Best anime of 2001 — top 15 ranked

The best anime that premiered in 2001, ranked by MyAnimeList user score. Spirited Away leads with a score of 8.77, followed by Cowboy Bebop: The Movie and Case Closed Movie 05: Countdown to Heaven. The 15 titles below average 7.93/10 and are drawn from MyAnimeList's top 2,000.

  1. 1 Spirited Away poster

    Spirited Away

    Sen to Chihiro no Kamikakushi
    Movie · 1 ep · Summer 2001 · Studio Ghibli
    ★ 8.77
    2.1M members
    #49 on MAL
  2. 2 Cowboy Bebop: The Movie poster

    Cowboy Bebop: The Movie

    Cowboy Bebop: Tengoku no Tobira
    Movie · 1 ep · Summer 2001 · Bones
    ★ 8.38
    418.6K members
    #250 on MAL
  3. 3 Case Closed Movie 05: Countdown to Heaven poster

    Case Closed Movie 05: Countdown to Heaven

    Meitantei Conan Movie 05: Tengoku e no Countdown
    Movie · 1 ep · Spring 2001 · TMS Entertainment
    ★ 8.12
    71.3K members
    #579 on MAL
  4. 4 Hikaru no Go poster

    Hikaru no Go

    TV · 75 eps · Fall 2001 · Studio Pierrot
    ★ 8.08
    152.2K members
    #637 on MAL
  5. 5 Samurai X: Reflection poster

    Samurai X: Reflection

    Rurouni Kenshin: Meiji Kenkaku Romantan - Seisou-hen
    OVA · 2 eps · Fall 2001 · Studio Deen
    ★ 7.97
    90.5K members
    #822 on MAL
  6. 6 Crayon Shin-chan: The Storm Called - The Adult Empire Strikes Back poster

    Crayon Shin-chan: The Storm Called - The Adult Empire Strikes Back

    Crayon Shin-chan Movie 09: Arashi wo Yobu Mouretsu! Otona Teikoku no Gyakushuu
    Movie · 1 ep · Spring 2001 · Shin-Ei Animation
    ★ 7.96
    13.9K members
    #829 on MAL
  7. 7 Initial D Third Stage poster

    Initial D Third Stage

    Movie · 1 ep · Winter 2001 · Studio Deen
    ★ 7.92
    212.2K members
    #900 on MAL
  8. 8 The Prince of Tennis poster

    The Prince of Tennis

    Tennis no Oujisama
    TV · 178 eps · Fall 2001 · Trans Arts
    ★ 7.85
    200K members
    #1,065 on MAL
  9. 9 Haré+Guu poster

    Haré+Guu

    Jungle wa Itsumo Hare nochi Guu
    TV · 26 eps · Spring 2001 · Shin-Ei Animation
    ★ 7.82
    52.9K members
    #1,140 on MAL
  10. 10 Banner of the Stars II poster

    Banner of the Stars II

    Seikai no Senki II
    TV · 10 eps · Summer 2001 · Sunrise
    ★ 7.79
    26K members
    #1,219 on MAL
  11. 11 Shaman King poster

    Shaman King

    TV · 64 eps · Summer 2001 · Xebec
    ★ 7.73
    388.4K members
    #1,394 on MAL
  12. 12 Fruits Basket poster

    Fruits Basket

    TV · 26 eps · Summer 2001 · Studio Deen
    ★ 7.69
    573.3K members
    #1,502 on MAL
  13. 13 Digimon Tamers poster

    Digimon Tamers

    TV · 51 eps · Spring 2001 · Toei Animation
    ★ 7.66
    214.3K members
    #1,582 on MAL
  14. 14 R.O.D - Read or Die poster

    R.O.D - Read or Die

    R.O.D: Read or Die
    OVA · 3 eps · Spring 2001 · Studio Deen
    ★ 7.61
    79K members
    #1,772 on MAL
  15. 15 InuYasha the Movie: Affections Touching Across Time poster

    InuYasha the Movie: Affections Touching Across Time

    InuYasha Movie 1: Toki wo Koeru Omoi
    Movie · 1 ep · Fall 2001 · Sunrise
    ★ 7.57
    111.2K members
    #1,925 on MAL

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