Here is a listicle of the top 10 most unpopular anime, hopefully, it provides you with the information you need for your watch list! The best thing about anime is that there is one for each individual.
The variations in genre and themes are what makes anime so great and appealing to people of all ages. Though it does have a lot to offer, there are a lot of series that have been the topic of controversy and can potentially be a waste of time, as considered by some fans. Hence, we have compiled a list of the most unpopular anime.
Do keep in mind that the list is made based on anime which is infamous across the otaku community. The reasons for their bad reputation vary but are significant enough to be a problem in the community.
So it is not as if the series is bad as a whole (as that mainly depends on one’s preference). It has probably just been up for debate. So, without further ado, we bring to you some ill-famed shows.
1. Fairy Tail
Although Fairy Tail is a series that was part of many childhoods in the anime community, it is also one of the most critical popular anime out there.
It is quite ironic how one of the most famous shonen who influenced a whole generation is quite infamous. The reasons for it are many – repeated storylines overpowered main characters, and of course, lots of fanservice.
While anime is known for its famous ‘power of friendship’, Fairy Tail was one of the series that exploited the concept to no end. There is no denying that despite all this, the show was still extremely popular.
It had a unique concept and power system mixed in with the tropes of found family and friendship – which is why it still arguably remains one of the most unpopular anime.
2. Sword Art Online
Sword Art Online may be a very popular isekai anime and one of the most recommended of its kind, but it also tops the list of ‘most hated anime’ for many fans.
It is also controversial for being extremely rushed, having repetitive episodes, and plain bad storylines where they skip a lot of periods and then try to make up for it in later episodes.
The anime has also been heavily criticized for showing graphic sexual harassment against each of its female characters – even in its latest seasons.
It also has traits like an overpowered main character, pointless and impossible harems, and good scriptwriting, which often deviates people from a show. Sword Art Online is still relatively popular, but it is a common topic of discussion when talking of ‘bad’ or unpopular anime.
3. Tokyo Ghoul: re
Tokyo Ghoul is one of the most popular anime, along with the likes of Death Note. It is one of the basic anime that everyone knows, which is why when the second installation for the series was announced, people were extremely hyped up.
However, the second season, Tokyo Ghoul: re, was not only widely discussed but was also criticized heavily for its rushed storyline and careless plotting.
Fans were disappointed by how much of the real story the anime producers skipped – including a whole background arc of Rize – the character who made the whole story happen. It started off slow in introducing the new Kaneki but nearing the end of its arc, things changed drastically, and a lot of the plot was rushed to fit into the 12-episode category.
Although Tokyo Ghoul is an amazing series on its own, due to all these reasons mentioned, Tokyo Ghoul: re is also the point where people drop the anime and turn to the manga.
4. In Another World With My Smartphone
The isekai genre is a competitive area to be in, as an anime. Since they all have a similar plotline, isekai anime often get compared to each other.
It is no different for In Another World With My Smartphone – which has often been called the bad rendition of KonoSuba. Since fans also have many varieties of popular isekai to watch, this one is also popular for being known as bland.
Fans also criticize it for the easiness and luck that the main character has when it comes to surviving in the world, as it is overdone. There are still those who love the show for its very ease and lightness, hence the likes of it are debatable. However, In Another World With My Smartphone remains a fairly unpopular anime.
5. Pupa
Pupa is another one of those anime that can leave you traumatized. It is criticized for almost everything that makes a show – the animation, the storyline, the plot, and the message.
The show has 12 episodes – which are all 4 minutes long, making the anime 36 minutes long as a whole, wherein the beginning, ending, and middle are all messed up.
PupaThe plot is centered around a girl named Yume who gets attacked after meeting her older brother. The show starts off giving the vibe that it is going to be a creepy horror story like that of Junji Ito’s, but the plot goes from scary to sexual and then just plain ridiculous. Pupa is definitely for those who have squeamish stomachs.
6. Kakegurui
Kakegurui took the internet by storm – its media was all over, the likes of TikTok, Instagram, and Twitter. The unique concept in popular media of a gambling anime was appraised, and people were in love with the aesthetic of the anime.
However, many fans felt that the anime was only popular due to the hype it had on social media platforms and that the content was not as great as fans hyped it to be.
Many people complain about the repetition of the plot and how it goes nowhere since we do not get much information on the main character, Yumeko’s personality, and background.
The anime is also known for changing up things from the manga, and the second season had a whole new character (Rei Batsubami) who was not even in the original storyline. Due to this, opinions on Kakegurui are widely varying and more on the negative side.
7. Highschool of the Dead
Highschool of the Dead is a pretty popular anime due to its zombie-apocalypse theme and its huge amounts of ecchi fanservice. However, it has its fair share of haters as well. A lot of people did not take a liking to the hormonal tendencies the characters displayed and the unnecessary sexualization of women.
It is understandable that since it is an anime made for mature audiences, a lot of older people might not approve of it. Yet still, there have been a lot of instances when fans have criticized the show for ruining the great plot with unnecessary amounts of fanservice.
8. Deadman Wonderland
Deadman Wonderland has a heavy plot centered around a young boy who is wrongly imprisoned, but the show has been debated a lot on social media for its simple storyline told, which is told in an extensive and complex plot. It has also been criticized for its unnecessary violence and inconsistent writing.
Although the anime is not well made, a lot of the fans of the series have turned to manga instead. Another widely discussed subject is the show’s ending, which finished with a cliffhanger, and after 10 years, there is still no second season in the talks. This leaves us no explanation for Deadman Wonderland, which is why it is an unpopular manga.
9. Boruto: Naruto Next Generation
It is ironic how the series, which is the face of all of anime (Naruto), was followed by a sequel that was heavily criticized and is currently probably one of the most unpopular anime of all time.
Boruto, Naruto’s son, and his show are hated so much by the weeb community that some people even pretend it does not exist – choosing to take only the Naruto Series as the real, canon plot.
Boruto is, however, very much original – which is why fans hate the show. Perhaps it is the attachment to Naruto and how great of a series it was, or that Boruto is nothing like his hard-working and inspiring father, or the fact that the series keeps on killing off beloved, major characters, but at present, this anime is one of the most infamous ones.
10. Date A Live
This anime is another one of those series that suffer from having a season 2 that made fans drop it quickly. Although the first installment is what made the anime gain popularity, the next season upset many people with its rushed story.
Apart from that, many fans also hate it for the ecchi plot line wherein you have to kiss as many girls as you can to gain power. This feature has made the anime full of fanservice – to the point that it looks like there is no plot. Still, fans of Date A Live still exist, and it is a favorite for those who prefer these types of shows.
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Honorable Mention
Etsuraku no Tane: The Animation
