You asked for recommendations "beyond the popular." Here are the series that critics love but the algorithm hides.
Studio Ufotable’s animation is revolutionary. The "Entertainment District Arc" is considered one of the greatest action sequences ever animated. The Plot: Tanjiro Kamado returns home to find his family slaughtered by demons, and his sister Nezuko has been turned into a demon. He joins the Demon Slayer Corps to find a cure for his sister and revenge for his family. Recommendation: Start with the anime. The soundtrack and visual effects are the main attraction. The manga is good, but the anime is a masterpiece. Hentai High School
It is a modern epic. It starts as a simple revenge story against giant man-eating Titans, but evolves into a brutal examination of war, racism, and generational trauma. The Plot: Humanity lives inside massive walled cities to protect themselves from Titans. When the outer wall is breached, young Eren Yeager swears to kill every last Titan, only to discover that the monsters are actually transformed humans, and the "enemy" is far more complicated. Recommendation: Go in blind. Do not read the manga first. The anime’s soundtrack (Hiroyuki Sawano) and voice acting elevate the shocking twists to a legendary status. You asked for recommendations "beyond the popular