For every My Hero Academia and Attack on Titan that takes the anime fandom by storm, there are a huge number of shows that don’t find the same appeal. It’s a shame too, as many of them are gems in the rough with one of a kind experiences to offer. Of them, these are the top 12 most underrated anime you need to watch.
Most Underrated Anime You Need to Watch
Joker Game
As World War II begins to take its hold on the world, Japan initiates a top secret training program to produce spies capable of keeping tabs on their soon to be enemies. The training process is brutal, but those who survive it gain near-super human abilities and talents for use in their subterfuge activities.
In all, eight agents make it through the training process and are sent across the world to gather intel. Some must blend in with the populace of their assigned country, mimicking the behaviors of those around them. Others must survive torture and interrogation at the hands of the country’s own intelligence programs.
Regardless of the challenges presented to them, each spy must gather as much information as possible to make sure they don’t go home empty handed. Otherwise, Japan could very well be overwhelmed in the coming conflict.
About as James Bond as an anime can be, Joker Game is a must watch for anyone who enjoys espionage action thrillers. Its well written characters and breezy episode plots keep the drama of each mission moving, while Production I.G.’s gorgeous animation dresses it all up in top of the line art and animation.
It’s a perfectly manageable 12 episodes long as well, making it an underrated anime series you can finish with ease on a slow weekend.
Most Underrated Anime You Need to Watch
Showa Genroku Rakugo Shinju
In the latter half of the 20th century, a prisoner makes his way to the doorstep of the renowned performer Yakumo Yurakutei. A skilled master in the art of the one man show called Rakugo, Yakumo has never taken on an apprentice and is vocal about letting Rakugo die alongside him.
Undeterred by this, the former prisoner asks Yakumo to make him his apprentice. Once a delinquent, the prisoner found a new purpose in life after watching the performer do Rakugo, and wishes to carry on the art form so that it can continue to impact others.
While hesitant at first, Yakumo Yurakutei accepts the prisoner’s request and grants him the name of Yotaro for his performances. With time though, it is made clear to Yotaro that Yakumo wishes for Rakugo to die with him despite his love for it, as penance for past mistakes and tragic losses it incurred on him.
A beautiful anime that never misses a beat with its tragic storytelling, Showa Genroku Rakugo Shinju is the type of anime not seen often from the medium. Its diverse cast of characters, and the ways their stories intersect over the course of two seasons, is a sight to behold, and stands out even among other dramas.
It’s can be a slow burn at first, and some might be put off by a series about an obscure form of performing arts found almost exclusively in Japan. For those that can stomach it though, there’s little doubt they’ll see exactly what makes this series so special.
Most Underrated Anime You Need to Watch
Killing Bites
Killing Bites is, for lack of a better word, ridiculous.
It starts off simply enough. Yuya, an average college student, finds his life turned upside down when he is dragged into the kidnapping of a girl named Hitomi by some classmates. The tables turn, however, when she transforms into a half human, half honey badger killing machine and slaughters her would-be assailants.
Shortly after proving to her that he wasn’t in on their plans, Yuya is forced by Hitomi to deliver her to an underground arena for a battle with half man, half lion combatant. His organs are used as collateral for a wager on Hitomi winning the match, and even after she wins, he’s made to make more bets on future matches.
From there, things only get crazier as secret government dealings, double-crosses and betrayals litter the series’ story alongside more and more ridiculous fights.
And yet, despite all this insanity, the series is a blast to watch. Each new battle provides crazier uses of different animals’ abilities, and the series remains unapologetically ridiculous the whole way through.
It’s currently only available on Amazon Video, but for anyone who loved the over the top, hyper-violent anime of the ’80s and ’90s, it’s a small price to pay to get in on this series’ special brand of action.
Most Underrated Anime You Need to Watch
The Great Passage
Built on subtlety and stellar animation, The Great Passage is an anime most probably overlooked due to its unconventional plot.
Mitsuya Majime, an awkward member of a publisher’s sales department, finds his life set on an unexpected new track when he is recruited to put together The Great Passage. A massive new dictionary compiling dialect new and old alike, it marks the final work of a lauded editor as well as a test of Mitsuya’s skills.
Though daunted at first, Mitsuya soon finds himself drawn into his work on the dictionary, with friendships and romance blooming between himself and his new co-workers. Through this undertaking, he may very well find the connections he has so sorely lacked throughout his life.
It’s a far fry from some of the action-packed and fantastical plots more popular anime have to offer, but that’s exactly what makes The Great Passage special. Its cast of characters and their everyday struggles are easy to relate to, and Noitamina’s exceptional production work makes each episode visually enticing.
It may not be for everyone, but those who give it a try won’t be disappointed.
Most Underrated Anime You Need to Watch
Baccano!
A brain child of Durarara!! creator Ryōgo Narita, Baccano! has all the flair and style of a classic gangster movie with supernatural elements mixed in for good measure.
In the early 1930s, several individuals board the Flying Pussyfoot, a transcontinental train headed for New York. Some are bootleggers on the run from the law. Others are members of illustrious crime families out to land a big score. And others still are loners with strange powers, granted to them hundreds of years ago.
By the end of the train’s journey, many of these people will be dead, while others will be changed forever by their experiences aboard the locomotive. All the same, it’ll provide a story those on the outside can’t help but try and piece together.
To describe the story in any more detail would risk spoiling its fantastic plot twists, character interactions and so much more that makes the series a must-watch underrated anime. Its fractured approach to delving out details on what happened will keep viewers guessing, all the while building up a world much deeper than it first appears.
Throw in the fact that it has a dub on par with legendary works like Cowboy Bebop or Fullmetal Alchemist, and you’ve got an underrated anime any and every fan should take the time to check out.
Most Underrated Anime You Need to Watch
After the Rain
Akira Tachibana, a young girl in high school, finds her life lacking a purpose after an injury ends her career in sports. Listless and eager to find a new direction in life, she takes on a part-time job at a family restaurant managed by the middle-aged Masami Kondo.
Before long, she develops a crush on Masami, though he has no interest in returning her advances. Instead, he sees himself in Tachibana, having given up on a dream of his own when he was younger due to unforeseen circumstances.
What follows is less a love story and more an exploration of what drives people toward their passions. Each character faces their own fears and insecurities in a way that is hard not to sympathize with. By its end, the series leaves viewers with more than a happy ending, instead offering an optimistic view on everyday life.
For anyone who passed up on the series thinking it was a romantic series with a sizable age gap between its leads, this series is highly deserving of a second look. Its completed story is a far cry from the first impression it gives, and it’ll easily make for a viewing experience unlike anything in recent memory.
Most Underrated Anime You Need to Watch
Re:CREATORS
What would happen if people’s creations came to life one day, existing in the same world as the people who created them?
This is the concept behind Re:CREATORS, an action-packed series which brings the fantastical into the real world.
The story follows Sōta Mizushino, a high schooler and aspiring light novel author. After witnessing a battle between a popular shonen anime protagonist Selesia and an unknown woman in military garb on his tablet, he sees the two burst out into the real world before his eyes, unleashing havoc as they battle.
After their fight subsides, Selesia asks for Sōta’s help in uncovering who the other woman was and how they came into the real world. Before long, they learn that several other anime and manga characters have found their way into the real world, brought together for a conflict that could shatter reality.
An inventive spin on the Isekai genre, Re:CREATORS went overlooked during its initial run due to being on Amazon’s burgeoning anime streaming service. Now available through a Prime subscription as part of Amazon Video though, it’s never been easier to see the series in all of its imaginative glory.
Most Underrated Anime You Need to Watch
Ushio and Tora
Most people probably didn’t expect Ushio and Tora, a shonen anime series from the early ’90s, to try to make a comeback nearly 20 years later with an anime adaptation. That’s exactly what occurred though, and while it didn’t catch on the same way its source material did, it wasn’t for lack of effort.
The anime follows the story of the manga to a T. Ushio Aotsuki, a young boy who accidentally unseals a demon named Tora when he removes an ancient spear from a stone. Known as the Beast Spear, the weapon was used by Ushio’s ancestor to stop Tora’s rampaging across the land, holding him in place for centuries.
After he is released, Tora enters a fragile truce with Ushio so as not to be sealed with the Beast Spear again. Together, the two take on evil spirits that try to prey on the innocent, all the while drawing closer to a confrontation with a potentially world ending threat.
Though not a little simple and straight forward compared to more modern shonen, Ushio and Tora is perfect for anyone who enjoys a pure, unrefined action experience. It’s easier to handle than most other shonen series as well, coming in at only 39 episodes in all.
Most Underrated Anime You Need to Watch
ACCA 13: Territory Inspection Department
While many anime series have some form of political intrigue sprinkled throughout their plot, not many make it the focal point like ACCA 13: Territory Inspection Department does.
Set in a country of 13 unified states known as the Kingdom of Dowa, the story follows Jean Otus as he travels the land to inspect the records and activities of different states. He is quick to notice discrepancies in reports and lies from others, keeping his agency afloat as a result.
Following an encounter with the head of his department, he finds himself assigned to look into rumors of a coup and report back anything he finds. This in turn puts him in the cross hairs of each state’s governing body, with each trying to control him to their own ends.
With no clear allies, Jean is forced to think on his feat, uncovering as much information as he can in order to gain the upper hand over his many foes. Failure could mean a deadly end for him and his loved ones, though success brings its own share of headaches as he learns why he was put at the center of the conflict.
Though it can be slow at times, ACCA 13 is one of a kind in the anime medium. Those that check it out will be treated to a thoughtfully told tale of deceit and mystery as well thought out as any political drama in film or literature, and will be treated to an ending well worth the build-up.
Most Underrated Anime You Need to Watch
Tokyo Godfathers
For all of the praise director Satoshi Kon receives for the mind bending dreamscapes of Paprika, far too little attention is given to his equally fantastic film Tokyo Godfathers.
As three homeless friends dig through garbage for food on Christmas Eve, they come upon an abandoned newborn baby crying out for help. Beside it is a note from the baby’s parents, asking whoever finds it to provide her with a good home.
After some debate, the three decide to find the newborn’s parents and return her to them, no matter how long it takes to get her there.
This, however, poses a number of challenges, as the three encounter obstacle after obstacle as they make their way across Tokyo. Left with a scant amount of clues to the parents’ identities, they’re forced to scour the highest and lowest points of the city for assistance, helping others they meet along the way.
Touting both the art style and psychological thriller aspects so many of Kon’s works were known for, Tokyo Godfathers is one of the more uplifting works from his catalogue. Its themes of acceptance, perseverance and empathy toward others still resonate even 15 years later, and speak to the heart put into the film.
Not only that, but the film is one of the few legally accessible Satoshi Kon titles out there. It is currently available for streaming free of charge on Crackle, albeit with some commercial breaks thrown in.
Most Underrated Anime You Need to Watch
Inuyashiki
Like the premise of his prior work Gantz, Hiroya Oku’s Inuyashiki throws viewers into a seemingly normal world that quickly takes a turn for the supernatural.
The story follows Inuyashiki, a middle-aged man who finds his life unsatisfying on almost every level. This changes, however, when an alien ship collides with him, turning him into a cyborg with powerful weapons and abilities.
Eager to use his newfound abilities for good, Inuyashiki quickly sets about righting the wrongs he sees in society, whether that means saving a homeless man from violent teenagers or crippling a group of Yakuza terrorizing innocents.
As he does this, another individual – Hiro Shishigami – is granted the same powers through the same encounter with a crashed alien ship. Unlike Inuyashiki, he uses his power for personal gain, killing any and all who oppose him.
The two’s differing ideologies place them on a collision course with one another. Before long, they’ll have no choice but to confront each other, the winner able to do as he wishes with the world that is left behind.
A dark take on several tropes from comics and shonen manga, Inuyashiki is a show that matches its spectacle with difficult questions about morality. It may seem brief at only 11 episodes, but by the end you’ll wish there was more to be had from this diamond in the rough.
Most Underrated Anime You Need to Watch
Michiko and Hatchin
Shinichiro Watanabe is best known for Cowboy Bebop and Samurai Champloo, but not nearly as much attention is given to one of his other works, Michiko and Hatchin.
Set in South America, it tells the tale of a recent prison escapee named Michiko Malandro and an orphan she rescues from her abusive foster home named Hatchin.
The two are brought together by Michiko’s search for Hatchin’s father, Hiroshi, who ran out on Michiko years ago before having Hatchin with another woman. Neither has seen Hiroshi for years, but Michiko believes that if they can find him, they can all find a happy life together free from heartache.
Like Watanabe’s past works, the series offers a slew of hardships, high points and moments of self discovery for the characters to experience along the way to their goal. This is in addition to the usual stellar soundtrack he’s known for, with a nice mix of tracks from various genres and artists.
Unlike his other works though, the series bleeds with color, character and personality that does justice by its South American themes and cultures. It has also got one of the happier endings of any of Watanabe’s works, providing a satisfying payoff for stick with it for the entire 22 episode run.
What are some underrated anime that you love? Let us know in the comments section below, and check out some of our other anime content here.
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