Blue Lock Season 2 is the biggest example of what can happen to a franchise if the studio is not serious about it. Not only is Blue Lock the best-selling manga of 2023, but it also enjoyed a significant amount of fan following after the release of its first season. Hence, a capable studio like 8bit, which is also responsible for projects like That Time I Got Reincarnated as a Slime and The Fruit of Grisaia, should do justice to the second season of Blue Lock as well, right?
Well, we can not be more wrong. The manga that essentially gave the sport of football a high-paced battle shounen atmosphere was given PowerPoint presentation animation quality that is nothing short of an abomination. Hence, here are some more anime that started off solid but later fell face first for various reasons.
Disappointed with Blue Lock Season 2? 5 Anime That Started Strong but Fell Flat Later
The Seven Deadly Sins
Whenever one talks about steadily declining animation, we think of this show for a reason. The anime started with some of the best-animated sequences, a catchy opening and a good plotline. Even the characters were unique, relying heavily on Arthurian legends and Christian themes of the Seven Deadly Sins.
But who would have thought the animation would go from great to trash after it would change studios? But it’s not just that the plot also suffers from being rushed, and the overall quality takes a nosedive. However, I will still urge you to give this a chance as it has an interesting premise nonetheless.
Tokyo Ghoul √A
Tokyo Ghoul took no time to earn fans after it dropped with dark themes and a fascinating storyline. The gory and bleak atmosphere, coupled with the dangers of human-eating ghouls lurking amongst humans, made the premise captivating.
The character development was also top-notch as we see our hero, Kaneki, evolve from a shy, weak boy to a ruthless ghoul. However, the second season suffered from pacing and adaptation issues, completely diverting from the manga. This obviously negatively impacted the storyline, and to this day, fans urge you to read the manga instead.
Akame Ga Kill!
This is another anime that followed the manga in the beginning and then became so different from its source material that fans were not happy with it. The anime killed off many important characters and even forgot about an entire arc.
On top of that, the fate of some of the key characters, even the hero Tatsumi himself, was vastly different. But again, the anime has its own perks, as it is one of the goriest and darkest anime you will see. So, you can definitely give this one a try.
Berserk (2016)
The Berserk manga is hands down one of the best, if not the best, manga ever written. Be it the story, characters, or themes, I am left with nothing but praise to define it.
Thus, when you have such a strong source material, with many hailing it as the best in its category, the adaptation deserves to be handled with care. However, that was not the case with the 2016 reboot version, where overuse of CGI ruined the viewing experience. The atmosphere should be dark, gothic and brutal, which the computer graphics just could not pull.
The Promised Neverland Season 2
When this dropped, everyone was shocked with the premise that completely subverts our expectations with some twisted themes. One did not expect the story of some kids happily living in an orphanage to depress all of us so much.
The first season, as usual, does great, but the second season not only removes some important arcs but completely changes everything it could from the manga. Without giving too many spoilers, I would suggest you watch the first season and just move to the manga instead.
Do you know about more anime that got butchered in the latter half? Let us know below.
Must Read: Blue Lock Season 2 Episode 4 Review: Master Of All