Once you have stepped into the vast world of anime, it’s hard to come across a series you genuinely dislike. Even if the storyline seems weak, the animation makes up for it. But not every anime gets the proper attention it deserves from the makers. Sometimes animation studios lack what’s needed to do the story justice and other times, they just divert too much from the original manga. And many times, it’s the fans that demand more depth and execution. In any case, some anime simply deserve a remake.
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This is especially relevant for older anime. Times have changed drastically, and instead of flat 2D animations, we can now talk about God-tier animation like that of Demon Slayer. And since the studios have upped their game, it is quite possible to consider remaking some of the most cherished anime of all time, this time with animation that’s so beautiful, its a feast for the eyes in and of itself. A remake is also an opportunity to learn from viewer feedback, addressing criticisms and giving fans what they want: their favorite storyline, fight sequences, and characters brought to life. So without further ado, let’s take a look at the 10 most deserving anime that need a remake and why.
1) Soul Eater
The 2000s had a lot of good anime to offer, and Soul Eater was just one of them. The series started off as a popular manga and soon got its own anime adaptation which was well-received by audiences. The unique art style, engaging storyline, and memorable characters made it look like the anime had a promising future. But things started to go south when the anime directors decided to deviate from the manga.
Set in a mythical world, the story follows teams of meisters and their living weapons as they hunt down 99 evil souls and one witch to evolve their weapon into a “Death Scythe” for the Shinigami. But the anime runners ruined this fan-favorite series with an anime-only ending that clashed with the contents of the manga. The Arachnophobia arc was one of the major arcs in the manga, but the anime significantly reduced its complexity. Similarly, the main antagonist, Asura, was tied with themes like fear, existentialism, and pure madness in the manga, but the anime toned him down to a generic villain with no emotional depth.
This abrupt ending disappointed everyone. Worse, the anime ended long before the manga even finished publishing. Meaning that there is still a ton of fresh material that can be animated, which would definitely bring solace to bitter fans.
2) D.Gray Man
Imagine Jujutsu Kaisen but set in 19th-century England in a steampunk world with elements of magic. That’s what the true potential of D.Gray Man was when it first aired in the late 2000s. The story follows Allen Walker, a young exorcist who vows to eliminate all Akuma with the help of his powerful abilities and Innocence – a mysterious substance that bonds with certain individuals called Accomodaters. This Innocence creates the Antu-Akuma weapons. Sounds interesting, right?
But while the anime was positively received, it never finished the way it should have. D.Gray Man’s author, Katsura Hoshino, faced health issues while the manga was still publishing which led to the manga and anime going on hiatus several times. The show producers rearranged the show’s sequence in hopes of keeping up with the manga’s irregular schedule, but this just ended up affecting the pace of the show. Now, there is so much source material waiting to be animated that if D.Gray Man is to be remade in present times, it will be a good competition for new age anime like Jujutsu Kaisen and Solo Leveling.
3) Deadman Wonderland
In Deadman Wonderland, a teenage boy is accused of murdering his entire class, and the evidence against him is also overwhelming. As a result, the boy is sent to a prison where he must survive deadly ring fights while trying to clear his name. If this storyline does not hook you in, nothing will. But then, why is this anime on this list of remakes?
Deadman Wonderland started strong and had a promising future. But its decline began after showrunners rushed to finish the series, skipping many arcs and characters. Important storylines like Ganta’s deeper connection to Shiro, the origins of the Deadman, and the rise of the Undertakers were either entirely skipped or skimmed hurriedly. In the end, only 20 chapters out of 58 were adapted. This left much for the viewers to mourn about, making it clear that a reboot would definitely rank higher in today’s age.
4) Pandora Hearts
A crossover between Alice in Wonderland and The Wizard of Oz with a mix of Japanese lore, that’s what Pandora Hearts had to offer its viewers. Oz, an heir to a prominent duke family, was banished for his sins into the Abyss. There he meets a being named Alice who forms an illegal bond with Oz that releases her own powers and helps him escape. However, things start to take a turn when Oz and Alice work for the organization Pandora Hearts, and Alice must choose whether to stay with Oz or leave him be.
Maybe it got too hard for the show runners to follow the exact manga plot because they kept introducing non-canon elements throughout the anime. Major arcs such as the conflict between Glen Baskerville and Jack Vessalius and the origin of the Abyss were left completely untouched. This left the anime-only viewers confused because a lot of canon content was skipped, and the ending was extremely rushed. A complete remake with proper pacing and loyalty to the manga could certainly transform Pandora Hearts into a masterpiece.
5. Claymore
Either people love Claymore or they don’t. There is no in-between. An acquired taste that not everyone enjoys, Claymore‘s a horror adventure anime following Clare as she fights human-eating demons. And while this storyline might be too cliche for today, in the year 2007, it was ahead of its time.
Claymore was doing great as a powerful female lead in a shonen anime. However, it got heavily deviated in the final episodes. Instead of adapting the full Northern Campaign arc, the anime went for a rushed, anime-original ending with an inconclusive battle. Major characters like Priscilla and Raki were underdeveloped, and many plot holes were never filled. This left Clare’s journey feeling incomplete and emotionless. All in all, Claymore is one of those anime that would be named as a classic if not for its bad adaptation, urging a reboot soon.
6. Tokyo Ghoul
Tokyo Ghoul is one of those anime where the showrunners’ desire for an action anime led to a complete lack of character development, reducing what could have been a top-tier anime to a mediocre one. The storyline follows Ken Kaneki, who was turned into a human flesh-eating ghoul. The first season of the anime was a solid introduction into a morally corrupted world, and fans had high hopes, but the second season Tokyo Ghoul √A disappointed everyone big time.
The second season deviated so much from the manga that it completely or partially skipped major characters and arcs. In the manga, Kaneki created his own group of misfits who helped him investigate Dr. Kanou, but in the anime, the producers let Kaneki join another group, leaving out Kaneki’s significant character development. Tsukiyama’s obsession with Kaneki had a deeper meaning in the manga, but he was barely present in the anime. Similarly, the Anteiku Raid and the Final Fight were extremely rushed.
On the other hand, Tokyo Ghoul:re had enough material for 3 to 4 full-fledged seasons, considering it covers 179 chapters, but the directors condensed it all into 24 episodes only. Kaneki’s new group, Quinx, was badly introduced, although it showed Kaneki as Haise, his new identity. Meanwhile, Kaneki’s identity crisis was severely overshadowed as Haise took over, and he fell into madness after fighting Eto. And who can forget Eto’s own character, which the anime reduced to a secondary villain instead of the complex character that she really is. Overall, the series badly needs a reboot that remains faithful to the manga from the start til the end.
7. Elfen Lied
Translating to “Song of the Fairies,” Elfen Lied follows the story of Lucy, a mutant human with psychic powers called vectors — invisible arms that can extend to several meters and are so sharp, they can cut through flesh and even bullets. In the anime, Lucy has been running from the government, and during an escape attempt, she loses her memories while the government is still after her. The show then covers themes of discrimination, revenge, and self-awareness as Lucy navigates through life along with her friends Kohta and Yuka.
The series has a cult following mainly because of the amount of violence and nudity. But anime-only viewers were left unsatisfied by the haphazard storytelling and little direction. The anime covered only 6 volumes of the manga out of a total of 12. That leaves so much material just waiting to be adapted. The show runners have also done a supreme injustice with the characters – Kurama, Nozomi, and Mariko have much stronger emotional arcs in the manga. Also, we can never forget how the anime didn’t even reach the point where we meet the true mastermind behind the cruel experiments. A remake of Elfen Lied that focuses more on the storyline and ends with the manga’s depth would surely make a lot of people happy.
8. Berserk
Berserk follows the story of Guts as he fights his way through a war-ridden world. He initially joins a mercenary group, Band of the Hawk, where he befriends the leader, Griffith, and the warrior Casca. But just when the audience becomes fully immersed in this bonding, Guts experiences the betrayal of a lifetime as Griffith sacrifices his comrades for god-like powers.
Despite this gripping storyline however, none of Berserk’s anime adaptations have been able to do the manga justice so far. The original anime that aired in 1997 covered only the Golden Age arc and that too was left at a cliffhanger. Three movies were made into a trilogy between 2012 and 2013, and attempted to redo the same arc, but failed to execute it properly in terms of storyline and animation. The storyline was rushed, and the animation botched to the core.
The 2016 to 2017 anime series was no better. The Lost Children Arc was entirely skipped, Black Swordsmen Arc was only shown in flashbacks, the Conviction Arc develops the characters after Eclipse but was rushed through with no important scenes mentioned. The directors tried to cram the entire world of Berserk into some measly episodes when, in fact, full seasons could be remade. If a popular studio picks up Berserk and follows the manga religiously while doing justice to its art style, it will undoubtedly be up there with among the best anime of all time.
9. Bokurano
Bokurano follows the story of 15 teenagers who went on a summer vacation to a remote Island. There, the kids meet up with a mysterious man named Kokopelli, who invites them to play a game. Unaware of what’s actually going on and assuming the game is simulation only, the children sign a contract and doom their fate. Now, they must pilot a giant mecha and fight equally giant opponents to save their Earth. The catch? The pilot dies after every battle.
While the anime adaptation of Bokurano is already great, it did tone down the psychological impact the manga tried to convey. Since it follows complex themes of sacrifice, war, and the loss of innocence, it would have benefited from a longer adaptation than just 24 episodes. Furthermore, if a remake with better animation can be done, that would be a huge bonus for anime-only viewers.
10. Ergo Proxy
Ego Proxy is a lesser-known anime that explores themes of identity while asking philosophical questions about humanity in a post-apocalyptic world. The story follows investigator Re-L Mayer as she tries to find the truth behind her world. But while it had every potential to be the ultimate sci-fi, philosophical anime that deserved mainstream success, its overly abstract execution has kept it in the shadows with a small cult following. The storyline is difficult to understand on the first watch as it’s too complex to be covered in detail in 23 episodes.
What this manga needed was a multi-season run that covered its complex concepts in detail. Another point of improvement for Ergo Proxy is the inconsistent animation style throughout the series. While the early and final episodes were visually stunning, episodes 15 to 18 looked choppy and lazily done. This could be because of the tight budget and deadlines that the producers had to follow. A remake could definitely raise the popularity of Ergo Proxy out of its cult era into mainstream limelight.
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Image Courtesy of DC Studios.
