By
Hannah Diffey
Published 34 minutes ago
Hannah is a senior writer and self-publisher for the anime section at ScreenRant. There, she focuses on writing news, features, and list-style articles about all things anime and manga. She works as a freelance writer in the entertainment industry, focusing on video games, anime, and literature.
Her published works can be found on ScreenRant, FinanceBuzz, She Reads, and She Writes.
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Some anime become classics, others become cult favorites, then there are the ones that crash so hard they leave a crater in the medium itself. These are the shows fans still bring up in hushed voices, the ones that turned promising ideas into painful misfires. Whether through terrible writing, confusing direction, or character arcs so baffling they feel like pranks, these series left viewers wishing they could reclaim their time.
This list isn’t about harmlessly mediocre titles. It’s about anime that squandered hype, mangled beloved stories, or left fans genuinely frustrated. From adaptations that betrayed their source material to series that crossed ethical lines for shock value, these 13 titles represent some of anime’s worst missteps and shows the world wouldn’t miss if they vanished entirely.
Platinum End
Shuji Nakaumi in Platinum End with huge wings in front of a graphic background.
Platinum End had everything going for it, with well-known creators, a gripping premise, and plenty of promotional momentum. Yet the moment the story tried to juggle philosophical depth and melodramatic spectacle, it crumbled under its own ambition. Instead of tension, viewers got long-winded debates and characters who behaved like robots reading cue cards.
The show also suffers from a tonal identity crisis. It wants to be edgy and profound, but every dramatic swing lands with the force of a lazy shove. The anime's plot twists rely more on shock value than logic, and the antagonist is so cartoonishly extreme he feels ripped from a parody. By the end, Platinum End's grand themes feel hollow instead of thought-provoking.
The Lost Village
The-Lost-Village-Key-Visual
The Lost Village tries to blend horror, mystery, and psychological drama, but the final product feels like a surreal fever dream with no intention of making sense. The cast is enormous, yet almost none of the characters receive meaningful development. Instead, viewers are forced to sit through endless exposition dumps masquerading as emotional conversations.
Even worse, the show’s attempts at terror collapse into unintentional comedy. Monsters look ridiculous, motivations change on a whim, and the core mystery resolves with a twist that feels like an inside joke. The series isn’t scary, suspenseful, or coherent, it’s a masterclass in how ambition without structure becomes pure chaos.
Berserk 2016
Fans waited years for a new Berserk anime, but what they got felt like a technical disaster. The CGI is stiff, jerky, and distractingly unnatural, turning one of manga’s most visually stunning worlds into something resembling a glitchy video game cutscene. It’s hard to take the emotional weight seriously when characters move like malfunctioning action figures.
The adaptation also butchers the pacing, rushing major arcs while skipping critical character moments. Gone is the atmosphere, tension, and grit that define Berserk. Instead, the show forces viewers to endure disorienting action scenes and a soundtrack trying far too hard to compensate for the lifeless visuals. For many fans, Berserk's 2016 adaptation is the biggest disappointment on the list.
The Promised Neverland Season 2
The Promised Neverland Season 2 image featuring the children of the orphanage, with Emma leading them
Season 1 built a near-perfect thriller, then The Promised Neverland Season 2 took that goodwill and set it ablaze. Rather than carefully adapting the manga’s intricate arcs, the anime barrels through major plotlines at breakneck speed. Entire characters and story arcs vanish, leaving a skeleton of what the narrative was supposed to be.
What’s left feels like a highlight reel stitched together with last-minute rewrites. Emotional payoffs fall flat because necessary setup is missing, and the final episodes skip years of development in minutes. The result is an ending so rushed it almost feels disrespectful. Fans still mourn what this season of The Promised Neverland could have been.
One-Punch Man Season 3
Saitama looking worried in One Punch Man Season 3 anime
By the time One-Punch Man reached Season 3, all the energy and sharp comedic timing that made the original legendary had evaporated. The humor lands softer, the battles feel flatter, and the animation no longer carries the show’s satirical edge. What should have been explosive now feels disappointingly tame.
The biggest issue is inconsistency. One-Punch Man Season 3 scenes swing wildly between polished and painfully rough, making it hard to stay immersed. Character arcs lack emotional punch, and the pacing drags to the point of exhaustion. What was once a fresh parody of superhero tropes now reads like a show struggling to imitate its former self.
A Girl & Her Guard Dog
Shojo anime 2023 A Girl & Her Guard Dog
A Girl & Her Guard Dog dives headfirst into problematic romance territory and never finds its way out. Instead of offering meaningful commentary, it glamorizes possessive behavior and power imbalances. The lead relationship is uncomfortable at best and irresponsible at worst, making it hard to root for the characters or enjoy their interactions.
The narrative doesn’t help either. It leans heavily on clichés without adding anything new, turning what could have been a subversive romance into an outdated trope parade. With forced drama and shallow conflict, A Girl & Her Guard Dog feels like a relic of a genre that’s evolved far beyond this kind of storytelling.
Rent-a-Girlfriend
Rent-a-Girlfriend frustrates many viewers because the premise had genuine potential. Instead, the story becomes a repetitive loop of immature decision-making and forced misunderstandings. The protagonist’s constant backtracking and indecisiveness make it difficult to sympathize with him, no matter how the narrative tries to justify his behavior.
The series also drags its relationships out with little progression. Characters frequently return to square one after every emotional breakthrough, making each arc feel pointless. Rather than exploring growth, the show leans on melodrama and awkward comedy. By the end, even dedicated fans struggle to stay invested.
Guilty Crown
Visually stunning but narratively disastrous, Guilty Crown is the definition of wasted potential. The show begins with promise but quickly falls apart due to erratic character motivations and a plot that mutates every few episodes. Themes of rebellion, identity, and sacrifice become muddled under layers of forced twists and overwrought symbolism.
The protagonist’s characterization worsens as the story progresses, making his decisions increasingly irrational. Side characters are introduced only to vanish, and emotional moments feel manufactured rather than earned. The series tries so hard to be epic that it forgets to be coherent, leaving behind a beautiful but frustrating mess.
Akame ga Kill!
Akame ga Kill! markets itself as a dark, subversive action series, yet relies heavily on shock tactics instead of meaningful storytelling. Character deaths are frequent but rarely impactful, because the narrative doesn’t invest enough time in developing meaningful connections. Instead, tragedy becomes a gimmick rather than a tool for emotional depth.
The pacing also works against it. The show jumps between intense battles and awkward humor, creating tonal whiplash. Complex themes like morality and political corruption are flattened into simplistic conflicts, making the story feel shallow. Despite a strong premise, the execution leaves much to be desired.
Engage Kiss
While Engage Kiss tries to mix supernatural action with romantic drama, the result feels unfocused. The plot introduces intriguing ideas but never commits to them, constantly shifting tone between comedy and heavy emotional stakes. This inconsistency makes it hard to fully invest in the characters or the world.
The relationships suffer too, relying on contrived misunderstandings and tired tropes. Instead of exploring deeper dynamics, the series leans into fanservice and exaggerated drama. Coupled with messy pacing, the show ends up feeling like a collection of concepts that never fully connect.
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