The year is quickly coming to an end as December speeds past, which means the anime community at large has taken to discussing the events of the past year. It’s the consensus of most fans that 2025 was a huge win for anime overall, with plenty of new material released, exciting season renewals, and theatrical releases that managed to take the box office by storm. Titles that stood out as doing particularly well include Demon Slayer, Chainsaw Man, Solo Leveling, and Gachiakuta, all of which have shot to the top of anime’s highest-performing hit series from 2025. What’s more exciting is the fact that 2026 is already shaping up to be just as, if not better, than 2025’s success, offering an awesome roster of fresh and returning material that has fans hype for the upcoming year.
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While it’s great to look over all of the ways that 2025 exceeded expectations, there’s nothing wrong with also talking about the series that managed to crash and burn before crossing the finishing line. Unfortunately, it’s not uncommon to have anime series divert from the original themes that made them so well-received in the first place. Not every series can be a complete hit, and that means some series that were heavily pushed onto the community as the next big thing ended up the exact opposite. There’s nothing worse than having a show hyped up only for it to disappoint; we’ll be taking a look at three series with an incredible amount of potential that simply did not live up to the buzz around them.
3) One-Punch Man
One-Punch Man is one of the prime examples of an anime series that had all the right build-up, only to miss the landing and supremely disappoint long-time fans. The anime series was released back in 2015, with a second season debuting back in 2019. A five-year wait for the third season had audiences convinced that the show would come back stronger than ever, as One-Punch Man was known for its high-quality animation, choreographed fighting sequences, and interesting character development.
The series’ continuation aired in 2025 and somehow managed to let down most fans who had spent years counting down the days for new content. The most common complaints included rushed animation, which was a notable drop in quality from the past, along with obvious issues in the artwork that could be seen throughout the show. Additionally, One-Punch Man’s pacing and story development felt off from the show’s progression up until that point, leading to a disjointed feeling in the new season. This left One-Punch Man’s third season as one of the most hyped shows of the year, with the worst letdown due to the large gap between this season’s ratings and past content.
2) The Beginning After the End
The Beginning After the End is an anime adaptation of a popular manhwa series that was initially considered a promising drop in 2025. It didn’t take too long for the show’s hype to die down after release, as audiences and manhwa fans quickly pointed out the show’s numerous flaws. Many view this series as one of the worst releases of the past year, with viewers calling for a complete reboot to better adapt the popular web novel series that garnered so much attention in the past few years.
It might come as a surprise that The Beginning After the End was renewed for a second season after considerable fan backlash, including online petitions to have the series remade, alongside discussions of cancellation. Criticism that the show faced included subpar animation that felt lacking, especially during battle sequences, where the lack of quality was more apparent. The anime also falls victim to filler episodes and poor pacing that take away from the manhwa’s deep, mature storyline that fans were eager to see brought to the big screen. Only the future will tell if The Beginning After the End manages to come back from this disastrous start in future seasons.
1) Takopi’s Original Sin
One of anime’s biggest surprises of the year came in the form of Takopi’s Original Sin, an exciting new series that incorporated both the sci-fi and drama genres in its narrative. Debuting in early 2025, the anime addressed themes such as bullying, abuse, trauma, and mental health issues, combining mature themes with a fantastical plot. When the series first came out, it was lauded as a surprise hit among audiences who enjoyed the nostalgic art style, emotionally complex storyline, and intricate character dynamics. It quickly became one of the most talked-about new anime of 2025, rivaling titles like Gachiakuta and The Summer Hikaru Died.
Sadly, the show’s popularity and hype were severely damaged by the show’s ending of its first season, which came out after a short six-episode run. In the end, Takopi decides to sacrifice himself in order to reset the timeline and allow a better future for Shizuka. While this was a tragic turn of events, what fans really found sudden was the friendship between Shizuka and former bully, Marina; many found the friendship forced, sudden, and dismissive of both girls’ trauma that was never fully healed or addressed before the series’ conclusion. The abrupt ending left a sour taste in the mouths of many fans, despite how the anime was overall a compelling watch that stood out among many straightforward shonen releases.
Did you enjoy any of these anime series? Tell us which anime you found overrated this year in the comments below.
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A Nintendo 64 console over a collage of game box art from the system's library.
