Over the past decade, streaming services like Amazon Prime, HBO Max, Hulu, and Netflix have invested significant resources into developing their anime libraries, even going as far as to release their own exclusive titles each year. As anime-specific platforms such as Crunchyroll and Funimation also grow and assert their value in the entertainment sphere, an ever-growing amount of anime content is directed toward Western audiences.
Despite this growth, plenty of quality anime series have either been removed from these streaming services after brief stints in their lineups or have yet to be included whatsoever. Among these anime series, a few select choices stand out as exceptionally worthy of being added to at least one of these major services.
11 Tomorrow's Joe
Total Episodes: 79
Any anime released before the start of the 2000s is going to seem a bit dated to modern viewers, but in the case of Tomorrow's Joe, its age isn't to its detriment. The boxing-centric shonen debuted in 1970, making it one of the oldest anime to still enjoy an active following.
Tomorrow's Joe follows the story of its titular main character, Joe, as he learns to navigate the rigors of both the real world and the boxing ring. Its approach to gritty, realistic storytelling inspired countless sports anime to follow in its footsteps, so despite the show's age, it still holds up to modern viewing standards.
10 Blue Gender
Total Episodes: 13
Blue Gender has experienced a bit of a resurgence in popularity in recent years. However, it still goes underappreciated by many anime fans. The futuristic sci-fi series played an important role in the development of modern horror anime, laying the groundwork for similar anime that came after it.
The aesthetic of 1990s anime naturally lent itself to gritty, mature storytelling, and nowhere is this evidenced more clearly than Blue Gender. Its plot revolves around humanity's fight against a terrifying race of bug-like aliens known as the Blue, pitting its protagonists up against seemingly impossible odds on a consistent basis.
9 Baccano!
Total Episodes: 13
There are plenty of innovative anime available to fans, but few truly push the boundaries of the medium as much as the beloved hit, Baccano!. The eclectic series tells a non-sequential story that jumps around an array of seemingly unrelated characters, locations, and time period. However, after an immortality elixir is created, these divergent storylines begin to converge.
Baccano! remains very popular among fans, so it's a bit shocking that no major streaming platform has decided to license it. The series' colorful animation speaks to the talents of its production company, Brain's Base, providing even more reason to check it out.
8 Major
Total Episodes: 157
Baseball is easily the most popular sport in Japan, so it should come as no surprise that a slew of baseball anime have emerged over the years. However, none hold a candle to the sustained success of the Major franchise, which follows the story of a boy named Garou Honda as he goes from youth baseball to the Major Leagues.
Major produced over 150 episodes during its time on-air, making it one of the most prolific sports anime of the 2000s. Although sports series aren't usually for everyone, Major's ability to tell a narrative that spans multiple decades is one of the highest achievements of its genre.
7 The Rose Of Versailles
Total Episodes: 40
Anime is no stranger to historical fiction, but generally, these stories revolve around Japanese-centric events. In a rare exception to this trend, The Rose of Versailles, released in 1979, instead opts to explore the years immediately preceding the French Revolution.
The Rose of Versailles tells a fictionalized version of the story of Marie Antoinette, a real-life Queen in 18th-century France. However, rather than focusing exclusively on her historical shortcomings, the series introduces Oscar, the female Commander of the Royal Guard. This virtuous military leader is well-respected among her peers and provides the perfect counterbalance to Antoinette's self-absorbed leadership.
6 Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex
Total Episodes: 52
For a franchise as influential as Ghost in the Shell, it's downright shocking that one or more media giants have yet to pick this associated title up. Created in the wake of the original 1995 film, Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex picks up the torch left by its predecessor and runs with it, achieving heights not seen by anime in the cyberpunk genre since legendary films like Akira.
Well-known directors like the Wachowski brothers and James Cameron (creators of the Matrix trilogy and Avatar, respectively) point to Ghost in the Shell as one of the first examples of adult animation reaching the heights of the literary canon, giving life to the potential this series has should it be reintroduced to audiences.
5 Berserk (1997)
Total Episodes: 25
Many contemporary anime viewers may be more familiar with the 2012 and 2016 reboots of Berserk than the 1997 series, but this doesn't mean that the original adaptation of legendary writer Kentaro Miura's dark fantasy doesn't deserve to be thrust back into the limelight. For those unfamiliar, Berserk follows steely-eyed protagonist Guts as he navigates the unimaginable horrors of Miura's twisted, European-inspired landscapes.
One must look no further than 2022's blockbuster video game, Elden Ring, for an example of the sustained influence Berserk has over the fantasy genre, so a return to streaming services could potentially happen sooner rather than later.
4 Planetes
Total Episodes: 26
For viewers in search of serious food for thought, look no further than Makoto Yukimura's 2003 series, Planetes. Animated by Sunrise studios, this hard science-fiction series follows a crew of workers as they perform their duties aboard DS-12, a space debris collection craft.
Planetes is known for its scientific realism and dark themes centered around angst, existentialism, and the relation of man to space itself. These mature themes would be perfect in the modern anime landscape and could serve a welcome change of pace for the lineups of any streaming service.
3 Hell Girl
Total Episodes: 26
Originally released in 2005, Hell Girl is an episodic series that spends each episode following the story of a new character who has requested the aid of Ai Enma, the titular lead of the anime. Upon coming into contact with Ai, these characters are offered a choice: pull the cord to a ghoulish doll offered by Ai, sending those who cause them torment directly to hell, or stand by as their plights continue.
Given that Hell Girl received a reboot as recently as 2017, the door certainly has yet to shut on Hell Girl making a return to streaming platforms. Its sequels and spin-offs have been licensed on several different services, so fans can retain some sliver of hope when it comes to streaming Hell Girl in the near future.
2 Katanagatari
Total Episodes: 12
Drawing inspiration from historical Japanese precedence, Katanagatari focuses on two individuals as they perform a katanagari, Japanese for "sword hunt," in order to find the twelve Deviant Blades that are hidden across Edo-Era Japan. These katanagari, generally performed by political leaders, were conducted over several centuries in ancient Japan and serve as the inspiration behind this 2011 series.
A fun mix of historical fiction, action, and romance, Katanagatari is fairly contemporary, so a rerelease on a major platform wouldn't be too shocking to see in the near future. However, at this point, the only legitimate way to watch this series is by purchasing it directly.
1 Now And Then, Here And There
Total Episodes: 12
A great example of an anime achieving critical success without drawing from a manga as source material, Now and Then, Here and There is an original work conceived by Akitaro Daichi that explores an unknown world through the lens of its childhood protagonist, "Shu" Matsutani.
Viewers shouldn't be fooled by the youthful nature of Now and Then, Here and There's main character. Now and Then, Here and There delves into heavy themes like militarization, famine, and child exploitation on a consistent basis throughout its 12 total episodes. Despite its mature themes leading to a more limited audience, the critical value of Now and Then, Here and There would make it a worthwhile addition to any of the streaming giants.