# 2003 in anime

The events of 2003 in anime.

## Accolades

At the Mainichi Film Awards, Tokyo Godfathers won the Animation Film Award and Winter Days won the Ōfuji Noburō Award. Internationally, Millennium Actress was nominated for the Annie Award for Best Animated Feature, the third consecutive year an anime was nominated for the award.

## Releases

This list contains numerous notable entries of anime which debuted in 2003. It is not a complete list and represents popular works that debuted as TV, OVA and Movie releases. Web content, DVD specials, TV specials are not on this list.

### Films

| Release date | Title | Studio | Director(s) | Running time (minutes) |
| March 1 | One Piece: Dead End Adventure | Toei Animation | Konosuke Uda | 95 |
| April 19 | Crayon Shin-chan: The Storm Called: Yakiniku Road of Honor | Shin-Ei Animation | Tsutomu Mizushima | 90 |
| April 19 | Detective Conan: Crossroad in the Ancient Capital | TMS Entertainment | Kenji Kodama | 108 |
| April 19 | RahXephon: Pluralitas Concentio | Bones | Yutaka Izubuchi (Chief) Tomoki Kyoda | 116 |
| July 19 | Pokémon: Jirachi Wish Maker | | | |
| October 11 | Ougon no Hou: El Cantare no Rekishikan | Group TAC | Keizō Shimizu (Satoru Arisa, Zhi-yi) Marisuke Eguchi (Prometheus) Masami Suda (Hermes, Buddha) Yukiyoshi Hane (Jesus, Moses) | 110 |
| November 8 | Tokyo Godfathers | Madhouse | Satoshi Kon | 92 |
| November 22 | Fuyu no Hi | Imagica | Kihachiro Kawamoto | 39 |
| December 1 | Interstella 5555: The 5tory of the 5ecret 5tar 5ystem | Toei Animation | Kazuhisa Takenouchi | 65 |
| December 20 | InuYasha the Movie: Swords of an Honorable Ruler | Sunrise | Toshiya Shinohara | 98 |
| December 20 | Kochira Katsushikaku Kameari Kouenmae Hashutsujo: UFO Shuurai! Tornado Daisakusen!! | Gallop | Shinji Takamatsu | 100 |

### Television series

| First run start and end dates | Title | Episodes | Studio | Director(s) | Japanese name |
| January 4 – March 29 | Lime-iro Senkitan | 13 | Studio Hibari | Iku Suzuki | らいむいろ戦奇譚 |
| January 5 – March 30 | Stratos 4 | 13 | Studio Fantasia | Takeshi Mori | ストラトス・フォー |
| January 6 – March 25 | Mr. Stain on Junk Alley | 13 | | Ryuji Masuda | ガラクタ通りのステイン |
| January 6 – December 29 | Beyblade G-Revolution | 52 | Nippon Animation | Toshifumi Kawase Mitsuo Hashimoto | 爆転シュート ベイブレードGレボリューション |
| January 6 – March 24 | MØUSE | 12 | Studio Deen | Yorifusa Yamaguchi | マウス |
| January 7 – July 29 | Wolf's Rain | 26 | Bones | Tensai Okamura | ウルフズレイン |
| January 8 – March 26 | Licensed by Royalty | 12 | TNK | Itsuro Kawasaki | L/R -Licensed by Royal- |
| January 8 – January 3, 2004 | Machine Robo Rescue | 53 | Sunrise | Mamoru Kanbe | 出撃!マシンロボレスキュー |
| January 9 – March 27 | Nanaka 6/17 | 12 | J.C.Staff | Hiroaki Sakurai | ななか6/17 |
| January 9 – March 27 | .hack//Legend Of The Twilight | 12 | Bee Train | Kouji Sawai | .hack//黄昏の腕輪伝説 |
| January 10 – March 28 | Someday's Dreamers | 12 | J.C.Staff | Masami Shimoda | 魔法遣いに大切なこと |
| January 10 – December 26 | Transformers Armada | 52 | Actas | Hidehito Ueda | 超ロボット生命体トランスフォーマー マイクロン伝説 |
| February 2 – January 25, 2004 | Crush Gear Nitro | 50 | Sunrise | Hideharu Iuchi | クラッシュギアNitro |
| February 2 – January 25, 2004 | Ashita no Nadja | 50 | Toei Animation | Takuya Igarashi | 明日のナージャ |
| February 6 – April 24 | Gunparade March | 12 | J.C.Staff | Katsushi Sakurabi | ガンパレード・マーチ -新たなる行軍歌- |
| March 6 – April 3 | Tenshi no Shippo Chu! | 11 | Tokyo Kids | Norio Kashima | 天使のしっぽChu! |
| March 31 – September 26 | Kappamaki | 130 | Trans Arts | Seiji Kishi | かっぱまき |
| April 1 – September 23 | E's Otherwise | 26 | Pierrot | Masami Shimoda | エスアザーワイズ |
| April 2 – October 1 | Air Master | 27 | Toei Animation | Daisuke Nishio | エアマスター |
| April 3 – March 25, 2004 | Bouken Yuuki Pluster World | 52 | Actas Brain's Base | Yuji Himaki | 冒険遊記プラスターワールド |
| April 3 – March 27, 2004 | Kaleido Star | 51 | Gonzo | Junichi Satō Yoshimasa Hiraike (Season 2) | カレイドスター |
| April 3 – September 25 | Uchuu no Stellvia | 26 | Xebec | Tatsuo Satō | 宇宙のステルヴィア |
| April 3 – September 25 | D.N.Angel | 26 | Xebec | Keiji Gotō (ep 20) Kōji Yoshikawa Nobuyoshi Habara | D.N.エンジェル |
| April 5 – March 27, 2004 | Mugen Senki Portriss | 52 | Sunrise Dongwoo A&E | Akira Shigino Jongsik Nam | 無限戦記ポトリス |
| April 5 – March 27, 2004 | Mermaid Melody: Pichi Pichi Pitch | 52 | Actas SynergySP | Yoshitaka Fujimoto | マーメイドメロディー ぴちぴちピッチ |
| April 5 – September 27 | Zentrix | 26 | Madhouse | Felix Ip Tony Tang | 時空冒険記 ゼントリックス |
| April 5 – June 21 | Mousou Kagaku Series: Wandaba Style | 12 | TNK | Yoshihiro Takamoto | 妄想科学シリーズ ワンダバスタイル |
| April 5 – September 27 | Mythical Detective Loki Ragnarok | 26 | Studio Deen | Hiroshi Watanabe | 魔探偵ロキ RAGNAROK |
| April 6 – September 28 | Firestorm | 26 | Trans Arts | Kenji Terada | ファイアーストーム |
| April 6 – March 28, 2004 | Astro Boy | 50 | Tezuka Productions | Kazuya Konaka Keiichirō Mochizuki (ep 1) | アストロボーイ・鉄腕アトム |
| April 6 – March 26, 2006 | Zatch Bell! | 150 | Toei Animation | Tetsuji Nakamura Yukio Kaizawa | 金色のガッシュベル!! |
| April 6 – June 29 | Human Crossing | 13 | A.C.G.T. | Akira Kumeichi Kazunari Kume Kazunari Kumi | 人間交差点 |
| April 6 – March 28, 2004 | Sonic X | 78 | TMS Entertainment | Hajime Kamegaki | ソンイックx |
| April 6 – March 28, 2004 | Di Gi Charat Nyo | 104 | Madhouse | Hiroaki Sakurai | デ・ジ・キャラットにょ |
| April 7 – September 29 | Dear Boys | 26 | A.C.G.T. | Susumu Kudo | ディア・ボーイズ |
| April 7 – March 27, 2005 | Croket! | 104 | OLM | Naohito Takahashi | コロッケ! |
| April 8 – September 30 | Last Exile | 26 | Gonzo | Koichi Chigira | ラストエグザイル |
| April 8 – July 8 | Kino's Journey | 13 | A.C.G.T. | Ryutaro Nakamura | キノの旅 -the Beautiful World- |
| April 8 – October 7 | Scrapped Princess | 24 | Bones | Sōichi Masui | スクラップド・プリンセス |
| April 9 – October 1 | Kasumin (Season 3) | 26 | OLM | Mitsuru Hongo | カスミン (第3シリーズ) |
| April 11 – February 6, 2004 | Wonder Bebil-kun | 30 | Radix | Takahiro Ōmori | ワンダーベビルくん |
| April 12 – June 28 | Narue no Sekai | 12 | Studio Live | Toyoo Ashida | 成恵の世界 |
| April 15 – July 15 | Ninja Scroll: The Series | 13 | Madhouse | Tatsuo Satō | 獣兵衛忍風帖「龍宝玉篇」 |
| April 15 – March 20, 2004 | Tantei Gakuen Q | 45 | Pierrot | Noriyuki Abe | 探偵学園Q |
| April 16 – September 25 | Gad Guard | 26 | Gonzo | Hiroshi Nishikiori | ガドガード |
| April 17 – September 25 | Texhnolyze | 22 | Madhouse | Hiroshi Hamasaki | TEXHNOLYZE |
| May 2 – July 27 | Umeyon Ekisu | 13 | TMS Entertainment | | 梅四エッキス |
| May 8 – July 31 | Submarine Super 99 | 13 | Vega Entertainment | Hiromichi Matano | 潜水艦スーパー99 |
| May 8 – June 13 | Saint Beast: Seijuu Kourin-hen | 6 | Tokyo Kids | Harume Kosaka | セイント・ビースト〜聖獣降臨編〜 |
| May 20 – November 11 | Ultra Maniac | 26 | Ashi Productions | Shin'ichi Masaki | ウルトラマニアック |
| June 24 – September 13 | Cinderella Boy | 13 | Magic Bus | Tsuneo Tominaga | シンデレラボーイ |
| July 2 – September 24 | Divergence Eve | 13 | Radix | Hiroshi Negishi | ダイバージェンス・イヴ |
| July 3 – September 28 | Happy Lesson Advance | 13 | Studio Hibari | Iku Suzuki | HAPPY☆LESSON ADVANCE |
| July 5 – December 27 | Da Capo | 26 | feel. Zexcs | Nagisa Miyazaki | D.C.〜ダ・カーポ〜 |
| July 6 – September 28 | Takahashi Rumiko Gekijou | 13 | TMS Entertainment | Akira Nishimori | 高橋留美子劇場 |
| July 7 – September 29 | Shadow Star Narutaru | 13 | Planet | Toshiaki Iino | なるたる 〜骸なる星・珠たる子〜 |
| July 13 – September 28 | Green Green | 12 | Studio Matrix | Chisaku Matsumoto Yūji Mutō | グリーングリーン |
| July 13 – September 28 | Sumeba Miyako no Cosmos-sou Suttoko Taisen Dokkoida | 12 | ufotable | Takuya Nonaka | 住めば都のコスモス荘 すっとこ大戦ドッコイダー |
| July 15 – October 14 | Onegai Twins | 12 | Daume | Yasunori Ide | おねがい☆ツインズ |
| July 18 – October 3 | Popotan | 12 | Shaft | Shinichiro Kimura | ぽぽたん |
| July 20 – October 22 | Ikkitousen | 13 | J.C.Staff | Takashi Watanabe | 一騎当千 |
| August 26 – November 18 | Full Metal Panic? Fumoffu | 12 | Kyoto Animation | Yasuhiro Takemoto | フルメタル・パニック? ふもっふ |
| September 1 – March 16, 2004 | R.O.D the TV (Read Or Die) | 26 | J.C.Staff | Koji Masunari | アール・オー・ディー ザ・ティーヴィー |
| September 15 – September 19 | IGPX: Immortal Grand Prix | 5 | Bee Train Production I.G | Mashimo Kouichi | IGPX: Immortal Grand Prix |
| September 30 – March 30, 2004 | Papuwa | 26 | Nippon Animation | Ken'ichi Nishida | パプワ |
| October 1 – March 24, 2004 | Midnight Horror School | 52 | Milky Cartoon | Naomi Iwata | ミッドナイトホラースクール |
| October 1 – December 24 | Shinkon Gattai Godannar!! | 13 | OLM AIC ASTA | Yasuchika Nagaoka | 神魂合体ゴーダンナー!! |
| October 2 – March 25, 2004 | Saiyuki Reload | 25 | Pierrot | Tetsuya Endō | 最遊記RELOAD |
| October 2 – December 25 | Yami to Boushi to Hon no Tabibito | 13 | Studio Deen | Yuji Yamaguchi | ヤミと帽子と本の旅人 |
| October 2 – December 25 | Avenger | 13 | Bee Train | Kōichi Mashimo | アヴェンジャー |
| October 2 – March 18, 2004 | Gilgamesh | 26 | Group TAC | Masahiko Murata | ギルガメッシュ |
| October 3 – March 26, 2004 | Cromartie High School | 26 | Production I.G | Hiroaki Sakurai | 魁!! クロマティ高校 |
| October 4 – January 4, 2004 | Battle Programmer Shirase | 15 | AIC | Hiroki Hayashi | バトルプログラマーシラセ |
| October 4 – December 20 | UFO Princess Valkyrie 2: Juunigatsu no Yasoukyoku | 12 | TNK | Nobuhiro Takagi | 円盤皇女ワるきゅーレ 十二月の夜想曲 |
| October 4 – December 27 | Binzume Yousei | 13 | Xebec | Yoshiaki Iwasaki | 瓶詰妖精 |
| October 4 – September 25, 2004 | Rockman.EXE Axess | 51 | Xebec | Takao Kato | ロックマンエグゼ Axess |
| October 4 – April 17, 2004 | Planetes | 26 | Sunrise | Goro Taniguchi | プラネテス |
| October 4 – October 2, 2004 | Fullmetal Alchemist | 51 | Bones | Seiji Mizushima | 鋼の錬金術師 |
| October 4 – December 27 | Kyougoku Natsuhiko: Kousetsu Hyaku Monogatari | 13 | TMS Entertainment | Hideki Tonokatsu | 京極夏彦 巷説百物語 |
| October 5 – January 4, 2004 | Kimi ga Nozomu Eien | 14 | Studio Fantasia | Tetsuya Watanabe | 君が望む永遠 |
| October 5 – April 11, 2004 | Ginga Tetsudou Monogatari | 26 | Planet | Yukio Nishimoto | 銀河鉄道物語 |
| October 5 – December 21 | Takahashi Rumiko Gekijou Ningyo no Mori | 11 | TMS Entertainment | Masaharu Okuwaki | 高橋留美子劇場 人魚の森 |
| October 5 – March 28, 2004 | PopoloCrois | 26 | TMS Entertainment | Kazuhiro Ochi | ポポロクロイス |
| October 7 – September 28, 2004 | F-Zero: Falcon Densetsu | 51 | Ashi Productions | Ami Tomobuki | F-ZERO ファルコン伝説 |
| October 7 – March 30, 2004 | Gungrave | 26 | Madhouse | Toshiyuki Tsuru | ガングレイヴ |
| October 8 – March 24, 2004 | Peace Maker Kurogane | 24 | Gonzo | Tomohiro Hirata | PEACE MAKER 鐵 |
| October 9 – February 19, 2004 | Gunslinger Girl | 13 | Madhouse | Morio Asaka | ガンスリンガー・ガール |
| October 10 – December 26 | Shingetsutan Tsukihime | 12 | J.C.Staff | Katsushi Sakurabi | 真月譚 月姫 |
| October 13 – December 29 | Ai Yori Aoshi: Enishi | 12 | J.C.Staff | Masami Shimoda | 藍より青し〜縁〜 |
| October 14 – April 6, 2004 | Maburaho | 24 | J.C.Staff | Shinichiro Kimura | まぶらほ |
| October 16 – October 28, 2004 | Mujin Wakusei Survive | 52 | Madhouse Telecom Animation Film | Yuichiro Yano | 無人惑星サヴァイヴ |
| November 1 – March 27, 2004 | Futatsu no Spica | 20 | Group TAC | Tomomi Mochizuki | ふたつのスピカ |
| November 8 – October 15, 2005 | Bobobo-bo Bo-bobo | 76 | Toei Animation | Hiroki Shibata | ボボボーボ・ボーボボ |
| November 25 – June 10, 2004 | Chrno Crusade | 24 | Gonzo | Yuu Kou | クロノクルセイド |

### Original video animations

| First run start and end dates | Title | Episodes | Studio | Director(s) | Japanese name |
| January 18 | Hand Maid Mai | 1 | Tokyo Kids | Shigeru Kimiya | ハンドメイドマイ |
| January 22 – May 21 | Memories Off 2nd | 3 | Picture Magic Rikuentai | Takahiro Okao | メモリーズオフ 2nd |
| February 5 – April 16 | Hunter x Hunter: Greed Island | 8 | Nippon Animation | Yukihiro Matsushita | HUNTER×HUNTER Greed Island |
| February 14 | Early Reins | 1 | OLM | Yūji Asada | アーリーレインズ |
| March 18 | Munto | 1 | Kyoto Animation | Yoshiji Kigami | ムント |
| March 19 – August 20 | Sakura Taisen: Ecole de Paris | 3 | Radix | Hitoyuki Matsui | サクラ大戦 エコール・ド・巴里 |
| March 21 – May 3 | Piyoko ni Omakase pyo! | 8 | Madhouse | Hiroaki Sakurai | ぴよこにおまかせぴょ! |
| March 23 – February 2, 2005 | Harukanaru Toki no Naka de 2: Shiroki Ryuu no Miko | 3 | Yumeta Company | Junko Okazaki | 遙かなる時空の中で2~白き龍の神子~ |
| March 28 | Onegai☆Teacher: Reminiscence Disc | 1 | | | おねがい☆ティーチャー Reminiscenceディスク |
| April 25 | Lingerie Senshi Papillon Rose | 1 | Studio Kelmadick | Shinji Tobita | ランジェリー戦士パピヨンローゼ |
| April 25 – October 10 | Mizuiro | 2 | OLM | Kiyotaka Isako | みずいろ |
| May 21 – June 25 | Generation of Chaos III: Toki no Fuuin | 2 | Idea Factory | Yoshiaki Sato | ジェネレーション オブ カオス III 〜 時の封印 〜 |
| May 23 – November 28 | Guardian Hearts | 6 | VENET | Yasuhiro Kuroda | がぁーでぃあんHearts |
| June 25 – June 23, 2004 | Eiken | 2 | J.C.Staff | Kiyotaka Ōhata Alan Smithee | エイケン エイケンヴより愛をこめて |
| July 24 – May 28, 2004 | Shin Hokuto no Ken | 3 | A.C.G.T. | Takashi Watanabe | 新・北斗の拳 |
| July 24 | Butsu Zone | 1 | Xebec | | 仏ゾーン |
| July 24 – December 26 | Triangle Heart: Sweet Songs Forever | 4 | Seven Arcs | Akiyuki Simbo | とらいあんぐるハート -Sweet Songs Forever- |
| | Yuuwaku | 2 | | | |
| | Flutter of Birds II: Tenshi-tachi no Tsubasa | | | | |
| | Darling | | | | |
| | Mahou Shoujo Ai | | | | |
| | Wet Summer Days | | | | |
| | Momiji | | | | |
| | Xpress Train | | | | |
| | Megami Kyouju | | | | |
| October 22 | Heart Cocktail Again | 1 | Hal Film Maker | Nishikubo Mizuho | ハートカクテルアゲイン |
| October 24 – April 23, 2004 | Kingdom of Chaos: Born to Kill | 4 | Idea Factory | Taisuke Katou | キングダム・オブ・カオス 〜ボーン・トゥー・キル〜 |
| November 16 | .hack//Gift | 1 | Bee Train | Kōichi Mashimo Shinya Kawatsura | .hack//GIFT |
| November 19 – February 18, 2004 | Kidou Shinsengumi Moeyo Ken | 4 | Trinet Entertainment Picture Magic | Hideki Tonokatsu | 機動新撰組 萌えよ剣 |
| November 21 | Aquarian Age: Saga II – Don't Forget Me... | 1 | | | |
| December 17 | Nyancos: Hello! Our Brilliant Future | 1 | | | |
| December 19 – July 23, 2004 | Moekan The Animation | 3 | Axis Noside | Kazuhisa Ōno | モエかん THE ANIMATION |
| December 21 – June 25, 2004 | Jungle wa Itsumo Hare nochi Guu Final | 7 | Shin-Ei Animation | Tsutomu Mizushima | ジャングルはいつもハレのちグゥFinal |
| December 22 – November 26, 2004 | Comic Party Revolution | 4 | Chaos Project | Junichi Sakata | こみっくパーティーRevolution |