The 2000s was an especially great decade for action/adventure anime, from D.Gray-man and Gurren Lagann to Samurai Champloo and Fullmetal Alchemist, just to name a few. However, many solid action/adventure titles have been all but forgotten over time or were overlooked altogether during their release, unable to compete with the flashiness or sheer mainstream popularity of more famous titles.
Here are five such underrated action/adventure anime from the 2000s that still very much deserve a look.
Kino’s Journey (2003)
Although this title saw something of a revival with the release of the 2017 remake, the original anime series released in 2003 remains underappreciated. Directed by the late Ryūtarō Nakamura (Serial Experiments Lain, Sakura Wars, Ghost Hound), the story follows a traveler named Kino who, accompanied by a talking motorcycle named Hermes, journeys through a strange world made up of numerous different countries, each extremely unique in their customs and social norms. Kino spends strictly three days and two nights in every location, making the anime, for the most part, a purely episodic show -- albeit one that’s a lot darker than viewers might suspect.
Kino’s Journey isn’t a typical action/adventure story by any means, and the art style may fool viewers into expecting a relatively innocuous story with little in the way of major surprises or mature content, yet it’s one of the most quietly sophisticated and startlingly atmospheric anime of its time.
Moribito: Guardian of the Spirit (2007)
Released in 2007, Production I.G’s Moribito was likely passed over in favor of the big-name titles and fan favorites airing that same year such as Baccano!, Gurren Lagann, and Sayonara Zetsubou Sensei. Moreover, when Moribito first aired on Cartoon Network the following year, it ran for only ten of its twenty-six episodes before being inexplicably dropped from the schedule, and only finally re-aired in full in 2009. This is a shame, as it means potential viewers missed out on an anime that features a highly self-sufficient female protagonist in her thirties -- a huge rarity in anime – named Balsa, who actually looks, sounds, and acts her age and is never once made the target of cheap fan service.
A spear-wielding bodyguard, Balsa’s adventures take place in a world that’s realistic and beautifully intricate, with its own self-contained history and culture that bleeds through in each and every episode. While not a fast-paced title, the series includes some incredibly fluid fight scenes, so viewers can expect tense, high-quality action sequences as well as a criminally underrated story.
The Daughter of 20 Faces (2008)
Half-mystery, half action/adventure, both elements of which are wrapped in an emotionally powerful coming-of-age series, The Daughter of 20 Faces doesn’t shy away from depicting some fairly dark and tragic material despite its somewhat milder beginning. Set in 1950s Japan, the clever and resourceful 11-year-old Chiko is rescued from her murderous aunt and uncle by a gentleman thief and master of disguise Twenty Faces, who invites her to join him and his crew on their heists. At the heart of the show is the blossoming father/daughter-like relationship between the two, although the episodic mini-adventures only last for so long before the story takes an unexpected turn.
Also released as Chiko, Heiress of the Phantom Thief, the anime suffers from being one of the least-watched Bones-produced anime, particularly in contrast to many of the other titles released by the studio during the same decade such as Wolf’s Rain, Eureka Seven, Ouran High School Host Club, Soul Eater, and of course, Fullmetal Alchemist. The Daughter of 20 Faces may not have that kind of visual panache or fan-pleasing type of cast, but it remains an astonishingly heart-wrenching show that’s every bit as deserving of a watch.
Ride Back (2009)
2009’s Ride Back by Madhouse is a somewhat flawed yet extremely interesting series. Only 12 episodes long despite its rather complex and involved storyline, the anime undergoes a major tonal shift at around the halfway point, and for some viewers, the blend of its mecha, drama and racing genres may seem incongruous, particularly given that it stars not the typical teenage male lead but instead a 24-year-old college student/former professional ballet dancer named Rin.
However, these latter factors also play a major factor in the originality and creativity of the show; it’s a mecha anime (sort of) about motorbike racing (sort of) that features slightly unconventional yet appealing character designs and a sci-fi/racing narrative, but which doesn’t depend on stereotypical mecha designs or a team of male teenagers to tell a compelling story -- one that, given Rin’s habit of riding her vehicle in a dress, contains surprisingly little in the way of panty shot-style fanservice.
Tegami Bachi: Letter Bee (2009)
Tegami Bachi is a fairly unconventional shounen series, yet also one that’s very emotionally effective. With a strong mix of fantasy-adventure and drama and an excellent cast of characters, Tegami Bachi takes place in an alternate universe; a land of perpetual night in which postmen, known as letter bees, make their deliveries through exceedingly treacherous terrain, armed with only a single gun and a bodyguard -- although that gun doesn’t fire bullets and the bodyguard usually isn’t human.
If this sounds slightly strange, don’t be tempted to lookup more, as no additional information is needed to thoroughly enjoy this unique show -- in fact, it’s one best enjoyed when diving straight in. Moreover, despite some of its darker and more complex themes, there’s little to no objectionable material to be found here, so Tegami Bachi happens to be quite a family-friendly title. While the anime may be a bit long for some, as the story carries over into a second season (Tegami Bachi REVERSE) for a total of 50 episodes (plus two optional-viewing OVAs), the payoff is worth every second.
