In recent years, anime fans have rejoiced as it’s become far more part of Western pop culture than it ever has before. Back in the days when the likes ofDragon Ball Zwas airing, it wasn’t deemed to be “cool” to watch anime—that’s had a massive shift as it’s become more ingrained in the modern zeitgeist. For those who are just getting into anime as of recently, it may seem hard to catch up on the years of critically renowned series out there. Especially when such long-running shows likeOne Pieceexist.
For those beginners looking to wade more gently into the genre without committing to anything major,there are plenty of underrated shows out there that can be binged in just a day. Shows that seem far less daunting than major ones are far more digestible. They’re also very convenient for long-time anime watchers between show seasons, who are looking to get their fix.
10’Detroit Metal City' (2008)
Created by Kiminori Wakasugi
If there’s an underrated and short anime that is bizarre and a total trip in all the best ways, it’sDetroit Metal City. The 12-episode series follows a very mild-mannered singer/songwriter who wants to write and perform music that’s clean and pretty much pure. However,he takes a job as the leader of a death metal band and attempts to keep his identity anonymous.
The dual-lives conflict quite often and it leads to some awesome comedy throughout the run of the show. It has quite a simple premise, but thanks to its lower episode count and writing quality, it uses this premise to its fullest, and it makes for a wildly fun series. It’s genuinely one of the funniest comedyanime of the early 2000s.
Detroit Metal City
9’Mignon' (2023)
Created by Studio Whalee
When it comes to beingan underrated and under-seen anime,Mignonmay take the cake for getting the least amount of public display, even though it just recently came out in 2023.Mignondepicts a cage boxer of the same name, who finds himself in an illegal ring and dedicating himself to the ring’s doctor, Oh Young-One (Kim Minju).
The animation is beautiful, which makes its underappreciation feel heartbreaking in a world where Season 2 ofBlue Lockhas such popularity. Unfortunately, its niche audience demographics most likely led to it not finding a lot of viewers, asit is not only dark and psychological, but also has a gay romance (which some are sadly not open to, yet) and includes vampires.
8’Carnival Phantasm' (2011)
Created by Type-Moon
Carnival Phantasmis extremely underrated but primarily because it was never really made for general audiences in the first place. This show is meant way more for fans of projects made byKinoko NasulikeFate/stay nightandTsukihime. The series essentially acts as a small crossover between all of his works via an in-universe event called “The Carnival Moment” that opens the multiverse.
While it may be a bit inaccessible to anyone outside of Nasu’s sphere or work,it’s quite hilarious for those who have seen any of his stuff. It’s pure satire, and the comedy is written excellently. Due to it being so specific to one fandom also meant that it didn’t get promoted as much as other anime live at the time.
7’A Place Further Than the Universe' (2018)
Created by Atsuko Ishizuka
This slice-of-life anime from 2018 brings profound heartbreak to those who have seen it when they discover how many people found it and watched it. Following a group of girls who trek on an adventure towards the Antarctic to do more with their lives,A Place Further Than the Universe’s plot is more grounded in the real world than anime most people are accustomed to. It being more of a drama also makes it less marketable to typical anime fans.
What makes this show so underrated, as distressing as it is, is thatmost people who have seenthe intense anime seriesall the way through consider it a borderline masterpiece. The story that is brought forth is incredibly compelling and worth taking a day to sit down and watch through.
A Place Further Than the Universe
6’SK8 the Infinity' (2021)
Created by Hiroko Utsumi
Now is a better time than ever to binge throughSK8 the Infinity, as it just recently had an OVA release post-original 12 episodes. Sports anime may be a popular genre, but not nearly as popular as shōnen anime likeMy Hero AcademiaorNaruto, so a sports anime about a relatively niche sport in the sports world was always going to go somewhat unseen.
Many would never have guessed that there would be a skateboarding anime out there, but thankfully for skaters that are fans of anime,SK8 the Infinityhit screens in 2021. The show is just as breakneck-paced and thrilling as the sport itself. Sadly, though,it both struggled to find an audience without a pre-established manga fanbase to view it(asSK8 the Infinityis a wholly original anime) and had some gigantic releases surrounding it the same year, like the debut of the second half ofJujutsu KaisenSeason 1.
Sk8 the Infinity
5’Bunny Drop' (2011)
Created by Production I.G
Bunny Dropis another slice-of-life series that’s a bit quieter and slower thanA Place Further Than the Universe.It’s also surrounded by far more controversy, as well.This makes it a lot more of an enjoyable watch as just an anime—and leave it there! The anime stops halfway through the story the manga adapted, as the literature iteration continues on to tell a story with a very problematic character dynamic.
The anime stops halfway through the story the manga adapted, as the literature iteration continues on to tell a story with a very problematic character dynamic.
For people who haven’t experienced the manga and would just like a heartwarming and sweet story about a guy adopting his 6-year-old aunt (it’s complicated) and raising her as if she were his own child. Thecontroversy surrounding the animemost likely pushed people away from giving the animated adaptation a chance.
4'91 Days' (2016)
Created by Takashi Morita
91 Daysis another underrated anime that can be binged in a day with an OVA follow-up released later. It’s far different fromSK8 the Infinity, though, because it is rooted more in drama, isa historical crime thriller, and its plot structure is way more akin to that of American crime dramas.
This plot structure means it is way more of a slow burn than other crime anime and requires audiences to really give it a minute to get off the ground. This is hard to ask an animated audience most of the time and, mixed with a very small marketing push,91 Daysnever got the shot it deserved.
3’Devilman Crybaby' (2018)
Created by Masaaki Yuasa
Devilman Crybabyisn’t underrated in the sense that it wasn’t popular when it hit Netflix/the internet back in 2018. It garnered quite a response from watchers, actually. The anime is very different from one’s typical Netflix animated series or mainline anime in general, which led to a lot of viewers going in with certain expectations that would be subverted in both good and bad ways (depending on who they are).
Modern anime watchers are more experienced in stories that have a happy ending and that is notDevilman Crybabyin the slightest. It’sa terribly tragic taleand very blunt about how it executes its story and themes. This can make it hard to watch for some, but for those willing to give something like that a chance and go into it with that expectation, it can be a phenomenal watch.
Devilman Crybaby
2’Afro Samurai' (2007)
Created by Takashi Okazaki
Despite starring the absolutely phenomenalSamuel L. Jackson,Mark Hamill,Lucy Liu,Ron Perlman,Steve Blum, and far more,Afro Samurainever gained much traction in Japan. This is mainly because of how aimed at Western audiences the style and direction is. It also ran for only 5 episodes and one film follow-up, so it didn’t have the typical minimum of 10–12 episodes to gain traction that other anime do.
However,Afro Samuraiis genuinely one of the coolest anime ever made. It hasa unique hip-hop/samurai vibe, R-rated action, and great performances all across the board. It’s so short that it could be completed in much less than a full day. With how underrated it is worldwide, it feels like this is a necessary watch for anyone who’s a fan of animation.
Afro Samurai
1’Ping Pong the Animation' (2014)
Much likeSK8 the Infinity,Ping Pong the Animationis a sports anime that decides to center around a relatively niche sport for the typical sports anime demographic. However, whilePing Pong the Animationmay be considered a sports anime, it is far different from any other. The show is far more centered around the characters and their arcs rather than the sport itself, which is part of what makes this so genuinely awesome—the sport uplifts the story and not the other way around.
The animation, art style, writing, direction, voice performances, and so many other aspects of the production are honestly masterful and can be considered a once in a generation type of art. The fact that it isn’t held in the same regard as the likes ofDeath NoteandOne Pieceis wild.
