2021 in anime

Events in 2021 in anime.

Films
A list of anime films that were released in theaters between January 1 and December 31, 2021.

Television series
A list of anime television series that debuted between January 1 and December 31, 2021.

Original net animations
A list of original net animations that debuted between January 1 and December 31, 2021.

Original video animations
A list of original video animations that debuted between January 1 and December 31, 2021.

February

 * February 8: Shūichirō Moriyama, Japanese voice actor (Adieu Galaxy Express 999, Ninja Scroll, Porco Rosso), dies from pneumonia at age 86.
 * February 25: Masako Sugaya, Japanese voice actress (Aim for the Ace!, Nobody's Boy Remi, Perman, Urusei Yatsura), dies at age 83 while undergoing medical treatment for an illness.
 * February 27: Tasuku Saitō, Japanese animation producer (Gegege no Kitarō, Shōnen Ninja Kaze no Fujimaru, Tiger Mask), dies at age 87.

March

 * March 15:
 * Masahiro Anzai, Japanese voice actor (Sailor Moon, Urusei Yatsura), dies from acute heart failure at age 66.
 * Yasuo Otsuka, Japanese animator (Future Boy Conan, Lupin the Third, The Great Adventure of Horus, Prince of the Sun), dies at age 89.
 * March 16: Minako Shiba, Japanese animator and character designer (Black Butler, Hikaru no Go, Noir), dies at age 50.

April

 * April 16: Fumio Hisamatsu, Japanese manga artist and animator (Bōken Gabotenjima, Shōnen Ninja Kaze no Fujimaru, Super Jetter), dies at age 77.
 * April 17: Osamu Kobayashi, Japanese animation director (Beck, End of the World, Naruto: Shippuden, Paradise Kiss), dies from a colon infection caused by kidney cancer at age 57.
 * April 24: Shunsuke Kikuchi, Japanese composer (Doraemon, Dragon Ball, Dr. Slump, Getter Robo, Tiger Mask), dies from aspiration pneumonia at age 89.

May

 * May 6: Kentaro Miura, Japanese manga artist (Berserk), dies from acute aortic dissection at age 54.
 * May 30: Haruka Nagashima, Japanese voice actress (Idol Incidents, Shiki, Sparrow's Hotel), dies at age 33 while undergoing medical treatment for an illness.

July

 * July 1: Philece Sampler, American voice actress, dies from a heart attack at age 67.

August

 * August 17: Masami Suda, Japanese animator and character designer (Fist of the North Star, Slam Dunk, Speed Racer), dies at age 77.

September

 * September 7: Eiichi Yamamoto, Japanese animation director and screenwriter (Belladonna of Sadness, Cleopatra, Kimba the White Lion), dies at age 80.
 * September 24: Takao Saitō, Japanese manga artist (Golgo 13), dies from pancreatic cancer at age 84.
 * September 30: Koichi Sugiyama, Japanese music composer (Cyborg 009, Dragon Quest: The Adventure of Dai, Space Runaway Ideon), dies from septic shock at age 90.

October

 * October 18: Christopher Ayres, American voice actor and ADR director (Dragon Ball Z Kai, Dragon Ball Super, Gantz), dies from complications of COPD at age 56.
 * October 21: Saori Sugimoto, Japanese voice actress (Mobile Suit Gundam Wing, Nintama Rantarō, Shima Shima Tora no Shimajirō), dies from congestive heart failure caused by anorexia at age 58.
 * October 29: Yoshiko Ota, Japanese voice actress (Himitsu no Akko-chan, Kimba the White Lion, Princess Knight), dies from heart failure at age 89.

November

 * November 5: Kinji Yoshimoto, Japanese animation director (Arifureta: From Commonplace to World's Strongest, Genshiken, Queen's Blade), dies at age 55.

December

 * December 1: Keiko Nobumoto, Japanese screenwriter (Cowboy Bebop, Tokyo Godfathers, Wolf's Rain), dies from esophageal cancer at age 57.
 * December 3: Jōji Yanami, Japanese voice actor (Dragon Ball Z, Inuyasha, One Piece) and narrator (Dragon Ball), dies at age 90.
 * December 8: Mitsutoshi Furuya, Japanese manga artist (Dame Oyaji), dies from cancer at age 85.
 * December 18: Sayaka Kanda, Japanese voice actress (Japanese dub voice of Anna in the Frozen franchise, Idoly Pride, Real Girl, Sword Art Online), dies from a suspected suicide at age 35.