Under-appreciated series that you watch.

[LastElixir]

You ever watch a series and wonder why it's being so underrated? This happens to me often. I often see a fanbase for the series I watch in Japan, but never in the US. I always find myself asking "Am I the only one who watch this show?" Post some underrated series that you love, and we may discover something new.

Heres some of mine... I'll keep the summaries short.

Master Keaton - Man, this show gets no love... and it's hard to explain how much I love this show. The show is episodic, putting you through the eyes of an ex-SAS insurance agent that travels around the world. Each episode usually focuses on a short story with different characters and problems, following with Keaton solving these problems with his unorthodox ways. Each episode often focuses on different countries, portraying its people, culture and ethics pretty accurately. A very good watch.

Ookiku Furikabutte - This show has arguably become my new all-time favorite, and definately one of my top series for this season. The story is about a new highschool baseball team with only freshmen, and their struggle at trying to be the best. The style is a little different, focusing on the deep thoughts and psychological mind games that goes on inside the character's head, rather than it being a typical action sports series. Very character & story driven, and seriously addicting... and I don't even like baseball.

Victorian Romance Emma - No need to explain, watch if it you haven't lawl.

Moonlight Mile - I have yet to hear anyone watching this show. The story is about two friends and their struggles of being astronauts. You get to see the basic plot of astronaut training and it's politics. The style is pretty westernized, and it's like watching an American show. Carries a good mix of action and drama suspense with unique characters.

Kaleidostar - A series with a good mix of shounen-esque sports action, drama and comedy. I honestly don't know how popular this series is in the US, but I highly recommend it. The series focuses on Sora, a girl who dreams to become a top acrobatic star, and her long struggles to pursuit this dream. The plot sounds rather cliche, but the story is far more intriguing than it sounds.

Now post yours.

J

[magz]

KS was really popular from what I could tell. One of the few box sets I actually own.

[mDuo13]

Master Keaton - Man, this show gets no love... and it's hard to explain how much I love this show. The show is episodic, putting you through the eyes of an ex-SAS insurance agent that travels around the world. Each episode usually focuses on a short story with different characters and problems, following with Keaton solving these problems with his unorthodox ways. Each episode often focuses on different countries, portraying its people, culture and ethics pretty accurately. A very good watch.

Victorian Romance Emma - No need to explain, watch if it you haven't lawl.

Consider both of these ketsuron'd.

Other shows I'd add are Monster, which is based on a manga by the same guy as Master Keaton, and Le Portrait de Petit Cossette, which is an acquired taste, but one I quite enjoyed. Oh, and the Tales of Phantasia OVA, which has excellent animation and character designs (go go Kosuke Fujishima!), and a good story even if it changes a lot from the game.Oh yes, and a few more: IRIA: Zeiram the Animation - a classic, and for good reason, but one that's often overlooked. I rep it a lot, but hear few things from other people. Then there's éX-Driver, another under-repped Kosuke Fujishima show, totally typical of his stuff - good character designs, lots of attention to detail with the cars, etc.

[Jun-Watarase]

You know, this post made me think for a bit.

I think every single one of the series I've watched, in my entire life, whether or not it was popular or on anime TV line-ups... each and every series has a fandom, big or small. I wasn't social enough to look for a local fandom, because I sort of gave up on people in America, seeking for similar interests. @__@;;

But then, if you think about it, I never really made an effort to find other people with the same interests, until now. I'm 16, now, right? It... is natural.

I can make a small list of what I feel is underappreciated, but as far as obscure goes, I don't think I'm 1337 enough to find any precious gem that other people don't already know about. It's probably just anime that I can't find enough websites/fansites, doujin, images, flashes, cosplayers, merchandise, etc of, compared to other series... or people in America (I speak English!) tell me they don't like it, or tend not to give it a chance.

Baldr Force
Kimi ga Nozomu Eien
Venus Versus Virus
Kumo no Mukou, Yakusoku no Basho
Gunbuster 1-2
Lovely Idol
Kannazuki no Miko
Le Portrait de Petit Cossette
Magical Pokan
Les Miserables
Amaenaide yo!!
Kashimashi
Jigoku Shoujo
Asatte no Houko
Canvas 1-2
Gakuen Alice
School Days
Hana Yori Dango
Keitai Shoujo
REC

I was going to name some series that I felt deserved to be underappreciated, but I didn't bother, in risk of offending anyone. >>;

Oh, and there are those sorts of anime where fandoms ruined, but are underappreciated for being good anime. I shall name some on Adult Swim, or some that have been dubbed that drove people away.

Inuyasha
Eureka Seven
Detective Conan

... I don't remember what else is on Adult Swim. x.x

[mDuo13]

Funny, there are some shows on your list that I think are overappreciated. Take Kashimashi - I'm a fan of shoujo-ai, but really, that series was weak. It had mediocre animation and music, arbitrary and unsatisfying plot twists, generic and flat-as-hell supporting characters (more like caricatures, really), and a complete cop-out of an ending. The fact that it has as many fans as it does astounds me every time.

[Jun-Watarase]

Funny, there are some shows on your list that I think are overappreciated. Take Kashimashi - I'm a fan of shoujo-ai, but really, that series was weak. It had mediocre animation and music, arbitrary and unsatisfying plot twists, generic and flat-as-hell supporting characters (more like caricatures, really), and a complete cop-out of an ending. The fact that it has as many fans as it does astounds me every time.

To be honest, most yuri anime suck really bad.

Kashimashi, Venus Versus Virus, Simoun, Kannazuki no Miko, and etc... ALL the anime sucked, but they had good stories and characters. Normally, their manga counterparts are much better.

But yeah, every single anime listed in this entire thread has a fandom, but they're not necessarily talked about, cosplayed, drawn, etc...

I often see a fanbase for the series I watch in Japan, but never in the US.

I named series that are generally underappreciated or seldom mentioned in American anime forums, fans, and the like. As for Japan, almost all of them have formidable fandoms of one size or another.


I mean, some fandoms I don't even understand. Sometimes I even belong to those fandoms.

Higurashi. I don't get it. It was a REALLY bad anime.

Haruhi-- I love this fandom, I love the jokes, I love the art, I love the ideas, but.... really, the anime, itself, wasn't all that great.

Other anime mentioned on this forum, like... Hidamari Sketch and Manabi Straight!. Those aren't appreciated as much as they should be, as well. Maybe a mention or two in an anime blog, but that's as far as that goes.

Ahh...

[Chun]

Sola.

~Chun

[Sunara Ishi]

My main series that I have yet to find anyone else that watches....

Toward the Terra: Based on a 1980 movie, its about the struggles between humans and those called the mu (who are humans with psychic powers). And the relationship of a Mu boy and the human friends he left behind.

Touka Gettan: Carnelian art. OwO Its a supernatural series taking place in another realm. (like heaven? I dunno..) The series is playing in reverse and tells a story backwards where each episode tells events that caused the previous episode's events. (I'm still figuring this one out)

Others that I know a couple other people watch:

Lovely Idol
Gakuen Alice

Maybe its me but I don't count series as unappreciated unless there's very few people that watch it. If I know of other people, its harder for me to lump series as this... -.-;

[Jun-Watarase]

Sola.

~Chun

It has quite a fanbase, don't you think?

[LordKefka]

Solty Rei
Phantom: The Animation
Blue Submarine no 6
Chance Pop Sesson
Chinese Ghost Story
Pet Shop of Horror
Sentimental Journey
All Cultural Cat Girl Nuku Nuku
Saber Marionette J
Witchblade
Seraphim Call
The Melody of Oblivion
Princess Tutu
Kurau: Phantom Memory
Twin Spica
Alien Nine
Video Girl Ai
Junkers Come Here
Comedy
Planetes
Memories
Godannar (this is Godly people)
Cat Returns
Stormy Night
Bokura Ga Ita
Hanbun no Tsuki ga Noboru Sora
Neo Ranga
Nazca
Princess Nine
Rescue Wings
Maria-sama Ga Miteru ( both season)
Tekkaman Blade

I guess this is enough for starters..

[Jun-Watarase]

How was Sentimental Journey? I played Sentimental Graffitti, but when I looked up the series... is it about each girl, one episode each?

I hated Video Girl Ai so much. XD;

And MariMite has a really big fandom! But still, underappreciated. @__@

[LordKefka]

How was Sentimental Journey? I played Sentimental Graffitti, but when I looked up the series... is it about each girl, one episode each?

I hated Video Girl Ai so much. XD;

And MariMite has a really big fandom! But still, underappreciated. @__@

Sentimental Journey is pretty decent, for me at least. Each episode goes over the life of a different girl. It's almost like Seraphim Call. I say you should check out both of them because they are about alike.

And I happened to cry when I watched Video Girl Ai when I was 14 thank you..>_>...

And more people still need to watch Maria-sama NOW..@_____@;;;

[LordKefka]

Wait... you HAVE Sentimental Graffiti?!?!.. !!!!! As in the REAL one? Not like a dl'ed one?

[Jun-Watarase]

Wait... you HAVE Sentimental Graffiti?!?!.. !!!!! As in the REAL one? Not like a dl'ed one?

No. It's downloaded.

The thing is, with the Sega Dreamcast, you don't need to mod it to play downloaded games. It takes in image files on straight CD-R's.

I first found out about it around middle school, when my friend went to Japan and came back with loads of stuff. She gave me some packs of post cards and stuff that she didn't care or or know about, and gave them to me... one pack, being of Sentimental Graffiti. I have some of them still up on my wall. Well, that's how I discovered the game. XD;

But by the time I found out about the anime, there were barely any seeders, and I had crap downspeed.

EDIT: I forgot to mention. I couldn't find a PC version of the game, actually. It'd be cool if someone could upload it.

And MariMite... MORE LOVE!

[LordKefka]

Wait... you HAVE Sentimental Graffiti?!?!.. !!!!! As in the REAL one? Not like a dl'ed one?

No. It's downloaded.

The thing is, with the Sega Dreamcast, you don't need to mod it to play downloaded games. It takes in image files on straight CD-R's.

I first found out about it around middle school, when my friend went to Japan and came back with loads of stuff. She gave me some packs of post cards and stuff that she didn't care or or know about, and gave them to me... one pack, being of Sentimental Graffiti. I have some of them still up on my wall. Well, that's how I discovered the game. XD;

But by the time I found out about the anime, there were barely any seeders, and I had crap downspeed.

EDIT: I forgot to mention. I couldn't find a PC version of the game, actually. It'd be cool if someone could upload it.

And MariMite... MORE LOVE!

Oh, cause the game is super hard to find and is a gem for many people (like me  :P ).

have you tried hong or toshokon for any luck with the game? Not sure about tosho but hong should have it.

[Ska_Kitti]

I'll say it every time this thread comes up...

Key the Metal Idol.

Hard as f^&* to get into and has good rewards at the end.

[Jun-Watarase]

I'll say it every time this thread comes up...

Key the Metal Idol.

Hard as f^&* to get into and has good rewards at the end.

I suppose it is underappreciated. I did watch part of it, but either lost interest or didn't have the time to finish it...

[mDuo13]

Last I saw anything of Key the Metal Idol was in middle school, during my first year of watching anime. One of the students brought in the first episode, and we were watching it, and there happened to be a lot of bare breasts and things in the episode, at least, more than it's accepted for a bunch of 6th-graders to be watching. The teacher came out and was like, "Turn it off," really serious, and the guy who brought it was like, "I didn't know! I didn't know!" It seemed like a series I might enjoy though.

Oh, I like Armitage III (the original OVA) too, but I don't know how appreciated it is. I haven't heard anything about it in some time, but it used to be fairly popular. Likewise with Irresponsible Captain Tylor. Both are pretty awesome series IMO.

[Chun]

Sola.

~Chun

It has quite a fanbase, don't you think?

Hmm... not that I've heard of, really. Maybe I'm just looking in the wrong places?

Most pass it off as your standard atypical OVA production from the game associated with it. It's like W-Wish, Hourglass of Summer OVA, or Mizuiro 2003 all over again.

~Chun

[PyronIkari]

I have two copies of SentiGura... Saturn ver and DC XD. Though DC ver. is SentiGura2. I might have SentiJourney for PSX somewhere, or if not James bought it and I can steal it from him if needed.

Sentimental Journey... was terrible. I'm a HUGE HUGE HUGE Sentigura fan, but the way they did the cartoon didn't make sense. They made it as if 1 guy, just toured Japan, and met up with all these girls for a weekend, then moved to the next one.

They shorted the stories too much as well. They were more to show their personalities than to show their actual story.

Key came out at a bad time. There were a few series that came out right before or right after that were just too similar, so that's why it wasn't really appreciated(not that it was very good).

I despise Video Girl Ai the OAV, but I loooooooooooooooooooooved the comic. Same story with I's, hated the OAV's and movie, the comic though is probably my favorite to date.

Jun: How can you even attempt to say MariMite is under appreciated XD That's like saying Saint Seiya is under appreciated.


Eh, underrated series...For me to think a series is underrated, means it not getting nearly the attention it deserves. Most shows get the attention they deserve. If I were to just list all the "unpopular" series' I've seen it would be a pretty damned long list.


Mushishi is probably the only really underrated show I've seen in a long time.  

Mmmm... Zegapain was a really good show that most people didn't give a chance. It started off too stereotypical but it wasn't up until around ep 5-6 did it reallllllllly start to shine.

As much as I love Alice Gakuen, which I do more than you think, it wasn't really underrated.

This sparked a convo between me and my friend James. We can't really think of any anime that are really underrated, but man... our list of comics is huge, mostly due to people losing track of them because of all the crap that came out around the same time.