While most anime fans start their anime journey with classic Shōnen anime, as they begin watching more shows and become something of a “veteran,” they start exploring other genres. Soon enough, they realize there is a show for everyone. As such, it is impossible for every fan to only watch the most popular titles.

Amid all the different kinds of series they enjoy, there are bound to be a few guilty pleasure anime they don’t like admitting to watching. Some of these shows might be riddled with fanservice, while others may have plots too embarrassing to say out loud. Below are eight such guilty pleasure anime that fans secretly love but may be too embarrassed to admit to watching.

My Dress-Up Darling

First released in 2022, CloverWorks’ My Dress-Up Darling is one series every anime fan must have heard about during its initial run. While the series is essentially a romance anime, a major part of the plot focuses on Otaku and Cosplay culture. As such, given its niche, many fans did not find the series relatable. However, the main reason many fans find it embarrassing to admit loving the show is its fanservice.

As the show focuses on cosplays, the female lead, Marin Kitagawa, is shown wearing several costumes, most of which have been of risqué nature. Hence, non-watchers have come to the conclusion that fanservice is the show’s only appeal. But in reality, the show has a lot more to offer, and has tackled issues surrounding insecurities, anxiety, etc.

Beastars

Beastars anime essentially starts off as a murder mystery set in a civilized society of anthropomorphic animals. While there was already an uneasy tension between carnivores and herbivores, a predation incident at Cherryton Academy sparks more distrust between the two groups. Amid all the problems, the protagonist, Legoshi, a grey wolf, tries to lie low and hide his menacing traits.

As such, considering the concepts the show was tackling, there should never have been a reason for one to find it embarrassing to love the show. What made it awkward to watch came after, as Legoshi, a carnivore, starts to develop feelings for Haru, a white dwarf rabbit. While it would have been okay for the series to establish a relationship between the two, what made it more difficult to watch were the intimate scenes shown in the anime.

Grand Blue Dreaming

While on the surface, *Grand Blue Dreaming *looks like a niche anime focusing on scuba diving, possibly giving its viewers a glimpse of what the activity looks like, the series is actually a comedy anime that frequently makes use of adult jokes and gag humor.

Although one may think that is nothing to feel embarrassed about, it wouldn’t take them long to realize what’s wrong with the show. After Iori Kitahara is persuaded into joining the Diving Club, one would think that the show would be about him starting to love the activity. But instead, the fans, similar to the protagonist, are in for a surprise, as the carefree members of the club are all about having bizarre parties filled with alcoholic activities.

Please Put Them On, Takamine-san

Please Put Them On, Takamine-san might have one of the most embarrassing plots in all anime. The story centers on Koushi Shirota, who finds out that her classmate and student council president, Takane Takamine, has a special power that she uses to put up her prodigious facade.

What is the special power you might ask? Takamine’s power is called the Eternal Virgin Road. The power allows her to undo any mistake she makes by taking off a piece of underwear. If that itself wasn’t embarrassing enough to secretly love the show, as Shirota was the only one aware of the truth, Takamine coerces him into becoming her closet. This meant that Shirota would not just have to carry Takamine’s underwear but also help her put them on.

Alya Sometimes Hides Her Feelings in Russian

On the surface, there is nothing wrong with Alya Sometimes Hides Her Feelings in Russian. The show centers on half-Russian and half-Japanese, the perfect student, Alisa Mikhailovna “Alya” Kujou and her unmotivated classmate, Masachika Kuze. While initially Alya found Masachika irritating, as she grew closer to him, she starts to express her affection for him in Russian. However, Alya was oblivious to the secret that Masachika was fluent in Russian and understood every word she said.

As such, the show’s premise sounds like that of an interesting rom-com. So, what makes the show embarrassing to secretly love? The relationship between Masachika Kuze and Yuki Suou. While Yuki is Masachika’s younger sister, she often teases him with explicit and intrusive jokes and suggestions. As one can imagine, seeing two siblings have such an exchange can be uncomfortable to watch for many people.

Prison School

As fans must know, the infamous Prison School is an anime filled with gag comedy and extreme fanservice. While that would be enough reason for one to find it embarrassing to like the show, what makes the anime even more awkward to watch is its crude and wild humor.

The anime is quite intense and pushes boundaries with its controversial scenes by incorporating really outrageous and unconventional scenarios. While the show does try to blend such scenes gag comedy, given how provocative the scenes are, viewers may find them uncomfortable regardless. As such, it wouldn’t be surprising if people raised their eyebrows if you admit to secretly loving the anime.

Rent-A-Girlfriend

Rent-A-Girlfriend centers on Kazuya Kinoshita, a 20-year-old college student, who hires a rental girlfriend, Chizuru Mizuhara, to soothe out the pain he felt after a recent break-up. While one might think that Kazuya renting a girlfriend would be the embarrassing part of the story, the uncomfortable part came after.

Despite the fact that Chizuru was only a rental girlfriend, Kazuya lied to his grandmother that she was his real girlfriend. Given the situation, Chizuru could not go against the lie and played the part. Ever since, Kazuya has kept lying to his family and friends, further extending the deception and forcing Chizuru to stick close and act as his perfect girlfriend.

Chained Soldier

While harem anime are often controversial, 2024’s *Chained Soldier *might just have one of the most problematic plots of them all. The series follows Yuuki Wakura, a boy dragged into an alternate world filled with monsters called Mato. Just as Yuuki finds himself in danger, he encounters Kyouka Uzen, the chief of the Demon Defense Force’s seventh unit.

While Kyouka’s power allowed her to enslave living beings to fight for her, her enslaved monster proved exceedingly weak. Hence, in a desperate attempt, Kyouka uses her power on Wakura. Unexpectedly, his Slave form proved highly effective, causing Kyouka to invite Yuuki to join the Defense Force. Although fans may think that the story surrounding the “Slave” ability is what makes the anime problematic, what truly makes it an awkward series to love is the aftermath of Kyouka’s ability.

After her slaves serve her, Kyouka must “reward” them based on their inner desires. Considering that Yuuki was attracted to Kyouka, the rewards often turned sensual, resulting in heavy fanservice throughout the show.

Release Date January 8, 2022

Directors Keisuke Shinohara

Writers Shinichi Fukuda, Yoriko Tomita

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Paul Dateh

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AmaLee

Franchise(s) My Dress-Up Darling

Creator(s) Shinichi Fukuda