Winter 2004 Anime

In Musashino City, panic spreads following a string of assaults by a mysterious figure named Shounen Bat. This attacker zips around on rollerblades, striking victims with a gleaming gold baseball bat. The initial target is Tsukiko Sagi, a famous but withdrawn character designer, who finds herself falsely accused of masterminding the incidents. Her sole ally is Maromi, a talking pink plush toy who staunchly defends Tsukiko's innocence, even as the toy itself becomes a target. Detectives Keiichi Ikari and Mitsuhiro Maniwa are tasked with uncovering the identity of Shounen Bat. As the victim count rises, media coverage fuels public terror while disturbing rumors circulate, tightening the grip of paranoia on both children and adults. Can Ikari and Maniwa unravel the mystery of Shounen Bat before the escalating dread consumes them too?

After wrapping up the "Laughing Man" case, Section 9 is brought back into action by the newly appointed Prime Minister, Youko Kayabuki, to deal with the ongoing danger of cyber-terrorism in Japan. A group calling themselves "The Individual Eleven" begins carrying out terrorist attacks throughout the country. While Motoko Kusanagi, Daisuke Aramaki, Batou, and the rest of Section 9 look into this new threat, the government is also dealing with another major issue: refugees displaced by the Third World War are trying to enter Japan. As Section 9 conducts their investigation, they keep crossing paths with Gouda Kazundo, a high-ranking official from the Cabinet Intelligence Service, which makes them suspect he's involved. This hints that the refugee situation and the actions of The Individual Eleven might be linked in ways they hadn't considered.

After waking up naked and without memories on a strange street, Retro and Pandy join forces for a life of chaotic, violent adventures. Their contrasting personalities—Retro's hyperactive energy and Pandy's laid-back attitude—make them perfect partners for causing mayhem. A mistake gets them arrested, and they are sent to Dead Leaves, a high-security prison on the Moon. There, they discover that the other inmates are clones produced through genetic experiments. With no other options, they lead a mass jailbreak, guiding the genetically modified prisoners on a thrilling and comedic escape from the lunar detention center.

At Lillian Girls' Academy, Sachiko Ogasawara carries herself with elegance and poise, yet battles inner turmoil. Her intense dislike of males makes her dread the thought of partnering with a boy in an upcoming school performance, pushing her to consider stepping down from her role. Seeking a solution, she proposes to the Yamayuri Council—the school's student governing body—that she take on a petite sœur, a younger student to guide and mentor. Unexpectedly, first-year student Yumi Fukuzawa turns down Sachiko's offer to become her petite sœur. Senior council member Sei Satou then presents a condition: if Sachiko can persuade Yumi to accept the position, she may withdraw from the play. Despite her typical struggles with forging bonds, Sachiko throws herself wholeheartedly into winning Yumi's approval.

In a world teetering on the edge of annihilation, Kiba and Cheza, together with Tsume, Hige, Toboe, and Blue, race against time to find the true paradise before the earth becomes uninhabitable. Reunited, Cher and Hubb decide to accompany the wolves on their journey, determined to see it through to the end, while Quent, lost and consumed by vengeance, wanders aimlessly across the desolate landscape, driven by his desire for retribution. Lord Darcia the Third sets his plan in motion, targeting Cheza and putting himself in conflict with the wolf pack. Amid the chaos where destruction and fate intersect, the wolves struggle to survive in an increasingly perilous world. Despite the impending end, paradise remains as elusive as ever.

Nagisa Misumi and Honoka Yukishiro are two middle school students with almost nothing in common. Nagisa is an energetic and popular lacrosse player, while Honoka is known as the quiet "Queen of Intelligence." Despite their differences, both girls hide secret identities as "emissaries of light," known as Cure Black and Cure White. Guided by the fairies Mipple and Mepple, they fight against the Dotsuku Zone, an evil force that has invaded the Garden of Light. Their goal is to locate the seven Prism Stones and revive the Prism Hopish in order to drive away the dark forces threatening the Garden of Rainbows. As they face powerful enemies, Nagisa and Honoka grow stronger together, learning to master their abilities and protect their worlds from danger.

In "The Gokusen," Kumiko Yamaguchi, a bright and enthusiastic newcomer, begins her career as a math teacher at Shirokin Academy, an all-boys school notorious for its unruly student body. On her first day, she quickly discovers that the school is filled with extremely difficult delinquents who resist authority. However, unknown to her students, Kumiko is also the acting head of a major yakuza syndicate, possessing formidable fighting skills capable of subduing even the toughest criminals. To maintain her cover as a teacher, she must conceal her true identity and immense strength from everyone around her. Complicating matters further, the vice principal is scheming against her, and Shin Sawada, the leader of her most troublesome class, begins to suspect that there is more to her than meets the eye. Kumiko's journey as a teacher will be far from easy.

On his sixteenth birthday, Tomokazu Mikuri experiences an incredibly vivid dream in which he observes a young woman battling a massive floating creature. Upon waking, he is astonished to find that same girl sleeping right beside him. From then on, whenever he falls asleep, he returns to the dream world, and gradually more people from his daily life start appearing there as well. In that realm, a mysterious masked woman named Silk reveals that they are fighting against an entity called Faydoom. Silk also explains that Tomokazu himself is the one who grants abilities to the girls, enabling them to combat these monsters. And so the story unfolds.

The Danger Service Agency (DSA) is composed of three members: Mikura, Kurokawa, and Harada. Mikura provides the physical brawn, Harada supplies the brains, and Kurokawa is a bitter ex-cop who likes to believe he is in charge. They accept any assignment that involves plenty of risk and, of course, payment. Crossing them is unwise if you want to live long enough to eat dinner. The most significant case they face may be uncovering why someone wants Kurokawa assassinated.

In a world where rising sea levels have reshaped the planet, fifteen-year-old orphan Maia Mizuki has just finished middle school and hopes to join the elite Ocean Agency, a paramilitary force under global government control. The entrance is extremely competitive, accepting only the most intelligent and physically fit candidates, and Maia is determined to succeed. Yet her plans collapse when she fails the exam. Her situation quickly worsens as she loses her home, gets robbed, is kidnapped, and even shot. Rena and Shizuka, members of an unconventional private security group named Nereids—after the Greek sea nymphs—rescue her. With nowhere else to turn, Maia decides to join the Nereids, taking on various jobs from chasing criminals to finding lost pets, which frequently lead to unexpected results. Later, Gloria and Yu also become part of the team. The title's mention of "Daphne" points to a secondary plot that becomes more important halfway through the series and grows increasingly significant for Maia. "Brilliant Blue" describes the largely aquatic world, filled with vast oceans, scattered islands, and floating cities instead of traditional landmasses.

In the desert expanse of the Middle Eastern kingdom of Asran, Japanese photojournalist Makoto Shinjou journeys to the isolated airbase known as Area 88, intending to chronicle the lives of mercenaries who earn their keep by eliminating the nation's foes. Among these hired fighters is Shin Kazama, a Japanese ace pilot who was deceived by his one-time best friend into binding himself to Asran's fighter squadron. As a result, he forfeited his job as an airline pilot and the opportunity to wed his fiancée, Ryoko Tsugumo. Now, Shin faces three options to escape Area 88 and go back to Japan: serve the mercenary unit for three years, accumulate $1.5 million, or flee the base—an act that would mean almost certain death.

Zwei used to live an ordinary life, but everything changed one night when he happened to witness a brutal assassination while walking through the streets. He managed to evade the sniper—a young girl by the name of Ein—yet was soon captured and had all memories of his past erased. His life was spared only on one condition: he must train to become an assassin alongside Ein. Now, Zwei must find a way to break free from this shadowy world and reclaim the life he once had.

The story of Battle B-Daman unfolds in a world where the Old West and mysticism come together. The inhabitants of the B-Daworld have played the sport of B-Daman since ancient times. While many are spectators, only a select few have the ability to become B-Daplayers, and only one can rise to become the B-Dachampion. A young boy named Yamato Delgado has been chosen to wield the most powerful B-Daman—COBALT BLADE. Yamato must use COBALT BLADE to compete in B-Daman tournaments and defeat the evil B-Daplayers of the Shadow Alliance. Along his journey, Yamato meets Gray, Bull, and Terry, who become his friends and members of his B-Daman team.

The notion that words can be wielded like weapons in the art of negotiation lies at the heart of the acclaimed manga Yu-go, which ran in Kodansha's Afternoon Magazine for over ten years. Beppu Yuugo is recognized as the world's finest negotiator, relying exclusively on the power of speech. Rather than turning to violence or intimidation, he draws upon extensive knowledge and calm logic, placing his faith in the fundamental humanity of others. This approach has brought him success in countless high-stakes negotiations. The story focuses on two of his most significant cases—one set in Russia and another in Pakistan—where Yuugo confronts his opponents amid the unforgiving conditions of the Pakistani desert and the frozen expanses of Siberia.

Jing, the renowned King of Bandits, and his winged partner Kir become imprisoned within Seventh Heaven, the most infamous correctional facility in the world. They aim to steal the Dream Orb from the convict Campari, but before they can achieve that goal, they must find a way out of the dream prison that Campari has constructed.

Three centuries ago, in the frozen wilderness of Siberia, Jubei Yagyu fought a brutal duel against Kitaretsusai of the Northern Yagyu clan. The battle came at a great price: his daughter Freesia was encased in ice, left in suspended animation. Now, due to modern global warming, Freesia emerges from her frozen prison and transfers to a middle school in Japan as a new student. There she becomes friends with Jiyuu Nanohana. Unbeknownst to Jiyuu, Freesia's true aim is to steal the prized Lovely Eye Patch, which Freesia considers her rightful inheritance.

In the year 2023 AD, Tokyo's society undergoes transformations due to globalization and the expansion of trade, which also cause the criminal underworld to evolve. Criminals operate more covertly, their organizations grow larger, and public safety steadily deteriorates. Taking the situation seriously, the government decides to implement a groundbreaking system. To deal with these exceptional criminals, an extralegal police force is established. This special crime-fighting unit, known as Warriors, is composed of a select group of elite members.

Haré's family receives a video message from Weda's city home, showing how heartbroken and lonely Weda's mother and Bel are in her absence. Moved by their sorrow, Weda resolves to take Haré and Guu back to the city for a visit. However, Haré feigns boredom and loneliness without his jungle friends as a calculated scheme to convince his mother to let him return. In response, Weda decides to enroll him in a private city school, where he immediately falls for a beautiful girl named Rita. Naturally, Guu also insists on joining the adventure and getting in on the action.

After Gravion's decisive final assault, the Zeravire threat seemed to recede for a time. Yet with their unforeseen reappearance, Earth Gult and its ultimate weapon, the super robot Gravion, are called back into action to protect the planet. At the same time, the EFA is developing its own answer to the Zeravire danger—the Grand Trooper. As they struggle to repel the Zeravire, the people of Earth Gult and the EFA alike must work to secure their future, come to terms with their pasts, and uncover the truth behind the Zeravire.

Local folklore holds that if two people witness the diamond dust phenomenon together, they are destined for eternal happiness. "Diamond Daydreams" explores the romantic journeys, friendships, and personal struggles of six young women from Hokkaido. The story examines how the occurrence of diamond dust shapes their fates and fuels their search for fulfillment.

The peaceful realm of Neotopia faces devastation as the evil Dark Axis, conquerors from another dimension, launch an invasion. To fight back, Neotopia relies on the secret Super Dimensional Guard and its top squad, the Gundam Force. Under the command of Captain Gundam, these Gundams—each possessing unique powers—are joined by a young boy named Shute. Together, they work to protect Neotopia from the Dark Axis and achieve victory.

Koto accidentally causes the Sun Goddess Amaterasu to become trapped in a different world, leaving neither of them a way back. While exploring this unfamiliar realm, Koto meets priestesses who are battling the darkness that afflicts their land. She learns that Black Towers erected across the region are keeping Amaterasu imprisoned, with each tower guarded by dangerous creatures. Koto's mission involves allying with these priestesses to defeat the monsters and free Amaterasu, thereby restoring harmony to the world.

Through the long-range warp known as the "Exodus Project," Worns, Ryer, and the other crew members of "Watchers Nest" manage to escape from Earth. Misaki, who was participating in the final battle against "Ghoul" at that time, is not present there, and before her eyes, the Earth changes and becomes sealed within a time barrier. Ryer and the others search for a way out of this spacetime maze, but the Earth transforms into various forms. Countless "Nows" emerge due to differing time axes. And Misaki, who should have vanished because of the Exodus Project incident, appears even more so. Before Ryer and the others, different versions of Misaki manifest: the Misaki from training school, the Misaki from her childhood days. Are these reflections caused by the conflicts that exist within Misaki? She awakens a second time, and when she finds the answer, that history is now leading in a completely different direction. Will Misaki, Ryer, and the others be able to discover a truly happy ending?!

After rookie producer Mikiko Oguro successfully leads her team to complete the anime Time Journeys, the president of Studio Petit announces that the studio will produce three different series for the upcoming season. Facing the challenge of maintaining her small team, the president decides to bring in an experienced producer to split Mikiko’s workload. However, as this new producer resorts to shortcuts to meet tight deadlines, the team begins to lose heart, wondering if the work they produce will be something they can truly be proud of.

Ten years have passed since the decisive battle against Unicron. Many Decepticons who once fought that war have now allied with the Autobots to mine Energon, an alternative power source. However, a fresh threat has emerged in the form of Alpha Q, who schemes to steal the Energon from the Autobots with the aid of Scorponok and the Terrorcons. This new evil force seeks to resurrect both Megatron and Unicron, aiming to reignite the flames of their ancient conflict.

The Tachikomatic Days shorts initially debuted on a fan disc compilation. These mini-episodes were later brought together and released in a Blu-ray box set that contained all of the Tachikoma segments.

A scheming fox named Zorori, inspired by Yutaka Hara's beloved children's books, roams the world with one grand goal: to earn the title of King of Pranks, complete with a castle of his own and a beautiful bride by his side. He's infamous for his mischievous schemes, yet his cunning plans have a habit of blowing up in his face and, more often than not, ending up helping the very people he targeted. Though he plays the part of a scoundrel without a conscience, Zorori hides a soft, caring heart beneath the mischief. Armed with quick wits, sharp instincts, and clever thinking, he can wriggle out of even the tightest corner. Together with the bumbling twin boar cubs Ishishi and Noshishi, he carries on his adventure, all to make his late mother proud from above.Kaiketsu Zorori: A Mischievous Fox's Quest Adapted from Yutaka Hara's beloved storybooks of the same name, Kaiketsu Zorori follows a crafty fox named Zorori, whose life mission is to earn the title of King of Pranks, with his very own castle and a stunning bride waiting at the finish line. Though famous for his shameless scheming and trickery, the cunning fox finds his complicated plans constantly backfiring, often winding up as blessings in disguise for his unwitting targets. He may look like a sneaky villain without an ounce of morals, but underneath the wily smirk and shifty schemes lies a truly caring, sentimental soul. Still, with his sharp wit and cool-headed cleverness, Zorori always knows the trick to escape from even the tightest pinch. With his rowdy twin boar tag-alongs, Ishishi and Noshishi, in the passenger seat of his quest, he pushes onward, hoping every step of the way to make his long-gone mother proud.Kaiketsu Zorori Based on the beloved children's book series by Yutaka Hara, Kaiketsu Zorori follows the escapades of a scheming fox named Zorori, whose grand ambition is to become the King of Tricks, complete with a castle of his very own and a beautiful bride at his side. Though he has earned a reputation for playful mischief and sly schemes, his tricky plots have a funny habit of backfiring—and more often than not end up helping the people they were meant to fool. For all his apparent villainy and questionable morals, Zorori turns out to be surprisingly kind-hearted and sentimental. But with his sharp mind and quick ingenuity, he always finds a way through even the most impossible jams. Together with a pair of bumbling twin boar crooks, Nishi and Shishi, he walks on, forever chasing the dream of making his late mother smile.

Tokyo Daigaku Monogatari follows Murakami Naoki, the valedictorian of his high school, who falls deeply in love with Mizuno Haruka. When he finally gathers the nerve to ask her out, she surprisingly agrees. Over the course of several months, their bond deepens, but the impending Tokyo University entrance exams threaten to drive them apart should only one of them pass.

This biographical work depicts the life and convictions of Hijikata Toshizou, the Vice Commander of the Shinsengumi, as he fought to protect the Shogunate during the Meiji Restoration.

In "Battle of Clay," a red clay figure named Akairo-kun plays a trick on Kiiro-kun, who is spending some downtime with a pig. This mischief leads to a playful fight between the two claymen.

In a distant future, the fusion of magic and technology reshaped human civilization. The Moon became the site of the "Magic Town Sorcerium," where leading specialists in both domains collaborated to generate vast prosperity through constant innovation. But this success sparked conflicts, culminating in the catastrophic "Big Magic War" between Earth and the Moon, which brought an end to a once-prosperous age. A few survivors began the task of rebuilding society. However, the use of forbidden weapons during the war—such as DNA-attackers and -changers—left permanent damage. Humanity, having lost much of its former magical and technological capability, now struggles against constant threats from monstrous creatures and other hazards. Filled with fear, people long for an end to the turmoil. Yet a power called "Heaven" has stepped in, dispatching "Angels"—girls granted extraordinary powers—to various points in history in order to restore order. This exciting story follows these warriors as they shield humanity from approaching dangers. Still, even with their aid, the persistent shadow of darkness remains. Lasty Farson, known as Angel Rabbie, is our clumsy and never-satisfied heroine. On her first mission, she arrives late but immediately dives into action upon sensing trouble. Sent from the station down to the planet, she helps a village repel a female bandit and her gang, who are stealing food and valuables. At the same time, she uncovers hints that her missing comrade, Lukia Shawl—presumed dead after her long absence—might be involved in the situation or following her own agenda.

A pair of participants square off in a game of rock-paper-scissors, but with a violent twist: the loser of each round is struck on the head with a mallet. A bowl serves as a shield, offering safety—if one can grab it quickly. As the contest begins, the tension mounts. How will it end?

Set in a warrior kingdom where the lethal martial art known as Shadow Skill is employed to protect the realm's survival, the narrative follows Gau Ban, a boy who aspires to become an unbeatable warrior akin to the legendary Scar Face—a fighter who has bested two thousand opponents. Gau trains rigorously alongside his older adopted sister Elle, who has already achieved mastery of Shadow Skill. Their lives are thrown into chaos when a rogue group of intruders launches a sudden assault on the castle in an attempt to steal a mysterious box that holds a crucial secret.

This sports anime, adapted from Kawai Katsutoshi's manga serialized in Weekly Shounen Sunday, revolves around professional speedboat racing. The main character, Tadano Kenji, cannot pursue his ambition of becoming a professional baseball player due to his short stature. His baseball coach steers him toward boat racing instead. One day, Tadano-san unexpectedly runs into an old girlfriend, and the two make a pact: while she pledges to remain faithful to him, he must resolve to become Japan's top racer within three years. The title move, the "Monkey Turn," is a racing maneuver that Kenji-san devised while visiting her. This technique grants him a significant edge over his rivals, but the question remains whether it will suffice to make him number one.

After his parents die in an accident, Naoki Kazumi finds himself homeless and goes to live with his cousin Matsuri Shibugaki. While on the school rooftop, Naoki sees a girl named Mikoto Amagasaki falling from the sky. She comes from a hundred years in the future and has traveled back in time searching for her lost brother. Upon seeing Naoki, she mistakenly believes him to be her sibling.

In 2004, Optimus Prime receives a distress signal about trouble at Autobot City's gates. A group of Decepticons, commanded by a new and fearsome adversary calling himself Megatron—a Tyrannosaurus rex—has appeared! Autobots and Decepticons from various time periods have assembled in this era to battle over a newly discovered energy source known as solitarium.

This special is a compilation of the entire season, spotlighting solo songs performed by each girl's voice actress. It showcases her individual storyline with karaoke lyrics displayed on screen, allowing viewers to sing along.

Dr. Octo, a researcher specializing in octopus studies, becomes convinced that eight-limbed creatures are superior to humans and plots to take over the world. As part of his scheme, he kidnaps popular singer Sumire Hoshino, who is also Perman #3. Mitsuo Suwa, known as Perman #1, has strong feelings for the idol but does not realize she is his fellow Perman teammate. Furious at her abduction, he transforms and sets out to save her, but finds himself facing a gigantic octopus—a much tougher challenge than he expected. This film was screened alongside Doraemon Movie 25: Nobita no Wan Nyan Jikuudeni and Doraemon Anniversary 25.

The story is about Fuichin, a young tomboy girl living in Manchuria. Based on Toshiko Ueda's experience.

Ayako has autism, and all the other children in her class tease her—except for Yuri, the only girl who treats her with kindness. Deeply grateful, Ayako gives Yuri a gift: a bracelet made of beads. Later, as the school gets ready for the summer cultural festival, Yuri gets an idea inspired by Ayako's present. She suggests creating a decoration for one of the school's outer walls: a giant picture made from ropes strung with empty cans in various colors. All the children, including Ayako, begin collecting empty cans from across the city and work together to assemble the picture. However, on the day before the festival is set to begin, a typhoon strikes the city, threatening to destroy all their hard work.

A special Christmas episode.

This special episode of Kochira Katsushikaku Kameari Kouenmae Hashutsujo aired between episodes 318 and 319 of the continuing television series.