Top 10 Worst Episodes Of Great Anime
For this list, we'll be looking at singular episodes that are infamous for their poor animation or storytelling, and as a result serve as blemishes on the record of otherwise great anime. Prepare for a whole lot of disappointment and a whole lot of spoilers ahead.
#10: Game Start
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“My Hero Academia” (2016-)
The hype could not have been greater for the third season of this epic modern shounen, and so far it has certainly excelled beyond fan’s expectations. That being said, it certainly didn’t start out that way, on account of a rather lacklustre recap episode. Of course, you wouldn’t know that on first glance given how the anime tries to angle it as all of the character recounting their adventures while at the pool. While not exactly detrimental to the story, it did take the wind out of the sails for a lot of people. We don’t even get to see the final swimming race!
#9: Janken Boy is Coming!
“JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure: Diamond is Unbreakable” (2016)
Given all the craziness that Josuke Higashitaka goes through on a daily basis, we’ve certainly developed a high threshold for the insane scenarios the franchise throws our way. Except for when they’re as boring as this. Ken Oyanagi not only comes across as annoying and unnecessary, but the whole character arc centred around playing rock, paper, scissors with Rohan is kinda lame. We’re here to see Crazy Diamond pummel wacky villains into paste, not watch the crazy manga artist play the big brother card.
#8: Chopper Man Departs! Protect the TV Station by the Shore
“One Piece” (1999-)
Come on One Piece, you’re better than this! We can take the occasional filler arc as long as you make it somewhat interesting like G8, but did we really need an elsewhere story about Chopper taking on creepy versions of his friends in a wrestling match? Just give us a one-shot about some of the C-List characters and their daily lives and then get on with the rest of canon content. Goes to show that not even a guest appearance by the great Minoru Suzuki can stop a turd of an episode from smelling foul.
#7: Steppin’ Out
“Yu-Gi-Oh! Duel Monsters” (2000-04)
Because that’s what everyone was screaming for; a Tea Gardner episode that featured a Dance Dance Revolution contest. Look, no offense to Tea, we find her speeches on friendship only slightly agitating, but did we really need to see her go on a date with a hot topic Yami? As if it couldn’t get any more ridiculous, he ends up having to face off against Johnny Step - who just might take the crown for the most useless side character in the entire franchise. Yes, even more so than Rebecca.
#6: Endless Eight, Part Seven
“The Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya” (2006-2009)
Just when you thought you’ve escaped, just when you thought it was all about to finally come to an end, Ms Suzumiya pull us right back in. The now legendary mini-arc known as endless eight essentially follows the SOS Brigade reliving the same day over and over without releasing it. As it happens, we’re privy to this by watching them go through the motions over the course of eight episodes. So why is Part Seven singled out? Because it’s a massive tease. For a single, shining moment it looks like Kyon is finally going to realize what was causing this whole conundrum…only for the whole to restart again. Dammit Kyon.
#5: Having Lots of Faces Doesn't Make You Great!
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“Gurren Lagann” (2007)
Kind of a shame that the episode that first showed off Kamina and Simon fusing their Gunmen together turned out to be so universally despised. While some of it has to do with the lame plot that sees Kamina acting like a complete moron, most of the hate tends to be directed at the terrible animation, due to the episode having a guest director in the form of Osamu Kobayashi. Thankfully this iconic Gainax series would continue to up the ante from here on out, but as far as pitfalls go, Team Dai-Gurren dug themselves a doozy with this episode.
#4: Goku vs. Arale! A Ridiculous Battle Will End the Earth?!
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“Dragon Ball Super” (2015-18)
Aside from its epic fights, the Dragon Ball franchise certainly knows how to dish out light-hearted comedy from time to time. However, that doesn’t mean it’s ripe for a crossover with a series like Dr Slump. Nothing against Akira Toriyama’s other famous work, it’s just that having Arala beat the crap out of Vegeta and tango with Goku doesn’t exactly gel. After all this is the girl who smashed the moon to pieces by tossing a rock at it. Her impossible strength and off the walls brand of humour is too silly for Dragon Ball. Yeah, let that sink in.
#3: Magma Diver
“Neon Genesis Evangelion” (1995-96)
And you thought Shinji’s happy time was the most degrading sight this series produced. Two words; thermal expansion. Not only did they make a battle against an Angel inside of a volcano uninteresting, this was also the episode that really pushed the fanservice up to eleven. Not that there haven’t been sexual moments before, but at least back then it had purpose. Here, it’s about how long it can take Asuka and Misato to give Shinji a boner. Take it easy ladies, you’re about to give the kid his own third impact.
#2: The Allied Mom Force!!
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“Naruto: Shippuden” (2007-17)
Well, well, well, we meet again. When it comes to filler, Naruto has no equal. Out of all the crazy, stupid, pointless and uninspired episodes in his roster, none have quite managed to top the one time a group of Leaf Village mothers got together to beat up sumo wrestlers. What the actual hell. We are in the middle of the Fourth Great Ninja War and you have time to crank out shlock like this?! We don’t even want to know what kind of Hidden Leaves the writers were smoking when they thought this crap up. We’d rather have that ninja ostrich make a return.
#1: Cucuruz Doan's Island
“Mobile Suit Gundam” (1979-80)
When an episode is so terrible that the series creator goes out of his way to get it removed from the North American release, then you know you’re dealing with the Holy Grail of Crap. Essentially Amuro and his Gundam end up on an island, gets ambushed by a bunch of whiny brats and a zeon soldier who’s gone AWOL and then helps defeat a couple of Zaku’s, all the while less than sub-par animation is flung in our faces. What happens on the island, stays on the island, and if we had our way, Char would blow it to kingdom come!
