At the Kudasai revealed an interesting list with 8 of the anime sequels more disappointing. Many reasons can lead to the failure of a sequel and before moving on, the question is, which anime sequels disappointed you?
What factors contribute to the failure of an anime sequel?
Firstly, there is pressure to match or surpass the success of the original series. When a series becomes a cultural phenomenon or acquires a passionate fan base, expectations for a sequel become incredibly high. Fans expect the story and characters to evolve significantly while maintaining the essence that attracted them in the first place. This pressure can be overwhelming for creators, sometimes leading to hasty decisions or forced plot changes that don’t always work.
Additionally, a lack of source material can be a problem. In many cases, an anime series is based on a manga, light novel or video game. If the source material has not yet advanced enough to provide a solid foundation for a sequel, creators may be forced to invent new stories or flesh out the plot, often resulting in a less cohesive and satisfying final product.
Changes in the creative team could also be a factor. Sometimes the original writers, directors, and character designers may not be available to work on the sequel, leading to a change in the vision and style of the series. This could result in a lack of consistency with the original series and dissatisfaction among fans who expected continuity in terms of quality and tone.
Finally, lack of time and budget can also play a big role in the failure of a sequel. Tight deadlines and limited resources can affect the quality of the animation, which in turn affects the viewing experience for viewers.
8 anime sequels that were a disappointment
8FLCL
O FLCL (Furikuri) was a six-episode personal growth story that followed Naota Nandaba as he navigated the difficult feelings of growing up, interspersed with the eccentric Haruko Haruhara bursting into his life and bringing with her plenty of sci-fi weirdness. It was short but meaningful and surprisingly had two seasons that continued the story about fifteen years later.
FLCL Progressive it acted as a more direct sequel, but its new characters proved uninteresting and its plot rambled. FLCL Alternative was more independent in its approach, but its plot was more generic and had little resemblance to the FLCL original. Despite his best efforts, none of these sequels have been able to recapture what made the original a cult classic.
- FLCL: Progressive
FLCL: Progressive tells the story of 14-year-old Hidomi, her classmate Ide, and two beings from another world – “Jinyu” and “Haruha Raharu,” – who are willing to do anything to unlock their hidden potential. In the midst of all this there is also the almighty “ATOMSK,” a beautiful Chrysler Bel Aire… and a certain Vespa scooter.
- FLCL: Alternative
FLCL: Alternative tells the misadventures of Kana, 17 years old, a student who spends most of her time with her friends Mossan, Hijiri, and Pets. They led ordinary lives until the day a mecha fell from the sky, piloted by a woman named “Haruko”. Haruko has plans for this girl, involving the powerful ATOMSK force, and Kana will have to risk her life and decide whether to help her or not… Not that she had much of a choice!
7Black Butler
The first season of Black Butler initially followed its source material, but the plot eventually diverges into original anime territory, and the season ends with Sebastian taking Ciel’s soul. However, these events did not stop Season 2 from Black Butler of trying to continue the story, and the results left a bad taste in fans’ mouths. Being completely original, Black Butler 2nd Season suffered due to its unsympathetic new characters, plot holes, and an unimpressive story with a truly unsatisfying conclusion.
In 2024, a new anime series based on the manga will premiere. Black Butler (Kuroshitsuji) by Yana Toboso.
6Nanatsu no Taizai
Nanatsu no Taizai had a very promising start. Featuring a motley crew of knights fighting to reclaim a kingdom against them, the characters were strange but likable, and the animation was energetic and vibrant. However, production of this fighting shonen was transferred to the studio deen from the third season. That was the beginning of the end for this anime. With sloppy and unimpressive animation, the thrilling battles of Nanatsu no Taizai have become difficult to watch.
To make matters worse, the story also began to fall apart as it lost its plot, wasting its premise and characters as it progressed towards the end.
5One Punch Man
Few anime manage to make such an impact as One-Punch Man did in its first season, featuring the powerful but boring Saitama as he nonchalantly saves the world with a single punch. With impressive animations that give weight to the power of these heroes and very peculiar and fun characters, many wanted to see more of Saitama’s exploits after the first season ended. Finally the second season has arrived, but unfortunately it has become a disappointment.
The change of madhouse to the JC STAFF The animation quality paled in comparison to the original season, and the lack of humor or focus on Saitama himself caused this sequel to quickly lose its charm.
The 215th chapter of the manga One-Punch Man in One It is Yusuke Murata revealed that a third season is in production and we are now waiting for news.
4The Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya
The Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya is fondly remembered by many of its general fans, thanks to its strange but captivating premise and its equally strange but compelling characters. So it was no surprise that at the end of the first season, viewers were eager to see what the SOS Brigade would do next. To everyone’s surprise, they would find out in the worst way possible.
the second season of Haruhi Suzumiya features an arc called “The Endless Eight” in which the group is trapped in a time loop for eight episodes in which the same events are repeated with small differences.
This arc lasted most of the second season, killing any enthusiasm fans had for this season and the series as a whole.
3Tokyo Ghoul
Strange, violent and blunt, Tokyo Ghoul quickly gained fame in its initial season. Although it wasn’t perfect, it managed to keep its story coherent, something that can’t be said for the rest of the series.
The second season made big mistakes in trying to mix the original anime content with just snippets of the manga’s story, and the results were an erratic mess that ended without much enthusiasm.
Sui Ishida does not consider Tokyo Ghoul a success
tokyo ghoul:re tried to continue beyond the second season, but its fast pacing and low-quality animation didn’t help matters. In short, Tokyo Ghoul stumbled after the first season and never fully recovered.
Sui Ishida serialized Tokyo Ghoul in Shueisha’s Weekly Young Jump from 2011 to 2014, and then tokyo ghoul:re from 2014 to July 2018.
The first season of tokyo ghoul:re premiered in April 2018, and the second season premiered in October 2018.
twoThe Promised Neverland
Yakusoku no Neverland (The Promised Neverland) won over viewers with its dark premise, stunning visuals, equally terrifying antagonists and the spirit of the orphans as they tried to escape their fate.
The series was ready to continue its intense story after the end of the first season, but everything went wrong in the second.. Although it started well, viewers began to notice that something wasn’t right, with details and characters from the manga being omitted as the anime progressed, which became worse when highly anticipated story arcs were ignored.
The anime bypassed over 1000 manga chapters with story content, turning this highly anticipated season into a huge disappointment for many. Yakusoku no Neverland rose high only to fall.
1Berserk
The use of CGI in anime can be an acquired taste for many, and some have managed to make it work to their advantage. The same cannot be said for the continuation of Berserk 2016.
While its dark and deep story was still very much present, the animation was ugly and sloppy, making it practically unbearable to watch. What hurts most in this case is that there were great expectations for Berserk had a new season since the late ’90s, and the recap movies raised those expectations even further.
But with two horribly animated seasons under its belt, any hope for more content from this dark fantasy epic has all but vanished into thin air.
