The ever-growing popularity of the anime industry has many curious people looking to venture into the world of exciting series. However, considering the number of series out there, with many of them being long-running or having multiple seasons, choosing the right series for you can be overwhelming. Not to mention that a large portion of the famous shows are actually battle shonen series, but the world of anime is way more vast than that. The shorter series are often overlooked despite having captivating stories and intriguing characters. These series are ideal for beginners who don’t want to commit to longer shows from the beginning.
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The downside here is that a lot of the underrated shows are often incomplete, with fans waiting for sequels for several years, only for the studios to drop them completely. This is why we’ve compiled a list of 10 short but complete hidden gems that both beginners and even avid anime fans should definitely check out.
10) Guardian of the Sacred Spirit
If you like beautifully written female protagonists, you’ll fall in love with this show right away. Set in a fantasy world in a land that resembles medieval Japan and also incorporates Chinese and Mongolian culture, this historical anime follows the journey of two strangers. Balsa, a wandering female warrior, is hired as a bodyguard of Prince Chagum by his mother to save him from assassination.
What’s worse is that the young prince’s father is after his life since he is believed to be possessed by a water spirit. The imperial priests believe Chagum will bring drought to the kingdom. Balsa barely manages to save his life from an assassination attempt and goes into hiding with him. The duo travels all across the land, forming an unbreakable bond as the truth of Chagum’s possession comes to light.
9) Eden of the East
This award-winning sci-fi mystery series with a romantic subplot doesn’t get nearly as much attention as it deserves. The story takes place after an unusual terrorist act when Japan was hit by missile strikes, but no one was harmed. The incident, known as “Careless Monday,” was soon forgotten by society, and people went on with their regular lives. Three months after the incident, college student Saki Morimi travels to America on her graduation trip and encounters Akira Takizawa, an eccentric man who suffers from amnesia.
Although he has no recollection of his past, he believes himself to be a terrorist and even has a strange cell phone with 8.2 billion yen in digital currency. Despite his suspicious behavior, Saki soon befriends him and gets tangled in a dangerous death game as the shocking truth behind Careless Monday comes to light.
8) Given
This melancholic Boys’ Love anime released only one season before covering the rest of the story in three anime films, following a different couple each time. The story primarily centers around Mafuyu Sato, a taciturn high school student who carries a Gibson guitar with him despite not knowing how to play it. Ritsuka Uenoyama, his classmate and a professional guitarist, notices the broken strings and is half-forced into fixing them.
Stunned by Ritsuka’s talent, Mafuyu requests that he teach him how to play the guitar and ends up joining his crew. As the story continues, Mafuyu deals with his past trauma and rediscovers his love for music thanks to Ritsuka’s support. The story explores several complex relationships among the people around Mafuyu, who are all somehow connected by music.
7) Ghost Hunt
Ghost Hunt isn’t your typical melancholic horror show, as it is light-hearted and sprinkled with humor while keeping the suspense engaging without feeling overly intense. It’s one of the least talked-about shows today, but it definitely deserves more attention. The story follows Mai Taniyama, a 16-year-old high school student who spends her after-school hours sharing ghost stories with her friends. She becomes curious after finding out that a couple of investigators have come to check the paranormal activities happening in the abandoned school building.
However, after accidentally breaking their expensive equipment, Mai gets tricked into working for Kazuya Shibuya, a 17-year-old ghost hunter and the head of Shibuya Psychic Research. Accompanied by Kazuya’s assistant, a monk, a Catholic priest, a Shinto priestess, and a celebrity spiritual medium, Mai learns that ghosts and spirits are more than just fantasies.
6) 91 Days
This psychological thriller is an original production by Shuka that will have you on the edge of your seat the entire time. The story follows Angelo Lagusa, a child living in the town of Lawless, who witnessed the brutal murder of his parents and younger brother by the Vanetti mafia family.
Shattered by the tragedy, he leaves behind his name and his hometown. Now known as Avilio Bruno, he returns seven years later to take revenge on the Vanetti family after receiving a mysterious letter. Avilio befriends the Vanetti don’s son, Nero, and begins his bloodstained path to vengeance.
5) Nodame Cantabile
Famous music anime series such as Given and Your Lie in April are often laced with melancholy and tragedy, which is why Nodame Cantabile stands out as a refreshing, lighthearted alternative. The story follows piano majors Megumi Noda (Nodame) and Shinichi Chiaki, who study Western art music performance at the same Japanese music conservatory. However, their talent for piano is about the only thing they have in common. While Nodame is a carefree person who enjoys her passion for music, Shinichi is a perfectionist pianist and violinist who dreams of becoming a conductor.
He is awestruck by Nodame’s raw talent but soon realizes she doesn’t have the motivation needed to make it big in the industry. He is crushed to learn that Nodame is his neighbor and is bothered by her untidiness. On the other hand, Nodame madly falls in love with him and won’t leave him alone at all. Their chaotic love story begins as they juggle their musical careers and support each other along the way.
4) Anohana: The Flower We Saw That Day
This heartbreaking story of friendship, loss, and grief delicately explores childhood bonds and how they can linger throughout your life in ways both beautiful and bittersweet. The story follows Jinta Yadomi, who spends most of his days away from school, playing video games at home instead of interacting with other kids his age. Jinta was once an outgoing boy, but his life falls apart after an unexpected tragedy.
However, everything changes when his childhood friend, Meiko Honma (Menma), appears before him and pesters him about a wish he forgot to grant her. Believing he is hallucinating, he doesn’t pay attention, since Menma died years ago. However, he soon realizes that the one before him is his friend’s spirit, who is unable to find peace. Jinta reaches out to his group of childhood friends, who grew apart after Menma’s death, and tries to do everything he can to help her move on.
3) The Piano Forest
This beautiful story of passion and growth gently captures the beauty of music and the dedication needed to follow one’s dreams. Based on the award-winning manga by Makoto Isshiki, the story follows Kai Ichinose, a young boy who grew up in the red-light district and finds comfort by playing an abandoned piano in the forest. Kai has never formally learned to play the instrument but still produces a beautiful melody, as if the piano is responding to him.
What’s even stranger is that no one else can play the broken piano except Kai. He catches the attention of Sosuke Ajino, a former piano prodigy turned teacher. Along with Kai, Shuehei Amamiya, the son of a famous pianist, also hopes to pursue his dream of becoming a great pianist. As the boys strive for success, they face several challenges along the way in the competitive music world.
2) Dororo
Based on Osamu Tezuka’s manga, released in 1967, Dororo is also a reboot of the 1969 anime, Dororo to Hyakkimaru. The story is intense, filled with unimaginable struggles faced by the protagonist, yet he continues to fight each day just to earn the right to exist in this world. Daigo Kagemitsu, a greedy samurai lord, made a pact with twelve demons in exchange for saving his dying land. Kagemitsu was ready to sacrifice anything to meet his goals, including his unborn son’s life.
The boy was born without limbs, nose, eyes, ears, or even skin, yet he still survives. Disposed of and forgotten, he was saved by a kind man who creates prosthetics and weapons, allowing him to grow up. The boy embarks on a journey to defeat the demons that took his body parts as sacrifices. On his journey, he befriends Dororo, an orphaned boy who tags along after being forced to fend for himself following his parents’ deaths.
1) Sonny Boy
This award-winning original series by Madhouse studio is a must-watch for mystery fans who enjoy mind-bending narratives, surreal visuals, and shows that challenge the boundaries of reality. The story begins with 36 middle school students, including Nagara, Nozomi, and Mizuho, who find themselves transported to a dimension known as “This World.” This mysterious realm operates under its own set of rules, and the students discover they now possess unique supernatural abilities.
As they navigate this new world, they are forced to confront various challenges and conflicts, both external and internal. Each student must struggle with their unique challenges and find a way to unravel the mystery of the world while searching for a way to return home.
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image courtesy of 20th Century Studios
