10 Underrated Anime You Missed in 2024, Still Worth Watching in 2025

Some anime hit hard. Others quietly disappear. But many forgotten gems are still worth watching. Use this 2025 watchlist to find underrated anime from last year’s overlooked releases.

1. Skip and Loafer

Genre: Slice of Life / School / Comedy
This one had Studio Ghibli-level vibes minus the flying cats. It’s charming, grounded, and painfully relatable if you’ve ever been the awkward new kid in town.
Why it’s underrated: Released during a season full of action-packed anime, it didn’t stand a chance in the hype war.
Why you should watch in 2025: It’s heartwarming and easy on the brain, perfect for chill sessions.

Where To Watch: Crunchyroll

2. Reign of the Seven Spellblades

Genre: Fantasy / Magic / Dark
Don’t let the magic school setting fool you; this show hides brutal duels, deep lore, and some seriously twisted politics.
Why it’s underrated: Released in the shadows of Jujutsu Kaisen and Bleach, it barely got a spotlight.
Why you should watch in 2025: Think Harry Potter but with more swords, secrets, and savage twists.

Where To Watch: Crunchyroll

3. The Gene of AI

Genre: Sci-Fi / Medical / AI Ethics
If Black Mirror and Ghost in the Shell had a baby, it’d be this show. It explores medical dilemmas in a world where humans and AIs are almost the same.
Why it’s underrated: The slow-burn storytelling scared away the action crowd.
Why you should watch in 2025: With AI taking over everything IRL, this feels more real than ever.

Where To Watch: Crunchyroll

4. The Fire Hunter

Genre: Fantasy / Post-apocalyptic / Drama
Set in a world where fire itself is deadly and forbidden, this anime tells a quiet, poetic story with haunting visuals.
Why it’s underrated: It’s slow, artsy, and deep, not for everyone.
Why you should watch in 2025: It hits differently when you’re in the mood for something offbeat and emotional.

Where To Watch: Crunchyroll

5. Bullbuster

Genre: Mecha / Sci-Fi / Economics?!
Yes, it’s a mecha anime, but also a story about budgets, efficiency, and fighting monsters while staying under cost. Think “The Office” meets “Evangelion.”
Why it’s underrated: Too “niche” for mainstream mecha fans.
Why you should watch in 2025: Surprisingly funny and deeply satirical. A whole new take on the genre.

Where To Watch: Crunchyroll

6. Akiba Maid War

Genre: Action / Dark Comedy / WTF
A blood-soaked battle anime disguised as a story about… maid cafés.
Why it’s underrated: People thought it was just another moe series. They were wrong.
Why you should watch in 2025: Insane plot twists, gang warfare, and cute maids with guns. Yup.

Where To Watch: Crunchyroll

7. Call of the Night

Genre: Supernatural / Romance / Slice of Life
Stylish, moody, and existential, a late-night wander through neon alleys with a hot vampire girl.
Why it’s underrated: Didn’t catch fire like other vampire anime (cough Owari no Seraph).
Why you should watch in 2025: It’s a vibe. Late-night introspection with a side of fangs.

Where To Watch: Crunchyroll

8. Undead Murder Farce

Genre: Mystery / Supernatural / Historical
What if Sherlock Holmes teamed up with a talking head and a half-demon? This anime answers that.
Why it’s underrated: People didn’t know how to categorize it, and overlooked it entirely.
Why you should watch in 2025: If you love weird detective stories, this is your jam.

Where To Watch: Crunchyroll

9. Insomniacs After School

Genre: Romance / Drama / Slice of Life
Two students who can’t sleep find peace (and maybe love) in each other.
Why it’s underrated: Low-key release, minimal marketing.
Why you should watch in 2025: Emotional comfort food with one of the best soundtracks in recent anime.

Where To Watch: Prime Video & HiDive

10. Heavenly Delusion (Tengoku Daimakyou)

Genre: Sci-Fi / Mystery / Post-Apocalyptic
Think The Promised Neverland meets Attack on Titan, but with way more mystery.
Why it’s underrated: The story demanded patience, which most anime fans didn’t have last year.
Why you should watch in 2025: Complex, disturbing, and unforgettable.

Where To Watch: Hulu

2024 delivered plenty of anime, but some underrated titles went unnoticed and deserve attention in 2025. Before binge-watching popular series, try one of these hidden gems.

Check out our curated 2025 list of underrated anime, perfect for discovering some amazing overlooked hits.

Here is the Feature Image Prompt: ‘A lone anime character standing in a glowing alley at night, surrounded by flickering neon lights and shadowy silhouettes of overlooked anime characters in the background, cinematic lighting, minimal color palette with purples, deep blues, and soft reds, blend of anime-style character with realistic background, moody and atmospheric scene, subtle bokeh effect, misty ambiance, storytelling through composition.’