Anime fans are no strangers to disappointment. Every year, a slew of highly anticipated shows fail to live up to their hype, leaving viewers scratching their heads and questioning where it all went wrong. Unfortunately, 2024 was no exception, withseveral titles that managed to stand out for all the wrong reasons. From poorly executed adaptations to uninspired sequels, this year had many shows that made anime history, just not in the way anyone hoped.
Even the most loyal anime fans can find their patience tested by a string of disappointing releases. This year, several titles failed to deliver on their promises, leaving fans with a mix of frustration and regret. Some were plagued by technical shortcomings or poor storytelling, while others fell victim to unrealistic expectations. Whatever the reason, these series became the worst that 2024 anime had to offer.
Tower of God - Season 2
The first season ofTower of Godset a high bar with its unique animation style, gripping action, and cliffhanger ending. Sadly, the second season,The Return of the Prince,failed to maintain any of that care or momentum. The unique art style was replaced with bland, budget-saving animation techniquesthat stripped the show of its charm. Fans who eagerly awaited the continuation of Bam’s story were instead treated to a meandering plotline filled with underdeveloped new characters.
Tower of God Fans Are Divided Over Controversial Season 2’s Art Style and Production Values
Tower of God has returned with its second season after four years, but unfortunately, the production has been met with controversy from day one.
Another major flaw was the show’s pacing, as it raced through events seemingly just to reach the next arc. While the soundtrack remained very good, it was not enough to salvage the viewing experience. For a series that started so strong,Tower of God: Return of the Princewas a monumental disappointment.
Uzumaki - Season 1
Horror fans had high hopes forUzumaki,an adaptation of Junji Ito’s iconic manga of the same name. Unfortunately,the anime turned into an unintentional comedy. The character and creature designs started strong but quickly devolved into a mess of unfinished animations and baffling visual choices. Critics and fans alike were stunned by the drop in quality, which was made even worse by the overuse of stock effects and poorly integrated CGI.
The production’s mismanagement became a running joke, overshadowing any scares the series attempted to deliver. Despite its solid start,Uzumakifailed to live up to its potential. It is nowjust another one of Junji Ito’s failed adaptations.
Failure Frame: I Became the Strongest and Annihilated Everything with Low-Level Spells
Cast
Failure Frame: I Became the Strongest and Annihilated Everything with Low-Level Spells follows the story of an ordinary young man who is transported to a fantasy world and initially deemed useless due to his low-level spells. Defying expectations, he harnesses his seemingly weak abilities to become the most powerful being, embarking on a journey of vengeance and survival in a hostile environment.
Failure Framepromised to bring a fresh twist to the over-saturated isekai genre butdelivered little more than a repeat of tired tropes. The protagonist’s journey to escape the dungeon he’s trapped in could have been interesting if it was not bogged down by clichéd dialogue and repetitive scenarios.
Adding insult to injury, the animation quality fluctuated wildly, with unoriginal character designs and inconsistent fight scenes.Failure Frame’slack of originality and direction made it a chore to watch, earning it a spot among 2024’s worst anime.
The New Gate - Season 1
What started as an interesting and promising premise forThe New Gatequickly spiraled into mediocrity. The story follows Shin, a player trapped in a virtual MMORPG, but its execution fails to have the tension or creativity of similar stories likeSword Art Online.Instead, it was full ofuninspired world-building and one-dimensional side characters.
Despite its interesting and enjoyable first episode, the anime’s poor pacing and uninteresting visuals made it very forgettable. With better shows that explore similar themes,The New Gatefelt like an unnecessary addition to the genre.
Suicide Squad Isekai - Season 1
The concept of blending Western superheroes and villains with anime’s portal fantasy genre sounded exciting, butSuicide Squad Isekaifell flat. While the anti-hero characters brought star power to the show,it was wasted on a generic isekai setup that lacked any originality. The world-building felt half-baked, and the character development did not live up to expectations.
Suicide Squad Isekai Is the Best and Worst Thing That Could Happen To DC’s Most Controversial Team
What works about Suicide Squad Isekai is the best aspect of anime as a whole, and what doesn’t work is the part that pertains to the actual group.
The anime’s reliance on the isekai formula made it feel very unoriginal, and its few unique and fun moments were overshadowed by clunky storytelling. For everyone except diehard fans of the DC Comics and Suicide Squad, this anime is an easy skip.
5Whisper Me a Love Song
A Sweet Story Undone by Poor Execution
Whisper Me a Love Songshould have been a heartfelt exploration of a budding romance between two girls. While the story itself was endearing and very lovable,the production issues that plagued the anime ruined the experience.Delays and recap episodesfrustrated fans, and the rushed pacing of individual episodes only added to the disappointment.
Despite its adorable premise, the show’s lack of polish and bad presentation made it difficult to fully enjoy. Watching it week by week was a frustrating ordeal, cementingWhisper Me a Love Songas one of the most disappointing anime of 2024.
Love Is Indivisible by Twins - Season 1
Romance anime fans have seen it all, butLove Is Indivisible by Twinsmanaged to highlight the worst aspects of the genre. The series follows Jun Shirasaki and the love triangle between him and his childhood friends, the Junguuji sisters. Unfortunately,the anime leaned heavily on tired tropes, from a bland main character to superficial drama that detracted from the story.
The show’s reliance on overused plot devices made it extremely predictable and dull. Instead of delivering an interesting love story,Love Is Indivisible by Twinsbecame a frustrating watch full of all the worst romantic clichés.
Ninja Kamui - Season 1
Ninja Kamuibegan with a gripping premise and a promising protagonist in Joe Logan, a former assassin seeking revenge. Butthe anime’s early potential was spoiled by bad storytelling and even worse animation. What started as a very intense revenge tale devolved into disjointed episodes with random expository scenes andunnecessary CGI mech battles.
The inconsistent pacing and lack of focus made it difficult to stay invested in the story. WhileNinja Kamuihad moments of fun and entertainment, it ultimately failed to deliver on its promise of a revenge story, making it one of the year’s most frustrating shows.
2KamiErabi GOD.app Season 2
Doubling Down on Disaster
The first season ofKamiErabi GOD.appwas far from perfect, butits sequel managed to be even worse. The over-complicated plotlines, nonsensical character designs, and rigid CGI returned in full force, leaving viewers with little to enjoy. While the voice acting and soundtrack were well done, they could not save the show from its numerous flaws.
By the time the second season’s chaotic finale rolled around, many fans had already checked out.KamiErabi GOD.appseason two is a great reminder that good audio alone cannot salvage a poorly written and animated anime.
Alya Sometimes Hides Her Feelings in Russian - Season 1
Alya Sometimes Hides Her Feelings in Russianhad a funny premise that could have made for a charming romantic comedy. But, the anime failed to balance its humor with meaningful character development. The cultural gimmick of Alya speaking Russian and Kuze understanding it quickly wore thin, leaving little else to keep viewers engaged.
While the show had its moments, they wereovershadowed by unnecessary incest tropes and the sexualization of characters who are minors.These scenes made the show uncomfortable to watchand at moments downright disgusting. With so many other amazing romance anime out there,Alya Sometimes Hides Her Feelings in Russianis not worth the time it takes to watch and is better left alone, making it 2024’s worst anime.
