Just like any other art form, anime and its enjoyment are purely subjective, and no two members of the community share identical tastes. As a result, controversy regarding certain ambiguous shows often causes disputes among anime fans. Whenever a series explores a touchy subject, ventures into morally ambiguous territory, or decides to take an unorthodox risk in its narrative, the anime community splits in half between passionate defenders and uncompromising criticizers.
Usually, both sides of the argument have valid points to either love or hate these controversial shows. However, they can never meet in the middle, determined to defend their stances to the bitter end.
10 Kite Went All-Out In Depicting The Ugly Sides Of Humanity
Kite
Yasuomi Umetsu's 1998 OVA Kite is an overbearingly gory and graphic journey of a schoolgirl assassin named Sawa, whose parents fell victim to a despicable double murder. The extremely violent nature of the OVA was enough to make it notorious, yet the most controversial aspect of Kite is its explicit depiction of the very young Sawa's assault.
Fans of ultra-violence in anime hold Kite in high regard, and the OVA even influenced many critically acclaimed creators. However, most people criticize this divisive yet iconic series for how it handles its problematic aspects.
9 The Melancholy Of Haruhi Suzumiya Pulled A Prank On Its Audience
The Melancholy Of Haruhi Suzumiya
The Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya defined early 2000s anime since it was basically inescapable for an entire decade following its release. Even now, the franchise has myriads of dedicated fans, both old and new, who believe that the show still holds up.
For a seemingly unassuming supernatural slice-of-life comedy, Haruhi Suzumiya became notorious for its controversy. This is especially true concerning the infamous Endless Eight arc, which consists of eight almost identical consequential episodes. At the time of the show's release, Endless Eight caused massive outrage, and fights about this notorious arc continue to this day.
8 The Rising Of The Shield Hero Brushed Over Sensitive Real-Life Issues
The Rising Of The Shield Hero
The Rising of the Shield Hero struck a chord with many viewers by playing around with multiple sensitive subjects, including its portrayal of slavery and the use of false rape allegations as a major plot point. Both of these problematic narrative elements arise disturbingly often in isekai anime, yet Shield Hero's tremendous popularity made the controversy surrounding the series blow up.
The controversy led to many fans dropping the show altogether. Nevertheless, the backlash didn't cause much damage to the series' ratings, as The Rising of the Shield Hero continues to dominate the isekai genre despite being extremely divisive.
7 Goblin Slayer Struggled To Redeem Itself After A Controversial First Episode
Goblin Slayer
The controversy of Goblin Slayer's shocking first episode caused a massive backlash, spreading throughout the entire anime community. At first glance, nothing differentiates this series from other generic fantasy action shows, however, Goblin Slayer gained quick notoriety for being much darker than expected.
The scene that made myriads of viewers rise against the series featured a gruesome depiction of assault that was perceived as tone-deaf and disturbing. While many Goblin Slayer fans argue that judging an entire show based on one poorly handled scene is inadequate, the controversy surrounding that infamous episode was enough to destroy the series' reputation.
6 Elfen Lied Used Cheap Tricks To Appear More Mature
Elfen Lied
No matter what opinions people have about Elfen Lied, no one argues that the series had a tremendous influence on the early 2000s anime scene. For an entire generation, this notorious show was their first exposure to the brutal and violent seinen genre.
Nowadays, it's popular to dismiss Elfen Lied as an overly edgy and needlessly explicit gore spectacle. Even some old-school fans of the show sided with its haters years later. However, Elfen Lied holds a special place in the hearts of many, and these diehard fans are prepared to defend this infamous series despite its flaws.
5 Midori Is Considered Too Controversial For The Public
Midori
The notorious ero guro anime film Midori was the astonishing result of a single man's vision coming to life through sheer passion and dedication. Hiroshi Harada's magnum opus follows an orphaned girl Midori as she joins a freak-show circus, only to end up gruesomely abused and assaulted by the troupe's members.
Banned in almost every corner of the world, Midori was subjected to an unbelievable volume of criticism and controversy. Yet, Hiroshi Harada's avant-garde work overcame the public's backlash by cultivating an impressive cult following. Even nowadays, Midori is mostly enjoyed from the shadows, remaining a highly disputed artistic property.
4 School Days Became Famous Due To Its Notorious Ending
School Days
Often cited as one of the most controversial anime adaptations in history, School Days divided its viewers in half with its unexpected final episode. Unlike most romance visual novel adaptations, School Days chose to bring the game's worst ending to life, climaxing with a controversial scene of the main character Makoto getting brutally murdered by his girlfriend for cheating on her.
The series finale was an unpleasant shock to most viewers who expected to enjoy a lighthearted school romance slice-of-life. Nevertheless, School Days' defenders believe the show's conclusion to be endlessly satisfying.
3 Usagi Drop's Manga Didn't Progress In An Expected Direction
Usagi Drop
For anime-only fans, Usagi Drop will always be simply a lighthearted family slice-of-life about a 30-year-old bachelor Daikichi and his adorable adoptive daughter Rin. Nevertheless, manga fans had the misfortune of witnessing the story's disturbing progression, as the wholesome familial bond between Rin and Daikichi warps into a twisted romantic attraction.
Those who know about Usagi Drop's creepy direction argue that supporting its anime adaptation is unethical, even if it doesn't venture into the problematic territory of later volumes. However, the show's fans seem perfectly capable of enjoying the anime as its own thing, separated from the controversial source material.
2 Hetalia: Axis Powers Wasn't Tactful About Using Cultural Stereotypes
Hetalia: Axis Powers
At the height of its popularity, the historical comedy series Hetalia: Axis Powers was inescapable, quickly earning a polarizing reputation due to the presumed obnoxiousness of its fanbase. However, the fans weren't the only thing that made this notorious show controversial.
For a series that features personifications of different nations as its cast, Hetalia was painfully historically inaccurate. On top of that, many viewers found its stereotypical and simplified portrayal of certain countries offensive. Despite all the controversy, Hetalia fans still look back on the series with fond nostalgia, while haters are simply glad that it's over.
1 Neon Genesis Evangelion Triggers Passionate Emotions In Its Viewers
Neon Genesis Evangelion
The debates around Hideaki Anno's deconstructive mecha series Neon Genesis Evangelion do not subside to this day. While dedicated fans argue about the show's indisputable genius, their opponents accuse Evangelion of being nothing more than a needlessly pretentious failure.
From the series' controversial protagonist Shinji Ikari to the myriads of equally frustrating Evangelion endings, the legendary show has many divisive features. The only aspect of the iconic franchise that unites everyone who has seen it is Evangelion's tremendous influence on its genre and the entirety of the anime community.