Top 10 Anime That Didn't Deserve the Hate

Mecha fans can be a picky bunch. When it was released, Gundam AGE was immediately dismissed by many for having a childish looking art style. But, you should never judge a book by its cover (or a Gundam, for that matter). Despite its appearance, the series addresses some fairly serious issues and has a solid story that took some risks. Its narrative structure, which features multiple generations, is quite unique as well. Gundam AGE helped introduce a new generation to the franchise, and more Gundam fans is always a good thing! Besides, were pretty sure some of those same people who complained about it being a kiddy anime also loved Gundam Build Fighters, which is basically Gundam Yu-Gi-Oh!
Besides, it gave us some of the coolest designs in recent years!

Although fans of this gag comedy series about a yakuza turned stay-at-home husband were hyped for its anime adaptation at first, their excitement turned sour when they saw the animation style - or lack thereof. Like some other gag manga adaptations, The Way of the Househusband features minimal animation, instead featuring more still frames than moving pictures. While many blamed the animation studio for this decision, it was in fact down to the producer. Personally, we still enjoy the comedic moments, and the lack of motion only highlights the voice acting, which is quite excellent. Besides, anyone hoping for more motion from the characters can always check out the live-action version.

Well admit, the concept of this Yu-Gi-Oh! series is objectively ridiculous. However, theres more to 5Ds than just being a show about card games on motorcycles. Although some people never gave it a chance because of its silly set-up, 5Ds is actually one of the better Yu-Gi-Oh! series. It has solid plot and character development, a downright unbeatable protagonist, and a more mature tone, at least compared to its predecessors. Were not saying its a masterpiece, but for what it is, its much better than it has any right to be.

The Fate franchise has a reputation for impeccable animation and great faithfulness to its source materialnow. But before ufotable and their Unlimited Budget Works, Fate fans had a bone to pick with Studio Deens adaptation of the original visual novel. The original Fate/Stay Night adaptation has been criticized for everything from its animation to mixing and matching story elements from the games diverging storylines. Is it as good as it could be? No. Would we like another adaptation of the Saber route? Absolutely. But as an introduction to Fate, it still works fine and taken on its own merits (and not as an adaptation) there are definitely worse anime out there.

Based on the military space opera books, Legend of Galactic Heroes Die Neue These is an adaptation that has drawn many comparisons to the original series of OVAs released in the 1980s and 90s. Although fans of the older anime have dismissed Die Neue These as being inferior, wed argue that its still a good adaptation, just in a different way. Die Neue These may not delve as deeply as the OVAs, but that also makes it more digestible for casual audiences, and therefore easier to get into for new fans. Plus, it has all the same epic showdowns between Reinhard and Yang, but with modern animation!

Romance anime about teasing girls tend to get a lot of backlash recently - just ask Nagatoro. But while that heroines teasing got mistaken for bullying, the reaction to Uzaki-chan was more skin deep. The titular Uzakis character design had Twitter up in arms! How dare this series creator design a petite college girl with a baby face and large breasts?! Everyone expects realistic proportions from animated characters. Those who arent out to body shame the character design discovered that Uzaki-chan Wants to Hang Out! is just a wholesome and adorable romantic comedy. Although, if anything, the controversy only made the show more popular, so while it doesnt deserve the hate, it might not have hurt the show.

Of the big shounen anime, Fairy Tail gets some of the most hate. Whether you think its because its art style is too much like One Piece, theres too much fan service, or the power of friendship prevails too often, Fairy Tail is a frequent target of criticism. But on the other hand, Fairy Tail is popular for good reason! The fights are exciting and fast paced. The cast is more of an ensemble than most shounen series, with more characters getting a chance to shine. Yes theres fan service, but at least its equal opportunity. Plus, the soundtrack is awesome! And sure, friendship conquers all - but cmon, its shounen!

Harem romcoms tend to be pretty divisive, and Rent-a-Girlfriend is among the most reviled in recent years. While the concept of renting a girlfriend is uncomfortably close to prostitution for some people, its the protagonists personality and the storys general lack of progression that seem to get most viewers up in arms. Still, the flawed characters and college setting do make for a nice change of pace from all the high school anime romcoms with characters who can do no wrong. Were not saying its great, but there is a certain amount of bandwagoning to Rent-a-Girlfriends hate train.

Another unfairly maligned shounen series, Black Clover is not as bad as its haters would have you believe. Admittedly, the protagonist Asta doesnt make the best first impression, with his frequent yelling. Also, well admit that its a bit of a cookie-cutter shounen series - it has a lot in common with Fairy Tail, for instance. But that comparison is only to its benefit. Do you like Fairy Tail but wish it had a more focused narrative and better animation for hype fights? Black Clover has you covered! The series may be conventional shounen, but it takes those tried-and-true tropes and introduces them in an entertaining package for modern audiences.

Despite its impact on the isekai and video game anime genres, dunking on SAO is practically an international pastime these days. Whether anime fans are lamenting its bland overpowered protagonist, the repetitive story beats, or some of its more infamously uncomfortable moments, Sword Art Online has been picked apart in the years since it began. Yet, it became so famous for good reasons too. The fights are fast-paced and well-animated. The video game world building is intriguing. The romance, while not the best, did get people shipping. For better and for worse, SAO changed the anime landscape going forward.




Is there an unjustly vilified anime youd like to take us to task for forgetting? Keep your own comments constructive down below!