While there are many great new anime coming out in 2022, sometimes it's better to look back and revisit the shows that have become classics over time. Fans might be stunned to realize that their favorite anime series are turning 20 years old in 2022.
From the massively popular and long-running shows like Naruto to more obscure shows like Twelve Kingdoms, these anime are all well worth revisiting for their unique stories and iconic characters. There are good reasons why audiences feel nostalgic for them.
Full Metal Panic!
Teenage soldier Sousuke Sagara has been fighting his entire life, and he's the best at what he does. However, his newest mission to protect student Kaname Chidori may be his greatest challenge yet. With no experience of civilian life, how is he supposed to navigate high school?
First aired on January 8, 2002, beginning with the episode "The Guy I Kinda Like is a Sergeant," Full Metal Panic! delighted viewers with its strong blend of mecha action and fish-out-of-water comedy. Sousuke in particular is a fan favorite, the English dub on the anime show making him one of Chris Patton's best characters.
.hack//SIGN
There are many anime that take place inside a computer or video game world, but none quite like .hack//SIGN. In the opening episode, "Role Play," (aired April 4, 2002) a boy known only by the alias Tsukasa wakes up in the MMORPG "The World," and finds that he is unable to log out of the game and return to the real world.
.hack//SIGN may have a somewhat slow pace, but its exploration of how people use roleplaying games as an escape from the real world and a way to assume new identities has intrigued many viewers. The theme and score by Yuki Kajiura, of Puella Magi Madoka Magica and Demon Slayer fame, are a high point as well.
Digimon Frontier
The fourth series in the Digimon franchise began on April 7, 2002, with the episode "All Aboard!" Takuya, Kouji, Zoe, J.P., and Tommy all board a train after receiving mysterious messages on their cell phones, only to find that it's brought them into the Digital World. To return home, they must fight to save this world from the evil Lucemon.
While it features a new set of DigiDestined, Frontier brings back everything fans love about the franchise, namely creative designs, an exciting story, and lovable characters. It also adds the new twist of the kids being able to transform into Digimon themselves, rather than fighting alongside Digimon partners.
Azumanga Daioh
This adaptation of Kiyohiko Azuma's yonkoma manga and the high school lives of its quirky cast began on April 9, 2002. The first episode, "Child High School Student / She's a Prodigy / Scary Maybe? / Wildcat Tomo-chan! / The Osakan Gal," introduced audiences to beloved characters like scatterbrained homeroom teacher Yukari Tanizaki and ultra-chaotic Tomo Takino.
Azumanga Daioh has been winning fans over for two decades with its fast-paced comedy, high energy, and colorful characters. It's one of the best slice-of-life anime out there.
Twelve Kingdoms
On April 9, 2002, Youko Nakajima, one of the best female isekai protagonists in anime, was confronted by a strange man who swore eternal loyalty to her, and then spirited her away to his world and its 12 kingdoms. Now, Youko must learn about the magic that governs this strange place and embrace her destiny as Queen of the kingdom Kei.
In the opening episode, "Shadow of the Moon, the Sea of Shadow - First Chapter," Youko is terrified of her new situation, driven to tears by each new setback. Her growth from a scared schoolgirl to a mature and confident warrior is very satisfying to watch, and the 12 kingdoms themselves are a massive and interesting world to explore alongside her.
Princess Tutu
On August 16, 2002, the episode "The Duck and the Prince" introduced audiences to Duck: a duck transformed into a human by the enigmatic Drosselmeyer. She is charged with using her new form to restore the missing heart of Prince Mytho and finally bring their story to a happy ending.
Princess Tutu is one of the most iconic magical girl anime, notable for taking inspiration from classic fairy tales and ballets and for the way it explores the concept of storytelling itself. It is slowly revealed that there is more to the story than Duck initially thought, and the characters seek to break free of their predestined roles and take control of the narrative for themselves.
Ghost In The Shell: Stand Alone Complex
The original 1995 release of Ghost in the Shell was one of the top cyberpunk films of the '90s, according to IMDb. On October 1, 2002, a new TV adaptation of Masamune Shirow's original manga began airing, reintroducing audiences to Major Motoko Kusanagi and her team with the episode "SA: Public Security Section 9 — SECTION-9."
Stand Alone Complex expands the world of Niihama much further, centering around not just Kusanagi but all of Section 9 as they investigate a slew of cyber crimes. They pursue the dangerous hacker known only as The Laughing Man, who targets corporations he believes are part of a health care fraud conspiracy and the police who are hunting him as well.
Naruto
The 15-year journey of the number one hyperactive knucklehead ninja began on October 3, 2002. In the episode "Enter: Naruto Uzumaki!" Naruto is a very long way from his dream of becoming Hokage. He's still the 12-year-old troublemaker of the Hidden Leaf Village, fiercely ambitious but still unable to perform basic Jutsu.
This first episode has everything fans would come to love about Naruto, such as its interesting setting, strong-willed hero, and the recurring theme of bonds of friendship and love saving the day, demonstrated most clearly with Iruka taking Mizuki's shuriken in the back to protect Naruto.
Mobile Suit Gundam SEED
On October 5, 2002, the ninth series in the Gundam franchise began with the episode "PHASE-01 False Pease." When rogue military organization ZAFT attacks the space colony Heliopolis, they steal four of the five new Gundam suits. The fifth falls into the hands of student Kira Yamato, who now must join the Earth Alliance's war against ZAFT.
SEED stands out as a high point in Gundam history, with its quick and exciting pace, compelling story, and memorable character drama, such as the conflict between former friends Kira and Athrun, who find themselves on opposite sides of the war.
Haibane Renmei
The village of Old Home shelters the Haibane, winged beings which are not born, but hatched from cocoons. On October 10, 2002, the episode "Cocoon - Dream of Falling from the Sky - Old Home" saw newborn Rakka emerge and join her fellow Haibane, trying to solve the mysteries of Old Home, where they came from, and where they will all eventually disappear to.
Slow in pace and soft in tone, Haibane Renmei resonates with many viewers for its subtle yet strong writing and an art style evocative of watercolor paintings. The ambiguity and possible symbolism surrounding Old Home and the Haibane are, to this day, the subjects of wide fan speculation.