Surely, there are plenty of anime that are unfinished to this day simply because they didn’t adapt the full source material, whether it’s a manga, light novel, or anything else. However, we aren’t talking about those here. Because the worst feeling is when you know an anime does have a conclusion, but it just simply doesn’t live up to your expectations. Either the adaptation was rushed, had an abrupt anime-original ending, or it simply called it a day with more room left to explore. What hurts even more is the fact that each of the 5 anime mentioned below was going really well, but ended way too soon.
1. Horimiya Skips Too Much of the Story to Reach Its Ending
Among all the new-gen romance anime, Horimiya arguably had the highest potential to become one of the best. Right from Episode 1, it felt like a mature high school romance without relying on cliché romcom tropes. However, for some reason, the anime rushed through almost every major character arc from the manga to reach the ending in Season 1!
Of course, each episode of Season 1 was really good, but knowing that anime-only fans missed out on so much is heartbreaking. Horimiya: The Missing Pieces, which was released afterward as a follow-up series, did include a few unadapted scenes from the manga. But even that covered only a fraction of what was left. Fans deserved more episodes of Horimiya.
2. The Promised Neverland Rushes to the Final Arc in Season 2
The orphans from The Promised Neverland | Credits: CloverWorks
This is another similar case. However, The Promised Neverland‘s rushed ending was an even bigger letdown for the entire anime community. The first season is still regarded to this day as one of the best anime in terms of horror and psychological thriller. The themes it brought to the table were unimaginably dark, which also made it such a banger of a series.
However, what did Season 2 do? It skipped almost everything from the manga and went straight to the ending. As a result, so many questions were left unanswered, while the ones that did get an answer often made little sense. The Promised Neverland could have been one of the modern classics if it had remained faithful to the source material and had more episodes or seasons.
3. Kabaneri of the Iron Fortress Had So Much More Story to Tell
Mumei in a still from Kabaneri of the Iron Fortress | Credits: WIT Studio
A compelling zombie anime is truly hard to find. However, Kabaneri of the Iron Fortress came really close to becoming one. The primary run of the anime even led to comparisons with Attack on Titan. That alone speaks to how invested viewers had become when it was airing as another seasonal anime.
But honestly, its 12-episode season only scratched the surface of that setting. While the later-released The Battle of Unato movie did try to provide a proper conclusion, it felt far from complete. So many things could have been further explored if only there had been more episodes. But since it’s an original anime, the chances of getting a continuation are essentially zero.
4. Akame ga Kill‘s Original Anime Ending Left a Bitter Aftertaste
The main cast from Akame ga Kill | Credits: White Fox
Akame ga Kill literally shaped an entire generation of anime fans. To say the series is iconic would be an understatement. Its gritty storytelling and high-octane yet creative action sequences pulled teenagers in like no other anime back then. But if only the anime hadn’t fumbled with an anime-original ending, it could have become one of the best.
Since the anime had caught up to the manga, it went in an anime-original direction to finish the rest of the story in the final few episodes, which was honestly an impossible task. With such a large cast and a conflict as expansive as the war between the Revolutionary Army and the Empire, wrapping up the story in only 24 episodes left a bitter aftertaste.
5. Girls’ Last Tour Ends Before Reaching a Definitive Conclusion
Chito and Yuuri in a still from Girls’ Last Tour | Credits: White Fox
Girls’ Last Tour came this close to having a perfect ending. However, the anime’s open-ended conclusion wrapped up the storyline right before adapting the final few chapters. Since the anime is considered one of the best post-apocalyptic storylines and already has a good enough ending, there will likely never be another season.
Whereas the manga had a deeply emotional conclusion that anime fans will probably never get to experience. If only there had been a few more episodes in the original series to adapt the art museum chapter and the movie theatre chapter, the anime would have become significantly better than what it already is.
So, what are your thoughts on the list? Feel free to share them with us.
This post belongs to FandomWire and first appeared on FandomWire
