These days, there is more anime coming out than fans can keep up with. Streaming and social media have made the industry into a global powerhouse, and its growth is impossible to overlook. With so many eyes on anime, the industry is churning out more content than ever, and even some solid shows fall through the cracks. So if you are looking for gems that somehow flopped upon their premiere, we’ve got the anime breakdown for you.
Below, you can find ComicBook’s list of best anime series that flew far under the radar stateside. From action series to rom-com adventures, it seems every genre has some anime hits that failed to find a fandom overseas.
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Golden Kamuy
Golden Kamuy is criminally underrated outside of its fandom in Japan. Created by Satoru Nora, the series is a bold mix of Western tropes with historical ties to Japan’s Ainu people. While the show does stream in America,ย Golden Kamuy‘s unusual setting is a double-edged sword. Netizens in Japan love Golden Kamuy’s unique history while others who are unfamiliar with the Russo-Japanese War may struggle to drum up interest in Saichi’s story. But if you give it a good shot,ย Golden Kamuyย is worth obsessing over.
Dorohedoro
On the outset, Dorohedoro had zero reason to drum up as little hype as it did. The hit show was adapted by MAPPA Studios just as the company’s clout was rising online.ย Dorohedoroย is a perfect blend of dark fantasy and action given that touches upon themes like social status. Still, the anime failed to earn much buzz online, and it may be due to the show’s release window.ย Dorohedoroย was released in January 2020 and ran through March of that year. The show had to contend with a packed news cycle involving the COVID-19 pandemic, and ultimately, conversation surrounding Dorohedoro was eclipsed.
Hinamatsuri
Given the sheer popularity of Spy x Family, you may wonder why Hinamatsuri did not take off. Released in April 2018, the slice-of-life comedy is seriously solid. Originally created by Macao Otake,ย Hinamatsuriย tells the story of Yoshifumi Niita after the Yakuza croon finds a psychic teen in his home from the future. As the series continues, we see these two become the best kind of found family, and Yoshifumi must keep his adopted kiddo safe from other time-traveling threats. So if you like found-family series, Hinamatsuri is for you.
Katanagatari
Time and again, the relative obscurity of Katanagatari has vexed me. The show dates back to 2010, and it is one of the most gorgeous anime series to drop this millennia. Produced by White Fox,ย Katanagatariย is a thrilling action romance that follows Yasuri Shichika, a talented swordsman who doesn’t own a blade. He ends up joining a woman named Togame to find their land’s Deviant Blades.ย Katanagatariย has all the makings of a hit, but two things continue to hold it back. The biggest sin is thatย Katanagatariย is not available to stream legally stateside. The second thing that held backย Katanagatariย was its unusual release schedule. Rather than weekly half-hour episodes,ย Katanagatariย released hour-long specials once a month win 2010 until all 12 episodes were done.
Undead Unluck
Undead Unluck is a newer pick on this list, but it is no less worthy of the title. Animated by Studio Bones, this anime was one of the most-anticipated of its class, but Undead Unluck failed to drum up much discussion. Despite excellent animation and acting, Undead Unluck has fallen into a streaming trap. The show can only be watched on Hulu stateside, so its limited reached has neutered online buzz. We’ve seen this happen with other series like JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure: Stone Ocean on Netflix; However, Undead Unluck does not have the weight of an established brand name to reel in buzz.
Akatsuki no Yona
There are few romance manga more popular than Akatsuki no Yona, so why did the anime flop? Honestly, we wish we knew. In 2014, Studio Pierrot brought Mizuho Kusanagi’s hit fantasy to life, and it ran for a solid 24-episodes. While the show drew in solid praise during its run, Akatsuki no Yona was quickly forgotten when its season one cliffhanger spawned no fruit. Studio Pierrot left the IP to rot even though fans to this day beg for a revival. The reason behind Akatsuki no Yona‘s abandonment still puzzles fans to this day, but if we are lucky, some studio will pick up where Pierrot left off in the future.
Do you have any favorite flop shows? Let us know what you think in the comments below as well as on Twitter and Instagram. You can also hit me up @MeganPetersCB to share your take!
