It’s no secret that anime is more popular than it’s ever been before. What once was a niche interest shared mainly among fans in online spaces has become a mainstream form of entertainment in recent years, with big-name movies breaking global box office records, and streaming services like Netflix reporting that half of its users regularly watch anime.
Many of the industry’s most successful titles are available at any time with just a click of a button. However, even with all the fanfare and demand, there are classic anime titles that remain entirely unavailable on streaming services. These shows are staples of their genres, but anime fans might have a hard time finding them.
Noragami
Animated by Bones, Based on the Manga by Adachitoka
Noragami aired and became a phenomenon among anime fans only a decade ago, and its source material by female artist duo Adachitoka only just came to its conclusion in 2024. Yet, despite the recency of Noragami‘s success, the 2015 anime is currently unavailable on major streaming services.
In 2025, Noragami was reportedly removed from Crunchyroll in the U.S. because of licensing issues, and there has been little update given about whether it will return. It appears the series’ brand of supernatural urban fantasy will be unavailable to fans in the region for the foreseeable future.
Animated by Bones, Based on the Manga by Hiromu Arakawa
Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood has become one of the most popular shows for budding anime fans diving into the medium for the first time, and over 15 years on from its premiere, it remains a must-watch for all shōnen anime fans. However, the same can’t really be said of its predecessor.
Fullmetal Alchemist began airing in 2003 and became a smash-hit, before ultimately arriving at a premature conclusion. In order to tell a more faithful version of the story, Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood premiered in 2009 and steered the series towards a different ending. Today, 2003’s Fullmetal Alchemist is unavailable on all major streaming platforms.
Elfen Lied
Animated by Arms, Based on the Manga by Lynn Okamoto
The early and mid-2000s was anime’s ‘edgy’ period, and no show better personified the era than Elfen Lied. Overly gory, so dark it bordered on humorous at times, and so earnest it all circled back to being compelling, Elfen Lied was one of the most popular gateway shows into the world of anime and manga.
More than two decades on, the series has lost a bit of love from the global anime community, but it remains a wholly entertaining watch today. Unfortunately, it’s also a difficult-to-find watch, as the series was recently removed from Prime Video and is currently not streaming.
Darker than Black
Animated by Bones, Original Anime Series
Darker than Black lacks the brand-power that some other shows missing from streaming might hold, but during its airing in 2007 and in the years that followed, the series built itself a respectable following among devoted anime fans. The series’ tight, unraveling supernatural spy mystery captivated fans despite flying relatively under the radar.
Unfortunately, it appears Darker than Black is destined to remain under the radar, as the series is currently unavailable on streaming services, though single episodes are available for purchase on YouTube.
Claymore
Animated by Madhouse, Based on the Manga by Norihiro Yagi
Claymore is anime dark fantasy done right. Incorporating all the tried and true tropes of the genre, the series brings its own spin on things by adding human-creature hybrids created to fight off demonic beings called Yoma. Unfortunately, the anime by the esteemed studio Madhouse was never able to bring the series to a proper conclusion.
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As if that wasn’t bad enough, Claymore fans are now unable to watch their favorite series on any major streaming service. The series was removed from Crunchyroll in late 2025 with no explanation. Fans have held out hope that its removal is signaling a possible remake, but as of now, nothing has been confirmed.
Serial Experiments Lain
Animated by Triangle Staff, Original Anime Series
Watching Serial Experiments Lain in 2026 is a surreal experience. Its vision of the future was often humorous in retrospect, with giant computer monitors and large wires painting the backdrop of characters’ bedrooms. On the other hand, the series was nothing short of prophetic, predicting a future in which online spaces would blur entirely with the physical world.
Unfortunately, actually watching the series in 2026 is a bit of a hurdle. Serial Experiments Lain is not available on any major streaming platform, and hasn’t been since the Funimation app and website officially ceased operation in 2024.
Crayon Shin-chan
Animated by Shin-Ei Animation, Based on the Manga by Yoshito Usui
Crayon Shin-chan may look like an innocent children’s show, with its soft, rudimentary art style and cast of children characters, though that couldn’t be further from the truth. The series features mature, crude humor and undeniably aimed at teenage and older audiences. Unfortunately, its 1,000-plus episodes aren’t streaming in North America.
The series is available on Netflix in some regions around the world, but the majority of English-speaking fans will have to find it elsewhere. Both the original manga and the anime adaptation have been ongoing since the 1990s, and have had a major influence on some of the most successful figures in both industries, including Chainsaw Man‘s Tatsuki Fujimoto.
Eureka Seven
Animated by Bones, Original Anime Series
Though it aired during the latter stages of mecha anime’s prime, 2005’s Eureka Seven had quite a bit of hype behind it. Some of that had to do with its writer, Dai Sato, who previously worked on landmark titles such as Cowboy Bebop and Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex.
The series aired to great acclaim, with fans praising the depth of its cast, coming of age story, and romance elements. Unfortunately, Eureka Seven was another victim of the Funimation-Crunchyroll merger, disappearing from streaming when the former went out of service.
The Legend of the Legendary Heroes
Animated by Zexcs, Based on the Light Novel Series by Takaya Kagami
The Legend of the Legendary Heroes is an early 2010s anime series that gained quite a bit of traction upon airing, but has seemingly been somewhat forgotten to time in the years since. Some of that has to do once again with it being another victim of Funimation’s termination of service.
The fantasy series follows Ryner Lute, a student at a Royal Magician’s Academy, who sets out on a journey in search of relics left behind by an ancient hero. Little has been shared about the status of the series since it left streaming services in 2024.
Jojo’s Bizarre Adventure: Phantom Blood
Animated by A.P.P.P., Based on the Manga by Hirohiko Araki
Unlike other anime titles which have disappeared from streaming services, Jojo’s Bizarre Adventure: Phantom Blood is the definition of unwatchable. The film released in Japanese theaters in 2007, and, for some unknown reason, was never given a home release or put on streaming services.
Today, Jojo’s Bizarre Adventure: Phantom Blood is technically lost media, with only about 15 minutes or so of the film ever surfacing online. It’s unlikely the film will ever be released in full, now that David Production oversees the Jojo’s Bizarre Adventure anime series.
- Release Date
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October 6, 2012
- Showrunner
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Crunchyroll, Netflix, Hulu
- Directors
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Naokatsu Tsuda
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Kazuyuki Okitsu
Jonathan Joestar
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Tomokazu Sugita
Joseph Joestar