The 10 Most Underrated Shonen Anime That Are Flawless from Beginning to End
Shonen anime have been some of the most popular shows since the beginning. The inspiring action and heroic tales lift fans’ spirits. With that said, there are many shonen anime that fall under the radar. No matter the reason for their anonymity, these shows are practically flawless from beginning to end.
What makes these underrated shonen anime so great is their commitment to their theme. They don’t hold back a silly premise or a dark plotline. These stories lay everything out for audiences to experience. Many of these anime also boast great animation and character development. They may not have a large following like the most popular shonen anime, but these shows have what it takes to be just as renowned.
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10 No Game No Life Is A Burst Of Colorful Animation
No Game No Life Is A Unique Isekai
No Game No Life is an anime that was fairly popular in its time, but has fallen by the wayside. However, its unique isekai premise is only one of the things that makes it so compelling. The anime follows two step-siblings, Sora and Shiro, as they enter the world of Disboard. Sora and Shiro are known for being the absolute best gamers on earth and are therefore transported to a world where everything is decided by a game. Big and small decisions all come down to who can beat whom in any type of game they see fit. Shiro and Sora take to this world immediately and quickly become the King and Queen of Immanity.
This show is a fun, ecchi anime full of brilliant colors and intense strategy. Sora and Shiro’s combined intelligence is nothing short of impressive as they breeze their way to the top. The world is also full of lovable characters who help flesh out the gaming world. Fans were sad to see it go after only one season, but there is plenty of literature for fans to read.
No Game No Life
Siblings Sora and Shiro make up the most feared team of pro gamers in the world, The Blank. When they manage to beat God himself in a game of chess, they are sent to a world where all disputes are settled with games.
- Release Date
- April 9, 2014
- Cast
- Yoshitsugu Matsuoka , Yoko Hikasa
- Seasons
- 1 Season
- Creator
- Jukki Hanada
- Producer
- Yōhei Hayashi, Shō Tanaka, Mika Shimizu, Satoshi Fukao, Asako Shimizu
- Production Company
- Madhouse
- Number of Episodes
- 12 Episodes
9 Toilet-Bound Hanako-kun Is A Paranormal Comedy
Toilet-Bound Hanako-kun Features Romance, Horror, & Whimsy
Toilet-Bound Hanako-kun is one of the most stylistically interesting anime. The show mimics the manga style, using lots of colors and a stained-glass effect. This gives the anime its supernatural feel. Since the story features ghosts, there is bound to be an element of otherworldliness. The story follows a girl named Nene Yashiro who seeks the help of the ghost, Hanako to assist her in love. However, Nene gets much more than she bargained for when she becomes Hanako’s servant. Also, Hanako isn’t a scary girl ghost as Nene thought. Hanako is actually the ghost of a young boy.
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Toilet-Bound Hanako-kun is a fun, paranormal mystery. There are elements of gore and horror. However, the show primarily focuses on Hanako and his many secrets. It also teases a potential romance between Nene and a few of the characters in the show, including Hanako. The world of Toilet-Bound Hanako-kun is whimsical and eerie simultaneously. Fans looking for a somewhat spooky story with compelling surprises at every turn should check out this unique anime.
8 Cells At Work! Has A Surprising Setting
Cells At Work! Takes Place Inside The Human Body
Cells at Work! is an utterly singular anime because of where it takes place — inside a human body. The anime follows a plucky Red Blood Cell as she attempts to make her deliveries of nutrients on time and to the right places. However, she is often beset by germs and bacteria. Thankfully, she has a White Blood Cell ally who always seems to be around when she needs him.
This clever anime is so great not only because of its premise but because of how ingenious it is. Each of the body’s functions is represented by a different type of character or city building. This not only helps to create a vibrant world but also allows audiences to get a better picture of what’s going on in their own bodies. Cells at Work! is an underrated classic that more people should watch.
In an animated series, the human body becomes a bustling city where cells personified as characters go about their daily jobs. A plucky red blood cell and a stern white blood cell navigate their way through various adventures, fighting germs and viruses to keep their world safe and healthy.
- Release Date
- July 8, 2018
- Cast
- Qiege Qin , Karen Strassman , Dorah Fine , Khoi Dao , Mamiko Noto , Ray Chase , Cherami Leigh , Robbie Daymond
- Seasons
- 2
- Writers
- Hayashi Mori
- Network
- MBS , Tokyo MX , TV Aichi , BS11 , Tochigi TV , NET.
- Directors
- Shigatsu Yoshikawa , Yasufumi Soejima , Hitomi Ezoe , Daisuke Chiba , Taro Kubo , Yukihiko Asaki , Sumito Sasaki
- Producers
- Yuma Takahashi , Yohei Ito , Shuichiro Tanaka , Hisataka Kasama , Takuya Matsushita , Masanori Miyake
- Character(s)
- Bacillus Cereus (voice) , Basophil (voice) , Opportunistic Bacterium 1 (voice) , Sympathetic Nerve Cell Captain (voice) , Narrator (voice) , Memory Cell (voice) , Kyokakukyū [Megakaryocyte ] (voice) , Red Blood Cell AE3803 (Erythrocyte) (voice) , Cedar Pollen (voice) , Naive T Cell (voice) , Regulatory T Cell / Immature Thymocyte (voice) , Kosankyu [Eosinophil] (voice) , Ordinary Cell 1 (voice) , Immature Cancer Cell 1 (voice) , Kōhai sekkekkyū [Junior Red Blood Cell] (voice) , Rhinovirus (voice) , Red Lactic Acid Bacterium (voice) , Memory T Cell (voice) , Platelet ‘Leader’ (voice) , Vibrio Parahaemolyticus (voice) , Ordinary Cell 3 (voice) , Hair Matrix Cell Boy (voice) , White Blood Cell U-4989 (Neutrophil) (voice) , Small Intestine Cell Chief (voice)
7 School Rumble Is A Chaotic Gem
School Rumble Never Runs Out Of Misunderstandings
School Rumble is an older show, but one of the most hilarious shonen anime out there. The story is the convoluted tale of Kenji Harima, Tenma Tsukamoto, and Ooji Karasama. Together, they form an unwitting love triangle and get into all sorts of misunderstandings together. However, Harima, Tenma, and Karasama aren’t the only ones involved in the comedic chaos.
School Rumble boasts an impressive roster of great characters that share in their own shenanigans. The sheer absurdity of the show is what makes it so hilarious. School Rumble is by no means a serious anime. The fun is in experiencing each outlandish scenario as the students try to find love in high school.
School Rumble
A young high schooler is in love with an oblivious classmate; a delinquent classmate is in love with her. Both struggle to confess their feelings and their antics lead to crazy situations.
- Release Date
- August 28, 2007
- Cast
- Luci Christian , Brina Palencia , Caitlin Glass
- Seasons
- 2 Seasons
- Creator
- Jin Kobayashi
- Production Company
- Studio Comet
6 Silver Spoon Features A Deeper Look Into The Agricultural Business
Silver Spoon Was Inspired By Hiromu Arakawa’s Life
Silver Spoon is one of the best slice-of-life anime that hardly anyone has heard of. The original story was written by Hiromu Arakawa (of Fullmetal Alchemist fame). She has spoken many times about how the series is based on her life growing up on a dairy farm. Arakawa included many aspects of farming and the agricultural community that outsiders wouldn’t necessarily think about.
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Silver Spoon Is An Endearing Lesson in Growth
What makes Silver Spoon, a slice-of-life anime about adapting to life at an agricultural school, so touching and memorable?
Silver Spoon follows Yuugo Hachiken and his adventures at an agricultural high school. After struggling at his preparatory middle school, Hachiken is now a farming student to reevaluate what he wants in life. The work and hours are grueling, but they’re just what Hachiken needs to get a new outlook. This anime is funny, poignant, and sad at times, but it is nonetheless an enticing watch for any slice-of-life anime fan.
Silver Spoon
In order to escape his stressful city life, Hachiken enrolls in an agricultural school where he must learn a whole new way of life alongside a colorful cast of characters.
- Release Date
- June 12, 2013
- Studio
- A-1 Pictures
- Main Cast
- Ryouhei Kimura, Marie Miyake, Tooru Sakurai, Ayahi Takagaki, Yasunori Masutani and Shiori Izawa
5 Monthly Girls’ Nozaki-kun Thrives On Missed Opportunities
Monthly Girls’ Nozaki-kun Is A Comedic Look At Manga Creation
Monthly Girls’ Nozaki-kun is an anime chock-full of misunderstandings. Despite her best efforts, Chiyo Sakura can’t seem to get Umetaro Nozaki to notice her. However, she does end up spending more time with him when she agrees to help him work on his manga. The show is hilarious and full of awkward romantic tropes that are sure to give fans butterflies.
Along with Chiyo and Nozaki is a ragtag team of characters who also work on the manga and are trying to find happiness in their own romantic endeavors. The anime is sweet and funny. Plus, it has one of the best opening songs of any anime. Monthly Girls’ Nozaki-kun isn’t afraid to switch up familiar tropes to give audiences something fresh to enjoy.
Chiyo Sakura confesses her feelings to her schoolmate Nozaki. Due to a misunderstanding, Nozaki thinks Chiyo is just a fan. She then discovers Nozaki’s other identity; a shojo manga artist.
- Release Date
- June 1, 2014
- Cast
- Yuichi Nakamura , Ari Ozawa , Masumi Tazawa , Sawako Hata , Christina Marie Kelly , Juliet Simmons , Ty Mahany , Tiffany Terrell
- Seasons
- 2
4 Hyouka Is A Cozy Mystery Anime
Hyouka Is Beautiful In Its Slow Pacing
Hyouka is a woefully underrated mystery anime featuring a particularly nosey Literature Club. Hotarou Oreki vowed that he’d glide through high school as quickly as possible, but his effervescent classmate, Eru Chitanda, has other plans. Together with the rest of their club, Oreki and Chitanda team up to solve many of the school’s most elusive mysteries.
Hyouka is a quiet anime that still packs a punch. It is a lot different from many anime of its kind, but that is what makes it so good. Hyouka expertly captures the calm aura of the best mystery stories. There is a romance aspect between Oreki and Chitanda as well. The show is also animated by Kyoto Animation, which is known for creating some of the most gorgeous anime. Fans looking to enjoy a rainy day watching anime should check out Hyouka.
Hyouka
Hyouka centers on Oreki Hotarou and his life in the Classic Literature Club. His mundane world is flipped upside down as they begin to solve various mysteries.
- Release Date
- April 22, 2012
- Cast
- Yuichi Nakamura , Adam Gibbs , Daisuke Sakaguchi , Aoi Yuki , Caitlin Glass
- Seasons
- 1 Season
- Studio
- Kyoto Animation
- Creator
- Shoji Gatoh
- Producer
- Justin Cook, Michael Harcourt, Hideaki Hatta, Makoto Itô
- Production Company
- Kadokawa Pictures, Kadokawa Shoten Publishing Co., Kyoto Animation, Lantis, The Klockworx
- Number of Episodes
- 23 Episodes
3 Wind Breaker Has Beautiful Fight Choreography
Wind Breaker Highlights Male Friendships
Wind Breaker is one of the more recent anime. It debuted in 2024 and had a decent following. However, it has not gotten the praise that it deserves. Wind Breaker follows a young man looking to prove himself as the toughest in his new school, but Haruka Sakura quickly learns that being the best isn’t what is going to help him succeed in life.
Wind Breaker is an excellent tale of found family and second chances. Many of the characters who attend Furin High were known as delinquents. However, they have since become staples within the sleepy town of Makochi. Bofurin (as the student group is called) are the protectors who never leave anyone behind. The fighting and animation are exquisite and help the audience see how strong each of the characters is. There is only one season for now, but fans hope that there is much more to come.
A talented high school student with a passion for biking becomes the leader of his school’s cycling team. He faces numerous challenges, including intense rivalries and personal obstacles, as he strives to lead his team to victory. Along the way, he learns valuable lessons about perseverance, teamwork, and the true spirit of competition, pushing himself and his teammates to new heights.
- Release Date
- April 4, 2024
- Creator(s)
- Satoru Nii
- Cast
- Kristian Eros , Austin Tindle , Yuma Uchida , Bryson Baugus , Jordan Dash Cruz , Aaron Campbell , Drew Breedlove , Gen Satô
- Seasons
- 1
2 Gamers! Is A Hilarious Take On High School Love
Gamers! Portrays Many Types Of Gamers
Gamers! is an uproarious shonen anime that more people should talk about. The story is a romantic tale of a group of friends who try to “wingman” for each other. Unfortunately, innumerable, hilarious misunderstandings continue to make things difficult for them to solidify their love for their crushes.
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Gamers! has plenty of references to real-world games and discusses the different types of gamers. However, the show really shines in the voice acting – especially when it comes to the English cast. Brandon McInnis, Clifford Chapin, and Brittney Karbowski particularly stand out for their energized performances as Keita Amano, Tasuku Uehara, and Karen Tendou, respectively. Gamers! is a great show to watch with friends or on a gloomy day, because it never fails to brighten audiences’ moods.
Gamers!
This is a story that revolves around certain students and one hobby.
- Release Date
- July 13, 2017
- Cast
- Megumi Han , Hisako Kanemoto
- Seasons
- 1 Season
- Creator
- Sekina Aoi
- Producer
- Hirotaka Kaneko, Kazuhiro Kanemitsu, Katsumi Kikumasa
- Production Company
- AT-X, Chugai Mining, Frontier Works, I0plus, Kadokawa, NBCUniversal Entertainment
- Number of Episodes
- 12 Episodes
1 Anohana: The Flower We Saw That Day Highlights The Toll Of Grief
Anohana Is A Story of Loss and Healing
Anohana: The Flower We Saw That Day is a heartwrenching anime about grief. After the death of Meiko “Menma” Honma, the self-dubbed Super Peace Busters split ways. However, five years later, Jinta “Jintan” Yadomi suddenly sees an aged-up ghost of Menma, haunting him. It’s up to Jintan and the rest of the Super Peace Busters to come together to help Menma cross over to the other side.
This anime is one of the most tear-jerking anime around. The show delves into each of the friends’ grief to show how they all handle Menma’s death differently. There are also themes of insecurity, abandonment, and coming-of-age. Anohana is a poignant anime that will stick with fans long after the credits role. It may only be eleven episodes long, but each of them packs a punch. Anohana is a great anime to watch if viewers are looking for something that is certain to make them cry.
Five childhood companions reunite when the ghost of their dead friends appears, and demands they grant her final wish.
- Release Date
- April 6, 2018
- Cast
- Brina Palencia , Jarrod Greene , Amanda Lee , Tabitha Ray , Mallorie Rodak , Ariel Graham , Bill Jenkins , Tyler Walker , Kyle Phillips
- Seasons
- 1
- Studio
- A-1 Pictures
- Writers
- Keiichirō Ōchi
- Number of Episodes
- 11
- Franchise(s)
- Hinamatsuri
- Directors
- Kei Oikawa
- Main Cast
- Ai Kayano, Miyu Irino, Haruka Tomatsu, Takayuki Kondou, Saori Hayami and Takahiro Sakurai
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