10 Anime Sequels Fans Wish Were Never Made

Like any form of entertainment, anime sometimes gets more sequels than it needs. Even when a story feels complete, studios might continue it for profit or because the creators struggle to end it, resulting in continuations that don’t feel necessary.

Sequels can be great, and often fans enjoy revisiting beloved stories. However, it’s all too common for sequels to disappoint, leaving viewers wondering what the point of making them was. This is particularly true in the world of anime, where several sequels haven’t lived up to expectations, making the reasons for their creation questionable.

10) Yu-Gi-Oh! Arc-V

Studio Gallop’s Yu-Gi-Oh! Arc-V is the fifth series in the Yu-Gi-Oh! anime. The story follows Yuya Sakaki, a young duelist who gains powerful new Pendulum Monsters. This discovery launches him and his friends on an adventure to save the entire multiverse.

Initially, Yu-Gi-Oh! Arc-V was promising, offering a fresh concept and enjoyable nods to the series’ history. However, the show struggled with an uneven tone, underdeveloped characters, and a drawn-out, confusing final storyline, ultimately losing much of its appeal. It’s often considered the weakest Yu-Gi-Oh! series, and it’s easy to understand why.

9) Magical Girl Lyrical Nanoha StrikerS

Magical Girl Lyrical Nanoha StrikerS is the third story in the Lyrical Nanoha series. Set ten years after the events of A’s, Nanoha and her friends are now experienced agents at the Time-Space Administration Bureau. They’re leading a new team of trainees called Riot Force 6, and soon find themselves caught up in a huge conspiracy that could destroy the universe.

Watching Magical Girl Lyrical Nanoha StrikerS felt like a real shift for the series. They aged up Nanoha and her friends, which unfortunately didn’t quite work for me, and then focused more on a new set of characters—some of whom I didn’t connect with—while the original group took a backseat. The story itself also felt slow and uninteresting. While I’ve noticed some people have warmed up to StrikerS over time, it still remains a pretty controversial entry in the franchise.

8) Code Geass R2

Season two of Code Geass, titled Code Geass R2, picks up a year after the first rebellion. Japan is now under even stricter control by Britannia, and Lelouch must once again become Zero and lead the Black Knights. This time, the struggle to build a peaceful world for his sister, Nunnally, will be even more challenging.

The second season of the anime, R2, unfortunately focused too much on fanservice, pulling viewers out of the story. It also suffered from weak character growth and unbelievable plot twists, ultimately leading to a very controversial ending. While the Code Geass movies attempted to address these problems with a fresh start, they don’t change the fact that R2 was a letdown.

7) Eureka Seven Hi-Evolution

The Eureka Seven Hi-Evolution films by Bones are a three-part series inspired by the Eureka Seven anime. Though first introduced as a retelling of the original story, the films quickly evolve into a brand new, more mature plot that ultimately concludes the entire Eureka Seven saga.

The Eureka Seven Hi-Evolution films are frequently overly grim, and their complicated story often feels like a dismantling of the original anime, making them difficult to enjoy. Like the Rebuild of Evangelion films, Hi-Evolution revisits familiar ground, but where Rebuild honored its source material, Hi-Evolution appears to actively reject it.

6) Boruto: Naruto Next Generations

Boruto: Naruto Next Generations, created by Studio Pierrot, continues the story of the popular Naruto anime. Set years after Naruto Uzumaki achieved his dream of becoming Hokage and saving the world, the series follows his son, Boruto, as he begins his own ninja training. Though the world is now at peace, Boruto’s path promises to be even more challenging than his father’s was.

Okay, so I’ve been following Boruto: Naruto Next Generations for a while now, and honestly, it’s always felt a bit…off. The story just doesn’t flow well, and some of the choices they’ve made with both the original characters and the new generation have been really divisive. After ten years, it still feels like it’s searching for its purpose. While a lot of the criticism feels harsh, it’s pretty clear to see where people are coming from – it’s just hard to fully enjoy it sometimes.

5) Danganronpa 3: The End of Hope’s Peak High School

Lerche’s Danganronpa 3: The End of Hope’s Peak High School concludes the original Danganronpa story. The series alternates between two narratives: Future Arc, where Naegi and the Future Foundation face a new deadly game, and Despair Arc, which reveals the origins of the Remnants of Despair and the overall plot.

Danganronpa 3 is a disappointing conclusion to the series. It mishandles both established and new characters, ignores previously established storylines, and ends with a confusing and forced resolution. While widely disliked, it hasn’t received more criticism because the next installment, Danganronpa V3, proved to be even more divisive.

4) Higurashi When They Cry — Gou

Passione’s Higurashi When They Cry — Gou is the newest installment in the Higurashi series. Just when Rika Furude thought she had achieved a happy ending, she’s thrown back into the cycle of the Hinamizawa murders. With her time loops dwindling, she must quickly uncover the culprit and fix everything before it’s too late.

Both Gou and its follow-up, Sotsu, feature excessive gore, even for the Higurashi series. Beyond that, the story suffers from a slow pace and a villain whose motives don’t make much sense. Ultimately, it’s a weak sequel that doesn’t feel necessary. While not the first Higurashi sequel, it’s the first that feels so insincere.

3) Psycho-Pass 2

Psycho-Pass 2 is a continuation of the original Psycho-Pass anime series. Set over a year later, it follows a more experienced Akane Tsunemori as she leads Division One—now without Kogami—and faces a challenging case involving a string of murders connected to a puzzling figure named Kamui.

The first Psycho-Pass was known for its smart and thoughtful storytelling, but Psycho-Pass 2 unfortunately became a standard action story, even contradicting what had been established before. It almost felt like a self-aware parody. Although the series has gotten better since then, Psycho-Pass 2 remains a weak point in the franchise’s history.

2) The Promised Neverland Season 2

Season 2 of The Promised Neverland continued immediately after the events of season 1. Emma and Ray had successfully helped their friends escape from Grace Field House, and the group set off into the wilderness to find William Minerva, hoping he could help them. Their journey to find him gradually uncovered the hidden truths about the world they live in.

Season two of The Promised Neverland disappointed many fans. It skipped over the popular Goldy Pond story arc from the manga and suffered from rushed pacing and a weak plot, making it a significantly worse adaptation overall. Once a highly acclaimed anime, The Promised Neverland has unfortunately become a source of criticism after its second season.

1) Dragon Ball GT

I’m a huge Dragon Ball fan, and it’s so cool that Dragon Ball GT actually continued the original story! It picks up five years after Dragon Ball Z, but things get wild when Goku gets turned back into a kid! He, along with Trunks and his granddaughter Pan, have to jet around the whole universe collecting these super powerful Black Star Dragon Balls. The catch? They’ve only got a year before the balls’ magic wipes out Earth! It’s a crazy adventure, and I love it!

Many fans consider Dragon Ball GT a weak entry in the Dragon Ball franchise due to its slow pace, uninspired visuals, and fluctuating tone. It often feels quite different from what defines Dragon Ball, though most agree that the Super Saiyan 4 transformation for Goku is a highlight.

Even before Dragon Ball Super came out, many fans didn’t consider Dragon Ball GT to be part of the official story, making it one of the most controversial anime sequels ever made.

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2025-12-20 20:13