7 Near-Perfect 2020s Anime Series No One Talks About

Anime is always changing, and it’s fun to watch different styles and types become popular in each decade. The 2020s are already shaping up to be a significant period for anime, with both brand new shows and the return of beloved classics.

Several anime series have become huge hits this decade, including Chainsaw Man, Frieren: Beyond Journey’s End, Dandadan, and The Apothecary Diaries. These shows are expected to remain popular as the decade ends. Beyond these well-known titles, many other critically praised and innovative anime from the 2020s deserve more attention.

MF Ghost Burns Rubber With An Impressive Update To A Sports Classic

As a huge fan of anime racing, I still think Initial D is the gold standard, and you might not realize it has a follow-up! MF Ghost keeps the drift action going, but it’s set in the future where everyone’s driving self-driving electric cars. What’s really cool is a group decides to go back to good old combustion engines, and they’re racing some amazing Japanese and European cars. The main character, Kanata, was actually trained by Takumi from Initial D, which is awesome! The series really builds on the original and does a great job of bringing back familiar faces and expanding the world.

MF Ghost is a heartwarming story about an underdog racer, but it’s also deeply personal – Kanata is driven by a desire to find his father, even more than to win championships. While many flashy anime series have come out in recent years, MF Ghost consistently delivers on everything you’d want in a racing anime. Over its three seasons, the show has expertly built excitement and a strong foundation, and a confirmed fourth and final season promises a satisfying conclusion.

The Tatami Time Machine Blues Tries To Change The Past In Order To Fix The Future

Though The Tatami Time Machine Blues connects to the worlds of The Tatami Galaxy and The Night is Short, Walk on Girl, you don’t need to have seen those shows to enjoy it. Like its predecessors, this anime focuses on the excitement and anxiety that come with having so many possibilities open to you.

The Tatami Time Machine Blues is a charming anime about college students figuring out life and themselves. A broken remote control unexpectedly sends them on time-traveling adventures! With just six episodes, the series is concise and avoids getting bogged down in extra plotlines. Each episode thoughtfully explores themes of taking control of your life, being accountable, and building self-assurance. Unfortunately, because it was only available on Disney+, many viewers missed out on this gem.

The Heike Story Is A Prophetic Story About Survival & Scruples

Anime can be a powerful way to teach people about history. The Heike Story, a visually stunning 11-episode drama from 2021, tells the tale of the Taira clan’s rise and fall in 13th-century Japan. The story unfolds through the perspective of Biwa, a young girl with the ability to foresee the future. Though filled with battles and loss, the series uses gorgeous animation inspired by classic Japanese art to soften the harshness of these events.

Rather than focusing on battles, The Heike Story powerfully portrays the sadness and suffering caused by the conflict between the Taira clan. It’s a deliberately paced and historically rich story, and those who have seen it often praise its moving message and beautiful animation. Despite its quality, it remains an underrated anime that doesn’t get the attention it deserves.

Birdie Wing: Golf Girls’ Story Is A Hyperbolized Reinvention Of A Methodical Sport

Birdie Wing: Golf Girls’ Story is a fun anime that will appeal to fans of both sports and action-packed stories. Instead of focusing on realism, it treats golf matches like exciting battles, filled with incredible power and skill. This over-the-top style makes it a truly memorable golf anime, and it’s especially unique for featuring female characters as the main athletes.

I was completely hooked by Eve and Aoi’s connection – the way they challenged each other as rivals but also genuinely cared for one another made me really invest in their journeys and growth. And I loved how the show explored the ‘yuri’ aspect; it felt natural and respectful, never forced. What’s really cool about Birdie Wing is that it’s an original anime, meaning it wasn’t tied down by existing manga rules, letting it take some interesting risks. Honestly, though, being original also meant it didn’t get as much mainstream attention as some other shows, which is a shame!

Deca-Dence Mixes Monster-Slaying With A Grander Message About Corporatocracy & AI

Despite being only 12 episodes long, Deca-Dence quickly grabs your attention with surprising plot twists. The anime initially appears to be a monster-fighting story like Attack on Titan, but it soon becomes clear that the true danger lies with the powerful Solid Quake corporation and their control over a society reliant on cyborgs and obedience. Studio NUT creates stunning action scenes, contrasting a bleak, hopeless atmosphere with a bright, colorful, futuristic world.

I absolutely love how much Deca-Dence packs into its story! It really makes you think about things like capitalism and whether we truly have free will, all while being this incredibly intense, existential ride. The world they’ve built feels oppressive, but the dynamic between Kaburagi – who’s seen it all and is pretty jaded – and Natsume, who’s so hopeful, keeps the story grounded and full of heart, even when they’re trying to destroy everything! Seriously, if you’re an action anime fan, you need to watch this. And honestly, it feels even more relevant now than when it first came out. The themes of powerful corporations taking control, the rise of AI, and just a general disconnect from history… it all feels a little too real.

Sonny Boy Offers A Surreal Isekai Adventure That’s Rich In Psychological Intrigue

Released in 2021, Sonny Boy is a unique anime created by Shingo Natsume and Madhouse that quickly gained critical acclaim. It’s a complex and unusual story, intentionally designed to be fully understood only after multiple viewings. The series blends elements of isekai (another world) stories, science fiction, and survival games, creating a suspenseful narrative reminiscent of Lord of the Flies, but with a fantastical twist. The story centers around a group of around thirty middle school students who are mysteriously transported to a different dimension, and some of them gain superpowers as a result.

For these lost children, finding ‘Sonny Boy’ becomes a quest to understand their strange new reality and find their way back home. However, the story is more focused on the emotional impact of their situation, exploring how they cope with deep, personal feelings while trapped in this confusing place. ‘Sonny Boy’ is unique in how it tells its story—it doesn’t jump around in time, but deliberately keeps some key plot details unclear, choosing instead to show us how the children are changing and reacting. Ultimately, ‘Sonny Boy’ is a challenging coming-of-age story that leads to a moving conclusion about the meaning of life.

Undead Girl Murder Farce Mixes Gothic Horror With Supernatural Mystery

The anime series Undead Girl Murder Farce premiered in 2023 with 13 episodes. It follows three determined detectives as they investigate supernatural cases in a unique, alternate 19th-century Europe. What makes this show stand out is its brilliant detective – a disembodied head that travels in a birdcage.

Aya is on a quest to reclaim her body, and the search leads her and her team into a series of unsettling mysteries. While the anime’s title might suggest a lighthearted tone, the storytelling is actually very clever and well-crafted. The mysteries are concise, intelligent, and offer unexpected twists on familiar genres. What sets this detective anime apart is its unique cast of characters, including famous figures like Sherlock Holmes, Jack the Ripper, and Count Dracula.

2026-05-01 17:41