Top 8 underrated seinen anime

Do you love seinen anime? From psychological thrillers to full-throttle racing shows, here are our top eight underrated seinen series you need to watch.

Unlike the much more popular shonen anime genre, seinen is known for its complex storylines, graphic violence and plots that are generally not suitable for a PG-13 audience.

Despite popular shows like One Punch Man and Kill La Kill garnering international acclaim and dominating in pop culture, there are dozens of seinen anime out there that deserve much more attention.

So, here are our top eight underrated seinen anime you need to add to your watch list right now.

Top 8 underrated seinen anime

With vampire stories, gamer girls and international arms dealing, there’s bound to be something you’ll love on this list. So, let’s begin.

8. Devil’s Line

We’re opening our list with a bang as it’s hard to top this unconventional vampire story.

The plot follows 22-year-old Tsukasa Taira, a university graduate who unknowingly becomes friends with a devil, and Anzai, a half-human/half-devil. In this world, devils are able to blend into human society and live relatively normal lives. But when they get a lust for blood, suddenly nothing can stop them.

When Anzai rescues Tsukasa from a devil, he pulls her into his world and together they investigate this dark universe, trying to hide monsters from the rest of humanity.

Available to watch on: Crunchyroll

7. Initial D

Based on Shuichi Shigeno’s 1995-2013 manga of the same name, Initial D has been adapted into several anime and video game series over the years.

The story focuses on the world of illegal Japanese street racing and revolves around Takumi Fujiwara, a student working as a gas station attendant with his best friend Itsuki.

As the plot evolves, Takami starts racing cars. First on the street, then off-road, and soon he becomes a rally racing legend. Think of it like the much older anime version of Fast and Furious, filled with all the adrenaline any petrol-head desires.

Available to watch on: Crunchyroll, Funimation and Amazon Prime Video

6. Hi Score Girl

Another one based on a popular manga series of the same name, High School Girl is essentially a boy meets girl series, where a young gamer meets and befriends his unexpected match.

Set in the early 1990s, this slice-of-life rom-com is like a blast from the past and something that a lot of ’90s kids can relate to. With arcades, young love and a hilarious rivalry, this short series is one that deserves another chance in the seinen spotlight.

Available to watch on: Netflix

5. Golden Kamuy

Set in the early 20th century, Golden Kamuy transports viewers to the post-war gold rush in the wilderness of Hokkaido.

This fun story follows Russo-Japanese War veteran Sugimoto Saichi, who stumbles across a map to hidden Ainu gold. Desperate to make his fortune, he sets off on a treacherous treasure hunt to try and find it, with terrifying consequences.

Available to watch on: Crunchyroll

4. Jormungand

This 2012 series is short and sweet and perfect for anyone looking to get into seinen anime.

The story follows young arms dealer Koko Hekmatyar, who sells weapons for an illegal smuggling corporation. As one of this company’s many unofficial weapons dealers, she has the terrifying task of selling weapons while avoiding international and local authorities.

If you’re after a relatively realistic military-themed anime, then look no further. Watch as Koko navigates her illegal and morally dubious career with the help of her best friend Minami Amada and an orphan boy Jonah.

Available to watch on: Crunchyroll

3. Gangsta

Set in fictional town Ergastulum, filled with unsavory characters including mafia members, thugs and dirty cops, meet “handymen” Worick Arcangelo and Nicolas Brown.

The duo are tasked with any kind of job that pays. However, after they murder a gang, Worick takes pity on the amnesiac sole survivor Alex and takes her under his wing.

But can their new found friendship last? As Alex slowly regains her memories, including what the duo did to her friends, the peace across Ergastulum hangs in the balance.

Available to watch on: Crunchyroll

2. Kingdom

You might be wondering why an adaptation of one of the world’s most popular manga, Kingdom, has ended up on this list of underrated seinen anime. But, based on the popularity of the source material, it should really get more views.

Set in China’s Warring States period, the story follows two orphan slave boys Xin and Piao, who dream of becoming Great Generals for the Qin army.

Filled with breath-taking battle scenes and steeped in history, Kingdom is considered one of the best war anime series ever. So, if you haven’t watched it already, you really should.

Available to watch on: Crunchyroll

1. Pluto

Yet another well-received series, Pluto is considered one of Netflix’s best original anime adaptations.

Based on Naoki Urasawa’s early 2000s manga, Pluto is a science fiction thriller like no other. The story follows a robot detective and his attempts to solve a string of robot and human deaths around the world.

Addressing hard hitting topics like equality, war and the morality of AI, Pluto was a critical success. However, the Netflix series became lost among a flurry of new releases, meaning it became one of the most overlooked anime of all time.

Available to watch on: Netflix

So there you have it. Our top eight most underrated seinen series of all time. If you haven’t seen them yet, then you’re missing out. Featuring all the elements you know and love from the shonen genre, but in a much more mature light, these shows are the perfect binge watch for any anime fan.

How to watch Crunchyroll from outside your location in 2023

Crunchyroll is the world’s best hub for streaming anime, whether it’s One Piece, Attack on Titan, or Jujutsu Kaisen – and thanks to ExpressVPN, you can access the platform’s full library even if you’re outside the US.

If you’re abroad, here’s what you need to do to access Crunchyroll’s full selection – and it really is this simple:

1. Sign up for ExpressVPN, which has ultra-fast servers and offers a secure, private connection wherever you are in the world
2.  Connect to a location anywhere in the US; Express VPN allows you to choose from 24 different spots, from New Jersey to Santa Monica
3.  Visit Crunchyroll online and start streaming all of your favorite animes – and perhaps some you’ve never watched

Accessing Crunchyroll’s US roster makes a difference; for example, Hong Kong users only have access to less than 100 titles, while the US has nearly 1,000 movies and TV shows.

You can also stream anime on Crunchyroll for free with an ad-supported plan, or you can pay for a subscription – there’s even a 14-day free trial if you can’t quite make up your mind.

You can check out our other anime coverage here.

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