No mainstream titles.
Are you tired of Naruto and Attack on Titan? The world of anime is full of exciting stories that have flown under the radar of the viewers.
1. Odd Taxi, 2021
A phlegmatic walrus drove a taxi and chatted with customers. One day, the daughter of a Yakuza leader hid in his house. A hired killer and the police came for the taxi driver, but he did not lose heart or abandon his favorite job. Thus, the walrus became involved in several more stories.
Oddl Taxi does not look like a typical anime. Relying on witty dialogue in the spirit of Quentin Tarantino's films, it is reminiscent of BoJack Horseman.
2. The Fable, 2024
The legendary killer Fable and his partner exceeded their plan and attracted unnecessary attention. At the boss's orders, the mercenaries assumed the identities of a brother and sister and were sent on a forced vacation to Osaka for a year. The main condition is not to kill anyone.
The Fable is the main hidden gem of 2024. The series portrays an invincible killer who adapts to ordinary life and escapes difficult situations without causing any casualties.
3. Link Click, 2021-...
Employees of the Time photo studio traveled through clients' photos and fulfilled their requests, such as finding a password or recipe.
Lu Guang directed their actions and Cheng Xiaoshi penetrated the photographers' souls, controlling them on missions no longer than 12 hours. Any mistake could alter the future.
This touching series is reminiscent of Inception, but leans closer to fantasy due to the main characters' supernatural abilities. The series captivates with its easy narrative and the friendly chemistry between Lu and Cheng.
4. Kingdom, 2012
The orphans Xin and Piao played with wooden swords and dreamed of becoming great Chinese generals. One day, a minister passed through their village.
He noticed the resemblance between Piao and the young emperor and invited the boy to the palace to serve as his double. During a riot Piao died. Xin promised to avenge his friend and fulfill their dream.
The adaptation of the popular manga had a weak start due to the questionable 3D effects, and it almost ended after two seasons. However, it made a great comeback in 2020. Kingdom is a combat shonen with battle strategies and conversations on complex topics.
5. The Tatami Galaxy, 2010
After two years at university, the unnamed main character was disappointed with student life. He unsuccessfully joined the tennis club, befriended the rude boy Ozu, and never mustered the courage to confess his feelings to Akashi.
At a noodle shop, he met the god of marriage and decided to fix his situation. However, he failed and ended up in a time loop.
In The Tatami Galaxy, the challenges of growing up are explored. The main character is fixated on his dreams but does not dare make a choice, instead blaming others.