10 Near-Perfect Anime Series Nobody Remembers

Image via Kyoto Animation Published Sep 4, 2026, 6:09 AM EDT Lucas Kloberdanz-Dyck is a writer for Collider. He grew up creating lists, stories, and worlds, which led to his love of anime and video games. He attended Sheridan College where he earned an Honours Bachelor of Game Design. Lucas and his group won 1st place for technical innovation at LevelUp Toronto 2023, and he was also an intern for the Oakville Film Festival of Arts. Sign in to your Collider account It is only natural for older series to be forgotten decades after they first came out, and this is especially true for anime since the modern-day scene has exploded with popularity. Series such as Frieren: Beyond Journey's End and Demon Slayer have overshadowed many classic anime shows, meaning what used to be popular is just a shadow of itself, now forgotten in time. That is why this list will feature ten near-perfect anime series that nobody remembers anymore based on past popularity, lack of current relevance, animation, writing, originality, critical acclaim, fan opinion, and overall quality. It may be a bit harsh to say no one remembers these anime series since they were once popular and still have a cult fanbase, but compared to back then, these shows are all but irrelevant, even if they are fantastic. 10 'Nichijou' (2011) Image via Kyoto Animation Comedy anime can age very poorly, but not only that, the current landscape doesn't favor comedy shows, which is why series like Nichijou are largely forgotten. Roughly translating to daily life, that is exactly what this anime is about, following the everyday lives of its residents, most notably a trio of high school girls, a young professor and her housekeeper robot, and a bunch of random students. Nichijou has a diehard fanbase, but it is nothing more than an early 2010s anime for the casual viewer. There isn't a more charming anime than this one, which can warm the viewer's heart with wholesome moments and then switch up to chaotic mayhem within seconds. Nichijou is a comedic juggernaut that uses its endearing characters and distinct vibe to create a surreal yet captivating journey of everyday eccentricities. 9 'Magi: The Labyrinth of Magic' (2012–2014) Image via A-1 Pictures The biggest anime genre is undoubtedly action, and many battle shounen from the past remain popular, unlike what happened with Magi: The Labyrinth of Magic. In a world where giant tower dungeons spawned out of the Earth, those who conquer them become king candidates. Alibaba is one such candidate, and alongside his Djinn, Aladdin, they plan to make the world a better place. Back when it first came out, Magi: The Labyrinth of Magic was a must-watch anime that had everyone talking, but with no new season in over a decade, it has been largely forgotten. Boasting one of the best anime power systems, this series hooked the audience with its captivating action and engaging political plot, proving it had one of the best stories for an action anime. 8 'Space Dandy' (2014) Image via Bones Shinichiro Watanabe is one of the greatest anime directors of all time, and while most know him for Cowboy Bebop, which is anything but forgotten, he has some lesser-known works, including Space Dandy. The titular character searches for rare aliens to register for money alongside a robot and a cat-like alien, but they mostly end up in trouble with a galactic empire, leaving nothing but chaos wherever they go. Space Dandy is one of the weirdest anime series fans will watch, but in a good way, because it mixes a bunch of different genres together to create a unique blend. From one of the silliest episodes imaginable to a profound and bleak story, fans never know what they are in store for in Space Dandy, and that is exactly why it is one of the best underrated gems out there. 7 'Megalo Box' (2018–2021) Image via Prime Video Most of the anime on this list are from the late 2000s to mid-2010s, mainly because a lot of those shows are forgotten, but modern series can not be remembered as well, such as Megalo Box. Set in the future, the titular sports event pits boxers against each other with heavy mechanical gear, but Joe, a hungry rookie, sets himself apart by rising through the ranks with nothing but leather gloves and a fighting spirit. The first season is an amazing underdog story about someone who goes against the grain, believing in talent alone to make a name for himself. But the second season of Megalo Box is a gritty drama about his eventual fall and drug addiction, fighting to get back into the ring despite years of substance abuse. They are vastly different stories, but both have a weight about them that proves it is one of the best sports anime series ever. 6 'Daily Lives of High School Boys' (2012) Image via Sunrise As mentioned, a lot of comedy anime from the 2010s are forgotten today, even some of the best, including Daily Lives of High School Boys. As the name implies, this series follows a class full of high school boys and their daily lives, which consist of romanticizing sitting on a riverbank to getting embarrassed in front of friends and everything in between. Some of the greatest comedy anime are also slice-of-life shows, and that is because everyone can relate to the daily adventures of youth and the plenty of embarrassments faced when younger. Daily Lives of High School Boys is boys being boys, which should be timeless, but the comedy masterclass isn't talked about anymore, remaining a product of the 2010s. Collider Exclusive · Action Hero Quiz Which Action Hero Would BeYour Perfect Partner? Rambo · James Bond · Indiana Jones · John McClane · Ethan Hunt Five legends. Five completely different ways of getting out alive — with style, with muscle, with charm, with luck, or with a plan so intricate it probably shouldn't work. Ten questions will reveal which action hero was built to have your back. 🎖️Rambo 🍸James Bond 🏺Indiana Jones 🔧John McClane 🎭Ethan Hunt FIND YOUR PARTNER → 01 You're dropped into a dangerous situation with no warning. What do you need most from a partner? The first few seconds tell you everything about who belongs beside you. ASomeone who already has three contingency plans running and is calmly working through all of them. BSomeone who reads the terrain instinctively and knows exactly how to use it against the enemy. CSomeone who keeps their nerve and their sense of humour when everything is falling apart. DSomeone who knows the history of wherever we are and what we're walking into. ESomeone with the right contact, the right cover identity, and the right exit already arranged. NEXT QUESTION → 02 You have to get somewhere dangerous, fast. How do you travel? How you get there is half the mission. AOn foot through terrain no one else would attempt — I move where vehicles can't follow. BOn a motorcycle, a cargo plane, or anything else that gets me there before I think too hard about it. CIn something that belongs to someone else — borrowed, stolen, or improvised under fire. DFirst class, with a cover identity and a gadget that does something I won't explain until it's needed. EBy whatever means are available — I've driven, flown, and once arrived by camel. The destination matters, not the method. NEXT QUESTION → 03 You're pinned down and outnumbered. What does your ideal partner do? This is when you find out what someone is really made of. ADisappears into the environment, flanks them silently, and ends it before I've reloaded. BCracks a one-liner, grabs a fire extinguisher or a chair, and improvises something that somehow works. CProduces a gadget specifically designed for this exact scenario and uses it with infuriating precision. DPulls out a whip, a pistol, and an archaeological insight that somehow gets us out alive. ENeutralises the threat with maximum efficiency and minimum words — they were already three moves ahead. NEXT QUESTION → 04 The mission is paused. You have one evening to decompress. What does your partner suggest? Who someone is when the pressure drops is who they actually are. AA bar with terrible lighting, cold beer, and absolutely no questions about feelings. BThe finest restaurant in the city, a bottle of something expensive, and a conversation that is equal parts brilliant and exhausting. CA local dig site, a museum after hours, or a long story about why that particular artefact matters to human civilisation. DPizza. Bad TV. Falling asleep halfway through a movie neither of you were watching anyway. EA debrief that turns into three hours of contingency planning that somehow becomes the most fun you've had all week. NEXT QUESTION → 05 How do you prefer your partner to communicate mid-mission? Good communication is the difference between partners and a liability. APrecise and minimal — tell me what I need to know and nothing else. Every word has a cost. BDeadpan and dry — keeping it light keeps me sharp, even when everything is on fire. CEnthusiastic and slightly chaotic — but always with useful information buried somewhere in the noise. DCalm and controlled through an earpiece, with a plan that covers every variable I haven't thought of yet. EBarely at all — silence is a language and they speak it fluently. NEXT QUESTION → 06 Your enemy is powerful, well-resourced, and has the upper hand. How should your partner approach them? The approach to the enemy defines the partnership. AInfiltrate their inner circle, learn everything, and dismantle them from inside out before they know we're there. BStudy the historical pattern — every villain of this type has a weakness written somewhere in the past. CGet them talking. The more they monologue, the more time I have to figure out how to beat them. DGo through them. Directly. With as much force as the terrain allows. EFind the one thing they haven't accounted for — there's always one thing — and make sure we're holding it. NEXT QUESTION → 07 Things go badly wrong and you're captured. What do you trust your partner to do? Who someone is when you need them most is the only thing that matters. ACome in alone, quietly, and get me out before anyone knows they were there. BHave already been working on the extraction since the moment I disappeared — the plan is already running. CCome in loud, come in fast, and worry about the collateral damage later — I'd do the same for them. DUse every resource, every contact, and bend every rule until I'm out — they don't leave people behind. ECharm their way in somehow, bluff through the hard part, and still manage to look good doing it. NEXT QUESTION → 08 What does your ideal partner bring to the table that you couldn't replace? A great partner fills the gap you didn't know you had. ATechnology that shouldn't exist yet and the training to use it under any conditions. BSurvival instinct so refined it borders on supernatural — and the scars to prove it's been tested. CKnowledge of history, language, and culture that makes them invaluable in places where force is useless. DThe ability to walk into any room in the world and immediately become the most trusted person in it. EStubbornness that refuses to accept a situation is hopeless — and the improvisational skill to back it up. NEXT QUESTION → 09 Every partnership has a cost. Which of these can you live with? No one comes without baggage. The question is whether you can carry it together. AA partner who never fully switches off — always watching exits, always calculating threats, even at dinner. BA partner who gets the job done brilliantly but has the emotional availability of a locked filing cabinet. CA partner who makes everything ten times more complicated than it needs to be — but who always comes through. DA partner who gets personally attached to every relic, ruin, and artefact we encounter, which slows everything down. EA partner who was not built for this and knows it — but shows up anyway, every time, without being asked. NEXT QUESTION → 10 It's the final moment. Everything is on the line. What do you need from your partner right now? The last question is the most honest one. AOne line. Absolutely dry. Delivered like the world isn't ending. Then we move. BNothing said at all — just a look that means we both already know what has to happen. CA plan I don't fully understand that somehow accounts for everything, delivered in thirty seconds flat. DA piece of historical context that reframes the entire situation and tells us exactly what to do next. ESomeone who steps forward instead of back — because that's who they've always been. REVEAL MY PARTNER → Your Partner Has Been Assigned Your Perfect Partner Is…Your answers have pointed to one action hero above all others. This is the person built to have your back — for better or considerably, spectacularly worse. RamboYour partner doesn't talk much, doesn't need to, and will have assessed every threat in your immediate environment before you've finished your first sentence. John Rambo is not a man of plans or politics — he is a force of nature shaped by survival, loyalty, and a capacity for endurance that goes beyond anything training can produce. He will not leave you behind. He has never left anyone behind who deserved to come home. What you get with Rambo is the most capable, most quietly ferocious partner imaginable — one who has been through things that would have broken anyone else, and who chose to keep going anyway. You'll never need to ask if he has your back. You'll just know. James BondYour partner will arrive perfectly dressed, perfectly briefed, and with a cover story so convincing it'll take you a moment to remember what's actually true. James Bond is the most professionally dangerous person in any room he enters — and the most disarmingly charming, which is the point. He operates in a world of layers, where nothing is what it appears and every advantage is used without apology. You'll never be bored. You'll occasionally be furious. But when it matters — when the mission is genuinely on the line and the margin for error has collapsed to nothing — Bond is exactly the partner you want. He has survived things that have no business being survivable. He does it with style. That is not nothing. Indiana JonesYour partner will know the history, the language, the cultural context, and exactly why the thing everyone else is ignoring is actually the most important thing in the room. Indiana Jones is brilliant, reckless, and occasionally impossible — but he is also one of the most resourceful, most genuinely knowledgeable partners you could find yourself beside. He approaches every situation with a scholar's eye and a brawler's instinct, which is an unusual combination and a remarkably effective one. He hates snakes and gets personally attached to objects of historical significance, both of which will slow you down at least once. It doesn't matter. What Indy brings is irreplaceable — and the adventures you'll have together will be the kind people write books about. Assuming you survive them. John McClaneYour partner was not supposed to be here. He does not have the right equipment, the right information, or anything approaching the right odds. He has a sarcastic remark and an absolute refusal to accept that the situation is as bad as it looks. John McClane is the greatest accidental hero in the history of action cinema — a man whose superpower is stubbornness, whose contingency plan is improvisation, and whose capacity to absorb punishment and keep moving would be alarming if it weren't so useful. He will complain the entire time. He will make it significantly more chaotic than it needed to be. And he will absolutely, unconditionally, without question come through when it counts. Yippee-ki-yay. Ethan HuntYour partner has already run seventeen scenarios by the time you've finished reading the briefing, and the plan he's settled on involves at least two things that should be physically impossible. Ethan Hunt operates at the absolute edge of human capability — technically, physically, and intellectually — and he brings the same relentless precision to protecting his partners that he brings to dismantling organisations that shouldn't exist. He is not easy to know and he will never fully tell you everything. But he will carry the weight of the mission so completely, so absolutely, that your job is simply to trust him — and the remarkable thing is that trusting him always turns out to be the right call. The mission will be impossible. He will complete it anyway. ↻ RETAKE THE QUIZ 5 'Kaiba' (2008) Image via Madhouse Avant-garde anime are rare nowadays, mainly because the mainstream audience doesn't watch them, meaning older series like Kaiba aren't remembered. In this sci-fi world, people can copy their memories and implant them into new bodies, but the titular character is a body without any memories, and this anime is his story about finding out who his body really is. Almost every avant-garde anime is forgotten since it was already niche to begin with, and Kaiba in particular isn't as popular as it used to be. However, its retro animation and style add a fun vibe to an incredibly engrossing story about consciousness, life, and memories. Kaiba isn't just a great show; it is one of the best anime series of all time, and deserves to be remembered years into the future. 4 'Kaiji' (2007–2011) Image via Madhouse Death games are always a thrilling type of story, and anime has no shortage of them, with there being so many that even some of the best are forgotten. Kaiji is about the titular character, who one day gets an offer he can't refuse to pay back all of his debts. However, it turns out he needs to compete in a series of death games to pay back what he owes in order to entertain the wealthy elite. Kaiji is one of the most suspenseful anime series ever, using its tension and high stakes to keep fans on the edge of their seats for the entire show. The manga is still going, but with no new seasons, it hasn't been in the know for years. Still, Kaiji is an influential series that inspired other death game shows, yet it remains the best to ever do it, desperately needing a modern-day revival. 3 'xxxHOLiC' (2006–2011) Image via Production I.G. 2006 may not seem that old, but it was 20 years ago, and many shows came out and were forgotten in that time, including xxxHOLiC. The protagonist has always had a strange affinity with the supernatural, but one day, when a mysterious shop draws him in, he becomes an assistant to an even more mysterious woman who gives her customers items and advice to beat their supernatural troubles. As one of the best thriller anime series, xxxHOLiC utilizes its chilling atmosphere and ghost stories to portray haunting moments. However, this anime is also wholesome and funny at times, which it accomplishes by helping its customers and taking some time off for some goofy moments. xxxHOLiC is very 2000s, but in the best way possible, and that style is why it is no longer talked about. 2 'Silver Spoon' (2013–2014) Image via A-1 Pictures Hiromu Arakawa is one of the greatest manga authors alive, mostly known for their magnum opus, Fullmetal Alchemist. However, they have another series that barely anyone remembers, and that is Silver Spoon. Under extreme pressure from his father, Hachiken decides to attend a farm school to get away from the stress, but when he is there, he learns to love farm life and connect with the people there. Fullmetal Alchemist is a legendary anime, but Silver Spoon is the author's personal project and a near-perfect anime. This isn't just a wholesome farm story with cute animals, even though it has that as well, but a coming-of-age drama where the lives and struggles of teenagers weave together. It has profound insight into the farming industry and is simply an entertaining story that more fans need to experience. 1 'Durarara!!' (2010–2016) Image via Brain's Base Most anime have a linear narrative, but some opt for a non-linear approach, and that is exactly what Durarara!! excels at. The protagonist is excited to move out of his rural life and live in the big city, but when he gets there, he is immediately thrown into a conspiracy. From headless horseman urban legends to rising gang conflicts, he finds himself at the center of all the action. Durarara features an expansive cast of characters who all have their own personal story that slowly connects to the main plotline, meaning everyone is important and intriguing. For many non-linear shows, Durarara was the anime blueprint, and that is because its narrative was so well-crafted and polished. The mystery is among the best in the genre, and the style is cool enough for anyone, making it tragic that this anime isn't as popular anymore. Durarara!! Release Date 2010 - 2010-00-00 Directors Takahiro Ômori, Shin'ya Kawatsura