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The industry's controversial anime adaptations demonstrate that successful adaptations exist alongside those that miss capturing the essence of their manga and light novel origins. There are anime productions that fans regret ever being given approval, alongside hits like Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood and Demon Slayer.
These controversial anime productions frequently experience problems with fast-paced storylines and low-quality animation, while deviating significantly from the original source material.
The results become disastrous when studios focus more on rapid production than quality or fail to grasp the unique elements of the original work. The following ten anime adaptations represent cautionary tales in the industry— projects that perhaps should have remained on the drawing board rather than tarnishing the legacy of their source material.
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Disclaimer: This article reflects the opinions of the writer and not Sportskeeda as a whole.
Tokyo Ghoul, Berserk, and 8 other controversial anime adaptations that should have been canceled
1) Tokyo Ghoul
The Tokyo Ghoul follow-up serves as a quintessential illustration of a failed adaptation. The adaptation of 179 manga chapters into 24 episodes rushed narrative elements and confused even those who were dedicated fans. The second season condensed 121 chapters into 12 episodes, which resulted in insufficient space for emotional depth and character development.
Key storylines, including Kaneki’s evolving identity and the complexities of ghoul factions, were reduced to fragmented moments. What should’ve been a psychological horror masterpiece turned into a chaotic montage, cementing Tokyo Ghoul as a controversial anime.
2) Berserk (2016)
The 2016 adaptation of Berserk was hurt by its visual mistakes due to the high artistic standards of Kentaro Miura's original work. The anime series transitioned from 2D animation to low-quality CGI, which could not replicate the sophisticated detail or gothic atmosphere of Miura’s original art.
The adaptation featured poor animation and struggled due to awkward direction and camera work, while its soundtrack undermined important scenes. The once intricate dark fantasy world turned into a hollow shell, resulting in Berserk becoming a divisive anime that violated the legacy of Miura, according to numerous fans.
3) The Promised Neverland season 2
The Promised Neverland's first season gained acclaim for its intense escape storyline, whereas its second season experienced a significant decline in quality. The series failed to faithfully adapt the manga because it omitted crucial storylines such as the Goldy Pond arc.
This compressed years of character development into a few episodes before rushing to an original, unsatisfying ending. The result was a narratively incoherent mess that betrayed both the source material and its audience, cementing The Promised Neverland as a controversial anime.
4) Ex-Arm
Ex-Arm stands as one of the most infamous and controversial anime adaptations. The 2021 anime version faced criticism for its poor 3D animation despite having strong potential from its cyberpunk manga origins. Characters exhibited stiff movements, while facial expressions appeared unnatural, and action scenes were difficult to follow.
The revelation that the director, who had no anime background, believed that not watching anime gave him an advantage, caused shock. This led to a production that felt like an unfinished student project, making Ex-Arm a cautionary tale on the importance of industry expertise.
5) Deadman Wonderland
Deadman Wonderland is a controversial anime that exemplifies the frustration of incomplete adaptations. The 12-episode series only covered the initial story arcs, ending abruptly with no resolution. Key character backstories were omitted, and the complex Branches of Sin power system was poorly explained.
The introduction of Shiro, a central character, lacked any payoff regarding her true identity or her relationship with the protagonist, Ganta. The result was a series that felt like an extended introduction, leaving viewers stranded in narrative limbo and disappointed by its lack of closure.
6) Noblesse
The Noblesse adaptation is a controversial anime that failed to deliver due to poor accessibility. It skipped the essential Awakening prequel arc, leaving newcomers without context for the protagonist or the world’s rules. Although an OVA covered this material, it wasn't widely available.
The series rushed through plot points, ignored key character development, and failed to balance the comedy and action that made the webtoon popular. The result was a confusing, poorly paced series that left both new viewers and existing fans dissatisfied, failing to expand its audience.
7) Pupa
Pupa is a controversial anime that failed to capture the essence of its horror source material. The adaptation condensed the story into brief three-to-four-minute episodes, heavily censoring the manga's body horror elements. This stripped away the atmosphere, psychological tension, and graphic imagery that made the original story impactful.
With minimal runtime, character relationships were underdeveloped, and black censor bars obscured key moments. What resulted was a disjointed series that lacked narrative coherence and emotional depth, rendering the disturbing tale of cannibalism and transformation meaningless.
8) The Way of the Househusband
Netflix's version of The Way of the Househusband became infamous for its motion comic style, which resulted in its failure as an anime adaptation. The series departed from traditional animation to present static manga panels alongside minimal animation and voice acting.
The decision to use static manga panels instead of traditional animation weakened the comedic effect, which relied on juxtaposing the protagonist’s criminal looks with everyday chores. The absence of fluid animation for comedic timing and physical humor resulted in many jokes failing to land.
Static presentation failed to capture the dynamic potential of the kitchen and cleaning scenes, which turned the viewing experience into an audiobook rather than authentic anime.
9) One Punch Man season 2
The anime One Punch Man became controversial after its second season exhibited a noticeable decline in quality compared to the first season. In its initial season, One Punch Man received fluid animation from Madhouse that perfectly balanced superhero parody with grand spectacle through dynamic fight scenes.
The second season presented a noticeable decline with stiff character movements and excessive use of static frames, which was made worse by action sequences that depended on speed lines instead of true animation. The sequel suffered from pacing problems and weak direction, which led to fan disappointment and tarnished the series' reputation.
10) Diabolik Lovers
Diabolik Lovers became controversial because it intensified the troubling aspects from its dating simulation game origins. The anime depicts a young woman as the target of sadistic vampire brothers, yet romanticizes their abusive behavior instead of presenting it as horrifying.
The adaptation struggled with poor pacing and shallow characterization, alongside repetitive scenarios, while addressing troubling themes. The majority of episodes showed the main character trapped and attacked, while the storyline showed little advancement. The series became off-putting because it romanticized abuse while also presenting a tedious narrative that alienated even vampire romance enthusiasts.
Conclusion
These ten controversial anime adaptations demonstrate that successful adaptations require more than rights acquisition and basic plot adherence. To achieve successful anime adaptations, creators must honor the original work while demonstrating technical skill and maintaining proper pacing, based on an understanding of what initially appealed to fans.
Also read:
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- 5 anime protagonists who are too innocent for the world (& 5 who are cunningly evil)
- 10 female anime characters with glasses whom fans swoon over
- 10 anime characters who aren't Japanese, ranked by popularity
