Flow is a unique animated short that explores abstract themes through avant-garde visuals and music, but in the context of broader anime discussions, it resonates with fans of series featuring intricate power systems, compelling underdog stories, and clever subversions of expectations. Despite its brevity, Flow captivates with its fluid narrative style and unexpected twists, drawing viewers into a world where ordinary elements take on extraordinary significance.
This article highlights 15 underrated anime series that share similar elements, deserving more attention for their innovative approaches to storytelling, character growth, and thematic depth that echo Flow’s essence.
1. Black Clover (2017)
- Streaming Availability: Crunchyroll, Netflix
- Brief Plot Summary: In a world where magic is everything, orphan Asta, born without magical powers, receives a rare anti-magic grimoire and joins forces with his rival Yuno to pursue their dreams of becoming the Wizard King, facing formidable challenges along the way.
- Specific Similarities to Flow: Like Flow, it features a creative power system based on grimoires and attributes, centers on an underdog protagonist who subverts expectations by overcoming limitations through perseverance and rivalry, blending high-energy action with themes of discrimination and growth.
- MAL Rating: 8.01
- Episode Count: 170
- Notable Staff/Studio: Directed by Tatsuya Yoshihara, Studio Pierrot
- Awards/Recognition: Nominated for Best Continuing Series at the 2019 Crunchyroll Anime Awards
2. Moribito: Guardian of the Spirit (2007)
- Streaming Availability: Crunchyroll
- Brief Plot Summary: Balsa, a skilled spear-wielder, is tasked with protecting a young prince possessed by a water spirit, embarking on a perilous journey to safeguard him from assassins sent by his own father.
- Specific Similarities to Flow: Shares underdog elements with the cursed prince’s story, subverts fantasy tropes by focusing on protection over conquest, and incorporates a subtle power system tied to spirits and ancient lore, emphasizing fluid animation in fights.
- MAL Rating: 8.12
- Episode Count: 26
- Notable Staff/Studio: Directed by Kenji Kamiyama, Production I.G
- Awards/Recognition: Won Best TV Animation at the 2008 Tokyo Anime Awards
3. Ranking of Kings (2021)
- Streaming Availability: Crunchyroll
- Brief Plot Summary: Deaf and mute prince Bojji, deemed unfit to rule, befriends a shadow creature and sets out to prove his worth through adventures and personal growth in a fantastical kingdom.
- Specific Similarities to Flow: Mirrors underdog narratives with Bojji’s rise against prejudice, subverts expectations by blending cute art with serious tones, and features a unique “power” system through alliances and inner strength rather than raw might.
- MAL Rating: 8.52
- Episode Count: 23
- Notable Staff/Studio: Directed by Yousuke Hatta, Wit Studio
- Awards/Recognition: Won Anime of the Year at the 2022 Crunchyroll Anime Awards
4. World Trigger (2014)
- Streaming Availability: Crunchyroll
- Brief Plot Summary: In a city invaded by otherworldly Neighbors, young Osamu Mikumo teams up with a mysterious transfer student to join Border, an organization using advanced trigger technology to defend against threats.
- Specific Similarities to Flow: Boasts an underrated power system with customizable triggers and strategies, centers on underdog protagonists who subvert battle expectations through tactics over brute force, similar to Flow’s abstract confrontations.
- MAL Rating: 7.58
- Episode Count: 73 (Season 1)
- Notable Staff/Studio: Directed by Mitsuru Hongo, Toei Animation
- Awards/Recognition: Praised for strategic depth in shonen, though no major awards
5. Katanagatari (2010)
- Streaming Availability: Crunchyroll
- Brief Plot Summary: Swordsman Shichika Yasuri and strategist Togame embark on a quest to collect 12 deviant blades, facing eccentric wielders and uncovering deeper conspiracies along the way.
- Specific Similarities to Flow: Subverts samurai tropes with unexpected twists and character arcs, features an underdog duo relying on wit over power, and explores a unique system of blade-based abilities that challenge expectations.
- MAL Rating: 7.97
- Episode Count: 12
- Notable Staff/Studio: Directed by Keitaro Motonaga, White Fox
- Awards/Recognition: Noted for innovative episode structure, no formal awards
6. Sonny Boy (2021)
- Streaming Availability: Crunchyroll
- Brief Plot Summary: A group of high school students is transported to a surreal dimension where they develop mysterious powers, navigating existential dilemmas and societal breakdowns.
- Specific Similarities to Flow: Shares avant-garde narrative style with subversion of reality and expectations, underdog characters discovering inner powers, akin to Flow’s abstract themes and fluid world-building.
- MAL Rating: 7.69
- Episode Count: 12
- Notable Staff/Studio: Directed by Shingo Natsume, Madhouse
- Awards/Recognition: Critically acclaimed for originality at various festivals
7. Land of the Lustrous (2017)
- Streaming Availability: HIDIVE
- Brief Plot Summary: In a world of gem-like beings, Phos seeks purpose by fighting Lunarians, evolving through losses and alliances in a quest for self-discovery.
- Specific Similarities to Flow: Features a unique power system based on gem properties and transformations, underdog protagonist subverting fragility into strength, with fluid 3D animation echoing Flow’s artistic flow.
- MAL Rating: 8.38
- Episode Count: 12
- Notable Staff/Studio: Directed by Takahiko Kyogoku, Orange
- Awards/Recognition: Won Best TV Anime at the 2018 Crunchyroll Anime Awards
8. Ping Pong the Animation (2014)
- Streaming Availability: Crunchyroll
- Brief Plot Summary: Two childhood friends, Peco and Smile, navigate the competitive world of table tennis, confronting personal demons and rivalries to find their paths.
- Specific Similarities to Flow: Underdog stories in sports with subversion of typical shonen arcs, unique art style emphasizing motion and emotion, similar to Flow’s thematic depth in underappreciated struggles.
- MAL Rating: 8.62
- Episode Count: 11
- Notable Staff/Studio: Directed by Masaaki Yuasa, Tatsunoko Production
- Awards/Recognition: Won Animation of the Year at the 2015 Tokyo Anime Awards
9. Akame ga Kill! (2014)
- Streaming Availability: HIDIVE, Netflix
- Brief Plot Summary: Young Tatsumi joins the assassin group Night Raid to fight a corrupt empire, wielding powerful imperial arms in brutal battles for justice.
- Specific Similarities to Flow: Masterful subversion of expectations with dark twists and character deaths, underdog rebels using a relic-based power system, mirroring Flow’s unexpected narrative shifts.
- MAL Rating: 7.47
- Episode Count: 24
- Notable Staff/Studio: Directed by Tomoki Kobayashi, White Fox
- Awards/Recognition: Known for bold storytelling, no major awards
10. Darwin’s Game (2020)
- Streaming Availability: Crunchyroll
- Brief Plot Summary: High schooler Kaname is drawn into a deadly mobile app game granting players unique sigils for survival battles in a hidden society.
- Specific Similarities to Flow: Features a confusing yet intriguing power system of sigils, underdog protagonist subverting game tropes through strategy, akin to Flow’s mysterious and expectation-defying elements.
- MAL Rating: 7.21
- Episode Count: 11
- Notable Staff/Studio: Directed by Yoshinobu Tokumoto, Nexus
- Awards/Recognition: Praised for suspense, no formal awards
11. Kingdom (2012)
- Streaming Availability: Crunchyroll
- Brief Plot Summary: Orphan Xin rises from slavery to become a general in ancient China, allying with a young king to unify warring states through battles and politics.
- Specific Similarities to Flow: Epic underdog tale with strategic “power systems” in warfare, subverts historical tropes with intense character development and unexpected alliances.
- MAL Rating: 8.40 (Season 1)
- Episode Count: 38 (Season 1)
- Notable Staff/Studio: Directed by Jun Kamiya, Pierrot
- Awards/Recognition: Long-running series with cult following
12. Failure Frame: I Became the Strongest and Annihilated Everything with Low-Level Spells (2024)
- Streaming Availability: Crunchyroll
- Brief Plot Summary: Transported to a fantasy world, Touka Mimori discovers his seemingly weak skills are overpowered, plotting revenge against those who discarded him.
- Specific Similarities to Flow: Underdog isekai with a subversive power system of low-level spells turning dominant, echoing Flow’s themes of overcoming dismissal through clever twists.
- MAL Rating: 6.85
- Episode Count: 12
- Notable Staff/Studio: Directed by Michio Fukuda, Seven Arcs
- Awards/Recognition: Recent release gaining niche praise
13. ID: Invaded (2020)
- Streaming Availability: Funimation
- Brief Plot Summary: Detective Sakaido enters virtual “id wells” based on killers’ psyches to solve murders, unraveling his own forgotten past in the process.
- Specific Similarities to Flow: Complex power system of psychological diving subverts detective genres, underdog investigator facing internal and external challenges with abstract narrative flair.
- MAL Rating: 7.81
- Episode Count: 13
- Notable Staff/Studio: Directed by Ei Aoki, NAZ
- Awards/Recognition: Noted for innovative mystery structure
14. Tatami Galaxy (2010)
- Streaming Availability: Crunchyroll
- Brief Plot Summary: A college student relives his university life in parallel timelines, seeking the perfect romance while confronting his regrets and choices.
- Specific Similarities to Flow: Subverts time-loop tropes with underdog self-reflection, unique art style and fast-paced dialogue mirroring Flow’s avant-garde, expectation-challenging flow.
- MAL Rating: 8.56
- Episode Count: 11
- Notable Staff/Studio: Directed by Masaaki Yuasa, Madhouse
- Awards/Recognition: Won Best TV Series at the 2010 Japan Media Arts Festival
15. Afro Samurai (2007)
- Streaming Availability: Crunchyroll, Netflix
- Brief Plot Summary: In a futuristic feudal Japan, Afro seeks vengeance against the gunman who killed his father, wielding a sword in brutal, high-stakes duels.
- Specific Similarities to Flow: Underdog revenge story with a gritty power system blending swords and tech, subverts samurai expectations with hip-hop influences and intense, fluid action.
- MAL Rating: 7.36
- Episode Count: 5
- Notable Staff/Studio: Directed by Takashi Okazaki, Gonzo
- Awards/Recognition: Nominated for Emmy for Outstanding Animated Program
Why These Anime Work for Flow Fans
These selections resonate with Flow enthusiasts by offering fresh takes on power dynamics, underdog triumphs, and narrative surprises that challenge conventions, much like Flow’s own abstract brilliance. They provide emotional depth and innovative storytelling that reward attentive viewers, proving that underrated gems can deliver profound experiences beyond mainstream fare. Whether through strategic battles or introspective journeys, they capture the essence of growth and subversion, making them perfect companions for fans seeking more hidden treasures in anime.
