Noein: To Your Other Self (2005) is a genre-blending anime that merges sci-fi with philosophical themes, parallel dimensions, and deeply personal coming-of-age narratives. Known for its experimental animation and emotionally grounded storytelling, it explores power systems rooted in quantum theory, the struggles of underdog youth, and subversion of standard anime tropes.
If you were captivated by Noein‘s emotional complexity, unique animation, and sci-fi metaphysics, here are 15 underrated anime series that echo its tone, themes, and depth—but may have flown under your radar.
1. Texhnolyze (2003)
- Streaming: HIDIVE
- Episodes: 22
- MAL Rating: 7.7
- Studio: Madhouse
- Awards: None, but critically acclaimed in cult circles
A slow-burn cyberpunk tale set in a decaying underground city, Texhnolyze follows Ichise, a fighter who loses limbs and is forcibly turned into a cyborg.
Similarities: Like Noein, it presents a dystopian future with layered philosophical questions and experimental visuals, leaning into existential dread and the fragility of identity.
2. Ergo Proxy (2006)
- Streaming: Crunchyroll, Funimation
- Episodes: 23
- MAL Rating: 7.9
- Studio: Manglobe
- Awards: None
In a post-apocalyptic world, a stoic inspector investigates a virus affecting androids, only to uncover truths about her society and herself.
Similarities: High-concept sci-fi with an evolving protagonist, mysterious powers, and themes of identity—alongside Noein-like cryptic storytelling.
3. Dennou Coil (2007)
- Streaming: Netflix
- Episodes: 26
- MAL Rating: 8.1
- Studio: Madhouse
- Awards: Japan Media Arts Festival Excellence Prize
In a world augmented by virtual reality, children uncover a digital mystery involving the boundary between the real and virtual worlds.
Similarities: Shared themes of adolescence meeting cutting-edge tech, deeply emotional subplots, and creative uses of futuristic technology like Noein’s interdimensional travel.
4. Haibane Renmei (2002)
- Streaming: Funimation
- Episodes: 13
- MAL Rating: 8.1
- Studio: Radix
- Awards: None
A young girl awakens in a strange world with wings and a halo, unable to recall her past, joining others in a similar state.
Similarities: Explores identity, rebirth, and self-worth with a similarly introspective tone and low-key pacing that mirrors Noein’s emotional beats.
5. Zegapain (2006)
- Streaming: Crunchyroll
- Episodes: 26
- MAL Rating: 7.3
- Studio: Sunrise
- Awards: None
A high school swimmer stumbles into a war fought in a digital world and realizes his reality may be fabricated.
Similarities: Much like Noein, it grapples with perception vs. reality, multiverse elements, and the emotional weight of choices made across timelines.
6. Kaiba (2008)
- Streaming: Crunchyroll
- Episodes: 12
- MAL Rating: 8.1
- Studio: Madhouse
- Awards: Japan Media Arts Festival Grand Prize
In a world where memories can be transferred between bodies, a man wakes with no recollection of who he is.
Similarities: Psychedelic visuals meet philosophical sci-fi, with an emotionally resonant journey of self-discovery akin to Noein’s themes.
7. Now and Then, Here and There (1999)
- Streaming: Crunchyroll, HIDIVE
- Episodes: 13
- MAL Rating: 7.9
- Studio: AIC
- Awards: None
A boy is pulled into a war-torn future where he must survive brutality and despair while holding onto his ideals.
Similarities: Underdog protagonists thrust into violent futures, intense emotional arcs, and themes of perseverance and loss reflect Noein‘s tone.
8. Time of Eve (2008–2009)
- Streaming: Crunchyroll
- Episodes: 6 (ONA)
- MAL Rating: 8.0
- Studio: Studio Rikka
- Awards: Jury Recommended Work at Japan Media Arts Festival
In a future where androids are common, a café where humans and androids are equals raises profound social and ethical questions.
Similarities: Quietly philosophical, futuristic, and emotionally intimate, it explores identity and human connection in a soft sci-fi package like Noein.
9. Un-Go (2011)
- Streaming: Crunchyroll, HIDIVE
- Episodes: 11 + 1 OVA
- MAL Rating: 7.3
- Studio: Bones
- Awards: None
A detective solves mysteries in a dystopian Japan while uncovering deeper truths hidden by government censorship.
Similarities: Subtle subversions of genre, character-focused narrative, and a blend of logic and emotion in an evolving sci-fi setting.
10. Yokohama Kaidashi Kikou (1998)
- Streaming: N/A (DVD/BD only)
- Episodes: 4 (OVA)
- MAL Rating: 7.9
- Studio: Ajia-Do
- Awards: Seiun Award (Manga)
A gentle android café owner observes the slow decline of humanity and the world, documenting the beauty of impermanence.
Similarities: Thoughtful, meditative tone paired with a melancholic sci-fi setting—paralleling Noein’s quiet reflection on existence and time.
11. The Big O (1999)
- Streaming: Crunchyroll
- Episodes: 26
- MAL Rating: 7.5
- Studio: Sunrise
- Awards: None
In a post-amnesia city, a negotiator with a giant robot tries to uncover the city’s hidden past.
Similarities: Deals with lost memories, fragmented realities, and personal discovery through a noir-meets-sci-fi lens.
12. Shinsekai Yori (From the New World) (2012)
- Streaming: Crunchyroll
- Episodes: 25
- MAL Rating: 8.3
- Studio: A-1 Pictures
- Awards: Jury Recommended Work (2013 Japan Media Arts Festival)
A future society of psychic humans hides dark truths, which a group of children slowly begins to uncover.
Similarities: Like Noein, it features youth coming of age in a fractured world, strange power systems, and moral ambiguity.
13. Serial Experiments Lain (1998)
- Streaming: Crunchyroll, Funimation
- Episodes: 13
- MAL Rating: 8.0
- Studio: Triangle Staff
- Awards: Excellence Prize (1998 Japan Media Arts Festival)
A teenage girl’s life unravels as she delves deeper into the Wired, a digital network merging with reality.
Similarities: Unorthodox narrative, psychological themes, and a protagonist grappling with existence and parallel realities.
14. Planetarian (2016)
- Streaming: Crunchyroll
- Episodes: 5 + 1 movie
- MAL Rating: 7.6
- Studio: David Production
- Awards: None
In a post-apocalyptic future, a scavenger discovers a robotic girl preserving hope through storytelling and stargazing.
Similarities: Emotional depth, melancholic tone, and soft sci-fi elements echo Noein‘s balance of heart and head.
15. Key the Metal Idol (1994)
- Streaming: YouTube (official), DVD
- Episodes: 15
- MAL Rating: 7.2
- Studio: Studio Pierrot
- Awards: None
A mysterious girl believes she can become human if she gains enough friends, but her past holds dangerous secrets.
Similarities: Explores humanity, identity, and transformation through psychological and sci-fi layers—resonating with Noein’s existential focus.
Why These Anime Work for Noein Fans
What makes Noein stand out is how it mixes speculative science fiction with raw human emotion and coming-of-age themes. The anime listed above share similar DNA: they challenge reality, showcase fractured timelines or worlds, and center deeply personal journeys through philosophical or existential dilemmas. Whether it’s the surreal journey of Kaiba or the psychic unraveling in Shinsekai Yori, each show offers something Noein fans will find familiar—and equally fascinating.
