Everyone loves an underdog story; seeing someone overcome insurmountable odds is a great feeling and has provided fans with some of the greatest movies and TV shows. Anime is also known for delivering some standout underdog series, includingNarutoandHaikyuu!However, underdogs aren’t reserved for just stories; some series themselves proved to beunderdogs that beat the odds and became successful.
Not every popular or well-received anime show started that way, and many series had nothing to their name and no hype surrounding it. This list will rankten underdog anime series that had no anticipation or expectations but became major hitsbased on fan opinion, critical acclaim, overall quality, and how successful they became compared to their beginning. These ten anime came from nothing but became staple series in the community, proving that in the realm of anime, anyone can prosper.
10’Frieren: Beyond Journey’s End' (2023)
Studio: Madhouse
Few new-gen anime have risen to the same heights asFrieren: Beyond Journey’s End, which is already a standout series after one season. Decades after Frieren and her party defeated the Demon King, they all went their separate ways, but as an elf, she outlived all of them. Unfulfilled by not saying what she felt, Frieren embarks on a journey to Aubsert, where she can commune with the dead and express herself.
It was difficult rankingFrieren, mainly because there was some anticipation and excitement from manga fans, who passed on their hype to anime viewers. Still,considering how massive this anime became,the early excitement wasn’t nearly as muchas it should have been. Furthermore, it’s among the rare anime offerings that appeal to non-anime fans, largely thanks to its fantasy setting.Frierenis a modern classic animethat beautifully showcases its fantasy world and laidback vibe while also knowing when to heat things with action.
Frieren: Beyond Journey’s End
9’Baki' (2001)
Studios: Group TAC and TMS Entertainment
First airing in 2001,Bakimade its return in 2018 with a new studio and a modern approach. The series follows the eponymous character and his quest for strength after his father created him for the sole purpose of fighting him when he was strong enough in the future. This complicated father-son relationship is just the beginning, as Baki fights an assortment of ridiculous characters to become mighty.
It is hard to say ifBakiwas an underdog series back in 2001 when it first aired, which is why this entry is about the return of the series in 2018. Even though it already had two seasons,the modern audience wasn’t familiar with this showand didn’t pay much attention. Indeed,Bakiwas seen as a product of a bygone era, if it was thought of at all. However,Bakibecame one of Netflix’s biggest original anime series, with its bizarre plot andepic anime actionpropelling it to the top of fans' must-watch lists.
8’Cyberpunk: Edgerunners' (2022)
Studio: Trigger
Based onMike Pondsmith’s tabletop game and the video gameCyberpunk 2077, this anime is set in the same world but with an anime twist and original story. After the death of his mother, David Martinez joins a gang with his enhanced cybernetic spine, hoping to disrupt the ones responsible for her death. However, he only experiences more trauma and heartbreak in Night City.
Cyberpunk: Edgerunnersisa rare example of a video game adaptation working out. Most fans had no hope because of the disastrous launch of the video game, but the anime adaptation proved to be better than the source material. It delivers an in-your-face, action-packed cyberpunk thrill fest thatimproves upon the original in pretty much every way that counts. It is one of thebest action anime of the decadeand proved fans should take video game adaptations more seriously.
Cyberpunk: Edgerunners
7’Megalo Box' (2018)
Studio: TMS Entertainment
Ashita no Joeis one of the most influential anime series about boxing, andMegalo Boxis a direct homage to that masterpiece. Set in the future where boxers wear cybernetic enhancements, Joe is a junkyard fighter who lives dangerously. When he loses to the champ, he gets invited to fight professionally. However, it is a long and challenging road for Joe if he wishes to fight the champ again and win this time.
RankingMegalo Boxwas difficult for this list because it was an original anime, meaning it had no source material. Because of this,no one had it on their radar or gave it much thought. However, this series proved everyone wrong. Even if it isn’t the most popular anime, the critical reception and fan opinion are as prestigious as it gets.Megalo Boxis a perfect completed animeandan underdog series with an underdog story.
6’Link Click' (2021)
Studio: LAN Studio
Anime originated in Japan, and while it is still predominantly from this country, Korea and China have produced some stories in this medium. One of the best examples isLink Click, a Chinese anime series that follows a duo with the unique ability to enter photographs. Clients bring the pair photos, and they enter them to fulfill their requests, but when they get personal, the pair must try not to alter the future by messing with events in the photo.
The unique premise and stunning animation should be more than enough to draw in massive crowds, butas a Chinese anime, it didn’t attract the attention of many fans. However, after the series began, more and more viewers flocked towards it, understanding how great it was. Not everyone knowsLink Click, but it is still a renowned series by fans and critics alike, making it asci-fi anime perfect from start to finish.
Link Click
5’Tokyo Revengers' (2021)
Studio: LIDENFILMS
Delinquent anime peaked in the 1990s and hasn’t been popular since, but a recent resurgence started in 2021 withTokyo Revengers. The anime follows Takemichi, a regular guy who learns of the death of his high school girlfriend. However, he inexplicably travels back in time to high school, now determined to stop her gang-related death. To do this, he joins a gang and hopes to change the future, no matter how much time it takes.
The manga was pretty popular and had some hype surrounding the anime version, butnothing warranted a significant hit. However,Tokyo Revengersbecame the biggest anime of the year, with millions of fans watching it for its unique premise and mix of time travel and delinquent antics. While the hype has died down, the anime is stillwidely prevalent and has dramatically boosted manga sales, leaving fansanticipating the new anime season in 2025.
Tokyo Revengers
4’Orb: On the Movements of the Earth' (2024)
WhileFrierenis a new anime,Orb: On the Movements of the Earthis the most recent series on this list, only ending in 2025.Nicolaus Copernicuscreated the formula for Heliocentrism, but this anime tells a fictional beginning of its origins. Following multiple protagonists in 15th-century Poland, the anime is about dedicated individuals aiming to perfect and propose the truth of the galaxy while avoiding the Church.
Orbisn’t extremely popularbut earns a spot on this list because of its critical acclaim and fan opinion. The manga wasn’t renowned, and no one was too excited about its anime adaptation, butfans started to grasp its importance and brilliance in every episode.Orbis now one ofthe best anime of 2024and even the decade because of its motivational themes and stellar story, which subverts expectations to deliver a profound experience.
Orb: On the Movements of the Earth
3’Odd Taxi' (2021)
Studio: OLM
Crunchyroll is the leading anime streaming service, butOdd Taximarked a unique turn when it started producing anime in-house. The series follows the anthropomorphic cast, including Odokawa, a taxi driver who becomes the center of a mysterious murder case. All of his past customers seem to be connected, following many different storylines and perspectives, with Odokawa being the key to solving the case.
Original anime are consistently less likely to get recognition or hype, but the few that succeed become staples of the genre.Odd Taxiblew everyone’s expectations away, with no one having the least bit of excitement for this show.No viewer thought this anime would become a major hit, but it proved everyone wrong by delivering a unique blend of mystery, comedy, drama, and suspense.
2’Ranking of Kings' (2021)
Studio: WIT Studio
Fantasy is one of the most popular anime genres, but many fans didn’t watchRanking of Kingsbecause they were put off by its art style. This show is about Bojji, a young prince who cannot hear or speak, leading to the kingdom looking down on him. After making friends with a shadow creature, the two go on a daring adventure to get stronger and conquer their insecurities to make them a worthy king.
With an old and childlike art style and a manga no one has heard of,Ranking of Kingsis the ultimate underdog series, which came from nothing and became one of the most critically acclaimed anime of the 2020s. Its motivational story and stellar animation are magnificent, but Bojji is the heart and soul of the story.Ranking of Kingsis one of thebest fantasy anime ever,highlighting it as an underdog series with an underdog story.
1’Demon Slayer' (2019)
Studio: ufotable
Fans might be shocked at the inclusion ofDemon Slayer, but before it became one of the biggest modern anime,it was relatively unheard of. The story follows Tanjiro and his sister on a quest to revert her to normal after the infamous Muzan turned Nezuko into a demon. However, along the way, they must get stronger and find allies to defeat the strongest demons who challenge them along their path.
Before its success, theDemon Slayermanga wasn’t that popular, and most fans simply assumed the anime would be decent. However,the series proved everyone wrongand is now one of the most famous anime in history, changing how studios view the medium.Demon Slayeris an essential animebecause of its immense popularity and groundbreaking animation, forever becoming the ultimate underdog anime that became a major hit.
