In a world filled with different types of anime, it’s hard to believe that some of them actually got made. And by made, I mean made. There are some anime we’ve come across that have made us question and wonder how they were given the green light in the first place.
Though anime is a medium, especially in its early days, that often takes risks to explore new and interesting ideas. However, not all of these risks pay off. Sometimes, anime can be weird, cringey, or just plain bad. Here are a few examples of weird anime that we can’t believe got made:
Weirdest Anime We Can’t Believe Got Made
20.
Yuri Seijin Naoko-san
Episodes: 1
Theme(s): Comedy
A surreal gag anime follows a quiet, timid girl named Misuzu whose older sister Naoko is returning from studying aboard. However, when Misuzu returns home to greet her, she instead meets Naoko-san, the bizarre alien from Yuri Planet who loves yuri, perverted behavior, and girls.
Yuri Seijin Naoko-san is proof that the legacy of FLCL lives on, whether it’s the fast-paced gags or the six minutes that leave you scratching your head that accompanies the episode. After watching you will agree It’s so strange and bizarre that you feel like you entered the twilight zone!
19.
Cockroach Girls
Title: Gokicha!!
Episodes: 2
Theme(s): Anthropomorphic, Comedy
With some will, Gokicha-chan, an adorable roach, struggles to make human friends after moving to Hokkaido to flee her species’ disgraceful reputation in the Kanto area.
While the concept of talking cockroach girls may not be everyone’s cup of tea, the show has been praised for its creative storytelling and charming characters. If you’re looking for something unique and different, Cockroach Girls is definitely worth checking out. Though it’s still a weird concept, Cockroach Girls was a unique anime series that dared to be different. It’s one of those shows that you either love or hate, but you can’t deny that it’s one of the most original anime.
18.
Iron Virgin Jun
Episodes: 1
Theme(s): Action, Comedy, Fantasy, Martial Arts, Super Power
In accordance with family customs, Jun’s 18th birthday party has been designated as the day when her husband is chosen. Many high-class families have come to marry into the rich and famous Asuka dynasty, but Jun is not interested. With her servant Kurata in tow, she runs away from the groom-choosing ceremony. Outraged her mother puts a “virginity bounty” on Jun. Whoever manages to catch and assault her gets to marry her.
It’s made by Go Nagai the creator of Devilman so can be pretty risque and insane. A really good point about the anime is that it depicts the female protagonist as an Amazonian woman, she’s the one in charge and the one who fights her own battles. I found that enjoyable, even though the trying to capture and assault part was weird.
17.
Dead Leaves
Episodes: 1
Theme(s): Action, Comedy, Sci-Fi
Retro and Pandy wake up on Earth with no memories of their past and embark on a deadly crime spree, but are sent to Dead Leaves, a notorious lunar penitentiary. Equipped with a crew of mutants inmates and a craving for chaos, the chaotic duo devises an endless plot to unleash mayhem to begin their wacky escape.
Dead Leaves would likely be the type of anime that would blow your mind if you saw it to figure out its entire premise. It is such an off-the-wall show, so don’t even try to wrap your head around it. While the story wasn’t really engaging it has a unique concept behind it and was good for what it was, ridiculously epic and weird.
16.
Dog & Scissors
Title: Inu to Hasami wa Tsukaiyou
Episodes: 12
Theme(s): Comedy, Supernatural
Harumi Kazuhito finds nothing more exciting than reading all day long. One day, while he was sitting at a nearby cafe with a book, a robber burst in and threatened the patrons. Kazuhito is not the heroic type, but overcame with courage, he tried to intervene against the robber and was promptly killed. When he came to, he was reborn as a dog under the care of one of the customers who were in the café that night, Natsuno Kirihime. Through some kind of connection, Kirihime can hear Kazuhito’s thoughts as a dog. Unfortunately for Kazuhito, Kirihime has a bit of a sadistic personality and a thing for scissors.
Dog & Scissors is a series that really explores its premise of the odd relationship between a dog and a girl. It’s a series I felt tried to be so bad, but it’s good. Its absurd plot gets uncomfortable with its depiction of love and how she treats the dog, except you’re into that kind of love, random gags, and repetitiveness. The show plays around too much with its premise to its limits.
15.
Onara Goro
Title: Onara Gorou
Episodes: 13
Theme(s): Comedy
Onara Goro follows the everyday life of Gorou, the “most admirable of farts,” as he solves problems in unconventional ways that only farts can.
While at a first glance, one may think of this show as merely another ridiculous joke or as the most magical and amazing thing to ever exist on planet earth. You will find the creator made something that makes you wonder why this was ever made in the first place. Onara Goro is weird on many levels. It is a show that was made to be an anime…about farts. That’s right, this is an anime about just that. It is weird and cringey, but that doesn’t stop it from being worth a look just for the laughs and experiencing this modern classic that only requires mere minutes of your time!
14.
Kaiba
Episodes: 12
Theme(s): Adventure, Mystery, Romance, Sci-Fi
Kaiba is a young man who wakes up in a mysterious room with no memories and finds himself under attack, holding a locket that contains the picture of a girl who is a wanted terrorist. His story follows his journey to find his lost love and past.
Kaiba takes place in a world where people can transfer their minds between each other’s bodies. The anime is full of stunning visuals and unforgettable scenes. It’s unlike any other anime out there, and that’s what makes it so unique. If you’re looking for something different, then you need to check out Kaiba.
13.
FLCL
Episodes: 6
Theme(s): Action, Comedy, Sci-Fi, Mecha, Parody, Psychological
Naota Nandaba is an ordinary sixth grader living in a place where nothing very special ever happens. After his brother Tasuku leaves town to play baseball in the United States, Naota takes it upon himself to take care of everything Tasuku left behind from his top bunk bed to his ex-girlfriend Mamimi Samejima, who hasn’t stopped clinging to Naota since Tasuku left. Mysterious things start happening when Naota meets a strange woman on a Vespa wielding a big guitar.
Oh, much-admired Fooly Cooly. It will be a love-hate relationship if you decide to experience this series, it depicts a story of growing up, as well as to be enjoyed along with the beautiful sceneries that I love seeing to date. But one problem with this series is if nothing makes sense, nothing makes any sense. I love surrealism, grandiosity, and not always understanding everything until the very end, but FLCL wants so badly to take everything to an extreme that it often becomes incoherent and meaningless.
12.
Akikan!
Episodes: 12
Theme(s): Comedy, Ecchi, Fantasy, Romance
The story revolves around a junior high schooler named Kakeru Daichi and the soft drink can that he purchased at a vending machine. The juice can suddenly transforms into a beautiful but standoffish girl named Melon, who needs carbon dioxide from kisses to survive. Kakeru quickly learns that she’s an Akikan—a beautiful girl who’s also a special can created to fight other Akikans in a strange experiment to determine what kind of container is better: steel or aluminum!
Akikan! story about empty juice cans that turn into girls. Is certainly a bizarre concept and I guess it scores some points for being one of a kind in that sense. The setup is simple, but it still manages to provide a couple of surprising twists and a meaningful and satisfying story. But if you’d really enjoy deeply complex characters and intricate twists in their stories, this plot isn’t going to suit you.
11.
Sekko Boys
Title: Sekkou Boys
Episodes: 12
Theme(s): Anthropomorphic, Comedy, Idols, Music
Miki Ishimoto, a recent college graduate, is thrilled to have landed her first job. While she’s inexperienced, she is going to be the manager of a brand-new boy band. Miki is certain that things are going perfectly well in her life until she realizes that the members of her new boy band are Greco-Roman stone statues.
From now until the series is done, don’t look for sense in this anime! It’s a finely sculpted comedy that makes fun of the whole music idol narrative. Sekko Boys is a humorous anime that will leave viewers going, forget logic, enjoying this anime is paramount! Actually, don’t take this anime seriously! This is another hilarious series that targets one of the simplest anime styles in existence. I would still recommend you to watch it because of its absurd premise, and fantastic script alongside some of the funniest single-expression characters to date.
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10.
Midori Days
Title: Midori no Hibi
Episodes: 13
Theme(s): Comedy, Drama, Ecchi, Romance
Seiji Sawamura is the toughest seventeen-year-old in town, feared by all for his fighting skills and his deadly “Devil’s Right Hand.” But at heart, Seiji is soft and gentle, and all he wants is to finally have a girlfriend. Unfortunately, his tough-guy reputation only adds to his belittling reputation with the ladies, until one day he wakes up to discover a girl named Midori has replaced his right hand and confesses she has had a crush on him since middle school.
How do you ever suppose you would feel if you went to sleep one day and woke up the next day to find a girl that liked you had taken the place of your right hand? Well, that’s what this quirky series runs with. I discovered the best thing about watching this anime was the eagerness to see how she became his right hand, and whether he was able to find a girlfriend. However, the characters are rather lighthearted. It is a charming anime that only lasts as long as it should.
9.
The Qwaser of Stigmata
Title: Seikon no Qwaser
Episodes: 24
Theme(s): Action, Ecchi, Supernatural, Super Power
The St. Mikhailov Academy student Mafuyu Oribe comes across a mysterious silver-haired boy. He is called a Qwaser, a being that draws power from Soma and is able to manipulate a specific element. And now, in the 21st century, the mystery revolving around an Icon turns the academy into the battleground for the fight between the Qwaser!
“Only in Japan,” was my first thought when I first saw The Qwaser of Stigmata. It has a unique concept of “getting super-powered from women’s milk”, I love that someone was brave enough to come out with something like this. Even though it can be a bit offensive. I strangely enjoyed this series a lot! It has a bit for everyone. With an original story that actually made me want to brush up on my chemistry lessons.
8.
Hey, President Trap-kun!
Title: Yo! Daitouryou Trap-kun
Episodes: 2
Theme(s): Comedy, Parody
In an effort to strengthen ties with international nations in response to international tensions, US president Trap-kun decides to enroll at an ordinary high school during the course of the new year, where he will learn about life in Japan. But instead of learning about Japan’s rich tradition, he uses his power and privilege to teach his young peers about himself. Using rap and the multipurpose nature of his hair.
Anime is considered to be kind of odd and Hey President Trap-Kun reminds you of that. This odd anime makes you cringe, though it could be considered a postmodernist work of art, as the value of it cannot just be found in the work itself, the watcher discovers it in the spectators. Your enjoyment of the series is based on the brilliant exchanges you observe and make in the course of or afterward your viewing of the exceptionally arbitrary and extremely uncommon piece of media.
7.
Magic Breast Secret Sword Scroll
Title: Manyuu Hikenchou
Episodes: 12
Theme(s): Action, Comedy, Ecchi, Historical, Samurai
In the Edo period of Japan, breasts mean everything. If you have breasts, you are guaranteed wealth and popularity. If you lack them, you are rarely considered “human”. Written on a secret scroll possessed by the Manyuu clan, are said to be various techniques on how to grow big and beautiful breasts. Chifusa is to be the successor of the clan. However, she takes the secret scroll and runs away with it, hoping to fight against the cruel world that the Manyuu Clan has created.
Manyuu Hikenchou despite its ridiculous plot has something to say about our obsession with woman’s breasts, even though the anime doesn’t take itself too seriously, and while self-aware it never stoops so low as to dwell on self-parody.
6.
Henkei Shojo
Title: Henkei Shoujo
Episodes: 5
Theme(s): Sci-Fi
The story revolves around girls who transform themselves into machines and features like a jet plane, sports car, warship, robot, and other machines. It’s followed by slapstick humor, characterized by dramatic moments within an entertaining framework whipped up with robots.
Henkei Shojo is quite strange for a five-episode show that totals under ten minutes. It’s a straight-to-the-point series simply about robots and cute girls that turn into machines kind of like the entire Transformers series. Everything in this anime is silly, and intentionally so, aiming to be a stupid little joke.
5.
Unko-san: Tsuiteru Hito ni Shika Mienai Yousei
Episodes: 13
Theme(s): Comedy
On the strange island lives a community of brown poop fairies. One of these fairies, Unko-san, has the ability to give luck to others. With this power, Unko-san hopes to dispense some of his good fortunes to those less fortunate that are plagued with bad luck.
It’s an anime about poop. Poop!
4.
Mad Bull 34
Episodes: 4
Theme(s): Action, Detective
The Japanese-American Detective Daizaburo Edi-Ban joins the 34th District Precinct of New York City, a difficult precinct. Later that day, he is partnered with John Estes, called Sleepy by his friends, and Mad Bull by his enemies, a cop who prevents crime through his unique way of punishment. Mad Bull’s outrageous behavior often leads to trouble between him and his partner Daizaburo and the 34th precinct. However, despite how crazy or illegal the behavior might be, a good excuse is always offered.
Mad Bull 34 is a violent, oversexualized, and generally terrifying parody of American buddy-cop fare. This is perhaps one of my biggest guilty pleasures just because it’s so awful it’s good. If you’re a fan of this type of show, this is definitely the anime for you.
3.
Makura no Danshi
Episodes: 12
Theme(s): Slice of Life
Whispering profound lullabies into the ears of the viewers, Makura no Danshi presents the viewer with the experience of comfort. Each short episode features a boy who will listen to what the audience says and comfort them when they need it.
The initially noticeable tidbit here is that this is definitely geared toward a distinct audience, such as the majority of ecchi are. So, you may already have an idea of whether or not this is for you. A disturbing tidbit, one of the later episodes centers around “a super-energetic, hot 5-year-old”. Nope, Seriously not. Noooooooope. Nope, Nope, Nope, no, no!
2.
Cat Soup
Title: Nekojiru-sou
Episodes: 1
Theme(s): Anthropomorphic, Comedy, Psychological
The main character, a cat called Nyatto, set off on a perilous quest to save his sister’s soul, which has been separated from itself when Nyatto tried to save her from Death. They encounter several unusual, thought-provoking circumstances, starting with a dismal magic show.
Cat Soup or Nekojiru-sou in its Japanese title is a lot stranger than its own name makes it out to be. Described as “Hello Kitty on Acid”, this is an exceptionally amazing, stunning, and dark short surrealist anime that I was captivated by from the opening to the end with no conscious effort on my part. It presents a set of abstract ideas in such a way that seems to strangely appeals to your curious side and leave a strong impression even with its short run time.
1.
Angel’s Drop
Title: Tenshi no Drop
Episodes: 1
Theme(s): Comedy, Ecchi
Botan Ichige has just enrolled at St. Asmaria All-Girl School, where angels are said to live. Un, an angel, offers Botan her halo to eat. After consuming it, she finds out it has strange side effects, such as causing her to regularly “give birth” to colorful mushrooms.
Containing some of the weirdest and creepiest humor I’ve ever witnessed. Why was this made? How did human beings sit down and decide to create this thing, and other humans greenlit the production? Most, perhaps even all, I wonder over the mind of the person who has dreamed up this entirely bizarre sequence.
Bonus Mentions
Midori
Title: Chika Gentou Gekiga: Shoujo Tsubaki
Episodes: 1
Theme(s): Drama, Horror, Historical
Bobobo-bo Bo-bobo
Episodes: 76
Theme(s): Adventure, Comedy, Sci-Fi
Franz Kafka’s A Country Doctor
Title: Inaka Isha
Episodes: 1
Theme(s): Drama, Historical, Psychological
Puni Puni Poemy
Title: Puni Puni☆Poemii
Episodes: 2
Theme(s): Comedy, Sci-Fi, Mahou Shoujo
Final Thoughts
So that’s our list of the weirdest anime we can’t believe got made. From weird body swapping to sentient farts and everything in between, these shows definitely take the cake when it comes to bizarre themes and plot lines. However, we can’t help but be curious and maybe even a little or a lot entertained by these wacky concepts. So what oddball anime do you think should have made this list? What weird anime do you like? Have you checked out any of these anime? Let us know in the comments below. We want to hear from you. Till next time, have a lovely weekend!
