Anime has become really popular in the last decade, especially after covid began. And since the last few years, the quality has risen unimaginably, so much so that every season we get at least 2 or 3 absolute banger anime.
But, with so many new anime showing up every season, some of the old deserving anime aren’t getting the recognition that they deserve. For fans who want to explore some underappreciated titles, we’ve listed some of our favorites that are definitely worth checking out.
So, without further ado, let’s begin with the list!
Best Underrated Anime
15. Drifters
Drifters is an anime based on a manga of the same name. The series follows Toyohisa and a group of historical figures who have been transported to a fantasy world where they must fight for survival.
This fantasy land is inhabited by all manner of fantastical creatures, as well as warriors thought to be dead from various eras of Toyohisa’s world. Toyohisa quickly befriends the infamous warlord Nobunaga Oda and the ancient archer Yoichi Suketaka Nasu and learns of the continent’s political unrest.
Drifters is an action isekai anime that does justice to the genre and I highly recommend you watch it.
14. Tsuritama
Saving the world… by fishing?
This anime is a story about a high school boy named Haru who moves to a small town by the sea. There, he meets a boy named Tsuru who is an alien. Tsuru has come to Earth to find a way to stop his planet from exploding. To do this, he must learn to fish. Haru agrees to help Tsuru, and the two become friends. Along the way, they meet a girl named Yuki who also becomes friends with them. Together, the three of them go on adventures and learn more about fishing, and themselves.
13. D.Gray-man
D.Gray-man tells the story of Allen Walker, a young Exorcist who uses an enchanted weapon called the “Innocence” to battle Akuma, evil beings created from the suffering of humans. Akuma seek to destroy the world and the human race, and it is up to Allen and the other Exorcists to stop them.
D.gray man is mythology/superpower anime with plenty of action, adventure & comedy and you should definitely give it a watch.
12. Horizon in the Middle of Nowhere
Horizon in the Middle of Nowhere is a 2011 anime set in a future where a catastrophic event has caused the collapse of the human race. The survivors now live in a world where they must constantly fight for their survival.
Rumors of an apocalypse and war begin to spread when the Testament (the authority that runs the re-enactment of history) stops revealing what happens next after 1648.
Taking advantage of the situation, Toori Aoi, President of Musashi Ariadust Academy’s Supreme Federation, leads his classmates in using this opportunity to reclaim their homeland.
11. Kekkaishi
Yoshimura Sumimura comes from a long line of “Kekkaishi,” people with supernatural abilities who can destroy evil creatures called Ayakashi who occasionally enter the human realm. The Ayakashi are demons who seek to feed on the power emanating from Karasumori, which also happens to be the location of Yoshimura’s high school. Yoshimura must now fight to defend his beloved school and hometown. If it were up to him, he’d rather be baking cakes than fighting off the obnoxious characters who appear at night.
Kekkaishi is a supernatural action anime series that follows Yoshimori Sumimura and Tokine Yukimura, who are Kekkaishi — guardians who specialize in destroying the monsters known as ayakashi that invade their land.
I’ve not heard many people talk about it online but it’s definitely worth checking out.
10. Yona Of The Dawn
Yona of the Dawn follows Yona, the sole princess of the Kingdom of Kouka, who lives a sheltered but happy life in the Hiryuu Castle. Her life is turned upside down when her father is murdered by her cousin Su-won, and she is forced to flee the castle with her bodyguard, Hak. The two eventually stumble upon a group of dragons, who agree to help Yona reclaim her kingdom and take revenge on her cousin.
Yona of the Dawn is one of the best anime with a female lead, It has action, adventure, and plenty of romance.
9. SK8 the Infinity
Reki Kyan, a high school student, is obsessed with skateboarding. When it gets dark, he goes to “S,” an illegal underground race inside a mine where skaters compete in extremely dangerous situations. After a loss that causes his skateboard to be destroyed and his arm to be broken, Reki is now unable to practice at all.
While at work, Reki meets his new classmate Langa Hasegawa, a half-Canadian, half-Japanese boy with no skateboarding experience. Langa is desperate for money. When they are both tasked by Reki’s boss to visit “S,” they get into trouble and are forced into a bet that requires Langa to skate in a race. However, the mysterious transfer student has a trump card that Reki is not aware of, one that could help him win the race in an unexpected way.
SK8 the Infinity follows a group of teenage friends who love to skateboard and features plenty of action, comedy, and heart.
8. Fractale
Fractale follows a boy named Clain as he discovers a girl named Phryne living in a secret colony on an island in the middle of the ocean. As Clain gets to know Phryne, he starts to uncover the secrets of the Fractale System, a computer system that controls the island and its inhabitants.
This anime is really underrated and has a really good storyline that really focuses on the characters. Definitely worth checking out.
7. Hell Girl
It is said that those seeking vengeance should dig two graves—especially those who use the Hell Correspondence website. This ominous web domain becomes accessible at midnight, and whoever enters the name of their grudge will be visited by Ai Enma, the Hell Girl. Ai explains that while she will send the target’s soul to hell, the requester will also die in hell.
That price is far too high for some; for others, where they will spend their afterlife has no bearing on their current, day-to-day hell. But one thing is certain: the Hell Girl will always be available to those seeking vengeance while stoically carrying souls into the darkness.
Hell Girl is a Horror/Mystery/Supernatural anime that revolves around Ai Enma, a girl who works as a mediator between the living and the dead. When someone wants revenge on someone else, they can send that person’s name to the Hell Girl, who will then drag that person’s soul to Hell.
6. Daily Lives of High School Boys
Daily Lives of High School Boys, as the name suggests, follows the everyday lives of three high school boys – Hidenori, Yoshitake, and Tadakuni. The boys are often seen roaming the halls of their all-boys school, engaging in various antics and hijinks. While their lives are mostly filled with giant robots, true love, and intense drama in their imaginations, in reality, they are just an everyday trio of ordinary guys trying to pass the time.
5. Ghost Stories
Years ago, all of the ghosts in a haunted schoolhouse were banished by a certain student. Now, they’re back—and they want revenge…
Satsuki and Keiichirou Miyanoshita are two siblings who are recovering from the loss of their mother. After moving to their mother’s hometown, they discover that the local school to which they have transferred is a really old building that is said to be haunted. Despite dismissing it as a silly rumor, the two soon discover that ghosts are real and that they are after them!
Ghost Stories is creepy, heartwarming, and full of suspense. It’s sure to keep you on the edge of your seat!
4. The Mystic Archives of Dantalian
Lord Hugh Anthony Disward, also known as Huey, lost his eccentric grandfather, a renowned collector of rare books, six months ago. And in order to inherit his grandfather’s manor and everything inside it, he must take guardianship of the Bibliotheca Mystica de Dantalian—an archive containing forbidden knowledge—as well as care for a mysterious girl named Dalian.
The Mystic Archives of Dantalian is a supernatural mystery anime based on the light novel series of the same name by Gakuto Mikumo. The story follows Huey, the sole heir to the Phantomhive estate, as he is visited by Dalian, a young girl who calls herself the “The Mystic Archives of Dantalian.” It turns out that the estate Huey has inherited is the key to a secret library, and together, Huey and Dalian must solve mysteries caused by cursed books known as Phantom Books.
3. 91 Days
91 Days is a 2016 anime series based on the manga of the same name by Shiro Amano. The anime is set during the Prohibition era and follows the story of Avilio Bruno, a man who returns to the town of Lawless seven years after the murder of his family in order to exact revenge on those responsible.
The series was generally well-received by critics, with praise being directed at its art style, setting, and themes. However, the series was criticized for its slow pacing and lack of action.
91 Days is a beautifully animated series that tells a dark and mature story. The setting is unique and the characters are well-developed. However, the series is slow-paced and may not be for everyone. But, it’s definitely worth checking out.
2. Darker than Black
Ten years ago, Heaven’s Gate appeared in South America, and Hell’s Gate appeared in Japan. The two Gates are spaces in which the very laws of physics are ignored. With the appearance of the Gates emerged Contractors, who, in exchange for their humanity, are granted supernatural abilities.
In the Japanese city surrounding Hell’s Gate, Misaki Kirihara finds herself at odds with an infamous Contractor codenamed Hei. Called “Black Reaper” in the underground world, Hei, like his associates, undertakes missions for the mysterious and ruthless Syndicate while slowly peeling back the dark layers covering a nefarious plot that threatens the very existence of Contractors.
Darker than Black is a sci-fi thriller taking the form of a subtle exposé on a war where political positions and justice have no sway, it’s a war waged exclusively in the shadows
1. Vivy: Fluorite Eye’s Song
From the creator of Re:Zero, Vivy -Fluorite Eye’s Song- is an original anime series that is a mix of action, science fiction, and slice-of-life and follows the adventures of a highly advanced AI as she tries to prevent a future war. The series is set in a future where AIs are an integral part of human society and follows, Vivy, a singer AI who is enlisted by an AI from the future to help prevent a devastating war.
Vivy: Fluorite Eye’s Song is a mix of action, science fiction, and slice-of-life, and is a really entertaining and original series that is sure to please you.
If you’ve not watched this already I’ll highly recommend you watch it.
BONUS: Princess Principal
The anime is set in an alternate version of the United Kingdom in the early 20th century, where it follows the adventures of a group of five spies who work for the British government as they carry out various missions.
Princess Principal has a very creative plot with impressive storytelling that could surprise a lot of spectators. The story deals with espionage in a divided nation. The spies are young girls that use their student status as a cover (Sound familiar?). During the day, they are typical students, and when the duty calls they transform into dangerous and very skilled spies with particular abilities.
This concludes our list, let us know what’s your favorite underrated anime in the comments below!
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