All4, the streaming service for the United Kingdom’s Channel 4, has added a bevy of anime titles to its animation collection. Many of these include classic and modern hits, such as Cowboy Bebop and Tokyo Ghoul. Other titles, however, may not be as well known to viewers. Nevertheless, any fan of the medium should check out the following titles that All4 has to offer viewers. While some of these might ring a few bells, others are underrated gems.
The Vision of Escaflowne
The story of Escaflowne involves high school girl Hitomi being transported from Earth to the medieval planet of Gaea, making it very similar to then-contemporary series Inuyasha and a progenitor of the now ubiquitous isekai genre. The biggest difference between it and Inuyasha, however, is that it’s essentially a medieval mecha series! Knights use mystical mech armors to wage war, as Hitomi aids the young hero Van to defeat the Zaibach Empire. Any fan of mecha, fantasy, romance, or simply anime, in general, wanting to see isekai done right should check this series out.
Durarara!!
Often shortened to DRRR!!, Durarara is an almost anthological series that blends crime fiction and urban fantasy into a suspenseful mix. Involving the happenings in the city of Ikebukuro, the series constantly shifts perspectives from its myriad of cast members, such as wide-eyed high school student Mikado, the headless motorcycle riding fairy Celty, and Izaya, an information broker who is also an expert in parkour. Other characters include the Dollars, a street gang that operates mainly through the internet. A great series for fans of cyberpunk settings.
Mobile Suit Gundam: The Origin
An adaptation of the preceding manga, Mobile Suit Gundam: The Origin is fittingly a re-imagining of the original anime in the Gundam franchise. The most important aspect of this anime is its focus on Casval Rem Deikun, better known as Char Aznable, the central character and antagonist of the first few Gundam series’ who’s as recognizable as many of the iconic mecha suits. Like many of the shows on this list, it is produced by the venerable studio Sunrise, Inc. Any longtime fan of the franchise or newbies wanting to finally get into Gundam should check it out.
Megalo Box
Produced by TMS Entertainment, Megalo Box serves as a spiritual successor/very loose re-imagining of the classic boxing anime Ashita no Joe. In the show’s dystopian cyberpunk setting, the rich live in luxury, while poor, unlicensed citizens wallow in squalor. The protagonist, Junk Dog, is a fighter in the sport of Megalo Boxing, in which athletes wear metal frames on their arms. This drastically increases the intensity, and mortality, of the game. The series director, Yo Moriyama, previously worked as a designer for popular shows such as Attack on Titan, while the pulse-pounding music is from hip-hop artist Mabanua. Viewers should expect an ecstatic cross between Ashita no Joe and Battle Angel Alita.
The Dragon Dentist
Possibly the most esoteric and original series on the list, The Dragon Dentist is a longer adaptation of an 8-minute OVA. The titular protagonist Nonoka is the newest to take the role of caretaker for the dental health of the dragon that protects her home country. This off the wall premise is brought to a head when the appearance of a mysterious boy in the dragon’s teeth foretells of impending doom. The series is directed by Kazuya Tsurumaki, a protégé of Hideaki Anno, the creator of Evangelion. Anno himself is also an executive producer for the show. This sharply animated series packs quite a bit of story into its short run, though fans of its strange premise will certainly be begging for more.
These are just a few of the 100 hours worth of anime being uploaded to the All4 streaming service, but wizened fans of the genre would do well to check out these already added and more under the radar titles first. Other, more prominent titles, such as Kill La Kill, Gurren Lagann, and Persona 5 will be added at a later date.