When an anime series is really good, it’s almost impossible to stop watching it. Fans have easily binge-watched the best series out there and still long for more once they catch up. Unfortunately, not every anime has this effect on its audience. In fact, some series are better left unfinished. There are many reasons why someone might drop a new series they’ve started.

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Some series slowly start to go downhill after the beginning, making them not really worth the effort. Meanwhile, others are just too long, and the massive amounts of episodes are too intimidating for newcomers. Either way, while it’s good to give things a chance, some anime just aren’t worth continuing after the first episode.

10 Elfen Lied's Gruesome First Episode Sets The Tone For The Series

Elfen Lied anime, image of Lucy wearing a borken helmet and blood on her hand

It's safe to say that over the years, Elfen Lied hasn't exactly aged well. It was once a popular horror series that many considered a classic and a must-watch for anime newcomers. However, nowadays its shock-value gore, overuse of nudity, and tasteless humor, no longer hold up for modern audiences.

The first episode sets the tone of the series, showcasing some of the most horrific bloodshed the anime has to offer. Many were scared off by this shocking first episode in the past. Considering how the rest of the series goes, it may be for the best.

9 Sword Art Online Only Gets Worse As It Progresses

The main cast of Sword Art Online.

Every anime fan has an opinion on Sword Art Online. Some hate it, while others love it. But either way, it's hard to deny its obvious problems. The series starts out very strong, but it immediately drops off after the first season. SAO's second season is infamously bad, taking everything fans loved about the original series and throwing it out the window.

From there, the series has devolved into a generic isekai harem, with nothing new or interesting to offer. The magic of the first season has been lost forever, and even though the series has bounced back from its failures, it's just not the same and not worth the effort.

8 Darling In The Franxx Suffers From A Disappointing Ending

Anime darling in the franxx hiro and zero two

When it first came out, Darling in the Franxx looked like yet another Studio TRIGGER classic in the making. However, fans came to be utterly disappointed by its story the more it progressed. It soon became a convoluted mess of a series, especially by the end.

The ending of Darling in the Franxx has become infamous among anime fans for being one of the worst disappointments in such a promising anime. Many now believe it was overhyped and not worth the buzz it started, so it's probably best for new fans to skip it.

7 Black Butler Goes Off The Rails After Season One

Black Butler II Cast

Black Butler was once one of the hottest anime series around, with tons of fans who couldn't get enough of it. Unfortunately, its popularity was short-lived, thanks to the poor direction it took with its second season. Like many anime before it, Black Butler's anime aired alongside the manga.

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Once it caught up to the current storyline, the anime had to start making up its own story. This anime-only storyline caused a lot of backlash from fans. Even though the series tried to retcon this decision and stick to the manga, the damage was already done. Now, the anime is tarnished by these mistakes, and most fans prefer the manga instead.

6 Pokémon's Endless Episodes Seem To Go Nowhere

Ash and Pikachu from Pokemon

Starting in 1997, the Pokémon anime series has been around for decades and has influenced many generations of kids over the years. Despite its longevity and mass appeal, there's been little to no progression in the plot whatsoever.

With so many episodes, one would assume Ash has easily become a Pokémon Master by now, but he's not even close. Instead, the series tends to recycle the same old storyline over and over, no matter what region the heroes travel to. If fans have seen one episode of Pokémon, they've basically seen them all, so there's no reason to keep up.

5 Death Note Drops In Quality After The First Half

L, Light, and Ryuk from Death Note.

Death Note is an iconic anime series that helped shape the 2000s era. It's still one of the most popular series to come out of the decade, and its influence can still be felt. Nevertheless, fans can all agree that the story takes a nosedive after the first half concludes.

Everyone loves the thrilling cat-and-mouse battle between protagonist Light Yagami and his arch-nemesis L. But after L's shocking death at the end of the first arc, everything changes. None of L's successors come close to him, and none measure up to Light's sinister genius. Given the disappointing outcome of the series, some feel it's best to drop it early on.

4 One Piece Has Over 1,000 Episodes, Making It Too Long To Get Into

The Straw Hat Pirates are cheering or posing in One Piece.

Anime fans all know that One Piece is one of the most popular anime series of all time. As one of the esteemed Big Three, it goes without saying that it's the best of the best. But for those who haven't followed along since the beginning, its gargantuan length is far too intimidating.

By this point, One Piece has over 1,000 episodes under its belt, most of which are plotworthy and unskippable. That number is enough to scare even the bravest of binge-watchers, making One Piece seem like an impossible series to get into for those who have a lot of catching up to do, and many are likely better off not trying.

3 School Days' Shocking & Disturbing Conclusion Isn't For Everyone

Sekai Saionji and Kotonoha Katsura in front of a cloudy sky in School Days.

When fans first look at School Days, it's easy for them to assume it's a typical slice-of-life rom-com series. However, that couldn't be further from the truth. The series has one of the most shocking twist endings in anime history, and many viewers have been thoroughly disturbed by its content.

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The series includes many heavy subjects that most anime fans aren't used to, such as infidelity, mental illness, and death, making it hard for many to stomach. It definitely isn't a series for the faint of heart, so those who can't handle heavier topics and gore likely shouldn't watch past the beginning.

2 Tokyo Ghoul's Anime Adaptation Is Nothing But Disappointing

Ken Kaneki looking sinister and evi

Tokyo Ghoul is a popular seinen series that's quickly become a modern-day classic. The anime was highly anticipated when it first came out, and for a good while, it stayed faithful to the source material. Unfortunately, everything went downhill after the anime made a controversial change to Kaneki's storyline.

From there, the series seemed to only get worse and worse, with every new continuation disappointing fans left and right. By this point, most agree that it's best to not even bother with the anime and simply go for the manga's superior story instead.

1 Lucky Star Has One Of The Most Boring First Episodes Of All Time

Konata and friends practice as cheerleaders in Lucky Star anime.

During the 2000s, it was near impossible to get away from Lucky Star. The series was everywhere, and it influenced the decade in ways unlike any other anime of the time. Looking back on it, many who once adored this series now see it in a more critical light. It's one of the earliest examples of a "Cute Girls Doing Cute Things" anime, and it exudes everything most fans can't stand about them.

Its first episode is nothing short of abysmal, and next to nothing happens the entire time, making for a boring and subpar introduction to such iconic characters. Unfortunately, this one episode is all it takes to have a grasp on what this series is all about. Modern anime fans often prefer a more exciting and action-packed type of series, so most would likely be bored to tears by this classic series.

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