Have We Found the Worst Anime of 2024? A New Trailer Says Yes.

The trailer for Murder Mystery of the Dead has fans buzzing for all the wrong reasons.

By Megan Peters

Wind Breaker. Ninja Kamui. Dandadan. This year, the anime industry has been popping off thanks to a slew of hits. Fans have watched a number of shows rise high in 2024 whether they are brand-new titles or returning faves. As we head into the Fall 2024 season, all eyes are on the horizon as even more premieres are on the way. And after a recent trailer's debut, well – the anime fandom is convinced it has ID'd the worst series of 2024.

Sadly, it's not even close. The trailer for Murder Mystery of the Dead speaks for itself. Not long ago, the ABC Animation project dropped its first footage on fans, and its stiff CG look has fans comparing it to the infamous Ex-Arm.

The Trouble Behind Murder Mystery of the Dead

As you can see above, Murder Mystery of the Dead posted its first trailer and left fans across the globe confused. The new series, which debuts on November 6, has a decent enough story. Murder Mystery of the Dead is set in an apocalyptic future overrun by zombies, and our main cast finds itself locked away in a stranger tower. When one of the people invited to the tower dies, a murder mystery unfolds in the most gruesome way, and it will fall to Mikoto Amano to navigate the deadly affair.

At face value, the story of Murder Mystery of the Dead sounds fun, but that is where the good news ends. ABC Animation and Balus are under fire for the anime's CG look. From its static animation to its under-detailed setting, Murder Mystery of the Dead is the definition of barebones. Projects like Land of the Lustrous and Trigun Stampede have shown the anime fandom how CG anime can be done right, so this trailer isn't cutting it. That doesn't even touch upon the characters' scarily blank expressions. The anime needs to dedicate more time to animation facial tics or all its heroes are going to look like sociopaths.

CG Anime Hit a Low With Ex-Arm in 2021

From Berserk to Ajin: Demi-Human, a number of popular franchises have been hit by the CG anime curse. The tech is hard to get a handle on, and in its emerging form, it is not up to snuff. While some places like Studio Orange are dedicating themselves to making good CG anime, that ambition is rare. The animation is seen as a cheaper alternative to the industry's digital standard. But in the wake of disasters like Ex-Arm, many fans (and industry insiders) question the viability of CG anime.

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To call Ex-Arm infamous does not do the series justice. In 2018, the Ex-Arm manga announced an anime was in the works, and Visual Flight won a bid to adapt the series. With Yoshikatsu Kimura directing, Ex-Arm was comprised of a main staff that had never worked on anime before. From episode one, Ex-Arm proved to be an unmitigated disaster thanks to its jilted CG animation. From incomplete character models to flat renders and more, Ex-Arm marked a new low for the anime industry with its 2021 launch. Now, Murder Mystery of the Dead is bringing up the curse of CG anime once more. We just hope the show doesn't suffer the same fate as Ex-Arm.

What do you make of this anime trailer? Will you be checking out Murder Mystery of the Dead? Give me a shout at @meganwpeters with your take! You can also let us know what you think over on X (Twitter) and Instagram.

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