Underrated anime from the last five years worth catching up on

Every season, a handful of shows hoover up all the attention, and some genuinely great anime get lost underneath. These six from 2021 to 2024 are the ones we keep recommending to friends who say “I’ve seen all the big ones”. None of them need you to know anything going in.

As always, streaming catalogues vary by country – the services below are where each title streams in most places, but check your local service before you settle in.

ODDTAXI (2021)

A walrus taxi driver in Tokyo, a missing schoolgirl and a cast of animal passengers who all seem to be lying about something. ODDTAXI looks like a gentle kids’ show and plays like a crime novel, with dialogue so sharp it feels like a podcast. Thirteen episodes, and every one matters. Where: Crunchyroll (regions vary).

Ranking of Kings (2021–22)

Prince Bojji is deaf, small and dismissed by almost everyone at court – until he befriends a shadow creature called Kage. The storybook art style hides a surprisingly big-hearted and occasionally brutal fantasy. A perfect “watch together” pick for mixed ages. Where: Crunchyroll (regions vary).

Heavenly Delusion (2023)

Two stories run side by side: children living in a sealed-off facility, and two travellers crossing a ruined Japan looking for “Heaven”. How they connect is the hook, and it’s one of the best-kept mysteries of recent years. Where: Disney+ in most regions; Hulu in the US.

PLUTO (2023)

Naoki Urasawa’s reimagining of an Astro Boy story, as a detective thriller about someone murdering the world’s most advanced robots. Eight episodes of roughly an hour each, so it watches like a prestige drama – ideal for people who “don’t watch anime”. Where: Netflix (worldwide).

Orb: On the Movements of the Earth (2024–25)

A historical drama set in a fictional 15th-century European kingdom, about people who risk everything to prove the Earth moves around the Sun. That sounds dry; it isn’t. It’s tense, philosophical and quietly devastating across 25 episodes. Where: Netflix (worldwide).

Look Back (2024 film)

From the creator of Chainsaw Man, a short film about two girls bonded by drawing manga. It’s barely an hour long and one of the most moving things on this list – keep tissues nearby. Where: Prime Video (worldwide), with Japanese and English audio.

How to fit them in

• One evening: Look Back.
• A long weekend: PLUTO or ODDTAXI.
• A slow-burn mystery for the dark evenings: Heavenly Delusion.
• Something to watch with the family: Ranking of Kings.
• Your next big commitment: Orb.

New to anime altogether? Start with our best anime for beginners, and if you’re torn on audio, we’ve settled (sort of) the sub vs dub argument. For what’s airing right now, see our Fall 2026 anime watchlist.