20 Underrated Seinen Anime That Are Worth Watching

During the Chinese Warring States period in the kingdom of Qin, two enslaved children train in the hopes of becoming the Great General of the Heavens. Piao is suddenly recruited to work as a retainer at the royal palace, and for a while, Li Xin is alone. But after a violent coup d'état, Piao reappears bearing a mission for Xin - one which puts him in contact with China's king, Ying Zheng. For some reason, the king looks just like Piao. To find out what's going on, Xin must delve deeper into the complex world of royalty and warfare. 

College student Tsukasa Taira didn't think much of vampires - that is, until one of her friends turned out to be one. After a dramatic confrontation in which her friend is arrested and taken down by a human/devil hybrid named Yuki Anzai, Tsukasa finds that not only are vampires on her mind, but so is Anzai. Despite the danger, she can't help but feel drawn to him. 

The two enter an uneasy romantic relationship - but can Anzai keep his violent vampiric nature in check? Or is he too dangerous to be close to a human? 

Saichi Sugimoto is an ex-solider from the Russo-Japanese war now spending his days searching for gold. During his travels he's saved from a bear attack by an Ainu girl named Asirpa. The two then form a partnership and set out on a quest to hunt for the gold stolen from Asirpa's family. Golden Kamuy is a unique series that highlights Japanese's native people -  the Ainu - and is perfect for anyone looking for a bit of history in their anime.

Initial D is a 90s classic, but it's not something that's commonly watched today. It follows Takumi, a young man with friends that are totally obsessed with cars, but he doesn't really care about them himself - until his latent racing talents are discovered by the street racing team the Akagi Red Suns. If you love ridiculous, OP street racing and are looking for something with an old school feel, you can't go wrong with Initial D! 

Based on a manga by the legendary Osamu Tezuka, this dark anime is well worth your time. It follows Kuroo Hazama, an unconventional doctor who would give Dr. House a run for his money. Though he charges exorbitant fees for his services, he can cure just about any health issue no matter how complex or strange - and he doesn't give a damn whether his treatments are legal. 

The sequel to the popular Cells at Work didn't get nearly as much hype as it deserved. Unlike the main Cells at Work anime, this iteration centers on the cells that make up the body of a person who doesn't take care of themselves at all. They drink, smoke, expose themselves to STIs, they're sleep-deprived and stressed - and their body pays the price. 

Despite the cell's broken-down, filthy work environment and the endless drudgery of their jobs, they still do their best to keep fighting. If you want to see a fantastical metaphor for terrible workplaces in real Japan, get emotionally attached to red blood cells, and hear the same voice actor who plays Overhaul from MHA explain reproduction, this is the anime for you.