Missed The Mark: 10 Anime Adaptations That Let The Manga Down
Fans say, you better read these, not watch.
Did you know that the phenomenon of manga dates back to the 12th century? Over the centuries, creators have mastered the art of manga, and today we have thousands of stories that captivate readers and provide perfect material for adaptations.
Many manga adaptations, such as Death Note and JoJo's Bizarre Adventure, have managed to capture the feel of their source material and even enhance the stories with great animation and soundtracks, brilliant voice acting, pacing, and well-choreographed fight scenes.
But then there are others that failed in this mission and made their source mangas extremely dirty, to the disappointment of numerous fans. Here are ten examples, often condemned in the discussions of anime lovers.
Tokyo Ghoul √A
Based on the manga by Sui Ishida (2011-2014)
While the anime was quite enjoyable for those who stumbled upon the story of a college student turned part ghoul for the first time, the long-time fans of Sui Ishida took the adaptation as a personal insult.
Starting with the 2015 sequel Tokyo Ghoul √A, the story began to stray further and further from the original, resulting in chopped pacing, underdeveloped characters, and scenes that no manga reader could take without angrily throwing things around.
Berserk Revival
Based on the manga by Kentaro Miura & Kouji Mori (1989-present)
The Berserk manga is one of the most beloved globally, with over 42 volumes. This gives the showmakers a perfect opportunity to do something truly great and unforgettable. But while the medieval Europe-inspired adventures of a wandering swordsman were captured perfectly in the 1997 series, the 2016 revival ruined it all.
Fans who had been patiently waiting for the new anime chapter for almost two decades found the revival simply offensive with its unbearable 3D animation and a story that changed too much from the original.
The Promised Neverland S2
Based on the manga by Kaiu Shirai & Posuka Demizu (2016-2020)
When the first season of the series, set in the universe where human children are raised in orphanages only to be sacrificed to demons who have a pact with the mortal world, aired, fans of the manga were overjoyed. It carefully recreated the tone of the original.
But 2021's Season 2 turned out to be a complete train wreck, neglecting fan-favorite characters, removing entire arcs, and turning the story into a sloppy mess.
Yu-Gi-Oh! Duel Monsters
Based on the manga by Kazuki Takahashi (2016-2020)
Many fans were confused by this adaptation of their beloved manga, seeing it as a shameless cash grab. You see, the original tells the story of a boy who one day solves an ancient puzzle and awakens a spirit that challenges characters to dark and deadly Shadow Games.
Instead of showing numerous games like in the manga, the anime focused on just one called Duel Monsters. The reason was that this card game was created in real life and needed to be sold. So the anime was nothing less than a sophisticated advertisement.
Junji Ito Collection
Based on the works of Junji Ito
Junji Ito is the mangaka known to every fan of the horror genre. So when the showmakers announced plans to create an anime inspired by his work, fans rubbed their hands in anticipation. However, their hopes were not to be fulfilled.
While the adaptation was quite faithful to Ito's manga, it failed to deliver even half the level of skin-crawling horror. The choppy animation, bland colors, ugly background art, and simplistic character designs made the stories anything but scary.
Rosario + Vampire
Based on the manga by Akihisa Ikeda (2004-2007)
The story of a human boy who finds himself enrolled in a boarding school for monsters who hate humans was perfect on paper. But Ikeda's likable characters and well-rounded plots were crashed by the 2008 anime adaptation.
Some arcs were dragged out to the point of being difficult to watch, while others were thrown out completely, creating a total mess of a plot.
Deadman Wonderland
Based on the manga by Jinsei Kataoka & Kazuma Kondou (2007-2013)
Like other titles in our list, Deadman Wonderland is actually liked by some viewers, especially those who have never read its source manga. But the story of a schoolboy who is wronged and thrown into a prison where convicts are forced to play deadly games disappointed many original fans.
Chilling horror visuals were replaced by action-packed, pointless moments, and the creators axed entire characters and storylines. No wonder the series was abruptly canceled.
The Seven Deadly Sins
Based on the manga by Nakaba Suzuki (2012-2020)
Set in a world inspired by the European Middle Ages, The Seven Deadly Sins follows a team of disgraced knights on a mission to clear their names. While a typical shounen story, it was a bestselling manga series and won several awards.
But the 2014 anime adaptation completely missed the mark. First and foremost, fans were disappointed with the quality. The character designs were hard to look at, and the fighting scenes made viewers want to facepalm.
Record of Ragnarok
Based on the manga by Shinya Umemura & Takumi Fukui & Azychika (2017-present)
Since the manga Record of Ragnarok follows the story of a fighting tournament between human heroes and gods from various mythologies, anime viewers were expecting a lot of spectacular battles.
Unfortunately, the action scenes were a complete disappointment, looking more like a PowerPoint presentation than high-quality animation. In addition, the characters were given long backstories that, while interesting, were completely unnecessary.
Akame Ga Kill!
Based on the manga by Takahiro & Tetsuya Tashiro (2010-2016)
The story of a country boy who finds friends in dangerous assassins during turbulent times was loved by manga fans for a reason. The creators took the time to properly develop each character and lead readers to important story points.
The 2014 adaptation, however, slaughtered it all with an overly fast pacing that left viewers' heads spinning and completely forgetting why they were watching this brutal yet lighthearted series in the first place.