Criminally underrated animes?

[Vexi]

I recently rewatched Kemono no Souja Erin and it made me a bit sad to realize that most people have never even heard about it. It's such a beautiful, moving story that explores- I even read the book afterwards and I think I actually like the anime adaptation better (though the book is great too)

Anyways, it got me wondering about what other great animes I might not know about! Do you know of any other hidden gems? Please share them and say what you love the most about it ♥

(Also, this is my first thread here! I hope I'm doing it right :))

[Abyss]

Ghost Hound and Deadman Wonderland

i liked Ghost Hound for the music and all the psychology facts it covered along with the supernatural aspects that go beyond what science is certain of.
And Deadman Wonderland is bloody, expletive and insanely fun. Real shame it only got a short season.

[Flordibel]

I really love the anime "My Love Story!!"

It's very cute and sweet and a little cheeky - it does NOT go in the direction you think it will. But basically it's about this big guy who's like, the sweetest and noblest guy, and he's convinced that this one girl can't be falling for him because he's... well, him.

I thought it would go in a very incel direction, but it doesn't, and it just makes me giggle and "Aww" in equal measure due to the situations they put these two in (rescuing her from a burning building ranks at the top of the list).

It's super cute!! It's on Crunchyroll!!

[TsUNaMy WaVe]

I have some that come to mind, so I'll mention two of them for now:

- Shoujo Kageki Revue Starlight: it has its core fans, for sure, but I feel like in general it's pretty unknown and underrated. This anime has a full, tight and interesting story, but above all it has an insane amount of rewatch value; the small details and symbolism are everywhere, and you can't catch it all on the first watch, nor the second... I've watched it dozens of times now and I still find new stuff every time.

- Bamboo Blade: comedy gold with witty jokes, fun and well developed characters, and a cute story to boot. It's not a masterpiece on Starlight^ level, but I also thought it was criminally underrated for how good it was and how pretty much no one knows about it.

[Hollow]

I kinda feel like Noragami is sorta underrated, and sorta not talked about a lot. The manga is amazing, and the anime is great! I even think the OST is good too :D

[Zenitsu]

I really adore Haibane Renmei. It is such a moving and underrated anime. The OST is also sooooo beautiful. One of my favourites, and honestly, kind of unappreciated. I've never ever seen anyone talk about it. I really recommend it. :) Heads up! It's dark and about guilt and sins!

[Nyanobyte]

Nana! I’ve never had someone to discuss it with or see it mentioned anywhere and its a shame. Good story, relatable characters, realistic choices/consequences. Super good slice of life drama that surprised me with how much emotion it evoked. It seems like it had a little bit of popularity a LONG time ago and has faded away. Its one of those shows that you walk away from changed and taking lessons from it or thinking about from time to time. (It gave similar vibes like what you’d feel when you finish a video game you’re super attached too - you just feel off and sad that its over.) The manga is a little more dark, and worth the read as well.

[Vexi]

So many things to add to my list - now to find the time to actually watch them all.... :')

Flordibel
OOH I love My Love Story!! I definitely recommend it as well, specially for thos looking for something wholesome/funny to watch. I even got my SO to watch it with me - I was kind of worried he'd find it too sappy but he really enjoyed it ♥

Nyanobyte I tried reading Nana many years ago when it was a little bit more popular but sadly I think I was too young to properly enjoy it (I was more drawn to fantasy/shonen manga back then). I've heard great things about it though and I think it's time I gave it another shot

[Crow]

Hinamatsuri.

It's one of my hands-down favorite anime, yet whenever I mention it to people they have no idea what it is. It's super cute, funny, has a unique storyline imo, and I couldn't pull myself away the first time I watched it. I think about scenes of it regularly, and really love the growth of various characters. Overall, it was just a very refreshing anime and I wish more people would give it a chance.

[Synth Salazzle]

Ginga Densetsu Weed
Detroit Metal City
Ebichu
Claymore
Dorohedoro
Shimoneta

[Flubber]

Irresponsible Captain Tylor, never see anybody talking about it but it's my all-time fav. It's hilarious but can be so moving at times.
Also seconding DMC. Krauser-sama!!

[Koto]

No.6, Gatchman Crowds, Kyousougiga are all super good. No.6 is about two boys in a post-apocalyptic world who come to love each other (itsabouttheyearning.gif) its very good and the storytelling is heartbreaking and its just... very good. Gatchaman Crowds and Kyousougiga are both kind of zany but very much about found family and have a lot of heart and I love the style of these.

But my #1 pick has to be Tsuritama - amazing fishing anime where three boys, one man and a duck have to save the world from dancing to death.

[mauvet]

Nana! I’ve never had someone to discuss it with or see it mentioned anywhere and its a shame. Good story, relatable characters, realistic choices/consequences. Super good slice of life drama that surprised me with how much emotion it evoked. It seems like it had a little bit of popularity a LONG time ago and has faded away. Its one of those shows that you walk away from changed and taking lessons from it or thinking about from time to time. (It gave similar vibes like what you’d feel when you finish a video game you’re super attached too - you just feel off and sad that its over.) The manga is a little more dark, and worth the read as well.

Actually rewatching this over again recently! Definitely feel the themes a lot more this time around after experiencing life a bit more. Kinda hits too deeply lol

[DarkSkies]

Ginga Densetsu Weed
Detroit Metal City
Ebichu
Claymore
Dorohedoro
Shimoneta

As someone who loves dogs I enjoy both Ginga and Weed animes (haven't read Orion).

Hahaha Ebichu that was a fun one, good for laughing.

And Claymore I saw the anime and finished the manga, I do hope one day could see the rest animated tho.

[Bulbasaur]

Nerima Daikon Brothers!
Such a fun one.

A trio goes around trying to steal money from rich people so they can build a big Singing Dome so they can put on shows and make money
There are a ton of songs in it and just all around funny lol

[Goddammit]

I haven't read through the whole thread so idk if anyone has said this but when I was much much much younger (like 13) my brother in law had this big box of anime VHS and DVDs. You found your usual stuff in there like Akira and Mononoke, like you'd expect to find, but he also had a few DVDs, not the complete series though, of an anime called Petshop of Horrors. It's also a manga (which I learned way later on) but is basically about a creepy pet shop in Chinatown. I LOVED it. I tried to find the rest of the dvds back when Suncoast was still a thing in my local mall, but never could. I should probably look into getting the dvds and the mangas now.

[Alister]

I don't believe I've ever met another person that has even watched Peach Girl but I love it so much even though it's so not my typical genre.

Typical high school love triangle comedy-drama but it's just so likeable and ridiculous but not too ridiculous. The characters are a lot of fun, especially the main antagonist. This is a bit of a spoiler but watching her slowly, slowly grow out of being a True Evil bastard to the absolute embodiment of Chaotic Neutral is so good.

[Synth Salazzle]

As someone who loves dogs I enjoy both Ginga and Weed animes (haven't read Orion).

Hahaha Ebichu that was a fun one, good for laughing.

And Claymore I saw the anime and finished the manga, I do hope one day could see the rest animated tho.

I doubt claymore is going to get more, it's been a decade since I read the manga but if I remember right then it had a way different ending to the anime and they kinda rushed the anime ending :(

[Goddammit]

I don't believe I've ever met another person that has even watched Peach Girl but I love it so much even though it's so not my typical genre.

Typical high school love triangle comedy-drama but it's just so likeable and ridiculous but not too ridiculous. The characters are a lot of fun, especially the main antagonist. This is a bit of a spoiler but watching her slowly, slowly grow out of being a True Evil bastard to the absolute embodiment of Chaotic Neutral is so good.

I didnt watch Peach Girl but i had the mangas in high school and loved them

[Kibba]

Please go watch God of Highschool ([Only registered and activated users can see links])
THIS ANIME IS SOOO GOOD

[EnderTheory]

Death Parade and Skull-face Bookseller Honda-san! Both are only 12 episodes.

I really love Death Parade's concept and it made me feel pretty emotional, while Skull-face Bookseller Honda-san is a goofy anime about a skeleton guy that works at a bookstore, if you're looking for something lighthearted :)

[Rhymes with Witch]

I actually just re-watched most of Angelic Layer today with a friend. It's a shonen anime by CLAMP so the majority of its speaking characters are women. It's fun story about the popularity of fighting robot dolls with incredibly well animated fight scenes... focused heavily on the relationships, both friendships and rivalries, between women and girls. A separated mother and a daughter's bond being forged through the game forms the emotional heart of the plot.

It's also set in the Chobits universe and shares some of its characters, with two characters in particular having a big impact on the story of Chobits. Angels paved the way for persocoms in-universe ;) AL is the happy kid sister to Chobits moodier, bittersweet older brother.

[Kibba]

Death Parade and Skull-face Bookseller Honda-san! Both are only 12 episodes.

I really love Death Parade's concept and it made me feel pretty emotional, while Skull-face Bookseller Honda-san is a goofy anime about a skeleton guy that works at a bookstore, if you're looking for something lighthearted :)

Death Parade is SOOOOOOO GOOD

[alenka]

Thirding Death Parade, one of my partner's favorites. Loved the story and how it starts to twist into what the viewer isn't expecting, but still being satisfying.

Also, I saw Goddammit post about Petshop of Horrors, but I've got to expand on it a little bit. The anime is definitely more of an OVA in terms of a series vs special, but the manga went into so much more depth if you're up for it. Most of the chapters are stand-alone, and while there's an overarching plot, its very easy to read in bits and pieces instead of a bigger series that you HAVE to binge to remember all the weird plots. Let the anime draw you in, and if you're hankering for more, definitely try the manga. Its 10 volumes, and so so good. Plus I can't rant enough about how beautiful the art is. (Its a kind of old-school shoujo/BL style, but there's no actual BL, just kind of a handwave to the genre of the time.) ((And I can't comment on the sequels as I've only read the originals, so if you for any reason check them out, I can't say if they're good or bad.))

Now for the actual recommendation... I present Uta~Kata. I know its on Tubi for sure, for free. Its 12 episodes plus a bonus OVA episode, making for a total of a lucky 13. Uta~Kata takes the magical girl genre, coming of age/coming to terms with growing up and getting older, sprinkles a bit of queerness in, adds a whole shaker of depression, and then grinds it all up together to throw at you like pocket sand to make you cry. The series is both loving and bittersweet, while the end makes you have to think about both the choices you yourself have made and how they relate to the characters decisions in the end.

The only con I've received from recommending Uta~Kata was that one friend said the style was too cute for the mature topics covered in the series, so I feel that I should point out that its still magical-girl at its core, just... Amped up. But if I could get anyone to watch it, I'd be very happy as its been an anime I've loved for years. While its not my absolute favorite, it deserves its own spotlight nonetheless.