Five years ago today, the second season of one of the most anticipated anime was released, but the direction it took left fans wishing the series had ended with its first season. There have been many instances in the anime industry where a season is so perfectly executed that it leaves a lasting impression on fans, naturally making them crave more. One-Punch Man is a prime example, as Madhouse delivered a debut season so impressive that fans eagerly awaited subsequent seasons purely for its animation. However, after a studio change, the anime’s quality declined, and the series has struggled ever since.
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While J.C. Staff remains involved and has even announced a new part of the latest season to continue adapting the source material, the same cannot be said for The Promised Neverland. Its second season, which followed the first season that premiered on January 8, 2021, quickly raised concerns. Although the opening episode felt odd and left fans questioning the changes, later episodes confirmed those fears, as the anime drastically deviated from the source material, turning into an anime-original series that came to a premature end.
The Promised Neverland’s Season 2 Downfall Remains the Worst in All of Anime
The Promised Neverland anime first aired in 2019 and quickly became an instant hit thanks to its gripping premise, blending horror and psychological tension with shocking twists. The first season ended on a major cliffhanger, with Emma and Ray escaping the horrific orphanage, leaving fans eager to explore what lay beyond the walls, an intrigue comparable to discovering the outside world in Attack on Titan, if not even more compelling. This made Season 2 highly anticipated, and two years after the debut, following the pandemic’s slowdown, the series returned only to make it clear that something was seriously wrong with this installment.
From the first few episodes, fans noticed the rushed pacing, accompanied by a noticeable drop in quality. However, it was the later episodes that confirmed the anime had no intention of respecting the source material, as Season 2 veered into an anime-original direction in an attempt to prematurely conclude the story. As a result, more than 140 chapters were condensed into just 11 standard-length episodes, skipping crucial arcs and characters essential to the development of both the world and its protagonists.
The exact reason behind CloverWorks’ approach remains unclear, and while factors such as lockdowns have been cited, none adequately justify the outcome. This is especially unfortunate, as The Promised Neverland originally featured one of the most tightly woven narratives in anime, layered with suspense and emotional depth that left a lasting impression. In stark contrast, the second season devolved into a slideshow of anime-original content that rushed toward an incoherent ending, making The Promised Neverland’s Season 2 downfall one of the worst the anime industry has seen to date.
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