The Best Shonen Anime Movie of Every Year of the 2000s

Before recent hits like Demon Slayer and Chainsaw Man became huge in theaters, many other action-packed anime movies didn’t get as much attention. They weren’t necessarily unknown, but they didn’t achieve the same worldwide popularity as films like Mugen Train, Infinity Castle, and the Reze Arc movie – something that wasn’t common over two decades ago.

The 2000s were a great decade for shonen anime films, with many popular series releasing several well-received movies. Here’s a rundown of the standout shonen anime movies from each year of the decade.

2000: Detective Conan: Captured In Her Eyes

I’ve seen a lot of the Detective Conan movies – they’ve made almost 30 now! And like with any long-running series, some are fantastic, some are good, and some just don’t quite hit the mark. But the 2000 film, Captured in Her Eyes, is definitely one of the highlights for me.

Captured In Her Eyes follows Ran, who becomes entangled in a serial killer’s crimes. The killer is specifically targeting police officers, and Ran is struggling with memory loss after surviving a murder attempt. The story has a compelling premise and is a genuinely exciting mystery with plenty of tension, making it one of the most captivating installments in the series.

2001: Inuyasha the Movie: Affections Touching Across Time

Rumiko Takahashi is a hugely successful manga artist with a career spanning many decades. While she’s created numerous popular series, Inuyasha is still one of her most well-known works, though it’s closely followed in popularity by titles like Urusei Yatsura, Ranma 1/2, and Maison Ikkoku.

The movie Affections Touching Across Time presents a brand new story, separate from the original manga. In it, Inuyasha and Kagome meet Menomaru Hyouga, a demon seeking revenge for his father and determined to steal Inuyasha’s sword, Tessaiga. As the first of four Inuyasha films, it stands out as one of the strongest entries in the series.

2002: Detective Conan: The Phantom of Baker Street

With so many Detective Conan movies to choose from, it’s hard to pick just one when talking about the best action-adventure anime films of the 2000s. However, the 2002 film, The Phantom of Baker Street, definitely deserves a mention. It remains one of the most highly-regarded movies in the series, and for good reason.

A dangerous artificial intelligence has trapped a group of children inside a virtual reality game, and it plans to eliminate them. Conan and his companions rush to their rescue, finding themselves in a digital recreation of Victorian London. To win the game and save the children, Conan must unravel the infamous Jack the Ripper mystery.

2003: One Piece: Dead End Adventure

The fourth One Piece film, Dead End Adventure, is a thoroughly enjoyable experience. It’s a quintessential One Piece story, perfect for anyone wanting to relive the charm of the series’ earlier seasons.

The Straw Hat crew is running out of money, so they join the Dead End Race – a competition between pirate crews. They face many strong opponents, but the most formidable is a former Marine named Gasparde. Will Luffy and his crew be able to beat Gasparde and win the prize money?

2004: Naruto: Ninja Clash in the Land of Snow

While not the strongest film in the Naruto series, Ninja Clash in the Land of Snow is still an enjoyable movie. The director had previously worked on a few episodes of Evangelion and later directed episodes of popular anime like Soul Eater, Blue Exorcist, and The Seven Deadly Sins.

I’m so excited about Ninja Clash in the Land of Snow! It picks up right after episode 101 of the anime, and it’s awesome because Team 7 gets assigned to protect this famous actress, Yukie Fujikaze, while she’s filming. But things quickly get complicated – it turns out Yukie isn’t who everyone thinks she is, and Naruto and the team have to step up and shield her from some seriously dangerous enemies!

2005: Fullmetal Alchemist the Movie: Conqueror of Shamballa

I’ve noticed a lot of discussion among Fullmetal Alchemist fans about which anime series is better: the 2003 version or Brotherhood. The 2003 anime took some creative liberties with the story, actually at the author Hiromu Arakawa’s request, while Brotherhood sticks much closer to the original manga. Honestly, I think you can’t really go wrong with either one. They both have their strengths and offer a really enjoyable experience, just in different ways.

Continuing the story from the 2003 Fullmetal Alchemist anime, Conqueror of Shamballa picks up right after the series finale. Edward finds himself in Munich and is determined to find a way back to his original world after being transported through the Gate. This movie serves as a satisfying conclusion to the 2003 series, and offers a very different feel compared to the 2009 adaptation.

2006: Bleach: Memories of Nobody

With two of the most popular anime already featured, it was inevitable that Bleach would make the list. Memories of Nobody presents a standalone story created by Masashi Sogo, separate from the main series written by Tite Kubo.

In Memories of Nobody, Ichigo and Ruika discover “blanks” – lost souls with no memories – appearing in Karakura Town. They team up with a mysterious Soul Reaper named Senna to stop a dangerous group called The Dark Ones from destroying both the human world and Soul Society. Along the way, they try to uncover Senna’s connection to these memory-less souls.

2007: JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure: Phantom Blood

JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure is well-known for its David Production anime, but a much older adaptation of the first part of the story exists that most fans have never seen. This earlier version is considered lost media, which explains why it’s so rare and hard to find.

The 2007 Phantom Blood movie, created by Studio A.P.P.P., had a very limited run in Japanese cinemas and was never released on DVD or Blu-ray. As a result, most people who saw it only experienced it in theaters. Fortunately, a passionate group of fans has pieced together information about the film by collecting stories from viewers and finding materials like a 16-minute workprint and trailers. There are even reports of a leaked online version, though it’s hard to confirm if that ever truly circulated. Based on what’s available, the movie appears to be a compelling adaptation of the manga, and the clips that have surfaced online look fantastic. Hopefully, a complete version will become available someday.

2008: Major: The Winning Shot of Friendship

Major is an enjoyable sports series that doesn’t always get the recognition it deserves. The original manga ran in Weekly Shonen Jump for almost 20 years, from 1994 to 2010. During that time, an anime series based on the manga also aired, running from 2004 to 2010.

This story picks up right after the fourth season of the anime, following Goro as he returns to Fukuoka from the U.S. and reconnects with old friends. It’s highly recommended for anyone who is already watching or plans to watch the anime series.

2009: One Piece Film: Strong World

One Piece Film: Strong World is unique because it’s the only movie in the series with a story directly created by Oda, the author of the original manga. As a result, it feels just as enjoyable and authentic as the main One Piece story.

In the movie, Shiki acts as the main villain, kidnapping Nami because of her talent for navigation. The Straw Hat crew then races to rescue her. While the beginning is a bit slow, Strong World is generally considered a very good One Piece movie, and a favorite among fans.

2026-02-22 01:07