The best kinds of anime are those that make fans wish they’d have an infinite number of episodes. Some anime become so popular and successful that they make this wish come true, only for fans to realize that too much of a good thing can be bad. Although these anime aren’t terrible, they still outlived their welcome.
The longer these otherwise decent or even great anime dragged on, the more aimless their stories got. Even the most dedicated fans began to grow weary of the repeating character beats and story formula. It may be better for these anime to either take a break, or to end before they lose what little luster they have left.
10 Bleach
In the early 2000s, Bleach was one of the core pillars of the so-called Shonen Jump Big Three. Ichigo Kurosaki’s time as a Substitute Shinigami introduced many viewers to anime, and Bleach‘s edge helped it stand out among its more lighthearted contemporaries. But then it petered out and was quietly canceled almost a decade later.
Bleach‘s early arcs defined shonen anime of the 2000s, but it became a formulaic drag the longer it went. Unfortunately, this was the only logical conclusion of studio Pierrot’s need to make episodes no matter what, and a lack of chapters to adapt. Bleach was redeemed a decade later through the better-written final arc, Thousand-Year Blood War.
9 Pokémon
Part of what made Pokémon so (in)famous was that it seemed like it would never end. After Ash Ketchum and Pikachu teamed up in 1997, they went on countless adventures for the next 26 years. It was only in 2023 when they finally became Pokémon masters like they promised each other nearly three decades ago.
In the well-dubbed Pokémon’s almost 30-year run, Ash and Pikachu never aged and barely grew as characters. The same went for their friends and enemies, most notably the Team Rocket Trio. Their stories finally ended this year, only for things to seemingly reset. Only time will tell if Ash and Pikachu’s successors will stagnate as much as they did.
8 Yu-Gi-Oh!
For what it’s worth, Yu-Gi-Oh! is an anthological franchise that stars different generations of card duelists. However, the only real difference between the likes of the original Yu-Gi-Oh! Duel Monsters or the newer Yu-Gi-Oh! Sevens was what deck they featured. This was because all Yu-Gi-Oh! anime were commercials for children’s card games.
The long-running Yu-Gi-Oh! defined what a promotional tie-in anime should be, but it barely changed its formula during its almost 30-year lifespan. Even the beloved Yu-Gi-Oh! Duel Monsters kept repeating itself before it hit its halfway point. But as long as Yu-Gi-Oh! cards continue to sell, the anime will keep recycling itself.
7 Sword Art Online
As polarizing as it may be, Sword Art Online undeniably changed anime in the early 2010s. Kirito’s gaming adventures in Aincrad single-handedly created the modern isekai boom, and spawned countless copycats. Sword Art Online became one of the biggest anime franchises overnight, but then it plateaued.
The mainline series is currently over, but it’s still continuing with movies and spin-offs. However, they were either recaps, or they still followed the same isekai wish-fulfilling formula that the original anime codified a decade ago. Now that the isekai wave is slowing down, it may be time for the detrimentally popular Sword Art Onlineto rest as well.
6 Code Geass
The unfortunate thing about Code Geass was that it was basically forced back to life. Lelouch vi Britannia’s one-man war against the Holy Britannian Empire ended satisfyingly in 2008. However, this was undone when Code Geass was revived through a trilogy of recap movies that changed the anime’s original finale.
The trilogy’s finale, Lelouch of the Re;surrection, rewrote Lelouch’s memorably fatal sacrifice so that he and Zero could return to their old selves just in time for the upcoming Code Geass: Z of the Recapture. Had Code Geass been left alone after 2008, it wouldn’t have been branded as a cynical cash-grab that preyed on fans’ nostalgia.
5 Berserk
Berserk is one of the greatest works of dark fantasy ever made, but this only really applies to the manga and the 1997 anime. Since then, Berserk tried and failed many times to connect with audiences. Berserk was adapted into anime, movies, video games, and more many times, but they always retreaded the Golden Age arc.
As compelling and well-told as Guts’ and the Band of the Hawk’s glory days are, it’s been retold and expanded upon so many times that it trapped Berserk in a corner. The 2016 anime managed to go beyond the Golden Age, but it was such a terrible adaptation that it permanently damaged Berserk’s otherwise stellar reputation.
4 Boruto: Naruto Next Generations
Boruto: Naruto Next Generations had everything it needed to be a great legacy sequel. It showed the original (and now adult) ninjas of the original Naruto passing the torch to their children. Fans who grew up with Naruto excitedly gave Boruto a shot, only for the series to keep disappointing and even angering them the longer it went.
As Boruto dragged on, the worse its writing and animation got. This was more the fault of the anime industry’s notoriously unethical and unforgiving work culture (which was worsened by the COVID-19 pandemic) than the source material. Boruto lost so much goodwill that the announcement of its hiatus sparked celebration among viewers.
3 70zlon8″ title=”case closed”>Case Closed
70zlon8″ title=”case closed”>Case Closed (or Detective Conan) is one of the most popular long-running anime. The procedural mystery has been on the air since 1994, and this longevity helped turn Shinichi Kudo into an icon. But unlike its even longer and most famous contemporary Lupin III, 70zlon8″ title=”case closed”>Case Closed barely changed in the decades it’s been on air.
70zlon8″ title=”case closed”>Case Closed has only one formula (i.e. the episodic mystery), and it kept Shinichi stuck as a kid detective for nearly 30 years. 70zlon8″ title=”case closed”>Case Closed doesn’t have any incentive to change, meaning Shinichi will probably be a kid forever. Conversely, Lupin IIIfound many ways to spice things up (especially its animation) while continuing its decades-long story.
2 FLCL
FLCL is arguably one of the most important anime in the American anime fandom’s history. Not only was it one of Adult Swim’s most beloved dubs, but it also defined what “anime” can and should be for an entire generation of American viewers. Adult Swim loved FLCL so much that it kept rerunning it and even bankrolled multiple sequels.
However, FLCL lost bits of its charm and novelty the more it continued. FLCL’s follow-ups were decent and had their own merits, but they couldn’t replicate what made the original special. What’s more, FLCL’s lukewarm continuations seemingly contradicted the OVA’s moral lesson of letting go of the past to enjoy the present and future.
1 Dragon Ball
Anime wouldn’t be where it is today were it not for Dragon Ball. Goku’s adventures and fights cemented all of shonen anime’s conventions, and they introduced a global audience to anime. Because Goku and the Z Fighters are still as popular as ever, they’ve been kept around in pop culture long after they passed their primes.
These days, all Dragon Ball does is retread familiar ground, or outright remake some of the overlong Dragon Ball Z’s best moments. The only real difference between the original and the revivals is the improved animation. Goku’s story and Dragon Ball as a whole seemingly have no endpoint, which makes even the biggest fights feel pointless.
