Top 10 Overhyped Anime That Did NOT Deliver
Top 10 Overhyped Anime That Did NOT Deliver
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Welcome to WatchMojo, and today we’re counting down our picks for the most popular anime that failed to live up to their potential.
#10: “The Devil Is a Part-Timer!” Season 2 (2013-23)
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This is probably the only anime where you’ll see Satan work at a fast-food chain. As you can probably surmise, “The Devil Is a Part-Timer” is a hilarious fantasy romp, to the point that thirteen episodes just wasn’t enough. So, when the first season ended, fans sat back and eagerly waited for more. And waited. And waited. Then, after an entire decade off the air, season 2 finally hit screen - and it wasn’t worth the fanfare. Despite having nearly twice as many episodes, the show completely lost the plot in a bunch of cringe-inducing filler. Don’t even get us started on the animation downgrade. It’s no wonder Satan doesn’t want to clock in anymore.
#9: “Tokyo Ghoul” Season 2 (2014-18)
After a brilliant debut season that faithfully adapted the manga’s blood, guts, and hardship, “Tokyo Ghoul” decided to do its own thing for the follow-up. That’s when things got really ghoulish. Right from the get-go, you can practically feel the lack of direction. The action is mindless, the plot goes nowhere, and characters do things just for the heck of it. It’s maddening because the manga was right there, and they simply didn’t follow it. In fact, the adaptation screwed up the story so bad, the third season had to do a soft reboot just to salvage the continuity. At this point, it’s probably best to just let “Tokyo Ghoul” rest in peace.
#8: “Digimon Adventure tri.” (2015-18)
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To commemorate the series’ 15th anniversary, Digimon brought back the original cast for a third trek into the Digital World. A trek that turned out to be very, very bumpy. Stretched out across six, feature-length films, the story is a contrived mess that misses out on the “Adventure” part of “Digimon Adventure.” To be fair, there is some novelty in seeing the gang’s true Megas finally appear in canon. But, it’s hard to appreciate them when they’re backed up by borderline-nonexistent character arcs. In a way, that’s a good way to describe most of “Tri’s” problems. While the series certainly has its moments, after fifteen years, “good enough” just doesn’t cut it.
#7: “Yashahime: Princess Half-Demon” (2020-22)
“Inuyasha” is one of anime’s most beloved properties, so surely they wouldn’t mess up the sequel series, right? Wrong. Anyone who turned on “Yasahime” expecting that classic “Inuyasha” charm was left sorely disappointed. In actuality, the only thing remarkable about “Yasahime” is how remarkably average it is. Everything from its plot to its villain to its characters are incredibly middle-of-the-road. If this were an original anime, that wouldn’t be an issue. But, when you’re following up a legendary tale like “Inuyasha,” fans expect more. Especially since you’re effectively ret-conning the near-perfect original ending. If this is what an “Inuyasha” sequel had to look like, they shouldn’t have even bothered.
#6: “Psycho-Pass” Season 2 (2012-19)
Continuing a breakout hit is no easy feat. When you do it the wrong way, it looks a lot like the second season of “Psycho-Pass.” In an attempt to keep the gravy train rolling, the series underwent so many creative shifts, it’s almost unrecognizable. The most glaring sin is that Kogami, one-half of the series’ leading duo, is nowhere to be found. Instead, Akane partners with the bratty Mika, who eats up screen time like it’s her job. That doesn’t leave much room for the actual investigation. Although, even that’s a let-down in the end. While you can admire the series’ creative swings, it’s clear that the “Psycho-Pass” fans loved ended with season one.
#5: “The Rising of the Shield Hero” Season 2 (2019-)
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Using his trusty shield, Naofumi exceeded everyone’s expectations to deliver a pretty great action anime. But, then season two happened, and the shield hero didn’t rise. He fell flat on his face. Like a switch had been flicked, the once-interesting narrative became a dull snoozefest full of flat characters and abysmally slow pacing. Pair that with noticeably lower production values, and it’s no wonder viewers felt cheated. They were promised a fun, high-octane adventure, and got… whatever this is, instead. For what it’s worth, season three did its best to bring the show back to its former glory. But, the damage is so severe, it might be too little, too late.
#4: “The God of High School” (2020)
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Based on an incredibly popular Korean webtoon, “The God of High School” had all the ingredients to become anime’s next big thing. Unfortunately, not even Mori Jin’s moves could live up to those lofty expectations. If there’s one nice thing to say, it’s that “The God of High School” doesn’t cut corners on the fights. But, good animation doesn’t excuse the hollow, rushed, and way-too-familiar storyline. All together, it makes “The God of High School” feel like empty calories - fun at the time, but without any substance. Don’t get us wrong; it’s still completely watchable. But, it’s hard to get past the feeling that it could have been so much more.
#3: “Berserk” (2016-17)
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Almost twenty years. That’s how long people waited for a new “Berserk” television series. And, how was their patience rewarded? With this 2016 continuation, a 3D monstrosity that buries “Berserk’s” identity beneath a metric ton of janky camera movements. It’s not just ugly, it’s genuinely nauseating to look at for too long. The worst part is that, if you close your eyes, you can still find a sliver of promise in “Berserk’s” faithful adaptation of the manga. Had they refined their CG a bit more - or, God forbid, gone back to 2D - this show could’ve been genuinely great. Instead, it lives on as a big, fat stain on an otherwise iconic legacy.
#2: “One-Punch Man” Season 2 (2015-)
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Turns out, the One-Punch Man was also a one-hit wonder. At least, as far as his animation goes. See, Saitama first impressed audiences with his heart, humor, and penchant for best-in-class fight scenes. But, his legions of supporters went silent when season two dropped with noticeably stiffer visuals. Then again, that’s what happens when you change both your production company and director in between installments. Now, “One-Punch Man” season two isn’t awful-looking by any means, and the gut-busting punchlines do some serious heavy lifting to keep things entertaining. But, compared to the breathtaking first season, it’s hard to call this sophomore slump anything other than “disappointing.” Saitama deserves better.
#1: “The Promised Neverland” Season 2 (2019-21)
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The first season of “The Promised Neverland” went down as one of the best anime of 2019. There was absolutely no reason to think its sequel would be any different. But, then it aired, and people realized they were deviating from the manga. First a cut character here, and then a truncated plotline there, until suddenly, they were wrapping up the whole series in a single, unsatisfying episode. Then, as if to rub salt in the wound, “The Promised Neverland” says goodbye by cramming half the manga into a farewell montage. By the time the credits roll, this thriller only has one question left to answer: what in the world were they thinking? Which anime left the worst taste in your mouth? Commiserate with us in those comments below!
