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Anime Titles that you think are obscure and/or underrated.


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Hellsoldier



Joined: 21 Jun 2013
Posts: 752
Location: Porto,Portugal,Europe,Earth,Sol
PostPosted: Thu Jul 30, 2015 2:52 am Reply with quote
Do you know a title you wish more people knew about?

Edit: I should have mentioned a few myself. I apologize. Well, I am going to correct that mistake now.

Well, I'd like to mention a few:

-Bokurano. An anime title I loved, but one that I feel didn't have many major DVD or Blu-Ray releases lately (I could be wrong). An intense mecha story with a dose of psychological horror and tragedy. Too many comparisons with EVA are bad to both EVA and Bokurano, as it would take away Bokurano's merit, as well as merely describe EVA as psychological horror.

-Boogiepop Phantom. it's a cult classic. But it lies in the shadows of Serial Experiments Lain. Few titles are as dark or cynical as Boogiepop Phantom. It is a sequel to the Boogiepop LN series that I unfortunately haven't read. However, it stands on its own. For those who love pure psychological horror and mystery.

-Bubblegum Crisis. I know what many of you will say: ''Everyone who watched 80's anime knows this one''. Problem: Not everyone cares to watch older anime. There are great anime from the 80's, and this anime -one of the first cyberpunk classics- is one of them. Unfortunately made short and with a wall-banging sequel called Bubblegum Crash!.

-Martian Successor Nadesico. This one is known by many people, so why do I put it on this list? Because I had to dig deep into the mecha genre to hear of this spetacular work. It is often more well known for its comedy, and that description may keep some people away from this title, when in reality, it is a great balance of drama and comedy. I think it may live in the shadow of Evangelion, that was released one year prior.

-Now and Then, Here and There. I'd like to know how many people remember/know this title. It's an anime reaction to perceived glorification of war in anime, and it follows a boy who lived a peaceful life until he was transported to a parallel world/far future torn apart by war. I think I read somewhere it was supposedly inspired by the Rwandan Genocide.

-R.O.D the TV. I feel this one is slightly obscure... and those who do know R.O.D. prefer the Read or Die OVA to the TV series, despite having less of a story. A sequel to the aforementioned OVA series, it follows a writer with a writers-block and three sisters who are hired as her guards by the editor. The story unfolds from there.

-Seraphim Call: Now this one I'm sure most people don't know. An obcure gem from 1999. It follows 11 girls and their lives. Some of these girls have outlandish stories, whilst others have more standard stories, and some have plain weird stories. It's a show with a slow pace and an episodic nature. It most likely is not for everyone.


Last edited by Hellsoldier on Thu Jul 30, 2015 10:15 pm; edited 2 times in total
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Spastic Minnow
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Joined: 02 May 2006
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PostPosted: Thu Jul 30, 2015 8:16 am Reply with quote
I was going to share, but unless you edit your post with a recommendation or two of your own (with opinions noted on each show) this will be closed soon. If you're just looking for recs, do a search, there are other threads of this type on the board. Just don't reopen any that haven't been posted in within the past year, that's another forum no-no.

[Thanks for rectifying- I did a search and found the last "underrated" thread was actually years ago, so it's about time for another run at it]


Last edited by Spastic Minnow on Fri Jul 31, 2015 12:36 pm; edited 1 time in total
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Crisha
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Joined: 21 Apr 2010
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PostPosted: Thu Jul 30, 2015 12:50 pm Reply with quote
I'll give a day to have the first post edited to provide examples. Lists are not allowed, you must provide reasons or descriptions for each anime you think is obscure.

If not, this thread gets locked. Thanks.
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Hellsoldier



Joined: 21 Jun 2013
Posts: 752
Location: Porto,Portugal,Europe,Earth,Sol
PostPosted: Thu Jul 30, 2015 9:55 pm Reply with quote
willag wrote:
I'll give a day to have the first post edited to provide examples. Lists are not allowed, you must provide reasons or descriptions for each anime you think is obscure.

If not, this thread gets locked. Thanks.


I was pretty unfamiliar with the forum rules on posting. Thi is my first forum topic. I apologize and correct that Immediately.
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DuelGundam2099



Joined: 07 Dec 2014
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PostPosted: Thu Jul 30, 2015 10:07 pm Reply with quote
Genesis of Aquarion, Gear Fighter Dendoh, Fang of The Sun Dougram, Zegapain, The Ultraman (1979), Shin Mazinger Impact, Brave of The Sun Fighbird, God Mars, Nobunaga The Fool, and E.Y.E.S. of Mars come to mind. All of these hold a pinnacle of what anime is about: fantastic music, fantastic art, fantastic writing, fantastic philosophy, fantastic entertainment value, fantastic plots, fantastic settings, fantastic drama, and fantastic endings to finish on.
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Hellsoldier



Joined: 21 Jun 2013
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Location: Porto,Portugal,Europe,Earth,Sol
PostPosted: Thu Jul 30, 2015 10:19 pm Reply with quote
Spastic Minnow wrote:
I was going to share, but unless you edit your post with a recommendation or two of your own (with opinions noted on each show) this will be closed soon. If you're just looking for recs, do a search, there are other threads of this type on the board. Just don't reopen any that haven't been posted in within the past year, that's another forum no-no.


Problem solved. I apologize for such a major mistake.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

DuelGundam2099 wrote:
Genesis of Aquarion, Gear Fighter Dendoh, Fang of The Sun Dougram, Zegapain, The Ultraman (1979), Shin Mazinger Impact, Brave of The Sun Fighbird, God Mars, Nobunaga The Fool, and E.Y.E.S. of Mars come to mind. All of these hold a pinnacle of what anime is about: fantastic music, fantastic art, fantastic writing, fantastic philosophy, fantastic entertainment value, fantastic plots, fantastic settings, fantastic drama, and fantastic endings to finish on.


I am afraid to say that I only heard of three of them (Genesis of Aquarion, Zegapain and Nobubaga the Fool). Which provably means that, yeah, they are underrated, or at least obscure.


{Combined serial posts. ~nobahn}
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nobahn
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PostPosted: Thu Jul 30, 2015 10:24 pm Reply with quote
Hellsoldier wrote:
-Now and Then, Here and There. I'd like to know how many people remember/know this title.
Oh GAWD, I remember that one; if there was a category of "Can only watch once because it's so upsetting" then this would fit the bill.
Quote:
-Bubblegum Crisis.
What can I say? 80s pop was so crappy that I embraced the Folk music scene.
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Akane the Catgirl



Joined: 09 Oct 2013
Posts: 1091
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PostPosted: Thu Jul 30, 2015 10:34 pm Reply with quote
^ Now and Then, Here and There is on my "To Watch" list. Rumor has it that Akitaro Daichi was inspired to create it after hearing word of the Rwandan genocide. Now everything makes sense...forever.

As for underrated? Haibane Renmei, of course, is the quintessential "friendship is salvation" story. Porco Rosso is easily one of the better unheard-of Ghibli films. I haven't seen much of School Rumble, but so far, it's a very charming "morons in love" happy-go-lucky sort of comedy. I need to get more variety into my anime diet. ^__^'
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nobahn
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PostPosted: Thu Jul 30, 2015 10:47 pm Reply with quote
^
While I do love Haibane Renmei, I must caution folks that that it is a thirteen-episode series and the first six are devoted to world building. Slice-of-life series are not everyone's cup of tea.
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DuelGundam2099



Joined: 07 Dec 2014
Posts: 533
PostPosted: Thu Jul 30, 2015 11:12 pm Reply with quote
>looks up and reads about Now and Then, Here and There

Hmm, this sounds interesting and it is only thirteen episodes, I might actually give this a watch!
Hellsoldier wrote:
Which provably means that, yeah, they are underrated, or at least obscure.

Underrated, God Mars was recently added to Hulu if you care.
Hellsoldier wrote:
I think it may live in the shadow of Evangelion, that was released one year prior.

Aside from being licensed by ADV and being mid 90s mecha with realism elements, I really don't see that since they have different tones and themes going for them. Not to mention I have seen otaku that started in the 90s and early 00s have Nadesico as one of their first anime not associated with Toonami. I'm not saying you're wrong, just that the older anime fans are very familiar with it based on personal experience. A series that I think would qualify more in the "shadow of eva" regard would be Brave of Command Dagwon, it came out in 96 as well, but it didn't do anything revisionist-y like NGE or Nadesico (rather its a homage heavy toward tokusatsu and is friggin awesome) and somewhere along the line they lost their target children audience but gained a teenage female one and thus got female gaze heavy by the end. Between the smash ratings hit Goldran before it and the only Braves series to get a US release or a SRW appearance (GaoGaiGar) as a successor, that one is more likely to get lost in Eva's shadow. I want to count Gundam X, but it has associated with ZZ, Victory, and Turn A as the "lost series" in North America until Right Stuff got the licensing rights.
nobahn wrote:
Slice-of-life series are not everyone's cup of tea.

I can atest to this. Laughing
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Hellsoldier



Joined: 21 Jun 2013
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PostPosted: Fri Jul 31, 2015 12:21 am Reply with quote
nobahn wrote:
Hellsoldier wrote:
-Now and Then, Here and There. I'd like to know how many people remember/know this title.
Oh GAWD, I remember that one; if there was a category of "Can only watch once because it's so upsetting" then this would fit the bill.
Quote:
-Bubblegum Crisis.
What can I say? 80s pop was so crappy that I embraced the Folk music scene.


It is true. Proof: Only whatched Now and Then once...

Oh well, I guess cheese was the name of the game in the 1980's. Smile

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Akane the Catgirl wrote:
^ Now and Then, Here and There is on my "To Watch" list. Rumor has it that Akitaro Daichi was inspired to create it after hearing word of the Rwandan genocide. Now everything makes sense...forever.

As for underrated? Haibane Renmei, of course, is the quintessential "friendship is salvation" story. Porco Rosso is easily one of the better unheard-of Ghibli films. I haven't seen much of School Rumble, but so far, it's a very charming "morons in love" happy-go-lucky sort of comedy. I need to get more variety into my anime diet. ^__^'


I need to watch School Rumble and Porco Rosso. As for Haibane Renmei, yes, it is a masterpiece... and unfortunately obscure.

As for Now and Then... I need to get the courage to watch that a second time.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

DuelGundam2099 wrote:
>looks up and reads about Now and Then, Here and There

Hmm, this sounds interesting and it is only thirteen episodes, I might actually give this a watch!
Hellsoldier wrote:
Which provably means that, yeah, they are underrated, or at least obscure.

Underrated, God Mars was recently added to Hulu if you care.
Hellsoldier wrote:
I think it may live in the shadow of Evangelion, that was released one year prior.

Aside from being licensed by ADV and being mid 90s mecha with realism elements, I really don't see that since they have different tones and themes going for them. Not to mention I have seen otaku that started in the 90s and early 00s have Nadesico as one of their first anime not associated with Toonami. I'm not saying you're wrong, just that the older anime fans are very familiar with it based on personal experience. A series that I think would qualify more in the "shadow of eva" regard would be Brave of Command Dagwon, it came out in 96 as well, but it didn't do anything revisionist-y like NGE or Nadesico (rather its a homage heavy toward tokusatsu and is friggin awesome) and somewhere along the line they lost their target children audience but gained a teenage female one and thus got female gaze heavy by the end. Between the smash ratings hit Goldran before it and the only Braves series to get a US release or a SRW appearance (GaoGaiGar) as a successor, that one is more likely to get lost in Eva's shadow. I want to count Gundam X, but it has associated with ZZ, Victory, and Turn A as the "lost series" in North America until Right Stuff got the licensing rights.
nobahn wrote:
Slice-of-life series are not everyone's cup of tea.

I can atest to this. Laughing


Now and Then was one of the best shows I ever watched... But I only watched it once. That's how much of an impact it left on me.

I'll add these titles to my watchlist then. Provably the older audiences know Nadesico more than my generation. Must be that, which means that it's only now that it's becoming obscure.

It looks to me that Gundam has a complicated release history in America.

Anyways, have you heard of some show called Tekkaman Blade?

EDIT: I guess the fact that EVA and Nadesico were different contributed to the shadowing of the more traditional mecha.


{Combined serial posts. ~nobahn}
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nobahn
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PostPosted: Fri Jul 31, 2015 12:41 am Reply with quote
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DuelGundam2099



Joined: 07 Dec 2014
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PostPosted: Fri Jul 31, 2015 8:49 am Reply with quote
Hellsoldier wrote:
It looks to me that Gundam has a complicated release history in America.

Right Stuff needs to release MS Igloo, Age, Build Fighters, and G-Reco next.
Hellsoldier wrote:
I guess the fact that EVA and Nadesico were different contributed to the shadowing of the more traditional mecha.

With the remake of Shin Mazinger Z, the continuation of Gundam and Macross, the occasional SRW game, and releases by Discotek I wouldn't put it that far as much as I would call the genre got a revisioning.
Hellsoldier wrote:
Anyways, have you heard of some show called Tekkaman Blade?

Seen it and unlike most people I've seen the original series as well! I prefer the first if you ask me. Laughing
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Spastic Minnow
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PostPosted: Fri Jul 31, 2015 12:56 pm Reply with quote
Softenni

It's not exactly a "great" show but it definitely fills the requirements of being under-rated and increasingly obscure for such a recent series. It starts off looking like a normal if slightly quirky "girls club/sports" series. The cast fits stereotypes, there's nothing fantastic about the idea and the sport (Soft Tennis, a variation of tennis played with soft rubbery balls, apparently semi-popular in Japan) is quite uninspiring. But dang, after a couple funny but typical moe girl episodes, it gets hilariously weird. Naked middle school girls riding a giant salamander, a NERV elevator under the school leading to a hots spring, bear fights in the wilderness.
I'm so surprised it got so little love. It's Teekyu... but comprehensible, not obnoxious, and done at normal speed.
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louis6578



Joined: 31 Jul 2013
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PostPosted: Sat Aug 01, 2015 1:20 am Reply with quote
Huh. Not many people watch older anime? In that case... from the 70s: Space Pirate Captain Harlock. I know everyone's seen or heard of the original Mobile Suit Gundam, but this one always seems to be overlooked.

Konjiki no Gash Bell/Zatch Bell!! - I know what you guys are thinking. "I watched it when I was a kid. Good times. Outgrew it though." I'm more referring to the original Japanese version and the manga. The dub was pretty crappy, and while this show gives in to shounen cliches, I find that it works here. This is also one of the few times that I cried reading a manga. I can't remember ever reading the second-to-last chapter without shedding tears.

Monster - Johan is a popular villain, but most people tend to forgo watching the actual anime or reading the manga for some reason. I find this 74 episode show to be one of the most well-written works of fiction ever, despite the first several episodes consisting of a few too many mustache-twirling baddies. The complexity of the characters later on makes it an unforgettable sit.

MaR Heaven - A crappy US Release doomed this anime to obscurity, despite the fact that I fondly remember it as one of the first anime I watched outside of Dragonball, One Piece, and the things that were on Toonami in the glory days. Cliched as hell, but I strangely found it enjoyable. I don't promise it to be a masterpiece, as there's a few harem/fanservice elements. Heck, one could look at this as a mid-2000s Fairy Tail. If someone opens a discussion thread on this one, I'd love to talk about my favorite parts and characters in detail.

If I'm allowed to list Manga, Bokurano goes in here too. The anime was... a mediocre adaptation of a brilliant work. Poorly directed, written with the intent of making me feel bad for the kids rather than feel inspired by their heroism, bland music, typical Gonzo animation, and an unfaithful adaptation. If you like it though, I won't complain.

Welcome to the NHK - Gained a sort of cult following, but it's a far stronger depiction of social anxiety played for drama and dark laughs than... say, WATAMOTE. I'd also say that it depicts Otakuism well, but Oreimo outdoes it on that front.

Hunter x Hunter - Most shounen fans will focus on Naruto, One Piece, Fairy Tail, or something else. Most people who will only watch completed long-runners will watch Inuyasha, DBZ, or Yu Yu Hakusho. Hunter x Hunter is perhaps one of the best shounen anime out there. It's on my personal top three favorite shounens, along with Jojo and One Piece. Great characters, great plot (Though the Chimera Ant arc is tedious), satisfying conclusion, creative fights and abilities. Also and opening that never had to change. Don't fix what ain't broke.

Anohana - Overshadowed by Clannad as "tearjerker:the anime," this show has less to do with manipulating the feelings of the viewer artificially, and more to do with taking them back to that time when everything changed. We all know the awkward middle school years where friends acted differently and drifted apart. This tale is more heartwarming and thought provoking than it is straight up sad. If you were hesitant about watching it because you thought it would be another moe emotions trap like Jun Maeda's works, please do yourself the favor of giving it another chance.

The Irresponsible Captain Tylor - THE Magnificent Bastard(?) of anime, maybe! A brilliant satire/parody of the Space Opera genre that doesn't constantly revert to over the top gags. Instead, it just relies on one character playing off the various cast members. Also, for a New York dubbed, pre-2000s voice over, I've gotta say that the dub isn't half bad.

Scrapped Princess - A greatly underrated title. To be fair, the action and animation aren't on par with, say, Last Exile or Fate/Zero. It is a simple fantasy story about a girl who is fated to cause the end of the world. Should her family protect her or slay her? How far will their bond go? I'd recommend you find out for yourself. ^^

Lovely Complex - Admittedly a guilty pleasure of mine. I was a short kid growing up, so seeing this kinda made me feel some escapism in 7th Grade. Of course, having grown up, I can look at it from all sorts of angles and see that it still stands up greatly as a shojou anime worth checking out. It's surprisingly cute, which is not a word I usually say, but I mean that in a good way. It's heartwarming as well, and funny too.

Princess Tutu - Overshadowed by most magical girl anime, this is the closest one to a masterpiece I've seen. Personally, I prefer it over Madoka. A duck turned girl must gather the heartshards of her beloved prince as many evils loom in the distance; her fate, and those of everyone involved with her, controlled by a tragedy obsessed author. This show makes me smile, shed small tears, and even cheer on the protagonist as goosebumps show up on my skin. Great music too. One of ADV's best releases. I'd definitely recommend the dub over the sub on this one.

Noir - A slow start, but it gets going after episode 10 rather well. It's a mystery that slowly unveils, so you feel smarter as each bit is revealed. I'd recommend it for someone who wants a girls with guns show that's a little more thoughtful than, say, Madlax or Gunsmith Cats.
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