Anime has been around for a long time, but the new millennium brought about a new age alongside millions of new fans and an ever-changing landscape. While shows like Solo Leveling and Naruto have dominated the new and old generations, these 25 years have produced countless masterpieces. But so many other phenomenal shows are overlooked and underrated.

Certain series have become too popular, overshadowing other classics, which is why this list ranks the ten most underrated anime shows from the past 25 years. It will base the rankings on quality compared to popularity/score, writing, story, characters, fan opinion, and critical acclaim. These ten shows deserve more recognition and a higher score, proving to be among the best anime of this century.

10

‘Dorohedoro’ (2020)

Created by Q Hayashida

After five long years, fans will finally get Dorohedoro season two in 2025, making now the best time to get caught up in the glory of this gritty and goofy anime. Wizards test their spells on residents of the Hole, and one subject is Caiman, who lost his memory but gained a crocodile head. He and Nikaido set out to learn his past and the mage responsible, hoping to reverse the spell.

Dorohedoro knows how to give fans the best of both worlds, offering a dark and gritty story and world alongside a silly vibe and engaging characters. It is a great anime for adults who wish for a blend of darkness and goofiness. It received low ratings due to its CGI animation, but that shouldn’t stop fans from experiencing one of the wildest anime stories and most creative worlds.

9

‘Paradise Kiss’ (2005)

Created by Ai Yazawa

Most fans know Ai Yazawa for her legendary project, Nana, but she also has an equally good, albeit much less popular, series called Paradise Kiss. After the fashion club ambushes Yukari, asking her to be a model, she furiously refuses, but reconsiders. She now must balance her busy life with the glitz and glamor of modelling, allured by eccentric individuals and fun times.

Yazawa is known for creating realistic characters with a relatable story, and Paradise Kiss continues that trend with excellence. It focuses on how life can change suddenly and the complex emotions that accompany it, balancing the human aspects with the responsibility of the world. This fashion-infused romance is full of style, creating an underrated 2000s romance anime that will sweep fans off their feet.

Paradise Kiss

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  Yu Yamada

  Yukari Hayasaka

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  Kenji Hamada

  George Koizumi

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  Marika Matsumoto

  Miwako Sakurada

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  Shunsuke Mizutani

  Arashi Nagase

8

‘Space Dandy’ (2014)

Created by Shin’ichirô Watanabe

Shin’ichirô Watanabe is best known for Cowboy Bebop and currently has a new anime airing. But while all the focus lies on those shows, he has also produced some underrated classics, including Space Dandy. The titular protagonist hunts for new alien life to register and make a living, but he must also battle the Gogol Empire in a series of misadventures.

Space Dandy employs an episodic format, taking viewers to a new planet for every episode, and telling a different story that can range from an upbeat school musical to the most depressing tale about an endangered alien race. This narrative versatility is rare, but creates a surreal experience that can wow fans in more than one way, making it one of the most original anime series ever.

Space Dandy

Release Date

2014 – 2014

Directors

Shinichirô Watanabe, Shingo Natsume

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7

‘Tiger and Bunny’ (2011)

Created by Masayuki Ozaki and Keiichi Sato

The superhero genre isn’t as popular in Japan as it is in the West, but anime series like My Hero Academia and One Punch Man prove that they can excel in the genre. However, one underrated superhero anime is Tiger & Bunny, which follows an aging hero and a new, popular rookie. They must learn to set aside their differences if they want to uncover and stop the villain’s conspiracy.

The show feels like a Western superhero cartoon infused with anime designs and tropes, giving fans the best of both worlds. The colorful cast and unique worldbuilding paint an intriguing picture that viewers can’t help but stare at. Tiger & Bunny is an underrated action anime with an interesting story and fascinating characters.

Tiger & Bunny

Release Date

2011 – 2022

Directors

Keiichi Sato, Kunihiro Mori

6

‘MF Ghost’ (2023)

Created by Shuuichi Shigeno

Initial D dominated the late 1990s and early 2000s with its Eurobeat drifting exhilaration, and now it’s MF Ghost‘s time to do the same for the 2020s. Katagiri Kanata moves to Japan in order to find his father, but must make a living, thus entering the illustrious drifting league, where he quickly rises through the ranks thanks to the nifty skills he picked up in England.

It may not be as good as Initial D, but MF Ghost holds the spirit of the original with some arguably better writing. The drifting and high-octane action are just as entertaining, but the side plot also offers some nice downtime with actually intriguing moments. MF Ghost is an underappreciated gem that is sure to give fans a good time if they give it a chance.

MF Ghost

Release Date

2023 – 2024

Network

Tokyo MX, BS11

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  Yuma Uchida

  Kanata Rivington (Kanata Katagiri) (voice)

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  Ayane Sakura

  Ren Saionji / Seven (voice)

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  Megumi Okada

  Mayuko Saionji (voice)

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  Jiro Saito

  Ren’s Father (voice)

5

‘Beck: Mongolian Chop Squad’ (2004)

Created by Harold Sakuishi

The music genre is home to some of the most underrated anime shows and some of the most popular, but Beck: Mongolian Chop Squad is of the former. Trudging through life without purpose, Yukio discovers his passion for Western Rock and joins a band. However, the path to success is a long struggle, as he and his band pursue a professional career.

Beck: Mongolian Chop Squad is quite the title, but if that isn’t enough to lure fans into watching this masterpiece, then its emotional and heartfelt story should do the trick. The music and rock aesthetic evoke a nostalgic feeling and raw emotion, with the show unfolding at a slow pace. Beck has always been overlooked, but fans now have the chance to give it the recognition it deserves.

4

‘Akiba Maid War’ (2022)

Created by Soichi Masui and Yoshihiro Hiki

Japan is a unique place where hard-boiled gangsters and cutesy maids can coexist, but Akiba Maid War blends those two aspects to deliver one of the most absurd yet captivating recent anime shows. Nagomi finally lands her dream job at a maid café, but she learns that it is embroiled in a dangerous underground community where maids engage in turf wars and fight for control.

On the surface, it seems like a cutesy show trying to do too much, but Akiba Maid War glorifies violence and action through intense gunfights and suspenseful battles. The riveting and well-directed fight scenes are pure entertainment, but the story is also an unexpected delight, combining to create one of the most underrated anime shows of the 2020s. Akiba Maid War is outlandishly bloody, which somehow makes the audience laugh despite the overblown action.

3

‘Durarara!!’ (2010)

Created by Ryohgo Narita and Suzuhito Yasuda

Even the modern streets of Japan have a rich culture where professions clash and create urban legends, and Durarara!! mixes those to create a supernatural crime mystery thriller. Mikado moves to Tokyo, hoping for an exciting life, but his wish becomes too true as he learns of shady gangs, headless horsemen, and other eerie urban legends that put him at the center of this chaos.

Durarara is a masterful story that weaves multiple mysterious storylines together, slowly connecting them and leading to major developments. While it was once massive, Durarara is now a forgotten masterpiece and an underappreciated anime classic. It also has a surprisingly low score, but fans should decide for themselves by reviving this historically captivating mystery series.

Durarara!!

Release Date

2010 – 2010-00-00

Directors

Takahiro Ômori, Shin’ya Kawatsura

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2

‘Osomatsu-San’ (2015)

Created by Fujio Akatsuka

Remakes are always hit or miss, either improving everything upon a failed original adaptation or ruining what made the classic good. Osomatsu-San reinvents the classic kids’ anime into a show for an older audience. The antics of the silly sextuplets are no longer cute, as they are now unemployed losers who spend their time goofing around and doing anything but getting a job.

This revival was unexpected and precisely what fans needed. New viewers don’t need to see the original, but can experience the silly adult humor in its full glory. Good comedy anime is hard to find, but Osomatsu-San is one of the best, utilizing its mature and overly silly aspects to create a perfect series for adults. It is ridiculous, over-the-top, and flashy, but still has heart and plenty of laughs.

1

‘Welcome to Irabu’s Office’ (2009)

Created by Hideo Okuda

Almost every avant-garde anime will be underrated, except a select few, but Welcome to Irabu’s Office definitely isn’t one of the few. The anime is split into one or two episode arcs, following a psychiatrist and his unconventional methods of helping his patients. Each episode focuses on a new mental illness and explores how to help cure it through a wacky lens.

Most mental health anime follow a broken protagonist and a nihilistic view, but Welcome to Irabu’s Office portrays it through a more humane and optimistic lens. It incorporates humour, drama, realism, psychedelic visuals, and unorthodox storytelling to create a bizarrely relatable anime that not only highlights mental health issues but also how to cure them. It is an important self-help series and one of the best avant-garde anime shows.