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1Name here works of {{Anime}} and {{Manga}} that don't get enough appreciation despite their greatness. List works in alphabetical order from A to Z.
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3* ''Manga/PlusAnima'': This is THE prime example of a fantasy done absolutely right. You don't need epic sword fights, world destroying, evil emperors, technology-savvy settings, or brave warriors to make a great fantasy story, and +Anima shows that you can do great things with the fantasy genre with even simple stuff. There's lots of shounen elements in this, but they're all wonderfully subverted, inverted, and deconstructed in the best ways possible. Yes, one character is kinda hyper and childish, but he's not bratty or annoying, and is actually smart. Yes, there's a female character, but she's not a Mary Sue, a stubborn whiny brat, or a love interest. Yes, there's a quiet character, but he's not angsty, nor is he a lone wolf character that all angsty guys are. He actually has emotions and can get along with others, though there are reasons why he's unusually quiet. But what this manga excels at most are the themes and messages it sends out. The main characters are outcasts because they received something they didn't want, and if depicted right, it can really resonate with people, as today there's lots of stories about discrimination and prejudice against the innocent simply because they're different (people with disabilities, anyone?).
4* ''Manga/{{Airmaster}}'': While the GeckoEnding left most plot threads hanging, it's still a beautifully animated anime series, with a great cast of original characters and some of the coolest animated fights ever. Pity not many people remember it nowadays.
5* ''Anime/AKB0048'' is an ''VideoGame/TheIdolMaster''-style anime about girls who want to become idols but in this case, it's a form of rebellion against authorities who ban entertainment on all worlds. Yeah yeah, we know, it looks bright and colorful, the girls look cute and moe, and it doesn't look like anything much. But if you really take the time to look at it, you'll see it's very different from other idol shows. For one thing, it balances both the cutesy and bright moments with extremely dark and cynical views on the idol industry, making us believe that being an idol isn't all fun and rainbows and how it forces some dark mindsets on such young children. No, it's not all sugar and saccharine. Definitely not.
6* ''Manga/{{Amatsuki}}'' is a manga that's beautiful to look at and intriguing to read, weaving together technology and fantasy in a refreshing story that keeps you guessing and often leads to surprises. At heart ''Amatsuki'' is about what it means to be human; it can make you laugh, it can make you cry... but despite all its charms, it's often overlooked because the plot is deemed "too complicated", and the short anime adaptation wasn't up to snuff.
7* ''Anime/AngelsEgg'' is Creator/MamoruOshii's first movie and perhaps also his best. It's a mostly silent film, that with its limited dialogue still manages to be as thought provoking as it gets. Accompanied by a beautiful surrealist art style, and a soundtrack that cannot be explained in words, calling it a work of art would be an understatement. Yet neither the public nor the critics picked up on it when it was released in 1985, leaving it as it is today, a forgotten gem. Since appreciating it requires some level of acquired taste, introducing new people to it isn't exactly easy either.
8* ''Manga/AnimalLand'' is manga by Makoto Raiku of ''Manga/ZatchBell''. It is about a human boy named Tarouza who aims to unite the different animals of his world via his ability to [[SpeaksFluentAnimal speak to different animals]]. Its premise can be thought of as ''Literature/AnimalFarm'' [[JustForFun/XMeetsY meets]] ''Franchise/{{Tarzan}}''. It starts off as a simple WesternAnimation/{{Rugrats}}-like story but turns into pure {{Shonen}} as the series goes on.
9* ''Manga/{{ARAGO}}'' – well-written supernatural shonen manga with the London Police Department and a main character with the powers of a horrific former SerialKiller. Contains {{Shout Out}}s to folklore, mythology, and Creator/WilliamBlake. Not helped by the fact that it has yet to reach United States bookstores.
10* The ''Manga/{{Area 88}}'' manga is an intelligent war story with complex characters, brimming with commentary about war, politics, hypocrisy, and spiritual decay. Not helped by the fact that only the first 42 issues were translated into English in the 1980s, or that the original Japanese-language manga is difficult to find.
11* Despite being award-winning, ''Manga/{{Basara}}'' is a quite obscure manga that definitely SugarWiki/NeedsMoreLove. The plot is interesting and above all, the characters are well-written and most of them have their own back story that gets explored throughout the chapters. The story has romance, action, and {{Tearjerker}}s, and it tries to deal with big issues, such as if anyone really deserves to be hated and if anyone is truly evil. The drawing style may have been what puts people off, but looking beyond that, the story is one that deserves far more fans than it has.
12* ''Manga/{{BECK|1999}}'' is an excellent story that just didn't get enough love in the West. It's a coming-of-age story about a high school boy who ends up joining an indy rock band just starting up and trying to make it big. Throughout the story we see the band grow as a group and as individuals, as well as a harsh look at the seedy side of the music business. Nearly a third of the original's dialogue was in English due to the large number of American characters. Unfortunately, Creator/{{Tokyopop}} only put out about a third of the series in English before [[ScrewedByTheLawyers losing the license]]. It got a 26-episode anime that was also quite good… but it got ScrewedByTheLawyers stateside due to the main character singing a [[Music/TheBeatles Beatles]] song at the series' climax – despite Creator/{{Funimation}} creating a pretty decent substitute in their fantastic English dub, purists still boycotted it.
13* ''Anime/BlueCometSPTLayzner'' is the RealRobot genre at its very best, with a great story, great characters (ALL of which change and develop over time), great acting, great themes, and great animation, with NO superpowers or Newtype equivalents to boot, which is a big plus for anyone who hated those setting elements from square one. It has its problems: having cockpits in the head seems like a terrible idea, the ending does not have proper closure and it's a bit dated, but it's still a quite good RealRobotGenre show.
14* ''Manga/BlueExorcist'' is a great manga that sadly got overshadowed by its far [[AdaptationDecay inferior anime adaptation]]. It covers a theme of brotherhood, not-too-different from ''Manga/FullmetalAlchemist,'' and how family isn't always blood. At first glance, it may come off as a ClicheStorm, but they deconstruct them very well.
15* ''Manga/BigWindup''. Yes, its a baseball manga/anime. And yes, it's great. The author obviously [[ShownTheirWork knows her stuff]], and presents it in a manner that is accessible to anyone, from those who don't know a lick of baseball to those of us who enjoy the sport. And what's not to love with the great characters, great relationships, and lovable humor.
16** Seconded! ''Big Windup'' is an excellently written series with great characters that didn't get nearly the love it deserves. The English dub was very well done, too, but it did not get enough of a following to warrant the translation of season two. The dub voice actors credit the low sales to the fact that baseball is simply the "boring" among the organized sports, not to mention how the first season builds up to only one drawn out game with another school, and (probably most importantly) fans of anime in North America tend to be people who are not particularly athletic… and often have an longstanding bias ''against'' sports.
17* ''Manga/{{Bokurano}}'' is incredibly obscure for such an amazing series. It is a manga written by Mohiro Kitoh which got adapted into a 24 episode anime, and it never fails to impress. Well-written characters and an unbelievably tragic atmosphere make this an absolutely unforgettable HumongousMecha story. It has a very similar feel to ''Anime/NeonGenesisEvangelion'' and ''Anime/PuellaMagiMadokaMagica'', so it blows my mind that this series hasn't gained a large fanbase yet.
18* ''Anime/BrigadoonMarinAndMelan''. A 26 episode original anime production from studio Sunrise. It has a very interesting and well written storyline with many endearing characters, High quality production values and ''a lot'' of tearjerker moments.
19* ''Manga/ButsuZone''. A short-run manga first by Hiroyuki Takei, featuring power-armored Bodhisattvas, an interesting plotline, as well as detailed and insightful looks into Buddhism.
20* ''Manga/CaheDetectiveClub'' is a Sister Series to ''Manga/NagasareteAirantou'' and publish by ''Creator/SquareEnix'''s Gangan Online comics. It's a comedy where four girls with different skills and hobbies form a club together. It's not as well-known as ''Nagasarete Airantou'', and it's worth reading if you're tired of the fanservice-laden ''Airantou''.
21* ''Anime/CatSoup'' is a short anime film that is a wonderful Mind Screw. It relies heavily on symbolism and unusual images, but is also quite touching in some scenes. Not for everyone, but it really shows the diversity of styles available for anime.
22* ''Anime/{{Catnapped}}'' may look like your typical children's movie with its colorful and beautiful animation (as directed by Takashi Nakamura who was the animation director of {{Manga/Akira}}) and anthropomorphic cats, but it's much more than that--it's ''[[DerangedAnimation beautiful insane animation]]'' that doesn't pull punches with its story. While great to watch in either English or Japanese, what's also surprising for this kind of movie is that the English dub is ''really good'' for its time, Geneon spared no expense with this film (Sandy Fox as Meeko is debatable, although she's equally annoying in the original dub). Sadly, due to Geneon going bankrupt, copies are very much out-of-print, and there's no sign of the license being rescued in the future. But it's a definite must-see for animation fans.
23* ''Anime/CelestialMethod'' had a bit of a mixed reception back when it originally ran during the anime season of fall 2014. If you watch the show what you will find is a rather bittersweet story involving friendship, misunderstandings and a mystorius alien girl that may make you [[TearJerker shed a few tears]] towards the end.
24* ''Manga/ChisSweetHome'': Do you like cats? Yes? Then this is your manga. It's a very cute series about a cat named Chi who lives with a family. Chi would cause tons of mischief with the family but it's fun to her. This is a must read for cat lovers out there.
25* ''Manga/ChildrenOfTheSea'' is an awesome SliceOfLife manga that includes the juicy goodness of mythology and SceneryPorn that Daisuke Igarashi seems to always use in his works. It explores the origins of sea myths, as well as its own protagonists in what is shaping up to be a massive global quest. Unfortunately, it's got a teeny-tiny fanbase, despite being a fairly popular Ikki title and from an acclaimed mangaka. This is probably because of the fairly slow pace that Igarashi takes to get cozy with the story. It has phenomenal art and takes a close look at several cultures and mythologies that seem to span the gap between them. Wrap it up in a coming of age story and it turns out to be an interesting read, especially with Viz's fairly decent translation.
26* ''Manga/{{Claudine}}'' is a manga by Creator/RiyokoIkeda about a young trans man who tries to find a good life while feeling conflicted over his female body. This manga is awesome, simply for its respectful portrayal of what it's like to be trans and its sympathetic lead character. It's a bit melodramatic with some love triangles and strange twists. You'll be very surprised at this gem of a manga!
27* ''Anime/CorrectorYui'' is among the most unique shows for its [[MagicalGirl genre]]. [[JustForFun/XMeetsY Combining]] the ideas of ''Franchise/SailorMoon'' and ''Franchise/TheMatrix'' is only the beginning of what made this show truly stand out among its closest competition at [[TheNineties the]] [[TurnOfTheMillennium time]], ''Manga/CardCaptorSakura'' and the aforementioned ''Anime/SailorMoon''. Sadly, this show [[NoExportForYou never made it into the United States]], has no {{Fansub}}s, and is continuously becoming more obscure as the years go by. Worse still, only 18 of the 52 episodes have ever been subbed into English. If there is one show that desperately SugarWiki/NeedsMoreLove and deserves every ounce/gram of it before it's completely forgotten (and thus, not having it completely subbed into English at the least), then this is certainly [[{{Pun}} The One]].
28* ''Manga/DamekkoDoubutsu'': This anime focuses on daily lives of animals who don't live up to their names. It's cute,silly, and goofy to watch.
29* ''Anime/DenNohCoil'' is a science fiction anime from 2007 which gained quite some recognition during its airing, but has since failed to retain its popularity. The show is about a group of children in a small town, who all use a type of computer in the form of glasses as means to play around on the digital interface overlapping the city, often bumping into trouble of some kind. The animation and soundtrack are beautiful, although the character designs and coloring could be seen as somewhat subdued; it gives the series a sense of realism that brings out the childish fantasy and emotions bubbling underneath the surface. While there's lots of fluffy antics with the kid characters, the series also heavily delves into the philosophy of human connections and relationships, the nature of reality and digital creation, and the pain of losing loved ones. The series somehow manages to combine both serious science fiction and philosophy with SliceOfLife comedy without sacrificing either in importance. Despite huge critical acclaim among those that have seen it, and even inspiring serious [[https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/abs/10.1177/1746847716667571 academic papers on the series' themes]], it's sadly obscure. Even getting a license by Creator/SentaiFilmworks, complete with a strong English dub made for the release wasn't enough to gain much traction.
30* ''Manga/DesertPunk'' is very, very, funny, being one of the very few anime by {{Creator/GONZO}} to not have superfluous amounts of CG mixed with the dazzling scenery of a post-apocalyptic wasteland. Each character's personalities, although suffering from the occasional flanderization, are unique, quirky, a little bizarre (at first), and extremely over-the top, all fitting in the anti-hero categories. That's right. All of them. There is no total overarching plot in the series, yet that does not prevent each episode from having a well-thought-out script, containing off-the-wall and EXTREMELY raunchy humor to well-paced action that will completely take you by surprise once it reaches the halfway point and having a very good dub. ''Desert Punk'' is a {{seinen}} that has a surprisingly small fanbase.
31* ''Manga/DoubleJ''. If you liked ''Manga/CromartieHighSchool'', you might like this one too!
32* The American GagDub of ''Anime/DuelMasters''. The whole concept was farfetched and silly... yet, it didn't get that far. At least, not before the AbridgedSeries appears.
33* ''Literature/ElegantYokaiApartmentLife'' is frequently seen as incredibly and unfairly underrated. While it ''is'' somewhat of a ClicheStorm, it handles its tropes very well and as such can be taken as a good example of Administrivia/TropesAreNotBad, not to mention that it has several lovable and quirky characters among its main cast.
34* ''Anime/{{Erin}}'' – despite the fact it at first seems like a kid's show and the official subs for it aren't the best quality, it has a rather impressive story and seeing the main character grow and handle the problems she faces in the face of adversity can be moving. it's a series that manages to make the viewer cry sometimes, laugh others, bite their nails in anticipation, and has the occasional moment of D'AWWWW~ HOW SWEET~ and some nice SugarWiki/MomentOfAwesome scenes.
35* ''Anime/FancyLala'': At first it doesn't look like anything but a sugary and overly saccharine kids' anime, but don't be fooled by this show's looks. It's about a girl who receives a magic sketchbook from two dinosaur-like fairies which not only makes her drawings come to life, but turns her into a grown up version of herself, and she becomes a model/singer in the process. Sure, it's nothing new, but the show is just beautiful in the way it accurately portrays the idol business, the characters are charming and actually act like real people you've seen before, it makes use of its simple premise (and great things come out of it), and best of all, it has, what I think, the single BEST, most fulfilling, and most COMPLETE ending EVER. No anime I've seen has wrapped itself up so wonderfully as Fancy Lala does. Think you're gonna complain about the ending of this anime like you do with 99% of other anime out there? PREPARE TO BE PROVEN WRONG!!! The only reason this anime isn't more well-known is that it aired around the same time ''Manga/CardCaptorSakura'' did, and that show trumped every over magical girl show during its run, so it's no surprise you didn't hear about this.
36* ''Anime/FantasticChildren'': This early 2000s anime clearly needs more love. The anime had some great and intriguing story, great soundtrack (Especially the ending that was song by the late Origa), interesting animation full of SceneryPorn and could fill you with a great nostalgia with 80s/90s animes, great mystery and plot twists and strong characters overall. The anime also [[GenreBusting blends their multiple genres]] pretty well when it comes to telling a strong and intriguing story. Sadly, not many people knew about the existence of this anime considered that the show has never really developed much of a fanbase and sales of its DVD release were sluggish at best. It also had the bad luck to premiere the same week as the then-highly anticipated ''Anime/MobileSuitGundamSEEDDestiny'', which pretty much monopolized anime fan attention that week.
37* ''Anime/Figure17TsubasaAndHikaru'' is terribly obscure despite having great and realistic characters, a deep and well developed story, interesting technobabble, and an amazing English dub! Part of the reason people are turned off by it is that the episodes are all 46 minutes long and are slow paced, so people who aren't patient may find it boring.
38* ''Manga/FistOfTheNorthStar'': While it's considered legendary in Japan, it isn't nearly as well-known in America. It deals with deep themes, such as poverty and nuclear war. The villains can either be [[FreudianExcuse really sympathetic]] or really cruel, either way making them memorable. There are plenty of SugarWiki/AwesomeMoments, SugarWiki/HeartwarmingMoments, and TearJerker moments.
39** ''Anime/DDFistOfTheNorthStar'' is a gag series based on the above, with the premise that the end of the world never happened and the three brothers have to deal with everyday life. It's hilarious, even if you only know a little about the source series
40* ''Manga/TheFiveStarStories'' is an epic, and I mean ''epic'', manga. It's weird and wonderful, with [[RobotGirl artificial humans]] and [[RealRobot giant robots]] and [[DudeLooksLikeALady dudes that look like ladies]]. So far, only the first 10 volumes have been released in English, and scanlation efforts are sparse for the last two volumes. But for those who don't want their RealRobot stories to be angsting about war while killing people left and right, it's a welcome breath of fresh air.
41* ''Manga/FlowerOfTheDeepSleep'' is an incredible two-volume manga that everyone should have in their collection. The story is simple but beautiful, with elements of fantasy and love, and it keeps you holding on until the very end.
42* ''Manga/FromEroicaWithLove'' is a hilarious manga with a very niche fanbase. This lack of popularity probably stems from the fact that one of the two main characters is rather [[CampGay flamboyantly gay]] -- which is a pity, because there is NO homosexual content whatsoever in the story (save for a few... okay, a ''lot'' of verbal jokes/gags). But the series really is comedy gold (and the majority of the humor does ''not'' stem from the gay jokes – those are just a side-dish), with a sprinkling of espionage action/adventure thrown in for good measure. The mangaka's adamant refusal to allow an anime adaptation probably doesn't help the situation.
43* ''Manga/FromFarAway'': This is basically Fushigi Yuugi done absolutely right. Just read this manga to see what I mean!
44* ''Anime/GadGuard'': It's not very well known despite being a great little anime in virtually all aspects, including animation, characterisation, and storyline.
45* ''Anime/GaikingLegendOfDaikuMaryu'' is a ''Franchise/{{Digimon}}''-esque fantasy adventure about a boy who lost his father, but remembers the vision of an enormous dragon of metal from when his father went missing at sea. Over the course of the show, we get to know the colourful cast of characters, learn who they are and watch them struggle in an epic battle against an army that would have us destroyed... before we see the real, terrifying evil in the works. The animation isn't as wonderful as many other shows - mostly due to it being made on a piss-poor budget - but it's one of the most solid stories going around, with characters who feel real and alive. Definitely worth a look for any SuperRobot fan, or for those on the hunt for a fantasy epic, where a group of people fly DownTheRabbitHole to SaveBothWorlds.
46* ''Anime/{{Gankutsuou}}'' is a 24 episode long, surprisingly faithful, and furutistic adaptation of ''Literature/TheCountOfMonteCristo''. ''Anime/{{Gankutsuou}}'' was never a big hit, but fans who make it through won't be disappointed. Or maybe they will, but they probably won't regret this truly bizarre gem.
47* ''Anime/GhostStories''… but only for its English dub. The original Japanese dub is [[SoOkayItsAverage well-made though bland as hell]], but the English is an insane piece of performance art. The voice actors were basically told to do whatever they wanted with the script, and they make it hilarious. The entire series is basically one big SugarWiki/{{Funny Moment|s}}.
48* ''Manga/GlassNoMegami'' looks at first glance like pretty standard {{hentai}} love triangle fare with lots of sex. However, you'll find that it has exceptionally good artwork with a striking, clean style, the story holds a lot more emotion than you might expect and the characters are engaging and fleshed-out (no pun intended) enough that the ending can be a real TearJerker. If you like your hentai to be more than just explicit, this is definitely worth reading.
49* ''Literature/GroundControlToPsychoelectricGirl'': Given that the anime only covered 3 out of 8 volumes with literally no questions answered, there really needs to be a second season in the future. The fact that the last episode that ties everything in the anime was not aired, and was left only as a BD bonus, doesn't help at all.
50* ''Manga/HareGuu''. A funny, weird (and I mean [[MindScrew weird]]) and cute little comedy anime that sadly is a bit obscure, despite it ''and'' the first of its two OVA sequels getting dubbed into English.
51* ''Manga/HakumeiAndMikochi'' is an incredibly relaxing anime and manga that deserves far more attention. The dynamics between the titular characters are adorable, it's [[SugarWiki/AwesomeArt super well-animated]], the music is fantastic, and it's loaded with tons of beautifully-drawn SceneryPorn.
52* ''Manga/{{Happy}}'', a tennis/poverty manga by Creator/NaokiUrasawa with amazingly well-rounded characters.
53* The ''Manga/HappyHappyClover'' [[http://www.animenewsnetwork.com/encyclopedia/anime.php?id=8045 Manga series]] by Creator/TatsuyamaSayuri. It's a very cute series about a female rabbit named [[GenkiGirl Clover]] [[note]][[DubNameChange Chima in Japan]][[/note]] who spends time with her friends and dreams of travelling with Rambler The Rambling Rabbit. The entire manga mostly focuses on Clover and her relationship with her friend [[TheCutie Mallow]], [[JerkwithaHeartofGold Kale]], and [[TheSmartGuy Shallot]] who would mostly try to solve problems and work together. However, the manga would [[ADayintheLimeLight sometimes focus on her friends]] and other animals she knows. The Manga [[AnimatedAdaptation later got its own anime]] and [[NoExportForYou two Japan exclusive]] [[http://image.gamespotcdn.net/gamespot/images/box/9/1/8/943918_97556_front.jpg Nintendo DS games.]]
54* ''Manga/HayateXBlade'', A hilarious action Manga about girls having sword fights with Yuri undertones, that should really speak for itself. Sad thing is, is that it had an English translation that currently isn't able to finish to issues with rights.
55* ''Manga/HelenESP''. It's a two-volume manga about a blind, deaf and mute girl who finds out she has PsychicPowers, by the author of Manga/FrankenFran! ''Helen'' has interesting characters and can be quite [[SugarWiki/HeartwarmingMoments heartwarming]] at times.
56* Please give some love for this 2006 parody anime, ''Himesama Goyoujin''. It only had 12 episodes. It never got any regonization all these years since it's been fansubbed. It also never had its Website/TVTropes page yet. The story was interesting, the animation is great and it's directed by the same person as Manga/TheWorldGodOnlyKnows. So give it a try.
57* ''Manga/{{Holyland}}'' is similar to ''Manga/{{Worst}}'' below. ''Holyland'' features a more realistic, DarkerAndEdgier take on delinquents and street fights. The author knows a ''lot'' about street fights, and often uses narration and occasionally diagrams to explain fighting tactics, etc. (such as how to avoid injury when punching someone in the head, or how to take on a knife-wielder unarmed) as the characters demonstrate them. Interestingly, at the start of the series, the main character [[TheWoobie fits the timid, scared, bully-bait archetype perfectly]] – [[CowardlyLion except for his ability to knock a man out with one punch]].
58* ''Manga/HoneyAndClover'': A ten volume Manga series dealing with the trials and tribulations of young adulthood and love among a group of 20 something Art School students it has, simply put, one of the most touching endings anyone have read. All ten volumes were released in English (and the first few were serialized in Viz's ''Shojo Beat'' magazine, the now-defunct DistaffCounterpart to the U.S. ''Shonen Jump'') but this series never seemed to get much of an audience, which is a shame considering the funny and nuanced writing and character development which goes from broad comedy to heart achingly beautiful thoughts on love lost, love won, and love unrequited.
59* ''Hoshi no Umi no Amuri'': Many people think this three episode OVA is nothing but a hentai moe yuri ecchi fest. I've watched and rewatched this more than once, and it is definitely NOT what people claim it is. Just watch it and see for yourself! Admittedly, there are some small raunchy moments, but they're really small and forgettable.
60* ''Manga/HotarubiNoMoriE'' is a one-shot 45-minute OVA based off an equally short manga ... but don't let that put you off. It's a truly moving story with interesting if minimalist cast and a great style.
61* The 2010 shojo manga ''Manga/HouseOfTheSun'' has a lot going for it. It has great art, an interesting plotline, and is mostly original (or original as shoujo manga can be, anyway). Nevertheless, it isn't widely known. Also, there's none of that bishonen nonsense either, and usually, we don't have exaggerated situations or reactions. One of the best shojo manga out there currently in this troper's biased opinion.
62* ''Manga/{{IO}}'' Is a supernatural mystery romance harem drama psychological manga featuring SCUBA Diving, fanservice, mystery, and a lot else. Quiet obscure but readily available on scanlation sites.
63** Fair warning-the story starts out ''kind'' of slow, but it picks up quickly, so stick around for a bit and you just might enjoy yourself.
64* ''[[Manga/{{Is}} I"s]]'' is a gem of a 15-volume manga (adapted into a 6-part OVA) about a young man's struggle to capture the heart of his high school crush during the tumultuous and frustrating rite of adolescence. Officially it's a RomCom, but it can and does veer off into the serious and dramatic when it needs to, and pulls it off wonderfully. That it can handle jarring tone shifts and stay believable is due to the series' excellently written, engaging characters, all of whom go through significant character development over the years – yes, this series mostly averts ComicBookTime. The relationship between the two leads is handled well without becoming too cliched. Also, it is easily one of the most beautifully-drawn manga ''ever''.
65** If that all isn't enough to hook you, then the unceasing parade of ZettaiRyouiki, {{Panty Shot}}s, and gratuitous {{Fanservice}} [[MostWritersAreMale probably]] [[AllMenArePerverts will]].
66* ''Toys/{{Jewelpet}}''. Immensely popular in Japan, virtually unknown in America. Despite its cutesy-poo looks and premise, the anime should not be underestimated, as it can show some surprisingly thoughtful writing and realistic characters. Among the anime seasons, ''Anime/JewelpetTwinkle'' is almost universally considered the high point in the series, with its moe-tastic artstyle perfectly balanced with a deep and dramatic story. Sadly, even ''Twinkle'' eventually sunk into MainstreamObscurity at best or completely forgotten at worst, though it still has a small but dedicated fanbase even a decade after its debut. Meanwhile, ''Anime/JewelpetMagicalChange'' got VindicatedByHistory for good reasons: The underrated Luna is a main character for once, and Luea and Larimar are now main characters and far more badass than they were in ''Anime/LadyJewelpet'', which introduced them but heavily shafted the Jewelpets in favor of humans.
67* ''Anime/JuuniSenshiBakuretsuEtoRanger'' had a decent following in the Philippines, [[NoExportForYou the only country it was ever exported to]], but is almost entirely unknown nearly everywhere else. It's a charming take on the FracturedFairyTale genre with a lovable cast of {{Funny Animal}}s and, though somewhat formulaic at first and containing a few baffling decisions, it has a number of SugarWiki/HeartwarmingMoments, and [[KnightOfCerebus it gets very, very dark towards the end]] when the BigBad shows up. Also, it was made by the same company as the relatively famous ''Anime/SamuraiPizzaCats''.
68* ''Manga/KagerouNostalgia'' is an obscure manga, which thanks to ExecutiveMeddling, and sheer stupidity on the part of the publishing company (only licensing the second half, what's up with that?) has never been fully released here. This is too bad, as it's a genuinely interesting story, dealing with a group of reincarnated heroes trying to save an AU medieval Japan from their predecessors' mistakes. The series' is quite dark – the basic premise seems to have been "take a your classic shonen group and drop them in a CrapsackWorld" – and is unflinching in its portrayal of war and demonic attacks, with characters that are flawed and far from cliche. For anyone interested in reading it, here's a link to the first few volumes: http://www.mangareader.net/1477/kagerou-nostalgia.html
69* ''Manga/{{Kagetora}}''. Funny? Check. Great characters? Check. Running gags? Double Check. Great art style? Triple Check.
70* ''Anime/{{Kaiba}}'' is a short TwelveEpisodeAnime with a quirky cartoonish style. And if you go into it thinking that it's childish you're in for a very sharp surprise. Despite its cartoony style, it dives deep into the question of memories and connections between the soul and body. Whether love is something that resides in the memory, body, or both and if there is anything in the world that truly lasts forever. It's also one of those anime where everyone walks away with a different interpretation, due to some slight MindScrew and [[spoiler:GainaxEnding]]. Despite this, it is still an amazingly thought provoking series if you let yourself be immersed. That and it has an absolutely, hauntingly amazing soundtrack.
71** Masaaki Yuasa's works in general tends to be this, with ''Anime/MindGame'', ''Anime/{{Kemonozume}}'' and ''Literature/TheTatamiGalaxy'' coming to mind.
72* ''Manga/{{Kanamemo}}'' is a very funny show, with a pretty and colorful art style, fun and likable characters, an actual gay romantic relationship between two girls that is written well, probably one of the best scripts ever written with ''many'' quotable moments, is somehow able to do a good job handling the the drama involving the main character. Yet, its still ''very underrated'' and never really got much popularity in Japan (airing on TV Tokyo, nonetheless) [[ScrewedByTheNetwork to even warrant a second season]]. Even with Crunchyroll, it still hasn't garnered much attention. If you ask me, the series at least deserves 26 episodes, not half.
73* ''Manga/KazeToKiNoUta'': Despite being an award winning manga that helped revolutionize shoujo and was made into an OVA special, the series itself has had little attention outside of Japan and (to a lesser extent) Italy. Even scanlations have only covered less than half of the manga so far.
74* ''Kidou Senshi Gundam-san'', from the author of ''Manga/TheLegendOfKoizumi'' and ''Manga/GundamSousei''. It is an ''absolutely hilarious'' take on the [[Anime/MobileSuitGundam Universal Century]]. It features, for example, Char as a {{Cloudcuckoolander}}, Lalah as a [[BokeAndTsukkomiRoutine Tsukkomi to Char's Boke]], Amuro as a HormoneAddledTeenager, Sayla as a sadistic DoctorJerk and [[TeamPet Haro]] as actually being operated by some guy ''from the inside''. It also features the inspiring tale of [[TheHerosJourney The Hero's Journey]] of a lowly [[MechaMooks Zaku II]] (in which the original Gundam plays the role of the BigBad) and the surprisingly emotional story of the humble origins of the Zabi family, in which we can see young Garma as a CheerfulChild and young Gihren as a {{NEET}}. And all this is ''just the tip of the iceberg!''
75* ''Literature/{{Kieli}}'' is terribly obscure. It started as a light novel and was adapted into a wonderful manga. Definitely worth reading.
76** Seconded. It has a very thought-provoking underlying commentary on religious (in-universe, but could just as easily apply to IRL), and the relationship between ISeeDeadPeople heroine Kieli and Undying ex-soldier Harvey is built slowly, organically, and with a superb sense of friendship and love (whatever type of love you view it to be).
77* ''Manga/KingOfThorn'' is an action survival story set in the not-too-distant-future where a plague threatens to turn all of humanity to stone. The author, Yuji Iwahara (of ''Anime/DarkerThanBlack'' fame) uses zero screen tones and a fair amount of heavy blacked shading, which give the series a dramatic look. TheReveal at the very end may be noticeable for long-time sci-fi or mystery novel fans, but it's still kickass.
78* While ''Manga/TheKindaichiCaseFiles'' has a huge following in Japan, it didn't fare too well in America due to poor marketing on Tokyopop's part. Nevertheless, this series is a very well written mystery series that actively challenges the readers using nothing but pure logic. Magic? Hi-Tech Gadgets? AWizardDidIt? Not in this series.
79* ''Anime/KowarekakeNoOrgel'' (or "Half-Broken Music Box") has only one half hour OVA, but still manages to run the [[TearJerker emotional gauntlet]]. Similar to Chobits, it deals with a discarded little robot girl, the emotionally crippled teen who takes her in, and their summer together. ''Orgel'' is wonderfully drawn, poignant where it counts, and very worth your time.
80* Considering that ''Manga/{{Kurohime}}'' has marvellous character design, an interesting concept of magic, ''AND'' epic fights, you'd think shonen fans would be all over it. Alas...
81* ''Literature/KyoKaraMaoh'' is extremely well written and detail, with huge amounts of thought going in to every tiny aspect of the plot and the world it is set in, Additionally, all of the characters are amazing, and it's got a perfect balance of humor and seriousness. This is another series that had a great English dub that will never get finished, and that just generally doesn't have nearly as large a fanbase as a show of this caliber deserves.
82** An explanation for this is the difficulty in bringing in American audiences with fantasy action and heavy Yaoi influences. While there are fans of this, it's a smaller audience.
83* ''Manga/KyoumenNoSilhouette'' by Tamase Nagayama in the writing and Creator/YunaKagesaki (mostly known for ''Manga/{{Karin}}'') in the drawing. It tells the situation of a young androphobic princess who must take the throne of her country with she just being 15 years old. To have more protection, she looks for her BodyDouble...who turns to be a DudeLooksLikeALady farmer. The story has great comedy situations and heartwarming moments while the princess and her new male shadow start to adapt at their new lifes, responsibilities and each other but sadly there's only ''one'' circle translating the manga and hasn't gone beyond the '''''first''''' chapter.
84* ''Labyrinth of Flames'' is a 2-episode comedy OVA from Creator/StudioFantasia. Some anime fans have judged it without having watched it, assuming it was just a fanservice fest based on the screenshots. It's also pretty darn funny.
85* ''Manga/TheLegendOfMotherSarah'' is a must read for readers who are dying to read about a heroic, realistic, adult female protagonist with no super powers being badass and whose story does not revolve around men, relationships, sex, fashion or anything frivolous/girly, and with little to no gratuitous {{Fanservice}}. It's rather an [[TheEpic Epic]] with a lot of grim, serious and otherwise not very female-oriented themes (war, terrorism, survival, power struggles...) along with more female-friendly ones (motherhood, widowhood, [[GoodGirlsAvoidAbortion abortion]], [[NeverASelfMadeWoman making it as a woman alone]], family...). The whole thing written by the creator of ''Manga/{{Akira}}'', no less.
86* ''Literature/TheLegendOfTheLegendaryHeroes'' was betrayed by its redundant name and NonIndicativeFirstEpisode. Initial problems with the sub didn't help either. Despite the popularity of the original {{Light novel}}s, the anime is practically unknown.
87* ''Anime/LikeTheCloudsLikeTheWind'' is an anime movie so obscure that most anime fans have never even heard of it. [[AllAnimationIsDisney (Those that have often confuse it for a work by Studio Ghibli, thanks to its character design, its high quality, and the fact that the plot features a plucky young girl facing challenge and adversity. The film was actually animated by Studio Pierrot.)]] The plot is simple: a poor country girl is recruited (along with a bunch of other girls) to travel to the capital of Ancient China so she can be trained to become one of his concubines (and possibly, his head wife.) Reasons this film has remained in obscurity vary (it may have a lot to do with the film's bittersweet [[spoiler:HerHeartWillGoOn]] ending, or maybe the subject matter just doesn't appeal to anyone outside of Japan.) Regardless, this movie is definitely worth watching if you can hunt down a copy (There is at last one English fansub out there, floating around on some video sites...)
88* ''Manga/TheLuciferAndBiscuitHammer'' is a little known work with involving well-developed characters, great action, and an interesting story. Along with talking animals, psychic powers, golem, and a gigantic hammer bigger than the planet Earth.
89** "Interesting" being a severe understatement. It breaks a lot of the rules of most Shonen manga and has truly emotional moments.
90* ''Franchise/LupinIII'' is considered an important piece of both Japanese and Italian pop culture, but it never really caught on anywhere else, despite the efforts of Creator/{{Streamline|Pictures}}, Creator/{{Geneon}}, Creator/{{Funimation}}, Creator/{{Tokyopop}}, ''and'' Creator/{{Discotek|Media}} putting out tons of stuff in North America over the past twenty years. Which is a shame, considering the timeless characters, humor, and action throughout the franchise.
91* ''Anime/MacrossII'' was the first true sequel to the classic ''Anime/SuperDimensionFortressMacross'' series. Being done without the original creators' involvement has turned it into a black sheep of sorts within all of the ''Anime/{{Macross}}'' universe, even going so far as to declare it outside canon. While YMMV on its overall story, on its own merits, it stands as a great piece of anime, and its mecha (especially the GORGEOUS [=VF-2S=]), music and battles stand right there with some of the best in ''Macross''. Luckily, it has gotten a nod or two within canon (though with some {{Take That}}s as well), and even got its own campaign in the last PSP ''Macross'' game.
92* ''Anime/MagicalWitchPuniechan'' is not nearly as popular as ''[[Literature/BludgeoningAngelDokuroChan Dokuro-chan]]'', perhaps because the latter contains more explicit {{gorn}}.
93* ''Manga/MagusOfTheLibrary'', an ongoing seinen manga by Mitsu Izumi. It has intricate worldbuilding, beautiful artwork, and a story about the power of books and knowledge, starring a cast of [[BadassBookworm badass bookworms]].
94* ''Manga/{{Mahoraba}}'' at first glance looks like a cliche UnwantedHarem style comedy. It avoids that almost immediately and heads towards a surprisingly heartwarming SliceOfLife with some snarky, sarcastic wit and some of the most... [[{{Cloudcuckoolander}} interesting]] (and yet adorable) characters around. It's not afraid to pull your heartstrings, without being hokey, and the finale wraps everything up with a feeling like a great big hug in a warm sweater. Go read when you're feeling down and it's guaranteed to make you feel better.
95* ''Manga/MaisonIkkoku'' and ''Manga/UruseiYatsura'' really need more love. These are the earliest major series from Creator/RumikoTakahashi, best known for ''Manga/RanmaOneHalf'' and ''Manga/InuYasha''. All of her series are beloved in Japan, but these first two are tragically nearly unknown in the English-speaking world. ''Maison'' is often considered to be Takahashi's finest work. Both the manga and anime for ''Maison'' were fully released in English (though it took quite a long time for the anime's dub to be completed), but no one really cared until they were both long out of print. As for ''Urusei Yatsura'', its anime was released in full in North America, but by [[Creator/AnimEigo a small company]] and without a dub, thus limiting its exposure; Creator/{{Viz|Media}} only put out a couple dozen chapters of the manga before giving up and shifting their focus back to ''Ranma''.
96* ''Manga/MakenKi'' has gone largely unnoticed in the west by fans that're more familiar with the anime adaptation instead. Unfortunately, it's left many with the impression that it's [[BestKnownForTheFanservice pure fanservice]] with little else to show for it. Which is a shame, given the manga has ''[[SugarWiki/AwesomeArt much better art]]'', an intricate storyline, and awesone fight scenes. Most of which was [[AdaptationDeviation cut from the anime version.]]
97* ''Anime/MapleTown'' is a SliceOfLife anime from the mid 80's which stars a cute talking rabbit. The setting and atmosphere is pretty cute to watch.
98* ''Manga/MarchComesInLikeALion'', a SliceOfLife[=/=]drama detailing the life of a professional shogi player. The series is difficult to get into for some people due to the fact that shogi is a relatively unknown game outside of Japan. However, knowledge of the game itself is not a requirement to enjoy the subtle drama and heartwarming moments that come along with it.
99* ''Manga/MarchenAwakensRomance'' is a series created by Nobuki Anzai, the creator of ''Manga/FlameOfRecca''. There is hardly any fandom in the English due to one of the reviewers sites claiming that "It's just another one of those pointless action series". Has fully developed characters, intense action scenes, and for the anime extreme fanservice for the boys and [[YaoiFangirl girls]].
100* ''Manga/MeAndTheDevilBlues'' and ''Manga/TwoThousandOneNights'' are two very good manga but no one has heard of them before on either side of the Pacific. One is an absolutely beautiful Southern American gothic-horror story featuring a legendary blues musician and a legendary criminal getting into violent misadventures while the other is a collection of short stories written in the classic hard-scifi style of Arthur C. Clarke, full of [[TearJerker tearjerkers]] and all that good stuff.
101%%* ''Anime/MetalFightBeyblade'' needs some love! Just look at its page!
102* [[http://mangaway.net/manga/Metsuko+ni+Yoroshiku-9947/c001.html?id=281116 Metsuko ni Yoroshiku:]] A slice of life/ fighting manga about a fat high school girl beating the crap out of people. If this sounds dull, it's really not. This manga has some decent artwork, funny writing, and funny characters. It's currently ongoing.
103* ''Manga/MimiaHime'' - It's Tanaka Yutaka's first totally G-rated work...and it's still full of everything we love about it. SceneryPorn, mood whiplashes, tear jerkers, crowning moments of hearwarming, and warm fuzzies galore! It's only in its first volume with more to come, but there's no way this should be missed. It definitely stole my heart with its awesomeness, and it'll definitely steal yours too!
104* ''Anime/MomokoKaeruNoUtaGaKikoeruYo'': There aren't many anime that have actual physically or mentally disabled characters, but Momoko is a sweet story about a boy whose twin sister is disabled and has to deal with the fact that she's going to his school as part of an experiment in education.
105* ''Anime/{{Mononoke}}'' is an absolutely excellent little 12-episode series if you're the kind of person who enjoys SurrealHorror + PsychologicalHorror + MindScrew + [[SugarWiki/AwesomeArt awesome]] ''and'' [[DerangedAnimation surreal]] artwork.
106* The ''Anime/MonsterRancher'' anime had pretty much everything you could ask for in an anime--a deep storyline, plenty of [[SugarWiki/MomentOfAwesome Moments of Awesome]], knowing the stakes were serious, compelling characters, and a pretty good English dub. But it got sidelined by ''Pokémon'' and ''Digimon''. Their [[VideoGame/MonsterRancher video game series]] are also pretty much underrated for the same reasons as mentioned earlier.
107** And now it's getting the love it deserves, as Creator/DiscotekMedia just announced that they licensed this and are gonna release both the dub and original versions, ''Anime/SamuraiPizzaCats'' style!
108* ''Literature/MoribitoGuardianOfTheSpirit'' has almost everything fans ask for in an anime series: detailed art and animation, an engaging cast of characters, a unique setting along with tons of WorldBuilding, [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=al1CpCfSEHo choreographed fight scenes]] (much like ''[[WesternAnimation/AvatarTheLastAirbender Avatar]]'' and ''WesternAnimation/TheLegendOfKorra''), and a top-notch english dub. Yet, hardly anyone knows it even exists.
109* ''Manga/TheMoroseMononokean'', a manga that a person who likes youkai stories is going to enjoy. It's a really calm manga, and it can seem pretty simple at first, but the plot is actually interesting and there are some mysteries to solve yet. The characters are charismatic, both main and side characters, and the lead guys have a really good development, as well as the friendship between them. In general, is a very pleasent and sweet manga which doesn't count with all the love it deserves.
110* ''Manga/MotherKeeper'', a manga that I had to make the Website/TVTropes page for. It starts out acting like a dystopia, introducing your teenage main character who wants to destroy the city of Eden. Why? Because his dad is in charge of the rebellion and is the one who actually cares about taking down Eden. The main character grows from being a doormat to questioning everything he was ever taught, causing him to be confused about what really is right and wrong when you can see both perspectives. The art from the end of volume 5 on wards is fantastic and the strongest man in it is disabled. The story and characters are interesting and the subtlety of some things about both make it really enjoyable.
111* ''Anime/MouryouNoHako'', a one-of-a-kind, utterly mind-consuming mystery series, based on the ''excellent'' novel by Kyougoku Natsuhiko and animated by Madhouse's best (with character designs by Creator/{{CLAMP}}!). The script, atmosphere, acting, and plot are captivating and realistic but keep the eerie supernatural vibe present in Kyougoku's novel. And if you weren't already afraid of boxes, well... consider yourself warned.
112* ''Manga/MuhyoAndRoji'' is actually a great manga, even though the art style is a bit weird. Good character development, good spacing, amazing story-telling and awesome TearJerker moments, this absolutely SugarWiki/NeedsMoreLove. And it has very awesome TearJerker moments.
113* ''Musashi no Ken''. It's a kendo anime from the 80s and it's about 70 episodes long. No wonder many people don't know about it. But Justin Sevakis wrote a very well-informed article about it [[http://www.animenewsnetwork.com/buried-treasure/2013-02-19/pile-of-shame-musashi-no-ken here]]. Heck, it's so underrated that even in Japan the show is out of print!
114* ''Manga/{{Murcielago}}'' is a story about Kuroko Koumori, a life-long serial killer with 715 kills to her name formerly on death row, who works as an extremely controversial {{godzilla threshold}} for the police to track down and kill other serial killers they simply cannot handle...at least when she's not trying to get into the panties of the latest curvy number that she's helping. Joined by a cast of varied characters including her partner who has an excellent mental GPS and puts {{drives like crazy}} to ''exceptional'' use, her {{mafia princess}} girlfriend who's as violently protective as she is in love with her, and multiple other recurring characters. Not for those unable to handle graphic depictions of gory and brutal violence, but somehow manages to mix all of that with instances of fanservice, murderer manhunts, villains with varyingly sympathetic origins and motives, multiple dangling sequel hooks for previous arcs, and overhanging theme of the morality of using someone who is undeniably mentally imbalanced as a "fight fire with fire" approach.
115* ''Manga/{{Mushishi}}''. I love this anime, and it's pretty much a fresh breath from all the other anime out there... for when you just need a rest from crazy action and moe fanservice and what have you.
116* ''Manga/MyBrideIsAMermaid'': This show really deserves all the lovin' it can get. Please tell all of your friends about it. And anyone and everyone on the Internet who's willing to listen to you, for that matter. And tell them to do the same. And so forth. Just tell ''everybody'' about it, please. Maybe they'll actually make more episodes, and do so consistently, if you do.
117* ''Manga/MyLovelyGhostKana'' is a three volume manga that is one of the most beautifully written and illustrated and moving love stories I've ever read in ''any'' medium. It takes some of the most potentially darkest character backgrounds ever and turns them into a glorious celebration of life and love that will move you to happy tears many times over. The two main characters have sex often, invariably getting the title classified as {{hentai}}, which would undoubtedly turn many people off from reading it. But creator Creator/TanakaYutaka does a masterful job of storytelling that the sex is only a natural, playful and loving part of a relationship. The sexual content is much softer than most hentai, and it stops appearing in later chapters entirely. By the end, you'll have [[JustForFun/ComeForTheXStayForTheY completely forgotten]], and you'll feel like running outside and hugging someone.
118** It seems criminal to have Tanaka Yutaka's other magnum opus ''Manga/AiRen'' not included here. Read this, too.
119** Also his short story collection ''Virgin Night''. It's got much more of the sex but just as much story and is just as heartwarming as everything else he writes. Heck, if it has Tanaka-san's name on it, you probably should read it.
120* ''Anime/MysteriaFriends'' has been very unfairly overlooked despite having loads of [[SugarWiki/AwesomeArt gorgeous animation]], SceneryPorn, and memorable (and [[{{Moe}} adorable]]) characters. One doesn't need to know all the details of ''VideoGame/RageOfBahamut'' franchise it's a spin-off of to enjoy the show's uplifting and comforting atmosphere.
121* ''Manga/NiNoHimeNoMonogatari'' is a one-shot historical romance manga. It depicts a sweet and compelling romance between a princess and her personal guard. The two grow up together and slowly begin to depend on each other without realizing that they have fallen in love. The climax occurs when they must both make sacrifices for their love. The work is by Izumi Kaneyoshi.
122* ''Anime/NightHeadGenesis'' is a 24 episode anime series about two brothers with psychic powers who escape the research center they've been locked up in since they were kids. All they want is a normal life, but plenty of people want to take advantage of their powers. Not to mention the fact that they're supposed to lead some sort of 'revolution.' Although the plot seems kind of cliche at first, the way it's handled is rather original. And the music is beautiful. [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jbYKTfDhlQw Just listen to the opening theme.]] There's also a manga adaption with absolutely gorgeous artwork, but only two volumes are released in English so far with no news on the third volume and the story is compressed to the point where it can sometimes be difficult to follow. Everyone who knows about this series adores it, but very few people actually know about it. Give it some love people!
123* ''Manga/NightmareInspector'' is an interesting and well-written horror/mystery manga about a [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Baku_(spirit) Baku]] named Hiruko. He helps people with their nightmare, and in exchange he gets to eat the nightmare after it has been resolved. The manga is tragically obscure, unfortunately. The fact that the English version is now out of print certainly doesn't help matters. If you enjoyed ''Manga/XxxHolic'', no doubt you'll enjoy ''Nightmare Inspector''.
124* ''Manga/{{Nightschool}}'', by Svetlana Chmakova (better known for ''Manga/{{Dramacon}}''). This is another example of her work that manages to break the rather crummy expectations and opinions most people have of OELManga. Give it a look if you've got, say, just 20 minutes and an internet connection.
125* ''Manga/{{Ninku}}'' is a fun adventure series about ninjas, with an enjoyable cast of main characters and a lot of exciting, fast-paced action scenes. This series actually served as the inspiration for ''Manga/{{Naruto}}'', but unfortunately it's very, ''very'' obscure. There are no reviews online and its fanbase is all but non-existant. Even in Japan, the series was only moderately popular during the time of its release, and the only part that's been dubbed, or even ''licensed'', for American audiences is a short movie released as a double feature with the ''Manga/YuYuHakusho'' movie.
126* ''Anime/NyanpireTheAnimation'' is a cute and funny anime series about a vampire cat that goes through cute and mostly hilarious antiques with his friend, Masamunya,Nyatenshi, and Chachamaru. The anime is based on an ongoing manga a series in Japan originally called "The Gothic World Of Nyanpire". The anime only has 12 episodes, and is a good anime to watch during the Fall or Halloween season. If your a fan of {{Goth}},vampires, or cats then you would enjoy this anime. Nyanpire in general, is popular in Japan and is filled with merchandise.
127* ''Anime/MissHokusai'' is a beautiful episodic tale about the daughter of one of Japan's most famous painters. It combines elements of love, sickness, sensuality, lineage that is simple in scope but powerful in effect.
128* ''Manga/NurseAngelRirikaSOS'' is a fun MagicalGirlWarrior anime about a girl who answers a CallToAdventure offered by a messenger from a foreign world to help him fight off malevolent aliens. And why? Because she thinks he's dreamy. It's not as well known; probably because Sailor Moon Super S was airing at the time. The show itself is sweet, fun, genuine, and very adorable… but don't think it's bad! Oh no! It definitely has its crowning moments of awesome and when it comes to tear jerkers it does ''not'' mess around.
129* ''Anime/OhEdoRocket'' is a comedy/drama/sci-fi anime, and one of the only anime based on a live play instead of a manga, set in Edo during the 1800's. But it is by no means a period piece- while the story is heavy most of the time, [[GagSeries the comedy really sets the tone for the show]] in the forefront. The characters are quirky and simple to understand, there are more [[AnachronismStew Anachronism Stews]] than Disney's ''Hercules'', the art style is a bit separate from the usual anime fare, and both the Japanese recording and the English dub break the fourth wall regularly. It's fun, upbeat, and jazzy. However, no one seems to remember it after its initial airing in 2007, and the [=DVDs=] for the dub don't seem to be selling well.
130* ''Manga/{{Oldboy}}'' is a "revenge story" comic series that you've probably seen [[Film/Oldboy2003 the movie of]]. Bearing parallels to ''Literature/TheCountOfMonteCristo'', ''Oldboy'' is about a Japanese man who, after being imprisoned without provocation, is finally released after ten years; setting out to find out why he was kidnapped, Mister/"Yamashita"[[note]] (You don't find out about his past or real name until later when it's relevant)[[/note]] soon finds himself making [[AbsurdlyHighStakesGame the ultimate gamble]]. Outshone by its DarkerAndEdgier Korean adaptation by Creator/ParkChanWook, ''Oldboy'' is still pretty darn good in itself; however, since the movie chose [[TheToothHurts tooth pulling with a claw hammer]], [[{{Squick}} eating a real living squid]] and a more extreme ending, the manga that relies more on drama, tension and reveals appears [[LighterAndSofter pretty light-hearted by comparison]], and continues somewhat unnoticed.
131* ''Anime/PetitePrincessYucie'' is a 2003 anime that shares a surprising amount of elements with [[WesternAnimation/MyLittlePonyFriendshipIsMagic a certain phenomenally popular Western cartoon that came out seven years later]]: Cute character designs, lovable and surprisingly well-developed characters that work well with each other, a fairy-tale fantasy setting, a mixture of Slice of Life and adventure storylines, a focus on the PowerOfFriendship with all the heartwarming that comes with it, all hidden behind a cavity-inducing title. It also has a significant focus and mature take on father-daughter relationships. It was released in America at the tail-end of the early-mid 2000s anime boom and given a surprisingly good dub, but was given no publicity and was ignored among all the other animes released, including being rarely stocked by brick and mortar stores (at a time when B&Ms stocked most new animes).
132* ''Anime/PokemonChronicles'' is so obscure it didn't even have its own page for years! ''Chronicles'' was a side stories SpinOff where Ash Ketchum didn't appear, instead giving the spotlight to his friends. The series has good animation that holds up well (and especially good for 2006), interesting ideas and creative episode plots, and all of the original characters have kept their personality and charisma from the original series. Unfortunately, it has been forgotten by most who saw it. It deserves much, much more than it got.
133%%* ''Anime/PopeeThePerformer''
134* ''Anime/PopolocroisMonogatari'' is a 1998 anime which was made to be a direct sequel to the first game in the [[VideoGame/{{Popolocrois}} video game franchise of the same name]]. It is just ''adorable''. The soundtrack is dreamy and neat, the animation is very clean and done well with soft colors, the characters are very well rounded and well developed, the so-called filler episodes expand greatly on the characters and have an impact on the story, and it averts and subverts so many anime tropes it's not even funny. You may think certain characters are going to be an IdiotHero or a ClingyJealousGirl or everything else of that caliber, but fear not, as its characters are VERY well developed, even though they may not look it. Most people are turned off by the cutesy character designs and the fact that it's based on an RPG, but they really need to look past those things in order to see the great story that it is. Not only that, it managed to get some really suggestive things (NOT sexual!!!) despite its innocent nature (the best example is in episode 11), and it's been blessed with one of the [[EvilIsHammy hammiest and funniest villains in the form of Demon King GamiGami]], who is awesome. You'd think something like this would be picked up by a US licensor or broadcasted on a children's channel like Creator/NickToons or Creator/CartoonNetwork, but nobody seems to know it exists! What a pity, as it definitely SugarWiki/NeedsMoreLove!
135* ''Manga/RainbowNishaRokubouNoShichinin'' sure as hell needs some more love! It tells the story of six inmates locked in a Japanese prison ten years following UsefulNotes/WorldWarII, and about the struggle they take in order to survive. The writing is very effective, the characters are well developed (at least enough to gather a strong and realistic sense of camaraderie amongst them) and contains some excellent voice acting. If you're squeamish (and believe me, it can get pretty {{Squick}} inducing) it's understandable, but if you can power through the harshness, you'll be justly rewarded.
136* ''Manga/{{Ray}}'', by Yoshitomi Akihito. You'd believe that an action-packed manga with a likeable heroine who is CursedWithAwesome (X-ray eyes), quite a bit of [[HospitalHottie medical-related fanservice]], a lot of shoutouts to ''Manga/BlackJack'', ''Manga/{{Akira}}'' and other classics, and a rich argument delving with the life of the terminally ill, cloning ethics, sacrificing for the greater good and other strong topics would have gained some following. However, it has become largely forgotten. Pity!
137* ''Anime/RealDrive'' is an anime created by Masamune Shirow and Creator/ProductionIG (the same people who produced ''Manga/GhostInTheShell''). It is highly enjoyable, having a [[SugarWiki/HeartwarmingMoments heartwarming story]] and some of [[SugarWiki/AwesomeMusic the best music]] I've heard in a while. It's beautifully animated – Creator/ProductionIG did a superb job and paid even the smallest details attention. The end result is an anime that is filled to the brim with SceneryPorn: one can almost feel the warm tropical sun on them as they watch. There's no defined storyline: in a sense, it's like a slice of life show that proceeds at a casual, relaxed pace that shows how technology has come to affect humanity in ways we cannot imagine. Despite having all the elements of a good slice-of-life/speculative fiction type anime, it remains virtually unrecognized by the anime community.
138* ''Manga/RedRiver1995'' is a 28 volume manga filled with beautiful art, {{Bishonen}} and romance, while still keeping the reader interested with historical information, action, war, gory deaths and the reader notices the character development the [[OrdinaryHighSchoolStudent main character]] goes through. And yet this manga has not yet seen any sign of being made into an anime series or an OVA.
139* ''Manga/RokudenashiBlues'' is one of the best high school delinquent stories ever. Not only are the action scenes intense, but most of the characters, including the non-delinquents, are really well developed. And main character Maeda is one of the most CrazyIsCool, HotBlooded, and [[IdiotHero idiotic]] heroes ever to grace a shounen manga. However, even the scanlations have pretty much stopped...
140* As it says on the page ''Literature/ScrappedPrincess'' is an absolutely fantastic show... and yet no one ever talks about it. Perhaps the title has something to do with it. It's pretty much Creator/StudioBones' forgotten masterpiece, airing between ''Anime/WolfsRain'' and ''Anime/FullmetalAlchemist2003'' in 2003. With an absolutely ''epic'' storyline combining fantasy and science fiction, interesting characters, strong production values, and an excellent dub including the likes of Creator/KariWahlgren, Creator/MichelleRuff, Creator/YuriLowenthal, and ''Creator/CrispinFreeman'', this truly is one of the better shows you're probably not watching.
141* ''Anime/SDGundamForce'': A [[CelShading CG anime]] based off a long-running series of [[AffectionateParody Affectionate Parodies]]. One of the most interesting, and underrated entries of the ''Franchise/{{Gundam}}'' franchise. When it first aired, ''SDGF'' was flamed to a crisp by many as nothing more than a LighterAndSofter perversion of the Gundam franchise. However, there's a surprising amount of depth hidden beneath the cutesy exterior, ranging from extended [[MythologyGag Mythology Gags]] to deeper characterization than one would expect from something that looks so adorable.
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143* ''Anime/ShinguSecretOfTheStellarWars''. It's like ''Manga/AzumangaDaioh'' before ''Azumanga Daioh'' ever existed. It also has aliens and a HumongousMecha. But everyone was expecting loads of HumongousMecha/alien fights instead of SliceOfLife which is why you've never heard of the show. Though the [=DVDs=] are fairly cheap now and it has an English dub.
144* ''Literature/ShonenOnmyouji'': The first episode may be a bit cliche, and the premise itself is rather off-putting, but don't you dare pass this off as another monster fighting show. It delves into some pretty deep stuff, especially in that ungodly awesome second half, where everything, even the smallest of details nobody would even notice, come together in the most awesome way possible. It also has one of the best, most bittersweet endings I've ever seen.
145* ''Anime/{{Simoun}}''. At first glance, it's a fetishistic yuri series where you get to see girls kiss each other. In reality, it's a moving war-drama, with political intrigue, well-handled religious elements, and a great soundtrack to boot.
146* ''Manga/SpaceBrothers'' is an incredibly [[SugarWiki/HeartwarmingMoments heartwarming]] and inspiring manga and anime series that, despite being very popular in Japan, has a very small following in the US. The series focuses on the newly unemployed Mutta as he rekindles his dream of becoming astronaut. However Mutta struggles to follow in the footsteps in his younger brother Hibito, who's slated to become the first Japanese man on the moon. What makes this show truly special is that it doesn't follow most anime troupes, making it very accessible to even those not familiar or a fan of anime. It's also a very pro-NASA/JAXA/Space Travel show with a very positive take on American (and global) culture.
147* ''Anime/SpiderRiders'': A highly underrated anime, due to its GenreBusting nature. Drawing its premise from (however losely) the ''Literature/JourneyToTheCenterOfTheEarth''. An interesting combination of SliceOfLife comedy and WarIsHell drama, with humans fighting Insectoid lifeforms while riding atop… believe it or not, [[GiantSpider Giant Spiders]]. All while [[AnAesop pointing out]] that prejudice and revenge are pointless and only cause suffering.
148* ''Anime/SpringAndChaos'': an autobiographical OVA base on the life of Kenji Miyazawa, one of Japan's most famous poets. It's directed by ''Creator/ShojiKawamori'' (the ''Anime/{{Macross}}'' guy), no less. It's one of the most moving films you'll ever see.
149* ''Anime/StarDriver'' is an excellent new anime from ''Manga/SoulEater'' director Takuya Igarashi and ''Anime/RevolutionaryGirlUtena'' and ''Anime/{{FLCL}}'' writer Yoji Enokido (who also created ''Manga/OuranHighSchoolHostClub'' together), animated by Creator/StudioBones. The show shares a bevy similarities to the formula of ''Anime/RevolutionaryGirlUtena'', so much so that it's been called that show's spiritual successor, and contains several {{Shout Out}}s to a lot of other well-known anime. The story so far takes an approach that's sadly become rare these days: the overall plot remains a mystery, while the show delicately teases the viewers with new information on what's really going on. It does this by focusing on specific characters each episode and digging deeper into their backstory, revealing their perspective on this series of bizarre events and people on this peculiar island. This is all topped off with beautiful animation, interesting and likeable characters, incredible music, and an overall sense of fun. That's the beauty of the series; it doesn't take itself too seriously at all. Sure, it is a bit formulaic, but it's to be expected from a show that takes so many cues from ''Utena''. Sadly, and partly due to the fact that it's a completely original work not adapted from anything, the show hasn't gotten nearly the TV ratings it deserves in Japan nor the attention it deserves in North America. Maybe its popularity will come once it's finished, but only time will tell.
150* ''Manga/StealthSymphony'' is an epic/urban Fantasy written by ''Literature/{{Durarara}}'''s writer Narita Ryougo, which has an awesome cast, artwork and a storyline that is much more complex than it initially offers. Unfortunately, it had a low ranking, and the magazine it was published in decided to stop it in favour of more popular mangas, forcing it to end in a rather abrupt and hurried manner.
151* ''Manga/SugarSugarRune'' is a great manga series that manages to have good character development while growing into a big fantasy adventure, not to mention Moyocco Anno's SugarWiki/AwesomeArt and yet... not many people know about it. The fact that the anime turned it into a more [[LighterAndSofter typical magical girl series]], removing its more unique elements, and not adapting most of the story (not even its amazing ending) may have contributed to its lack of appreciation. Had it been TruerToTheText it would probably be more beloved.
152* I'm quite suprised that there is no one mentions ''Manga/SweetBlueFlowers''. Being created by the same author of ''Manga/WanderingSon'', this series being one of few YuriGenre works who willing portray gay romance without fetishtic undertones. It's a shame this series rarely gets recognition.
153* Many fans of the ''Anime/PrettyCure'' franchise absolutely hated ''Anime/SuitePrettyCure'' when it first came out, namely because it came right after the critically acclaimed ''Anime/HeartcatchPrettyCure'', and it was seen as completely inferior to it, making it the ''Sailor Moon [=SuperS=]'' of the franchise. This hate is completely undeserved, as I'm through a huge majority of the series, and if you ask me, I think it's a great show in its own right. The transformation sequences are a visual orgasm with surprisingly good CG, the characters, while a bit bland, do develop and are actually quite realistically handled (I especially adore Ako. Seriously, why do people hate her?! I hear it's because she's a BrattyHalfPint but she's actually not like that. People should be happy she's not whiny or annoying like [[Anime/SailorMoon Chibiusa]]!), the premise might be a bit flimsy but there's actually quite a bit of FridgeBrilliance to it if you really think about it, and the villains are actually quite good in the later half of the series. I love Heartcatch just as much as the next person, but Suite really doesn't deserve the crap it gets from the fandom. I will admit, the fights between Hibiki and Kanade do get annoying, but they fade quickly, plus I find it realistic that even friends get into fights, emphasizing that friendships aren't always rock solid. I really liked that. The best part? You know how in ''Franchise/{{Pokemon}}'' where the villains make an obvious plan to do bad things to them and the heroes are so stupid they don't figure it out and fall for it anyway? You won't find that in Suite! Thank GOD, they actually make the characters extremely smart and crafty in this series! Somebody finally gets it! It may not be the best ''Anime/PrettyCure'' series in the franchise, but it's definitely one of my favorites.
154* ''Anime/{{Symphogear}}''. Read a review. It'll have you thinking its a terrible series. In reality, its amazingly well done, with gorgeous animation, in-depth characters and appears to be inspired by ''Nanoha'', and later on ''Madoka'', the two magical girl series that turned the genre on its head and kicked it sideways. Symphogear gets lumped in with things like Precure because of its plot based on the power of music. It's got a great plot, at times very dark and mature moments (child slavery and abuse is dealt with), kick-ass action, a soundtrack that belongs on the SugarWiki/AwesomeMusic page, and lovable characters. It ''was'' well known enough to get a second season, but much of the criticism is still hanging around.
155* The ''Toys/{{Tamagotchi}}'' series of virtual pet toys got an [[Anime/{{Tamagotchi}} anime TV show]] that aired in Japan from late 2009 to early 2015. It was successful enough in Japan to sustain 271 episodes and has had decent success in some other parts of Asia, such as Hong Kong. The rest of the world, on the other hand, seems to be out of luck. The first 26 episodes have been dubbed and aired in English... [[NoExportForYou but only in Australia]]. Later, the ''Yume Kira Dream'' saga was adapted into an English-dubbed webtoon called Tamagotchi Friends... but only the first seven episodes were adapted, and the episodes were shortened to be 3-4 minutes long. The only time the series in its entirety has been dubbed was in Cantonese for the aforementioned Hong Kong, and the anime's lack of presence elsewhere has made it noticeably more obscure than the virtual pets it's based on. Which is quite a shame, as the series is actually pretty great, with charming episodes, enjoyable characters, animation and art direction that lives up to other animes, a strong balance of humor and heart, and several fantastic original songs, all with the source material being digital pet toys that don't offer much material to work with.
156* Got to make a shout out to ''Manga/TegamiBachiLetterBee'', a charming, gorgeously textured manga about a weepy letter courier and his many adventures. It has a deceptively cutesy, storybook style that may throw older viewers off; but it's well juxtaposed against a world two hairs shy of {{crapsack|World}} territory. In addition to a highly original, intensely complicated plot that evolves with the characters. It's a modest, yet immense series; chock full of {{Woobie}}s, {{Tearjerker}}s, [[CosmicHorrorStory epic, Lovecraftian storylines]], and just the right helping of {{Fanservice}}. And it's also just really, really pretty. Needless to say, it is woefully underrated.
157* ''Anime/{{Texhnolyze}}'' has not only an indepth story line expressing such deep concepts as fate, existence and humanity but has the guts to be challenging from haveing an intro episode with less than five words to one of the bleakest endings I have ever seen it deserves more love for being so daring if not only for the drop dead gorgeous ending theme and having such great epicness that must be experienced.
158* ''Manga/ThereBeyondTheBeyond'' (or just ''Beyond the Beyond'' in North America) is a six-volume shonen manga with beautiful art and a fun, engaging adventure story, but has had terrible luck reaching English audiences in any official capacity. Tokyopop invested almost nothing into translating it and cancelled the translation due to lack of sales, and Chuang-Yi in Singapore only made it to the fifth book before encountering legal problems that prevented them from finishing translating the series.
159* ''Manga/{{Toriko}}'', while beloved in its homeland of Japan, definitely needs more love in the rest of the world. Aside from the unique concept of hunting food in away similar to ''VideoGame/MonsterHunter'', there's several chapters devoted to eating the captured ingredients and not only is it delicious, it's insane. It will make you want to eat while reading the series or watching the anime. Not to mention the action in the series is fantastic. It starts off a bit slow, but if you grind through it, it ends up being an awesome read.
160* ''Literature/TheTwelveKingdoms''. Doesn't matter whether you're talking about the original novels or the anime; both are amazing. Do you like world-building? If so then ''this is the series for you''. In addition to the unique setting (about which a lot of care is taken to explain), the major characters are complex and engaging and go through significant, meaningful development. The only downside is that the series is unfinished even in Japan despite the author still being alive – she caught a bad case of AttentionDeficitOohShiny and abandoned the series to rewrite some earlier works.
161** The anime deserves props for successfully adapting what is on the surface an incredibly difficult work. Instead of just one realistic character who's struggling with being taken to another world, we get three to start off with, and they all deal with their problems differently – one is TheChosenOne who must adapt but is having a hard time of it; one is a fantasy geek who wants to stay; and the third just wants to go home. Naturally, the focus is on the first, and her character growth has to be seen to be believed. The anime stopped 20 episodes earlier than intended due to wanting to avoid [[OvertookTheManga making stuff up that might be contradicted by later novels]], but what we got is wonderful. Watch it. You won't regret it.
162* ''Manga/UmiNoMisaki'': Can anyone say ''Manga/AiYoriAoshi'' quality harem romance done on a tropic island with a touch of supernatural thrown in? If you liked ''Ai Yori Aoshi'', you seriously need to look at ''Umi no Misaki''.
163* ''Manga/UshioAndTora'' is a 312 chapter Shonen manga with fun characters and a great art style. It has a feel of ''Manga/NurahiyonNoMago'', ''Manga/{{Inuyasha}}'', and ''Manga/YuYuHakusho'' in its mythos, art, and fighting style. The two main characters are OrdinaryHighSchoolStudent Ushio Aotsuki and his Bakemono partner Tora, an extremely powerful demon that was pierced by the demon spear.
164** Seconded; the manga has a lot of heart for a shounen, and the title leads have amazing chemistry together to prove they are truly inseparable, and they, too, have awesome interactions with other characters. The 2015 anime deserves mention as it went under a lot of people's radars when it aired, which is a shame as it was well-adapted by MAPPA despite a lot of stories being cut out for time. If anything, at least watch it for the villain, as brilliantly voiced by Creator/MegumiHayashibara.
165* ''Manga/{{Variante}}'' is a [[TearJerker sad]] 19-issue manga involving a dead girl coming back to life, a secret government agency that wishes to use her, and monsters that they are tasked with both fighting and hiding from the public.
166* ''Manga/WanderingSon'': It garnered some attention when the anime premiered, but was quickly overshadowed by ''Anime/PuellaMagiMadokaMagica''.
167* ''Manga/WatashiNoMessiahSama'', a compelling and well-woven tale of despair, betrayal, strife, and ultimately, hope from the creator of ''Manga/HeavensLostProperty'' Sure, the art starts off bad and the story gets confusing at times, but the sheer human aspect of being a messiah is visited in this manga. Not to mention its heartwarming and awesome moments...
168* ''Manga/WJuliet'' is a romantic, very funny, well drawn, artistic, and dramatic manga with a High School [[GenderBender gender bender]] plot, but few have even heard of it. Due to it being made 1997-2002, book stores don't usually carry it and it's nearly impossible to find outside of conventions or the internet so it's very unlikely to develop a following from people new to manga.
169* Virtually ANYTHING in the Anime/WorldMasterpieceTheater, especially ''Anime/LesMiserablesShojoCosette''. A lot of people think it's a moe-fied and kiddiefied version of the books they're based on. I have seen the entire series, and while it has been made kid friendly, it is ANYTHING BUT a moefied production. The anime still retains the dark atmosphere, the characters are amazing, and while some important parts were cut out, others were left intact. Of course, this also applies to every other anime in the World Masterpiece Theater too, even though they're becoming more well known. Also, NO anime in the WMT has any of the things modern anime do (except maybe LWAAS) like over-exaggerated expressions (creepy or chibi), none of the characters have rainbow colored hair or disproportionate body parts (especially boobs), and the stories of all the shows are actually simple, but are executed so wonderfully.
170** It's a shame that these shows don't have enough interest in the anglosphere for them to get licensed. The ''Anne of Green Gables'' adaptation has never been aired for English Canadians! Despite being directed by ''Anime/GraveOfTheFireflies'' director Creator/IsaoTakahata.[[note]]There's an English dub produced in South Africa for SABC, and the French dub has been aired on Radio-Canada.[[/note]] But one thing you have to appreciate about WMT series (and anything made by Nippon, for that matter, see the original ''Manga/HunterXHunter'' adaptation) is how they can stretch the premise and plot of a single novel/manga for 52 episodes while actually [[AdaptationExpansion enhancing the source material's characters and world]] and even giving some secondary characters more screentime as opposed to dropping in a quickly-written filler arc. The best example would be ''Anime/ThreeThousandLeaguesInSearchOfMother'', which took ''a single chapter'' of the Italian novel ''Cuore (Heart)'' and turned it into an entire show.
171* ''Manga/{{Worst}}'', a manga by Takahashi Hiroshi that doesn't even have its own TV Tropes page. It's about high school {{delinquents}} (pretty much all are the major character type) at Suzuran, a high school known for being filled with strong delinquents. They form factions, get into street fights, and generally try to prove that they're the best around. Additionally, ''Manga/{{Crows}}'' by the same author, which actually came before ''Worst'' (''Worst'' is the sequel series to ''Crows'').
172* ''Manga/YellowDragonGaArawareta!'': A MadScientist tries to summon the dreaded Yellow Dragon. He was expecting a huge, fearsome beast, but gets a LittleMissSnarker instead. She's still the real thing, though! HilarityEnsues.
173* ''Manga/ZeroMatsumotoTaiyou'': A brutal boxing manga about an undefeated champion with the nickname Zero. The artstyle is idiosyncratic, but the artist definitely knows what he's doing, and some pages are downright beautiful. At only two volumes, it's a fairly quick read and a must for any fan of boxing or fighting manga.

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