The Fall 2024 anime season is just around the corner, bringing with it a plethora of exciting titles. This year has been extraordinary for anime enthusiasts, featuring a delightful mix of new hits and returning favorites.
With follow-ups to popular series such as My Hero Academia and Demon Slayer, alongside fresh entries like Kaiju No. 8 and Delicious in Dungeon, fans are certainly spoiled for choice.
However, despite the major franchises capturing most of the spotlight, some incredible anime series are often overlooked. Here, we highlight ten of the most underrated anime of 2024 that truly deserve more recognition.
A Sign of Affection
A Sign of Affection, adapted from the acclaimed manga, premiered in January 2024. This charming romantic comedy revolves around Yuki, a hearing-impaired university student who mainly communicates with her best friend, Rin Fujishiro. Her life takes an unexpected turn when she meets Itsuomi Nagi, a silver-haired, multilingual friend of Rin.
Mr. Villain’s Day Off
This heartwarming anime features Warumono-san, a member of a nefarious organization intent on conquering Earth. Despite being an alien with malicious intents, Warumomo craves a peaceful life. He enjoys simple pleasures such as visiting pandas at the zoo and indulging in ice cream, all while reflecting on normal human experiences.
Sasaki and Peeps
Sasaki and Peeps presents a unique take on the Isekai genre, focusing on Sasaki, a middle-aged corporate worker. To combat his life’s emptiness, he adopts a bird, which turns out to be a legendary mage capable of transporting them to fantasy realms. Sasaki’s mundane existence is forever changed as he navigates his new powers amid various obstacles.
The Witch and the Beast
Featuring a mix of dark humor and fantasy, The Witch and the Beast follows the unlikely duo of Guideau and Ashaf. Guideau, a fierce girl with beast-like eyes, and Ashaf, an eloquent man, find themselves in a village ruled by a deceptively benevolent witch. Their journey reveals the darker truth behind the village’s hero.
Spice and Wolf: Merchant Meets the Wise Wolf
This reboot of Spice and Wolf, based on Isuna Hasekura’s renowned manga, features Kraft Lawrence, a traveling merchant who finds Holo, a wolf-deity, asleep in his cart. Holo persuades Lawrence to take her along on his journey, exchanging wisdom for partnership, which leads to newfound life experiences.
Wind Breaker
This hidden gem of 2024 is based on Satoru Nii’s manga. It tells the story of Haruka Sakura, who is marginalized for his unusual looks. After transferring to Furin High School, he seeks to distance himself from the weak and connects with a group renowned for their brawling, yet they are actually guardians of the community.
The Elusive Samurai
The Elusive Samurai follows the story of Tokiyuki Houjou, a carefree eight-year-old noble who is uninterested in his Shogun duties. His life takes a drastic turn when a coup decimates his clan. As despair sets in, he meets a mysterious priest, marking the beginning of his transformative journey.
Wistoria: Wand and Sword
Wistoria: Wand and Sword is one of the standout fantasy anime of 2024. It follows Will Serfort, who aims to keep a promise to a childhood friend by becoming a Magia Vander. This prestigious title belongs to the most powerful magicians, which is challenging for Will, who struggles with basic spells as he embarks on his magical journey at Regarden Magical Academy.
Shoshimin: How to Become Ordinary
Kobato possesses remarkable investigative talents but realizes they offer little value to his quest for normalcy. He makes a deal with his friend Yuki to pursue an ordinary life, only to find themselves entangled in a series of mysterious events that complicate their aim for a simple existence.
Twilight Out of Focus
Twilight Out of Focus is a captivating Boy’s Love anime that revolves around Mao Tsuchiya and Hisashi Ootomo, two roommates who establish boundaries with three promises: Mao must keep Hisashi’s gay identity a secret, Hisashi must never fall for Mao, and they should respect each other’s personal time. However, their high school drama intensifies when the film club wants to cast Hisashi in a Boy’s Love movie, forcing Mao to confront his feelings.
Leave a Reply