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stardust_rifleHere's a list of anime that I think are underrated. This list is based around my own tastes and preferences. I might add to this list at any time.
(The Weeb Ass Shit scale ranks anime on three criteria. A high W, or "Weeb" score means that the show incorporates a lot of anime tropes or elements of Japanese culture that might be confusing to someone not familiar with them. A high A, or "Ass" score means that the show is high in fanservice or other sexual content. And a high S, or "Shit" means that I think that the show is high quality.)
Title: Shiki
Genre: Horror/Suspense/Supernatural
Episode Count: 22
W/A/S Score: W4, A3, S9.5
Elevator Pitch: In a small Japanese town, a mysterious plague starts sweeping the village, killing its inhabitants at alarming rates not long after a mysterious new family moves into the Western castle up on the mountain.
Unsurprisingly, it’s vampires.
This anime uses its large cast of characters and isolated setting to the fullest, showing us a variety of reactions to the supernatural menace, which really creates a sense of horror, showing how every possible response one could think of having is for naught, as the horror builds and builds before a crescendo of violence at the end where no one is innocent and no one is safe.
This is my current favorite anime.
Title: Idolish7
Genre: Idols/Slice-of-Life
Episode Count: 62
W/A/S Score: W7, A1, S8
Elevator Pitch:
Under the tutelage of a struggling agency, male idol group Idolish7 slowly work their way to stardom. This anime follows their journey there, as well as the emotional dramas and journeys of other male idol groups. Doesn’t do anything remarkably special (aside from being an exemplary male idol show), but does what it does very well. Extremely likable, realistic characters.
Title: Bakuten
Genre: Sports/Slice-of-Life
Episode Count: 12 + 1 movie (M has not watched the movie)
W/A/S Score: W2, A1, S8
Elevator Pitch:
Futaba, a rising high schooler who’s tried out multiple sports but never really liked any of them, joins the men’s rhythmic gymnastics team at his new high school, and they try to make! it! to! nationals!
Doesn’t do anything special but has beautiful animation and very likable characters, and I come back to watch the Halloween episode on its own (which is very rare for me usually) just because of how funny it is to watch the MCs bounce off of their rival team foils. If you like Free, definitely check this one out.
Title: Akudama Drive:
Genre: Cyberpunk/Action
Episode Count: 12
W/A/S Score: W5, A5, S7
Written by Kazutaka Kodaka (aka the Danganronpa guy), Akudama Drive is a violent nihilistic cyberpunk anime about morally ambiguous people killing each other. It’s edgelord shit, but I think it’s very well done edgelord shit, with some moments that actually managed to shock me. It’s probably not for everyone, but if anything about this description sounds appealing to you, you’ll probably like it.
Title: Tsurune
Genre: Sports
Episode Count: 12
W/A/S Score: W4, A1, S8
A sort of spiritual successor to Free, made by the same studio, Tsurune focuses on Minato, a young boy who used to be a kyudo (traditional Japanese archery) prodigy, before a traumatic accident drives him away from the sport. Now, he’s trying to get back into it. Very character-focused, with the kind of beautiful animation you’d expect from Kyoani. I have no idea why this isn’t more popular.
(The Weeb Ass Shit scale ranks anime on three criteria. A high W, or "Weeb" score means that the show incorporates a lot of anime tropes or elements of Japanese culture that might be confusing to someone not familiar with them. A high A, or "Ass" score means that the show is high in fanservice or other sexual content. And a high S, or "Shit" means that I think that the show is high quality.)
Title: Shiki
Genre: Horror/Suspense/Supernatural
Episode Count: 22
W/A/S Score: W4, A3, S9.5
Elevator Pitch: In a small Japanese town, a mysterious plague starts sweeping the village, killing its inhabitants at alarming rates not long after a mysterious new family moves into the Western castle up on the mountain.
Unsurprisingly, it’s vampires.
This anime uses its large cast of characters and isolated setting to the fullest, showing us a variety of reactions to the supernatural menace, which really creates a sense of horror, showing how every possible response one could think of having is for naught, as the horror builds and builds before a crescendo of violence at the end where no one is innocent and no one is safe.
This is my current favorite anime.
Title: Idolish7
Genre: Idols/Slice-of-Life
Episode Count: 62
W/A/S Score: W7, A1, S8
Elevator Pitch:
Under the tutelage of a struggling agency, male idol group Idolish7 slowly work their way to stardom. This anime follows their journey there, as well as the emotional dramas and journeys of other male idol groups. Doesn’t do anything remarkably special (aside from being an exemplary male idol show), but does what it does very well. Extremely likable, realistic characters.
Title: Bakuten
Genre: Sports/Slice-of-Life
Episode Count: 12 + 1 movie (M has not watched the movie)
W/A/S Score: W2, A1, S8
Elevator Pitch:
Futaba, a rising high schooler who’s tried out multiple sports but never really liked any of them, joins the men’s rhythmic gymnastics team at his new high school, and they try to make! it! to! nationals!
Doesn’t do anything special but has beautiful animation and very likable characters, and I come back to watch the Halloween episode on its own (which is very rare for me usually) just because of how funny it is to watch the MCs bounce off of their rival team foils. If you like Free, definitely check this one out.
Title: Akudama Drive:
Genre: Cyberpunk/Action
Episode Count: 12
W/A/S Score: W5, A5, S7
Written by Kazutaka Kodaka (aka the Danganronpa guy), Akudama Drive is a violent nihilistic cyberpunk anime about morally ambiguous people killing each other. It’s edgelord shit, but I think it’s very well done edgelord shit, with some moments that actually managed to shock me. It’s probably not for everyone, but if anything about this description sounds appealing to you, you’ll probably like it.
Title: Tsurune
Genre: Sports
Episode Count: 12
W/A/S Score: W4, A1, S8
A sort of spiritual successor to Free, made by the same studio, Tsurune focuses on Minato, a young boy who used to be a kyudo (traditional Japanese archery) prodigy, before a traumatic accident drives him away from the sport. Now, he’s trying to get back into it. Very character-focused, with the kind of beautiful animation you’d expect from Kyoani. I have no idea why this isn’t more popular.
