Mohsin Lag 
I Parry Everything runs on one joke: the protagonist maxes a single “useless” skill and it turns out to be the strongest thing in the world. It’s silly, it’s fun, and if you’re here you probably want more of that specific brand of nonsense — underdog heroes, game-like worlds, and skills that look weak until they break the game. These twelve shows are ranked by how well they land that exact punch.
One rule I held to: everything here has an actual protagonist worth following. The “weak skill is secretly broken” idea is everywhere in anime now, but most of it is unwatchable. These aren’t.
Twelve Game-Breaking Underdogs, Ranked
1. Bofuri: I Don’t Want to Get Hurt, so I’ll Max Out My Defense
The closest cousin to I Parry Everything, and honestly the better show: Maple puts every point into defense, and the game devs have to nerf the world around her. Silver Link’s 2020 series is pure comfort food — no stakes, no villains, just a girl accidentally becoming the final boss while making friends.
Skip if: you need conflict. Bofuri is a zero-stress show; nothing bad ever really happens, and that’s the charm.
2. The 8th Son? Are You Kidding Me?
A salaryman wakes up as the eighth son of a poor noble family and has to game the system from literally nothing — his “cheat” is just modern knowledge applied to magic. Shin-Ei’s 2020 series (12 episodes) is a cozy, competent isekai that never pretends to be more than it is.
Skip if: you’ve seen a lot of isekai. It’s well-made but it doesn’t reinvent anything.
3. Reincarnated as a Sword
The premise is exactly the title: a guy becomes a sentient sword and gets wielded by a catgirl who’s a natural-born fighter. C2C’s 2022 adaptation is far better than it has any right to be — the fight animation is genuinely good, and the father-daughter energy between sword and wielder carries the whole thing.
Skip if: the premise sounds too goofy to survive. It’s goofy. It also works.
4. Seirei Gensouki: Spirit Chronicles
An orphan with another life’s memories who starts from the absolute bottom and climbs through a world with real political structure. TMS’s 2021 adaptation is the most “serious” show on this list — the power fantasy is there, but it’s wrapped in actual worldbuilding and a protagonist who has to think.
Skip if: you wanted pure comedy. This one plays it straight, mostly.
5. My Unique Skill Makes Me OP Even at Level 1
Drops the “hidden strength” idea into a dungeon-grinding setup: the weakest-looking skill in the world turns out to be the strongest, and the protagonist climbs from zero. The 2023 adaptation is light, fast, and completely aware of what it is — a popcorn power fantasy with a likeable lead.
Skip if: you need more than competence. There’s no ambition here beyond being fun, and it hits that mark exactly.
6. The Unwanted Undead Adventurer
A veteran adventurer gets killed by a dragon and wakes up as a skeleton — the weakest form of undead — then starts the climb all over again. Connect’s 2024 adaptation is quietly one of the best of its kind: the progression is slow and earned, and the protagonist’s voice acting carries enormous charm.
Skip if: slow-burn progression bores you. Rentt takes his time, and the show follows his pace.
7. I’ve Somehow Gotten Stronger When I Improved My Farm-Related Skills
The title is the plot: a farmer who maxed farming stats ends up stronger than the kingdom’s heroes, and neither he nor the show takes it seriously. The 2022 adaptation is unashamed light comedy — it knows the joke is one-note and commits to it for twelve episodes.
Skip if: one-joke premises wear you out. That’s fair; this is exactly one joke, well told.
8. The Ossan Newbie Adventurer
A 30-year-old who starts adventuring too late in life — then gets trained by the strongest people alive and realizes his “weak” start was anything but. Yumeta Company’s 2024 series is the motivational-speech version of the underdog story, and it’s genuinely funny about it.
Skip if: you’re under 25 and don’t find “I’m too old for this” jokes funny yet. You will.
9. Suppose a Kid from the Last Dungeon Boonies Moved to a Starter Town
Liden Films’ 2021 series flips the premise: the protagonist grew up in the strongest village in the world and has no idea he’s a monster among mortals. Every “weak skill” misunderstanding comedy cliché started somewhere, and this show is one of the better places it started.
Skip if: misunderstanding-driven plots make you cringe. That’s the entire engine here.
10. King’s Raid: Successors of the Will
The 2020 OLM adaptation of the mobile game — a squire whose mentor dies on a mission, inheriting a legacy he’s not ready for. It’s the most traditional fantasy on this list: swords, knights, demon wars, and a protagonist who has to grow into the title rather than being handed it.
Skip if: you’re allergic to game adaptations. The pacing shows its origin, but the story lands.
11. The Sacred Blacksmith
Manglobe’s 2009 series about a blacksmith who forges swords that shouldn’t exist and the knight who wields them. Older, quieter, and more about craft than combat — it’s the “skills matter” theme taken literally, and the sword-forging scenes are still satisfying fifteen years later.
Skip if: 2000s pacing feels too slow. It’s a different rhythm, and it won’t rush for you.
12. Is It Wrong to Try to Pick Up Girls in a Dungeon?
Under the ridiculous title is the best “climb from level one” story in anime — J.C. Staff’s series has run since 2015 because the progression is real, the stats matter, and Bell’s growth feels earned episode by episode. The weakest-looking adventurer in the dungeon is the one the world keeps underestimating.
Skip if: the fanservice early on isn’t your thing. It dials down as the world opens up.
Where to Start
If you want the closest match to I Parry Everything’s energy, it’s Bofuri — same “accidentally broken” comedy, better execution. If you want the underdog theme played straight, DanMachi is the long-term investment and The Unwanted Undead Adventurer is the hidden gem. If you need more power fantasy after this, our OP isekai list picks up where this one stops.
FAQ
Is I Parry Everything finished?
The light novel is ongoing, and the first anime season (OLM, 2024) covers the opening arcs. There’s plenty more source material, so a second season wouldn’t be surprising — but nothing is confirmed as of mid-2026.
Which of these is the funniest?
Bofuri for wholesome chaos, The Ossan Newbie Adventurer for the age-gap comedy, and Farm Skills for pure one-joke commitment. Depends what kind of laugh you want.
Where can I watch them?
Bofuri, Reincarnated as a Sword, and DanMachi are on Crunchyroll in most regions. The others rotate across Hidive and Netflix — JustWatch has current listings for your country.
