Just because an anime has been declared mediocre or downright terrible by general consensus doesn’t mean it hasn’t done anything right. In these cases, their respective protagonists were much better than expected.
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Some of these protagonists were conceptually good or even great, but unfortunately they were overshadowed by everything around them. In any case, these main and secondary heroes deserved a better anime than the one they received.
10 worst anime with the best villains
Top 10 anime with the worst villains
WARNING: There are spoilers ahead.
10 Stars Aligned – The Shiratori High School soft tennis team was easy to root for
Thanks to circumstances outside the Eight Bit studio, Stars Align it was suddenly canceled midway through its original 24-episode run. As a result, this drama about tennis and the fight against poverty, which got off to a good start, ended on a disappointing note. However, it had one of the most sympathetic teams in the genre.
Everyone from the troubled prodigy Maki Katsuragi to the team’s misunderstood and introverted defender Kanako Mitsue had a compelling backstory and characterization just waiting to blossom. Yes to Stars Align Had it been allowed to take its time as its creators intended, the Shiratori Middle School soft tennis team would have been fondly remembered.
9 Goodbye My Dear Cramer – The Warabis Were Lovable Underdogs
Ideally, it would have been Farewell, My Dear Cramer was the female response to successful sports series like Haikyuu. Instead, the history of this football team was a never-ending task that had more wasted potential than redeeming qualities. One of the biggest missed opportunities in anime was the Warabis, the soccer team with big dreams.
Seeing the Warabis meet and play ball for the first time was fun, but the novelty wore off because the anime didn’t develop Nozomi, Suou, and Midori as anything more than hopeful victims. The Warabis’ journey to recognition (and women’s soccer in general) deserves an anime that aspires to be more than forgettable.
8 Hanebado! – Ayano Hanesaki and Nagisa Aragaki were ideal rivals
badminton series Hanebado! centers on the rivalry between cantankerous teammates Ayano Hanesaki and Nagisa Aragaki: a badminton prodigy and the hard-working team captain, respectively. Ideally, it would have been a battle of opposing athletic mindsets, something common in sports anime. The reality, however, borders on self-parody.
Ayano’s sports genius was depicted as a psychotic split personality, while Nagisa was something of a bitter loser for most of the anime. Even though the anime tried to be unfunny, it was hard to take anything seriously. A better sports anime would have toned down the serious tone de Hanebado and would have focused on the humanities of Ayano and Nagisa.
7 Future Diary – Yuno Gasai was an assassin in love with another reality
For better and for worse, Future Diary is the definitive Death Game anime that codified many of the traits of the niche. One such trope was the central relationship between a minor male hero and his yandere girlfriend; a couple represented by Yuki and Yuno. That said, there was much more to them (especially Yuno) than they were letting on.
Yuno only became what she is after the Yuki of her reality died, causing her to become deathly obsessed with the other Yuki. In any other story, Yuki and Yuno’s twisted but tragic love would have been a huge emotional core. Instead, it was forced thanks to youthful indulgences de Future Diary .
6 Tokyo Ghoul – Touka Kirishima Was The Most Convincing Main Character
In its essence, Tokyo Ghoul it focused on the Ghouls’ struggle and their desire to fit into human society. But the adaptation recklessly prioritized bloody action and simplified characterizations, leaving most viewers feeling annoyed with lead character Ken Kaneki. That was why they bowed down to Touka and never looked back.
For most of the first season, Touka’s personal tragedy was more interesting than Ken’s constant wailing. Ken got more prominence in the sequel, Tokyo Ghoul:re, but this was too little too late for some. Touka’s determination and resolve stood out so much that she arguably stole the series and deserved a better one.
5 Sword Art Online – Karen Kohiruimaki Exploited Kirito’s Potential
One of the harshest criticisms against Sword Art Online is that it is a fantasy of transparent power. Kirito made this very clear, as his life, both in and out of the game world, lacked any credible challenge, despite the occasional obstacle. Karen, from the spin-off SAO Alternative: Gun Gale Online, however, was its polar opposite.
Just like Kirito, Karen was a normal person who found confidence and purpose in the games she ran away to. The difference was that GMO it examined the pros and cons of escapism instead of fulfilling the wishes of the public through the protagonist. The viewers who preferred Karen over Kirito came to wish that Gun Gale Online had no relationship with SAO.
4 Darling In The FranXX – Goro Was The Most Underrated Pilot In The FranXX
Time has not been kind to Darling In The FranXX , which many anime fans have since dismissed as a cheeky clone of Neon Genesis Evangelion populated by forgettable characters at best and unfriendly at worst. The only exception was Goro, who was mostly supported by fans because they felt bad for him and wished him well.
Goro he was the most matureof troubled teenage pilots of FranXX, but was routinely overshadowed by everyone else. Despite having the most serious responses to the biggest conflicts in history, like Ichigo’s controversial kiss, Goro barely got any credit. In a better (and less derivative) anime, it would have had a chance to leave more of an impact.
3 Berserk (2016) – Guts gradually regained his humanity
One of the worst things about the much reviledreboot de Berserkit was the way he messed up the development of Guts. The CGI anime adapted the post-Golden Age and post-Eclipse story arcs, which was a big first for the franchise. But instead of taking its time showing Guts losing himself in hate before rekindling his humanity, the anime rushed it all.
Berserk it did have some genuine moments, like Guts starting a new family and Casca choosing over revenge, but this is due more to the strength of the manga than the anime. Guts remains one of the most beloved and influential seinen heroes in history, and his journey to overcome his past traumas and forge a new path deserves a better adaptation.
2 The Promised Neverland – Emma was the true inspiration of a desolate world
In theory, Emma was supposed to be the kind of shonen heroine that annoyed viewers. In short, she was a bottomless well of hope and optimism that inspired everyone around her.In Instead, Emma endeared herself to viewers so well in thebeloved first season of The Promised Neverlandthat fans wanted to see where he would go next.
Unfortunately, the show’s infamous second season not only demolished his own prestige overnight, but Emma’s as well. Thanks to poor writing, Emma became a cliché and a parody of her former self. Yes The Promised Neverland Had it been adapted correctly, Emma would have easily been one of the most iconic anime heroines of the decade.
1 Wonder Egg Priority – The girls were fun, friendly and approachable
Wonder Egg PriorityIt has become one of the worst animes of recent times after its infamous ending. Before the last two episodes were a flop, the series was considered one of the best original series to hit the mainstream, and viewers quickly grew fond of Ai, Neiru, Rika, and Momoe.
Fans connected with each of the girls fighting their inner demons, both literally and emotionally, and wished only the best for them. Unfortunately, the precipitous end of Wonder Egg Prioritydeprived them of a proper closure. Needless to say, Ai and her friends deserve a better story that isn’t hampered by outside production issues.
