Despite being animated, not all anime is strictly for children, and anime genres run the gamut of available genres in all media: psychological, adventure, thriller, horror, and comedy are only a sampling of genres that anime offers. Then there are decidedly "Japanese" genres like shonen and shojo, which are more target demographics than genres and can't quite be directly translated into English.
However, some genres are far more common than others, with less common ones falling between the cracks every anime season. Some genres have been done to death, and it’s become tiring to see them. Others, on the other hand, are so rare that fans become excited to see their favorite (albeit underappreciated) genre pop up again if they pop up.
10 HAD ENOUGH: Isekai Has Been A Popular Genre For Decades
Starting life over in another world or having to assist a troubled world with their issues has strong appeal among anime fans, which is exactly why so many isekai anime have been produced thus far. Isekai anime also tend to be the most popular series of any given anime season, and several classic anime can be retroactively labeled as isekai, such as Fushigi Yuugi and Inuyasha. Modern trends indicate that isekai still isn't going anywhere, and series such as Re: Zero and Sword Art Online enjoy massive enduring popularity.
9 NOT ENOUGH: Josei Anime Appeals To Only A Niche Of Anime Fans
Shojo series continue to be popular, but their grown-up versions have far less popularity in comparison. Josei anime include elements that appeal to shojo fans, such as dramatic romance plots and female empowerment, but josei tends to get far less attention.
Adults are usually the focus of josei series, and the protagonist doesn't always have to be a woman, making them more nuanced than shojo. Princess Jellyfish and Kids on the Slope are great josei series that demonstrate the range of stories that make up the josei genre.
8 HAD ENOUGH: Anime Is Saturated With The Harem Genre
Harem is so popular in anime that it often bleeds into other anime genres. Harems are commonly included in isekai and school life series, making harems somewhat of a tired cliché. More egregious is the fact that woman harems dominate the harem genre far more than male harems.
In other words, not only are harem anime overly plentiful, but they're also typically little more than male wish-fulfillment fantasies. Furthermore, harem anime tend to suffer from repetitive, bland protagonists and seldom have compelling or interesting narratives.
7 NOT ENOUGH: Good Yuri & Yaoi Anime Are Severely Lacking
It's not that there's never been any yuri or yaoi anime; it's just that most of it hasn't been all that good. Many anime that veer toward same-sex relationships often hit the brakes when things are about to get serious, or they leave narrative threads open and relationships unconfirmed.
When they do bother to show any same-sex interactions, it's typically overdone and unrealistic. Strawberry Panic and Citrus are examples of yuri anime that over-delivered on fanservice and not much else. Bloom Into You is a recent yuri series with a great story, but it's, unfortunately, a rarity.
6 HAD ENOUGH: Shonen Is Popular For A Reason, But It's Way Overdone
Shonen Jump has endured as a publication since 1968 and has spawned dozens of shonen anime over the years. Shonen anime are included in nearly every new season of anime and some of them have been running as a franchise for decades.
Likable characters and action-packed content keep the shonen genre running, but shonen anime are frequently rinse-and-repeat stories with the same tired tropes and archetypes. Shonen rarely adds anything new to their stories in terms of tropes and themes, which is both its strongest and weakest trait.
5 NOT ENOUGH: Parody Is A Refreshing Break From Popular Genres
Ruthlessly parodying popular anime genres makes those popular genres much more bearable. Series such as KonoSuba and One-Punch Man manage to show off the best of isekai and shonen genres respectively while also making it clear how absurd some of the tropes are.
Other parody anime like Panty & Stocking with Garterbelt and Lucky Star parody anime itself, making them especially amusing to those who've been watching anime for many years. Parody anime have a wide range of applications, but it's surprisingly sparse in the anime library when compared to other genres.
4 HAD ENOUGH: Ecchi Anime Are Typically Uninspired
Anyone who's seen an episode of To LOVE-Ru knows how shameless anime can get when it goes heavy with ecchi fanservice. This isn't to say that all fanservice is bad, but simply that not all fanservice is created equal.
Inventive ecchi scenes in anime — especially when they're parodies — can add something more significant to the series than an ecchi scene thrown in just for fun. Shimoneta, for example, is a hilarious example of an ecchi anime that's also clearly meant to be a parody, going so far as to comment on pertinent topics such as censorship and freedom of expression.
3 NOT ENOUGH: Historical Anime Tends To Be Fantasized
Anime like Demon Slayer and Rurouni Kenshin obviously draw from history, but they're not necessarily about history. Rather, the historical aspects of these series are used as settings and plot devices. Sometimes certain time periods are chosen for their aesthetic values instead of their historical significance.
Consequently, there aren't as many anime that accurately retell or reference actual historical events. Golden Kamuy is a good example of a historically accurate anime, while Katanagatari is an anime that references (but reimagines) a real historical event.
2 HAD ENOUGH: School Life Anime Are Overly Abundant
While modern-day school anime are plentiful, even anime that take place in other worlds frequently return to the concept of school. Sometimes it's a special school for training mages or warriors, but school settings seem commonplace in many anime series. The obligatory school romance has been repeated ad nauseum, with very few changes from series to series.
School anime are common because of how relatable they are, especially considering how a large chunk of anime is targeted toward teenagers. The genre has become a bit stale though, which may be why series like School-Live! are spicing up school settings.
1 NOT ENOUGH: Music-themed Anime Are Few & Far Between
Every once in a while, a great music-themed anime will appear, and it'll make waves during the season. Kyoto Animation's Sound! Euphonium comes to mind with its beautiful animation and scenery, but most importantly, it focuses on the music aspect — what it means to be a musician and the trials that come with it.
Nodame Cantabile and Your Lie In April are other notable mentions for remarkable music-focused anime. Music is also a convenient theme for dealing with emotions, with Given being a recent addition to the anime library, and it's also got yaoi elements to boot!