A Classic 90s Franchise Reboot, A Murder-Mystery Retelling of An Iconic Tezuka Series, And 6 More of The Most Underrated Anime From The 2020s

It’s safe to say that 2020 was a weird time to be alive as the world went through a global shutdown. Even though a lot of people were stuck inside for a couple of years, with not much else to do, they may have still missed anime like the following recommendations.

Not all of these anime came out directly in 2020, but the ones that did certainly have gone on to get more of a cult following than a larger one. Half the decade is almost gone, so it’s definitely time for a check-in. From mysteries to action, these anime are still worth recommending.

BNA: Brand New Animal

Animal Crossing

BNA: Brand New Animal

Release Date

2020 – 2019

Network

Fuji TV

Directors

Tomoyuki Munehiro, Yuichi Shimodaira, Tatsumi Fujii, Motomasa Maeda, Takahiro Tamano, Kazuma Ogasawara

BNA: Brand New Animal is another great anime from Studio Trigger, which most may know from Kill la Kill. As far as Netflix anime, Cyberpunk: Edgerunners is THE Studio Trigger anime that set the world on fire, whereas BNA: Brand New Animal was loved by a smaller fanbase. It takes place in a world where humans and animal folk are separated, but one day the heroine, Michiru, gets transformed into a tanuki girl and has to move in with the animals to figure out her issue. It sounds high stakes, but BNA: Brand New Animal is just a chill and fun watch.

Deca-Dence

Attack On Bugs

For those looking for the next Attack on Titan supplement, Deca-Dence is it if it passed anime fans by the first time in 2020. Within a domed city in the post-apocalypse, society continues to survive thanks to armored explorers who periodically fight back bug-like creatures that want to destroy the remnants of humanity. Their exploration gear is reminiscent of the ODM gear from Attack on Titan, so viewers can expect to see a lot of zooming around giant creatures. It’s a quick watch with only twelve episodes so far with an extra twist not worth spoiling now.

Digimon Adventure (2020)

A Hidden Reboot

Digimon Adventure was a good accompaniment to the Pokemon anime that began airing in 1998. While both featured monsters, Digimon Adventure was different as an isekai wherein kids got thrown into a digital world and befriended partner Digimon.

It’s a classic first season that received a movie and other adaptations over the years. Fans may have missed the 2020 reboot, which focused more on Tai and combat between the various Digimon. While not as silly as the original version, Digimon Adventure is an interesting take on the franchise.

Dorohedoro

Lizard Brain

Dorohedoro is another anime with a short twelve-episode run. It’s one of the coolest-looking anime on Netflix because the studio, MAPPA, used cel-shading on 3D models. It’s a funky little anime about a lizard man, Caiman, who can’t remember how he became a lizard but is on a quest to find out. There is action, but it’s more of a drama-mystery hybrid with an odd sense of humor. The manga has been finished since 2018, and the few fans Dorohedoro does retain have been waiting for a season update since the anime began in 2020.

Great Pretender

A Con Man’s Guide

Great Pretender

Release Date

2020 – 2024-00-00

Directors

Hiro Kaburagi

Writers

Ryōta Kosawa

Great Pretender premiered in 2020 on Netflix and was a series of con-based escapades. The anime was divided into heists, with the setup, follow-up, and conclusion taking around three to five episodes to conclude. There’s an arc about infiltrating an art institution, for example. Most of the key players stay the same between events, but there are switches on occasion to mix up the cast. These bite-sized arcs made it easy to digest, with some scenarios definitely being more thrilling than others.

Platinum End

Angelic Royale

Platinum End

Release Date

2021 – 2022

Network

TBS

Directors

Jang Hee-kyu, Son Seung-hui, Oh Eun-soo

Platinum End is the next series from manga team Tsugumi Ohba and Takeshi Obata, the creators of Death Note. The manga started in 2015 and ended in 2021, with the anime being picked up in 2021, and it ending a year later, fully complete.

It’s another high-minded concept with characters getting assigned angels after they try to end their lives. These angelic characters can then help their humans become the next ruler of heaven and earth. It’s a battle royale-like mystery that doesn’t quite reach the same highs as Death Note, but Platinum End is intriguing all the same.

Pluto

A Legend Is Reborn

Pluto

Release Date

2023 – 2022

Directors

Toshio Kawaguchi

Writers

Tatsuro Inamoto, Heisuke Yamashita

Pluto is based on a manga that finished up in 2009. It is beloved in Japan, which is an adaptation of Astro Boy, a legend in itself as one of the seminal works that helped create both the manga and anime industry. It’s a sad story about a series of robot murders and the connected victims trying to deal with their past lives. Episodes are longer than normal and have uneven pacing to keep everyone interested, but the animation looks great, and the revelations are worth getting to after the slow start.

Sakura Wars: The Animation

An Unexpected Sequel Anime

• Director: Manabu Ono
• Studio: Sanzigen
• Released: April 3, 2020
• Episodes: 12

Sakura Wars is a bit more obscure of a JRPG franchise that began on the Sega Saturn, featuring romance options and mechanized battles in an alternate history of the steampunk era. It had disappeared for a few years from gaming, but it returned in 2019 as Sakura Wars. While not a smash hit, fans did appreciate the resurgence. What those fans may not have known is that it got a sequel anime, Sakura Wars: The Animation, in 2020. For those who wanted to get some closure with characters from the game, like Seijuro and Sakura, this is the best way to do it.