As one of the most prolific mediums for animated content, anime has produced thousands of tv series, films, OVA's, and ONA's over its long history. Yet, the masterful titles that sit on top of every favorites list and critics' ranks make up only an insignificant portion of all the animated content produced in Japan. Nevertheless, it doesn't mean that no one is watching some of the more mediocre or even straight-up bad anime.
Moreover, some series objectively classified as substandard due to poor writing, incomprehensive plot, or awful character development end up with massive cult followings. Anime fans don't always indulge in shows to experience an indisputably flawless story. Entertainment and its enjoyment can go beyond dry objectivity, and many fans feel no regrets about finishing some of the worst anime in history.
10 Complexity And Nuance Aren't The Selling Points Of High School Of The Dead
As far as mindless entertainment goes in anime, no series can beat High School of the Dead. It's an over-the-top survival horror oversaturated with gore, ecchi, and disregard for real-world physics.
No one interested in experiencing a nuanced, complex story with stellar writing, cohesive plot, or realistic characters should even consider watching this bizarre zombie flick. However, those who come to High School of the Dead for an opportunity to turn their brains off and enjoy some absurd action will have no regrets upon finishing the show.
9 Future Diary Changed The Scene Of Thriller Death Game Anime Forever
While death games have been around in media forever, it was the release of Future Diary that launched the subgenre's popularity in mainstream anime. Despite its overwhelming notoriety, Future Diary remained a divisive series, with even the most diehard fans recognizing the show as overly edgy and poorly written.
The show might take itself a bit too seriously at times. However, many viewers are attracted to the series' violent nature and overblown plot progression. Future Diary can hardly be classified as an exceptional series, yet it's impossible to find it boring.
8 The 2003 Adaptation Of Fullmetal Alchemist Surpasses Brotherhood In Many Aspects
While Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood is universally regarded as one of the best anime of all time, the manga's previous adaptation from 2003 doesn't hold up in comparison. Most Brotherhood fans criticize the 2003 version for its incomplete story and confusing anime-original ending.
While the 2009 version of Fullmetal Alchemist is, without a doubt, a more faithful adaptation of the iconic manga, there is a lot of value in revisiting the "inferior" iteration. Most fans don't regret watching both series, as the first anime emphasizes establishing character relationships and adopts a far more comprehensive, deliberate pace.
7 Eromanga Sensei Represents One Of Anime's Most Controversial Genres
Imouto anime has always been a controversial topic, as many people find its incestuous undertones deeply disturbing and upsetting. While the critiques of imouto anime have a valid point, this divisive genre is still undoubtedly popular, with Eromanga Sensei being one of the most well-known little sister anime to come out in recent years.
Eromanga Sensei focuses on a pair of step-siblings working on an erotic light novel, one as a writer and the other as an artist. While the series' unapologetic fanservice and pandering to the imouto community earned the show a bad reputation, many people still enjoy its raunchy comedy and infamous internet notoriety.
6 Fairy Tail's Apparent Mediocrity Never Stopped The Show From Becoming Popular
Most popular shonen anime fall into the trap of repeating the tiresome tropes of their predecessors. Yet, no other anime in the genre gets accused of being generic and mediocre as much as Fairy Tail does. These complaints are impossible to disregard, as this massively popular shonen is filled with cliches, lazy plot tricks, and unoriginal characters.
Despite being deemed subpar by the community, Fairy Tail accumulated a huge fan following. The admirers of Natsu's adventures praise the show's brisk pace and fun, lovable cast, not regretting even a second spent investing themselves in this incredibly divisive series.
5 Flowers Of Evil's Only Bad Aspect Is Its Horribly Executed Visuals
Flowers of Evil is a psychological thriller manga depicting a complex, abusive relationship between a timid boy Kasuga and his manipulative classmate Nakamura. While the story is recognized as a nuanced and disturbing masterpiece, the same rarely applies to its anime adaptation.
The questionable choice to use rotoscoping instead of traditional animation made the internal ugliness of each character leak into their appearance. The show's uncanny visuals turned myriads of fans away from the adaptation. However, once the viewers got past the unsettling art style, they were presented with Flowers of Evil's story in all of its glory.
4 Elfen Lied Is A Nostalgic Series For An Entire Generation Of Horror Fans
Relying too much on gore and shock factor is a problem of the horror genre across every medium. In anime, the most notorious exemplar of overly edgy horror anime is Elfen Lied, an early 2000s classic that aged very poorly.
Nowadays, anime fans rarely bring up this forgotten horror flick. Yet, those who grew up with the series remember the title as their introduction to the more gory and mature side of anime. Between the show's messy storyline and nonsensical characters, it's impossible to recommend Elfen Lied to a newer anime fan. However, the series' flaws don't make nostalgic horror fans regret ever enjoying it.
3 Domestic Girlfriend Is The Kind Of Trashy Romance That Never Fails To Entertain
Domestic Girlfriend is a kind of trashy entertainment many fans yearn for when they get tired of conventionally stellar media. The plot of this romance drama can rival some of the most confusingly convoluted love triangles in media history.
The series features a hopeless high schooler who falls in love with his teacher. In a moment of desperation, he sleeps with his classmate, only to find out that both his teacher and the girl he spent a night with will be his step-sisters from now on. Nothing is sophisticated about Domestic Girlfriend's romance, yet its overblown drama can keep the viewer glued to the screen.
2 Ghost Stories Is The Most Hilariously Awful Anime Ever Created
The legend of "so bad that it's good" anime, Ghost Stories, was never intended to be the hilarious train wreck it became known as in the West. For marketing purposes, the show's English dub team was permitted to alter the dialogue to their liking, leading to the voice actors rewriting the story from a mediocre horror to an indescribable absurd comedy.
Ghost Stories' English dub diverged so far from the original that it's almost impossible to piece the actual story together. Yet, those bizarre circumstances led to the birth of one of the most hilariously awful series in anime history.
1 School Days Doesn't Leave A Single Viewer Unaffected
Love it or hate it, School Days has earned its spot as one of the most polarizing anime in the medium, with the opinion on the show ranging from immense hatred to endless adoration. As with most visual novels, the original game featured multiple endings, depending on which girl the player decides to pursue.
Surprisingly, the anime's finale shatters the audience's expectations by choosing to adapt the most brutal route. In the end, Makoto gets punished for being unfaithful by getting brutally murdered. Regardless of the viewers' opinion on the series, School Days is still worth watching, if only to formulate a personal take on the story.