The best anime that few people know about

At the Reddit anime fans came together to choose what they consider to be good anime, but that most anime fans don’t know about.

The topic “Anime/Manga that you consider to be a masterpiece that is not widely known or popular in the community” attracted a wide variety of comments and here is the invitation to leave in the comments which animes you consider very good, but that most people don’t know about.

Forum members passionately shared their picks, highlighting series that they consider true works of art but that have not achieved widespread fame or recognition. The most recurrent mentions are acclaimed for its deep narrative, complex characters and masterful execution, but it has not achieved the same popularity as other more commercial titles.

So why do these series go unnoticed by the rest of the public? There are several factors that can contribute to this. Firstly, marketing plays a crucial role in promoting an anime. If a series doesn’t receive a strong advertising campaign or isn’t backed by a reputable studio, it’s likely to go unnoticed by many viewers.

Additionally, the genre and style of a series can influence its popularity. Some masterpieces focus on dark or mature themes that may not appeal to a wider audience. Likewise, a unique animation style or complex narrative may be less accessible to those looking for lighter or easier-to-consume entertainment..

Despite these challenges, forum members are determined to highlight these hidden gems and share their love for these lesser-known masterpieces. Their hope is that, through these discussions, more people can discover and enjoy these series that deserve to be recognized as anime masterpieces.

• The anime and manga Girls Last Tour It was the masterpiece I didn’t know I was looking for when I started reading it on a whim. After finishing a few chapters, I discovered that there was also an anime. So I started from the first episode. It turns out that the anime was diligently faithful to the source. They also added some original scenes to the anime, which improved the experience. After watching the 5th episode, I realized how much I craved something so provocative and immensely creative. The anime ends at a point in the manga where the story goes deeper and deeper and touches on some very, very interesting themes. I cannot recommend this masterpiece enough.
• SteamBoy: Film from the creators of Akira that fell into oblivion. Even more epic than Akira and with a great story.
• Paranoia Agent: From the creators of Paprika, it gets a bit lost at the end, and it’s procedural, which isn’t that popular. But the themes it includes are very relevant and covered brilliantly. Only loses to Mushi-shi.
• Pom-Poko: Yes, it’s Studio Ghibli, but it’s very overlooked. It feels lightweight and is easy to dispose of. But it is very harsh in its themes. Completely unbreakable and seriously brutal beneath its cute exterior. I really like this film.
• Space Dandy: Occupies its spiritual place with Cowboy Bebop and Samurai Champloo. It’s overlooked because it’s a comedy, unlike the other two. But it’s equally moving, heartfelt, and provocative if you pay attention. With a great result at the end that makes you want to see it in its entirety again. If you’ve seen Watanabe’s other two series, don’t skip this one.
• Fune wo Amu (The Great Passage) It was everything I could have asked for in a slow, adult workplace drama, with a (to me) very relatable and interesting protagonist.
• Seirei no Moribito. Absolute tragedy that they didn’t adapt more of the novel.
• Aria. It is the gold standard of Slice Of Life, and the anime that takes the “Life” part most seriously of the entire genre.
• Yuri Kuma Arashi. I just finished it and wish I had heard about it sooner.
• Well, I only saw the first season, but for me Sayonara Zetsubou Sensei it was a masterpiece. I gave it a 10, I just couldn’t watch the other seasons. I don’t know if it’s very popular, but what I do know is that I don’t see it mentioned very often anywhere.
• Kyousougiga It’s one of my all-time favorites. It’s a beautiful and incredibly unique series. I love the way the series is structured, with a more episodic beginning to get to know all the circumstances and characters, and a second half more focused on the general narrative. All the characters are likable and the themes of the series are very fun. Not to mention the satisfying ending. It’s also one of the most visually beautiful series I’ve ever seen.
• Sakurada Reset. This is a beautifully written, slow-paced action mystery series involving time loops. She uses time travel in complex and unpredictable ways. The plot is very well written, with no obvious gaps. The character development is also very well done, with one of the most emotional scenes I’ve ever seen in anime. The characters also regularly engage in interesting and thought-provoking philosophical debates. It is a very intriguing series, which invites reflection and can be watched again given the complexity of the plot.
• Alice in Borderland. I don’t know how popular the manga is, but the series is live-action, so it’s probably not on as many radars. The series is brilliant.
• Anime: Mushi-Shiis a strangely beautiful thing to watch and its premise is very different from most other anime.
• Blame! Always deserves more love, atmospheric manga (like Girls Last Tour) are fantastic
• I don’t like to use the word masterpiece too often, but Girls Last Tour It’s 10/10 for me too. Ikoku Nikki It was the first time with manga that I felt like I was reading a serious work of literature rather than a pleasant piece of entertainment.
• Sangatsu no Lion It deserves more love, it’s the best slice-of-life and narrative masterpiece I’ve ever seen.
• From the New World. I don’t see many people talking about this. If it’s a popular series, I didn’t understand. I thought it was a phenomenal series and finished it in two days.
• I’m not sure how popular or well-known it is yet because it’s getting old at the moment, but: Watamote. I still think Watamote is a masterpiece and sometimes painfully familiar to people who were (or perhaps still are) socially awkward during their high school days. Bocchi the rocktoday’s most popular shy and awkward teen series, I wish I could capture that feeling as Watamote he did.
• I will always support Inuyashiki. Not many people liked it, but I think it’s one of the best of all time. When she finds out she can heal people and goes to the hospital, I cry, even when I see her again.
• The manga Five Star Stories. It is a pioneering work of science fiction that is on the same level as Gundam It is Macross in terms of influence in Japan. Manga sells like hot cakes when a volume is released every few years.
• Shinsekai Yori; I see it mentioned here when people ask for certain recommendations, but otherwise it seems almost forgotten.
• I don’t know if I would use the word ‘masterpiece’, but Anime-Gataris It is Artiswitch They’re two of my favorite animes and I’ve never seen anyone talk about either of them.
• 91Days: Dark story of revenge where the protagonist literally has no filter when dealing with those he hates and is a great mafia story with Baccano. I wish there was more. The ending is exciting, but also not surprising, but it leaves it open to guess what will happen next. Many original anime are not always very good, especially when they have less than 20 episodes, but 91Days is not one of them. They were lucky
• Witch Hat Atelier (mango). The art is absolutely beautiful, the characters and world are really deep and well thought out. Furthermore, the story goes a long way. My only problem is that there are not enough volumes (13).
• As for the anime, I’ll stick with it Patlabor 2: The Movie. This is a fantastic political-military thriller from Mamoru Oshii (Angel’s Egg, Ghost in the Shell) which addresses the ambiguous nature of the Japanese Special Defense Forces (JSDF) and Japan’s post-war role as an instrument of Western imperialism. I think a lot of Westerners don’t watch it because (1) it’s “old”; (2) it’s a true mecha robot franchise; (3) it is at least the third installment of the franchise, so you have to see other older materials before starting
• Probably many of the older ones, like 08th MS team, Mugen Rasen It is Patlabor 2. As for the more recent ones, I would probably say Gundam Thunderbolt.