Spring 2002 Anime

When computers begin to resemble humans, does the concept of love remain unchanged? Hideki Motosuwa is a young boy from the countryside working hard to pass his college entrance exams. Coming from a poor family, he can barely afford his everyday expenses, let alone the latest trend: Persocoms—personal computers that look exactly like human beings. One evening on his way home, he stumbles upon an abandoned Persocom. After taking her home and successfully turning her on, she appears to be faulty, able to say only one word: "Chii," which becomes her name. Unlike other Persocoms, Chii cannot download data onto her hard drive, forcing Hideki to teach her about the world the old-fashioned way while simultaneously studying for his college exams. Together with his friends, Hideki attempts to solve the mystery behind Chii, who might be a "Chobit"—an urban legend about special units capable of genuine human emotions and thoughts, along with love for their owner. But can a romance truly develop between a Persocom and a human?

Chiyo Mihama starts high school as one of the most unusual first-year students around—a tiny ten-year-old genius who loves stuffed animals and home-cooked meals. However, her homeroom teacher Yukari Tanizaki is the type to steal a student's bicycle to avoid being late, so "unusual" is a flexible concept. There is no shortage of eccentric girls in Yukari-sensei's class either. Alongside Chiyo are students like Tomo Takino, a hyperactive tomboy with more energy than intelligence; Koyomi Mizuhara, Tomo's best friend whose temper is shorter than Chiyo's height; and Sakaki, a tall, athletic beauty whose fierce appearance conceals a gentle nature and a painful obsession with cats. Transfer student Ayumu Kasuga, a girl with her head perpetually in the clouds, fits in perfectly with the rest of the group—and she has some peculiar ideas about Chiyo's pigtails! Together, this endearing group of girls navigates the highs and lows of school life, their countless adventures filled with nonstop laughter, surreal absurdity, and occasionally even poignant reflections on the fleeting, bittersweet nature of high school.

A young wavemaster known only by the alias Tsukasa wakes up inside the MMORPG The World with partial amnesia. He has no memory of what he did before regaining consciousness. In The World, the Crimson Knights suspect him of being a hacker because he was seen accompanying an altered cat-shaped character. Unable to log out from the game, he wanders in search of answers while evading the knights and other players he meets along the way. As Tsukasa explores The World, he comes across a magical item that manifests as a "guardian," which vows to protect him from all harm. Subaru, the leader of the Crimson Knights, along with several other players who have become acquainted with Tsukasa, sets out to investigate why he cannot log out and attempts to get to the bottom of the situation before it spirals out of control.

Youko Nakajima has always wanted nothing more than to be ordinary. She follows instructions, earns high marks, serves as class president, and lends a hand to classmates whenever possible—yet her red hair has always made her stand out as different. Because of her passive nature, Youko lets others take advantage of her, leaving her with no one she can truly consider a friend. Then, on what seems like a normal day, a man claiming to be from another world bursts into Youko's classroom and kneels before her. This refined, blond-haired man named Keiki declares that Youko is his liege and destined to rule his kingdom. But their encounter is abruptly interrupted when youma—monstrous beasts from another world—pursue Keiki. He manages to flee with Youko into his own realm, but two other classmates, Ikuya Asano and Yuka Sugimoto, are swept into the chaos as well. Their troubles are far from over, as the youma attack leaves them separated from Keiki. Stranded in this unfamiliar world, these ordinary students must learn to survive on their own or face death.

Ichigo Momomiya thought her date with her crush, Masaya Aoyama, would end more romantically than her passing out after seeing a vision of a cat slipping into her body. The next day, things get weirder as she starts acting like a cat, including a sudden urge for fish. When a monster attacks Masaya, she realizes she can transform into the cat-eared magical girl Mew Ichigo. After saving Masaya, two researchers named Ryou Shirogane and Keiichiro Akasaka approach her, explaining they injected her with Iriomote Cat DNA to create a magical girl capable of saving Earth from aliens. Ichigo is assigned to fight these monsters, but handling the world's rescue alone is too much for her. Luckily, she discovers four other girls like her, and Ichigo must locate them quickly before the aliens fully conquer the planet.

Five new children embark on a fresh mission in the Digital World in Digimon Frontier, delivering the same thrilling action and adventure as the previous three seasons. Takuya, Kouji, Izumi, Junpei, and Tomoki encounter each other on a train that transports them to the Digital World, where a conflict against evil is underway. The Angel digimon Cherubimon, one of the three angels dispatched to rescue the world from the power-hungry Lucemon, has fallen to the dark side, placing the entire Digital World in jeopardy. To confront this great battle, the five CHOSEN ONES must locate the Densetsu no Spirit (Legendary Spirit).

Two years prior, Mitsuki Kouyama's childhood friend Eichi Sakurai moved to America before she could confess her feelings to him. Although she cannot contact him, they made a promise to pursue their dreams: Mitsuki aims to become a professional singer, while Eichi wants to be an astronomer. She hopes that one day her music will reach him across the world, shining as brilliantly as the full moon. However, there is a complication: Mitsuki has throat cancer, which leaves her voice quiet and makes singing difficult. Her grandmother despises music and insists Mitsuki undergo surgery to remove the cancer, but Mitsuki refuses because it risks losing her voice entirely. One day, two shinigami—Meroko Yui and Takuto Kira—appear and inform her that she has only one year left to live. This shocking news spurs Mitsuki into action, and she decides that with Meroko and Takuto's assistance, she will become a professional singer within the time she has remaining. Full Moon wo Sagashite follows the emotional journey of Mitsuki and her shinigami companions as they learn what it truly means to sing—and ultimately, what it means to live.

Kaoru Hanabishi, a college student living by himself, encountered a lovely yet confused girl in a kimono at a train station. He offered to help her find the address she was looking for, which turned out to be near his own place, but the location was an empty lot. Unsure of what to do next, Kaoru brought the distressed girl to his apartment and asked for more clues about her destination. She showed him a photograph of two children, which Kaoru immediately recognized as himself and his childhood friend Aoi Sakuraba. It became clear that the girl before him was indeed Aoi Sakuraba, his betrothed fiancée who had traveled to Tokyo to marry him. This revelation not only shocked him but also stirred deep memories of why he had left the Hanabishi family in the first place.

Satoshi "Sasshi" Imamiya feels his world has collapsed, a despair fitting for a twelve-year-old. His troubles deepen when his prized card collection is lost and he discovers his childhood friend, Arumi Asahina, is moving away. Their personal crises are suddenly overshadowed by surreal events as they are whisked through bizarre dimensions of science fiction, magic, and warfare. Every effort to flee merely launches them into yet another strange realm. They soon realize these alternate worlds are distorted reflections of their hometown, populated by two mysterious figures: the curvaceous Mune-mune and the elusive blue-haired Eutus, who may hold the secret to their escape. In Abenobashi Mahou☆Shoutengai, Sasshi and Arumi embark on a comedic journey to get back home. Yet, as they uncover a story that spans generations, they begin to suspect the root of their plight is deeply personal, forcing them to question whether returning to their original life is truly what they want.

In the year 20XX, a boy named Netto Hikari starts fifth grade and receives a special present: his own customized Net Navi, Rockman! Although Rockman is small and has a much more serious personality, the two quickly become close friends. A Net Navi guides its operator from inside their Personal Terminal, known as a PET. People of all ages take part in friendly Net Battles, where they pit their Navis against each other to show their skill.

Despite looking like a young boy, Jing is a highly skilled thief whose abilities make him one of the most feared criminals globally. He roams from town to town alongside his feathered companion Kir, pilfering valuable items without regard for the security in place. When cornered, Jing relies on a secret technique: Kir merges with his right arm to unleash the lethal "Kir Royale" strike. This reputation has earned him the notorious title of "King of Bandits."

Seina Yamada's streak of misfortune—wrecking his bike, tumbling into lakes—seems unbreakable. That luck shifts when he gets drafted into the Galaxy Police against his will and proceeds to arrest more pirates than any other officer on the force. Now the former unlucky Earth boy has become a name pirates dread. Yet for all his fearsome reputation, Seina remains the same accident-prone fellow. At least he has Amane Kaunaq, an ex-model, and Kiriko Masaki, his longtime friend, to help hold him together. With their support, Seina embarks on a journey toward his goal of becoming a fine Galaxy Police Officer.

Beneath Tokyo, Japan's capital, lies a vast, hidden world called Underground. Its inhabitants are Elemental Users—individuals who wield powers over forces like fire, water, lightning, magnetism, or ice. The story follows Rumina Asagi and his best friend Ginnosuke Isuzu, two ordinary high school freshmen living in Tokyo. Their lives are turned upside down when they encounter Chelsea Rorec, a Gravity User, and Ruri Sarasa, the Miko of Life, setting them on a grand adventure.

Hitotose Chitose had always been solitary and wary of others, but when five female teachers moved into his family home and began living with him as his mothers, his life started to shift and liven up. Alongside Hazuki-nee and Minazuki, his two sisters, every day offers a new lesson.

Megumi-chan carries a hidden history: once a boy, they encountered someone they believed to be a magic user. That individual gave them a mysterious book—when blood touches it, a genie emerges to fulfill one wish. Megumi wished to become a man in a man's body, but the genie works in reverse, transforming nine-year-old Megumi-kun into Megumi-chan. Years later, Megumi enters high school and immediately defeats the school bully, who, of course, falls in love with her. Now she searches for the book again, hoping to undo the spell.

Iwaki Tomonori is an ordinary 15-year-old boy with a preference for older women. He harbors a crush on his teacher, only to discover she has just become engaged. Heartbroken, he returns home and finds a 12-year-old girl named Rizel waiting for him. He soon learns that the Japanese government has forcibly married him to her against his will. Moreover, Rizel is no ordinary girl—she is a biochemically engineered human. Her creators, referred to as her "papa"s, promise to cover several of Iwaki's parents' bills in exchange for allowing them to stay at the house. Thus, Iwaki's life with Rizel begins.

Kotarou is an ordinary boy who worries about school pressures and enjoys a simple life with his friends. To his dismay, one day the overly cheerful Misha appears at his door, wanting to be friends out of the blue. Even more surprising is that Misha is an apprentice angel, yet she causes more harm than good. Along with Kotarou's schoolmates Takashi and Koboshi, and the so-called devil Shia (who likewise does more good than bad), the group of friends spend their days getting into all sorts of adventures and troubles.

Kaede, an upbeat eighth-grader, is completely timid when it comes to romance. After purchasing a vibrant cocoa mug at a strange shop, she finds an inscription revealing that reading a wish aloud while adding hot cocoa summons a love fairy, or muglox, to fulfill desires. Skeptical yet intrigued, Kaede wishes to date Yuuki, the popular boy at school, and the tiny blue Mirumo instantly appears. However, Mirumo is more interested in eating sweets and causing chaos than helping her. As the prince of the muglox world, Mirumo fled his realm to avoid an arranged marriage with Princess Rirumu. Now, Rirumu, bounty hunter Yashichi, and a chaotic army of muglox are in pursuit, turning Kaede’s everyday school life into a whirlwind of adorable trouble.

Kazamatsuri Shou has always dreamed of becoming a professional soccer player, but he has one major issue: he isn't especially skilled at the sport. He was admitted to the renowned Musashi no Mori Junior High, a school famous for its exceptional soccer team, but he could never move beyond being a third-string player. After transferring to Sakura Jousui Junior High, he finally gets the opportunity to play. With the encouragement of his new friends and teammates, his unwavering determination, and plenty of hard work, his soccer abilities are improving quickly, setting Shou firmly on the path to realizing his dream.

Ai Shiomi, burdened by self-doubt, enrolls at the prestigious Psychic Academy—a school for students with psychic powers—hoping to live up to the legacy of his legendary older brother.

The Gun Frontier is a harsh, barren wasteland where the weak have no right to dream. It is also a sacred territory for true men, offering a place where a man can feel most alive. Into this frontier come Sea Pirate Captain Harlock and the wandering samurai Tochiro, arriving in the United States' Old West. Accompanied by an enigmatic woman they encounter on their journey, the two friends take on sex rings, bandits, and a corrupt sheriff. Their goal is to find a vanished clan of Japanese immigrants, and they intend to scour the Gun Frontier from one end to the other until they succeed.

Absurd misadventures of a near-average family consisting of a mother, her husband, and their two children Yuzuhiko and Mikan. Wild comedy centered on this peculiar family's everyday life.

In a robot tournament where machines can transform into animals, young Akira Akebono strives to claim the ultimate prize, the Titan Belt. He relies on his team of robots, which combine to form Daigunder, a machine invented by his father, Professor Hajime Akebono. Partnering with Haruka, the duo competes as Team Akira. Their path is obstructed by rival competitors and Ginzan, a robot controlled by the villainous Professor Maelstrom.

A vessel carrying wealthy international business figures has been seized by terrorists. Rescue efforts fall to a Japanese operative called Japa, who must assemble a team of seven allies to form the Wild Seven. Their mission unfolds against the backdrop of the waters surrounding the Nicaragua Canal.

Amika is an elementary school student with aspirations of becoming an idol. Her grandmother, a strict but wealthy woman, resides on her own remote island. After her grandmother passes away, subtle changes begin to appear in Amika's life. Shortly following the death, Amika's mother gives birth to a baby girl. Ironically, Amika's new little sister looks and behaves exactly like their late grandmother.

The second season of Chou Tokkyuu Hikarian.

The monkeys are causing trouble again, but this time they are on the side of the "heroes." They perform mischievous magic shows, use a ninja Jutsu to clone themselves, and fill UFO catchers with their own kind—these are just a few of their antics as they also try to adapt to human life.

A soccer anime featuring a cast of eccentric animals in sports gear might seem out of place in the early 2000s, but it was the year of the World Cup hosted jointly by Japan and South Korea, and the very young audience encounters these conventions with fresh eyes. Hidemaru is a spirited fox; his friends include bunnies, dogs, horses, and a couple of hefty hippo girls. Based on the manga Hidemaru the Soccer Boy by Makoto Mizobuchi, serialized in CoroCoro Comics.

Tomioka does not fail to deliver in his wild and unique take on the world. His multi-coloured animation talents take us on a whirlwind trip of old school trams with weird and wonderful characters. <br><br>

Special episode of <i>Kochira Katsushikaku Kameari Kouenmae Hashutsujo</i> broadcast between episodes 239 and 240 of the TV series.