10 Shockingly Problematic Anime You Love But Can’t Admit

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Life often presents challenges or issues that someone, somewhere, at some point finds troubling. Yet, it’s important to note that the extent of these problematic elements can vary significantly. For instance, certain anime series may incorporate a touch of challenging themes for added intrigue, while others might delve deeply into questionable content. Nevertheless, there’s an allure in a series that isn’t afraid to push boundaries now and then.

Many popular anime combine a level of absurdity with an element of problematic charm, making them irresistible even though some material may be controversial or offensive. While it’s crucial to consider modern media consumption and how Western audiences perceive cross-cultural media, there’s no denying the enjoyment derived from exploring well-loved anime that may make viewers uncomfortable with their content.

The series “Ouran High School Host Club” playfully satirizes typical harem anime conventions, where our protagonist Haruhi finds herself surrounded by a band of handsome suitors. This show is a timeless favorite due to its catchy soundtrack, memorable characters, and stunning visuals. Additionally, the series doesn’t shy away from being absurdly funny in parts, often poking fun at and twisting tropes that were prevalent in harem anime during the ’90s and early 2000s.

The issue arises particularly with Kaoru and Hikaru, the Hitachiin twins, who are characters often associated with the “twincest” theme, sparking excitement among the girls at the host club about a forbidden love between them. Although it’s clear that they don’t have a romantic relationship in the story, depictions of incest themes in anime can be highly questionable due to their obvious potential issues.

Sports anime possess an extraordinary knack for transforming ordinary concepts into high-stakes, heart-pounding competitions. They are typically animated beautifully with thrilling action sequences and deep emotional connections between characters. Just like other anime series, Keijo!!!!!!!! follows this pattern. This show centers around a unique women-only sport played in a pool setting, where the players must maintain their balance on floating platforms called “lands,” aiming to push their opponents into the water.

However, while “Keijo!!!!!!!!” offers an entertaining and intriguing sports anime experience, it’s important to acknowledge that it falls into the category of fanservice series. This means it frequently focuses on the characters’ breasts and buttocks, which some viewers may find uncomfortable or inappropriate. Despite its engaging plotlines and competition-driven storyline that encourages audience support for the female characters, recommending this anime to others can be challenging due to its content.

In its Japanese version, “Ghost Stories” is a typical weekly monster anime that doesn’t stand out significantly from similar shows of the same era. However, the dubbing team came up with an innovative solution: they penned an entirely new script that maintained the essence of each episode while making sense with the animation and sticking to the original plotlines and story arcs.

Back in the day, Steven Foster and Lucan Duran crafted these incredible scripts for the show. They left plenty of space for the voice actors to improvise, resulting in a script brimming with pop culture nods, dark humor reminiscent of South Park’s golden era, and jokes that were so off-the-wall, they could only have been born during the early 2000s!

Now, let me tell you, this wasn’t everyone’s cup of tea. For those who didn’t live through the heyday of ’00s American humor or the vibrant spirit of the early Abridged Series, some of the references and jokes might have seemed a bit out-of-this-world.

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At Hachimitsu Academy, renowned as one of Tokyo’s strictest all-girls schools, decides to welcome male students for the first time – five boys among a thousand girls. Any breaches of school conduct result in confinement within the school’s peculiar internal detention center. Predictably, these new boys are caught spying on their female peers during bath time, breaking school rules, and are consequently sentenced to a month in detention.

In this series, titled “Prison School,” things get quite tricky and awkward due to its overtly sexual nature. The male characters seem to derive immense pleasure from the punishments they receive at the hands of the female characters, which are part of their prison sentences. Watching this anime might be challenging to endorse, as engaging with it could potentially raise eyebrows due to its provocative themes, despite its intriguing narrative.

Black Butler is a well-known anime that has been a secret favorite among older anime enthusiasts who look back on the time when it was first popular. It tells the story of Ciel Phantomhive and his demon butler, Sebastian. This narrative unfolds in Victorian London, where they frequently find themselves investigating mysteries and becoming entangled in various supernatural conspiracies. The dark undertones stem from Ciel’s troubled past, which adds a problematic element to the series.

In a less formal way, we could say: Ciel and Sebastian’s relationship is quite debatable, with the famous corset scene in the first season being a clear illustration. After all, Sebastian is literally a devil from hell, making it hard to judge him based on human ethical norms like age of consent. Nevertheless, this doesn’t take into account the many adult men and women who find Ciel sexually appealing. Throughout Black Butler, Ciel is often depicted in very suggestive poses. Given his history of abuse, these scenes can feel uncomfortable at times.

Experiencing “Sk8 the Infinity” firsthand, it’s more than just a sports anime about skateboarding; it’s a thrilling journey into the enigmatic world of “S”, an underground skating community nestled in Okinawa. As Langa and Reki glide across the ramps together, the narrative unfolds at a gripping pace that leaves you on the edge of your seat.

The characters in this anime are richly developed, with their relationships adding layers of depth that create a sense of melodrama that’s hard to resist. However, it’s the intriguing bond between Langa and ADAM that leaves us questioning and yearning for more.

In the anime “Sk8 the Infinity,” Ainosuke Shindo, who is more commonly known as ADAM, plays the role of the main antagonist and leader of “S.” For years, he’s been seeking someone equal to him, his “EVE.” He’s not just a powerful politician serving in the Japanese Diet but also has an unsettling obsession. He believes that Langa, a 17-year-old character, is destined to be his EVE, and their relationship quickly becomes psychosexual and uncomfortable, with ADAM often crossing boundaries by touching and grabbing Langa. Despite the resolution of the plot, Ainosuke’s problematic behavior is evident throughout the series.

From my perspective, “School Days” initially appears as a run-of-the-mill love triangle tale unfolding in high school, but it swiftly veers away from the conventional. This anime adaptation is based on a renowned visual novel, and it delves into the questionable decisions of its protagonist, Makoto, in his relationships with Katsura and Saionji. The narrative takes an unexpected turn as it spirals into a complex web of deception, stalking, and a surprising mortality rate – all within an aesthetic that closely resembles a shojo anime, making it even more unsettling.

The animated series School Days can be challenging to view due to its excessive melodrama and graphic portrayal of violence. The protagonist, Makoto, is a habitual philanderer, engaging in multiple romantic entanglements that often result in sexual encounters. These relationships intersect and the depicted violence is strikingly realistic. Interestingly, the final episode was postponed in Japan following a real-life murder committed by a 16-year-old girl in 2007. The show seems to harbor a negative perspective towards its female characters, often reducing them to mere props in Makoto’s narrative until they reach their breaking point.

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As an avid anime fan, I must share my thoughts on “Interspecies Reviewers” – a show that straddles the boundary of being classified as hentai. Unbelievably, it received an unintentional dub from Funimation before they swiftly removed the episodes once they recognized their mistake. This captivating series follows a trio of adventurers who, in their downtime, visit the brothels of various species and offer their insights on the services provided. The reviews are written from multiple viewpoints, giving potential customers an idea of what to anticipate at these establishments. What sets this show apart is its impressive level of detail and creativity – the diverse array of bodies and species boast intriguing and distinctive designs that keep viewers hooked.

Interspecies Reviewers is quite open-minded about sexuality, offering a wide range of scenarios and humor. However, it falls under the category of a sex comedy with adult content. The dialogue can be explicit at times, and certain situations may raise eyebrows due to their questionable nature. This anime is enjoyable, but it might not suit everyone’s tastes, so it’s best to recommend it only to those you know well.

Hetalia transforms serious history into charming animated characters to offer a more accessible perspective on some of humanity’s bleakest periods. The show is playful and often humorous, utilizing national stereotypes extensively. For instance, America is depicted as a burger-loving attention seeker, Italy as a timid pasta lover who avoids danger at all costs, and France as a suave womanizer. Additionally, the series frequently explores significant historical events, particularly during World War II.

While it may not be universally admired, there are indeed charming and emotional scenes in the anime “Hetalia,” especially during the “Chibitalia” segments which can tug at both your heartstrings and sadden you. This show also offers an educational aspect as viewers can learn some intriguing historical facts. Smaller moments from history get a fun spotlight, adding to its appeal. It’s fair to say that “Hetalia” could be considered a ‘secret indulgence’ or ‘guilty pleasure‘ anime, as it’s not something people might openly admit enjoying in the year 2025.

In the early days of Western anime fandom, “Gravitation” was a trailblazing anime for many budding fans of Boys’ Love (BL) series. This story revolves around Shuichi, an aspiring musician, and Eiri, a renowned romance author, as their relationship unfolds. Hailing from the ’90s, this series carries all the characteristics typical of the BL genre, including complex misunderstandings, and subtly portrayed homophobia within the characters.

It’s hard to overstate the popularity of Gravitation, both then and now. In North America alone, around half a million copies of the Gravitation manga were sold between 2003 and 2007. For many people, it served as an introduction to this genre, and its influence can be seen in series like Given and Sasaki to Miyano. Despite the growth of the BL genre over time, Gravitation remains a favorite among older fans, providing a certain level of nostalgia and enjoyment.

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2025-04-25 20:09