Anime is full of experimentation, risk-taking, and ambition, but not every series lands the way its creators hope. While some flawed shows still have hidden gems or redeeming qualities, others collapse so completely under poor writing, botched animation, or baffling adaptation choices that they leave fans disappointed, confused, or even angry. These series are the ones people rarely defend, and for good reason.
The following nine anime are examples of projects that should have been much better than what audiences got. From butchered adaptations of beloved source material to new titles that failed to live up to their own concepts, these are the anime shows that do not just stumble, they crash so hard that their legacies are more infamous than memorable.
Revenger
A Samurai Thriller That Fell Flat
On paper, Revenger had every ingredient for success, with its samurai intrigue, stylish visuals, and a studio known for capable production. But when it arrived, it became clear that this was a case of great promise squandered. The story, revolving around assassins avenging injustices, tried to juggle philosophy and spectacle but ended up failing at both.
The narrative was weighed down by shallow characters and meandering pacing. Instead of delivering a sharp, focused revenge tale, the anime buried itself in melodrama that neither felt compelling nor meaningful. Its aesthetic could not make up for the hollow storytelling, making Revenger a forgettable and frustrating watch that many viewers got bored with and dropped midway through.
Ex-Arm
The Cyberpunk Trainwreck That Broke Fans’ Trust
Few anime series are as notorious as Ex-Arm. Based on a manga with decent cyberpunk potential, the anime became an international laughingstock. The production infamously opted for unpolished 3D animation that looked decades out of date. Movements were stiff, environments flat, and character designs so awkward that even serious scenes turned unintentionally hilarious.
Beyond its disastrous visuals, the story itself failed to hold attention. The narrative was a muddled mess of tropes pulled from better works, presented without emotional weight or narrative coherence. Instead of being an engaging futuristic thriller, Ex-Arm became a textbook example of how not to adapt a manga.
Gibiate
Monsters, Mayhem, and Messy Execution in a Global Collaboration Gone Wrong
Gibiate arrived in 2020 with big ambitions. Marketed as a global collaboration blending Japanese artistry with international appeal, it promised a thrilling post-apocalyptic monster story. What fans got instead was an incoherent disaster. Poor animation, wooden dialogue, and erratic pacing made it feel like a parody rather than a serious production.
Its world-building, while ambitious, was riddled with contradictions. The monsters looked ridiculous, the fight choreography lacked impact, and the characters felt like cardboard cutouts dropped into a plot with no clear direction. Gibiate should have been a landmark cross-cultural anime project, but instead it became infamous for all the wrong reasons.
Junji Ito Collection
When Terrifying Horror Manga Becomes Bland Animation
Horror fans were ecstatic when Junji Ito’s works were announced for adaptation set to be titled the Junji Ito Collection. Unfortunately, the Junji Ito Collection failed spectacularly to capture the terror of his manga. Horror thrives on atmosphere, and this adaptation offered none. Instead of eerie tension, viewers were given bland visuals and awkward pacing that stripped the stories of their intended impact.
Ito’s terrifying artwork, known for its grotesque detail and disturbing beauty, was flattened into lifeless animation. The sound design, which could have elevated the unease, was equally lackluster. Instead of spine-chilling horror, the series felt like a dull recitation of stories without the artistry that made them famous.
Black Cat
The Action Anime That Missed Its Mark
Black Cat should have been an exciting action series about an assassin seeking redemption. The manga had a strong following, but the anime adaptation failed to do it justice. Pacing was one of its greatest downfalls, skipping critical development and leaving character arcs feeling rushed or half-formed.
Instead of highlighting the dynamic relationships and moral questions of its source, the anime reduced everything to shallow action sequences and bland dialogue. Its lack of emotional resonance meant that even its flashy battles rang hollow. While not the absolute worst anime ever made, Black Cat remains a deeply disappointing adaptation that wasted its potential.
Ajin: Demi-Human
A Psychological Thriller Without the Thrill and with Bad Animation
The concept behind Ajin: Demi-Human was really interesting, as it was about immortal beings hunted by society, raising a lot moral and ethical questions for viewers to think about. Sadly, the anime’s execution left much to be desired. Like Ex-Arm, its overreliance on stiff 3D animation alienated many viewers. Movements felt robotic, stripping away the intensity from what should have been thrilling action sequences.
Worse still, the story’s pacing and character depth suffered in adaptation. Themes of morality, survival, and humanity were glossed over in favor of shallow dramatics. What could have been a rich psychological thriller ended up as a surface-level action story, undermining the very questions that made its manga so compelling.
Uzumaki: Spiral into Horror
The Failed Adaptation of Ito’s Horror Classic Masterpiece
Uzumaki is often hailed as Junji Ito’s magnum opus, so anticipation for its anime adaptation was enormous. Sadly, the anime adaptation fell flat. Instead of immersing viewers in the suffocating dread of a town consumed by spirals, the anime dragged through a disjointed narrative with unconvincing execution. The sense of escalating madness was lost entirely.
The horror of Uzumaki lies in its grotesque imagery and creeping inevitability, but the adaptation dulled these elements. The visuals lacked the haunting detail of Ito’s art, and the pacing drained the suspense from key scenes. What should have been a chilling masterpiece became yet another failed attempt to bring Ito’s genius to animation.
Tokyo Ghoul
A Tragic Case of Adaptation Gone Wrong That Will Haunt Fans Forever
Few anime adaptations have caused as much heartbreak as Tokyo Ghoul. The manga was celebrated for its layered storytelling, moral ambiguity, and emotional intensity. But the anime adaptation, particularly beyond its first season, tossed aside key storylines and reshaped character arcs beyond recognition. Fans of the manga were left furious at how badly it was mishandled.
The pacing was rushed, entire arcs were condensed or skipped, and Kaneki’s journey lost the nuance that made it so compelling. Instead of the tragic exploration of identity and humanity, viewers got a confused mess of action and shock value. Tokyo Ghoul could have been an anime classic, but instead, it became infamous for wasted potential.
The Promised Neverland Season 2
How Skipped Arcs Ruined an Anime Masterpiece in the Making
The first season of The Promised Neverland was widely praised for its tight storytelling and suspenseful atmosphere. Then came season two, which abandoned careful pacing and entire arcs from the manga. In a shocking move, the story jumped ahead, skipping some of the most important material and leaving viewers bewildered.
Without its careful buildup, the anime lost all sense of tension. Characters were robbed of development, major conflicts were rushed, and the haunting sense of dread from season one evaporated. Instead of continuing a promising psychological thriller, The Promised Neverland season 2 became one of anime’s most infamous letdowns.
