10 Must-See Anime That May Not Be Streaming But Are All Certified 10/10s
With the rise of streaming services, watching anime has never been easier. However, not all great anime are currently available on popular platforms like Netflix or Crunchyroll. There are many high-quality anime series that have been removed from streaming due to licensing issues, rights revocation, or simply because they were never acquired by a streaming service in the first place.
XXXholic: A Hidden Gem
Based on the manga by CLAMP, XXXholic is a thought-provoking series that follows Kimihiro Watanuki, a high school student who can see supernatural things. He becomes embroiled in the service of a mysterious and powerful witch named Yuko Ichihara, who promises to free him from his gift.
The anime has received critical acclaim for its exploration of complex characters and their motivations. However, due to the closure of Funimation's streaming service in 2024, the second season, XXXholic: Kei, is currently unavailable to stream.
Mushi-Shi: A Peaceful Exploration
Mushi-Shi is a serene series about Ginko, a man who dedicates his life to understanding and resolving conflicts caused by supernatural beings known as Mushi. These creatures vary in appearance and nature, but most are harmless and easily destroyed.
The series is renowned for its calming tone, subtle color palette, and episodic storytelling style. Despite its popularity, Mushi-Shi is not currently available on any streaming service in the US.
The Big O: A Film Noir-Inspired Thriller
The Big O follows Roger Smith, a Bruce Wayne-esque figure who acts as a "negotiator" in the mysterious city of Paradigm. He teams up with a giant robot called Big O to tackle problems and battles with monsters and other robots.
This anime is heavily influenced by film noir and Batman: The Animated Series. While the first season can be found with some difficulty, the second season, which resolves the plot, is currently unavailable due to its co-production status.
Baccano!: A Convoluted yet Fascinating Story
Baccano! is a series that weaves together three distinct storylines across different time periods. The first takes place in 1930s Manhattan, the second on a train called the Flying Pussycat, and the third in 1932.
The anime's non-linear storytelling style can be confusing at first, but the connections between events become clearer as the series progresses. Despite its popularity, Baccano! is not currently available to stream in the US due to licensing issues.
Darker Than Black: A World of Supernatural Anomalies
Darker Than Black is set in a world where two mysterious anomalies, Heaven's Gate and Hell's Gate, suddenly appear, causing widespread panic. People exposed to these areas develop special powers, becoming known as Contractors.
The series follows Hei, a Contractor who works for a mysterious organization called the Syndicate, as he tries to uncover the truth behind the gates. Despite its critical acclaim, Darker Than Black is not currently available to stream in the US due to licensing issues.
Chobits: A Heartwarming Tale of Love and Technology
Chobits tells the story of Hideki Motosuwa, a country boy who moves to the city to attend cram school. He discovers Persocom, humanoid computers that cater to people's needs, but they're too expensive.
Hideki finds a discarded Persocom and brings her back to his apartment, where she becomes sentient and is named Chi. Chobits explores themes of love, technology, and social issues in a humorous and heartwarming way.
.Hack//Sign: A Thought-Provoking VRMMORPG Adventure
.Hack//Sign follows Tsukasa, a player of the popular VR MMORPG "The World" who wakes up in the game with no memory of how he got there. He soon discovers that he's trapped and unable to log out.
The series explores themes of identity, consciousness, and the nature of reality through a slow-burning narrative. Despite its popularity, .Hack//Sign is not currently available on any streaming service in the US due to licensing issues.
Slayers: A Hilarious Fantasy Adventure
Slayers follows Lina Inverse, a powerful sorceress with a reputation for being both good and bad. She gets into various adventures, battling monsters and dealing with world-ending consequences.
Lina is joined by Gourry Gabriev, Zelgadis Graywords, and other characters on her journey. The series has five seasons, but none of them are currently available to stream due to licensing issues.
Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood (2009) - A Well-Worthwhile Watch
The 2009 remake of Fullmetal Alchemist is widely regarded as one of the greatest anime of all time. However, its predecessor, released in 2003, took a different approach and features some episodes that are not included in the Brotherhood series.
Despite being a radically different interpretation of the manga material, the original series is still worth watching. Unfortunately, it is currently unavailable to stream due to licensing issues.
FLCL: A Quirky and Iconic Anime
FLCL follows Naota's life after a strange woman named Haruko enters his world and causes chaos. The series was a mainstay of Adult Swim for years, but its first season is currently unavailable to stream due to the closure of Funimation in 2024.
The original series is beloved for its offbeat humor, awesome soundtrack, and cult following. Hopefully, it will become available to stream again soon.