2002 in anime

Years in anime: 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005
Centuries: 20th century · 21st century · 22nd century
Decades: 1970s 1980s 1990s 2000s 2010s 2020s 2030s
Years: 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005

The events of 2002 in anime.

Events

Accolades

At the Mainichi Film Awards, Crayon Shin-chan: The Storm Called: The Battle of the Warring States won the Animation Film Award and Millennium Actress won the Ōfuji Noburō Award. Internationally, Spirited Away became the first, and so far only, anime to win both the Academy Award for Best Animated Feature and the Annie Award for Best Animated Feature. Kōji Yamamura's Mt. Head was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Animated Short Film. Spirited Away also won the New York Film Critics Circle Award for Best Animated Film.

Releases

Films

Release date Title Studio Director(s) Running time (minutes) Japanese name
February 9 Turn A Gundam I: Earth Light Sunrise Yoshiyuki Tomino 128 Gekijō-ban ∀ Gandamu I chikyū hikari
February 10 Turn A Gundam II: Moonlight Butterfly Gekijō-ban ∀ Gandamu II gekkō chō
March 2 One Piece: Chopper Kingdom of Strange Animal Island Toei Animation Junji Shimizu 55 Wanpīsu chinjū shima no choppā ōkoku
March 2 Digimon Tamers: Runaway Locomon Tetsuharu Nakamura 30 Dejimon teimāzu bōsō dejimon tokkyū
March 9 Doraemon: Nobita in the Robot Kingdom Shin-Ei Animation Tsutomu Shibayama 81 Eiga Doraemon Nobita to robotto ōkoku [Kingu damu]
March 16 A Tree of Palme Palm Studio Takashi Nakamura 136 Parumu no ki
March 30 Patlabor Movie 3: WXIII Madhouse Fumihiko Takayama 100 WXIII kidō keisatsu patoreibā
April 20 Crayon Shin-chan: The Storm Called: The Battle of the Warring States Shin-Ei Animation Keiichi Hara 95 Eiga Crayon Shin-chan: Arashi wo Yobu Appare! Sengoku Dai Kassen
April 20 eX-Driver the Movie Actas Akira Nishimori 62 Ekusu doraibā the movie
April 20 Detective Conan: The Phantom of Baker Street TMS Entertainment Kenji Kodama 107 Meitantei Conan: Baker Street no Bourei
June 25 Armitage III: Dual-Matrix AIC Katsuhito Akiyama 90 Amitēji za sādo DUAL – matorikkusu
July 13 Pokémon Heroes OLM Kunihiko Yuyama 74 Poketto monsutā mizu no miyako no Mamoru-shin ratiasutoratiosu
July 20 The Cat Returns Studio Ghibli Hiroyuki Morita 75 Neko no Ongaeshi
August 17 Beyblade: Fierce Battle Nippon Animation

Synergy Japan

Takuo Suzuki 70 Bakuten shūto beiburēdo THE mūbī gekitō! ! Takao VS daichi
September 14 Millennium Actress Madhouse Satoshi Kon 86 Sennen Joyuu
October 19 Tamala 2010: A Punk Cat in Space t.o.L 91 Tamara 2010 a panku kyatto in supēsu
November 20 Blue Gender: The Warrior AIC Koichi Oohata 98 BLUE GENDER THE WARRIOR
December 21 Inuyasha: The Castle Beyond the Looking Glass Sunrise Toshiya Shinohara 99 Inuyasha-kyō no naka no mugen-jō

Television series

First run start and end dates Title Episodes Studio Director(s) Japanese name
January 5 – June 29 Secret of Cerulean Sand 26 Telecom Animation Film Yuuichiro Yano Patapata Hikousen no Bouken
January 6 – April 3, 2003 Panyo Panyo Di Gi Charat 48 Madhouse Shigehito Takayanagi Panyo panyo de ji kyaratto
January 7 – December 30 Beyblade V-Force 51 Nippon Animation Yoshio Takeuchi Bakuten Shoot Beyblade 2002
January 7 – April 8 Mirage of Blaze 13 Madhouse Susumu Kudo Honoo no Mirage
January 8 – June 18 Full Metal Panic! 24 Gonzo Kouichi Chigira Furumetaru panikku!
January 9 – December 25 Ultimate Muscle 51 Toei Animation Toshiaki Komura Kinnikuman II Sei
January 10 – March 28 Please Teacher! 12 Daume Yasunori Ide Onegai ☆ tīchā
January 10 – June 27 Nana Seven of Seven 25 A.C.G.T. Yasuhiro Imagawa Shichinin no Nana
January 11 – March 29 Aquarian Age: Sign for Evolution 13 Madhouse Yoshimitsu Oohashi Akuerian'eiji sain fō eborūshon
January 21 – September 11 RahXephon 26 Bones Yutaka Izubuchi Rāzefon
January 31 – March 28 Kanon 13 Toei Animation Naoyuki Ito Kanon (2002)
February 2 – May 11 Genma Wars 13 E&G Films Tsuneo Tominaga Genma taisen – shinwa zen'ya no shō
February 3 – January 26, 2003 Useless Witch Doremi Kaboom! 51 Toei Animation Takuya Igarashi Ojamajo doremi dokkan!
February 3 – March 31 Galaxy Angel Z 9 Madhouse Morio Asaka Gyarakushī enjeru Z
February 18 – September 2 Kick Off 2002 26 KBS Media Kim Dae Jun Kikku ofu 2002
March 4 – March 31, 2003 Rockman.EXE 56 Xebec Takao Kato Rokkuman eguze
March 28 – June 20 Gun Frontier 13 Vega Entertainment Soichiro Zen Gan furontia
March 29 – September 13 Psychic Academy 24 E&G Films Shigeru Yamazaki Saikikku akademī kirara banshō
April 1 – June 30 Happy☆Lesson 13 Studio Hibari Iku Suzuki HAPPY☆LESSON
April 2 – September 24 Tokyo Underground 26 Pierrot Hayato Date Tōkyō andāguraundo
April 2 – September 25 Tenchi Muyou! GXP 26 AIC Shinichi Watanabe Tenchimuyō! GXP
April 3 – September 25 Chobits 26 Madhouse Morio Asaka Chobittsu
April 3 – December 22 Rizelmine 24 Madhouse

Imagin

Yasuhiro Matsumura Rizerumain
April 4 – September 26 .hack//Sign 26 Bee Train Koichi Mashimo .hack//SIGN
April 4 – June 27 Magical☆Shopping Arcade Abenobashi 13 Madhouse Masayuki Kojima Abeno-bashi mahō ☆ shōten machi
April 5 – December 27 Daigunder 39 Brain's Base Hiroyuki Yano Bakutōsengen daigandā
April 6 – September 28 Forza! Hidemaru 26 Gallop Yoshihiro Takamoto Forutsu~a! Hidemaru
April 6 – September 27, 2005 Mirmo Zibang! 172 Studio Hibari Kenichi Kasai Wagamama ☆ fearī mirumo de pon!
April 6 – March 29, 2003 Searching for the Full Moon 52 Studio Deen Toshiyuki Kato Mangetsu wo sagashite
April 6 – March 29, 2003 Tokyo Mew Mew 52 Pierrot Noriyuki Abe Tōkyō myūmyū
April 7 – March 30, 2003 Lightning Super Express Hikarian 52 Tokyo Kids Hideaki Ooba Denkou Chou Tokkyuu Hikarian
April 7 – March 30, 2003 Cheeky Angel 50 TMS Entertainment Masaharu Okuwaki Tenshi na Konamaiki
April 7 – March 30, 2003 Digimon Frontier 50 Toei Animation Yukio Kaizawa Dejimon furontia
April 7 – September 29 Pita Ten 26 Madhouse Toshifumi Kawase Pitaten
April 9 – October 1 Azumanga Daioh The Animation 26 J.C.Staff Hiroshi Nishikiori Azumanga daiō the animēshon
April 9 – August 30, 2003 The Twelve Kingdoms 45 Pierrot Tsuneo Kobayashi Jūnikokuki
April 11 – September 26 Ai Yori Aoshi 24 J.C.Staff Masami Shimoda Bluer Than Indigo
April 19 – September 19, 2009 My Family 330 Shin-Ei Animation Akitaro Daichi

Tetsuo Yasumi

Atashinchi
May 6 – February 3, 2003 Whistle! 39 Studio Comet Hiroshi Fukutomi Hoissuru!
May 15 – August 14 Jing: King of Bandits 13 Studio Deen Hiroshi Watanabe Ōdorobō jing
July 2 – September 24 She, The Ultimate Weapon 13 Gonzo Mitsuko Kase Saishūheiki kanojo
July 2 – December 24 Samurai Deeper Kyo 26 Studio Deen Junji Nishimura SAMURAI DEEPER KYO
July 2 – October 1 G-On Riders 13 Shaft

TNK

Shinichiro Kimura G – on raidasu
July 3 – December 25 Witch Hunter Robin 26 Sunrise Shuko Murase Uitchi hantā robin
July 4 – September 19 UFO Princess Valkyrie 12 TNK Shigeru Ueda Enban kōjo warukiyure
July 4 – March 29, 2003 Fortune Dogs 39 Vega Entertainment Hiroshi Saito Fōchun doggusu
July 4 – December 26 Ground Defense Force! Mao-chan 26 Xebec Yoshiaki Iwasaki Rikujō bōeitai maochan
July 4 – December 26 Shrine of the Morning Mist 26 Chaos Project

GANSIS

Yuuji Moriyama Asagiri no miko
July 4 – March 27, 2003 Dragon Drive 38 Madhouse Toshifumi Kawase Doragon doraibu
August 16 – May 23, 2003 Princess Tutu 38 HAL Film Maker Junichi Sato

Kiyoko Sayama

Purinsesu chuchu
August 31 – November 23 Maou Dante 13 Magic Bus Kenichi Maejima Maō dante
September 7 – March 22, 2003 Overman King Gainer 26 Sunrise Yoshiyuki Tomino Ōbāman kingugeinā
September 11 – September 10, 2003 Hungry Heart: Wild Striker 52 Nippon Animation Satoshi Saga Hangurīhāto wairudo Striker
September 26 – January 16, 2003 Mahoromatic ~Something More Beautiful~ 14 Gainax

Shaft

Hiroyuki Yamaga Mahoromatikku ~ motto utsukushī mono ~
September 30 – March 24, 2003 Petite Princess Yucie 26 Gainax

AIC

Masahiko Ootsuka Puchipuri* yūshii
October 1 – September 30, 2003 Monkey Typhoon 52 Studio Egg Mamoru Hamatsu Asobotto senki go kyū
October 1 – October 1, 2003 Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex 26 Production I.G Kenji Kamiyama Kōkakukidōtai STAND arōn konpurekkusu
October 1 – March 25, 2003 Spiral: The Bond of Reasoning 25 J.C.Staff Mamoru Hosoda Supairaru – suiri no kizuna -
October 2 – March 26, 2003 Hanada Shounen-shi 25 Madhouse Masayuki Kojima Hanadashōnenshi
October 2 – March 26, 2003 Heat Guy J 25 Satelight Kazuki Akane Hīto gai jei
October 2 – September 24, 2003 Bomberman Jetters 52 Studio Deen Katsuyuki Kodera Bonbāman jettāzu
October 3 – February 8, 2007 Naruto 220 Pierrot Hayato Date Naruto
October 4 – December 25 Sister Princess: Re Pure 13 Zexcs Nagisa Miyazaki

Tsubame Shimotaya

Shisutā purinsesu ~ ripyua ~
October 5 – September 27, 2003 Mobile Suit Gundam SEED 50 Sunrise Mitsuo Fukuda Kidō senshi Gandamu shīdo
October 5 – September 20, 2003 GetBackers 49 Studio Deen Kazuhiro Furuhashi

Keitaro Motonaga

Getto bakkāzu dakkan-ya
October 6 – March 31, 2003 Galaxy Angel 3 26 Madhouse Shigehito Takayanagi Gyarakushī enjeru A
October 8 – December 17 Super Heavy God Gravion 13 Gonzo Masami Oobari Chō omo kami guravuion
October 9 – March 19, 2003 Kiddy Grade 24 Keiji Gotoh Kidi gureido
October 10 – December 19 Haibane Renmei 13 Radix Tomokazu Tokoro Haibanerenmei
November 2 – September 13, 2003 Diary of a Fishing Fool 36 Toei Animation Tetsuo Imazawa Tsuribakanisshi
November 11 – January 13, 2003 Piano: The Melody of a Young Girl's Heart 10 OLM Norihiko Sudo PIANO
November 21 – September 14, 2006 Pokemon Advanced Generation 192 Kunihiko Yuyama

Masamitsu Hidaka

Yuuji Asada

Poketto monsutā adobansu jenerēshon
November 28 – March 20, 2003 Knight Hunters Eternity 13 ufotable Hitoyuki Matsui Vuaisu kuroitsu gurīen

Original video animations

First run start and end dates Title Episodes Studio Director(s) Japanese name
January 16 Detective Conan: 16 Suspects 1 TMS Entertainment Yasuichiro Yamamoto Meitantei Conan: 16-nin no Yougisha
January 17 – April 17 Hunter x Hunter: Original Video Animation 8 Nippon Animation Satoshi Saga HUNTER×HUNTER Original Video Animation
January 25 Digital Juice 6 Studio 4°C Kouji Morimoto

Osamu Kobayashi Tatsuyuki Tanaka Kazuyoshi Yaginuma

Dejitaru jūsu
January 26 – March 27 Love Hina Again 3 Xebec Yoshiaki Iwasaki Rabu hina agein
January 26 Gakuen Senki Muryou Special 1 Madhouse Yorinuki muryō-san Girls serekushon ~ gakuensenki muryō tokubetsu-hen ~
January 31 – April 26 Shootfighter Tekken 3 AIC Yukio Nishimoto Kōkō tekken-den tafu
February 2 Voices of a Distant Star 1 CoMix Wave Films Makoto Shinkai Hoshi no koe
February 25 – January 25, 2003 Arcade Gamer Fubuki 4 Shaft Yuuji Muto Ākēdo gēmā fubuki
March 2 – July 3 Trava: Fist Planet 4 Madhouse Katsuhito Ishii

Takeshi Koike

TRAVA FIST PLANET
March 2 – July 1, 2006 Sweat Punch 5 Studio 4°C Kazuto Nakazawa Suuetto panchi
March 22 Canary 1 Soeishinsha Keitaro Motonaga Kanaria
March 25 – July 25 Otogi Story Tenshi no Shippo Specials 2 Tokyo Kids Kazuhiro Ochi O togi sutōrī tenshinoshippo
March 27 – January 23, 2003 In a Distant Time 2 Zexcs Iku Suzuki Harukanaru jikū no naka de 〜 ajisaiyumekatari 〜
March 27 – June 25, 2003 Angelique: Twin Collection 8 Yumeta Company Anjerīku Twin korekushon
March 29 – July 26 Araiso Private High School Student Council Executive Committee 2 Nippon Animation Shinji Sato Shiritsu araiso kōtō gakkō seito-kai shikkō-bu
April 3 Lupin III: Return of Pycal 1 TMS Entertainment Mamoru Hamatsu Lupin III: Ikiteita Majutsushi
April 19 She and Her Cat: Their Standing Points 1 CoMix Wave Films Makoto Shinkai Kanojo to Kanojo no Neko
April 24 – January 8, 2003 Gate Keepers 21 6 Gonzo Hiroshi Yamaguchi Gēto kīpāzu 21
April 24 Galerians: Rion 3 Garerianzu: Rion
April 25 Galaxy Angel Music Collection: Shouen to Shien no Cassoulet 1 Madhouse Morio Asaka

Yoshimitsu Oohashi

Gyarakushī enjeru myūjikku korekushon shōen to shien no kasure
May 25 – October 26 Cosplay Complex 3 TNK Shinichiro Kimura Kosupure konpurekkusu
May 25 Megami Kouhosei Special Curriculum 1 Xebec Shinichi Yamaoka Megami kōhosei supesharu karikyuramu
May 25 Mahou no Star Magical Emi: Kumo Hikaru 1 Ajia-do Takashi Anno Mahō no sutā majikaru emi kumo hikaru
June 20 – April 10, 2003 .hack//Liminality 4 Bee Train Koichi Mashimo .hack//LIMINALITY
July 26 – January 22, 2004 Futari Ecchi 4 Chaos Project Yuuji Moriyama Futari etchi
August 6 Ultra Maniac 1 Ashi Productions Shinichi Masaki

Nanako Shimazaki

Urutora maniakku
August 23 – April 2, 2004 Nurse Witch Komugi-chan Magikarte 5 Kyoto Animation

Tatsunoko Production

Yasuhiro Takemoto Nāsuu~itchi komugi-chan majikarute
August 25 – August 26, 2005 Yukikaze 5 Gonzo Masahiko Ookura Sentō yōsei yukikaze
August 25 – January 25, 2003 Haré+Guu Deluxe 6 Shin-Ei Animation Tsutomu Mizushima Janguru haitsu moharenochiguu derakkusu
September 19 Saiyuki Interactive 1 Pierrot Gensōmadensaiyūki – kibō no zaika -
September 20 Mega Man: Wishing upon a Star 3 Ashi Productions Katsumi Minoguchi Rokku man hoshininegaiwo
September 27 Ichi The Killer: Episode 0 1 AIC Shinji Ishihira Koroshi-ya 1 THE animēshon EPISODE 0
October 25 Please Teacher!: Secret Couple 1 Daume Onegai ☆ tīchā himitsunafutari
October 25 Vandread: Gekitou-hen 1 Gonzo Shinji Higuchi Vuandoreddo gekitō-hen
November 9 – July 25, 2003 Saint Seiya: The Hades Chapter – Sanctuary 13 Toei Animation Shigeyasu Yamauchi Seitō shiseiya meiō hādesu jūnikyū-hen
December 9 – March 19, 2003 I''s 2 Pierrot

Arms

Shigenori Kageyama Furomuaizu ~ mō hitotsu no natsu no monogatari ~
December 13 – June 27, 2003 Happy World! 3 Zexcs Takashi Ikehata Happy World!
December 18 Sakura Taisen: Sumire 1 Radix Hitoyuki Matsui “Sakura taisen”~ kanzaki sumire intai kinen ~`su mi re'
December 18 – March 26, 2003 I'll/CKBC 2 M.S.C Itsuro Kawasaki I'll/CKBC
December 20 Green Green 1 Media Factory Gurīn gurīn
December 21 – December 21, 2003 Space Pirate Captain Herlock: The Endless Odyssey 13 Madhouse Rintaro SPACE PIRATE CAPTAIN HERLOCK OUTSIDE LEGEND ~The Endless Odyssey~
December 21 – October 20, 2004 Macross Zero 5 Satelight Shoji Kawamori Makurosu zero
December 27 Wind: A Breath of Heart 1 Ajia-do Sata Wind -a breath of heart-
Kojin Taxi 5
Shokuzai no Kyoushitsu 2
Shintaisou: Kari 4
Flutter of Birds: Tori-tachi no Habataki 2
D+vine Luv 4
Little Monica Monogatari 2

See also