Visually stunning anime that went unnoticed

Key recommendations

• Some visually stunning anime gems are overshadowed by more popular ones due to complex plots and unusual art styles.
• Examples include Violet Evergarden, 5 Centimeters Per Second, Sound! Euphonium, Bubble, Children of the Sea and Great Pretender.
• These anime feature incredible visuals and unique stories, but struggle for recognition among the wider anime community.

People watch anime for many reasons – some for the plot, some for the amazing fight scenes, and some for the hype. However, nothing captures the attention of an anime watcher like stunning visuals. From well-detailed, hand-drawn backgrounds to beautiful action sequences, there's no shortage of visually stunning anime. But for every popular anime like Demon Slayer and your namethere are anime that don't get as much traction.

Sometimes due to poor promotion, unusual art styles, or complex plots, these anime have gone unnoticed in the anime community. However, they are rare gems for those who go the extra mile to find them, as they show the hard work behind the beautiful animation.

1 Violet Evergarden

A beautiful masterpiece overshadowed by bigger hits

Violet Evergarden is an anime that tells the story of a girl who knows nothing but war and is seen as a killing machine by almost everyone as she tries to find her purpose in the absence of war. This series was animated by Kyoto Animations, a popular animation studio known for its good visuals, but this masterpiece is stunning even by the studio's standards, with an unorthodox art style and realistic atmosphere.

However, its slow pace and selective appeal, combined with the release of already known anime such as Saiki K and Attack On Titans that year, it made it more of a hit than a mainstream one.

2 5 centimeters per second

Shinkai's early gem lost in the shadow of his blockbusters

of Makoto Shinkai 5 centimeters per second is an anime that explores relationships between people and how distance and time affect such relationships, along with the ability to let go and move on. This is one of his most realistic works with immense visual appeal and realistic portraits of life that captivate viewers.

Although visually captivating, Shinkai's other works such as your name and Weather with you, had much more recognition than this masterpiece of an anime. Also, its extreme realism and lack of a happy ending might have made anime fans reluctant to watch the series, causing them to miss out on the beauty it has to offer.

3 Sound! Euphonium

Musical drama with top realism

Sound! Euphonium focuses on the rise of the protagonist and her peers in a high school band with the dream of making it to nationals, and the animation does it more than enough justice. From the shimmer of the brass musical instruments to the realistic body language of the characters, the attention to detail leaves viewers of the show in awe.

Unfortunately, anime with musical themes are not extremely popular and Sound! Euphonium happens to be a masterpiece lost in this crowd. The emphasis on musical drama and realism doesn't quite resonate with the larger faction of the anime community, leaving it largely unnoticed.

4 bubble

A feast for the eyes that fought for recognition

• Japanese title: bubble
• Number of Episodes: 1
• Studio: Wit Studio

bubble is a sci-fi anime that takes place in an abandoned city covered with a giant bubble, filled with smaller mysterious bubbles and gravity-defying bodies of water, and the visuals are up to par with such unique concepts. The visuals are so good that fans of the film believe it was a passion project for the animators, an excuse for them to go all out.

Unfortunately, the anime is struggling to gain traction due to its reviews. Many critics and viewers believe it lacks a proper story, arguing that it focuses more on style than substance. These reviews of its storytelling overshadow the anime's stunning visuals, making it underappreciated in wider anime circles.

5 Children of the Sea

Stories that leave fans baffled

• Japanese title: Kaiju no Kodomo
• Number of Episodes: 1
• Studio: Studio 4°C

Children of the Sea takes its viewers on a surreal journey of the sea, along with some of the most mesmerizing underwater visuals in anime. With a unique blend of hand-drawn 2D animation with CGI, the anime managed to capture the ocean landscape beautifully, making every frame a work of art.

However, with such beautiful visuals, the anime uses unconventional storytelling that leaves fans at a loss as to how to engage, giving them trouble identifying the message it's trying to convey. As a result, it hasn't gained much traction and is very underrated.

6 Red line

Lack of mainstream promotion

Red line it is one of the animes that shows the true dedication of the animators. Hand-drawn from start to finish, Madhouse took more than eight years to complete, going way over budget and destroying his studio. The art style and animation are out of this world, with vibrant action sequences and exhilarating races that are almost impossible to forget.

Unfortunately, despite the jaw-dropping animation and effort put into the production of this film, Red line it suffered a poor box-office performance upon release, making it underrated in the anime community.

7 Great Pretender

A stylish Heist series with a watercolor aesthetic

• Japanese title: Great Pretender
• Number of Episodes: 23
• Studio: Wit Studio

An anime centered around con men who gang up on organized crime, Great PretenderHis plot is highly engaging and evocative, as are the visuals. Having a kind of watercolor paintings and backgrounds with distinct artistic ornaments that bring light to almost every scene and expressions that portray the emotions of the characters almost perfectly.

while Great Pretender is a sight for eager eyes, it doesn't get the recognition it deserves, which is partly because it was released straight to streaming platforms like Netflix. Additionally, the niche theme doesn't apply to a wide audience, leaving it unnoticed by the larger anime community.

8 Monogatari series

A visual puzzle for a niche audience

Shaft is widely known for their unique visual experimentation, and Monogatari the series is the best representation of this fact. The unconventional use of bold color schemes and beautiful character close-ups make the series extremely visually distinct. It also uses visual metaphors that make the user pay attention to every detail while watching.

However, these visual metaphors combined with their cryptic storytelling made the entire series complex to watch for the average anime fan. For fans who watch the anime, Monogatari it's much more noted for its complex storytelling and plot, which makes its eye-catching visuals fly under the radar.

9 Makeine: Too many lost heroines

Romantic comedy with a slow start

At first glance, Makein it appears to be a basic romantic comedy anime, but the visuals and animation elevate the anime far beyond expectations. Vibrant colors and dynamic animation give the anime an extra boost to its already impressive plot, bringing out the visual brilliance to its fullest.

However, the anime doesn't start well. The first few episodes give off the standard romantic comedy anime vibe with very familiar tropes. Fortunately, the perspective changes after those few episodes, but most anime fans don't have the patience to sort it out.

10 The Garden of Words

Another Shinkai masterpiece in the shadows

Being an anime set in the rainy season of the year, few anime capture the beauty of nature The Garden of Words do what. The work and detail put into the anime is beyond exceptional, especially for things like greenery and rain. The animation of raindrops and puddles and the casting of light on objects and characters give it a hyper-realistic feel, creating a peaceful atmosphere.

Unfortunately, this is another anime that is not widely known due to the release of Shinkai's more popular and commercially successful works such as your name. The anime's short runtime didn't leave much to be desired by fans, making it underappreciated.