Does non-battle battle anime count? In Yakitate!! Japan the characters participate in tournaments to see who can make the best bread. It feels very much like a battle shounen at times. In Kaguya-sama: Love is War two tsundere who’ve fallen for each other try to use dumb tactics to force the other person to be the first to admit it (though the show is a lot more than just that).

One of my favorite genres is one I call “surreal goofball comedy.” It’s gag humor in which not even the limits of reality are respected. Nichijou is the most well known example, but Pani Poni Dash is probably my favorite. Other examples include Excel Saga, Asobi Asobase, Galaxy Angel, Ueno-san wa Bukiyou, Kill Me Baby, and most recently, CITY The Animation.

I have less than a passive lack of interest in idols, but WOW did Oshi No Ko blow me away with its first episode.

I love riichi mahjong, and I’ve been on a quest to watch/read every mahjong anime/manga. You’d be surprised how much media exists for a board game.

Akagi is peak, my favorite anime/manga of all time, and everything else by Nobuyuki Fukumoto is fantastic too. Saki has very entertaining moments during the games… but is kind of insufferable between games. Legend of Koizumi is hilariously silly, though the manga ran way too long after the joke had run its course. Tohai starts off very strong, becomes ridiculously edgy, and then kept going until I just ironically enjoyed how stupid it was. Legendary Gambler Tetsuya feels like it was made to piss me off as a mahjong player.

But the most underappreciated manga-only hidden gem has gotta be Tetsunaki no Kirinji. This one really feels like it was written for serious mahjong players, the moment it started lampooning the differences in playstyle between online and IRL play I knew I was reading something special. Praying it someday gets an anime adaptation.