so I’ve been always looking for shows (movies) with low appearances but are good. you could call them hidden gems anime, a good fitting name for them, anything good these days has a fair amount of fans. but a lot of people are missing out on these hidden show’s which I’m gonna show in this list. I found them by luck and gave them a watch and got really surprised on how much I’m missing out on, (“I knew anime was this good but it can be that good”) was my thought’s straight after I finished them I felt empty but overwhelmed by the beauty of it.
some shows are simply better than other’s by animation some by music some by the story but I just listed my top-rated show’s that I personally call hidden gems. this list is truly based on my feeling towards the anime’s and I wish to share them with you. this list is not in any order.
15. Umi ga Kikoeru.
this movie is really a hidden gem for many reasons. many people might disagree with me on this but I really really enjoyed this anime with the beautiful animation it’s no surprise coming from studio Ghibli the story might be lacking here and there but if you ignore that you really can enjoy it in and out.
it’ll make you feel the bittersweet of an unfulfilled love. though this movie has more to it than that after you watch and see.the story resolves around Morisaki Taku and Matsuno Yutaka there both best friends. set in there high school days when a girl comes from Tokyo transfers to their school named Muto Rikako. a loner you could say excluding herself from any social activities in her school.
And so Matsuno slowly develops a crush on Muto. although Morisaki and Rikako start spending more time together. and rumors get worse around school about them. but Morisaki still insists there is nothing between him and Rikako.
14. Mobile Suit Gundam 0080: War in the Pocket.
this show is for the mecha lover’s it’s simple yet so impactful. it’s an ova of a side-story to the Gundam franchise, you don’t need to have watched anything Gundam related to understand this it’s pretty easy going story-wise but somehow it managed to deliver and it delivered very well.
this show can be binge-watched in one sitting it isn’t that long it consists of 6 episodes, watching it in one go would really be worth the time you put in. even if you hate or dislike mecha you highly give this a chance.
it’s a story that revolves around a 10-year-old called Alfred Izuruha who lives in a neutral space colony of side 6. as a normal kid he was interested in the war that’s going in between the earth federation and the Principality of Zeon. Al’s next-door neighbor, Christina, is the test pilot of a prototype Gundam being developed in secret by the Earth Federation in the colony.
A Zeon Special Forces team is assembled and tasked with infiltrating the colony in order to either steal or destroy it. When a skirmish breaks out between the Federation and infiltrating Zeon forces, the fascinated Alfred stumbles upon a Zaku mobile suit that has been shot down, piloted by Zeon rookie Bernard “Bernie” Wiseman. After this encounter, the two start a mutual friendship, so Alfred can learn more about the war that interests him so much, and Bernie can acquire inside information about the colony to aid his team’s mission.
13. Roujin Z.
This anime is one of those rare gems that you find occasionally, that once you start you know has the potential to be very good. It’s even more fulfilling to find out by the end of one of these that your expectations have not only been met but exceeded.
With a unique premise and a definite direction, this is by far one of the best stand-alone OVA’s I’ve ever seen. Also I’d like to note that this feels much more like a movie than an OVA and rightfully so considering the running time of about 1h20m. this was a joy ride for sure with really well animation for its time and a good story to it I really enjoyed this one a lot.
The Z Project was intended to give the new generation a break from caring for the old. The original intention was to create a machine to care for them without any intervention. it was a great idea at first.
and many of the young approved of it. but when old Mr. Takazawa become the test subject for the Z-001 machine, Haruko was appointed to look after him. questioned both the tactics of the hospital and the moral implications of the machine. but this is just the beginning until the machine goes crazy and the fun starts.
12. Mirai Shounen Conan.
and finally this show. I literally grew up watching and re-watching this show over and over and still enjoying the hell out of it I still do. this is an absolute adventure and a good one. this show has amazing characters with a beautiful story one. I know I’m praising this show too much but it’s because all of us have that’s amazing something that we just can’t shut up about lol.
this show also got directed by nonother than Hayao Miyazaki one of his best works(for me personally), this guy anything he puts his hand on won’t ever result in disappointing you. and the world has a set of its own that’s what amazed my kid self it has those flying machines and a crazy protagonist that would do literally anything to reach his goals.
yeah I should point out it’s made for children but there’s something about old kids anime that gets everyone hooked and end everything with a smile and that feeling of satisfaction inside you is just too good.
July 2008. Mankind was faced with the threat of extinction. An ultra-magnetic weapon, far more devastating than any nuclear weapon known, destroyed half the world in an instant. The earth’s crust was rocked by massive movements, the earth was thrown off its axis, and the five continents were torn completely apart and sank deep below the sea… leaving no more than just little habitable land for the people that survived from that monstrous explosion.
The attempt by a number of people to flee to outer space failed. Their spaceships were forced back to the earth and vanished with their hopes shattered. But one of the spaceships narrowly escaped destruction and crash-landed on a small island which had miraculously survived the devastation.
The crew members of the spaceship settled there, as if they were seeds sown on the island. After years, a boy was born. He was a new life in the desert, a ray of light in the darkness of the annihilated earth…
11. Flip Flappers.
flip flappers now that’s a weird name isn’t it? I was really excited/confused when I started it, it was just a super mixture of (“what’s going on?”). but I actually enjoyed it a lot, to say the least, the thing is that it had that really godly animation I was blown by it I was expecting you’re normal animation or even lower the reason was that we didn’t hear about it being promoted like any other anime that has good animation or anything else.
I went through the first 3-5 episodes for the first day and I was confused as to what is the actual anime was talking about but by progressing slowly you’ll understand it and this show really needs to be more popular it really needs more exposure and I hope it does.
Cocona is living with her grandma a normal life. soon she met a strange girl named papika that asked her to join an organization named flip flap. Cocona finds herself in a bizarre alternate dimension a world of Pure Illusion helping Papika look for crystal shards that was the main goal Upon completing their mission, Papika and Cocona are sent to yet another world in Pure Illusion.
As a dangerous creature besets them, the girls use their crystals to transform into magical girls Cocona into Pure Blade, and Papika into Pure Barrier and they start fighting back. and so they started to learn to work together and synchronize their feelings in order to transform more effectively.
10. Angolmois: Genkou Kassenki.
now, this is one of my personal favorites. this hurts because this show is truly a hidden gem a mere couple of people know about it. but those who do. know how good it is. it has bloodshed it has action, military and historical and it offers that rightfully it’s mature and that’s rare nowadays thanks to censorship. what’s cool is this story happened.
everything this anime offers is good, but the ending was open hinting that there might be a season two but until now there are no rumors of such which is sad but all that aside this is a show you should invest your time in. and truly enjoy this piece of work.
this is an adaption of the manga Angolmois: Genkou Kassenk. In the 13th century talking about a real story when the Mongolian rapidly expands across the globe invasion on japan The battle for Tsushima Island.
The big incident “Genkou” that shook medieval Japan is being drawn in an original way in this historical anime, along with the beginning of the Samurai! talking about the exiled samurai Jinzaburou Kuchii is in Kamakura when he finds himself face to face with this invasion. it shows how the people of Tsushima island panicked, struggled, and eventually rose against the overwhelming forces of their enemy.
9. Kanashimi no Belladonna.
hentai. now everyone knows about hentai and some watch it, but this one masterpiece gets ignored because it’s labeled with hentai. I mean who wants to watch an old weird hentai most do and I did. but it’s not a hentai it just isn’t censored at all and that’s one of its beauties it’s really weird really really weird like a whole level of mind fu*k. it’s simply isn’t for everyone if you like psychology and those kinds of genres then go ahead it’ll be worth you’re time.
I also got hooked to its music simply gorgeous piece of work, through and through. animation is something you might only see only in this anime you might have a hard time watching it but if you follow the story it’s simple and well done.
The beautiful Jeanne marries a man named Jean, and the happy newlyweds make their way to the Lord’s castle with a cow’s worth of money for his blessings. However, the demonic Lord is unmoved by their offering, ignoring their desperate, impoverished pleas. The Lord’s wife offers an alternative: Jeanne must become the Lord’s conquest for the night in a ritual deflowering.
Scarred by the experience, the shaken Jeanne receives no sympathy from her husband. Instead, she is neglected. But as Jeanne drifts off to sleep, she is met by a strange spirit that encourages her to deliver retribution to those who wronged her. And with a mysterious surge of pleasure and an unquenching libido, Jeanne agrees.
Kanashimi no Belladonna is a captivating, psychosexual adventure that tells a story of cunning witchcraft and deceitful superstition in a poor, rural village of medieval France.
8. Michiko to Hatchin.
one day after I finished watching ergo proxy, I was going through their studio releases and stumbled upon this anime. I got interested while reading about it and I thought I’ll try giving it a shot, sure enough by finishing the first episode I knew I did the right thing. when I reached the final episode and I was really satisfied and happy by finishing this anime.
it really was a ride and it offered a lot in these 22 episodes and it also tells stories while focusing on the main plot to keep you hooked on it. a change of pace you might call it. it’s action-packed with guns, violence, hot chics, and the taste of sweet mafia. I know most people would enjoy this but whatever you’re taste in anime, some shows are meant to be enjoyed by everyone and this is one of them regardless of what they like or dislike. this show also has a astounding soundtrack to bless you’re ears with, and i can say the same about the opening and ending music.
the story is set brilliantly in Latin America where there’s no end to wastelands and crime. with that theme being so rare in anime it’s portrayed nicely. it tells the story of hardened criminal Michiko where she breaks out of a high-security prison for the fourth time in search of a man from her past. she finds a clue to finding him and that’s Hana Morenos. a daughter of his. a young girl trapped under the fists of her abusive foster family.
In her powerlessness, she had to do as they say and live her life in misery. Hana starts fantasizes of being rescued by her prince charming from this family. Little does she know that her fated prince would turn out to be the convict who charges in atop a stolen motorbike, claiming to be her mother. and the story gets crazier.
7. Shoujo Shuumatsu Ryokou.
I can’t even express how much I love this anime, simply because I love it too much. this show needs more exposure. being released at the same time as made in abyss another one of my favorites makes it resulting in people pointing focus only on Made in abyss.
these two shows really offer outstanding music, characters, stories, and what really makes them glow is their originality which is really rare these days. originality always offers way more than anything else. enough about made in abyss. I’m here to talk about this show. starting by the breathtaking soundtrack and the pace of the show that’s enough to rate it highly.
in the era where man has completely destroyed the planet. once-thriving cities are now laying dead with all of humanity dead. only the rumbling of a motorbike breaks the cold winter silence. Its riders, Chito and Yuuri, are the last survivors in the war-torn city. Scavenging old military sites for food and parts, the two girls explore the wastelands and speculate about the old world to pass the time.
Chito and Yuuri each occasionally struggle with the looming solitude, but when they have each other, sharing the weight of being two of the last humans becomes a bit more bearable. they stumble into 2 humans occasionally on there adventure of survival. with this beautiful yet scary view of what might happen if a nuclear war actually breaks out and all humanity seizes to exist simply vanish that now that’s a scary thought.
6. Yoake Tsugeru Lu no Uta
say hello to this little masterpiece of a mess. with some groovy music and animation this movie is really fun to watch, with a nice story it maybe halfassed tho but really is fun. I liked this movie a lot because of the characters and the animation style it just went well with everything this movie talked about I and I’m planning on rewatching it soon. and it also has really good music.
this movie talks about kai young middle schooler in Hinashi Town, a lonely fishing village. with his father and grandfather an umbrella maker. He used to live in Tokyo, but after his parents divorced he moved back to his parent’s home town. Kai has trouble telling his parents the complicated feelings he has for them, and he’s lonely and pessimistic about his school life.
One of his joys is uploading songs he writes to the internet. One day, his classmates Kunio and Yuuho invite him to join their band, “SEIRÈN.” As he reluctantly follows them to Merfolk Island, their practice spot, they meet Lu, the mermaid girl. Lu sings merrily and dances innocently.
As Kai begins to spend time with her, he starts to be able to say what it is that he’s really thinking. But since ancient times, the people of Hinashi Town have thought that mermaids brought disaster. Something happens that puts a huge rift between Lu and the townspeople. And then, the town is in danger. Will Kai’s cry for the heart be able to save the town?
5. Bubblegum Crisis
ok. I’ve been waiting for this one. I just recently just finished watching this anime and WOW it was such a ride I really enjoyed it in every way possible and I was blown away by the animation quality for it made in 1987 and to have such amazing animation is mind-blowing to me, no animation of this time can compete with it.
music and soundtrack every episode has different openings and endings they get even better each time, for the soundtrack it’s good you’ll enjoy it as much as everything about this anime. with a lot of different characters to this show you will like most of them, villain or not. and I also find the less censorship a good feature to this anime with mature taste to it. you will sure enjoy this one!
The year is 2032, seven years after the Second Great Kanto Earthquake decimated Tokyo. Now, the city is reborn as MegaTokyo, built from the labors of mechanical beasts known as “Boomers.” Originally created to benefit humanity, the mysterious corporation known as Genom now produces Boomers with incredible destructive power as a new type of advanced weaponry, capable of disguising themselves as humans.
The AD Police is a new special unit to counter the ever-increasing Boomer-related crimes. Overwhelmed by the sheer amount of crimes and disparity in strength, the AD Police poses little opposition to the Boomers. A mysterious vigilante force known as the Knight Sabers, wearing powersuits more advanced than the military, is the citizens’ only hope for protection. Led by Sylia Stingray, Priscilla “Priss” Asagiri, Nene Romanova, and Linna Yamazaki, these beautiful girls take out any Boomer that steps out of line.
4.Kaze ga Tsuyoku Fuiteiru
now this beauty. this masterpiece. I can never talk enough about it. I really love this anime by all meaning of the word love. I hold it dear to my heart, for many reasons but mainly because it made me start running again and I’m being real here. I slowly watched how they struggled as I related by overcoming each and every obstacle in their way, I slowly gained motivation from each episode I watched until I did start and I never been happier.
it may be cringy for you but believe me when you find something you can actually relate to so much you will react in the same manner. with have amazing animation and godly character development going in every episode. it’s well paced with the storytelling it will 100% keep you hooked on the show, the real gem in this show is everyone in it simply beautifully done.
Former ace runner of Sendai Josei High School, Kakeru Kurahara is chased away from a convenience store for shoplifting. Shaking off his pursuer, he runs into Haiji Kiyose, another student from his university. Haiji is impressed by Kakeru’s agility and persuades him to live in Chikusei-sou, the run-down apartment where Haiji resides along with eight other students. Having lost his entire apartment deposit at a mahjong parlor, Kakeru accepts the offer reluctantly.
However, Haiji reveals a secret during Kakeru’s welcoming party: the apartment is actually the dormitory of the Kansei University Track Club. He unveils his ultimate goal of participating in the Hakone Ekiden—one of the most prominent university marathon relay races in Japan. Unfortunately, all the residents apart from Haiji and Kakeru are complete running novices.
Worse still, none of the inhabitants are even remotely interested in being involved with Haiji’s ridiculous plan! With only months before the deadline, will the fourth-year student be able to convince them otherwise and realize his elusive dream of running in the Hakone Ekiden?
3. Alps no Shoujo Heidi
Heidi this anime that some of you might have watched at some time in you’re childhood but never remember you did. it’s a wholesome story of a girl living in the alps mountains with her grandfather the story kicks off quite quickly. with 52 episodes it stands strong but it gets boring in some episodes that being said it doesn’t change much about it, still a great show.
to watch during your free time. art and music is good steady as the show progresses, it was directed by Takahata Isao and storyboard by Tomino Yoshiyuki these two legends reign supreme with there flawless work they never disappoint with delivering anything.
the story is quite simple After becoming an orphan, Heidi is forced to live with her grandfather Öhi, who lives in the Alps. She learns he’s a very bitter man who only accepted by force to take her in. But Heidi’s kindness may be able to open his heart. Together with the shepherd Peter and invalid Clara, she has lots of adventures.
2. Kaiba
I had to save these two, for the last two spots for a simple word I would call them perfection. Kaiba isn’t for everyone you have to understand that before watching it, you would simply waste your time on it if so. the show truly is a wonderful piece by Yuasa Masaaki, but I should say with a warning that if you are to watch the show… be prepared to feel uncomfortable, sad, and confused.
it portrays a multitude of characters the animation and art direction is breathtaking. simply out of this world unlike any other animes it will leave an everlasting impression on you. amidst the confusion you will truly find peace and sadness and that was really a ride. the music and soundtrack on this show was soul touching in every possible way simply mind-blowing. this is a true gem and will forever remain in you.
In a world where memories exist in memory chips separate from the body, death of the body no longer means death of the soul. It is possible for memories to be viewed, altered, and transferred between bodies.
These memory chips are used by the rich to obtain eternal lives in carefully selected bodies, while for the poor, selling their own bodies and conserving their souls in the chips often become the only way to earn a living. An electrolytic cloud in the sky serves as a barrier between the heavens of the fortunate and the underworld of the destitute, making this social division impregnable.
One day, a man named Kaiba wakes up in an empty room with no memories, a mysterious hole in his chest, and a locket holding the picture of an unknown woman. After escaping an attack and stumbling upon a decrepit village of underworld residents, he begins his adventure across the different planets of this strange universe to find out more about his own identity and the woman he once knew.
Through a journey of self-discovery and acceptance, Kaiba weaves together tales of souls and spirits and explores the importance of memories.
1. Gankutsuou
for my last and foremost. how can someone perfect a revenge story to this extent? if I would sum this anime in one word it would simply be beautiful. what’s so beautiful about this, is that it portrays human nature in the best and casual way possible show’s the viewer that we humans are nothing but humans we simply run after at what benefits us and us alone there’s no real meaning to friendship, or love it’s all a benefit that people do for themselves. now this is not what I think this is simply what the anime shows and it does that pretty nicely.
if you watch it tho you would simply hate humans more. in case you’re looking for a next favorite anime watch this. It’s funny how a masterpiece like this flew under the radar up until recently it had a few fans. now let’s talk about the art style on this, simply a one-time thing up until now I just saw this art style on this anime and it was pleasing though people might say the opposite.
the music to this show is good with an English opening and ending, the opening is way better in my view since it expressed the show better than the ending did. with a flawless character and a well crafted one of the best line’s I read of all time was “I once told you that there is no such thing as coincidence. It’s the very first thing I told you, everything happens out of necessity.”. all and all this anime is worth every second of you’re time.
In the year 5053, French aristocrats Viscount Albert de Morcerf and Baron Franz d’Epinay attend the festival of Carnival on the moon city of Luna. While Franz is just looking to have fun, Albert is seeking something more to fill his life—but he finds more than he bargained for in The Count of Monte Cristo, a mysterious and charming self-made nobleman who meets his gaze during an opera performance.
Through a few twists and turns, Albert befriends the Count and introduces him into French society. The Count, however, has more on his mind than just friendship; he plots to finally unleash his vengeance on those who wronged him years earlier. Gankutsuou follows Albert and the Count’s intertwined destinies and the ultimate price paid for enacting revenge.
sincerely thank you for reading this!