a young mercenary living in the Lost Ground, taking any work he can find to survive in the harsh environment. He is one of the few people gifted with the Alter ability, which allows him to coat his right arm and torso with a metallic alloy. When this mercenary encounters HOLY, an organization whose mission is to suppress and capture what they call Native Alter Users, and one of HOLY's elite members, Ryuho, an epic rivalry begins.

After her father remarries, lively sixteen-year-old Himeno Awayuki relocates to a grand mansion featuring a stunning garden, which seems like the perfect home for a girl of her age. Disappointingly, her new stepfamily appears unwelcoming; her stepmother focuses on her husband, her younger stepsister Mawata ignores her, and her age-mate Mayune constantly tries to play pranks on her. However, Himeno cannot afford to dwell on despair as her life intertwines with seven magical youths called the Leafe Knights. They invite her to become a magical princess capable of wielding their power. Although Himeno accepts the role of Prétear, she harbors doubts about her ability to safeguard the world and the Leafes, the vital energy source for all life. Can Himeno discover joy within her blended family while also defeating the Princess of Disaster to save the Earth?

Twelve-year-old Misaki Suzuhara has recently become entangled in Angelic Layer, a combat game featuring electronic dolls known as angels. Despite being a beginner, Misaki demonstrates impressive prowess as she befriends new allies and competes in Angelic Layer tournaments to face the country's top Angelic Layer champions.

Fresh out of college, Amawa Hibiki holds a degree in physical education but struggles to secure employment, draining his savings on basic living costs. When his landlady demands immediate rent payment, he applies for a teaching position at a local middle school. The principal rejects him outright, stating a firm policy against hiring men and expressing a deep-seated hatred for males, claiming they lack passion and love in their work. Unwilling to give up, and with support from his landlady, Amawa decides to crossdress as a woman without hesitation to secure the job. His goal is to earn income and prove the principal’s bias wrong. Now, he must maintain the secrecy of his true gender while navigating bizarre circumstances, including the romantic advances of his students of both genders.

Juna Ariyoshi is a typical Japanese schoolgirl known for her youthful curiosity and deep reverence for the natural world. Her life takes a tragic turn when she dies in a motorcycle crash during an outing with her boyfriend, Tokio Oshima. Fortunately, a man named Chris Hawken intervenes, offering her a second chance at life. He grants her the abilities of the avatar of time, on the condition that she battles raaja, malevolent entities spawned by the toxic pollution humans have inflicted upon the planet. Mastering these new powers proves difficult, and Juna must also grapple with profound questions regarding how science and technology have severed humanity’s instinctive bond with nature. Supported by Chris, his assistant Cindy Klein, and the influential international organization SEED, Juna must conquer her fears and find a way to halt the raaja before they annihilate everyone and everything she holds dear.

Wataru Minakami, an outstanding student, fails his high school entrance exam due to a computer malfunction. He later finds out he has been admitted to Stargazer Hill Academy, located on the mysterious Promised Island. At his father's request, Wataru is sent to the island. Before he can get settled, a dozen lovely and charming girls gather around him, each claiming to be his younger sister. As Wataru bonds with his newfound siblings, a deeper mystery begins to unfold about why they were all brought to the island.

Is it destiny or just a delusion? A hilarious rollercoaster of laughter and confusion begins when Taishi, the ultimate otaku, drags his friend Kazuki into the turbulent world of ambition, hatred, and love—the world of fan comics! Poor clueless Kazuki must sink or swim when he is tossed straight into the middle of a massive comic convention. Lost among hordes of buyers, sellers, and cosplayers, Kazuki faces a baptism by fire, all meant to steer him toward his true destiny: conquering the world through fan comics! Meanwhile, Kazuki's childhood friend Mizuki refuses to let him be pulled away from his normal life without a fight! But can she stop the addictive allure of the new world unfolding before Kazuki? Bit by bit, Kazuki slides down the road to fate—and Taishi is pushing him every step of the way!

George Kodama arrives in the small town of Kimujuku while searching for Araki Genzo. He quickly discovers that he is not welcome and is advised to depart without delay. With two rival syndicates controlling the streets and a violent hidden history, Kimujuku is not what it seems. George confronts the town to expose its dark concealed past and uncover the truth.

The narrative centers on Kintaro, who was once the head of a biker gang that was both feared and respected. He resolves to leave that life behind and become a 'salaryman' after the death of his wife, leaving him responsible for raising his young son.

Youka is a thirteen-year-old boy whose uncle, Kakusei, pushes him to follow in his martial arts footsteps and learn the Zenshinkyou style. After suffering mistreatment, Youka flees Zenshinkyou and stumbles upon a Forbidden Tomb, where he meets a beautiful young woman named Shouryuujo. Over time, Shouryuujo accepts Youka as a student of the Koboha techniques, and their journey through martial arts and love begins.

Three very different girls—Akari, Yuki, and Nozomi—attend a concert by top pop idol Reika, and this experience profoundly changes their lives. Akari, raised in a religious household, is cheerful and a devoted Reika fan. Yuki is an independent runaway from Hakodate who works at the concert hall where Reika performs. Nozomi comes from a wealthy Kobe family and holds one of the VIP seats at the show. Inspired by Reika's performance, all three enroll in the Akiba music school, determined to become pop idols themselves.

Comet, a twelve-year-old princess from the Harmonica Star kingdom, is supposed to attend a ball where the prince of the Tambourine Star country will choose his bride. However, the prince never shows up, so Comet is dispatched to Earth to locate him. He can be identified by the starlight gleaming in his eyes. Upon arriving on Earth, Comet quickly grows fond of the people she encounters. Meanwhile, Princess Meteor from the Castanet Star kingdom also journeys to Earth in pursuit of the same prince. Comet is accompanied by a small puppy named Rubba Ball, who has a star at the tip of his tail. Comet is not the first from her world to visit and fall in love with Earth; a previous visitor did so and got married. That visitor's pet—a white cat with bunny-like ears and a tiny heart on her tail named Bunny—continued to live as a sort of fairy in the forest. Comet draws her power from the stars of her homeland and channels it through a baton. She also wears a special pendant from which Rubba Ball emerges, and which she uses to sense and locate the prince.

Goro Kumagaya, a tall and experienced middle-school goalkeeper, aimed to join Yokonan High School, renowned for its elite football program. However, an accident forced him to attend Kawasaki High School, a rival institution with a much lower ranking. There, he connects with skilled players Shingo, Hideki, and Kazuhito Oda. United in the Kawasaki High School football club, the group challenges Yokonan and other opposing schools to elevate their skills and strive for the championship title. Rather than being discouraged by obstacles, the team uses every setback as a chance to grow, a journey that notably includes the revelation of Goro’s innate ability as an ace striker.

The Daichis are a family on the verge of collapse. Dissatisfied and obsessed with money, mother Seiko has handed divorce papers to her meek, otaku father Mamoru. Daughter Nozomi, who has always been burdened with all the household chores, feels pained by everyone taking advantage of her. The youngest member, Dai, despite being the most foul-mouthed, is forced to watch as everything falls apart. But when the Galaxy Federation recruits the Daichis to fight alien threats to Earth's safety, it becomes a chance for the family to save the world—and possibly themselves.