How many times has an anime caught the fanbase off guard, seemingly coming out of nowhere and becoming a smash hit? That’s what a sleeper hit is. A piece of entertainment that got little hype or promotion, or maybe was even actively derided, that ends up becoming successful anyway, sometimes even outperforming the expected big-sellers.
Some anime needed time before they got the recognition they deserved. Perhaps they got overshadowed by other series or weren’t marketed well. Maybe people rolled their eyes at the premise but changed their tune when it actually came out. The streaming era has exacerbated this phenomenon, as a show can be tuned into at any time once it receives positive word-of-mouth.
10 My Dress-Up Darling
Got Overshadowed by Other Big Series, Became a Surprising Success on Release
My Dress Up Darling didn’t get much attention when it was announced for the Winter 2022 anime season, especially since it was listed alongside giants like the final season of Attack on Titan and the second season of Demon Slayer. But lo and behold, it became one of the biggest successes of that season.
Fans loved the cute and energetic female protagonist, as well as the relatable plot revolving around cosplay. It ended up being nominated for a whopping 12 categories at the 7th Crunchyroll Anime Awards, though sadly, it didn’t win any of them.
9 My Next Life as a Villainess: All Routes Lead to Doom!
Dismissed as Just Another Isekai, Instantly Charmed Viewers on Release
In a season seemingly oversaturated with isekai shows, My Next Life as a Villainess: All Routes Lead to Doom! was initially dismissed as just another light novel adaptation with a ridiculous title. Although the novelty of a female protagonist being transported into an Otome game got some interest, the series was otherwise expected to be largely ignored.
When it came out, however, it instantly became loved by critics and audiences, who loved the humor and wholesomeness of the series. It’s also been praised for its LGBTQ+ representation, as the titular villainess has a bisexual harem, and the fantasy realm in general seems to be accepting of queer identities. It very soon got a second season and a film adaptation.
8 Rage of Bahamut: Genesis
Mobile Card Game Adaptation, Critical Acclaim for Visuals and Worldbuilding
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Release Date |
October 6, 2014 |
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Studio |
MAPPA |
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No. of Episodes |
12 |
Rage of Bahamut: Genesis didn’t get any hype before its release, and in fact, was actively criticized. An anime based on a mobile card game with a paper-thin plot seems like an obvious cash grab and a glorified advertisement at first glance. However, when the show aired, those critics had to eat their words.
Both reviewers and audiences loved the series’ worldbuilding and battle royale elements, strong characters, impressive visuals courtesy of Studio MAPPA, and adrenaline-pumping action sequences reminiscent of Hollywood films.
7 Rascal Does Not Dream of Bunny Girl Senpai
Dismissed as a Generic Harem Series, Marketing Turned Out to be Misleading
The covers and description of Rascal Does Not Dream of Bunny Girl Senpai seriously didn’t do the anime justice. A lot of fans immediately thought this was going to be just another generic ecchi harem comedy simply based on the bunny girl on the cover. Fortunately, fans who read the original light novel knew better.
Audiences were surprised by how deep the series was and the fantastical exploration of adolescence. The ecchi elements are not as pronounced as one may think, and the anime became one of the most unexpected successes of Fall 2018.
6 Cyberpunk: Edgerunners
Adaptation of an Infamously Buggy Game, Praise for Animation and Characters
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Release Date |
September 13, 2022 |
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Studio |
Trigger |
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No. of Episodes |
10 |
The Cyberpunk 2077 video game had a rough beginning with numerous game-breaking bugs and glitches, so many people had low expectations for the anime adaptation. There’s also the fact that video game adaptations, for a long time, haven’t had the best reputation.
That all changed when the series debuted on Netflix, with people calling the show a masterpiece, praising Studio Trigger’s animation and the characters in particular. Cyberpunk: Edgerunners was also partially responsible for Cyberpunk 2077’s increased popularity and the game managed to turn its reputation around in the following year.
5 Tiger & Bunny
Staff Didn’t Think It’d Do Well, Became a Full-Blown Franchise
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Release Date |
April 3, 2011 |
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Studio |
Sunrise |
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No. of Episodes |
25 |
Tiger & Bunny was mostly ignored before its release and even staff members didn’t expect it to have the kind of success it had, especially since it’s an American-style superhero anime with social commentary and a middle-aged single dad as the protagonist. But the sales numbers speak for themselves.
The series unexpectedly exploded in popularity after it came out in 2011, specifically among women and the LGBTQ+ community. Not only did the Blu-ray releases sell incredibly well, but Tiger & Bunny has also inspired a video game, a movie, a stage play, a Hollywood adaptation in the works, and tons of merchandise.
4 Odd Taxi
Ignored When First Announced, Unexpected Success Led to Media Expansion
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Release Date |
April 6, 2021 |
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Studio |
OLM |
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No. of Episodes |
13 |
Odd Taxi found itself in an odd place after its release, especially since it aired about the same time as the much anticipated Tokyo Revengers, To Your Eternity, Don’t Toy With Me, Nagatoro-san, and the final season of Fruits Basket. It became a big hit soon enough, and positive word-of-mouth led the series to find a large fanbase.
The series’ production committee didn’t have any plans to release any Blu-ray box sets or an English dub for Odd Taxi, but soon caved after high audience demand. Eventually, the anime expanded into other media, like manga, novel, and film adaptations.
3 My Neighbor Totoro
Underwhelming Box Office Numbers, Became a Global Phenomenon
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Release Date |
April 16, 1988 |
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Studio |
Studio Ghibli |
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Runtime |
86 minutes |
One of Studio Ghibli’s most iconic films surprisingly didn’t see much success in its initial release, only making about $1.1 million in its opening worldwide (in contrast to Spirited Away‘s $274 million). In fact, most of My Neighbor Totoro‘s profits came from home video releases and merchandise.
The movie has been re-released several times since its release in 2002, however, with it making the most money in 2018, partly because it received an official Chinese theatrical release. Of course, box office numbers mean nothing in this case. My Neighbor Totoro is one of Hayao Miyazaki’s most beloved films, with the titular character becoming his studio’s mascot.
2 Yuri!!! on Ice
Was Only Modestly Successful Initially, One Episode Propelled it to New Heights
Since Yuri!!! on Ice was a completely original anime about a not-very-popular sport with no established manga or light novel, its success was an uphill battle. As such, it only saw modest success in the beginning, with very little promotion from platforms like Crunchyroll.
And then episode sven aired and completely broke the internet, as it provided explicit confirmation of the relationship between the protagonist and his coach. That moment alone brought the series to new heights, crashing Tumblr, overshadowing other Fall 2016 anime, and basically sweeping the Crunchyroll Anime Awards. Along with being recognized by real-life figure skaters, one could say that Yuri!!! on Ice, was, indeed, born to make history.
1 Demon Slayer
Became a Cultural Phenomenon Overnight, Led to Manga Outselling One Piece
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Release Date |
April 6, 2019 |
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Studio |
ufotable |
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No. of Episodes |
55 |
The seemingly overnight success of Demon Slayer has got to be one of the most decade-defining anime moments of the 2010s. The manga had decent sales numbers, but it was nothing special for a Shonen Jump manga. When the anime adaptation was announced, it did get some hype, but not as much as the second part of the third season of Attack on Titan. Like Yuri!!! on Ice, however, one episode changed everything: episode 19.
Episode 19 of Demon Slayer blew people away with its stunning animation and music, and even trended on platforms like Twitter. When the anime finished airing, sales of the manga exploded, even outselling One Piece in Japan and the entire comic book industry in the West. It’s no surprise, therefore, that Demon Slayer: Mugen Train also surpassed expectations, dethroning Spirited Away as the highest-grossing film in Japan.
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