# 2002 in anime

The events of 2002 in anime.

## Events

* February 7 – Manglobe is created

## Accolades

At the Mainichi Film Awards, Crayon Shin-chan: The Storm Called: The Battle of the Warring States won the Animation Film Award and Millennium Actress won the Ōfuji Noburō Award. Internationally, Spirited Away became the first, and so far only, anime to win both the Academy Award for Best Animated Feature and the Annie Award for Best Animated Feature. Kōji Yamamura's Mt. Head was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Animated Short Film. Spirited Away also won the New York Film Critics Circle Award for Best Animated Film.

## Releases
### Films

| Release date | Title | Studio | Director(s) | Running time (minutes) | Japanese name |
| February 9 | Turn A Gundam I: Earth Light | Sunrise | Yoshiyuki Tomino | 128 | Gekijō-ban ∀ Gandamu I chikyū hikari |
| February 10 | Turn A Gundam II: Moonlight Butterfly | Sunrise | Yoshiyuki Tomino | 128 | Gekijō-ban ∀ Gandamu II gekkō chō |
| March 2 | One Piece: Chopper Kingdom of Strange Animal Island | Toei Animation | Junji Shimizu | 55 | Wanpīsu chinjū shima no choppā ōkoku |
| March 2 | Digimon Tamers: Runaway Locomon | Toei Animation | Tetsuharu Nakamura | 30 | Dejimon teimāzu bōsō dejimon tokkyū |
| March 9 | Doraemon: Nobita in the Robot Kingdom | Shin-Ei Animation | Tsutomu Shibayama | 81 | Eiga Doraemon Nobita to robotto ōkoku [Kingu damu] |
| March 16 | A Tree of Palme | Palm Studio | Takashi Nakamura | 136 | Parumu no ki |
| March 30 | Patlabor Movie 3: WXIII | Madhouse | Fumihiko Takayama | 100 | WXIII kidō keisatsu patoreibā |
| April 20 | Crayon Shin-chan: The Storm Called: The Battle of the Warring States | Shin-Ei Animation | Keiichi Hara | 95 | Eiga Crayon Shin-chan: Arashi wo Yobu Appare! Sengoku Dai Kassen |
| April 20 | eX-Driver the Movie | Actas | Akira Nishimori | 62 | Ekusu doraibā the movie |
| April 20 | Detective Conan: The Phantom of Baker Street | TMS Entertainment | Kenji Kodama | 107 | Meitantei Conan: Baker Street no Bourei |
| June 25 | Armitage III: Dual-Matrix | AIC | Katsuhito Akiyama | 90 | Amitēji za sādo DUAL – matorikkusu |
| July 13 | Pokémon Heroes | OLM | Kunihiko Yuyama | 74 | Poketto monsutā mizu no miyako no Mamoru-shin ratiasutoratiosu |
| July 20 | The Cat Returns | Studio Ghibli | Hiroyuki Morita | 75 | Neko no Ongaeshi |
| August 17 | Beyblade: Fierce Battle | Nippon Animation Synergy Japan | Takuo Suzuki | 70 | Bakuten shūto beiburēdo THE mūbī gekitō! ! Takao VS daichi |
| September 14 | Millennium Actress | Madhouse | Satoshi Kon | 86 | Sennen Joyuu |
| October 19 | Tamala 2010: A Punk Cat in Space | | t.o.L | 91 | Tamara 2010 a panku kyatto in supēsu |
| November 20 | Blue Gender: The Warrior | AIC | Koichi Oohata | 98 | BLUE GENDER THE WARRIOR |
| December 21 | Inuyasha: The Castle Beyond the Looking Glass | Sunrise | Toshiya Shinohara | 99 | Inuyasha-kyō no naka no mugen-jō |

### Television series

| First run start and end dates | Title | Episodes | Studio | Director(s) | Japanese name |
| January 5 – June 29 | Secret of Cerulean Sand | 26 | Telecom Animation Film | Yuuichiro Yano | Patapata Hikousen no Bouken |
| January 6 – April 3, 2003 | Panyo Panyo Di Gi Charat | 48 | Madhouse | Shigehito Takayanagi | Panyo panyo de ji kyaratto |
| January 7 – December 30 | Beyblade V-Force | 51 | Nippon Animation | Yoshio Takeuchi | Bakuten Shoot Beyblade 2002 |
| January 7 – April 8 | Mirage of Blaze | 13 | Madhouse | Susumu Kudo | Honoo no Mirage |
| January 8 – June 18 | Full Metal Panic! | 24 | Gonzo | Kouichi Chigira | Furumetaru panikku! |
| January 9 – December 25 | Ultimate Muscle | 51 | Toei Animation | Toshiaki Komura | Kinnikuman II Sei |
| January 10 – March 28 | Please Teacher! | 12 | Daume | Yasunori Ide | Onegai ☆ tīchā |
| January 10 – June 27 | Nana Seven of Seven | 25 | A.C.G.T. | Yasuhiro Imagawa | Shichinin no Nana |
| January 11 – March 29 | Aquarian Age: Sign for Evolution | 13 | Madhouse | Yoshimitsu Oohashi | Akuerian'eiji sain fō eborūshon |
| January 21 – September 11 | RahXephon | 26 | Bones | Yutaka Izubuchi | Rāzefon |
| January 31 – March 28 | Kanon | 13 | Toei Animation | Naoyuki Ito | Kanon (2002) |
| February 2 – May 11 | Genma Wars | 13 | E&G Films | Tsuneo Tominaga | Genma taisen – shinwa zen'ya no shō |
| February 3 – January 26, 2003 | Useless Witch Doremi Kaboom! | 51 | Toei Animation | Takuya Igarashi | Ojamajo doremi dokkan! |
| February 3 – March 31 | Galaxy Angel Z | 9 | Madhouse | Morio Asaka | Gyarakushī enjeru Z |
| February 18 – September 2 | Kick Off 2002 | 26 | KBS Media | Kim Dae Jun | Kikku ofu 2002 |
| March 4 – March 31, 2003 | Rockman.EXE | 56 | Xebec | Takao Kato | Rokkuman eguze |
| March 28 – June 20 | Gun Frontier | 13 | Vega Entertainment | Soichiro Zen | Gan furontia |
| March 29 – September 13 | Psychic Academy | 24 | E&G Films | Shigeru Yamazaki | Saikikku akademī kirara banshō |
| April 1 – June 30 | Happy☆Lesson | 13 | Studio Hibari | Iku Suzuki | HAPPY☆LESSON |
| April 2 – September 24 | Tokyo Underground | 26 | Pierrot | Hayato Date | Tōkyō andāguraundo |
| April 2 – September 25 | Tenchi Muyou! GXP | 26 | AIC | Shinichi Watanabe | Tenchimuyō! GXP |
| April 3 – September 25 | Chobits | 26 | Madhouse | Morio Asaka | Chobittsu |
| April 3 – December 22 | Rizelmine | 24 | Madhouse Imagin | Yasuhiro Matsumura | Rizerumain |
| April 4 – September 26 | .hack//Sign | 26 | Bee Train | Koichi Mashimo | .hack//SIGN |
| April 4 – June 27 | Magical☆Shopping Arcade Abenobashi | 13 | Madhouse | Masayuki Kojima | Abeno-bashi mahō ☆ shōten machi |
| April 5 – December 27 | Daigunder | 39 | Brain's Base | Hiroyuki Yano | Bakutōsengen daigandā |
| April 6 – September 28 | Forza! Hidemaru | 26 | Gallop | Yoshihiro Takamoto | Forutsu~a! Hidemaru |
| April 6 – September 27, 2005 | Mirmo Zibang! | 172 | Studio Hibari | Kenichi Kasai | Wagamama ☆ fearī mirumo de pon! |
| April 6 – March 29, 2003 | Searching for the Full Moon | 52 | Studio Deen | Toshiyuki Kato | Mangetsu wo sagashite |
| April 6 – March 29, 2003 | Tokyo Mew Mew | 52 | Pierrot | Noriyuki Abe | Tōkyō myūmyū |
| April 7 – March 30, 2003 | Lightning Super Express Hikarian | 52 | Tokyo Kids | Hideaki Ooba | Denkou Chou Tokkyuu Hikarian |
| April 7 – March 30, 2003 | Cheeky Angel | 50 | TMS Entertainment | Masaharu Okuwaki | Tenshi na Konamaiki |
| April 7 – March 30, 2003 | Digimon Frontier | 50 | Toei Animation | Yukio Kaizawa | Dejimon furontia |
| April 7 – September 29 | Pita Ten | 26 | Madhouse | Toshifumi Kawase | Pitaten |
| April 9 – October 1 | Azumanga Daioh The Animation | 26 | J.C.Staff | Hiroshi Nishikiori | Azumanga daiō the animēshon |
| April 9 – August 30, 2003 | The Twelve Kingdoms | 45 | Pierrot | Tsuneo Kobayashi | Jūnikokuki |
| April 11 – September 26 | Ai Yori Aoshi | 24 | J.C.Staff | Masami Shimoda | Bluer Than Indigo |
| April 19 – September 19, 2009 | My Family | 330 | Shin-Ei Animation | Akitaro Daichi Tetsuo Yasumi | Atashinchi |
| May 6 – February 3, 2003 | Whistle! | 39 | Studio Comet | Hiroshi Fukutomi | Hoissuru! |
| May 15 – August 14 | Jing: King of Bandits | 13 | Studio Deen | Hiroshi Watanabe | Ōdorobō jing |
| July 2 – September 24 | She, The Ultimate Weapon | 13 | Gonzo | Mitsuko Kase | Saishūheiki kanojo |
| July 2 – December 24 | Samurai Deeper Kyo | 26 | Studio Deen | Junji Nishimura | SAMURAI DEEPER KYO |
| July 2 – October 1 | G-On Riders | 13 | Shaft TNK | Shinichiro Kimura | G – on raidasu |
| July 3 – December 25 | Witch Hunter Robin | 26 | Sunrise | Shuko Murase | Uitchi hantā robin |
| July 4 – September 19 | UFO Princess Valkyrie | 12 | TNK | Shigeru Ueda | Enban kōjo warukiyure |
| July 4 – March 29, 2003 | Fortune Dogs | 39 | Vega Entertainment | Hiroshi Saito | Fōchun doggusu |
| July 4 – December 26 | Ground Defense Force! Mao-chan | 26 | Xebec | Yoshiaki Iwasaki | Rikujō bōeitai maochan |
| July 4 – December 26 | Shrine of the Morning Mist | 26 | Chaos Project GANSIS | Yuuji Moriyama | Asagiri no miko |
| July 4 – March 27, 2003 | Dragon Drive | 38 | Madhouse | Toshifumi Kawase | Doragon doraibu |
| August 16 – May 23, 2003 | Princess Tutu | 38 | HAL Film Maker | Junichi Sato Kiyoko Sayama | Purinsesu chuchu |
| August 31 – November 23 | Maou Dante | 13 | Magic Bus | Kenichi Maejima | Maō dante |
| September 7 – March 22, 2003 | Overman King Gainer | 26 | Sunrise | Yoshiyuki Tomino | Ōbāman kingugeinā |
| September 11 – September 10, 2003 | Hungry Heart: Wild Striker | 52 | Nippon Animation | Satoshi Saga | Hangurīhāto wairudo Striker |
| September 26 – January 16, 2003 | Mahoromatic ~Something More Beautiful~ | 14 | Gainax Shaft | Hiroyuki Yamaga | Mahoromatikku ~ motto utsukushī mono ~ |
| September 30 – March 24, 2003 | Petite Princess Yucie | 26 | Gainax AIC | Masahiko Ootsuka | Puchipuri* yūshii |
| October 1 – September 30, 2003 | Monkey Typhoon | 52 | Studio Egg | Mamoru Hamatsu | Asobotto senki go kyū |
| October 1 – October 1, 2003 | Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex | 26 | Production I.G | Kenji Kamiyama | Kōkakukidōtai STAND arōn konpurekkusu |
| October 1 – March 25, 2003 | Spiral: The Bond of Reasoning | 25 | J.C.Staff | Mamoru Hosoda | Supairaru – suiri no kizuna - |
| October 2 – March 26, 2003 | Hanada Shounen-shi | 25 | Madhouse | Masayuki Kojima | Hanadashōnenshi |
| October 2 – March 26, 2003 | Heat Guy J | 25 | Satelight | Kazuki Akane | Hīto gai jei |
| October 2 – September 24, 2003 | Bomberman Jetters | 52 | Studio Deen | Katsuyuki Kodera | Bonbāman jettāzu |
| October 3 – February 8, 2007 | Naruto | 220 | Pierrot | Hayato Date | Naruto |
| October 4 – December 25 | Sister Princess: Re Pure | 13 | Zexcs | Nagisa Miyazaki Tsubame Shimotaya | Shisutā purinsesu ~ ripyua ~ |
| October 5 – September 27, 2003 | Mobile Suit Gundam SEED | 50 | Sunrise | Mitsuo Fukuda | Kidō senshi Gandamu shīdo |
| October 5 – September 20, 2003 | GetBackers | 49 | Studio Deen | Kazuhiro Furuhashi Keitaro Motonaga | Getto bakkāzu dakkan-ya |
| October 6 – March 31, 2003 | Galaxy Angel 3 | 26 | Madhouse | Shigehito Takayanagi | Gyarakushī enjeru A |
| October 8 – December 17 | Super Heavy God Gravion | 13 | Gonzo | Masami Oobari | Chō omo kami guravuion |
| October 9 – March 19, 2003 | Kiddy Grade | 24 | Gonzo | Keiji Gotoh | Kidi gureido |
| October 10 – December 19 | Haibane Renmei | 13 | Radix | Tomokazu Tokoro | Haibanerenmei |
| November 2 – September 13, 2003 | Diary of a Fishing Fool | 36 | Toei Animation | Tetsuo Imazawa | Tsuribakanisshi |
| November 11 – January 13, 2003 | Piano: The Melody of a Young Girl's Heart | 10 | OLM | Norihiko Sudo | PIANO |
| November 21 – September 14, 2006 | Pokemon Advanced Generation | 192 | OLM | Kunihiko Yuyama Masamitsu Hidaka Yuuji Asada | Poketto monsutā adobansu jenerēshon |
| November 28 – March 20, 2003 | Knight Hunters Eternity | 13 | ufotable | Hitoyuki Matsui | Vuaisu kuroitsu gurīen |

### Original video animations

| First run start and end dates | Title | Episodes | Studio | Director(s) | Japanese name |
| January 16 | Detective Conan: 16 Suspects | 1 | TMS Entertainment | Yasuichiro Yamamoto | Meitantei Conan: 16-nin no Yougisha |
| January 17 – April 17 | Hunter x Hunter: Original Video Animation | 8 | Nippon Animation | Satoshi Saga | HUNTER×HUNTER Original Video Animation |
| January 25 | Digital Juice | 6 | Studio 4°C | Kouji Morimoto Osamu Kobayashi Tatsuyuki Tanaka Kazuyoshi Yaginuma | Dejitaru jūsu |
| January 26 – March 27 | Love Hina Again | 3 | Xebec | Yoshiaki Iwasaki | Rabu hina agein |
| January 26 | Gakuen Senki Muryou Special | 1 | Madhouse | | Yorinuki muryō-san Girls serekushon ~ gakuensenki muryō tokubetsu-hen ~ |
| January 31 – April 26 | Shootfighter Tekken | 3 | AIC | Yukio Nishimoto | Kōkō tekken-den tafu |
| February 2 | Voices of a Distant Star | 1 | CoMix Wave Films | Makoto Shinkai | Hoshi no koe |
| February 25 – January 25, 2003 | Arcade Gamer Fubuki | 4 | Shaft | Yuuji Muto | Ākēdo gēmā fubuki |
| March 2 – July 3 | Trava: Fist Planet | 4 | Madhouse | Katsuhito Ishii Takeshi Koike | TRAVA FIST PLANET |
| March 2 – July 1, 2006 | Sweat Punch | 5 | Studio 4°C | Kazuto Nakazawa | Suuetto panchi |
| March 22 | Canary | 1 | Soeishinsha | Keitaro Motonaga | Kanaria |
| March 25 – July 25 | Otogi Story Tenshi no Shippo Specials | 2 | Tokyo Kids | Kazuhiro Ochi | O togi sutōrī tenshinoshippo |
| March 27 – January 23, 2003 | In a Distant Time | 2 | Zexcs | Iku Suzuki | Harukanaru jikū no naka de 〜 ajisaiyumekatari 〜 |
| March 27 – June 25, 2003 | Angelique: Twin Collection | 8 | Yumeta Company | | Anjerīku Twin korekushon |
| March 29 – July 26 | Araiso Private High School Student Council Executive Committee | 2 | Nippon Animation | Shinji Sato | Shiritsu araiso kōtō gakkō seito-kai shikkō-bu |
| April 3 | Lupin III: Return of Pycal | 1 | TMS Entertainment | Mamoru Hamatsu | Lupin III: Ikiteita Majutsushi |
| April 19 | She and Her Cat: Their Standing Points | 1 | CoMix Wave Films | Makoto Shinkai | Kanojo to Kanojo no Neko |
| April 24 – January 8, 2003 | Gate Keepers 21 | 6 | Gonzo | Hiroshi Yamaguchi | Gēto kīpāzu 21 |
| April 24 | Galerians: Rion | 3 | | | Garerianzu: Rion |
| April 25 | Galaxy Angel Music Collection: Shouen to Shien no Cassoulet | 1 | Madhouse | Morio Asaka Yoshimitsu Oohashi | Gyarakushī enjeru myūjikku korekushon shōen to shien no kasure |
| May 25 – October 26 | Cosplay Complex | 3 | TNK | Shinichiro Kimura | Kosupure konpurekkusu |
| May 25 | Megami Kouhosei Special Curriculum | 1 | Xebec | Shinichi Yamaoka | Megami kōhosei supesharu karikyuramu |
| May 25 | Mahou no Star Magical Emi: Kumo Hikaru | 1 | Ajia-do | Takashi Anno | Mahō no sutā majikaru emi kumo hikaru |
| June 20 – April 10, 2003 | .hack//Liminality | 4 | Bee Train | Koichi Mashimo | .hack//LIMINALITY |
| July 26 – January 22, 2004 | Futari Ecchi | 4 | Chaos Project | Yuuji Moriyama | Futari etchi |
| August 6 | Ultra Maniac | 1 | Ashi Productions | Shinichi Masaki Nanako Shimazaki | Urutora maniakku |
| August 23 – April 2, 2004 | Nurse Witch Komugi-chan Magikarte | 5 | Kyoto Animation Tatsunoko Production | Yasuhiro Takemoto | Nāsuu~itchi komugi-chan majikarute |
| August 25 – August 26, 2005 | Yukikaze | 5 | Gonzo | Masahiko Ookura | Sentō yōsei yukikaze |
| August 25 – January 25, 2003 | Haré+Guu Deluxe | 6 | Shin-Ei Animation | Tsutomu Mizushima | Janguru haitsu moharenochiguu derakkusu |
| September 19 | Saiyuki Interactive | 1 | Pierrot | | Gensōmadensaiyūki – kibō no zaika - |
| September 20 | Mega Man: Wishing upon a Star | 3 | Ashi Productions | Katsumi Minoguchi | Rokku man hoshininegaiwo |
| September 27 | Ichi The Killer: Episode 0 | 1 | AIC | Shinji Ishihira | Koroshi-ya 1 THE animēshon EPISODE 0 |
| October 25 | Please Teacher!: Secret Couple | 1 | Daume | | Onegai ☆ tīchā himitsunafutari |
| October 25 | Vandread: Gekitou-hen | 1 | Gonzo | Shinji Higuchi | Vuandoreddo gekitō-hen |
| November 9 – July 25, 2003 | Saint Seiya: The Hades Chapter – Sanctuary | 13 | Toei Animation | Shigeyasu Yamauchi | Seitō shiseiya meiō hādesu jūnikyū-hen |
| December 9 – March 19, 2003 | I''s | 2 | Pierrot Arms | Shigenori Kageyama | Furomuaizu ~ mō hitotsu no natsu no monogatari ~ |
| December 13 – June 27, 2003 | Happy World! | 3 | Zexcs | Takashi Ikehata | Happy World! |
| December 18 | Sakura Taisen: Sumire | 1 | Radix | Hitoyuki Matsui | “Sakura taisen”~ kanzaki sumire intai kinen ~`su mi re' |
| December 18 – March 26, 2003 | I'll/CKBC | 2 | M.S.C | Itsuro Kawasaki | I'll/CKBC |
| December 20 | Green Green | 1 | Media Factory | | Gurīn gurīn |
| December 21 – December 21, 2003 | Space Pirate Captain Herlock: The Endless Odyssey | 13 | Madhouse | Rintaro | SPACE PIRATE CAPTAIN HERLOCK OUTSIDE LEGEND ~The Endless Odyssey~ |
| December 21 – October 20, 2004 | Macross Zero | 5 | Satelight | Shoji Kawamori | Makurosu zero |
| December 27 | Wind: A Breath of Heart | 1 | Ajia-do | Sata | Wind -a breath of heart- |
| | Kojin Taxi | 5 | | | |
| | Shokuzai no Kyoushitsu | 2 | | | |
| | Shintaisou: Kari | 4 | | | |
| | Flutter of Birds: Tori-tachi no Habataki | 2 | | | |
| | D+vine Luv | 4 | | | |
| | Little Monica Monogatari | 2 | | | |