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 2021 started the year with Horimiya, Attack on Titan: The Final Season, and part 2 of Re:Zero Season 2; Spring 2021 delivered Tokyo Revengers, Fruits Basket: The Final, To Your Eternity, and Odd Taxi; Summer 2021 had some heavy hitters in Miss Kobayashi's Dragon Maid Season 2 and That Time I Got Reincarnated as a Slime Season 2 Part 2; Fall 2021 will end the year on a high with Ranking of Kings, Komi Can't Communicate, and 86 Part 2.
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. Which 2021 anime deserve 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
- Japanese Title: Godzilla: S.P
- Where To Stream: Netflix
Godzilla Singular Point is 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 Point is not a masterpiece but kaiju fans should give it a try.
Opera Girl!
- Japanese Title: Kageki Shojo!!
- Where To Stream: Funimation
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
- Where To Stream: Crunchyroll, VRV
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 Musume is ultimately not all that different from other sports anime, particularly ones that throw in a healthy helping of comedy.
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 Derby is worth it.
Scissor Seven Season 3
- Japanese Title: Wu Liuqi Zhi Xuanwu Guo Pian
- Where To Stream: Netflix
Scissors Seven has 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 3 retains 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 Seven is a wild ride from beginning to end, and season 3 takes things up a few notches.
Non Non Biyori Nonstop
- Where To Stream: Crunchyroll, HiDive, Viva
Non Non Biyori is well-known in certain circles, however, this slice of life anime can never be praised enough. Non Non Biyori Nonstop is 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 Nonstop is the ultimate comfort watch, an anime that heals the soul while providing laughter and gorgeous scenery. Fans of Yuru Camp should definitely check out Non Non Biyori. The previous seasons are worth watching, but it is also possible to start with Nonstop.
Artiswitch
- Where To Stream: YouTube
Sunrise's Artiswitch is 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.
An experimental series, Artiswitch is 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
- Japanese Title: Lupin III: Part 6
Lupin the 3rd has been around since the early '70s, and while the property is famous, the anime's modern incarnations tend to go by without much fanfare. Ultimately, Part 6 is just another season of Lupin 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, then Lupin the 3rd is the gift that keeps on giving.
World Trigger Season 2 & 3
- Where To Stream: Crunchyroll, VRV
After almost half a decade, World Trigger made its comeback in Winter 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 Trigger is one of the better 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 Trigger goes from passable to great.