Remakes: love them or hate them, they are all the rage right now. How many times have audiences seen Peter Parker struggle his way into being a superhero? Or Bruce Wayne's origin story (even The Batman couldn't resist referencing that one)? No matter what, they come back around. And anime is no exception to the rule. If done well, anime remakes often have had higher success than the original, if for no reason that they provide better closure. This is because in a lot of cases animation began before the manga ended.
Some examples include names like Hunter x Hunter, Full Metal Alchemist: Brotherhood, Devilman Crybaby, and the more recent Fruits Basket. The core story remains the same, but the animation and pacing have improved. Listed below are anime from the 2000s that are ready for the remake treatment, based on where they ended in their previous iteration.
Kaleido Star
Kaleido Star deserves to be remade primarily because of the possibility of gorgeous animation for the acrobatic sequences and costumes. It tells the story of Sora Naegino's quest to be a member of the Kaleido Stage, where the best acrobats in the world put on shows for the crowd.
Rooting for Sora to prove herself worthy of the stage and make friends throughout the series is very easy to do, as she is a lovable main character. An inspirational story of the hard work of an underdog would certainly appeal to many. The finale is also beautiful and, with today's animation, could be one of the most gorgeous sequences ever.
D.Gray-Man
The art and story of D.Gray-Man are unique in the world of shonen, and it is one of the best manga written by a woman out there. Allen Walker's quest to exorcise all Akuma and defeat the Millenium Earl is full of twists and turns against the backdrop of the 19th century. So many questions have been answered since its original run, and so many new ones have come up instead, leaving readers wondering what might happen next.
The original anime would benefit from a revisit to better the animation, adopt the current art style of the manga, and fix the pacing with the removal of fillers. If done seasonally, there would be lots of time to slowly adapt the several arcs, once more creating interest in this incredible story.
Chrono Crusade
2003's Chrono Crusade has everything you could ask for in an anime: battle sequences, demons, superpowers, mysterious pasts, and a romantic subplot. The anime is set in 1920s America, where Sister Rosette Christopher and her demonic partner Chrono battle demonic threats while trying to untangle the mystery of what happened to Rosette's brother.
Chrono Crusade could benefit heavily from newer animation to give its story the grandiosity it deserves. It is narratively complete, with a sad but meaningful ending. The story does not shy away from asking difficult questions, and an audience in the 2020s would enjoy this aspect of it as well. It is absolutely perfect material for a remake.
Angelic Layer
When twelve-year-old Misaki Suzuhara moves to Tokyo, she becomes aware of the world of Angelic Layer, where opponents will battle it out with their dolls. An anime focused on tournament-style battles between children with their dolls is not the most original premise in the world, but Angelic Layer has the artistry of CLAMP behind it, of Card Captor Sakura fame, giving it a more unique touch.
Angelic Layer would heavily benefit from a remake to re-tell the story appropriately. Its first iteration has issues with pacing and character development since it was adapted from a very short manga. As it is complete, a remake could take the premise and beats of the story, and rearrange them in a way that feels more natural.
Katekyo Hitman Reborn!
The story of Sawada Tsunayoshi's transformation into a Mafia Boss under hitman tutor's Reborn watchful eye began as a quirky, comedy-filled story that eventually took on the usual shonen tropes. The original anime for Reborn! ended in 2010, however, at the time, the manga was still ongoing.
Despite having numerous original songs, merch, and concerts, it was not picked up again. As the manga is now complete, it would be a good time to finish the story. Several questions were left unresolved by the end of the anime that the manga does go into, and provides closure for.
Skip Beat
Skip Beat is a shoujo anime set in the world of acting. The story focuses on Kyouko Mogami, introduced as a dutiful quasi-wife to rising pop icon, Shoutarou Fuwa. When she learns how little he actually cares about her, she stands up for herself for the first time and vows to beat him at his own game. A refreshing take on the world of shoujo, audiences watched as Kyouko embarked on her journey of self-discovery.
When Skip Beat was originally animated in 2008, a lot of the story was still shrouded in mystery. Today, the story has moved forward by leaps and bounds. Kyouko's quest to become her own person in the world of acting and her romantic storylines would be well-received by audiences in the 2020s.
Pandora Hearts
Pandora Hearts is the story of Oz Vessalius and his survival in the world of the Abyss. Another anime that fell prey to the animation beginning before the manga ended, this situation led to an anime-only ending that eventually did it in. Especially since, in the 2000s, access to manga for Western fans was harder.
A new adaptation could resolve all of the missing pieces, following the story as it was intended. The show enjoyed popularity at the time, however, as is the case with most properties that make their own ending for the anime, this was not well-received. Any interest eventually fell, as audiences turned to other series.
Ouran High School Host Club
This is not a case of the original being bad in any way, so much as it is about closure. With the manga being complete, the story of Haruhi Fujioka and her reverse harem should be revisited to provide its fans with the appropriate closure to this feel-good anime series.
If Fruits Basket can do it, so can Ouran High School Host Club. New music, new animation, and better pacing would make this a great remake, sure to cater to both new fans. And the possibility of finally seeing the culmination of Haruhi and Tamaki's relationship would be sure to draw fans of the original in as well.
Claymore
Claymore is the story of Clare's quest for revenge. Claymore's are women that are half-human and half-youma, demonic beings that consume human flesh. They travel the country defeating youma's and liberating villages from fear.
When Claymore began its original run, like several other series on this list, it was not finished. The anime had to make up for this with original narratives and an original ending, with many fans lamenting that it ended too soon. With its unique art style and completed story, Claymore is beyond ready to be animated once again.
Soul Eater
One of the more egregious examples of an anime-only ending, Soul Eater ran for 51 episodes. The world of meisters and weapons created in this series is so unique, that it is worth a revisit. Not to mention, the focus placed in this series on partnerships as the key to success and refreshingly having Maka Albarn as a heroine in a shounen story, making it a great choice for beginners to anime.
The seasonal model employed by animation companies today would suit this series very well, as it has Fire Force, another manga by the same author. There are clear arcs throughout the story, and characters that appear and disappear from the narrative as needed. With the seasonal model, this would be well-executed to tell the entire story, as the manga has also finished.