Shonen anime have become so synonymous with all anime that their conventions and base premises have become clichés of their own. The only way for a new shonen anime to stand out is to have a truly unique plot, or at least offer a fresh new take on a familiar one. Unfortunately, these shonen titles had little to show beyond an intriguing premise.
For one reason or another, these shonen anime squandered their potential to be entertaining shows or even great ones. Had their creators given their great premises and concepts a little more thought, their respective anime could’ve been the next big shonen hit. Instead, they’re best remembered as disappointments and failures.
10 Persona 5: The Animation
When Ren Amamiya transfers to Shujin Academy, his life changes in the most unexpected ways. Not only does Ren unlock his Persona, but he discovers a dark and otherworldly conspiracy that could endanger all of Japan’s youth. To fight this, he recruits fellow outcasts like himself and forms the Phantom Thieves of Hearts.
The worst thing about Persona 5: The Animationwas how it watered down everything that made the original game so iconic. The anime was basically a glorified cutscene with none of the game’s energy and style. Persona 5: The Animation had the potential to either retell the game or tell a new story, but chose to do neither in the laziest ways possible.
9 Tsukihime, Lunar Legends
Shiki Toono’s ordinary and boring life changed when he suddenly discovered he had deadly supernatural powers. Things get even stranger when he crosses paths with the immortal Arcueid Brunestud, and dangerous otherworldly killers. To top it all off, Shiki and Arcueid were clearly falling in love.
Tsukihime, Lunar Legends was the Nasuverse’s first foray into anime, and it was almost its last. Besides failing as an adaptation of and introduction to the Nasuverse, Tsukihime was a subpar shonen anime with a flat romance between a human and a vampire. Tsukihime was executed better by its soft seinen remake, The Garden of Sinners.
8 The Promised Neverland
The Promised Neverland focused on the orphans of the Grace Field House, particularly Emma, Norman, and Ray. However, the idyllic orphanage was really a breeding farm for human children, who were a delicacy for the ruling Demons. After learning this terrifying truth, Emma and her family race against the clock to escape.
The anime failed as both an anime adaptation and an original story. The Promised Neverland‘s notorious second season deviated from the critically-acclaimed manga in favor of a terribly rushed and generic narrative. Either way, The Promised Neverland wasted one of the best and most unique premises in shonen history.
7 Boruto: Naruto Next Generations
A decade after the Fourth Shinobi World War ended, the surviving cast of Naruto enjoyed peacetime and grew up. Many of the Konoha 12 even became parents, and their children inherited their mantles and need for adventure. Boruto Uzumaki led the next generation of ninjas while doing his best to surpass his legendary father’s legacy.
Boruto: Naruto Next Generationshad the potential to be a legendary anime’s legacy sequel, only for it to consistently fall short of expectations. As if the inconsistent animation wasn’t bad enough, Boruto’s character arcs and major events mirrored their predecessor too much. Boruto couldn’t escape Naruto‘s shadow because it seemingly refused to.
6 Farewell, My Dear Cramer
Warabi Seinan High School‘s football team was one of the most lackluster in the region. All that changed when a trio of skilled players (Nozomi, Sumire, and Midori) and a new coach join the team’s ranks. Now with fresh talent and a newfound sense of camaraderie, the Warabis set out to become the best football team.
Farewell, My Dear Cramer had the potential to be the shonen sports anime’s much-needed female representation. Unfortunately, it was too underwhelming to even be remembered. Farewell, My Dear Cramer‘s animation left a lot to be desired, while the story and characterizations were just as generic as countless sports anime before it.
5 Battle Game In 5 Seconds
70-seventy-m7w328nn” title=”70“>706z87″ title=”akira”>Akira Shiroyanagi was an ordinary but reclusive high school student before he suddenly found himself in a death game. 70-seventy-m7w328nn” title=”70“>706z87″ title=”akira”>Akira was then blessed with the ability to momentarily possess whatever power it was his opponents thought he had. With this and a newfound sense of purpose, 70-seventy-m7w328nn” title=”70“>706z87″ title=”akira”>Akira set out to win the death game.
Battle Game in 5 Seconds was unique among deadly shonen death games because of its power system and a shamelessly ruthless protagonist. But instead of delving into 70-seventy-m7w328nn” title=”70“>706z87″ title=”akira”>Akira‘s psyche and challenging it, the anime let him fulfill audiences’ juvenile fantasies. Despite a cool premise, Battle Game in 5 Seconds was really just another edgy death game.
4 70-seventy-m7w328nn” title=”70“>70zllx9″ title=”platinum end”>70zllx9″ title=”platinum end”>Platinum End
Just before he could take his own life, Mirai Kakehashi was given a newfound purpose in a death game. Mirai and his fellow contestants were given angelic powers to decide among themselves who was worthy to be the world’s new god. What followed next was a death game with the futures of the world and mankind at stake.
70-seventy-m7w328nn” title=”70“>70zllx9″ title=”platinum end”>70zllx9″ title=”platinum end”>Platinum Endhad everything it needed to become the next blockbuster death game, only for it to be an unintentionally hilarious wreck. The anime’s few poignant philosophically-charged moments and decent character designs were not enough to save the rest of it from being an excessively edgy death game that was difficult to take seriously.
3 Kabaneri Of The Iron Fortress
After the world fell to the undead known as the “Kabane,” the only safe places left were walled-up fortresses. The only means of communication and travel between these fortresses were armored trains. Ikoma, Mumei, and their allies fulfill their duties on these trains, unaware that the Kabane’s leader and origin is about to reveal itself.
Even if Kabaneri of the Iron Fortresswas blatantly copying Attack on Titan, it still had a lot going for it. The blend of Feudal Japan, steampunk, and zombies was inspired. Unfortunately, Kabaneri was also a mix of overused and predictable anime and zombie apocalypse clichés. Wit Studio’s stellar animation did little to elevate the bland material.
2 Shachibato! President, It’s Time For Battle!
In the world of Shachibato! President, It’s Time for Battle!, fantasy guilds and dungeon crawling are more professional than one would expect. Companies dedicated to managing adventurers’ experiences, finances, and more are the norm. The anime follows Minato as he takes his father’s place as the president of The Kibou Company.
Given the abundance of gamified fantasy anime and top-grossing gacha game adaptations, a parody like Shachibato! was both necessary and welcome. Unfortunately, Shachibato! was a shallow comedy whose jokes only amounted to pointing out the obvious. Without its flat jokes, Shachibato! was yet another derivative wish-fulfilling isekai anime.
1 Super HxEros
When the Earth comes under attack from alien invaders known as “Censor Bugs,” it’s up to the HxEros team to save the day. The team comprises one male and four female high schoolers. Their powers are activated by channeling their H-Energy. It’s worth noting that H-Energy is tied to a person’s sex drive.
Super HxEros was advertised as a raunchy and action-packed comedy, but it failed as either. The anime’s premise was almost always used as an excuse for cheap nudity instead of setting up appropriately risqué jokes or exciting action. In the end, Super HxEros was yet another mediocre shonen anime that only had fanservice in mind.
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