5 Most Underrated Anime From Jujutsu Kaisen’s Studio You’ll Fall in Love With

Established in 2011, the Japanese animation studio MAPPA eventually climbed the ranks to become one of the biggest in the industry after creating famous shows such as Jujutsu Kaisen, Chainsaw Man, Attack on Titan (from Season 4), Vinland Saga (from Season 2), and many more acclaimed series. 2016 was a breakthrough year for the studio, as Yuri on Ice helped it gain global recognition, after which Banana Fish in 2018 received critical acclaim for its spectacular adaptation. Despite the controversies of underpaying and overworking the animators, MAPPA steadily climbed the ladder and became a multimillion-dollar company, etching its name in the anime industry.

Of course, there’s no doubt that Jujutsu Kaisen is the most successful MAPPA series, but the studio also has a record of several incredible series and films that never received global recognition like these mainstream anime. As fans await the sequels to Jujutsu Kaisen, Hell’s Paradise, and Dorohedoro next year, there are several anime from the studio you can check out in the meantime.

5) Days

The concept of not giving up no matter the circumstances isn’t something new in anime, but each time it’s represented differently, and a few of them leave long-lasting impressions. Sports anime series often provide the sort of adrenaline and drive to keep pushing forward that you can’t help but cheer for the characters. Days follows Tsukushi Tsukamoto, a clumsy high school student who often gets bullied for his shy personality.

However, his life turns upside down after an encounter with his schoolmate Jin Kazama, a genius soccer player who saves Tsukushi from the bullies. Jin invites him to a futsal match since his team is one man short, but he didn’t expect Tsukushi to score the winning goal. After this fateful match, Tsukushi finds a new passion to strive for and joins the school’s soccer club.

4) The Gymastics Samurai

The major downside with original anime series is that, despite being good, most of them don’t get a lot of recognition since they don’t have an existing fanbase, unlike manga adaptations. Instead of focusing on the usual theme of following a sportsperson’s journey from the bottom, we see Joutaro Aragaki, who is at the pinnacle of his gymnastics career and even got the nickname Samurai for his signature hairstyle.

He later suffers a major shoulder injury after his wife’s tragic death, but continues to push himself well past his limits even five years after the accident. After being advised to retire, Joutaro takes his nine-year-old daughter on a trip to Ego Wonderland and encounters a self-proclaimed ninja named Leonardo. Through this fateful encounter, Joutaro begins to find the passion for the sport once again and proves to everyone that he belongs in the gymnastics world.

3) Terror in Resonance

Another MAPPA original we have on our list is this psychological thriller that begins with two teenage boys, Nine and Twelve, who have been orchestrating a series of bombings under the alias “Sphinx,” causing chaos and public disorder. The police are running around frantically to catch them, but everything about them is a mystery. However, things take a turn for the worse when the boys upload cryptic videos while wearing masks and challenge the police to prevent further bombings.

As expected, the video causes mass panic, making it even more difficult for the police to handle the situation. Amid the chaos, the boys befriend Lisa Mishima, a high school girl with no friends and burdened by her past. Before she knows it, she gets entangled in their plans. As the story continues, the boys’ past comes to light, and the truth of what they have been through is more horrifying than one can imagine.

2) In This Corner of the World

Looking at the colorful and surreal art, no one can imagine that this award-winning film is unbelievably heartbreaking, as it shows the horrors of war, especially after the bombing of Hiroshima. It’s a story of survival, perseverance, hope, and love amidst all odds. The story follows Suzu Urano, a kindhearted girl who grew up on the outskirts of Hiroshima and loves to draw.

As she comes of age, she marries Shuusaku Houjo through an arranged marriage and tries her best to integrate into her husband’s household. However, as she adjusts to her new life, war eventually reaches her backyard, and now she must do everything she can to support her family through the hardships of war.

1) Kids on the Slope

MAPPA’s underrated masterpiece has romance, music, and coming-of-age themes that strike a chord in every viewer’s heart. The story centers around Kaoru Nishimi, an introverted teenager from a wealthy family who keeps transferring schools due to his father’s job and fails to make friends for this reason. Instead of forming any real connection with people, he pours his heart into classical piano.

In the summer of 1966, he transfers to a small island in Kyushu, where he meets Sentaro Kawabuchi, a delinquent drummer with an admirable passion for jazz. Sentaro spends most of his time practicing music at a record shop owned by the family of Ritsuko Mukae, his childhood friend and a popular class representative. Initially hesitant to mingle with them, Kaoru slowly opens up as he discovers not only friendship for the first time but also the stirrings of something more.

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