18+ Of The Greatest Anime In 2021 That Deserve Some Credit!

2021 anime weren’t all that bad. Some WERE bad of course, even downright awful. But many shined.

Some anime shined this year that ended up being savagely underrated. Or not mentioned enough.

Other anime were obvious (Attack On Titan) because of their reputation and popularity.

Here’s a list of the best 2021 anime taken from genres:

• Fantasy.
• Action.
• Seinen.
• Slice of Life.
• Romance.
• Shounen.
• Sci-fi.
• Music.

And similar genres or themes!

1. Shadows House

Shadows House is one of those underrated anime community.

The anime is ultimately about a big ass house where two types of people live:

• Nobles.
• Dolls.

The “dolls” are created to serve the nobles of the house. Each noble, regardless of rank, resembles a shadow. They have no facial expression.

The doll is the yin to the shadows yang. They become their “other half” in a literal way.

As each pair of characters like Kate and Emilico rise up the ranks, the plot thickens, the story gets darker, and some brilliant plot twists start to pop up.

Saying any more will spoil the anime.

It already has a 2nd season announced and it’s a good addition to the slice of life/mystery and Seinen category.

2. Jujutsu Kaisen

It’s hard to deny Jujutsu Kaisen’s role this year in the Shounen fandom. It absolutely dominated with its action, visuals, and fight choreography.

Watching a lot of the fights in Jujutsu Kaisen is like poetry in motion. It’s artistic and graceful. Shit’s on another level.

Originally inspired by BLEACH in particular, the anime has a similar setting with CURSES that kill people the same way Hollows do.

The main characters, similar to Soul Reapers, are tasked to destroy them and protect the peace.

Jujutsu Kaisen is much better than Demon Slayer, which is overhyped.

3. Re:Zero Season 2

Re:Zero became one of my favorite anime shows of all time from the first season. That’s thanks to season 1’s second half.

They absolutely killed it with the plot and Subaru’s suffering was a key part of it. Along with his growth.

In season 2 REM becomes an irrelevant part of the plot, meaning she’s unconscious and never takes part in anything.

Emilia, the white haired girl who was hated in season 1 gets her shine, a backstory finally, and becomes a major highlight of the entire series.

You also get some returning villains and characters, along with new characters that makes it all fit like a glove. And enhances everything the anime is loved for.

4. The World’s Finest Assassin Gets Reincarnated in Another World as an Aristocrat

Stupidly long titles aside, The World’s Finest Assassin is an anime that impressed and proved it’s more than just an average Isekai.

The author by the way is the same one who made Redo Of Healer!

After the MC is killed off after retiring from his assassin work, he’s reincarnated and is able to start life over as an assassin in a new world.

This time he has more freedom and chooses his own path rather than being told what to do and taking orders blindly like a robot.

This element adds to Lugh’s personality and how he interacts with people in this new world. And it shapes his motives as an assassin.

You can think of this anime as a different take from shows like Akame Ga Kill which are similar but delivered differently.

5. Edens Zero

Edens Zero is an anime series people doubted in the beginning. I remember the ratings on MAL were almost a 6, if not a 6 for a time.

With what seems like a copy and paste of all of Fairy Tail’s characters, the anime in essence is more than what’s on the surface.

The world building is one of the anime’s most important aspects. The world is expansive, detailed, and full of mystery.

Rebecca Bluegarden, Happy, and Shiki who’s like Natsu 2.0 travel throughout space in search of something, while adventuring together.

Rebecca is skilled with guns and even piloting a spaceship, making her completely different in execution compared to Lucy Heartfilia, which her design is based on.

The best part comes later with more adaptations.

Relevant: 10+ Of The Most Worthy Anime Shows Like Edens Zero!

6. The Great Jahy Will Not Be Defeated!

After Jahy’s “dark realm” is destroyed by a magical girl, she and others end up on planet Earth, with their powers diminished.

They’re forced to live like humans for the moment as they attempt to rebuild their world again.

I have to admit in the first 5 episodes or so, this anime doesn’t feel all that special. And I wasn’t sure if it was worth continuing.

I was wrong. It’s from that point that the anime gradually gets better.

It’s wholesome at times, and comedy gold at other times. Basically a female version of The Devil Is A Part Timer.

7. Vivy Fluorite Eye’s Song

In this world run by artificial intelligence, one A.I in particular called Diva (or Vivy) is a singer. Her goal is to make people smile with her singing.

This is the mission given to her by her creator.

It turns out that in future, artificial intelligence plans to destroy the human race, so Vivy and Matsumoto (the robot from the future) work together to prevent the future from taking place.

Vivy Fluorite Eye’s Song is another underrated anime of the year. It aired around March-June time and went completely overlooked.

The visuals and aesthetics are EASILY the most gorgeous of any anime that aired in 2021.

8. Eighty Six

The anime is about racism and discrimination at its core. Some people are excluded from rights and freedoms and are made to fight for and protect the same people oppressing them.

They’re not even recognized as humans. “They” means people who live in the district called 86.

Eighty Six is an anime that’s been getting a lot of attention over the course of the year.

It started underrated and still is. But it’s now recognized. The rest of season 2 will air sometime in March 2022 if there are no more delays.

9. Horimiya

You can never judge a book by its cover until you know what’s inside. This anime highlights this really well.

Hori, as she’s called, sees Miyamura as an “Otaku” who no one understands because of how quiet and distant he is at school.

She later learns Miyamura isn’t an Otaku at all, he has 8 earring piercings, and he changes his hairstyle and looks when outside school. Making him seem like another person.

This is how the romance kicks off eventually, and the comedy and drama between these characters becomes a big highlight.

Horimiya can be thought of as a new version of Maid Sama. It’s ultimately a different series, but it has aspects fans of either will appreciate in the other.

10. Quintessential Quintuplets Season 2

Quintessential Quintuplets season 1 was good. Good enough to make fans want more, including myself.

Season 2 changed the art style a bit, and I wasn’t fond of it at first, but it warms on you and the anime delivers anyway.

Fuutaro Uesugi is the teacher of 5 female twins who can’t study or get good grades if their life depended on it. They’re a mixture of arrogant, spoilt, airheaded and foolish.

The anime walks you through their progress together, and their personal development as a whole.

It’s a harem series that makes HAREM look much better as a genre. The writing is solid and you really get to know each character without any unnecessary cliches standing in the way.

Relevant: 19+ Of The Greatest Harem Anime Shows For Your Watchlist

11. Idaten Deities Know Only Peace

In this anime concepts like science, Gods, atoms, how thoughts create things and more are a part of the main themes.

Demons are also an important factor in the anime along with humans. Because of this, the characters are overpowered from the very beginning.

The Idaten Deities destroy demons, and demons try to do the same. It’s not a new idea, but HOW it’s approached is what makes this anime so fresh and innovative.

I’d call it anime of the year if not for Shadows House. Both are underrated to a fault.

12. My Senpai Is Annoying

Futaba Igarashi, a 20 odd year old girl who’s in the 4 ft range finds her Senpai annoying. But she also warms to his kind personality.

The height difference is part of why this anime is so comical. Her Senpai is tall as F, she the opposite.

You see this both in the work setting when they’re doing sales work and in day to day life outside work.

If being wholesome was an award, My Senpai Is Annoying would easily win or be voted to win an award for it.

13. Komi San Can’t Communicate

Komi San has a disorder that makes it difficult for her to speak or communicate. And that’s the center of the plot.

The anime turns it into a comedy highlight, a sad highlight, a wholesome highlight, or an element that allows the main character to progress and develop their confidence.

It has strong similarities to Hitoribocchi.

I joked about Komi San being turned into an anime in 2021 on April Fool’s Day, saying Kyoto Animation was the studio behind it.

Not long after the real thing was announced, and here we are.

14. Takt OP. Destiny

This is a unique anime series. You have a Musicart, which is a type of weapon for destroying monsters.

On the other hand, you have Conductors who work with Musicarts as a duo. And the end result is action packed scenes that feel more artistic and creative than they do plain and typical.

The visuals and aesthetics are a major highlight of 2021 anime shows.

The main character (Cosette) shares similarities to Zero Two when transformed.

15. Non Non Biyori Non Stop

Non Non Biyori Non Stop is the latest season in the anime series. It’s about 4 girls:

• Renge.
• Natsumi.
• Komari Chan.
• Hotaru.

Each is a different age, but they hang out together in the countryside. Chilling, and going on adventures in a relaxing setting.

If you’re looking for chilled anime in general that helps you relax, this is definitely one of the best there is. And it’s a good break away from all the hyperactive nonsense of other anime.

16. Banished From The Hero’s Party

Red, a warrior with his own “blessing”, which translates to talent, is kicked out of his party by a certain underhanded party member.

He does this in secret when everyone else, including Red’s sister, isn’t aware of it.

Red then goes on to live in the countryside, running a little business and finds peace with this lifestyle. RIT who’s a princess joins Red, and they fall for each other.

You won’t find a better romance than this series. It’s as good as it gets.

This is also a wholesome, but violent and action-filled anime. It’s a good blend, but wholesomeness is the main thing you’ll get out of this anime.

17. Miss Kobayashi’s Dragon Maid S2

A human meets a dragon one day when she’s drunk and invites that dragon into her home. And she becomes a maid.

She’s called Tohru. The human is Miss Kobayashi.

Miss Kobayashi’s Dragon Maid was a killer in the first season. And it came back to remind people why it’s one of the best slice of life shows in the entire genre.

You get better visuals in this anime’s action scenes than most Shounen and more HYPE during the action than many action anime can’t even claim to have.

When this anime isn’t serious, it chooses to focus mostly on the slice of life and wholesome comedy between humans and dragons.

18. Mieruko Chan

Mieruko Chan was a solid series this season. And one of the best this year if you ask me. It’s a horror/comedy series.

It’s a good mix and brings something fresh to the table.

The plot is about Miko who can see ghosts and spirits. Some are good, some are evil. She tries to avoid eye contact with them regardless.

She has bags under her eyes because of the fact she’s being pestered by these horrifying looking spirits.

Her friend Hana isn’t the wiser, but chipper and cheerful so she helps a lot. And Yulia Chan can see ghosts like Miko, but not to the extent Miko can.

The anime’s conclusion and everything that happened in between was a sight to see and makes you ask for more. Season 2 may come in a few years.

Necessary Mention: Redo Of Healer!

This anime wasn’t the best for its quality, and if a studio like White Fox handled it the result would have been more stellar.

But… it deserves a mention more so for the MESSAGE and the controversy it brought to the table.

Seeing the mental gymnastics, double standards, and hypocrisy being revealed by critics was a sight to see.

The anime was necessary as far as creative freedom and expression goes.

Other Anime:

• Tokyo Revengers.
• Tensei Slime S2.
• To Your Eternity.
• Fruits Basket The Final.
• Ousama Ranking.

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