Winter 2001 Anime

After a crushing defeat by Team Emperor leader Kyoichi Sudou, Takumi Fujiwara's AE86 suffers engine trouble, making the skilled street racer doubt his own abilities. Now a recent high school graduate, Takumi receives an invitation from Ryousuke Takahashi, captain of the Akagi RedSuns, to join a professional street racing team. While this could be a perfect opportunity to improve his driving, Takumi hesitates. Can the aspiring racer rise to the professional level? With support from Ryousuke and the RedSuns, Takumi may overcome his doubts and misconceptions about street racing—but his first priority is settling the score with Kyoichi Sudou.

From the moment of his birth, Baki Hanma has been raised in a world of combat, constantly developing his muscles and learning a wide array of martial arts techniques under the guidance of his mother, Emi Akezawa. His ultimate aim is to face and overcome his father, Yuujirou Hanma, who is known worldwide as the "Ogre" and is recognized as the most powerful being on the planet. Realizing that his mother's training methods have their limits, Baki sets out on his own quest to achieve supreme strength. Along this path, he searches for formidable opponents and builds deep, unbreakable connections with them, steadily sharpening both his physical abilities and his inner resolve as the time draws nearer for his showdown with his father.

Thirteen-year-old Tyson Granger (Takao Kinomiya) teams up with Kai Hiwatari, Max Tate (Max Mizuhura), and Ray Kon (Rei Kon) in their quest to become the world's greatest Beybladers. Supported by the technical expertise of the group's resident genius, Kenny (Kyouju), and empowered by the formidable strength of their BitBeasts, the Bladebreakers wield their tops, known as Blades, to strive toward this ultimate objective.

Juna Ariyoshi is a Japanese schoolgirl who loves nature and lives an ordinary life until she dies in a motorcycle accident while out with her boyfriend, Tokio Oshima. A man named Chris Hawken gives her a second chance by granting her the powers of the avatar of time. In return, she must fight raaja, sinister beings born from environmental pollution caused by humans. As Juna struggles to control her new abilities, she reflects on how science and technology have weakened humanity's connection to the natural world. Guided by Chris, his assistant Cindy Klein, and the global organization SEED, Juna must overcome her fears and find a way to stop the raaja from destroying everything she holds dear.

Zoids are powerful animal-shaped combat mechs that are no longer used for warfare, but instead serve as the centerpiece of organized sporting competitions. The Blitz Team, a group of pilots struggling to find their place in the world of Zoid battling leagues, gets a lucky break when Bit Cloud, a wandering junk dealer, stumbles into their midst and shows he can pilot the difficult Liger Zero—a Zoid that refuses to let anyone else sit in its cockpit. With Bit and the Liger leading the way, the Blitz Team steadily climbs toward the top, but along the way they attract the unwanted attention of the Backdraft Group, an organization of Zoid pilots who operate outside the rules set by the Zoid Battle Commission. The Backdraft wants powerful Zoids to add to their collection, and they have their sights set on the Liger Zero.

Having regained their magical abilities after previously losing them, the girls are now witches once more. Their new challenge involves exams devised by the Witches of Witch World. In addition, they encounter a fresh face from New York named Momoko, who joins their group.

In an effort to prevent the impending disaster known as the Grand Fall, Rid Hershel and their allies, Farah, Keel, and Meredy, have secured the three Greater Spirits, referred to as Craymels in the game, from Inferia. During their journey to Mount Farlos, Rid is kidnapped by the bounty hunter Marone Blucarno, compelling the group to venture to the distant archipelago of Belcarnu, which lies far from the main urban areas of Inferia. As they navigate a series of adventures, they find themselves stranded on these islands, where a more immediate danger to Inferia awaits.

Former motorcycle gang leader Yajima Kintaro rescues the CEO of Yamato Construction Company from a life-threatening situation and is subsequently given a position at the firm. When it becomes clear that a corrupt group within the company is maneuvering to seize complete control, Kintaro's sense of justice and physical abilities prove far more valuable than the CEO initially anticipated. Climbing the corporate hierarchy, Kintaro must handle a variety of crises, ranging from clashes with yakuza bosses to stopping a tunnel from caving in. Yet the question remains: can someone with no formal education and a rough demeanor truly succeed as a salaryman?

Set a few years before the events chronicled in Z.O.E Dolores,i, this OVA centers on the "Deimos Incident," an act of terrorism carried out by revolutionaries from Mars. Radium and Viola, the BAHRAM army's finest pilots, have been handpicked to spearhead testing of a new weapon system—one that Mars hopes will free the planet from the oppressive rule of the UNSF (United Nations Space Force). This cutting-edge technology, dubbed the "Orbital Frame," runs on an incredibly scarce and potent energy source known as the metatron ore. The OVA portrays both the Deimos incident itself and the chain of events leading up to it.

A package from Cyberdoll Mami containing five "Chibi-Cyberdoll Mays" arrives at Kazuya's apartment. Soon after, an accident causes May's personality to be transferred into the five mini-Mays, with each one receiving a different aspect of her character. Elsewhere, Rena finds a lost child and brings it home.

Vandread: Taidou-hen is a TV special that directly follows Vandread: The First Stage (season one). Also referred to as Vandread: Taidouhen or The Movement Stage, it serves as a recap of the first 13 episodes, incorporating additional footage. Rather than functioning as a true bridge between Vandread: The First Stage and Vandread: The Second Stage (season two), this special was created to bring new viewers up to speed on the events of the first season.

In Doraemon the Movie: Nobita and the Winged Braves, Nobita and his friends gather at Shizuka's home after hearing about several species of birds going missing. Convinced that winged beings are responsible for abducting the vanished birds, Nobita becomes obsessed with flying and builds a pair of mechanical wings. While testing them, he encounters a real winged creature emerging from a time-space distortion. After helping this creature, named Gusuke, Nobita and his companions are pulled through the anomaly and arrive in Birdpia, a world populated by winged beings.

Tsubaki Sadamitsu, the leader of the Corpse Gang, is a troubled teenager who finds his life turned around when he meets an alien robot by chance. This fateful encounter thrusts him into a new mission: hunting down intergalactic criminals known as the Exiled Ones. Matters grow even more complex with the emergence of the Vulture, a failsafe system designed to keep the Exiled Ones in check.

After five decades, the Scientific Boys Club sets out to construct a vessel capable of traveling the "Ethereal Current" — an idea derived from a club member’s spouse's theory that Ethereal energy fills the cosmos. Using this current, the group journeys to Mars to test a long-standing hypothesis regarding artificial canals supposedly built by Martians, only to find the planet devoid of life. In time, both their concepts are rejected as unworkable. Yet a subsequent mission to Mars uncovers a stone bearing the inscription "Scientific Boys Club 1954," sparking renewed attention to their endeavors.

Tatsuya heads to the United States to play baseball on his own, trying to step out of the shadow of his brothers' renown, and becomes a pitcher for the Emeralds, a minor league team that is having difficulties. In Japan, Minami looks for a new direction after ending her gymnastics career; motivated by a snapshot of her final routine, she chooses to work as an assistant to a photographer.

Three short stories featuring China-san.

The queen is gathering certain jewels that could threaten the entire cosmos if they fall into the wrong hands. However, Zephel makes a mistake and loses one of these jewels. What can he do to fix this mistake?

The Daichi family stands on the brink of collapse. Seiko, a mother driven by dissatisfaction and greed, has served divorce papers to Mamoru, her weak and otaku husband. Their daughter Nozomi, long burdened with all the household chores, feels exploited by everyone around her. Meanwhile, the youngest member, the foul-mouthed Dai, is forced to watch their world crumble. However, when the Galaxy Federation recruits the Daichis to fight alien threats endangering Earth, the family finds an opportunity to save the planet and perhaps repair their own fractured bonds.

In a world where talking vehicles coexist with humans, Patrol-kun, a sentient police car, begins his first day at the police station. There, he meets his new partner, Hajime, a human police recruit. As they go on their patrols around Himawari Town, they learn important life lessons together.

After the spring vital to her kingdom's survival runs dry, the Princess sets out across the desert seeking a legendary oasis rumored to be real. Together with her animal companions, she overcomes many obstacles as they struggle to rescue their drought-stricken realm.

This 2001 comedy anime centers on anthropomorphic characters made from sushi ingredients. The story follows Ebi, a shrimp with a hearty appetite and a particular love for strawberry cake, the mischievous Tamago-kids, egg siblings who are always cracking jokes together, the dignified and easygoing Toro-papa, a tuna, and Ikura-mama, salmon roe, who enjoys baking and caring for her children.

Sakura Haruno, together with her devoted spouse Yo and their adorable daughter Mika, embarks on a journey to discover the secrets of a happy family life. Blending unique animation with live-action footage, the show aims to provide useful tips for everyday living in an engaging and approachable way.