Reign of the Supermen expands on legacy, identity, and resurrection with bold new heroes. This underrated DC entry delivers rich storytelling and emotional depth, echoing timeless themes while adding fresh intrigue to the Superman mythos.
These 15 underrated series echo those themes while offering fresh perspectives, each deserving wider recognition for their unique storytelling and character depth.
Phi Brain: Kami no Puzzle (2011)
- Streaming Availability: Not widely streamed; occasional availability on niche platforms.
- Plot: Genius puzzle-solver Kaito Daimon battles a secret organization through deadly “Sage Puzzles” using an ancient artifact that enhances his intellect at great physical cost.
- Similarities: Features an academic setting with high-stakes challenges and strategic power systems, mirroring “Reign of the Seven Spellblades'” emphasis on intellect-over-brute-force progression.
- MyAnimeList Score: 7.16
- Episodes: 25
- Studio: Sunrise
- Notable Staff: Directed by Junichi Sato (Sailor Moon).
Dusk Maiden of Amnesia (2012)
- Streaming Availability: Hidive, Amazon Prime Video.
- Plot: A ghost named Yuuko partners with a student to solve her own murder mystery within a haunted school, blending supernatural horror with emotional bonds.
- Similarities: Shares the academic backdrop and central mystery-driven partnership, paralleling Oliver and Nanao’s investigative dynamic against institutional secrets.
- MyAnimeList Score: 7.81
- Episodes: 12
- Studio: SILVER LINK.
- Awards/Recognition: Praised for atmospheric storytelling.
Katanagatari (2010)
- Streaming Availability: Crunchyroll.
- Plot: A swordsman and a strategist embark on a quest to collect 12 legendary blades, facing adversaries who test their unconventional combat styles.
- Similarities: Dual-protagonist journey with tactical power usage and subverted shōnen tropes, akin to “Reign’s” focus on unconventional skill application.
- MyAnimeList Score: 8.30
- Episodes: 12 (49 min/episode)
- Studio: White Fox
- Notable Staff: Based on novels by Nisio Isin (Monogatari series).
Zatch Bell! (2003)
- Streaming Availability: Hoopla (US only).
- Plot: Teen Kiyo partners with amnesiac demon Zatch to compete in a supernatural tournament where spellbooks dictate combat abilities.
- Similarities: Underdog duo navigating a hierarchical battle system, reflecting “Reign’s” magical academia and partnership-driven growth.
- MyAnimeList Score: 7.75 (estimate; MAL data incomplete)
- Episodes: 156
- Studio: Toei Animation
- Recognition: Cult classic for its inventive power mechanics.
Golden Kamuy (2018)
- Streaming Availability: Crunchyroll, Funimation.
- Plot: A war veteran and Ainu girl hunt hidden gold in 1900s Hokkaido, battling military factions and indigenous rivals in a survival epic.
- Similarities: Historical setting with tactical combat and shifting alliances, echoing “Reign’s” multi-faction conflicts and resource-driven power struggles.
- MyAnimeList Score: 7.93
- Episodes: 63
- Studio: Geno Studio
- Awards/Recognition: 2019 Japan Media Arts Festival Excellence Award.
Akame ga Kill! (2014)
- Streaming Availability: Hulu, Netflix.
- Plot: Revolutionary assassins combat a corrupt empire, facing moral ambiguity and brutal betrayals in a fight for justice.
- Similarities: Subverts expectations through character sacrifices and gray morality, much like “Reign’s” willingness to defy genre conventions.
- MyAnimeList Score: 7.45
- Episodes: 24
- Studio: White Fox
- Notable Staff: Directed by Tomoki Kobayashi (Persona 5 animation).
The Eminence in Shadow (2022)
- Streaming Availability: HIDIVE.
- Plot: A power-fantasy-obsessed teen fakes weakness while manipulating events from the shadows in a magic academy.
- Similarities: Magic-school setting with a protagonist who subverts expectations by masquerading as an underdog, similar to “Reign’s” layered character roles.
- MyAnimeList Score: 8.05
- Episodes: 32
- Studio: Nexus
- Recognition: Top 10 seasonal anime (2022, 2023).
Kenichi: The Mightiest Disciple (2006)
- Streaming Availability: Crunchyroll.
- Plot: Bullied teen Kenichi trains under eccentric martial arts masters, using discipline rather than innate talent to overcome rivals.
- Similarities: Pure underdog growth in a competitive environment, mirroring “Reign’s” focus on earned strength and mentorship.
- MyAnimeList Score: 8.05
- Episodes: 50
- Studio: TMS Entertainment
- Notable Staff: Based on Syun Matsuena’s manga.
Baby Steps (2014)
- Streaming Availability: Crunchyroll.
- Plot: Analytical student Eiichirou applies meticulous strategy to master tennis, rising from novice to competitor.
- Similarities: Intellectual approach to power progression and underdog tenacity, aligning with Oliver’s tactical prowess in “Reign”.
- MyAnimeList Score: 7.80
- Episodes: 50
- Studio: Pierrot
- Recognition: Praised for realistic sports progression.
Space Brothers (2012)
- Streaming Availability: Crunchyroll.
- Plot: Unemployed Mutta Nanba pursues astronaut training alongside his prodigious brother, defying age-based limitations.
- Similarities: Late-bloomer narrative and systemic challenges, reflecting “Reign’s” themes of overcoming societal/personal barriers.
- MyAnimeList Score: 8.49
- Episodes: 99
- Studio: A-1 Pictures
- Awards/Recognition: 2013 Tokyo Anime Award.
Hikaru no Go (2001)
- Streaming Availability: Netflix.
- Plot: A boy guided by a ghostly Go master climbs the ranks of the strategic board-game world, blending tradition with personal growth.
- Similarities: Mentorship-driven skill development and cerebral “power system” (Go strategy), akin to “Reign’s” magical pedagogy.
- MyAnimeList Score: 8.08
- Episodes: 75
- Studio: Studio Pierrot
- Recognition: Influenced global Go popularity.
Sket Dance (2011)
- Streaming Availability: Crunchyroll.
- Plot: A high school club tackles peer problems through unorthodox methods, balancing comedy with trauma recovery.
- Similarities: Ensemble underdogs challenging institutional neglect, paralleling “Reign’s” focus on camaraderie against systemic flaws.
- MyAnimeList Score: 8.21
- Episodes: 77
- Studio: Tatsunoko Production
- Awards/Recognition: 2012 Shogakukan Manga Award.
Kingdom (2012)
- Streaming Availability: Netflix, Crunchyroll.
- Plot: Orphan Xin rises from slavery to military leadership in war-torn ancient China, driven by ambition and loyalty.
- Similarities: Underdog’s climb in a rigid hierarchy and large-scale tactical battles, echoing “Reign’s” political intrigue and battlefield strategy.
- MyAnimeList Score: 7.93
- Episodes: 130+ (ongoing)
- Studio: Pierrot
- Notable Staff: Based on Yasuhisa Hara’s bestselling manga.
Saint Seiya (1986)
- Streaming Availability: Crunchyroll.
- Plot: Orphaned “Bronze Saints” defy gods and elite warriors to protect goddess Athena, using mystical armor and resolve.
- Similarities: Class-based power struggles and mythological combat systems, aligning with “Reign’s” magical hierarchies and underdog defiance.
- MyAnimeList Score: 7.75
- Episodes: 114
- Studio: Toei Animation
- Recognition: Foundational shōnen classic.
Vermeil in Gold (2022)
- Streaming Availability: Crunchyroll.
- Plot: A struggling mage accidentally summons a demon queen as his familiar, upending his academy’s power structure.
- Similarities: Magic-school setting with unconventional power dynamics and subverted expectations, closely mirroring “Reign’s” tone and themes.
- MyAnimeList Score: 6.70
- Episodes: 12
- Studio: Staple Entertainment
- Notable Staff: Directed by Takashi Naoya (Date A Live).
Why These Anime Work for Reign of the Seven Spellblades Fans
These series resonate through shared DNA: underdog protagonists (e.g., Kenichi’s training montages, Space Brothers’ age-defying grit), innovative power systems (Phi Brain’s puzzle-based combat, Zatch Bell’s spellbook mechanics), and narrative subversion (Akame ga Kill’s moral ambiguity, Eminence in Shadow’s satirical masquerade). Each expands on “Reign’s” core appeal—whether through tactical world-building, character-driven growth, or genre-defying twists—while standing as hidden gems in their own right. For fans seeking stories where intellect, resilience, and unexpected alliances triumph, these titles offer richly layered alternatives beyond mainstream hits.
