Ask HN: What's your favorite Underrated Anime that no one talks about?

If we're going for obscure, I'm going to recommend Armitage 3, which is a Ghost in the Shell-esque cyberpunk action adventure. Same energy, and definitely better than a simple clone.

Also a mention to Wolf's Rain. It's a post apocalyptic dystopia where wolves can pretend to have human form, and try to survive. It sounds bonkers but it's charming and it works.

I've recently seen that with english subtitles. Was OK but not stellar.

Think I've noticed an easter-egg for the nerds. A streetsign with 'Huelsbeck 12' on it, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chris_Huelsbeck .

Also all the keyboards which sometimes seem to come straight out of the mechanical/ergonomical keyboard maker-scene.

The giant delta-winged space shuttles going up the ramp have been impressive.

In car crash protection foam? Hrrm. Demolition Man?

Despite the good graphics just slightly above a forgettable cheeseburger, IMO.

I really like historical settings:

House of Five Leaves: A robinhood criminal gang

Angolmois - Genkou Kassenki: Mongol invasion of Tsushima in 1248

Onihei: Crime fighting in the Meiji era

Onmyouji: Heian era magic

Shouwa Genroku Rakugo Shinjuu: Rakugo performers in the Shouwa

Glasslip: Not historic, a modern day in the life story

Maiko-san Chi no Makanai-san: also modern, a Kyoto story of geisha apprentices

Heike Monogatari: A great telling of a Heian era power struggle

There are so many more...

Satoshi Kon also did Paranoia Agent.

There's been a few recommendations already for Serial Experiments Lain, but whilst I did enjoy it, for my money Texhnolyze by the same creator is absolutely incredible (and much less discussed). It's very slow going though, particularly at the start, but I still think about the last several episodes on an alarmingly regular basis (having watched it years ago).

I also recommend Now and Then, Here and There: a fish-out-of-water fantasy show in which the main character acts like a stereotypical comedy protagonist but the world he gets transported to is an absolute wasteland ravaged by war and environmental degradation. Unsurprisingly also not a light-hearted watch.