Shimoneta
Alternative names: A Boring World, Where the Concept of “Dirty Jokes” Doesn’t Exist, Shimoneta to Iu Gainen ga Sonzai Shinai Taikutsu na Sekai
Genres: Comedy, Ecchi
Episodes: 12
Stream available on: Currently no known German provider, only available with VPN.
Japan passed strict morality laws years ago. Sexuality, innuendos, and anything “corrupt” can no longer appear in public and slowly disappears from people’s minds. Okuma, the son of a notorious “terrorist” who fought against the abstinence laws, enrolls at a college and meets the vice president of the student council. She has a secret: She is trying to distribute lewd materials under the identity of “Blue Snow” to “heal” the state-imposed prudishness of the population.
What to expect from Shimoneta: Plenty of slapstick, way too many panty shots, and the most juvenile jokes you can think of. And then you take this result and square it.
Still, Shimoneta is entertaining from beginning to end, even if it’s one of those series you will definitely deny having ever heard of in front of your friend circle.
The Eminence in Shadow
Alternative names: Kage no Jitsuryokusha ni Naritakute, Shadow Garden
Genres: Action, Comedy, Fantasy
Episodes: 20 (more seasons to follow)
Stream available on: Hidive, Aniverse (Prime Video Channel)
Minoru Kagenou always wanted to fight crime and did so – until he dies from an “accident”. Reborn as “Cid” in another world and finally able to use magic, he uses his knowledge to essentially create a huge fantasy RPG and build a secret organization fighting against a dark cult. He wants to be the “eminence in shadow” who manipulates the fate of the world from the shadows.
What he doesn’t realize is that his “teammates” take the founding of the organization much more seriously and over the years become elite agents in his service. Also, this seemingly made-up cult is a quite real threat…
What to expect from The Eminence in Shadow: Essentially, The Eminence in Shadow follows the formula that makes every Isekai anime successful. However, the protagonist Cid likes to turn the “edgelord” level up to the maximum. When Cid explains that he has realized “never to be as strong as an atomic bomb” and sees the only solution as “becoming an atomic bomb himself”, you groan in pain as if you yourself just narrowly survived such an explosion.
Ultimately, the anime balances between “Wow, this is cringe” and “Wow, this is cool” – and does so expertly, with interesting characters and fantastic animation quality.
Chuunibyou demo Koi ga Shitai!
Alternative names: Love, Chunibyo & Other Delusions!
Genres: Comedy, Romance
Episodes: 12 (more seasons and spin-offs available)
Stream available on: Currently no known German provider, only available with VPN.
Yuuta has a dark past. Like many other teenagers, he suffered from “eighth grader syndrome” and at that time thought he was a dark hero, the “Dark Flame Master”, who could use magical powers – while he actually just waved toy swords around and lived in his own dream world.
Now he has fortunately left that past behind – and meets Rikka at his new school, who is currently in the grips of that very disease. He can’t help but sometimes revert to his old habits and revive his dark past – no matter how hard he tries to resist.
What to expect from Chuunibyou demo Koi ga Shitai!: This anime stands out primarily due to its animations and heartwarming characters. The delusions of the children are detailed and impressively portrayed as long as they are in their own world. Mighty magic can burn down forests, magical weapons can destroy entire cities, and long rituals can trigger devastating effects – only to resolve the scene shortly after and show how Rikka jumps around her room with a cooking spoon.
Nevertheless, beneath the quirky surface lies a pretty interesting anime with great characters and a genuinely heartwarming story, which is repeatedly interrupted by awkward “Oh God, please not that” moments.
Do you know any other anime that are so “cringe” that you could hardly stand them?
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