5 Anime That Fell Off Just as They Were Getting Good

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It’s common for anime shows to lose steam, but it’s particularly frustrating when they start to decline right when they’re hitting their stride. Maintaining a good pace is crucial for keeping viewers engaged, and the truly great anime series actually improve with each new installment. This improvement often comes from strong storytelling, unexpected twists, and meaningful character development, all of which build upon the story and make it even better.

It’s disappointing when an anime series loses its initial appeal, even if it starts strong. A great first episode or season doesn’t guarantee continued quality. Sometimes, a show that begins with promise – whether it’s a horror with a fascinating world or a fantasy adventure – quickly declines, failing to live up to its potential.

5) The Promised Neverland

The first season of The Promised Neverland is captivating, starting with a truly shocking first episode that immediately grabs your attention. The dark twist – that Emma and the other orphans are being raised as food for demons – is brilliantly unsettling, and their attempts to escape create constant tension and excitement. The season one finale, where the children finally break free from Grace Field House, sets up a lot of promise for season two, hinting at a larger world, deeper story, and even bigger challenges ahead.

Unfortunately, the second season doesn’t live up to the promise of the first, with a noticeable drop in quality. A major reason for this is that the anime strays from the original manga by Kaiu Shirai and Posuka Demizu, which often disappoints fans. The season skips interesting plot points and feels rushed towards the conclusion, ultimately failing to build on the momentum established previously. It’s a case of the show losing steam at the exact moment it should have been gaining it.

4) One-Punch Man

When the anime One-Punch Man first came out in 2015, it quickly became popular, and for good reason. Its exciting world of superpowers, funny and endearing main character, and impressive action sequences all set it up to be a huge success. Many expected it to reach the same level of popularity as newer anime hits like Demon Slayer and My Hero Academia. Unfortunately, after switching animation studios from Madhouse to J.C. Staff for its second season, the show didn’t live up to expectations. Fans criticized the animation quality, and the storytelling wasn’t as strong as it had been in the first season.

It’s particularly frustrating because this season features the introduction of Garou, a very popular villain from the One-Punch Man manga. Fans were really excited to see him animated, but unfortunately, this season doesn’t live up to expectations. It feels like a step down from the first season, and the long wait – six years after Season 2 – makes it even harder for the anime to regain its momentum.

3) Re: Zero – Starting Life in Another World

Re: Zero – Starting Life in Another World starts off strong. The anime throws its main character into a fantasy world and then uses a time loop – restarting the timeline whenever he dies – which is a really interesting idea. The series keeps you hooked, even after the time loop becomes less surprising, because you care about the main character, Subaru, and the other people in his life. However, the show starts to lose its way in Season 2 and feels quite different by Season 3.

Despite a promising start, Re: Zero doesn’t consistently get better as the story goes on. The second season suffers from noticeable problems, especially with its slower pace and lower production quality compared to the first. This makes it difficult to stay engaged, and the supporting characters aren’t developed enough. While Season 3 tries to address the pacing issues, it hasn’t yet captured the same level of excitement as the original season.

2) Vinland Saga

After its first season, Vinland Saga changes direction significantly. While Thorfinn’s shift away from revenge is intentional and meant to be a slower pace, the anime unfortunately loses some of its momentum. Maybe I’m exactly who the show’s message of healing and peace isn’t meant for, but a focus on those themes doesn’t make for the most exciting viewing experience. The first season was packed with action and complex feelings, and while the end of Season 2 recaptures that energy, the middle portion feels slow and uneventful.

I’m really into Vinland Saga, but Season 2 felt… different. People are even joking it’s become a farm simulator, and honestly, that highlights how much slower the pace is! If they were going to have Thorfinn focus on peace so quickly, I wish we’d seen a lot more of Canute to keep things moving. The character work is amazing, don’t get me wrong, but the season generally just felt sluggish. And the wait for Season 3 is killing me – after the exciting finish to Season 2, this pause really hurts the momentum!

1) Sword Art Online

Sword Art Online has four seasons, but most fans only really enjoy the first one, and even then, it’s mostly the initial Aincrad story arc that gets the most attention. The core idea of the anime – being trapped in a video game where death in the game means death in real life – is exciting, especially since it wasn’t as common a theme back in 2012. With 10,000 players at risk, the stakes are immediately high, and for a while, the show delivers on that promise.

Okay, so I was really into the first half of Season 1, but honestly, the story took a turn for the worse after that. It just didn’t grab me the same way, and a lot of the choices they made felt…off. The characters lost some of their complexity, and their interactions started feeling weird and even a little uncomfortable. While it has its moments after that initial arc, I definitely think Sword Art Online is at its absolute best during that first story – it really peaked there, in my opinion.

What anime series stopped being good and let you down? Share your thoughts in the comments and discuss it with other fans on the ComicBook Forum!

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2025-11-20 02:44