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7.) Fullmetal Alchemist
You might be shocked to learn that the original Fullmetal Alchemist isn’t available to stream anywhere, but it does make some semblance of sense when you think about it. Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood arrived in 2008, five years following the original anime adaptation that introduced many fans to Edward and Alphonse. You’d be hard-pressed to find any anime fans who believe that the first series outdid Brotherhood, but this doesn’t mean it should be forgotten. While the remake followed closer to the source material, also sticking with the ending of the manga, the original series still should be available to watch simply thanks to the impact that the franchise has had on the anime world as a whole. There’s a reason why fans routinely bring up Fullmetal Alchemist in the discussion for best anime of all time.
6.) Baki The Grappler
The fact that the 2001 Baki The Grappler anime isn’t streaming anywhere is pretty mind-bending, especially because the first two seasons of this series are a precursor to Netflix’s Baki series. The streaming service has seen major success with anime adaptations, including Baki, Baki Hanma, and Baki-Dou: The Invincible Samurai, so it’s still confusing that the platform hasn’t acquired these initial seasons that truly introduced the son of the ogre to the world. Fingers crossed that a streaming service will one day officially grab the first two seasons, as they contain some of the best battles Baki has been a part of.
5.) Big O
The Big O was one of the biggest anime series to arrive on Toonami, helping to usher plenty of new viewers into the medium when it debuted on Cartoon Network in 2001. Feeling like a mix between Batman: The Animated Series and Mobile Suit Gundam, Roger Smith’s story has a stylized aesthetic that still holds up to this day. So popular was the series on Toonami that it even received a surprising sequel in 2003, and it deserves a resurrection on streaming if nothing else. Until then, we’ll just hold onto our Blu-Rays for the Sunrise series that still packs a punch.
4.) Slayers
Slayers might have never had its chance to shine on Netflix and/or Cartoon Network, but the legendary anime series was often considered the face of anime in the 1990s for many. The anime adaptation had over one hundred episodes to its name, following the young wizard known as Lina Inverse as she experiences a journey that has just as much magic as that of Frieren’s. Slayers worked well as an entry point for anime when the medium felt new in the 90s, and it’s a shame that this classic can’t be viewed anywhere, considering the number of episodes and the ground it broke in the West.
3.) The Guyver: Bio-Booster Armor
The Guyver is an interesting concept that has made its way to North America with two live-action films, introducing Western audiences to the alien armor-wearing protagonist. Released in 1989, the ultra-violent superhero story was another major franchise that introduced many to the anime medium for the first time. While the character might have never grown to the same heights as Goku and Monkey D. Luffy, the hard-hitting action and brutal moments work well in terms of conveying a superhero story quite unlike anything else out there. What’s all the more surprising is that both the 1989 series and the 2005 remake are currently unavailable to stream. The Guyver needs a resurrection and a streaming revival is just the way to get the ball rolling.
2.) Shin-Chan
Crayon Shin-Chan is easily the largest franchise on this list that can’t be streamed in North America. First beginning in 1992, the comedic family anime is still running to this day, with over thirteen hundred episodes to its name. While the show had a brief run on Adult Swim, the legendary anime hasn’t had a streaming home to call its own. One Piece can routinely be thought of as an unwieldy series to watch, and while Shin-Chan is longer than the journey of the Straw Hats, the episodes are much more separate without contributing to an overarching storyline. There’s a reason why Shin-Chan has become such an anime juggernaut in Japan, and it deserves more of a presence in North America.
1.) Samurai Deeper Kyo
Created by Studio Deen in 2002, the twenty-six-episode series takes the samurai anime trope and flips it on its ear. Samurai Deeper Kyo sees its titular character finding himself stuck inside the body of his rival, searching for a way to be free of his current predicament. Like many of the other franchises on this list, this was a series that arrived before the major uptick in anime popularity, and it deserves a second look decades following its premiere. While not as well-known as many of the other entries here, Kyo is a series that deserves a resurgence.
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