Top 25 Best Underrated Action Anime To Watch In 2024

 

Action is one of the most popular genres in all of entertainment.

 

And anime is no exception to it. The medium offers a ton of incredible series with mind-blowing fights and combats.

 

However, amongst all these anime, a few shows remain unnoticed by us.

 

And therefore, to shed some light on the hidden gems, I have created the Best Underrated Action Anime List.

 

These are some of the shows that action enthusiasts will love but may not be aware of.

 

So grab your favorite sword, lay down on your couch and let’s dive deep into some slices and dice.

 

I hope you enjoy it.

 

 

 

1. High School DxD

 

 

 

This is one of the most renowned ecchi anime of all time. However, it is quite underrated when it comes to action.

 

High School DxD talks about a perverted guy named Issei Hyoudou who got killed on his first date ever.

 

Yeah, my man had it bad. However, instead of dying, he is reincarnated as a devil.

 

And now he is part of the Gremory peerage. Rias Gremory, the King of the peerage, reincarnated him out of affection. And now it is up to his duty to serve his master and achieve his own goals.

 

And our boy Issei just wants to be a harem king, no matter what. That’s his goal. That’s what he strives for. However, a few questions still remain in the series. Such as, why did Issei’s first date kill him? And the answer to that is hidden in the show itself. 

 

 

 

2. InuYasha

 

 

 

InuYasha is a gem from the old days. And to be fair, it was quite popular back when it first aired.

 

However, now the show seems to be dying in popularity and so, it is time to bring some limelight to it. The anime talks about a girl who is named Kagome Higurashi.

 

She was transported to the violent era of Japan. And here, she was blessed with a jewel that can make any wish come true.

 

However, during a battle, she ended up losing the shards of the jewel.

 

Therefore, she reaches out to a guy named InuYasha and with his help, she is planning to take back all the shards before they get into the wrong hands. 

 

Because if they did, things will be getting out of hand very fast. 

 

 

 

3. Tensei shitara Slime Datta Ken

 

 

 

The English title of this anime is “That Time I got reincarnated as a Slime”. Pretty self-explanatory if you ask me. The show is genuinely what it calls itself.

 

It is about a man who got stabbed. However, instead of dying, he ended up in another world.

 

And now he is not a human anymore. He is a slime. However, he has some of the most insane powers in the show.

 

And it is because of these powers that he manages to not only survive in this world but also create his civilization in it.

 

This is how Rimuru Tempest rules the new world as a mere slime. And although this may not seem all that fascinating at first, once you experience the execution that this franchise has to offer, you will fall in love with the show altogether. 

 

 

 

4. Koutetsujou no Kabaneri

 

 

 

This anime is known for being similar to Attack on Titan.

 

However, it manages to maintain its individuality very well. It talks about the main character who is afraid of a certain species named Kabane.

 

This Kabane are undead beings who are capable of some of the most inhumane things.

 

And although the current humanity is safe behind a set of walls, he is still afraid of the Kabane’s existence.

 

And just as he expected, the Kabane infiltrated the only track that was available for people to have an idea of the outside world.

 

That’s how Ikomu goes on to make a change in his life as well as reality as he decides to fight the Kabane and take them down for good. 

 

However, there might be more to the overall story than what meets the eye. And that’s why you need to watch this anime as soon as possible. 

 

 

5. The God of High School

 

 

 

Just like Tower of God, this anime is also inspired by its Korean Comic counterpart.

 

And this time, it is a lot more action-focused. The show talks about a guy named Jin Mori who likes to fight.

 

A lot. And so, to have the fun of his life, he participates in a game called the God Of High School.

 

And in this game, the winner will have any of his wishes granted regardless of how outrageous it is.

 

However, such a competition will invite some of the most insane fighters from the entire world.

 

This anime is like a 13-episode tournament arc. And I think we can all agree that the tournament arc is one of, if not the most entertaining arcs of any action anime. And 13 continuous episodes of that? Oh boy, that’s a feast!

 

 

6. Akatsuki no Yona

 

 

 

This anime talks about a girl who went from being the Princess of her Kingdom to an absolute Savage.

 

The show deals with a girl named Yona who was the Princess of her kingdom.

 

However, the King was killed by Tina’s childhood crush. And later on, things start to get messy between him and Yona.

 

Therefore, this fragile princess takes the final bits of courage and leaves the town with her servant Hak.

 

And now, she is in search of the 4 dragons who will assist her in taking back her kingdom.

 

She is not going to stop no matter how difficult it gets.

 

And that’s what makes her so impressive as a character and as a female protagonist.

 

Yona of the Dawn is quite a captivating show.

 

 

7. Boruto: Naruto Next Generations

 

 

Boruto doesn’t deserve as much hate as it gets man.

 

It is time to shed some light on this show.

 

The anime is the sequel to the incredibly popular Naruto series.

 

However, since the Naruto franchise has a lot of nostalgic value added to it, the expectations for the series seem to skyrocket for all the fans.

 

And this has happened to the point that the Boruto anime isn’t able to match it.

 

However, in the recent episodes of the anime, the show seems to make quite a lot of improvements.

 

And in terms of raw action, it is going quite strong and captivating.

 

This is why, if you are ignoring Boruto up until now, this might be a good time for you to pick it up.

 

 

8. Overlord

 

 

 

The show talks about a game that is in its final hours.

 

After 12, it will be gone for good and the servers won’t work.

 

However, an enthusiast of the game is still playing it and doesn’t seem to let go until the final second.

 

So the final second happens. And as you would expect, the unexpected happened.

 

The game didn’t get close. Instead, this enthusiastic player somehow got inside the realms of the game.

 

And now he is the one who is supposed to live in this dimension.

 

His name is Momonga. And he is the Master of a dark guild in the game.

 

This dark guild is known as Ainz Ooal Gown. Many protagonists are heroes.

 

However, it is rare for a protagonist to be a villain.

 

 

9. FLCL

 

 

 

This anime is just insane. And there’s no denying that nothing can catch up to it.

 

The show talks about a guy whose brother has gone out to another country.

 

And so, his brother’s girlfriend messes with him instead. And in the middle of this romance, we see a girl in a flying Vespa appear out of nowhere and start engaging herself with this boy as well.

 

Moreover, this boy is somehow able to summon a giant mech from the tip of his forehead and ends up getting a severe headache because of it.

 

And all of this is done under the span of just 6 episodes?

 

What? Yeah. If you are not into creatively mind-numbing works then don’t watch this anime.

 

It will blow you up and shock you from the core.

 

 

10. Trinity Seven

 

 

 

The show is all about mass destruction but in a light-hearted way.

 

However, this is going to be rather interesting to see.

 

Trinity Seven focuses on Arata Kasuga who noticed his hometown shatter into dust right in front of his own eyes.

 

The scene was devastating and happened to take away everything that Arata had.

 

Moreover, using a book given to him by his old friend, Arata manages to recreate his world again.

 

But that world gets taken down by another being who asks Arata to hand over the book.

 

But he chooses some other alternative. He decides to become part of an academy that has certain students waiting for him.

 

And with the help of those students, he will be saving his town for good.

 

 

11. Owari no Seraph

 

 

 

Dealing with the world of vampires and humans, we have Owari No Seraph.

 

The premise is simple. A virus broke out that took care of the majority of the human population.

 

However, the kids managed to be immune to the virus.

 

These kids were then taken in by vampires and kept as livestock for the sake of their blood.

 

However, our main character decides to escape this realm and return to his original world.

 

But to do that, he must sneak out of the place.

 

And when he does, he ends up losing his family.

 

This is when Yuu decided to take revenge on these vampires and put an end to all of them.

 

And lucky for him, the surviving humans are also on the same mission.

 

 

12. Akira

 

 

 

Akira is all about sci-fi and drama. And this is what makes it so special in the first place.

 

Akira talks about a guy named Shoutarou who lives in NeoTokyo, a place that was made because of the aftermath of an incident that caused havoc.

 

This man is part of a group that is known for being the bad guys in the area.

 

Local riders and gangs don’t have anything to do other than roam around and mess with people.

 

His friend and rival, Tetsuo Shima seem to be missing for a few days.

 

And soon enough, Shoutarou realizes that Tetsuo has gotten himself involved in some insane activities.

 

And these activities make this anime and these characters so fascinating to watch and enjoy.

 

 

13. Fate/stay night: Unlimited Blade Works 2nd Season

 

 

 

Coming in from the Fate series, we have Fate/stay night: Unlimited Blade Works 2nd Season.

 

This show is known for being complex so let me give you a general idea.

 

A war is going on. This war is called the Holy Grail War.

 

And in this war, multiple groups of people are participating.

 

Why? Because the war has a grand prize. The grand prize is access to resolving any wish that the winner has.

 

This war is known for being extremely deadly and brutal.

 

And it is to such ultimates that there has never been a winner of this war before.

 

However, maybe, just maybe, this time will be different. And that’s why this series’ characters are going up against each other for the sake of that one wish.

 

 

14. Tokyo Ghoul: re 2nd Season

 

 

 

This franchise needs no introduction. However, the fandom overlooks the action that this series specifically offers.

 

And so, it deserves a spot on this list. The show focuses on our boy Kaneki Ken who has given up on his humanity and has become a lethal ghoul altogether.

 

He becomes engaged with the Commission of Counter Ghouls and the power of this organization is crossing all the limits it could.

 

Soon enough, this organization is going to face a lot more challenges and so, our team is also going to be against a lot of other ghouls.

 

This is what Tokyo Ghoul Re is all about. The show gets quite messy with its action quite a lot of times.

 

And that’s entertaining in its way.

 

 

15. Gate: Jieitai Kanochi nite, Kaku Tatakaeri

 

 

 

This is an Isekai anime that you should watch as soon as you can.

 

Because it is one of the good ones from the medium.

 

The show tells us about an Otaku and Officer named Youji Itami who experienced a weird phenomenon while attending a convention.

 

He realized that some gates have opened up that led to a different world.

 

Being the officer that he was, he decided to ensure public safety and focused on the people there.

 

The predicament is then resolved but now it is up to Itami and his accomplices to ensure why this gate appeared.

 

And get an idea of potential threats this portal has to offer.

 

The other side might be much more dangerous and captivating.

 

 

16. Zero no Tsukaima

 

 

 

This anime is set in the other world. And to a certain degree, it can be classified as an Isekai.

 

However, the show is much different than the typical ones.

 

It talks about a mage whose skills are quite terrible and who is known for being one of the worst among her peers.

 

One day, the mage is assigned the task of selecting a person from the otherworld to assist her in her actions.

 

And so, the show takes the turn of a young man from Japan, being part of this loser girl’s team.

 

Now, they both are together and all they can do is try their best and not ridicule themselves in front of others.

 

However, this duo may have some chances to grow as well.

 

 

17. Kami no Tou

 

 

 

This anime is inspired by a Korean manga. And that’s a matter of pride for quite a lot of fans.

 

The series is called Tower Of God. And it talks about a guy who is going to have a rough time climbing a tower.

 

This guy is named Bam. And he is chosen to be the one who has the opportunity to climb to the top of this tower and attain what lies above it.

 

And that is the power to have any of his wishes and desires come true.

 

In the process, Bam is going to make a ton of new friends and some unforeseen enemies.

 

And this will make the entire experience quite captivating and revolutionary for the viewers as well as for our boy Bam.

 

I hope you give this anime a try.

 

 

18. K Project

 

 

Yeah. That’s the title. Don’t question it. K is a story where the concept of Kings takes place.

 

Now, what are Kings? These are individuals who have unreal powers in their grasp.

 

And these unreal powers aren’t basic like strength or speed.

 

They are supernatural which explains why they are so lethal and captivating, to begin with.

 

The series dives into the complexity of this narrative and focuses on safeguarding all the individuals who are part of it.

 

The kings are going to have a rough time if they don’t have their ties all cleaned up.

 

And as the show progresses, various kings end up going against each other for the sake of survival.

 

 

19. Hellsing

 

 

 

Hellsing deals with a lot of murder and action. This is why it deserves more love and attention.

 

The series talks about an organization called Hellsing. The reason for the existence of this organization is to ensure the demise of creatures that aren’t human.

 

In other words, Hellsing is to take care of Vampires. With that in mind, the leader of the Hellsing group, dispatches his incredible weapon, to take care of a vampire in said town.

 

This vampire has been reported to turn villagers into Ghouls. And to put an end to his actions and drama, Alucard has been brought to the battlefield.

 

However, Alucard is no simple man. He is a vampire himself, working to annihilate his species. And he has good reasons for his actions as well.

 

 

20. Banana Fish

 

 

 

The series is about Mafia, murder, and love between guys. Therefore, girls might very well be super interested in this show.

 

The anime talks about a guy named Ash Lynx who was raised by a Mafia Don.

 

However, Ash doesn’t seem to be all that interested in the illegal work and so, he decides to investigate something instead.

 

He looks for Banana Fish, which is a concept that seems to have its roots in the Iraq War.

 

And in the process of finding the Banana Fish, Ash comes across a man named Eiji.

 

Now, Eiji and Ash have got together and soon enough, will be facing a ton of problems together as well.

 

This duo is going to be incredible. And you will love them for sure.

 

 

21. Toaru Majutsu no Index

 

 

 

Coming in from the Toaru Series, we have Toaru Majutsu no Index. This entry is called A Certain Magical Index in the English translation.

 

The anime deals with magic, espers, and science. So it is quite complex in a way or so. It talks about a world where science has advanced immensely in Japan.

 

And a lot of the population of Japan seems to have developed Espers as well. These espers now study in institutes to get a better grasp on their powers.

 

One of them is Touma Kamijou. And this man seems to be at the lowest of the ranks.

 

However, he has a special power under his belt. And using that power, he is going to save an important companion of his who just can’t be saved otherwise.

 

 

22. Vampire in the Garden 

 

 

In a bygone winter, the world was overrun by nearly immortal vampires, forcing humanity from its apex predator status.

 

The surviving humans take refuge within a small walled city, engaging in a protracted war against their vampire adversaries.

 

Amidst a brutal vampire assault, a human soldier named Momo encounters Fiine, the vampire queen, as she valiantly tries to save Momo’s best friend from a rampaging vampire.

 

Compelled by this act of compassion, Momo follows Fiine to her residence, where they bond over their shared passion for music and yearning for an escape from the ceaseless conflict.

 

With a shared goal of reaching a mythical haven where humans and vampires coexist, Momo and Fiine embark on a treacherous journey while being pursued by both humans and vampires, all intent on thwarting their quest.

 

 

23. Ao no Exorcist: Kyoto Fujouou-hen

 

 

 

This is part of the Blue Exorcist series. However, this segment goes quite unnoticed and so, deserves to gain more recognition from fans.

 

It talks about the members of the True Cross Academy coming across the fact that Rin is Satan’s son.

 

However, soon enough, the series takes an interesting turn and the eye of a strong demon is lost and said to be stolen.

 

Moreover, another incident of theft seems to be happening and now Rin must work with the ExWire members to gain access to the victim of all these thefts.

 

And once he does, he would have no other choice but to deal with the demons himself.

 

And all this while, Rin didn’t have a word with his group.

 

 

24. The Orbital Children 

 

 

In the year 2045, a space station catastrophe leaves a group of children abandoned.

 

With the prevalence of the internet and artificial intelligence in outer space, these children find themselves utilizing narrowband communication, low-intelligence AI, and smartphone-controlled drones to conquer various crises and hurdles that come their way. 

 

The show was released back in 2022 and it went under the radar for a lot of people.

 

However, those who watched it enjoyed the hell out of it. 

 

And that’s why it’s an underrated series that you need to focus on if you wish to enjoy some high-octane action anime this weekend. 

 

 

25. Trigun

 

 

 

Known to be extremely well-animated and choreographed, we have Trigun. This is one of the anime from Madhouse’s peak era.

 

So make sure that you watch it properly. Trigun talks about a man named Vash. And this man has a massive bounty on his head. 60 Billion to be exact.

 

And such a massive amount is placed on one person because he has been renowned for causing mass destruction and terror among the general public.

 

And his actions have led to the end of multiple individuals.

 

Or so people think. However, according to Vash himself, he is just a normal guy who isn’t going to take any life at all and is 1000s of steps away from violence. What exactly is going on for Vash?