Anime is a large and popular genre, with a dedicated fan base. Yet, having a large fan base does not mean that every show will get the recognition or reviews it deserves. There are quite a few anime that get lost and forgotten about, with only a niche set of fans who remember them and try to get others to view them.
Here is a list of anime that needs more recognition.
10Berserk (2016)
Berserkwas a well-known manga, so you might find it strange to be on this list, but while the manga is prominent, the anime doesn’t get enough credit. The 25-episode series covered the ‘Golden Age’ story arc of the manga, a relatively short arc. The manga and anime are set in a dark medieval fantasy world and center on the characters of Guts, a loner swordsman haunted by literal demons, and Griffith, who leads a mercenary band.
The animation is well done, and they stick to the source material. It’s a dark, intense series with some amazing action, and wouldmake for a great live-action film. The fans would love more seasons but are also okay with simply reading the manga. Either way, this is an anime you should check out because, if you like it, there’s a lot more manga to keep you going.
9Angels of Death (2018)
Rachel Gardner wishes only to die. It’s the main plot of the animeAngels of Death, and a unique one. Rachel wakes up in a basement with a murderer, and together they attempt to escape the building, but only if Zach (the murderer) promises to kill her when they get out. But they keep going up, running into people who seem familiar to Rachel, but she doesn’t know why. They must fight a new enemy on each floor to escape. Will Rachel get her wish?
The plot is intriguing and a unique concept that keeps you hooked on the show. Each reveal adds more questions, and every answer leads to more revelations. The eccentric characters work well together as a cast, and thegreat voice actorshave excellent chemistry. Unfortunately, this anime is sometimes overlooked, even though the plot is unique and grabbing.
8Now and Then, Here and There (1999)
A young boy named Shu is transported to an apocalyptic future in an attempt to save a girl inNow and Then, Here and There. First, however, he must survive in this new lonely world.
The animation has a firmly ’90s feel, but by now its visual style has a kind of nostalgia to it which comes with many animated shows from the ’90s. The show consistently finds hope and optimism despite the consistently soul-crushing,emotionally devastating plot, and in just 13 episodes, it manages to tell a more comprehensive and powerful story than most animes could with 100 hours.
7GYO Tokyo Fish Attack (2012)
Three friends, Aki, Erika, and Kaori, are celebrating their upcoming graduation with a vacation inGYO Tokyo Fish Attack. However, on their travels, they are suddenly surrounded by an infestation of strange walking fish. They are reasonably shocked and confused and are forced to reevaluate many things to survive.
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For a silly-sounding anime, the show is quite dark. The animation is very well done, and the gory scenes are very graphic. This is the one to watch if you want to watch a horror anime with a flair for the ridiculous and absurd.
6Shirokuma Café (2012)
An anime filled with misadventures between friends,Shirokuma Caféfittingly follows a polar bear named Shirokuma, who owns a café. This story is lighthearted and comical most times, with some slice of life moments thrown into the mix. There is always something interesting going on at Shirokuma Café!
A lovely show to put on in the background as you’re winding down for the day, this anime lets you escape any worries of your life and watch these characters exist in their unique world.
5Excel Saga (1999)
Excel and her partner are attempting to take over the city of Fukuoka for their boss, the head of the ACROSS organization, in the absurdist, wacky masterpieceExcel Saga. But they somehow always manage to mess up their missions, regardless of who tries to stop them. This usually results in much destruction and terrorizing of the everyday person in Fukuoka.
The constant mess-ups of the main characters are reminiscent of a more serious Team Rocket. It’s a fun show to watch, if not a little frustrating, when you see how ridiculously they manage to mess up their missions. If anything,Excel Sagais a parody of anime itself, frequently screwing with the tropes and clichés of the medium in increasingly inventive, hilarious ways (to the extent that they even kill off the writer of the show).
4His and Her Circumstances (1998)
This has a similar concept to the popular animeLove is War, which is perhaps why this anime is often forgotten.His and Her Circumstances, however, came out 20 years prior and masteredthe romance genrewithin the anime medium. Unlike most romance stories,His and Her Circumstancesmakes the bold decision to not end with the couple getting together.
The anime follows the romance between Yukino, the perfect student, and her academic rival Soichiro. It’s a love story through and through, but has the courage to examine relationships and romance beyond the meet-cute andthe will-they-or-won’t-they stage, choosing to instead explore the difficulties and banality of keeping romance alive.
3Rainbow: Nisha Rokubō no Shichinin (2010)
The darker animeRainbow: Nisha Rokubō no Shichininfollows five teenagers who are sent to a special reform school because of the horrible crimes they have committed. Once there, they meet an older inmate who inspires them to keep going in this awful place. They must face terrible daily conditions together as they all attempt to make it to the end of their sentence.
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As a more mature anime with high stakes, this is a good anime for someone who wants to see quality character development over the episodes. PartShawshank Redemption, partBattle Royale, partGTO,Rainbowis pretty unique in the anime genre and has fallen through many cracks as a result.
2Comical Psychosomatic Medicine (2015)
Comical Psychosomatic Medicine is a bizarre, colorful, rambunctious show that mimics educational PSA’s, though covers pretty intense topics with hilarious incongruity — episodes have titles likeSubconscious Patterns of People likely to Suffer from Mental Disorders, What Is the Mentality of Stalkers, andThink Proactively about Painful Things.
The two main characters are a psychologist named Ryou and his peppy nurse Asuna. Together they explain many aspects of mental illness, such as the validity, prevalence, and origins of mental disorders, etc. While seemingly serious topics, the information is presented in a comedic way, often with jokes and pop culture references being used to help the viewer learn.
1Noir (2001)
Noiris a bingeworthy show with only 26 episodes. The main plot follows two female assassins seeking answers to questions from their secretive pasts. However, a secret organization does not want them to reveal too much and lures them into more and more traps.
An excellent, mysterious plot with eye-popping, stylistic artwork,Noiris a much more iconoclastic series than most animes, influenced more by European and specifically French culture than anything Japanese. With its incredible animation, music, and characters, it’s strange to think many have yet to discover this anime, but with the constant stream of anime being put out since its airing date, this anime has been mostly forgotten.
