Anime has become a prime example of how different mediums can gain traction on a global scale over time, even if they previously weren’t considered to be influential or popular worldwide. With an increase in demand, there’s more and more anime being produced and a wider variety of studios popping up to create them for the masses. Some of the bigger studios recognized by the community include MAPPA, Studio Bones, and Ufotable, all producing recent hits that have made big waves among fans.
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One of the largest anime studios known for awesome animation and stellar plots is Madhouse. It has helped to create shows such as Death Note, Hunter x Hunter, and One-Punch Man, along with a slew of other fantastic anime series. While many of Madhouse’s greatest hits are well-known among anime fans, there are a handful that aren’t as widely recognized. This list will explore some of Madhouse’s underrated anime series that you should add to your watch list in the near future.
5) Btooom!
Btooom! has one of the most unique survival concepts in a modern anime series, despite not relying heavily on supernatural or otherworldly elements to form a compelling plot. The series was released back in 2012 and had a singular season containing just 12 episodes before coming to a close. For a generally unknown series, it had some great animation and art, a decently well-developed main character, and some fun action sequences that made the series shine.
The plot of Btooom! centers around a loner whose video game prowess lands him in a real-life survival game based on his favorite game’s premise. The show has similar vibes to a battle royale but utilizes video game technology and terminology to further the main character’s development throughout the series. While it’s not the most outstanding anime series ever produced by Madhouse, it’s definitely a fun watch that deserves a little more attention than it tends to get.
4) Claymore
Claymore is one of the few dark fantasy series that never truly got the hype it deserved, despite having an interesting main cast and intriguing world-building that set it apart from similar titles. This anime series came out back in 2007 with a single season; while the anime is sometimes critiqued for straying from the main storyline, the manga is a must-read for fans of high fantasy plots with touches of the supernatural. It’s got a gritty, dark feel to its setting and character design that grants Claymore a distinct style when compared to other anime released around the same time.
It’s also one of the few fantasy anime that isn’t part of the magical girl genre, with a cast composed mostly of female warriors. Claymore introduces the audience to the concept of human-created beings disguised as beautiful women, designed to protect humanity at all costs. The show shifts its focus between main characters, telling a multitude of interwoven stories that connect and present the full picture. This series remains relatively unnoticed by most anime fans despite its high potential for a reboot or spin-off that could really polish up what the main series lacked.
3) Death Parade
Death Parade is a solid psychological thriller anime series that blends aspects of the supernatural into its plot. This anime first aired back in 2015 and had just one season containing 12 episodes. The show had a stylish aesthetic with a cast of diverse characters that felt dimensional in terms of personality, background, and goals. Much of Death Parade’s allure was its philosophical depth that many series sometimes lack in exchange for flashy fight scenes that add nothing to the show’s narrative.
The plot of Death Parade is centered around a group of souls trapped at a bar that is essentially purgatory, forced to play a series of games to have a chance at reincarnation. It explored themes such as death and loss, forgiveness, personal choice, human nature, and the different shades of morality. Many of the main cast were morally grey characters that weren’t necessarily good people, something refreshing in modern anime, which can tend to draw stark lines between villains and heroes.
2) Black Lagoon
Black Lagoon remains one of the best action anime ever put to screen regardless of its dwindling popularity over the years since its initial release. The show came out in 2006 and had an OVA mini-series, titled Roberta’s Blood Trail, released after it came to an end. It’s a spectacle of violence and crime, with many of the main cast leading a life outside of the law. Black Lagoon doesn’t skimp on the gore or the brutality that its setting lends to, and is one of the rare anime series that doesn’t feel overly dark for the sake of being edgy.
In Black Lagoon, we follow the Lagoon Company, a band of mercenaries for hire, operating out of the crime-ridden city of Roanapur. There’s a colorful cast of characters entrenched in the city’s lifestyle, with warring factions and opposing sides constantly getting into skirmishes. The series also boasts one of the most iconic gunslinger characters ever seen in anime with Revy, a character often depicted in most of the show’s promotional material. If you enjoy fast-paced, complex anime with a healthy dose of fighting, Black Lagoon is a must watch.
1) Sonny Boy
Sonny Boy is one of the more recent releases on this list, and though it isn’t without flaws, it’s a great watch from Madhouse that stands out in an ever-increasing sea of battle shonen. It’s rare to see many anime in recent years that try to push the envelope regarding what works and what might be controversial among audiences for not following a traditional narrative, but Sonny Boy challenges tropes by focusing on the internal battles its characters face. If you’re interested in themes of survival, teamwork, personal growth, and loneliness, then Sonny Boy might be a good option for you.
The series is set around a group of high-school students who are transported to an alternate dimension without warning. They must band together to survive and try to find a way back to their home without suffering too much loss or setback. Sonny Boy offers a deep dive into the psychological workings of its characters, less plot-driven and far more worried about the character development that builds slowly throughout the series. It doesn’t hurt that the show offers a smooth animation style that makes watching it a treat.
Have you ever watched any of these anime series? Tell us your favorite Madhouse anime production in the comments below.
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Image courtesy of Paramount+
