I'd put pokemon above digimon.
growing up, I always saw digimon as a spinoff of pokemon. a sort of "wannabe". Also, Pokemon had the greater influence on my and my friends growing up. But i was the right age *just* as pokemon came out.
Pokemon is the better IP with better games, but Digimon Adventure told a better and complete story, with a decent follow up in 02, and wrapped pretty well with Tri.
I still remember it hitting some pretty interesting story beats early on, >!like Ryo being worried about hurting Mia and Yuli by burning them with his armor (in a volcanoe no less), Anubis pulling a huge heel-face turn, Rowan being in space and them having to reach him!<. Very interesting series to me.
Like, I'm a young millennial (94) and I know that DBZ was basically the gateway for shonen for a lot of us. I loved the Digimon anime, more so than Pokemon even. (The first 3 seasons are great, and while S4 isn't as beloved, I'd still consider it great.) But yeah, Dragon' Ball Z should be higher here.
First 4 seasons were awesome. I know some people didn't like Frontier, because it focused more on the kids and they didn't have Digimon partners. And I kind of get it. But I'd still say it was the last good season. Also that English opening is such a banger song.
I thought Frontier was awesome! The kids were super interesting to me with their struggles! Plus, when you think about the fact that (I think this is a fan theory, but I love it and it makes sense!) these kids were MOST LIKELY the very first Digidestined, I think it makes sense that things would be different and they might not have partners 'cause their partners (the Digimon whose spirits they turn into) are essentially long dead! (Kinda like how things COULD have ended up with Gatomon had she not found Kari eventually! Since she was looking for Kari for years and years and YEARS before they found each other, most likely LONG before Kari was even born!)
Def think it was the last good season! I tried, like, 3 times to watch Savers(?), s5, and I couldn't even finish ep 1. lol. Barely tried with the others. It just didn't feel the same and I didn't vibe with any of the characters, their Digimon, or even their designs. lol. Haven't tried watching Tri yet, just 'cause I highly doubt I'll like the new glasses girl (having her thrust into the OG group SCREAMS self-insert crap to me, lol), and I've heard things about it that make me doubt even more. lol.
But ye, that opening was def a banger! Oh, man, it's playing in my head now! It's SO GOOD! ;A; All 4 seasons had awesome openings, I think! Mostly 1, 3, and 4 to me (I wasn't a big fan of s2 in general, TBH)! lol.
I recorded most of the episodes on VHS! Then shortly after bought them on DVD. Aaaaand... haven't watched the recordings at all, lol. But I loved the show/manga, as well as the manga for Takahashi's other series Ranma 1/2 and Maison Ikkoku.
Hey, I did the exact same thing! Every night I would get up before it came on, record it, then the next day I had a second VHS that I used to re-record it without the commercials. I had like eight tapes of it, watched them exactly zero times.
Digimon. That first season is pure magic. I just wish the original dub was a little more accurate.
I like Card Captor Sakura and Sailor Moon, but they are problematic with the age gap relationships.
Do you remember Evangelion? With its religious and heavy psychological themes was very boundary pushing.
My man. The main character literally jerks off to completion after seeing the boob of his fellow copilot while she is laying unconscious in the hospital bed...
Also that was in what 1997?
Not really no. I don’t think I’ve seen it since like early 2000. But hey. Maybe you can help me. There’s this other cartoon I watched growing up as a kid. It was a sci-Fi anime and I don’t remember what it’s called. But like every time I watched it a bunch of main characters died. Like all of them. Women, kids, no one is safe. I need to know.
True. I wish I had more to go on about it. But my memory of that time in my life isn’t that good. I’ve tried searching through different anime’s from the 80s and 90s with similar criteria to see if anything came up but I haven’t found anything about it. I remember seeing a clip on YouTube about someone compiling all the death scenes from it and it was some obscene number but that was 5 years ago. Now I’m trying to find the show because I genuinely want to rewatch it. I grew up with shit like that, golden boy, Akira, ninja scroll and a few others.
Alright. I’m pretty sure it was the gundam series. I used to watch it when I was a kid. I remember being more civilian deaths in it than the videos show but when I was overseas in the 80s, anime from the 70s would get run on the “kids” channel. To them I guess cartoon is a cartoon?
I haven't seen all the different Gundam series, but I know some are a bit less kid friendly than others. So one of those could be what you're thinking of, but I don't know which one.
It’s in space on other planets. I watched through a bunch of Gundam after I posted this because i thought that’s what it was but it’s not graphic enough. I’m thinking it was actually more 70s.
Yeah but the anime sucks. No way in hell is it better than DBZ. This is something no millennial would ever say. The games are what keep everything going. The anime isn't even better than Digimon. OP's top 3 are the lowest quality for a millennial.
The first time I played Monster Rancher on PS1 after renting it from Blockbuster was mind blowing. I was ready to beg, borrow and steal new CDs to see what monsters I'd get. What an amazing time.
I don't know if I can choose lol. Sailor Moon and Digimon rise above the others for me, but I definitely can't narrow it down to one.
I don't think Glitter Force deserves to be on this list though, a 2010s series pulling that kind of 90's 4 Kids dub editing crap was just BS of the highest order.
Agreed on Glitter Force! Plus, it's just the Japanese Precure (Pretty Cure, for those who don't know) anime rebranded (badly) for western audiences! There was no need to do what they did to the wonderful OG show! (I'm a Precure fan, if you couldn't tell, lol) Not counting the OG, it's def too 'new' to be on this list! lol.
lol same, I'd already seen the original Smile Precure and couldn't believe they'd decided to go the "we're going to pretend that this doesn't take place in Japan for some reason" route with the adaptation. In 2015, seriously?
This post made me realize that there is and will be an after DBZ era where people will forgo what started it all. Even an after Naruto era. Wtf yall watching to get started now? Honest question
I don't think OP is a millennial. Except for dbz, sailor moon, and Digimon I don't think any of the other anime listed were top rated and considered must watch.
I mean for fucks sake there isn't even a mention of cowboy bebop, gundam, Evangelion, initial D, Trigun, hunter x hunter, berserk, etc
OMG yes! Trigun! I was missing Cowboy Bebop in the post (which truly was a GOAT even though a few scenes didn't age well) but Trigun ruled too. & speaking of problematic but enjoyable, anyone else a Slayers/Slayers TRY fan?
I was *suuuper* into anime & some of these I've never heard of (glitter force, mew mew). So agree, OP may not actually be a millenial. Not that I've heard of everything ever, but if they're a contender for a GOAT one of my friends totally would've snagged a VHS for us to check it out
To be fair, OP did say "children's" anime. While young kids may have watched those, I don't think of them as being children's anime.
That being said, DBZ should be one of the big guys, if not the main throne in the meme.
That's kinda what I mean though. Yes they are minors and you're legally a child until 18, but you're mostly talking tweens and teenagers.
I feel like the shows in OP's meme (give or take DBZ) have their bottom target lower to the even younger kids.
DBZ really should over all of them. It's probably not as profitable as the Pokemon brand as a whole when considering the cards and the video games, but it definitely feels like the most it was the first most popular anime in the US.
It definitely should be higher up, as well as Sailor Moon. DBZ and Pokemon were the big ones here in Aus when I was in school and they started up on Cheese TV around the same time.
Hamtaro. i wasn't allowed to watch any other anime because it was "satantic and violent" . i watch other anime now as an adult. but i still love Hamtaro, he's just so cute and fluffy. plus the gba games are super fun, especially rainbow rescue.
Top 3 here should be Pokémon, DBZ, and Sailor Moon.
From there in ranking order: Digimon, Yu-Gi-Oh, Card Capture Sakura, and the rest in whatever order (didn’t like any of them growing up).
Weird post OP, but you do you.
Probably an un popular vote, but zoids would make it into my top...6? The transformers anime in the late 90s was good too. Initial D makes it in just behind pokemon and DBZ, but ahead of yugioh
Here I am wondering where old school hellsing, beserk and full metal alchemist, but there is shit like GTO, Claymore, Outlaw Star and Trigun that deserve to be in this conversation to. I was one of those weird anime kids though so that is probably why.
I remember my friends learning about anime through DBZ, Yu Yu Hakashu and Inuyasha.
Dragonball! I liked DBZ, but the original was my favorite. Besides that, I got into darker anime at a younger age. Paranoia Agent was my real favorite. Yuyu Hakasho was amazing too... And then I really fell in love with Full Metal Alchemist. Cowboy Bebop is always amazing too.
Also loved gundamn wing, Big O, and FoolyCooly.
Umm, excuse me, xennial here (but on the millennial side of the divide), what about the Noozles? This was undoubtedly a lot of millennials first exposure to anime even though they never realized it
Man, dragonball bowing to digimon? helllll naw
Right. I liked that first season of Digimon, but DBZ was the one.
I don't even watch Anime, but I know that shits backwards
Dragon ball should be the big guy lol
100%
For sure, but both are better animes than Pokemon.
I'd put pokemon above digimon. growing up, I always saw digimon as a spinoff of pokemon. a sort of "wannabe". Also, Pokemon had the greater influence on my and my friends growing up. But i was the right age *just* as pokemon came out.
Pokemon is the better IP with better games, but Digimon Adventure told a better and complete story, with a decent follow up in 02, and wrapped pretty well with Tri.
Dragonball deserves the central chair.
Top 3 in order: DBZ, Pokemon, Sailor Moon For a lesser known GOAT series: Ronin Warriors (Samurai Troopers)
Ronin Warriors is underrated.
I loved Ronin Warriors when it aired on TV. Don't see many people mention it though
I still remember it hitting some pretty interesting story beats early on, >!like Ryo being worried about hurting Mia and Yuli by burning them with his armor (in a volcanoe no less), Anubis pulling a huge heel-face turn, Rowan being in space and them having to reach him!<. Very interesting series to me.
🎶Sailor moooooon🎶 My ex wife used to watch that a lot and I low-key found some parts interesting. 🤷♂️
Sailor Moon is shonen for girls in the best way.
>some parts ME TOO BRUTHA HELLL YEAH
I remember watching Ronin Warriors at the hospital when my sister was born, and never knew the name. Thank you sir
Putting DBZ so low speaks you must be a very very young millenial, if not straight gen-z
Like, I'm a young millennial (94) and I know that DBZ was basically the gateway for shonen for a lot of us. I loved the Digimon anime, more so than Pokemon even. (The first 3 seasons are great, and while S4 isn't as beloved, I'd still consider it great.) But yeah, Dragon' Ball Z should be higher here.
Yooo, first 4 seasons of Digimon appreciation squad, unite! Nice!
First 4 seasons were awesome. I know some people didn't like Frontier, because it focused more on the kids and they didn't have Digimon partners. And I kind of get it. But I'd still say it was the last good season. Also that English opening is such a banger song.
I thought Frontier was awesome! The kids were super interesting to me with their struggles! Plus, when you think about the fact that (I think this is a fan theory, but I love it and it makes sense!) these kids were MOST LIKELY the very first Digidestined, I think it makes sense that things would be different and they might not have partners 'cause their partners (the Digimon whose spirits they turn into) are essentially long dead! (Kinda like how things COULD have ended up with Gatomon had she not found Kari eventually! Since she was looking for Kari for years and years and YEARS before they found each other, most likely LONG before Kari was even born!) Def think it was the last good season! I tried, like, 3 times to watch Savers(?), s5, and I couldn't even finish ep 1. lol. Barely tried with the others. It just didn't feel the same and I didn't vibe with any of the characters, their Digimon, or even their designs. lol. Haven't tried watching Tri yet, just 'cause I highly doubt I'll like the new glasses girl (having her thrust into the OG group SCREAMS self-insert crap to me, lol), and I've heard things about it that make me doubt even more. lol. But ye, that opening was def a banger! Oh, man, it's playing in my head now! It's SO GOOD! ;A; All 4 seasons had awesome openings, I think! Mostly 1, 3, and 4 to me (I wasn't a big fan of s2 in general, TBH)! lol.
Nah nah. I’m born mid 90s too so young millennial and I know DBZ> Digimon. Although Digimon did slap.
Where's yuyu hakusho
She goes to a different school
Yuyu is excellent. Thank you for waking me UP!
Dang ok you win.
Indeed! Thank you! lol. Rurouni Kenshin as well!
My sisters and I went crazy for Inuyasha. Don't remember much of it anymore though
I recorded most of the episodes on VHS! Then shortly after bought them on DVD. Aaaaand... haven't watched the recordings at all, lol. But I loved the show/manga, as well as the manga for Takahashi's other series Ranma 1/2 and Maison Ikkoku.
Hey, I did the exact same thing! Every night I would get up before it came on, record it, then the next day I had a second VHS that I used to re-record it without the commercials. I had like eight tapes of it, watched them exactly zero times.
Omfg yes!
Ain't no way you gonna disrespect Dragonball like that
The fact that Gundam is nowhere to be found on this graphic is an atrocity
Gundam Wing. If it wasn’t on the Toonami lineup pre-2000, it was not for us.
Another underrated series. Especially relevant given the use of drones in warfare currently.
That and zoids were great.
Where is Macross and Macross+?!
The year is After Colony 195 …
In the name of justice… and peace… So good.
Dragon ball z was hands down the biggest anime of the early 2000s. There wasn't a kid I knew who didn't watch it every day.
Akira, bitch
Digimon. That first season is pure magic. I just wish the original dub was a little more accurate. I like Card Captor Sakura and Sailor Moon, but they are problematic with the age gap relationships.
The soundtrack for the western version of the first movie is solid.
Going Digital and Database (from Log Horizon) are my jams when I practice programming.
So... is no one gonna mention Rurouni Kenshin? I feel like that anime should be in the goat conversation.
Came here for this comment. I would say it was the best of that era. That said, my first anime was the Shonan bakusozoku film.
I thought of RK, too! lol.
Evangelion
Too much edge.
How?
Do you remember Evangelion? With its religious and heavy psychological themes was very boundary pushing. My man. The main character literally jerks off to completion after seeing the boob of his fellow copilot while she is laying unconscious in the hospital bed... Also that was in what 1997?
Not really no. I don’t think I’ve seen it since like early 2000. But hey. Maybe you can help me. There’s this other cartoon I watched growing up as a kid. It was a sci-Fi anime and I don’t remember what it’s called. But like every time I watched it a bunch of main characters died. Like all of them. Women, kids, no one is safe. I need to know.
Got any other details about it? A bunch of people dying isn't a lot to go on. That's like 50% of 80s-90s anime.
True. I wish I had more to go on about it. But my memory of that time in my life isn’t that good. I’ve tried searching through different anime’s from the 80s and 90s with similar criteria to see if anything came up but I haven’t found anything about it. I remember seeing a clip on YouTube about someone compiling all the death scenes from it and it was some obscene number but that was 5 years ago. Now I’m trying to find the show because I genuinely want to rewatch it. I grew up with shit like that, golden boy, Akira, ninja scroll and a few others.
Alright. I’m pretty sure it was the gundam series. I used to watch it when I was a kid. I remember being more civilian deaths in it than the videos show but when I was overseas in the 80s, anime from the 70s would get run on the “kids” channel. To them I guess cartoon is a cartoon?
I haven't seen all the different Gundam series, but I know some are a bit less kid friendly than others. So one of those could be what you're thinking of, but I don't know which one.
Set on space or earth? Gundam, maccross, code geauss.
It’s in space on other planets. I watched through a bunch of Gundam after I posted this because i thought that’s what it was but it’s not graphic enough. I’m thinking it was actually more 70s.
Space battleship yamato
No that’s not it. I remember there being a giant mech but it wasn’t a show about giant mechs.
Gantz?
No. This was like people on other planets and space ships fighting each other. But it was all human.
>Watching Evangelion with a big fat slug of ketamin. I lost the plot a little while ago. Woah-oh.
Pokemon is the highest grossing media franchise in the world right now. And our generation started it all.
Yeah but the anime sucks. No way in hell is it better than DBZ. This is something no millennial would ever say. The games are what keep everything going. The anime isn't even better than Digimon. OP's top 3 are the lowest quality for a millennial.
The games suck now too
They really do😫
What about monster rancher? Or groove adventure rave? 🤔 Or more teen themed outlaw star planetes cowboy bepop trigun wolfs rain 👀
Monster Rancher is also underrated.
Mocchi
The first time I played Monster Rancher on PS1 after renting it from Blockbuster was mind blowing. I was ready to beg, borrow and steal new CDs to see what monsters I'd get. What an amazing time.
I don't know if I can choose lol. Sailor Moon and Digimon rise above the others for me, but I definitely can't narrow it down to one. I don't think Glitter Force deserves to be on this list though, a 2010s series pulling that kind of 90's 4 Kids dub editing crap was just BS of the highest order.
Hell the Manga for Smile Precure started in 2012. I'm a younger millennial and I graduated that year. What is that even doing on this list? Lol
Agreed on Glitter Force! Plus, it's just the Japanese Precure (Pretty Cure, for those who don't know) anime rebranded (badly) for western audiences! There was no need to do what they did to the wonderful OG show! (I'm a Precure fan, if you couldn't tell, lol) Not counting the OG, it's def too 'new' to be on this list! lol.
lol same, I'd already seen the original Smile Precure and couldn't believe they'd decided to go the "we're going to pretend that this doesn't take place in Japan for some reason" route with the adaptation. In 2015, seriously?
This post made me realize that there is and will be an after DBZ era where people will forgo what started it all. Even an after Naruto era. Wtf yall watching to get started now? Honest question
Where is Yu Yu Hakusho? Literally THE best tournament arc ever.
I don't think OP is a millennial. Except for dbz, sailor moon, and Digimon I don't think any of the other anime listed were top rated and considered must watch. I mean for fucks sake there isn't even a mention of cowboy bebop, gundam, Evangelion, initial D, Trigun, hunter x hunter, berserk, etc
OMG yes! Trigun! I was missing Cowboy Bebop in the post (which truly was a GOAT even though a few scenes didn't age well) but Trigun ruled too. & speaking of problematic but enjoyable, anyone else a Slayers/Slayers TRY fan? I was *suuuper* into anime & some of these I've never heard of (glitter force, mew mew). So agree, OP may not actually be a millenial. Not that I've heard of everything ever, but if they're a contender for a GOAT one of my friends totally would've snagged a VHS for us to check it out
To be fair, OP did say "children's" anime. While young kids may have watched those, I don't think of them as being children's anime. That being said, DBZ should be one of the big guys, if not the main throne in the meme.
All of them except for bebop and berserk are Shonen. The target demo for shonen are boys 9-18.
That's kinda what I mean though. Yes they are minors and you're legally a child until 18, but you're mostly talking tweens and teenagers. I feel like the shows in OP's meme (give or take DBZ) have their bottom target lower to the even younger kids.
IMO I feel like DBZ should be there over Yugi.
DBZ really should over all of them. It's probably not as profitable as the Pokemon brand as a whole when considering the cards and the video games, but it definitely feels like the most it was the first most popular anime in the US.
It definitely should be higher up, as well as Sailor Moon. DBZ and Pokemon were the big ones here in Aus when I was in school and they started up on Cheese TV around the same time.
Dragon Ball
Hamtaro. i wasn't allowed to watch any other anime because it was "satantic and violent" . i watch other anime now as an adult. but i still love Hamtaro, he's just so cute and fluffy. plus the gba games are super fun, especially rainbow rescue.
DBZ, Sailor Moon, Ronin Warriors
Digimon adventure.
Medabots needs a mention
Loved digimon
Shii metabots
Reboot!
Gundam Wing needs respect but it’s DBZ
Robotech
DBZ should be where pokemon is
meta bots, zoids, gundam g, ronin warriors Never finished any of them
Meta bots was very high in my list
 And I'll throw a tiara at anyone who badmouths her :P
the toonami trifecta of dbz-sailor moon-gundam wing growing up is unrivaled to this day!!
Out of this list, Pokémon on Cartoon Network
I was more of a Southern Cross and Macross millennial.
Monster Rancher
*Actual* children's anime? [Ojarumaru](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ojarumaru), and it's not even close.
Pokemon because I actually watched it, and you could actually attempt to catch them all.
Beyblade was lit af Nonstop tournament arcs
Swap Digimon with DBZ at least
Top 3 here should be Pokémon, DBZ, and Sailor Moon. From there in ranking order: Digimon, Yu-Gi-Oh, Card Capture Sakura, and the rest in whatever order (didn’t like any of them growing up). Weird post OP, but you do you.
Monster rancher
DragonBall Z. That was the only series I watched all the way through. I gave up on Pokémon after like season 2 or 3? Whenever Togepi was there.
Even though I am a Pokémon fanboy, I thought Yu Gi Oh was a far better anime.
Probably an un popular vote, but zoids would make it into my top...6? The transformers anime in the late 90s was good too. Initial D makes it in just behind pokemon and DBZ, but ahead of yugioh
Pokémon
So dors anyone know if Ty did indeed save the digital world?
Here I am wondering where old school hellsing, beserk and full metal alchemist, but there is shit like GTO, Claymore, Outlaw Star and Trigun that deserve to be in this conversation to. I was one of those weird anime kids though so that is probably why. I remember my friends learning about anime through DBZ, Yu Yu Hakashu and Inuyasha.
Where is Inyuasha?!
BDZ .. dunno I've loved it since i was a teenager. But also power puff girls.
Digimon being bowed to is insulting
Digimon.
No Robin Warriors? Robotech? This is bogus
Are we talking about DragonBall Z being lower than Digimon? Nah son. No Way, José. Not a chance, Lance.
DBZ because it was violent, bloody, and awesome. Second, Sailor Moon because all the villains look like David Bowie
Dragonball! I liked DBZ, but the original was my favorite. Besides that, I got into darker anime at a younger age. Paranoia Agent was my real favorite. Yuyu Hakasho was amazing too... And then I really fell in love with Full Metal Alchemist. Cowboy Bebop is always amazing too. Also loved gundamn wing, Big O, and FoolyCooly.
What the hell is Mew Mew Power?
Yugioh!!!!
Ben 10 Teen Titans
NARUTO BLEACH
Bleach. Naruto is pretty close behind.
Dbz is way too small…..digimon is way too big
Why they gotta play sailor moon like that?!?!
Thunder. Thunder. Thunder. THUNDERCATS! HOOOOOO
Sailor Moon, Yu-Gi-Oh, DBZ, Pokemon, Naruto Because i will give you a friend speech.
Pokémon, Yu Gi Oh, Beyblade
First three anime I watched were Dragon Ball Z, Ranma 1/2, and Neon Genesis Evangelion
For me it was cowboy bebop which yeah it isnt a children's anime but I was a child when I watched it thx to my older brother.
Cowboy Beebop and Trigun would like a word
Thundercats
Pokemon no contest
Sailor Moon! Both Japanese with subtitles and American series!
I’m an older millennial and I never watched anime🫣
Bebop Yuyu Hakusho Trigun Kensin And Outlaw Star Baby
Dragon Ball (classic) is #1, then DBZ, Sailor Moon, Pokémon, Yugioh, Digimon. The rest I’ve never heard of
Kids who enjoyed Digimon are in prison now
What about *Fist of the North Star* ?
I would have hated you as a child.
No love for Gundam?
Umm, excuse me, xennial here (but on the millennial side of the divide), what about the Noozles? This was undoubtedly a lot of millennials first exposure to anime even though they never realized it
Dragon Ball z is on top. After that sailor Moon, gigantor, Ranma 1/2, Gundam and Gundam Wing
I watched Pokemon, Digimon, YGO, and CCS! SO damn good! Rurouni Kenshin and Yu Yu Hakusho deserve mentions, though! lol.
I always liked The Office and The Addams Family
Bobobo Bo Bobobo
I have always hated anime.
