Let’s be honest: the anime community has a tendency to hyperfixate on the same handful of shows each season. Demon Slayer trends. Jujutsu Kaisen dominates Twitter. The big sequels eat up all the conversation oxygen while genuinely excellent shows fly completely under the radar.
2026 is no different. While everyone’s (rightfully) hyped about Infinity Castle and JJK Season 3, some of the year’s best anime are getting fraction of the attention they deserve. And scrolling back through 2024-2025? There are criminally overlooked gems that most fans still haven’t discovered.
This list is your remedy. Here are 20 underrated anime that deserve a spot on your watchlist—hidden gems spanning multiple genres, all available on major streaming platforms.
Currently Airing (Winter/Spring 2026)
Quality Assurance in Another World
Genre: Isekai, Comedy, Mystery
Where to Watch: Crunchyroll
The isekai subversion we needed. Haga is a “debugger” whose job is entering game-like fantasy worlds to identify bugs and glitches before launch. It’s a clever meta-commentary on isekai tropes wrapped in a genuinely engaging mystery format. Each “bug” he discovers reveals something deeper about the world’s construction.
Why It’s Overlooked: Generic-sounding title, isekai fatigue causing people to scroll past
Why You Should Watch: Genuinely original premise with smart writing and unexpected depth
Witch Hat Atelier
Genre: Fantasy, Coming-of-Age
Where to Watch: Crunchyroll
The manga has been a critical darling for years, and the anime adaptation is living up to expectations. Coco, a girl who discovers magic isn’t innate but can be learned through drawing, enters a world of witches with its own dark secrets. The pacing is deliberately slower than most anime, rewarding patient viewers with rich worldbuilding and gorgeous visuals.
Why It’s Overlooked: Slower pace alienates action-focused viewers
Why You Should Watch: Beautiful, contemplative fantasy with depth and heart
Tasogare Outfocus
Genre: BL, Drama, School
Where to Watch: Crunchyroll
A BL series that actually focuses on filmmaking passion alongside the romance. Following a film club trying to complete their movie while navigating complicated feelings, it treats both the creative and romantic elements with care and nuance.
Why It’s Overlooked: BL genre often dismissed by mainstream audiences
Why You Should Watch: Mature storytelling with compelling characters regardless of romance preferences
2025 Hidden Gems You Missed
Dandadan
Genre: Action, Comedy, Supernatural
Where to Watch: Crunchyroll
Okay, Dandadan wasn’t exactly “overlooked” among manga readers, but its anime adaptation somehow didn’t break through to mainstream conversation the way it deserved. The show about a girl who believes in ghosts and a boy who believes in aliens—who both turn out to be right—is hilarious, heartfelt, and wildly creative.
Why You Should Watch: Science SARU’s animation is incredible, the humor is consistently funny, and the action is surprisingly excellent
Sousou no Frieren (For Those Still Sleeping)
Genre: Fantasy, Adventure, Drama
Where to Watch: Crunchyroll
Yes, Frieren won awards. Yes, it got attention. But there are still massive segments of the anime community who haven’t watched it because “it looks slow” or “I’m not into isekai” (it’s not isekai). If you’re in that camp, please watch Frieren. It’s one of the best anime of the decade.
Why You Should Watch: Masterpiece-level storytelling about memory, mortality, and meaning
Dungeon Meshi (Delicious in Dungeon)
Genre: Fantasy, Comedy, Cooking
Where to Watch: Netflix
Studio Trigger adapting a beloved cooking/dungeon exploration manga? It should have been bigger. Laios and his party eating monsters in a dungeon to save his sister sounds absurd—and it is—but the worldbuilding is meticulous, the cooking genuinely creative, and the emotional beats surprisingly powerful.
Why It’s Overlooked: Netflix release schedule fragmented attention
Why You Should Watch: Perfect comfort food anime with substance
Bartender: Glass of God
Genre: Slice of Life, Drama
Where to Watch: Crunchyroll
A remake/continuation of the 2006 series about a bartender who serves the perfect drink for each customer’s emotional needs. It’s calm, thoughtful, and genuinely mature in ways anime rarely achieves. Each episode functions almost like a short story.
Why It’s Overlooked: No action, no romance, no familiar hooks
Why You Should Watch: Adult storytelling about human connection—perfect late-night watching
Girls Band Cry
Genre: Music, Drama
Where to Watch: Crunchyroll
TOEI’s fully CGI music anime about an all-girl rock band dealing with real problems: financial struggles, broken dreams, family issues, and the music industry’s cruelty. The CGI is divisive but expressive, and the music genuinely rocks.
Why It’s Overlooked: CGI style put people off, similar premise to other music anime
Why You Should Watch: Genuinely punk rock attitude with emotionally mature storytelling
Metallic Rouge
Genre: Sci-Fi, Action
Where to Watch: Crunchyroll
Bones’ original sci-fi series about an android assassin hunting her own kind on Mars. It’s stylish, thoughtful about AI consciousness, and packed with beautiful action sequences. The Blade Runner influences are clear but it carves its own identity.
Why It’s Overlooked: Original anime without manga source material to drive hype
Why You Should Watch: Gorgeous animation, interesting themes, cool aesthetic
Older Gems (2020-2024) Still Underrated
Odd Taxi
Genre: Mystery, Thriller
Where to Watch: Crunchyroll
A depressed walrus taxi driver gets drawn into a missing persons case. What sounds like a weird premise unfolds into one of the tightest mystery narratives in anime history. Every character, every conversation, every detail matters. The finale is genuinely shocking.
Why You Should Watch: Perfect mystery construction, incredible payoff
Ranking of Kings (Ousama Ranking)
Genre: Fantasy, Adventure
Where to Watch: Crunchyroll
Don’t let the children’s book art style fool you—Ranking of Kings is emotionally devastating. Following Bojji, a deaf and seemingly weak prince, as he proves his worth despite everyone’s low expectations. The character writing is exceptional, and you will cry.
Why You Should Watch: Masterclass in subverting expectations, incredible emotional depth
Summertime Rendering
Genre: Mystery, Thriller, Supernatural
Where to Watch: Disney+ (varies by region)
A time-loop mystery on a small island where something is killing and replacing villagers. It’s tense, well-plotted, and keeps you guessing until the end. The Disney+ exclusivity killed its exposure, but it’s worth seeking out.
Why It’s Overlooked: Disney+ jail limited accessibility
Why You Should Watch: Excellent mystery with satisfying resolution
Link Click (Shiguang Dailiren)
Genre: Mystery, Drama, Supernatural
Where to Watch: Crunchyroll / Funimation
A Chinese anime (donghua) about two men who can dive into photographs and experience the moments they capture. They use this power to help clients, but each dive reveals unexpected complications. It’s emotionally wrecking and beautifully animated.
Why It’s Overlooked: Chinese origin sometimes dismissed by anime purists
Why You Should Watch: Some of the best emotional storytelling in animation, period
Sonny Boy
Genre: Sci-Fi, Psychological
Where to Watch: Crunchyroll
Students suddenly find their school drifting through different dimensions, each with unique rules. It’s weird, experimental, and deliberately confusing—but rewarding for those who engage with its abstract storytelling. Not for everyone, but unforgettable for its target audience.
Why You Should Watch: Genuinely unique artistic vision
The Girl From the Other Side (Totsukuni no Shoujo)
Genre: Fantasy, Drama
Where to Watch: Crunchyroll
A feature film/OVA based on the beautiful manga about a monster and a child living together in a cursed world. The stop-motion influenced animation is stunning, and the story is a quiet masterpiece about love and protection.
Why You Should Watch: Visually unlike anything else, emotionally resonant
To Your Eternity (Fumetsu no Anata e)
Genre: Fantasy, Drama
Where to Watch: Crunchyroll
From the creator of A Silent Voice, an immortal being learns about humanity by taking the forms of those who die. It’s emotionally brutal—bring tissues for literally every arc—but profound in its exploration of what makes life meaningful.
Why You Should Watch: Emotional devastation that earns every tear
Heike Monogatari
Genre: Historical, Drama
Where to Watch: Crunchyroll
Science SARU’s adaptation of the classic Japanese epic about the rise and fall of the Heike clan. Following Biwa, a girl who can see the future, as she witnesses inevitable tragedy unfold. The art style is gorgeous, and the emotional weight is substantial.
Why It’s Overlooked: Historical subject matter, unconventional art style
Why You Should Watch: Beautiful, tragic, and culturally significant
Skip and Loafer
Genre: Slice of Life, Comedy, Romance
Where to Watch: Crunchyroll
A wholesome high school series about an earnest girl from the countryside navigating Tokyo life. It’s gentle, funny, and features some of the most likable characters in recent anime. Perfect comfort watching.
Why You Should Watch: Pure wholesome energy without being saccharine
The Dangers in My Heart (Boku no Kokoro no Yabai Yatsu)
Genre: Romance, Comedy
Where to Watch: Crunchyroll
A middle schooler who thinks he’s an edgy psychopath and a tall popular girl gradually fall for each other. It’s awkward, sweet, and captures young romance with surprising authenticity. The character development is excellent.
Why You Should Watch: Genuinely good romance with great characters
Tengoku Daimakyou (Heavenly Delusion)
Genre: Sci-Fi, Mystery, Post-Apocalyptic
Where to Watch: Disney+ / Hulu
Two storylines—one following kids in a mysterious facility, another following survivors in post-apocalyptic Japan—slowly reveal their connection. The worldbuilding is mysterious and compelling, and the character dynamics are excellent.
Why It’s Overlooked: Disney+ jail, confusing dual narrative
Why You Should Watch: Fascinating mystery with great action and characters
How to Find More Hidden Gems
Tips for Discovery:
Conclusion
The anime industry produces hundreds of shows yearly. By definition, most attention goes to a handful of hyped releases while excellent content gets buried. This list barely scratches the surface—there are dozens more hidden gems waiting to be discovered.
Don’t just watch what Twitter tells you to watch. Explore. Take chances on weird premises. Give slower shows time to develop. Some of the best anime experiences come from shows nobody told you about.
Your next favorite anime might be one nobody’s talking about. Go find it.
Related: Spring 2026 Anime Guide
| Most Anticipated Anime 2026 | Best Anime Soundtracks 2026 |