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.
My Dress Up Darlingdidn’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 ofAttack on Titanand the second season ofDemon 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 therelatable 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.
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 afemale protagonist being transported into an Otome gamegot 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.
No. of Episodes
12
Both reviewers and audiences loved the series' worldbuilding and battle royale elements, strong characters, impressive visuals courtesy of Studio MAPPA, andadrenaline-pumping action sequencesreminiscent of Hollywood films.
The covers and description ofRascal Does Not Dream of Bunny Girl Senpaiseriously didn’t do the anime justice. A lot of fans immediately thought this was going to be just anothergeneric ecchi harem comedysimply 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.
10
TheCyberpunk 2077video 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 andthe characters in particular.Cyberpunk: Edgerunnerswas also partially responsible forCyberpunk 2077’sincreased popularity and the game managed to turn its reputation around in the following year.
25
Tiger & Bunnywas 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 anda middle-aged single dadas 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, butTiger & Bunnyhas also inspired a video game, a movie, a stage play, a Hollywood adaptation in the works, and tons of merchandise.
13
Odd Taxifound itself in an odd place after its release, especially since it aired about the same time as the much anticipatedTokyo Revengers,To Your Eternity,Don’t Toy With Me, Nagatoro-san, and the final season ofFruits 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 forOdd Taxi, but soon caved after high audience demand. Eventually,the anime expanded into other media, like manga, novel, and film adaptations.
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 toSpirited Away’s $274 million). In fact, most ofMy 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 Totoroisone of Hayao Miyazaki’s most beloved films, with the titular character becoming his studio’s mascot.
SinceYuri!!! on Icewas a completely original anime abouta not-very-popular sportwith 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 thatYuri!!! on Ice, was, indeed, born to make history.
ufotable
55
The seemingly overnight success ofDemon Slayerhas 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 ofAttack on Titan. LikeYuri!!! on Ice, however, one episode changed everything: episode 19.
Episode 19 ofDemon Slayerblew 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 outsellingOne Piecein Japan and the entire comic book industry in the West. It’s no surprise, therefore, thatDemon Slayer: Mugen Trainalso surpassed expectations, dethroningSpirited Awayas the highest-grossing film in Japan.
