Series like Jujutsu Kaisen, Blue Lock, My Hero Academia, Chainsaw Man, and Dandadan have gotten the spotlight in the last few years. In fact, the 2020s have marked a fantastic four years for the Shonen series. But with so many heavy hitters, there are more than a few underrated anime that may have flown under your radar.
With so many great anime series coming out, there is no way to keep up with all of the underrated anime or less-reviewed titles that you shouldn’t miss. Whether it’s due to timing or something else, great underrated anime go unwatched every year. To help folks find some of these gems, we’ve listed 10 underrated anime series you may have missed list and why you should watch them now. Here’s hoping it helps you find a new favorite watch.
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Train to the End of the World
Studio: EMT Squared
Where To Watch: Crunchyroll
Released: April 2024
Synopsis: When the 7G network went live, it was supposed to bring humanity together like never before. Instead, it twisted the world into a radically new shape, making any journey perilous and difficult. But when Shizuru Chikura (Chika Anzai, Astral Chain) discovers her lost friend Yoka Nakatomi (Nao Tôyama, Rascal Does Not Dream of a Knapsack Kid) is in the faraway city of Ikebukuro, she sets out with her friends Reimi Kuga (Erisa Kuon), Akira Shinonome (Hina Kino, Buddy Daddies), and Nadeshiko Hoshi (Azumi Waki, Do It Yourself!!) to find their lost companion.
Why it is Worth Checking Out: Train to the End of the World starts our anime series you may have missed list, with an entertaining adventure filled with charm, creativity, and heart. While primarily targeted at a younger audience, the series’ unique approach to some classic concepts offers enough surprises to keep older viewers interested. Combined with a surprisingly deep ending that examines life and its changes, the anime provides tons of fun and thought for anyone looking to go on a grand adventure.
Fena: Pirate Princess
Studio: Production I.G.
Where to Watch: Crunchyroll
Released: August 2021
Synopsis: The night before Fena (Asami Seto, Jujutsu Kaisen) is to be sold into prostitution, she makes a desperate escape attempt. During her flight, she collides with Yukimaru (Ryôta Suzuki, Wind Breaker), a figure from her past who, along with several of his ninja comrades, has come to rescue her. Fena soon learns she is the key to finding a long-lost treasure and sets out on a high-sea adventure that may hold the fate of humanity in balance.
Why It is Worth Checking Out: Fena: Pirate Princess delivers an enchanting journey that crosses the high seas, bringing adventure, action, mysticism, and heart. Swashbuckling pirates and corrupt navy officials race to reach the prize before Fena’s team, posing no shortage of obstacles for the crew to overcome. As the series advances, the mystery surrounding Fena deepens, as does the mutual feelings between her and Yukimaru. All of these elements are balanced together to make a phenomenal journey.
RKamonohashi’si’s Forbidden Deductions
Studio: diomedea
Where to Watch: Crunchyroll
Released: October 2023
Synopsis: Totomaru Isshiki (Junya Enoki, Honkai Star Rail) struggled as a detective. Looked down on by his peers, his career was going nowhere until he was told to seek the help of a shut-in named Ron Kamonohashi (Yôhei Azakami, Mobile Suit Gundam: The Witch From MercuryRon’sn’s brilliant deductive skills swiftly become a great asset Totomaru’su’s work, but a tragic incident from Ron’s past forces the duo to hide his involvement in their crime-solving.
Why it is Worth Checking Out: The great strength of this entry in our anime series you may have missed list is the odd couple dynamic of Ron and Totomaru. As each mystery the duo is tasked with solving plays out, the pair brings tons of entertaining energy and comedic moments to each episode. Combined with some creative crimes, the series never fails to keep things fresh and engaging.
Undead Murder Farce
Studio: Lapin Track
Where to Watch: Crunchyroll
Released: July 2023
Synopsis: Tsugaru Shinuichi (Taku Yashiro) works in a traveling circus fighting monsters for the amusement of others. When he is approached by Aya Rindou (Tomoyo Kurosawa, Skip and Loafer), an immortal who has lost her body and now resides as a head in a bird cage, and her assistant Shizuku Hasa (Makoto Koichi, Lycoris Recoil), with a request to head to Europe with them to recover Aya’s body, the Oni Hunter agrees. The three set out, but while searching for the missing body, the trio is embroiled in whodunits across the continent.
Why it is Worth Checking Out: Undead Murder Farce blends mystery, horror, and classic literary characters to craft an engaging journey full of surprises. Great dialogue and character chemistry ensure every episode pops with personality while drawing viewers into its various mysteries. Coupled with intense fight sequences that excite the supernatural mysteries, the series leaves little to complain about.
The Heike Story
Studio: Science SARU
Where to Watch: Crunchyroll
Released: 2021
Synopsis: Biwa (Aoi Yûki, NeiR: Automata) is a young girl who can see the future by looking at someone with one eye covered. When she is brought into the powerful Taira Clan, she sees nothing but death, blood, and destruction coming for them. This series retells the classic 13th-century historical epic, The Tale of the Heike.
Why it is Worth Checking Out: Coming from famed director Naoka Yamada (The Colors Within), The Heike Story is a tragic tale that effortlessly blends the beauty of art and music with the painful final days of the Taira Clan. The anime delivers all its drama through a gorgeous, striking visual style that frequently looks like a traditional Japanese painting coming to life. The series’ tragedies eventually culminate in one of the hardest-to-watch endings I’ve ever seen, more than earning its spot on our anime series you may have missed list.
The Witch and the Beast
Studio: Yokohama Animation Laboratory
Where To Watch: Crunchyroll
Released: January 2024
Synopsis: Ashraf (Toshiyuki Morikawa, Mushoku Tensei: Jobless Reincarnation) and Guideau (You Taichi, Tomo-Chan is a Girl) search out witches for a group called The Order. While they primarily search out magic users to keep the peace, Ashraf is searching for a particular witch for reasons all her own. The battles they and other members of The Order are drawn into come together to meld a series of stories that are as brutal as they can be beautiful.
Why it is Worth Checking Out: The Witch and the Beast excels in nearly every respect, from great characters to fascinating world-building. While the scenarios that play out largely hinge on brutal conflicts, it demonstrates an incredible capacity to imbue its setting with beauty when you least expect it, blending these elements into some of the best episodes of anime in 2024. The series is even willing to step away from its core duo at times, allowing other characters to take center stage, enhancing its ability to keep its narratives fresh and intriguing. All this plays out in an art style that is striking and memorable, making it an anime series worth checking out.
Blade Runner: Black Lotus
Studio: Sola Digital Arts
Where to Watch: Crunchyroll
Released: November 2021
Synopsis: When Elle (Arisa Shida, Onimusha) awakens in the back of a freight truck, she has no memories of who she is or how she got there. With only a tape recorder by her side and the faint memory of a building with an angel on it, she set out to uncover the mystery of who she is, even as it draws her into the heart of a grand power struggle.
Why it is Worth Checking Out: The slowly unraveling mystery surrounding Elle provides a great launching point into an all-around interesting story. Well-crafted characters, fantastically executed fight scenes, and one of my favorite anime soundtracks exist within the series plot, making for a fantastic ride from start to finish. And as someone who has never seen anything else Blade Runner, I can say with certainty no prior knowledge is needed to enjoy this enthralling series.
Birdie Wing: Golf Girl’s Story
Studio: BN Pictures
Where to Watch: Crunchyroll
Released: April 2022
Synopsis: Eve (Akiri Kitô, Blue Box) is an amateur golfer who hustles wannabes out of their money, and Aoi (Asami Seto, Whisper Me a Love Song) is the heir to a golfing dynasty and the most talked about up-and-coming golf star from Japan. When circumstances cause the pair to meet on the golf course, they soon find a friendly rivalry that will drive them to raise their game in ways they never would’ve expected.
Why it is Worth Checking Out: This entry in our anime series you may have missed is here simply for the sheer fun it delivers. This golfing series is one of the wildest rides sports anime has ever offered.
From matches pitting the protagonists against gangsters in subterranean, self-modulating golf courses to drives that leave visible rainbows behind the ball, the story embraces the bizarre in the best ways. Combine the crazy with the highly memorable lead in Eve and just a dash of melodrama, and you will have a wild journey that hops around the globe and will leave you cheering.
Vampire in the Garden
Studio: WIT Studio
Where to Watch: Netflix
Released: May 2022
Synopsis: Vampire in the Garden is a post-apocalyptic fantasy/drama in a frozen future where Humans and Vampires are locked in an eternal battle with each other. But when the young human Momo (Megumi Han, Oshi No Ko) flees Central City and runs headlong into the Vampire Queen Fine (pronounced Feenay) (YûKobayashi, Fate/Strange Fake), the two are soon searching for a place where they can be allowed to live free of the perpetual cycles of violence that are fueled by both their races.
Why it is Worth Checking Out: This entry is short, with five episodes, and more akin to a movie than a series. As Momo and Fine search for a better place, they encounter many experiences that bring pain, loss, and hope. This powerful story is accentuated by some fantastic montages that help move the narrative along. It is also a beautiful, sadness-infused story that leaves tears in the eyes.
Sabikui Bisco
Studio: Oz
Where to Watch: Crunchyroll
Released: January 2022
Synopsis: In the city of Imihama, there is a young Doctor named Milo (Natsuki Hanae, NieR Automata ver1.1a) who struggles with his limited supplies to treat his patients, most of whom suffer from rust infection. After a calamity in the past, rust spread all over Japan, and the people struggled not to succumb to its poison. But when Milo learns that the wanted outlaw Arcaboshi Bisco (Ryôta Suzuki) may know where to find a permanent solution to the rust crisis, he sets out with this unlikely ally on an adventure to find the hidden cure.
Why it is Worth Checking Out: The final entry on our anime series you may have missed list delivers a fantastic story of friendship and heroism in the face of greed and corruption. Milo, Bisco, and the rest of the cast provide memorable personalities as they continually exceed expectations.
Even the villain stands out as a dastardly figure whose crimes come to make him earn an extraordinary level of loathing. The concepts shaping the world feel creative and entertaining as the journey reveals wonders and terrors in this bizarre alternate Japan. With no significant setbacks, this is one story that you should absolutely check out if you haven’t seen it.
And that’s our list of the underrated anime series you may have missed in the last five years. We hope this list helps you find your next favorite watch or a fun experience to spend time with.
