10 Best Cartoon Network Anime That Premiered In The 2000s

Published Oct 24, 2026, 11:00 PM EDT

Vanessa Piña has been writing as a journalist for over two years. As a senior writer, she focuses on timely coverage of the latest anime releases and popular comic franchises.

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Although anime has become a pillar of pop culture today, back in the early 2000s, when it was still a relatively niche phenomenon in the West, it was Cartoon Network that helped introduce an entire generation of fans to the medium. Many popular anime series from that era aired as part of Cartoon Network’s Toonami, geared toward younger viewers, and in its late-night block, Adult Swim, aimed at teenagers and more mature audiences.

Toonami went off the air before eventually returning, and Adult Swim continues to broadcast a significant amount of anime, but the Cartoon Network of the 2000s remains the definitive touchstone in the cultural memory of anime fans. At the time, viewers had to tune in at specific times to ensure they didn’t miss their favorite anime shows. Today, those series have become classics that fans can revisit and enjoy once again, thanks to their increased availability on streaming platforms.

Yu-Gi-Oh! Duel Monsters

The second anime adaptation of Kazuki Takahashi’s manga series, following the version by Toei Animation, Yu-Gi-Oh! Duel Monsters originally premiered on Kids' WB, later aired on Cartoon Network, and in 2005, joined the Toonami programming block. While the anime softens the tone of the original manga, which featured various types of "Shadow Games," to focus primarily on the card game, the series certainly doesn't lack action.

Even though the monsters that clash in battle are merely holograms, Yu-Gi-Oh! excels at building tension in every duel, imbuing the series with a dark atmosphere, reflected both in its villains and in the mystery surrounding the Millennium Items. Thanks to its unique monster designs, strategic gameplay, the personal ambitions of its characters, and intense rivalry between Yugi and Kaiba, Yu-Gi-Oh! continued to grow in popularity. It stands as one of the most memorable childhood anime to air on Cartoon Network and was eventually followed on the channel by its spin-off series, Yu-Gi-Oh! GX.

Mobile Suit Gundam Wing

Although the Gundam craze began in Japan in the 1970s, it wasn't until the 2000s that this cultural phenomenon would rise in the U.S., thanks to the premiere of Mobile Suit Gundam Wing in 2000 on Cartoon Network’s Toonami block. Gundam Wing explores a future in which space colonies, seeking to wage war against Earth, dispatch a group of trained Mobile Suit pilots to oppose their oppression.

While there are other entries that modern fans might choose as a starting point, Gundam Wing is one of the first series to feature a prominent female protagonist, Relena Peacecraft, while delving into political conflicts and showcasing various military factions and ideologies alongside the action. Furthermore, by confronting its characters with questions about humanity and war, Mobile Suit Gundam Wing adds layers of psychological complexity, with internal struggles that align perfectly with the franchise's themes. This gave the series greater relevance and helped solidify the popularity of Gundam in the West.

The Big O

The Big O is everything fans would hope for when combining a protagonist like Batman with the mecha genre. The series follows Roger, a wealthy man with a pathological fondness for black suits, who works as a negotiator in Paradigm City, aided by his loyal butler, Norman Burg, and the android R. Dorothy Wainwright.

The series is reminiscent of a noir-style detective film, featuring a procedural structure in which Roger takes on various cases. It's packed with mysteries, such as the one surrounding the city’s collective amnesia, but includes battles against giant robots with a distinct industrial design, making it a gripping work from start to finish. The Big O premiered on Cartoon Network’s Toonami block in 2001, and it was so well-received that Cartoon Network co-produced a second season with the studio Sunrise, which aired on Adult Swim in 2003.

Inuyasha

Premiering on Cartoon Network in 2002 as part of the Adult Swim block, Inuyasha rose to become a timeless masterpiece that transcended genre boundaries. Not only is it rich in Japanese mythology, incorporating time travel that lent it an isekai quality and helped lay the foundations for that genre, but, unlike most action anime, Inuyasha also succeeded in blending intense battles with a compelling romance.

Inuyasha follows a young woman who discovers a portal to feudal Japan and joins forces with a half-demon and other allies in search of the shards of the Shikon Jewel. With a darker tone than it seems, featuring perilous fights, swords, and death in a feudal fantasy world plagued by monsters, Inuyasha opened a door to the beauty of anime for American homes. It is a work rich in nuance and character development, which also managed to keep the viewer hooked on the love story between Kagome and Inuyasha.

Rurouni Kenshin

Also known in the West as Samurai X, Rurouni Kenshin first appeared on American television via Cartoon Network in 2003. Although it is deeply rooted in Japanese culture, being set during the Meiji era, what truly cemented Rurouni Kenshin's place in history is its well-crafted story of redemption. Unlike many other protagonists in the shonen genre, who strive to achieve their dreams or become the strongest, this series focuses on the atonement of a killer.

Kenshin Himura fights to make amends for his bloody past as Hitokiri Battōsai, and each battle is not merely a struggle for survival but a clash of ideologies. Rurouni Kenshin offered superb animation for the time, as well as an incredible soundtrack, but truly shines thanks to its complex characters, presenting imposing villains like Shishio Makoto, and a grounded story that avoids a simplistic, absolute approach to evil. Instead, it depicts both the light and dark sides of the people living through a period of real historical transition, becoming an unbelievable anime masterpiece.

Yu Yu Hakusho

One of the best classic anime series, Yu Yu Hakusho, debuted on Cartoon Network in 2002. At first glance, it appears to be a typical shonen: Yusuke Urameshi dies unexpectedly and becomes an spirit detective, setting the stage for a story centered on supernatural mysteries. However, later on, its exploration of good and evil became far more complex.

Yu Yu Hakusho evolved into intense battles spanning the spirit and demon world, bringing forward deeper, darker themes, including the twisted aspects of humanity. It came to be hailed as the successor to Dragon Ball, featuring brilliant arcs centered on martial arts, such as the Dark Tournament, which is still considered one of the best in shonen history. Furthermore, Yu Yu Hakusho inspired later anime hits, including Hunter x Hunter (by the same author) as well as series like Naruto and Jujutsu Kaisen.

One Piece

One Piece found itself in a rather peculiar situation regarding its broadcast in the US, initially premiering on 4Kids. This edited version was heavily criticized for its censorship and dubbing, which prevented the series from taking off as successfully as other top-selling manga of the time, such as Dragon Ball Z. However, not even these issues prevented the American audience from recognizing the brilliance of One Piece's story.

One Piece is an epic high-seas journey that follows not only Monkey D. Luffy in his dream of becoming the King of the Pirates but also the individual paths of each member of the Straw Hat crew. It's an anime rich in emotional depth but also with an incredibly well-developed world that is brimming with adventure. In 2007, the series began airing on Cartoon Network, with Funimation handling the license, providing a new English dub, and years later, it returned to Toonami with its completed, uncut episodes.

Naruto

Naruto is a series that propelled the shonen genre onto the global stage, gaining its place as one of the all-time great underdog stories. The first part of the anime, which follows Naruto Uzumaki’s early days as a ninja, as he gradually works toward his dream of becoming Hokage, had everything needed to capture the attention of a young audience: lovable characters, incredible fight sequences, and even dark, intense moments. Thus, in 2005, Naruto took over Cartoon Network’s Toonami block, becoming a true cultural phenomenon.

Despite facing some censorship regarding its violence and even in silly moments, Naruto's iconic first arcs led to numerous reruns and even multi-day marathons on the channel. The original Naruto series wouldn't return to Cartoon Network in its full, uncut splendor until several years later, with the revival of Toonami under Adult Swim. However, that didn't stop the show from becoming one of the biggest anime hits in the US and serving as a gateway into the medium for many viewers.

Dragon Ball

The original Dragon Ball series, which chronicles Goku’s childhood years, debuted on Cartoon Network in 2001, years after DBZ had already become a hit. Although Dragon Ball Z was undoubtedly the series that brought the franchise the most popularity, completely reinventing the story with the introduction of the Saiyans, the original Dragon Ball series isn't far behind, featuring some truly impressive highlights.

The series draws heavily from the humorous tone of Akira Toriyama’s early works, following Goku and his friends on their quest for the Dragon Balls, a premise that imbued the story with a sense of fantasy and adventure while also cementing the appeal of martial arts tournaments within the shonen genre. From the beginning of Goku’s training to the arrival of some of the series’ most memorable villains, such as King Piccolo, the broadcast of Dragon Ball on Cartoon Network helped firmly establish the franchise as a flagship anime title in the United States.

Cowboy Bebop

Cowboy Bebop was the inaugural anime for Cartoon Network’s Adult Swim block in 2001, earning its place in history as one of the best series ever aired on the channel. The series follows a group of bounty hunters as they tirelessly traverse the vastness of the solar system, and compared to other works of its time, it was a true anomaly by featuring a style more akin to Western-influenced film noir. Even so, it managed to transcend boundaries and win over even those who weren't particularly fans of anime.

The series created by the legendary director, Shinichiro Watanabe, presents several standalone stories that make it impossible not to grow attached to the characters. Furthermore, it features not only one of the best finales in anime but also an opening sequence that fans watch and listen to time and time again. Its jazz soundtrack, high-quality visuals, and unique worldview with deep philosophical layers come together with such perfection that, even today, Cowboy Bebop is considered an anime masterpiece.