Anime Chronology 1982-2009:

 (a series' first appearance will be highlighted in bold text):

1982-1988 Anime in Review:

No good anime came before 1982's Super Dimensional Fortress Macross, the original Macross tv season, which is the start of great anime. 

1.  SDF Macross (1982-1983)

Guyver ova's came out during this time, but they were supplanted by the superior tv series which aired in 2006.  Touch and Miyuki came out in Japan at this time, but they were translated much later, so to us they are far more recent series than they are to Japan.  Dragon Ball came out at this time, but it's such a low quality product with so much embedded filler that it's not even worth listing.  Instead, all the credit for these episodes goes to the 2016 Dragon Ball Recut edition, which takes out all the filler and delivers for the first time a proper rendition of the pre-Z Dragon Ball manga.

To be frank, until the year 1998 or so, virtually no anime was properly translated in English via official releases, and the fan community, if it did exist, was so small and nascent that even if it were translating series at this time, no one could have gotten their hands on a copy anyway.  So really, the entire chronology of anime should begin in 1998 or so, not 1982, but it's virtually impossible to track down when all these old series were properly translated, so the best solution is to just track them by their Japanese releases, until the modern era where these things become easier to track and report correctly.

This also, incidentally, serves as a full chronology of all great anime releases, when strung together.  If you want to know when something came out, you need look no further than here. 

1989 Anime in Review:

This year may only have one entry, but it has a huge contribution to the quality of anime overall just the same. 

1.  Ranma 1/2 tv (start)

1990 Anime in Review:

Record of Lodoss War has such divine music.  However, we're getting back in time far enough to the good stuff in the Ranma 1/2 tv series.  The all important breaking point episode aired this year.

1.  Ranma 1/2 (continued)
2.  Record of Lodoss War ovas (start) 

1991 Anime in Review:

Most of Ranma 1/2 at this point is filler, so much so that even a single ova is better than it.  But Lodoss War ovas are a great banner to uphold anime's honor, even in a down year like this one.

1.  Lodoss War ovas (end)
2.  Ranma 1/2 tv (continued) 

1992 Anime in Review:

Ranma 1/2 and Yu Yu Hakusho look really good now that they're out in blu-ray.

1.  Ranma 1/2 tv (end)
2.  Yu Yu Hakusho (start)

1993 Anime in Review:

A pretty sparse group for 1993.  Ranma 1/2 only had two ova's this year so Yu Yu Hakusho's yearlong running tv series has to be able to win this one. 

1.  Yu Yu Hakusho (continued)
2.  Ranma 1/2 ova's

1994 Anime in Review:

1994 didn't have such a bad showing itself, with 3 shows still alive at the time. 

1.  Ranma 1/2 ova's
2.  Macross Plus ovas (start) + Macross 7 tv (start) 
3.  Yu Yu Hakusho (end)

Ranma 1/2 is the best series that was made in the past and hasn't received a remake in the future.

1995 Anime in Review:

Is there anything to find at all?  Sailor Moon doesn't count because Crystal has replaced it with a better version.  Dragon Ball Kai has done the same for Dragon Ball.  Is there anything?  Anything people recall about 1995?

1.  Evangelion tv beginning
2.  H2 beginning
3.  Macross 7 tv (end)  + movie + ovas 
4.  Ranma 1/2 ovas 

Oh yeah!  That Evangelion show.  I hear it's good.  Maybe I should check it out. . .  ;)

1996 Anime in Review:

1996 feels pretty barren, but at least we still have a fantastic standard bearer.  Rurouni Kenshin's first season was just as good as the second Kyoto arc.  I love every second of both. 

1.  Rurouni Kenshin beginning
2.  Evangelion tv ending
3.  Nadesico beginning
4.  H2 ending
5.  Ranma 1/2 ova.

1997 Anime in Review:

1997, like 1998, still has some important anime that are still reverberating to this day.  The popularity of Evangelion and Rurouni Kenshin still hasn't faded in the least.

1.  Rurouni Kenshin - kyoto arc 
2.  Berserk beginning
3.  The End of Evangelion movie
4.   Flame of Recca beginning 
5.  Nadesico ending 

Berserk?  If you forget about Berserk Guts will split open your skull.  Violence and watercolors never went so well together. 

1998 Anime in Review:

1998 has one show people have never stopped talking about.  As such, it's still a pretty huge moment in anime history. 

1.  Cowboy Bebop
2.  Berserk ending 
3.  Flame of Recca ending 
4.  Cardcaptor Sakura beginning 
5.  Nadesico Prince of Darkness

1999 Anime in Review:

Is there anybody home?

1.  Seikai no Monshou
2.  One Piece beginning 
3.  To Heart
4.  Cardcaptor Sakura movie 1 + tv series continued
5.  Rurouni Kenshin ovas 

Only five shows, but the standard bearer makes up for it.  Seikai no Monshou (Crest of the Stars), is one of the best works of art of all time.  It's a mere 13 episodes, but in that time you are introduced to an incredible new universe, the most beautiful girl you've ever seen, and one of the subtlest and most touching love stories you'll ever see.  You'll cry your eyes out.  And witness some of the best action sequences you ever imagined.  This show has it all.  If I could trade a whole year of all the mediocre nonsense we get today for just one more show like Crest of the Stars, I'd do so gladly.

We've reached the root of One Piece, the beginning of the journey.  I wonder where it will end?  Will any of us even live to see that day?

2000 Anime in Review:

1.  One Piece - Romance Dawn
2.  Seikai no Senki + Danshou
3.  Vandread (season 1)
4.  Inuyasha beginning
5.  Cardcaptor Sakura movie 2 + tv series concluded

One Piece Romance Dawn is one of the greatest works of art ever made.  This has Arlong Park, and that one Nami moment.  If you've seen it, you know what I'm talking about, if you haven't, you need to go see it. 

One Piece isn't the only good thing about this year though.  Seikai no Senki's season of total war is sweeping, gripping, emotionally compelling and feels so real you're sweating in tension right alongside the characters.  In any normal competition, Seikai no Senki would've been #1.  It's just a shame it had to be paired with One Piece this time around.

Vandread used to be one of my favorite anime.  That was before almost all the anime that's ever been made has been made.  But even with many years of additional competition it's still above average.  Not bad, old man.  Show the young 'uns how it's done.

Inuyasha only just began in this year.  We're still getting to learn about Kagome and Inuyasha themselves. 

2001 Anime in Review:

Great anime has climbed all the way up to 12 entries for this year.  The most important aspect of the year of course being the emotional Drum arc in One Piece.

1.   One Piece - Arabasta arc beginning + Drum arc
2.   Inuyasha S1 2nd half + S2
3.   Seikai no Senki II    
4.   Angelic Layer 
5.   Prince of Tennis beginning
6.   Kokoro Toshokan
7.   Vandread Second Stage
8.   Hikaru no Go beginning
9.  Galaxy Angel S1
10.  Cowboy Bebop movie
11.  Mahoromatic
12.  Tales of Eternia

Inuyasha is still right in the middle of its introductory arc.  This year is when Miroku joins the party, for instance.  This is a great part of Inuyasha and deservedly takes the #2 slot.  But man is it nice to have Seikai no Senki back in the lineup.  Every episode of Crest of the Stars is worth ten of any other series.  Kokoro Toshokan is a jewel of a series and has been forgotten by virtually everyone but me.  That's okay.  I'll never forget.

Long running series, some that are still running, first appeared this year, like Hikaru no Go, Galaxy Angel, Tales of 'x,' and Prince of Tennis.  You could even call this the origin of modern anime.  ;).  It's also the end of the entirely overhyped but still good Cowboy Bebop series.  If you have to go, a flashy movie is a good way to do so. 

2002 Anime in Review:

At 10 shows, it's surprising how well the older years are holding up.

1.  One Piece - Arabasta arc ending
2.  Full Metal Panic! S1
3.  Inuyasha S3 and 1st half of S4
4.  Galaxy Angel Z + A
5.  Mahoromatic - Something More Beautiful
6.  Prince of Tennis (continued) 
7.  Hikaru no Go (continued)
8. Macross Zero ova 

The Arabasta arc was about as good as Water 7, and Full Metal Panic's first season was nigh perfect.

2003 Anime in Review:

It's 2003, so 11 shows is a pretty respectable showing.  This is the best season Inuyasha has, so we're looking at a pretty strong 1-2 punch here: 

1.  Inuyasha S4 + S5
2.  Full Metal Panic? Fumoffu
3.  Scrapped Princess   
4.  Uuchuu no Stellvia
5.  Prince of Tennis - Hyoutei arc
6.  One Piece - Jaya arc + Sky Island arc beginning
7.  Da Capo
8. Galaxy Angel S3
9. Hikaru no Go tv ending
10. Macross Zero ovas 

Scrapped Princess and Uuchuu no Stellvia are both sci-fi space stories.  They're also both unforgettable tear jerkers.  No list of great anime can ignore 2003 so long as these two shows are laying around.  Prince of Tennis's Hyoutei arc is also the best portion of this franchise.  Full Metal Panic? Fumoffu isn't the best season of FMP, but it sure is the funniest.

Da Capo begins this year to rave reviews and sales.  However, its true glory won't be until Da Capo II.

2004 Anime in Review:

I've often thought that 2004 is the beginning of modern anime.  How does my theory play out?

1.  Mahou Shoujo Lyrical Nanoha
2.  Aishiteruze Baby 
3.  Bleach - beginning
4.  Major S1 1st half
5.  Maria-sama ga Miteru S1 + S2
6.  Samurai Champloo beginning
7.  Futari wa Pretty Cure
8.  Inuyasha S6
9. One Piece - Sky Island arc ends + Foxy Pirates arc begins
10. Galaxy Angel S4
11. To Heart Remember my Memories
12. Hikaru no Go: North Star Cup ova
13. Tales of Phantasia ova
14. Macross Zero ovas 

2004 is such a watershed year, even though it has the customary tiny number of shows that we've gotten used to, because it was the start of such enormous franchises.  Bleach, Pretty Cure, Major, Maria-sama ga Miteru, and Nanoha will go on from here to dominate the rest of time.

2005 Anime in Review:

Aisia!  Ui Miyazaki!  Kyoto Animation's god like reign begins!  Bleach is actually good!  2005 might not have many entrees, but there are a ton of stories behind these wonderful shows all the same: 

1.   Nanoha A's
2.   Bleach - Introduction arc ending + Soul Society Infiltration arc
3.   Major S1 ending + S2 
4.   Full Metal Panic! The Second Raid
5.   Basilisk
6.   Air tv + ovas
7.   Shakugan no Shana S1 1st half
8.   Da Capo Second Season
9.   One Piece - Foxy Pirates arc ending + Water 7 arc beginning
10.  Futari wa Precure ending + Max Heart 
11.  Seikai no Senki III
12.  Guyver tv 1st half
13.  To Heart 2
14.  Samurai Champloo ending 
15.  Tales of Phantasia ovas 

The one thing that really strikes me about this list is Seikai no Senki ending.  God do I miss this series.  And there's three books plus lots of short stories they could still adapt if they ever wanted to.  It's such a terrible waste. 

The Bleach soul society arc is one of the biggest things in anime history.  Air is the beginning of the key-Kyoto collaboration that goes on to conquer the world.  Water 7 begins.  If you know the history of anime, you know 2005 was a big deal. 

2006 Anime in Review:

2006 is a transition year.  It's the ending of many legendary series like Galaxy Angel, while being the beginning of soon to be world-famous series, like Haruhi Suzumiya, Higurashi, Zero no Tsukaima, Kanon, Utawarerumono, Fate/Stay Night and Code Geass.  Without 2006, where would we be?  Almost everything good in the future is a sequel to one of these shows.  But this is the small seed that leads to a much larger flowering in the future.  Taking the year just for what it was, this wasn't a very eventful or impressive year in anime:

1.  Code Geass S1 1st half 
2.  Haruhi Suzumiya S1
3.  Higurashi no Naku Koro ni
4.  One Piece - Water 7 arc (continued)
5.  Kanon 1st half
6.  Utawarerumono + specials
7.  Futari wa Precure Max Heart ending + Splash Star + movies.
8.  Shakugan no Shana S1 2nd half 
9.  Zero no Tsukaima S1
10.  Binbou Shimai Monogatari
11.  Fate/Stay Night (eps 8+)
12. Kenichi 1st half
13. Happiness!
14. Guyver tv 2nd half 
15. Prince of Tennis Nationals ovas 1st half 
16. Death Note 1st half
17. Full Metal Panic! ova
18. Tales of Phantasia ova 
19.  Maria-sama ga Miteru S3  (episode 1)
20. Galaxy Angel Rune

Just 20 shows, but Haruhi, Code Geass, Kanon and Higurashi are among them.  I wouldn't mind having another year in anime just like this one.  Still, I have to believe 40-50 shows, like from 2012-2016, just has to be better than 20, no matter how good they were.  Surprisingly, Bleach was in filler for this entire year.  That's a painful blow to any year's overall quality.

2007 Anime in Review:

2007 follows the trend of anime in the past being smaller but sweeter: 

1.   Tengen Toppa Gurren Lagann + ovas
2.   Clannad 1st half
3.   Kanon 2nd half
4.   Higurashi kai 
5.   Code Geass S1 2nd half 
6.   One Piece - Water 7 arc ending 
7.   ef: A Tale of Memories
8.   Rocket Girls
9.  Nanoha StrikerS
10. Bleach Arrancar invasion arc + Hueco Mundo arc begins 
11. Precure Splash Star ending + Yes Precure 5 + Splash Star movies 
12. Hayate S1 beginning
13. Maria-sama ga Miteru S3  
14. Claymore  
15. School Days
16. Baccano! 
17. Da Capo II S1
18. Zero no Tsukaima S2
19. Major S3
20. Kenichi 2nd half 
21. Shakugan no Shana II 1st half
22. Myself;Yourself
23. Death Note 2nd half
24. Tales of Symphonia Sylverant-hen ovas
25. Prince of Tennis Nationals ovas 2nd half + Semifinals 1st half 
26. To Heart 2 ovas
27. Happiness! ova 

What can you say?  Tengen Toppa, Clannad, Kanon, Code Geass, Higurashi, Ef, One Piece's Water 7 arc, Rocket Girls, Nanoha Strikers, Hayate. . .

Just saying the names of these legendary series should be evidence enough of what a great year this was.

2008 Anime in Review:

I'm starting to see a trend in early anime.  Fewer series, but more quality per series.  I guess when you know you only have one shot per year at something, you choose only the sure fire successes each and every time:

1.  Clannad 2nd half  + Clannad After Story 1st half
2.  Da Capo II Second Season 
3.  Code Geass R2
4.  Major S4
5.  Toradora!
6.  Strike Witches S1
7.  Akane-iro ni Somaru Saka
8.  ef: A Tale of Melodies
9.  Yes Precure 5 ending + Yes Precure 5 Go Go + Yes Precure 5 movies
10.  Index S1 1st half
11.  Macross Frontier
12.  Bleach - Hueco Mundo arc continued
13.  Prince of Tennis National Tournament Final arc
14.  One Piece - Thriller Bark arc
15.  Soul Eater
16.  Shakugan no Shana II 2nd half 
17.  Spice and Wolf S1 
18.  Hayate S1 ending
19.  Zero no Tsukaima S3

20.  To Love ru S1 eps 1, 6, 11 and the first half of 17
21.  Ranma 1/2 ova
22.  Tales of the Abyss 

23.  School days ovas

A year with Toradora, Code Geass, Clannad, the very beginning of the epic Index/Railgun franchise, and the very best season of Da Capo is not a bad year.  Even with just 23 entries it has a spectacular array of super high ranked shows that have stood the test of time.

With that said, 23 shows is half as many as later years can boast of.

2009 Anime in Review:

Great series continue popping up for the first time, which we later learn are going to change the world.  2009 was the end of some series of that magnitude, like Clannad, and the beginning of others, like Bakemonogatari, Fairy Tail, Cross Game, K-On!, Railgun, Dragon Ball Kai, and Saki.  There should be a law against too much talent appearing in a single year.  How can a single brain even comprehend what's happened in a space of time that short? 

1.  Cross Game beginning
2.  Clannad After Story 2nd half + ova
3.  Hayate ova + Hayate S2
4.  Dragon Ball Kai - Saiyan Saga + Frieza saga beginning
5.  Fairy Tail beginning
6.  Railgun S1 1st half + Index S1 2nd half
7.  K-On! S1
8.  Saki S1
9.  Fresh Precure + Yes Precure 5 Go! Go! ending + Yes Precure 5 Go! Go! movies
10.   Kobato
11.   Maria-sama ga Miteru S4
12.   Bleach - Hueco Mundo arc continued 
13.   Bakemonogatari beginning
14.   One Piece - Saboady Archipelago Arc + Amazon Lily arc + Impel Down arc beginning
15.   Major S5
16.   Umineko no naku koro ni
17.   Inuyasha Kanketsu-hen beginning
18.   Valkyria Chronicles
19.   Kimi ni Todoke S1 beginning
20.   Sora no Otoshimono S1
21.   Spice and Wolf ova + Spice and Wolf S2
22.   Haruhi S2
23.  Tales of Vesperia: The First Strike
24.  Shakugan no Shana S ovas
25.  To Love-ru ovas
26.  Utawarerumono ovas
27.  Higurashi Rei ovas
28.  To Heart 2 ovas
29.  Mahoromatic ovas

This may have only 29 entries, but it doesn't matter.  We are talking about some of the most revered, respected and popular series of all time, 11 of them debuting in 2009.  Kobato was the best Clamp work of all time.  Maria-sama ga Miteru was already a great series, but S4 was the best season of all.  Inuyasha returns!  Hayate S2 is actually faithful to the manga!  Any one of these shows could have been the highlight of the year, but instead they're all together?  What on Earth just happened here?

2009 might be the best year in anime.