Hidden Gems of 2023: 10 Underrated Anime Masterpieces That Deserve Recognition

Article Overview

Many great anime in 2023 were underrated and didn't receive the attention they deserved due to factors like bad timing and overshadowing by bigger hits.

Tomo-chan Is a Girl!

had an excellently written couple, but its anime adaptation was viewed as old-fashioned compared to others and fell to the wayside.

Ragna Crimson

's incredible action and artwork were not captured in its anime adaptation, leading it to be seen as just another average fantasy anime.

As 2023 comes to a close, it has been a fantastic year for anime. Beloved favorites like Attack on Titan and Jujutsu Kaisen made highly anticipated returns, while new hits like Oshi no Ko, Zom 100: Bucket List of the Dead, and The Magical Revolution of the Reincarnated Princess and the Genius Young Lady won over audiences.

Despite the success of many anime in 2023, there were also underrated gems that deserved more recognition. Some suffered from occasional issues with visuals and animation, while others struggled to find a spotlight due to timing, often premiering alongside major hits of the season.

Regardless of the circumstances, numerous exceptional anime series in 2023 went unnoticed and did not receive the recognition they truly deserved. These outstanding shows unquestionably deserve to be highlighted and appreciated.

10. Tomo-chan Is a Girl! Waited Far Too Long To Be Animated

Created by Lay-duce

While the manga enjoyed immense popularity during its serialization, it took four years after its conclusion for Tomo-chan Is a Girl! to be adapted into an anime. However, by the time the anime entered production, the romance and comedy themes that Tomo-chan had earnestly portrayed were beginning to be seen as overused and uninteresting. Despite having a well-written couple, the anime was perceived as old-fashioned in comparison to others, leading it to be overshadowed and overlooked.

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Crunchyroll's Hit New Romance is the Perfect Anime for Trans Fans

Between the lines of the new Crunchyroll romance anime Tomo-Chan Is a Girl! are themes regarding gender expression that Trans fans will love.

Watch On Crunchyroll

9. Helck's Art & Animation Couldn’t Support Its Great Story

Satelight's Helck

Satelight's anime Helck, which concluded in 2023, is another hidden gem that didn't receive the attention it deserved. It skillfully blended absurdist parody comedy with a darker, more mature take on Dungeons & Dragons-style fantasy. However, it had to compete with popular titles like Jujutsu Kaisen and Zom 100: Bucket List of the Dead. Sadly, Helck suffered from subpar art and animation, which hindered the portrayal of the intense fight scenes and overall writing. Consequently, the series went largely unnoticed by both fans and critics, and it seems unlikely that this will change as it nears its final episodes.

Watch On HIDIVE

8. Ragna Crimson's Incredible Action Deserves Far Better

Created by Silver Link

Check out the 2023 anime Ragna Crimson, produced by Silver Link, which unfortunately falls short in delivering the captivating visuals and fight choreography from the original manga by Daiki Kobayashi. The anime has potential to improve as it goes into 2024, but with Silver Link already set to produce four new anime in addition to Ragna Crimson, it's uncertain whether the production quality will be enhanced. You can watch it on HIDIVE.

7. Undead Girl Murder Farce Couldn’t Compete With Some Of 2023’s Biggest Anime

Created by Lapin Track

Many anime end up being overlooked because they are overshadowed by their competition, and a prime example of this in 2023 is Lapin Track's Undead Girl Murder Farce. The anime featured a unique concept of a shared universe of public domain characters and, with its clever writing and overall direction, it stood out as one of the best mystery anime to be released in years. Unfortunately, Undead Girl Murder Farce debuted in the same season as huge hits like Jujutsu Kaisen season 2 and Zom 100: Bucket List of the Dead, leading it to be overshadowed by anime with much larger fanbases and ultimately receiving minimal attention as a result.

Watch On Crunchyroll

6. Dark Gathering Failed To Sell General Audiences On Its Horror Story

Created by OLM, Inc.

Another anime in 2023 that was largely overlooked compared to its competitors was OLM, Inc.'s Dark Gathering. The show offers a unique blend of horror and fantasy, featuring strong writing and character designs. However, in a sea of recent popular shows with similar horror elements, Dark Gathering struggled to stand out. Its art and animation also fell short in effectively conveying the darker themes, which contributed to its lack of attention during its airing.

Watch On HIDIVE

5. Girlfriend, Girlfriend Waited Too Long To Come Back

Created by SynergySP

Sequel seasons of anime often experience a decrease in popularity, and SynergySP's Girlfriend, Girlfriend season 2 is a perfect example. Season 1 was well-liked for its unique take on the harem genre, but season 2, released two years later, failed to regain the same level of excitement. Complicating matters further was the fact that Girlfriend, Girlfriend season 2 aired during the same season as The 100 Girlfriends Who Really, Really, Really, Really, Really Love You, which offered similar content with potentially better quality and humor, causing it to overshadow Girlfriend, Girlfriend season 2. Check it out on Crunchyroll.

4. Bofuri's Production Issues Killed The Hype For Season 2

Created by Silver Link

The release of Silver Link's Bofuri: I Don't Want to Get Hurt, so I'll Max Out My Defense season 2 in 2023 was long-awaited, but the delays due to the COVID-19 pandemic and other production issues caused the momentum from the breakout hit of season 1 in 2020 to be lost. With odd pacing and further production issues leading to delayed episodes, Bofuri season 2 failed to reach the same acclaim as its predecessor.

Watch On Crunchyroll

3. Tokyo Revengers' Change In Streaming Platform Killed Seasons 2 & 3

Created by Liden Films

The popularity of an anime can be greatly influenced by the streaming platform it is on. This was the case for Liden Films’ Tokyo Revengers, which suffered a blow when Crunchyroll lost the rights to distribute it to Hulu. As a result, the limited availability of Hulu around the world has meant that seasons 2 and 3 have received significantly less attention, despite the franchise still being massively popular. Although the manga was the ninth best-selling manga of 2023, airing exclusively on Hulu means that the series may not receive the attention it deserves as it concludes.

2. The Rising Of The Shield Hero Can't Shake Off Season 2's Damage

Kinema Citrus

Despite never losing the distribution rights to Kinema Citrus' The Rising of the Shield Hero, Crunchyroll's season 3 has been severely underrated. The anime has showcased some of the best writing and animation to date, however, the infamously poor quality of The Rising of the Shield Hero season 2 has led to a significant drop in interest among viewers. Unfortunately, one bad installment in a franchise can often damage future investment from the audience, and The Rising of the Shield Hero is no exception, despite its high quality.

Related

Season 2 of Rising of the Shield Hero was widely criticized, but the premiere of season 3 is showing signs of improvement.

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1. SHY Is a Fresh Take On The Superhero Genre That Very Few People Have Watched

Created by 8bit

SHY offers a fresh perspective on superhero narratives, drawing clear inspiration from magical girl tales and showcasing innovative editing and overall direction. However, the inconsistent art and animation, as well as premiering alongside popular series like Shangri-La Frontier and Frieren: Beyond Journey's End, have led to SHY being largely overlooked by both fans and critics. Coupled with the oversaturation of the superhero genre in recent years, particularly for Western audiences, it is not surprising that SHY has emerged as one of the most underrated anime of 2023.

Watch On Crunchyroll

Editor's P/S

As a Gen Z fan, I'm always on the lookout for hidden gems in the anime world. It's exciting to discover underrated masterpieces that deserve more recognition. The article highlights several such anime from 2023, and I can't wait to explore them.

"Tomo-chan Is a Girl!" caught my attention because of its unique take on the romance and comedy genres. Despite its well-written couple, it's unfortunate that the anime adaptation was perceived as old-fashioned compared to others. I'm curious to see how the story unfolds and how the characters develop.