10 underrated anime on Netflix

Netflix is home to several incredible anime, so we’ve compiled a list of 10 most underrated anime you can stream right now.

With the anime industry growing ever so impressively, Netflix has proven to be a major player in the genre, pumping out countless incredible anime. 

But while popular anime often catches the eye of its subscribers, it’s easy to miss out on hidden gems.

However, fret not, because we’ve got you covered with these ten incredibly underrated anime currently streaming on Netflix. So, don’t miss out on some of the best stories this streaming giant has to offer.

1. The Way of the Househusband

This wholesome romantic comedy follows a former Yakuza, who retires from the underworld after marriage. Once feared as the “Immortal Dragon,” Tatsu is now a househusband, responsible for taking care of the home and doing grocery shopping.

As they say, appearances can be deceiving. While Tatsu still evokes fear among people wherever he goes, he’s just a loving husband who does everything he can to support his wife, Miku. As an interior designer, she often works overtime. What’s surprising is that Tatsuis Tatsu is incredible at his job. 

The series is episodic in nature and depicts several hilarious moments of Tatsu’s daily life as a househusband. While the animation isn’t noteworthy, the story is more than enough to make up for it. Tatsu carries out everyday tasks with such intensity that it creates a set of hilarious events.

2. Kotaro Lives Alone

Kotaro Lives Alone is another episodic anime series available on Netflix. It follows a four-year-old Kotaro, who has just moved into a new apartment. His manga artist neighbor, Shin Karino, is baffled to see such a young kid living on his own.

So, he takes it upon himself to look after the boy like a father. As the story proceeds, we also meet their other neighbors, who all adore the young boy. Shin later finds out the heartbreaking reason behind Kotaro living alone.

This heartfelt story follows the struggles of children and adults often present in real life. It also emphasizes the meaning of seeking companionship. While the story is often heartwarming, it can also be bittersweet and melancholic.

3. Forest of Piano

The story follows Kai Ichinose, a musical prodigy who is the only one able to play an abandoned piano in the forest. He meets Shuhei Amamiya, who also loves piano and wants to follow in his father’s footsteps and become a renowned pianist.

While Shuhei has everything handed to him on a silver platter, Kai was born and raised in a red light district. He later becomes the pupil of a former master pianist Sosuke Ajino and learns to refine his piano technique.

The anime wraps up the entire story in two seasons, with each part focusing on different phases of the boys’ lives. While the first part focuses on their childhood at school, they have grown up in season two and meet again while on their path to pursue music.

4. Sirius the Jaeger

Sirius the Jaeger is an original anime series set in 1930 Japan. The story centers around Yuliy, a young Sirius (werewolf) whose village was destroyed by vampires. According to a legend, an oracle chose a member of the Sirius royal family to be the agent of God and permitted them to possess “The Ark of Sirius,” a mysterious holy relic.

Due to its power, the Sirius were often under attack the relic away in a place no one could find it. However, with the vampires constantly working to seize that power, the deadly battle between them and the Vampire Hunters, known as Jaegers, continues.

The animation, characters, and fight choreography are all rather impressive. However, while the story has immense potential, it doesn’t reveal everything within its 12 episodes. While Season 2 is currently under production, it has yet to get a release date.

5. Dota: Dragon’s Blood

This Netflix anime is based on a video game, Dota 2. Set in a world of magic and mysticism, the story centers around Davion, a dragon knight whose hatred for dragons runs deep ever since they massacred his family when was a kid.

He fights the mythical creatures to make the world a safer place. However, things change when he is caught in a battle between demons and dragons as the dragon Slyrak merges its soul with his. Davion sets out on a journey along with the moon princess Mirana to stop the demon Terrorblade, who wants to kill all dragons.

The characters have a greater depth than their video game counterparts, whose backstories are solely provided through bios and in-game remarks. Dota: Dragon’s Blood is a must-watch for fantasy lovers as the story gets more interesting with every episode.

6. Great Pretender

Great Pretender is an original anime series by WIT Studio. It follows Makoto Edamura, who is forced by circumstances to adopt a life of crime, by pickpocketing and scamming others. After swindling a tourist, Makoto realizes he’s the one who got tricked. To make matters worse, the police are after him.

While on the run, he finds the tourist, named Laurent Thierry, and follows him to Los Angeles. After seeing Laurent’s skills as a scammer, Makoto challenges his rival to determine who’s better. However, the challenge lands him in major trouble, which is more than he bargained for.

The series’ arcs are called “Cases,” with each case consisting of a few episodes. Apart from the incredible animation and soundtrack, the anime also has a good balance between drama and humor.

7. Beastars

Based on Paru Itakagi’s manga, the story is set in a modern world populated by anthropomorphic animals. However, the cultural difference between herbivorous and carnivorous animals has split society in two.

Beastars focuses on Legoshi, a gray wolf. Unlike his appearance, he is a timid and quiet student at the Cherryton Academy. However, the brutal murder of Tem the alpaca causes distrust and panic among the herbivore and carnivore students.

Amid all the chaos, Louis encounters Haru, a dwarf rabbit who is in love with him. The show gradually reveals its dark underlying themes and complexities of modern society where living beings coexist despite their differences.

8. Carole & Tuesday

This sci-fi music anime series draws you in with stellar animation and a beautiful soundtrack, helped along by its setting, which transports viewers to Mars 50 years after a majority of the human race moved there. 

The plot centers on two girls who meet each other by a stroke of luck. Carole is an orphaned young girl who lives on her own and takes several part-time jobs to make ends meet.

Meanwhile, Tuesday is the daughter of a famous politician who recently ran away from home to follow her dreams of pursuing music. Realizing they share the same passion, they start living together and teaming up to make a name for themselves.

The problem is, they live in a world where artificial intelligence makes 99% of music. However, not all hope is lost when they catch the eye of an unknown manager.

9. Pluto

Pluto is a Seinen series set in the Astro Boy universe. It follows robotic investigator Gesicht as he attempts to solve the mystery of a string of murders of both robot and human victims, and all share a common calling card.

During his investigation, he finds evidence of a mysterious being known only as “Pluto” and an evil scheme to destroy eight specialized robots from different parts of the world that took part in the conflict.

Gesicht struggles with his memory, morals, and a hostile society while fighting to defend the precarious coexistence of man.

10. My Daemon

This underrated Netflix series is a Thailand-based anime set in a post-apocalyptic society. In the near future, a nuclear explosion caused daemon particles to be unleashed all across the world. These particles, if left unchecked, give birth to monster-like creatures known as daemons.

But even humans can become infected, resulting in death when the particle hatches. Elementary student Kento, who is already affected, comes across a small daemon creature and names her Anna.

The story continues as the duo embarks on a journey to bring Kento’s mother back to life. This emotional story follows the bond between the two despite all the challenges they face along the way.

For more of the finest anime on offer, don’t forget to check out our lists of the best short anime, anime with the best story, and the best upcoming anime. Also, have a look at our guides to Jujutsu Kaisen Season 3, Oshi no Ko Season 3, and One Punch Man Season 3 for other shows on their way back.