Rewatch value is partly subjective when it comes to entertainment. The same people who can watch Dragon Ball a dozen times might cringe at the thought of sitting through One Piece twice, and vice versa. But while an anime's replay value depends, to some extent, on the eye of the beholder, there are some shows that lose their appeal, almost universally, after just one viewing.
Yet whether it's because the viewer has changed, enough time has passed, or the story presents a fascinating puzzle, some anime simply hit different the second or eighth time through.
10 Neon Genesis Evangelion Requires Context
Being a cult classic is a double-edged sword. Neon Genesis Evangelion remains a gateway series, and even people who don't like anime find themselves being told, by shiny-eyed fans, that they simply must watch Evangelion. Unfortunately, if Evangelion is the first anime a person ever watches, it often fails to resonate as deeply as it should.
There are other mecha series, other apocalyptic series, other series that address mental illness and child abuse. Yet Evangelion does all of this despite being created in an era where few shows went anywhere near dark topics. To really appreciate Evangelion, those who watched it early on in their anime fanatic days should come back to the series after ingesting a bit more shonen fare. Evangelion stands tallest when fans realize how very unique it is.
9 Mushi-Shi Feels Eternal
Mushi-Shi is hard to criticize, but anyone who loves the pull of a serialized battle arc might find themselves snoozing during this eerie series about fungal monsters and medicine. Any single episode of this series could have spawned its own series, but the show ties each story neatly in a disconcerting bow by the end.
Mushi-Shi is haunting in a way few series are, its stories plaguing the minds of viewers long after they've finished watching. Like a hand in the dark, Mushi-Shi beckons viewers to return to its world. It feels like Mushi-Shi has always existed, and in a world full of ephemeral joys and sorrows, there's a strange comfort in wondering whether Ginko is wandering through a forest somewhere out there.
8 Cowboy Bebop Is Much Darker The Second Time
Newcomers might wonder what the fuss is about when it comes to Cowboy Bebop. Yes, space westerns are neat, and the opener is jazzy gold, and the characters are too cool for school. Yet the show is mostly episodic and feels a bit aimless during the first viewing.
Eventually, aimlessness proves to be the entire point. Cowboy Bebop is a show about running away from reality, and every little side quest can't detract from the fact that the adventure has to end. The anime's entire tone seems to shift in retrospect. This isn't an adventure; it's a crisis. During the second time through, nothing feels the same.
7 Assassination Classroom Is A Different Story Once The Truth About Koro-Sensei Is Known
It's an open secret that Koro-Sensei isn't all that he seems. The cast of Assassination Classroom must eventually contend with enemies who aren't tentacled monsters, but human beings. Yet during a first viewing, a viewer can be forgiven for thinking of the series as Battle Royale Lite.
The eventual reframing Koro-Sensei, new revelations about how this world mistreats those it views as inferior, and learning more about the characters' backstories all add new depth to the series. Suddenly, even the characters' earliest interactions have more weight, and a rewatch feels almost vital.
6 Death Note Has Less To Offer The Second Time Through
Not all anime benefit from a rewatch. Death Note, while certainly a fan favorite, is a prime example of this phenomenon. Since the show relies so heavily on suspense and the uncertain fate of its primary characters, the story can't help but feel significantly less interesting once an audience knows the final outcome.
While some mysteries prove more gratifying on a rewatch, it's hard to feel invested in a character who becomes such a terrible person. Death Note gives Light Yagami precisely the ending he deserves, and there's no need to experience his downfall twice.
5 Kuragehime Is Comforting Each & Every Time
For a show that arrived with barely a murmur, the cult fandom surrounding Princess Jellyfish is worthy of note. Directed with care by Baccano! director Takahiro Omori, Kuragehime is short and bittersweet. Manga readers know there's much more of this story that'll likely never hit screens. Luckily, the eleven episodes that do exist are immensely charming and comforting, and these characters feel like old friends.
The Amars, a group of introverted otaku girls living in Tokyo, would fit in at any anime con. So would Kuranosuke, the young cross-dressing fashionista who bombards their so-called nunnery out of curiosity and finds himself enamored with them all. In much the same way, viewers find themselves strangely enamored with the show itself. Revelations about Kuranosuke and Tsukimi, the connections these awkward people struggle to form, and the deep comfort that comes with realizing that there's a place for everyone in the world -- none of this gets old.
4 These Days, It's Hard To Understand The Haruhi Fuss
Once upon a time, fans sang the praises of The Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya. Animated by Kyoani before moe became tiresome, the show was fantastic at subverting expectations. Haruhi is a high schooler who reshapes her own universe, and what at first seems like a slice-of-life anime soon defies description, incorporating a dozen other genres.
Even so, watching Haruhi Suzumiya these days proves underwhelming. The art and story feel dated, and other shows have been more subversive since. While the anime is still worth watching, arguably just once is enough, in whichever order one pleases.
3 Baccano Is Brilliant Once All The Pieces Come Together
At first, Baccano! feels like a noisy mess. The scenes are all out of chronological order, the characters are mostly morally ambiguous, and the show blends prohibition-era gangster storytelling with alchemy, of all things.
And yet once all the pieces of this show come together, the chronological kerfuffle proves not just entertaining, but revelatory. Baccano! pulls off a series of hat tricks that feel as daring as gangsters fighting atop a speeding train, and it does so with swagger. During a rewatch, the audience is less worried about how the show will come together and simply delighted to see every piece played out to perfection.
2 Favorite Characters Change On A Rewatch Of Haikyuu
One would think knowing how each match ends might make a Haikyuu!! rewatch feel pointless, but the opposite is true. Somehow Haikyuu!! really benefits from a rewatch or two, thanks to the tremendous effort the author and animators have put into the series.
Every scene in Haikyuu!! offers more than meets the eye. While coaches talk in the foreground, Kageyama and Tsukishima bicker in the background. And while Karasuno holds the audience's attention, the other teams are fleshed out beautifully, too. On second viewing, fans are likely to change their minds about which characters they like best because even those who aren't center-stage are written with great care. Every character is a person, and every one of them is well-rounded, and sometimes it takes time to get to know and appreciate them.
1 Miyazaki Films Grow Up Alongside Their Audiences
Students of animation and storytelling study Miyazaki for a reason: these stories are handmade works of art that have been elevating the animation medium for years. And while Miyazaki's monsters are perhaps the most famous of his creations, it's his characters and the worlds they inhabit that truly elevate his films.
As children, viewers might not realize all Nausicaa has to say about humanity's impact on the environment. Children might love Howl's Moving Castle because magic is cool and Calcifer is funny, but adolescents will relate painfully to Sophie during a rewatch. Children never wonder whether Totoro is shinigami, but adults have written dissertations on the subject. Miyazaki movies seem to grow up, just as their viewers do. It's among his best magic tricks.