Anime watchers are known for abandoning series quickly, and while a slow story is a frequent reason, it’s not the only one. A show’s art style can also be a dealbreaker. For example, Ping Pong the Animation initially turned some people away with its unusual and somewhat rough look. However, those who continued watching discovered a surprisingly moving story about pursuing your passions and learning to accept yourself.
Sometimes an anime’s style or type doesn’t immediately appeal to everyone, or it might not be what it seems at first. Anime can be easily misinterpreted, but the shows we stop watching quickly are often the ones that end up meaning the most if we revisit them later.
7. Made in Abyss
At first glance, Made in Abyss seems like a beautiful, whimsical adventure in the style of Studio Ghibli films. But as the story unfolds, it transforms into a surprisingly dark and disturbing fantasy. The anime centers around Riko, a young orphan training to explore dangerous caves, and Reg, a boy with a robotic body, as they journey into the mysterious depths of the Abyss.
The Abyss is a massive, layered pit filled with ancient artifacts and unique lifeforms, but climbing out of it carries a dangerous curse. Many explorers initially underestimate the danger, mistaking the early stages for a lighthearted adventure. However, around the middle of the first season, particularly during the Nanachi and Mitty storyline, the series reveals its core idea: the Abyss relentlessly takes from those who enter, and the difficult choices it forces upon them, while heartbreaking, make sense within its own harsh rules.
6. The Tatami Galaxy
The Tatami Galaxy tells the story of a college student who regrets how he spent his university years, feeling he didn’t live up to his expectations. He gets a unique opportunity to repeat his college life, experimenting with different activities, friends, and relationships, all in hopes of finally achieving the perfect campus experience he’s always wanted.
The show cleverly resets the timeline with each episode, demonstrating how even minor choices can drastically change everything. It’s known for its fast-paced conversations, dreamlike animation, and unusual way of telling stories—qualities that set it apart. This uniqueness initially turned some viewers away, but those who persevered discovered that The Tatami Galaxy is a remarkably intelligent and satisfying anime experience.
5. Bleach
Bleach is considered a classic anime known for its exciting sword fights and supernatural themes. However, it’s also often criticized for losing its way. While the series began strongly and gained a huge fanbase, some viewers felt it slowed down with too much unnecessary content. Despite this, Bleach boasts some of the most memorable story arcs in the shonen genre for those who stuck with it—or are willing to give it another chance.
Bleach follows Ichigo Kurosaki, a high school student who can see ghosts, and his unexpected journey to becoming a Soul Reaper—a protector of souls. What starts as a series of individual battles against monsters soon expands into a much larger story exploring the complex world of the Soul Reapers, the delicate balance between life and death, and the development of its characters. Bleach consistently increases the tension while focusing on relatable themes of friendship and the strength of the human spirit.
4. Erased
Erased centers around Satoru Fujinuma, a 29-year-old manga artist who has a unique power called “Revival.” This ability lets him go back in time a short distance to prevent bad things from happening. However, when Satoru is wrongly blamed for his mother’s murder, “Revival” unexpectedly sends him back 18 years to his childhood in 1988. He quickly discovers that to protect his mother, he must solve a series of child abductions and murders that occurred in his town years ago.
Satoru, a 10-year-old boy, is on a desperate mission to save his friends, alter the course of the future, and solve a series of crimes. While the beginning of Erased was incredibly suspenseful and intriguing, some viewers found that later episodes didn’t quite live up to the initial excitement. A common critique was that the ending felt rushed, and the resolution didn’t fully deliver on the emotional impact created earlier in the series.
3. The Promised Neverland
Although The Promised Neverland started strong, its second season proved divisive and caused many viewers to stop watching. However, the earlier episodes of this anime are still well worth watching. The story centers on Emma, Norman, and Ray, three bright children living in Grace Field House, an orphanage that appears idyllic. They enjoy a comfortable life under the care of a kind caretaker, but everything changes when they uncover a terrifying secret.
The children at the orphanage aren’t being raised to be adopted – they’re being raised as food for demons. Once Emma, Norman, and Ray discover this horrifying truth, they team up to escape and save the other kids. While the second season of The Promised Neverland didn’t live up to the hype of the first, that initial season is still incredibly well-made and worth watching.
2. Re:Zero – Starting Life in Another World
At first glance, Re:Zero seems like a typical story about someone being transported to a fantasy world and achieving their dreams. However, it quickly takes a dark turn: when the main character, Subaru, dies, he’s sent back to a specific point in time. This means he has to experience painful events over and over again until he figures out how to change the outcome. Some viewers found this ‘Return by Death’ ability frustrating, as Subaru often fails and makes bad choices, leading to endless repetition.
The first few episodes of the series spend a lot of time showing Subaru’s flaws and explaining how the world works, which made the pacing feel slow for some viewers who were hoping for instant excitement or typical “transported to another world” storylines. However, it’s these elements that actually make Re:Zero special. The show is really about Subaru’s personal growth. His challenges and mistakes feel authentic, and it’s deeply satisfying to watch him develop from a self-centered and inexperienced person into a true hero.
1. Steins;Gate
Steins;Gate follows Rintarou Okabe, a quirky self-proclaimed “mad scientist” who loves drama and believes in conspiracies. He stumbles upon the ability to send messages to the past. Along with his friends – the intelligent but sharp-tongued Kurisu Makise and the sweet Mayuri Shiina – Okabe starts playing around with changing the past. Many viewers find the beginning of Steins;Gate to be slow-paced.
The first part of this series spends a lot of time establishing the world, developing the characters, and explaining how time travel works. This slower pace might discourage some viewers, especially those looking for immediate action. However, Steins;Gate is considered one of the greatest anime of all time because it’s both smart and emotionally resonant. The second half of the series is brilliantly crafted, filled with surprising twists, moments of sadness, and satisfying victories that will stay with you long after you finish watching.
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2025-10-22 20:16