We get hundreds of fantastic anime shows each year, but it’s nearly impossible for every new release to get the spotlight. Fans usually end up watching popular shows likeAttack on Titan,Demon Slayer,Mob Psycho 100, andOne Piece. However, the anime industry has given us countless underrated gems that deserve the community’s attention.
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There are several remarkable anime shows that went unnoticed by most anime fans. In this list, we’ve talked about the underrated anime series that you shouldn’t skip. No matter how you want your anime platter to taste, this list has something great to offer everyone.
Updated by Daksh Chaudhary on December 15th, 2022:We’ve updated this list to include five more underrated anime series. Besides that, we changed the article’s formatting and uploaded more relevant images to make it more fun to read.
15Gugure! Kokkuri-san
Gugure! Kokkuri-san is a spectacular comedy and supernatural anime series that came out in 2014. The TV show features countless unexpected humorous and heartfelt moments, so it’s definitely worth watching, especially if you’re in the mood for something sweet and simple.
The series revolves around the life of Kohina Ichimatsu, an elementary school girl who lives by herself and leads an unhealthy lifestyle. Once, while playing a game, Kohina accidentally summons Kokkuri-san, a fox spirit who later decides to take care of the little girl. The show then takes Kohina on a thrilling journey where she encounters several other spirits, like her guardian.
14Hell Girl
Hell Girl is one of those horror anime shows that stays entertaining until the very end. It brings the concepts like bullying, injustice, hatred, and revenge in a beautiful yet horrifying way. The show was created by Hiroshi Watanabe, who also worked on fantastic projects like Elfen Lied and The Mythical Detective Loki Ragnarok.
The unique and dark story of the series introduces you to Hell Girl, a.k.a; Ai Enma. A mysterious website goes online on the dark web, and people with a strong sense of revenge start using it to summon the Hell Girl. People ask Ai Enma to kill someone they hate, and the Hell Girl brutally eliminates every target and sends their soul to hell, but she also asks the requester to pay a hefty price.
13Kemonozume
Studio Madhouse never fails to impress us with its great animation and choice of projects. It has been the animation studio for some of the most renowned series likeDeath Note, Monster, and Claymore. But, some of its projects never got much appreciation, and that includes Kemonozume.
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Kemonozume is about the conflict between humans and Shokujinki, a flesh-eating alien race that sees humans as its prey. To wipe out these monsters, the Momota family creates a unique martial arts school known as Kifuken. But, Toshihiko, the next heir of the Momota family, and Yuki, a Shokujinki, fall in love, introducing a traditional yet entertaining twist to the story.
12Kareshi Kanojo no Jijou
‘His and Her Circumstances’ or ‘Kareshi Kanojo no Jijou’ is a romantic comedy that ran from October 1998 to March 1999. It is a beautiful anime that was overshadowed by other rom-com anime series. Kareshi Kanojo no Jijou was received well by the critics for its lighthearted story and relatable characters.
The story of Kareshi Kanojo no Jijou is relatively straightforward. It will walk you through the lives of young high-school teenagers and their day-to-day problems. In fact, some fans even said that it is “probably the most disarmingly honest shoujo romance ever made.” So, it’s about time we revisit this classic underrated anime series and cherish its beauty.
91 Days was a huge hit when it came out in 2016. However, over the years, fans have forgotten about this masterpiece, and now the show is hardly a topic of discussion in the anime community. Still, it doesn’t change the fact that 91 Days is a brilliant anime that should be on your watch list.
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The story of 91 Days is set in the fictional town of Lawless, the most prominent black market for selling illicit materials. Avilio, the main character of the series, returns to Lawless after a long time to take down the mafia gang responsible for the murder of his family. The tone and animation style of the anime reminds you of Cowboy Bebop. So, you have more than enough reasons to watch 91 Days if you are a fan of classic anime.
10Daily Lives Of High School Boys
As the name of the series suggests, Daily Lives of High School Boys shows the day-to-day adventures of Tadakuni (the protagonist of the series) and his friends, Yoshitake Tanaka and Hidenori Tabata. Every day is a struggle for Tadakuni and his gang as they interact with their fellow students.
Unlike recent anime shows, Daily Lives of High School Boys doesn’t feature a linear or complex storyline. You can start watching the show from any episode and enjoy the main characters' cartoonish coming-of-age experiences. The humorous plot of this anime’s every episode will leave you asking for more.
9Last Exile
If you’re a fan of adventure and steampunk anime series, you should definitely give Last Exile a try. The original anime series ran for 26 episodes between 2011 and 2012, followed by a sequel series and an anime film.
In a world dominated by an endless war, Claus Valca and his best friend, Lavie Head, work as couriers and excel in their work. However, their lives take an unexpected turn when they encounter an orphan girl named Alvis Hamilton. The duo decides to keep the girl safe while participating in a deadly mission.
8Paranoia Agent
Paranoia Agent is an anime show with an intricate storyline that exceeds most fans' expectations. The 13-episode TV show features unexpected twists and gives you a thrilling experience with its psychological tale.
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People of Tokyo fall victim to a mysterious boy who enjoys assaulting his targets with a golden baseball bat. While that weird killer terrorizes the city, two detectives, Ikari and Maniwa, try to solve the case by studying the statements of different victims.
7Darker Than Black
Darker Than Black is one of the finest mystery, science fiction, and thriller anime shows ever created. Honestly, it’s a shame that the series never got much attention from fans despite being a masterpiece. The series comes from the mind of Tensai Okamura, who worked on legendary anime likeCowboy Bebop,Sword Art Online, Soul Eater, and TheSeven Deadly Sins.
The story of Darker Than Black revolves around the mysterious “Hell’s Gate” that suddenly appears in Tokyo. Several Psychics with supernatural powers try to solve the mystery of the gate. However, the story mainly follows the journey of Hei and his blind companion Yin, the most powerful Psychics the world has ever known.
FLCL’s efforts to bring science fiction with comedy and surrealism seem to have worked perfectly for the writer, as it gained immense popularity when it was released in 2000. But it seems to have lost its charm over the years. Well, it’s time to wipe off the dust from the masterpiece and relish the spectacular six-episode series.
Naota Nandaba lives a boring life with his father and grandfather. But his mundane life is interrupted and changes when he meets a maniac named Haruko Haruhara who rides a Vespa and wields a giant guitar. Together with Haruko, Naota becomes part of a galactic war to save the earth.
