There are plenty of anime that fall in quality over time, but it’s especially disappointing when that happens just as they’re getting good. Momentum is an important part of keeping viewers invested, and some of the best anime series get better with every release. Strong pacing, well-placed plot twists, and satisfying character moments contribute to this, bettering their stories at every turn.
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Unfortunately, some titles fail to keep these strengths coming, even if they originally seem to be moving along nicely. Just because an anime has a perfect first episode, or even a strong opening season, it doesn’t mean it won’t take a turn for the worse. From a series that fails to deliver on its horrifying world to an isekai that drops off after just one orc, these anime certainly do.
5) The Promised Neverland
The Promised Neverland has an incredible opening season, with the anime’s shocking first episode making it almost impossible to put down. The reveal that Emma and the other orphans at Grace Field House are being raised for demons to consume is deliciously dark, and their plans to escape keep things tense and thrilling throughout. When The Promised Neverland Season 1 ends with the group actually making it over the wall that encloses them, there’s so much potential. It seems like Season 2 will expand on the world and lore, presenting higher stakes and greater threats in the process.
Sadly, Season 2 never delivers on its great setup, dropping in quality significantly compared to its predecessor. In part, this is because the anime diverges from Kaiu Shirai and Posuka Demizu’s manga, a choice that rarely goes over well with fans. Not only does it skip exciting storylines, but it rushes to the end in a way that doesn’t serve the story. It’s the perfect example of an anime that cooled off just as it should have been heating up.
4) One-Punch Man
One-Punch Man was a hit when the anime debuted in 2015, and it’s easy to understand why. The series’ immersive superpowered world, hilarious but lovable main character, and well-animated action set One-Punch Man up for success. Ideally, it should have become as massive as new-gen anime like Demon Slayer and My Hero Academia. However, the series moved from Madhouse to J.C. Staff for Season 2, and the second outing wound up being less lauded than the first. Its animation was criticized, and its storytelling simply wasn’t as tight.
This is especially disappointing, considering the introduction of a fan-favorite One-Punch Man villain takes place during this outing. Garou’s arrival was highly anticipated by fans of ONE’s manga, and it’s a shame that the anime doesn’t quite do it justice. It should have been building on Season 1, but it fell off instead. And One-Punch Man Season 3 only now coming out — six years after Season 2 — isn’t helping the anime bounce back.
3) Re: Zero – Starting Life in Another World
Re: Zero – Starting Life in Another World is another series with a strong start, as the isekai anime thrusts its main character into a fantasy world, then repeatedly restarts the timeline after he dies. It’s an intriguing premise, and the series does a good job of making it compelling. Even when the novelty of the time loop wears off, viewers are invested enough in Subaru and the people around him to push onward. Unfortunately, that only lasts for so long. Re: Zero begins its descent in Season 2 and feels totally different by Season 3.
After such a strong opener, Re: Zero seems poised to improve with time, but that isn’t how Subaru’s story unfolds. The second outing has a lot of issues. Most notably, its pacing and production pale in comparison to the previous chapter. This makes it hard to remain invested, and it doesn’t help that many of the supporting characters don’t get enough attention. Season 3 makes an effort to fix the pacing problems, but it has yet to accumulate the same level of excitement that accompanied Season 1.
2) Vinland Saga
Vinland Saga shifts in a major way after Season 1, and while Thorfinn’s story is supposed to slow down there — his move away from revenge is purposeful — there’s no denying the anime falls off. Perhaps I’m precisely the person the series’ central message is intended for, but a journey of healing and peace just doesn’t make for the most engaging television. Vinland Saga Season 1 is full of action and complicated emotions, and while the end of Season 2 gets back there, the anime lulls in-between.
Vinland Saga Season 2 has jokingly been likened to a farm simulator, which says a lot about its pacing. If Thorfinn’s narrative has to go the route of peace so quickly, the anime should at least ramp up the focus on Canute. There are ways the pacing can be improved, but most of the second outing feels too slow, as good as the character writing is. There has been no rush to release Season 3, either, which further hurts the momentum the end of Season 2 finally recovers.
1) Sword Art Online
Sword Art Online has four seasons, but only the first gets much praise — and even then, it’s mostly for the Aincrad arc. The anime’s concept is fun, even if it’s been done before (and in 2012, it was a bit less common than now). The notion of 10,000 players being trapped in a video game, where they could perish permanently, offers high stakes going in. The potential keeps viewers seated, and it lives up to it for a little while.
Tragically, the main storyline completely changes in the second half of Season 1, and it isn’t nearly as compelling. It doesn’t help that the anime makes other dubious decisions during this shift. The characters don’t boast as much depth, and their relationships take on bizarre and sometimes troubling tones. The series varies in quality from there, but it’s safe to say that Sword Art Online peaks with its first story arc.
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