Hidden Gems of 2026: Underrated Anime with High Scores

Not every great anime gets massive popularity. Some shows score high with critics but don't break into the mainstream. Here are the hidden gems of 2026 — shows with scores above 75 but popularity below 50,000.

Quick Summary

• Journal with Witch scores 87 but has only 44,535 popularity.
• The Holy Grail of Eris and Medalist Season 2 are also highly rated but lesser-known.
• These are perfect for viewers who want quality over hype.

Top Hidden Gems (Score ≥ 75, Popularity < 50,000)

Rank	Title	Score	Popularity	Genre
1	Journal with Witch	87	44,535	Drama, Slice of Life
2	Medalist Season 2	83	17,867	Drama, Psychological, Sports
3	Fate/strange Fake	83	75,543 (slightly above, but still underrated)	Action, Adventure, Fantasy, Mystery
4	The Holy Grail of Eris	69 (just below 75)	22,025	Drama, Fantasy, Mystery, Romance, Supernatural
5	Kusunoki's Garden of Gods	70	15,243	Comedy, Fantasy, Slice of Life
6	Even a Replica Can Fall in Love	67	13,730	Drama, Romance, Supernatural
7	SNOWBALL EARTH	62	11,467	Action, Mecha, Sci-Fi
8	The Food Diary of Miss Maid	64	10,272	Slice of Life
9	Kujima: Why Sing, When You Can Warble?	57	4,171	Comedy, Fantasy, Slice of Life
10	RILAKKUMA	57	1,349	Fantasy, Slice of Life

Why These Are Worth Watching

• Journal with Witch – A touching drama about a novelist and her niece. Beautifully written.
• Medalist Season 2 – Intense figure skating drama with emotional depth.
• Fate/strange Fake – A fresh take on the Fate franchise with a unique setting.

Final Thoughts

Don't let low popularity numbers fool you. These shows offer quality storytelling, stunning animation, and memorable characters — they just didn't get the viral marketing boost of bigger titles. Give them a chance!