7 Anime Seasons That Ruined Their Series, Ranked By Terribleness

There are some anime franchises out in the wild that have become legendary amongst fans worldwide, but there are some that have been dragged down by individual seasons that failed to live up to other entries. Unfortunately, for a list like this, there are more than a few choices to choose from when it comes to individual seasons that did a disservice to the overall series. In our ranking of terrible seasons, we here at ComicBook.com broke down which seasons were the worst of the worst, especially in comparison to series that had started with a bang, becoming some of the most well-loved stories in the medium.

7.) Death Note

You’d be hard-pressed to find someone who thought Death Note’s latter half was better than its first, as the loss of some major characters definitely threw a monkey wrench into Light Yagami’s tale. Ultimately, the loss of a prominent character wasn’t enough to completely torpedo the show, like anime further up on the list have, but it definitely earned its place on the list overall. Death Note still tells a fantastic story, but there is definitely a drop in quality when it comes to the opening salvo of the series, and what would come after one big event takes place.

6.) Rurouni Kenshin

Following Kenshin’s fight against the former Battosai, Shishio, the anime adaptation decided to continue the titular hero’s story via a storyline that didn’t quite live up to the previous Rurouni Kenshin arcs we saw before it. While the animation largely remained the same, the story itself simply wasn’t able to hit the same heights as before the original anime adaptation came to an end. The recently released revival series has followed the one-time man slayer through the early storylines, but we have to wonder that, should it continue past the Shishio storyline, if changes will be made to elevate the storyline.

5.) Blue Lock

Blue Lock has become a major mover and shaker within the realm of sports anime, as the soccer-centric series has gained so much notoriety that it even received a nod at the Olympics. Unfortunately, the second season of the anime adaptation was criticized by many viewers not due to its story like Death Note and Rurouni Kenshin, but thanks to the animation. One animator on the series had previously gone on record stating that the second season had been mismanaged in relation to the overall schedules and timelines that were needed to finish out season two. A third season has been confirmed by Eight Bit Studio, though a release date hasn’t officially been revealed, leaving many to hope that more time is taken to improve on the animation.

4.) Sword Art Online

Sword Art Online always felt like an anime adaptation that worked exceptionally well as a “one and done” series, in which its star Kirito attempts to survive inside a digital world where, if you die in the game, you die in real life. Once the Black Swordsman finished with the main adventure kicking off the isekai, it felt as though the series was spinning its wheels in some respects, changing the landscape and elements as the anime moved forward. While the following seasons weren’t necessarily hated by most anime viewers, they failed to live up to the potential of the premiere season.

3.) Tokyo Ghoul

Tokyo Ghoul is a case of an anime adaptation that never quite lived up to the source material, specifically thanks to the many story elements that were changed in the series to forge a new ending. To date, fans are still begging for a remake of the series that would start from the beginning of Ken Kaneki’s tale and follow the work of Sui Ishida to the letter. When it comes to anime series that fans are most dying to see remade, there is a reason why Tokyo Ghoul always seems to be in the discussion, as the latter seasons were unable to capitalize on what the first season did so well.

2.) One-Punch Man

For many anime fans, there hasn’t been a bigger fall from grace than One-Punch Man. While the first season is considered by many viewers to be legendary, often considered to be one of the greatest anime seasons of all time, the baton being handed off from Madhouse to J.C. Staff has thrown many for a loop. One of the reasons why this didn’t take the top spot is that, despite its many flaws with its animation, it has stayed true to the source material’s story. As you read this, and if you’re an anime fan, you probably can easily guess what takes the number one spot on this list.

1.) The Promised Neverland

The Promised Neverland is often considered one of the biggest downfalls in anime history, and for good reason. The first season introduced an exceptionally compelling story revolving around the orphans of Grace Field House, with the second becoming so despised by audiences that many refuse to acknowledge it even exists. The main issue of the second season wasn’t just the story material, but the way that the anime decided to end its story. In the final moments, the series finale almost speed ran the events that brought the manga to a close, disillusioning quite a few viewers in the process. It’s impossible to dispute at this point that The Promised Neverland earned its place with the number one spot.

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