Shonen anime is probably the most popular demographic in anime, mainly due to battle series such asDragon Ball Z,Fist of the North Star,One Piece, andJoJo’s Bizarre Adventure. Designed to appeal to teenage boys, shonen tends to provide plenty of action and humor, with the plot typically sticking to traditional good versus evil dynamics.
RELATED:Iconic Shonen Anime Protagonists, Ranked By Their Power
Regardless of what its most popular properties might suggest, shonen offers a respectable amount of variety.A Silent Voice,Your Lie in April, andAriaare also shonen, and they are as far removed from the likes ofNarutoandBleachas shows get.
While the likes ofGintamaandAttack on Titanneed no introduction, there are plenty ofshonen anime series that are overlooked. Here are a few anime worth checking out while waiting for the latest weekly shows to drop new episodes.
Disclaimer:To provide some criteria for an anime to qualify as “underrated,” only shows with less than 50,000 users on MyAnimeList will be considered. For example,Black Cloverhas over 380,000 votes.
10Hinomaru Sumo
Haikyuu!!, Hajime no Ippo,Slam Dunk –these are just a sample of the plethora of great shonen sports anime. Debuting in Fall 2018,Hinomaru Sumowas overshadowed by the (superior)Run with the Wind, but the former is by no means a mediocre show.
Hinomaru Sumotells an instantly engaging story about a sumo wrestler who is just too small to go pro. Naturally, he joins a school club and packs it with unconventional members, and then they set out to conquer the sumo world. While the anime diverts quite a bit from the manga, and not necessarily for the better, it is still a fun and engaging show about a sport that is rarely explored.
9Magic Kaito 1412
Kaito Kuroba is an anime icon, courtesy ofDetective Conan’s endless run. Due to the latter’s thousand or so episodes, a newcomer unfamiliar with the franchise might feel hesitant to jump into a spin-off.Magic Kaito 1412works well as a standalone product, as it does a solid job of introducing its protagonist and benefits from following a case of the week format.
Kaito is plainly an endearing protagonist, one who manages to be both likable and kind of cool. The writing is generally strong and action-packed, makingMagic Kaito 1412a really easy sit.
8Star Driver
Diving into mecha territory,Star Drivertakes place on an island where battles featuring Cybodies happen in a special realm. With great animation and a killer soundtrack,Star Driveris a visual and auditory treat, one that seldom ceases to be entertaining.
RELATED:Best Mecha Anime, Ranked
The characters are fine enough, although the anime could have explored them more thoroughly. While the individual episodes are strong on their own, the show does hesitate to deviate much from its basic formula, which leads to a bit of repetition. Despite these criticisms,Star Driveris still a blast.
7Yakitate!! Japan
Food Warswasn’t the first anime to tackle the culinary arts.Yakitate!! Japanis all about the craft of baking and follows Kazuma Azuma, a teenager with godly hands who seeks to create a truly unique bread. Pushing humor to the forefront,Yakitate!! Japanis genuinely hilarious, with Ken Matsushiro being a delightfully silly character.
Eventually,Yakitate!! Japangoes down the tournament route, and it does a decent job of it. With 69 episodes,Yakitate!! Japantakes viewers on a somewhat long but satisfying journey.
6Kyou kara Ore wa!!
An adaptation of Hiroyuki Nishimori’s awesome manga,Kyou kara Ore wa!!consists of 10 OVAs, and each one delivers something special. Seeking a change of pace and reputation, Mitsuhashi Takashi and Itou Shinji decide to embrace a new school by altering their characters and adopting delinquent personas. The process is, naturally, not easy, but they are determined to become known as the toughest bad boys around.
Funny, clever, and well-written,Kyou kara Ore wa!!takes the time to develop its characters, and that extends beyond just its protagonists. This'90s animedeserves to be remembered.
5City Hunter
City Hunteris simultaneously a classic and anunderrated shonen anime. Spawning multiple sequels that are all worth seeking out,City Hunterwas a staple of the late ’80s and early ’90s, and Ryou Saeba continues to stand tall as one of shonen anime’s greatest main characters.
A detective show that is not afraid to get weird with its cases,City Huntercan be thrilling, hilarious, and even dramatic. In many ways, this is the perfect shonen anime, especially for those who yearn for a series with an older cast of characters.
4Neuro: Supernatural Detective
Shonen is not lacking in fantastic mystery shows, andNeuro: Supernatural Detectiveranks among the very best. Desperate to solve her father’s murder, Yako Katsuragi makes a deal with a demon, Neuro, who simply enjoys solving mysteries. Neuro also has a rather wicked sense of humor, along with a devilish smile that makes his more sadistic tendencies easier to swallow.
Neuro: Supernatural Detectivedoesn’t have a dull moment, with each episode exploring a new case. The show constantly highlights Neuro’s awesomeness and Yako’s understanding of human psychology, and they make for a fun pair.
3Those Snow White Notes
Debuting inSpring 2021, a season that was jam-packed with great shows,Those Snow White Notesflew slightly under the radar. A music anime about the shamisen instrument, this series boasts an atmospheric animation style that adds an element of wonder to its relatively straightforward premise.
RELATED:Underrated Shows From The Spring 2021 Anime Season, Ranked
Setsu Sawamura moves to Tokyo and joins a shamisen club at his school; due to his experience with the instrument, he assumes an educational role.Those Snow White Notesoffers a welcome change of pace from the more action-oriented shonen anime.
2Getter Robo: Armageddon
Getter Robois a classic, with Ken Ishikawa and Go Nagai’s manga helping to establish many of the conventions of thegiant robot genre. An anime adaptation came out in the ’70s, and while not terrible, it can be difficult to revisit in this day and age.
However, that is not the case when it comes to 1998’sGetter Robo: Armageddon. A sequel/reboot/alternate reality OVA series that takes inspiration from the original manga and anime,Getter Robo: Armageddonis nonstop insanity in the best possible way. The animation holds up shockingly well, the battles are glorious, and the story works well for what it is trying to do.
1World Trigger (Season 2)
World Triggersuffers from a rather slow start, but the anime does gather quite a bit of steam around the 20 episode mark. Once an invasion storyline launches,World Triggeris constantly spectacular, and season 2 is especially strong.
Perhaps due to the time gap between seasons 1 and 2,World Triggerlost some momentum along the way, and its 2021 return was not greeted with an enormous amount of fanfare. Withseason 3 set to debut in Fall 2021, this is the ideal time to pick upWorld Trigger.
