2021 has not lacked great anime. All four seasons contained at least a handful of worthwhile series, some of which could rank among the best examples of their respective genres.
Winter 2021started the year withHorimiya,Attack on Titan: The Final Season, and part 2 ofRe:ZeroSeason 2;Spring 2021deliveredTokyo Revengers,Fruits Basket: The Final,To Your Eternity, andOdd Taxi;Summer 2021had some heavy hitters inMiss Kobayashi’s Dragon Maid Season 2andThat Time I Got Reincarnated as a Slime Season 2 Part 2;Fall 2021will end the year on a high withRanking of Kings,Komi Can’t Communicate, and86 Part 2.
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With so many brilliant anime to watch, everyone will miss out on a few shows that they might enjoy. It is almost impossible to watch every anime in a season, and some series will naturally get skipped over more than others. Which2021 animedeserve more attention? Which shows should people watch if they originally missed out on them?
Note:In this case, “underrated” refers to anime that weren’t watched by a huge number of people when they originally aired rather than poorly received series.
Godzilla Singular Point
Godzilla Singular Pointis the latest in a long line of stories featuring the kaiju, although the anime places its titular monster on the backburner for long stretches. The Netflix show is very character-driven, which has not always worked great for Godzilla; thankfully, the anime does an admirable job of making its cast likable, particularly Mei Kamino.
The anime bogs itself down in sci-fi discussions, diving deep into the science behind the events of the story. While this can cause the show to drag in places, it builds up to a satisfying final act.Godzilla Singular Pointis not a masterpiece but kaiju fans should give it a try.
Opera Girl!
Based on Kumiko Saiki’s manga,Opera Girl!follows Sarasa Watanabe as she enlists at the Kouka School of Musical and Theatrical Arts, an all-female performing troupe.Opera Girl!takes a realistic look at musical theatre, showing the trials and tribulations faced by teenagers who are betting their future on a cutthroat industry that has no time for weakness.
Intelligent written, beautifully animated, and featuring a strong all-around roster of characters,Opera Girl!provides an unforgettable glimpse into a world that not many shows tackle directly.
Uma Musume: Pretty Derby Season 2
Uma Musume: Pretty Derby’s first season didn’t get much attention, presumably because the idea of a sports show about horse girls is just a bit too out there for most people. As imaginative as that premise sounds,Uma Musumeis ultimately not all that different from other sports anime, particularly ones that throw in a healthy helping of comedy.
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Season 2 takes the things that worked in its predecessor and amplifies them. The result is an anime overflowing with endearing characters, genuine emotion, and quite a few laugh-out-loud moments. Do not let its premise put you off,Uma Musume: Pretty Derbyis worth it.
Scissor Seven Season 3
Scissors Sevenhas been quietly doing its thing for a few years now, and the Chinese show just keeps on getting better with each new cour. While not quite as random as its predecessors,Scissors Seven’s season 3retains the comedic irreverence that has made the show such a joy to watch.
As always, the art is deceptively simple but splendidly animated, and the action scenes are generally brilliant.Scissors Sevenis a wild ride from beginning to end, and season 3 takes things up a few notches.
Non Non Biyori Nonstop
Non Non Biyoriis well-known in certain circles, however, this slice of life anime can never be praised enough.Non Non Biyori Nonstopis the franchise’s best season so far, being far more comedically consistent than the (still great) previous series. The calming anime follows a group of girls leaving in a small rural town as they go to school, play, and simply lead their lives.
Non Non Biyori Nonstopis the ultimate comfort watch, ananime that heals the soulwhile providing laughter and gorgeous scenery. Fans ofYuru Campshould definitely check outNon Non Biyori. The previous seasons are worth watching, but it is also possible to start withNonstop.
Artiswitch
Sunrise’sArtiswitchis an ONA series that consists of six short episodes. The anime revolves around a witch, Nina, who runs a room that calls people who are going through something of an identity crisis. Nina tells her guests to peer deeper, taking them on a psychedelic journey of self-discovery.
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An experimental series,Artiswitchis a visual tour-de-force, one that shakes things up quite a bit for each episode. The soundtrack is also consistently strong, in fact, some sections of the series feel like music videos.
Lupin The 3rd Part 6
Lupin the 3rdhas been around since the early ’70s, and while the property is famous,the anime’s modern incarnationstend to go by without much fanfare. Ultimately,Part 6is just another season ofLupin the 3rd, which is most definitely a positive. The series has always known how to put together digestible episodic content that expertly blends comedy and action, and the anime has not lost its touch after all these years.
Feel like watching a fast-paced popcorn series? If the answer is yes, thenLupin the 3rdis the gift that keeps on giving.
World Trigger Season 2 & 3
After almost half a decade,World Triggermade its comeback inWinter 2021. Season 2 picked up right where the first series left off with the Border Defense Agency trying to recover following the Neighbors' invasion. In the meantime, the former stage a competition for its B-ranked members. The shonen anime’s second and third seasons have been well-received, both earning praise for their action, supporting characters, and world-building. Taken together,World Triggeris one of thebetter action anime of 2021.
Unless someone sat through season 1’s 73 episodes, they are not going to give its sequels a try. Although never bad,World Trigger’s first few arcs are underwhelming and do little to set the anime apart from other shonen series. Once the invasion arc starts roughly 20 episodes into season 1,World Triggergoes from passable to great.
