Fall 2001 Anime

The Hellsing organization, which specializes in handling supernatural threats, is summoned to Cheddar where a vampire has been turning villagers into ghouls. To stop this, the organization's head, Sir Integra Fairbrook Wingates Hellsing, deploys her most powerful weapon: a mighty vampire named Alucard. With nothing more than a single handgun, Alucard unleashes destruction upon the monsters terrorizing Cheddar. But a young policewoman, Seras Victoria, gets drawn into the conflict and ends up fatally injured. Feeling sympathy for her, Alucard offers Seras an ultimatum: perish as a human or continue existing as a vampire. She chooses the latter and starts a new chapter as part of Hellsing. Even though it was her own choice, Seras finds it hard to accept that she is no longer human. However, she must quickly come to terms with her new nature if she intends to endure on the battlefield of the war between mankind and the supernatural.

Tennis prodigy Ryouma Echizen returns from America at his father's request, ready to make a splash in the Japanese tennis scene. Determined to become the country's top player, he enrolls at Seishun Academy, which hosts one of the finest middle school tennis teams in Japan. After catching the captain's attention, Ryouma earns a chance to compete for a spot in the starting lineup through the intra-school ranking matches, even though he is only a freshman. The rest of the Seishun Boys' Tennis Team are initially reluctant to accept him due to his age, but his skill and resolve eventually win them over. With their new "super rookie" in tow, Seishun sets out to secure a place in the National Tournament, aiming to claim the championship. To qualify, the team must progress through the Tokyo Prefectural and Kanto Regional tournaments. However, the path ahead is crowded with many strong schools, each with their own unique style of play and motivations. Ryouma and his teammates must learn to work together if they hope to become the champions they dream of being.

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.

Fifty years ago, the sinister stones called Dark Brings triggered the "Overdrive," a catastrophic event that wiped out a tenth of the planet. In the present, the evil group Demon Card seeks the power of the Dark Brings for their less-than-innocent purposes. Haru Glory, a silver-haired teenager who wields a sword, inherits the title of Rave Master: the one who holds the power of the legendary Rave Stones, artifacts that can destroy the Dark Brings. But the many Rave Stones were scattered worldwide after the Overdrive, letting Demon Card continue their wrongdoing. Groove Adventure Rave follows Haru, his odd dog Plue, the fiery blonde Ellie, and the infamous thief Musica, as they set off on a grand journey around the vast world, searching for the Rave Stones that will finally put an end to Demon Card's tyranny.

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.

Mahoro Andou is a formidable combat android created by Vesper, a clandestine group dedicated to shielding the world from extraterrestrial threats. Her operational lifespan is critically limited; engaging in battle will cause her systems to fail within approximately one month. Conversely, abstaining from combat allows her to exist freely for more than a year. Suguru Misato, a high school student residing alone in his deceased parents' spacious home, struggles with domestic duties and seeks a maid to help manage the household. His search ends unexpectedly when a beautiful girl in a maid uniform rescues him from bus hijackers. This rescuer is Mahoro, who has decided to spend her remaining days serving as Suguru's maid. As Mahoro cherishes her final time, she forms deep connections with Suguru and his friends through their lively daily lives. Yet, she conceals her true motives for becoming his maid, and their histories appear far more connected than Suguru suspects.

Tsubasa Oozora is utterly devoted to soccer, drawn to the roaring crowd, the velocity of the ball, the intensity of the athletes, and the thrill of pursuing excellence. Driven by the ambition to reach the World Cup, he has dedicated his life to training since he first learned to walk. As he competes for Barcelona in a crucial match, his lifelong dream appears to be within reach. Captain Tsubasa: Road to 2002 chronicles his ascent through the soccer ranks, detailing his beginnings in Nankatsu and his epic quest to perfect the game.

After defeating a super-large Earth battleship at the end of the first stage, Hibiki and his crew discover five more battleships heading toward Mejeiru and Tarahk. The crew of the NIRVANA learns that their home planets are facing the crisis of Karitori (reaping). They accelerate their journey home to warn of the danger. Along the way, a girl named Misty, who joins their travels, brings current intelligence about Earth that is worse than they could imagine. Hibiki and the crew realize the true battle lies ahead. As the enemy's attacks grow more violent, the VANDREAD finally evolves into its final system. Can they save their home? And what will become of the relationship between Hibiki and Dita?

Years earlier, an interdimensional gateway opened, unleashing two monsters into the skies above the Sea of Japan, visible to every nation along the coast. After destroying the naval fleet sent to investigate, the two creatures turned on each other. Watching the battle from Japan, researchers Joe and Marie Hayakawa were pulled into the portal. When they returned to Earth, they compiled and published their journey's findings in a legendary book titled "Day of Succession." Twelve years later, they attempted a second expedition into that other dimension—and never came back. Twins Ai and Yu Hayakawa decide to set out in search of their parents and the mysterious Wonderland they studied. At the ruins of an abandoned subway station, they wait for a train that will take them to the other world. Onboard, they meet Lisa Pacifist, who quickly resolves to help them find their missing family. Can the three of them succeed in locating Joe and Marie?

A small pink space creature named Kirby crash-lands into Dream Land. After becoming familiar with the residents of Cappy Town, he starts protecting the town from the monsters that King Dedede, the self-proclaimed ruler of Cappy Town, commissions from the evil Nightmare Enterprises.

Skull, the malevolent head of the terrorist group Black Ghost, commands nine formidable cyborgs. However, Dr. Isaac Gilmore, the organization’s cybernetics expert, chooses to betray his employers. He aids the cyborgs in rising up against Skull and his nefarious syndicate. Black Ghost aims to ignite a new global conflict by saturating the market with weapons of mass destruction. With the organization resolute in its mission to eliminate the nine cyborgs, the heroes face a daunting challenge in stopping the impending war.

Season Fairies use special musical instruments to create and control the weather. They make the wind blow, the snow fall, and the sun shine—anything related to weather is their doing. Sugar, an apprentice Snow Fairy, along with her friends Salt and Pepper, wants to become a full-fledged Season Fairy. The only way to achieve this is to search for and find the "Twinkles" that will make their magical flowers bloom. The problem is that none of them know what a Twinkle is. They recruit the somewhat unwilling help of Saga, a human girl who can see Season Fairies. Much to her annoyance, Saga’s perfectly planned and ordered life has become a little too lively. Together, they search for the mysterious Twinkles while trying to perfect their magic.

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.

Najica Hiiragi, a perfumer and secret agent, undertakes multiple recovery missions to capture rogue humaritts—androids with combat capabilities. Najica is given a humaritt partner named Lila, whom Najica must train as an agent and receive help from during missions. As Najica gradually comes to trust Lila, each new assignment uncovers more about the skills and hidden past of the humaritts.

Goro is having a run of bad luck, frequently losing jobs and struggling financially. While passing a pet shop, he encounters a fortune-teller who foretells a change in fortune. That evening, three young women show up in his apartment, introducing themselves as his guardian angels. Eventually, twelve girls in total arrive to assist him, each one the reincarnation of a pet Goro had previously owned and that had passed away.

The Kokoro Library is tucked away on a secluded mountaintop, drawing in very few visitors. Nonetheless, it serves as the home for the three sisters—Iina, Aruto, and Kokoro—who view it as their duty to run the library while their parents are away. Kokoro has always dreamed of becoming a librarian at the library that bears her name, and she gives her best effort to keep pace with her older sisters. With so few patrons, the sisters mostly spend their days drinking tea, chatting, and reading. Yet as the number of strange visitors gradually grows, Kokoro starts to discover the unusual history of Kokoro Library—a place where tiny miracles seem to bloom.

The Tobita Crush Gear club has lost nearly all its members and is now on the verge of disbandment. Kouya, who dreams of becoming a Crush Gear Fighting Champion, refuses to let the club disappear and will do anything in his power to keep it running while also aiming to become a Cush Gear Champion.

In the second chapter, Ryo Takatsuki and his allies press onward in their search to uncover the mystery of the strange A.R.M.S. each of them wields, and to understand what fate has in store for them. They have discovered where the answers are hidden, but reaching them means engaging in a desperate struggle for survival against a powerful military corporation that will do anything to seize their secrets.

A mishap inside the bakery's oven left a loaf of bread inside for too long, resulting in the creation of Kogepan—a charred piece of bread that could never be sold.

Kouichi, a young student, discovers his life is far from ordinary when he learns he is the reincarnation of an alien protector. Tasked with the mantle of Earth's defender, he joins forces with three super-powered alien companions to fight the dark forces led by an evil cult leader. This struggle to save humanity transports Babel from the deserts of southern Asia and the Upper East Side of Manhattan to a final confrontation with "the master" in a hidden Swiss Alps base. The action is intense and lethal, as the world's fate depends on this brave youth mastering his latent psychic abilities to vanquish the enemies of mankind.

Haruka Tsuchiya is an ordinary university student who owns a pet named Okojo-san. Originally hailing from a northern mountain, Okojo-san was taken to a pet shop for sale. Eager to escape, the pet devised an escape plan that led it to Haruka’s home. The duo experiences frequent humorous and bizarre incidents involving the people and animals around them. This gag anime centers on absurdity as its primary element.

At the close of the 21st century, a meteor strike brought Earth to an apocalyptic state, forcing the survivors to split into two distinct paths: the aristocratic Dobias fled into space, while the earthy Shioru retreated underground. Centuries later, both groups have resurfaced and are now locked in a struggle for planetary dominance—when they aren't battling a new breed of predators called Creatures. Amid this turmoil, an elite squad of five soldiers known as Geisters shields humanity from both the Creatures and each other. Though aligned with the Dobias, the Geisters have recently admitted a soldier of Shioru origin, and her assertive demeanor leaves the rest of the team questioning her loyalty and value. As political friction between Dobias and Shioru intensifies, Creatures run wild, and a dangerous new weapon is secretly developed, the Geisters must preserve harmony within their ranks and across society.

Haruno Kasumi is a fourth-grader whose parents are zoologists conducting research in Africa. To see them off, she arrives at Kasumi Town. In the center of the town stands a massive mansion encircled by forest. This mansion belongs to the Kasumi household, the family with whom Kasumi will be lodging and who will take care of her. The mansion has a mysterious atmosphere, and Kasumi discovers a series of talking appliances. The Kasumi family calls these creatures "Henamon." In exchange for living with the family, Kasumi helps with household chores like cooking and washing. Surrounded by various intriguing characters, Kasumi begins a new chapter in her life.

Have you ever encountered the Vampirians? One noble family of these vegetarian vampires was banished from Monsterland because they couldn't frighten humans. To lift their exile, Papa, the family's head, must scare one thousand humans. He tries using his brilliant inventing skills to achieve this, but always fails. Making things harder, Papa's daughter Sue falls in love with a human boy and no longer wishes to return to Monsterland. Can Papa ever bring his family back home?

Piroppo is a brief series commissioned by Sony to advertise their robot dog, Aibo. Although 54 segments of roughly 20 seconds each were produced, the DVD release comprises only 23 titled episodes. Designed by ISHII Katsuhito, who directed Trava Fist Planet and several Grasshoppa live-action projects, the work is a highly original undertaking despite its constrained budget.

The spirit world, the real world, and the Internet cyber realm are kept in peace and harmony by the Dimension Stone, a creation of three deities—Dragon King, Zeus, and Zoolu. One day, because Doddery had a date, he bribed Super Baby with milk and switched guard duty for the stone. A-jang engages in an intense battle with LuPin and Pigu until the very end, but during the fight something goes wrong with the Dimension Stone. The unusual energy it releases throws the spirit world into chaos. Many spirits, including LuPin and Pigu, fall into cyberspace, while A-jang barely manages to escape.

Stray Sheep follows Poe, a naive, independent, and curious ram who sleepwalks into unpredictable situations on his journey to rejoin his herd and find the ewe of his dreams.

Baboo Factory is an extremely brief anime that broadcasts during a cooking program titled Wagamanma Kitchen. The characters are adorable alien creatures known as Baboos, originating from the PlayStation game Astronoka. In Astronoka, the Baboos were 3D polygon characters, but in Baboo Factory, they appear as standard 2D anime characters. The Baboos do not communicate in any human language; instead, they only utter "baboo baboo," with Japanese subtitles provided at the bottom of the screen.

Part of a series of animated short films shown at the Ghibli Museum in Mitaka called <i>"Film Guru Guru"</i>.<br><br> A small white fish enters the frame and is eaten by a larger one, then the latter is in turn eaten by an even larger fish… At the end, only a huge white fish remains which seems to shrink in size. swimming towards the bottom of the screen. He leaves the frame and the cycle resumes.

Part of a series of animated short films shown at the Ghibli Museum in Mitaka called <i>"Film Guru Guru"</i>.<br><br> The hero, Rambutan, fights against a rival inside an old convertible launched at high speed. His opponent manages to rush him out of the vehicle and then bends over the hero’s girlfriend who desperately resists by kicking him in the face. Meanwhile, Rambutan catches up with the car running. He throws himself on his enemy and gets rid of him then kisses his girlfriend. The rival arises again, separates the two lovers and he and Rambutan fight again. The cycle resumes.

Special episode of <i>Kochira Katsushikaku Kameari Kouenmae Hashutsujo</i> broadcast between episodes 217 and 218 of the TV series.