Are you hungry for some 2000s Anime? Check out some of my recommendations to watch!
As you all know, I am a huge fan of 2000s animes. Well, I’m mean, it’s obvious since the 2000s was the decade when I first got into anime and manga as a whole. Even though, the full credit goes to 2011 for officially kick-starting my never ending adventure of being an otaku and living the otaku life.
Kurai of Animangemu would like to present you some random 2000s anime recommendations from each year! These select anime titles are shows that I’ve already watched and enjoyed. If you never heard of these selected animes by me, then you’re in huge luck because I promise you that You’ll enjoy these shows to the max!
The oldest and most controversial debate in anime history is a divisive and polarizing one. The question is, do English dubs deserve the hate it gets?
The anime community is no stranger to controversial discussions. People in the community often argue about basic topics that are rife among those in it—ranging from questions such as which was the better “Big Three” (One Piece, Naruto, Bleach), who is the best girl in some newly released seasonal anime with only twelve episodes that will be forgotten 45 minutes after it finishes airing, whether Neon Genesis Evangelion is a deep anime with hidden themes or just a pretentious series that tries way too hard, and of course, modern anime vs. old anime.
However, if there is one topic that always seems to cause a ruckus without fail, it’s the topic of English dubs! There’s no denying that the intense and heated debate about the quality and concept of English dubs is, arguably, the most well-known and oldest topic in the history of the English-speaking anime community. The question you’re probably asking is, why is the concept of English dubs and their practice so controversial?
In this article, I will be talking about the short history of anime dubs, the long-standing controversy, and why the practice of English dubs suffer a bad reputation to this day.
New Year, new controversy. If you thought 2025’s legal controversies would be left behind, then you are certainly wrong.
Oh boy, would you look at that! If you thought 2025’s Armageddon of controversy and censorship issues in anime and manga would be left behind, well, friend, smell the coffee because this stuff ain’t leaving anytime soon. So, what’s going on this time? More censorship, or controversy in the community? Well, you could say both. Since last year, there’s been a rampant attack not just on anime and manga, but on the internet as a whole—ranging from age verification laws, to restrictions on certain freedoms of expression, and corruption in the free market. Most specifically, banks and credit card companies have been exposed for refusing payments and services to select individuals or platforms unfairly deemed problematic. The latest incidents are yet another example of this sad continuation of censorship.
MangaDex, one of the most well-known piracy sites for manga, recently announced that it has removed certain manga titles from its website to comply with the law and avoid legal troubles with officials. The question you’re probably asking is: what exactly did MangaDex remove?
Anime’s popularity has tremendously grown in recent years, but, behind that growth left behind a backdoor that has become rife within the community.
For the longest time, the global popularity of anime and manga has continued to rise dramatically. Our medium has become so mainstream and beloved that it’s no longer uncommon to encounter fellow fans almost anywhere. This holds true not only in sparsely populated regions of the United States, but even in countries around the world that have little to no historical or cultural ties to Japan and where the market for anime and manga remains relatively small.
Of course, like all interests, new fans naturally enter fandoms as their popularity grows. When newcomers arrive, controversy often follows, and longtime members frequently take issue with the “hot takes” these newcomers share. These opinions might concern quality judgments, preferences between modern and classic favorites, or challenges to the common practices and core beliefs that the older community has established—especially when those views clash with what the creators of the series themselves believe in.
As we all know, anime and manga are no exception to this pattern. The medium continues to experience unprecedented global growth, expanding the fandom dramatically. But the key question remains: Is this rapid growth ultimately good for anime and manga?
Lately, there has been a wave of controversy in the anime community. What exactly is this controversy about? It centers specifically on the influx of newer anime and manga fans. At first glance, this might seem like the typical case of gatekeeping in a fandom. However, as you take a closer and deeper look into the issue, you’ll see that this controversy is actually a bigger problem than most people realize. It even has its own official name: anime tourism (often shortened to “anime tourist” as a pejorative label). So, what exactly is “anime tourism”?
And all of the glory goes to the Almighty God above the beautiful heavens. Thank You, my Holy Father, for bringing this beautiful passion of mine back to life. What you just read isn’t merely an anniversary reflection—it’s a living testimony from me. This wasn’t just some random story that happened. It was a beautiful promise given to me by my Almighty God, foretelling good news that would come into my life, and in the end, it did happen—exactly as He said it would. Every single paragraph, every action, every turning point, every moment of heartbreak and rebirth… all credit, all praise, and all glory belong to Him alone—the Almighty God of Glory! Amen! – Kurai
On December 20, 2015, in the 87th minute of a Serie A match between Inter Milan and Lazio at the San Siro, Felipe Melo conceded a penalty with a reckless challenge on a cold late-autumn afternoon. Antonio Candreva stepped up and calmly converted the spot-kick, restoring Lazio’s lead. In the end, Lazio claimed the three points they desperately needed, leaving the San Siro stunned. Among those stunned was me—a passionate, 18-year-old Inter supporter watching from across the Atlantic in the Sunshine State. It was a typical gray, cold, cloudy day in the suburbs of Orlando. In a surge of rage, disappointment, and sheer exhaustion from years of constant Nerazzurri heartbreak, I hurled my slipper to the ground.
That moment crystallized something for me: the Nerazzurri were going to disappoint their faithful once again. After years of mediocrity—and with more to come—Inter had a well-earned reputation for spectacular collapses after crucial defeats like this one. Sure enough, the team imploded. They fell from 1st place to 4th by January, were out of the title race by March, and had dropped out of the Champions League qualification spots by May. It was a collapse so predictable it almost felt scripted. After that Lazio loss, I finally realized: enough is enough. I was tired of getting so worked up and heartbroken over something that, deep down, wasn’t even a true passion of mine anymore. I was tired of the stress, the anger, and the emotional rollercoaster over something that ultimately had very little real significance in my life. Most of all, I was tired of wasting time on a hobby that no longer brought me joy—time I could be spending on something I truly loved and wanted to build a future around. When those feelings finally surfaced, only one thing came to mind: anime, manga, and the otaku life I had once embraced so fully. After years of drought, with that passion lying dormant, something awakened inside me. I told myself: Kurai, it’s time to change course. Enough is enough. Stop wasting your energy on a team of billionaires living their dreams on the pitch, and start chasing your own. A few days later, on December 25, 2015, I began watching Attack on Titan. I finished the season on December 30.That week marked the moment I finally turned the page.
The question you’re probably asking is: what the heck does this have to do with anime, manga, and my otaku life? Well, please sit back, buckle up, and get ready—because this is the story of one of the most important turning points in my life. It’s exactly how my passion for anime and manga came roaring back. I first became an otaku in 2011, but between 2012 and 2015, I went through a long, slow drought. My enthusiasm faded, and I found myself feeling more miserable, depressed, and completely unable to take my otaku passion to new heights—the way you see me doing today, and the way I did for years after my revival began in 2016. In this piece, I’m going to tell you the full tale of how it all happened: how one small, unexpected moment brought me, as an otaku, back to life and led me to where I am today.
Animangemu 