We have often seen the anime industry deciding to revive an older beloved property, modernizing it for the newer audience and releasing the show as a reboot. However, reboots are a controversial topic in the community, as not every series gets the same treatment as successful series like Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood. We know when they anyone tries attempting to bring back an existing property, it can either result in negative reviews and downgrades. While running their original for their fans, most of these reboots wind up seeming meaningless.
1. Kino’s Journey
Even though the 2003 yashiki series didn’t achieve widespread popularity anticipated, it was still considered as a timeless cult classic by every fan of the genre. She and her talking motorcycle Hermes’ journey captivated numerous fans with its psychological themes and somber atmosphere. The 2017 reboot did improve on the original’s dated art style; however, it lost its predecessors’ contemplative charm. The reboot went for a more action- focused route, disappointing fans.
2. Sorcerous Stabber Orphen
Fans of anime from the 1990s look back of Sorcerous Stabber Orphen with nostalgia. With a standard magical adventure plot that was innovative at the time, the fantasy series from 1998 was an amazing creation of its era. It was brought back to life in 2020 to mark the light novel’s 25 anniversary. The remake lacked both the atmosphere and the heart of the original. They failed to bring the old classic back and went unnoticed among fans.
3. Shaman King
For all the anime fans who grew up in the early 2000s, the original anime is a nostalgic shonen. Even though the series had flaws, it didn’t stick to the manga, but many remembers it with great fondness. These fans were ecstatic about the relaunch in 2021, that was promising them with improved animation and recreation of the original work, unfortunately, the series was a huge disappointment to some fans due to its low-quality animation and excessively quick pacing.
4. Saint Seiya
The Saint Seiya since the 1986 has remained a cult classic. With the rise of CGI technology making its way in the anime industry, the iconic show received a controversial revival titled Knights of the Zodiac: Saint Seiya. The anime was met with backlash as they attempted to introduce CGI into the anime world. A chance for the Western audience to experience Japan’s most influential sci-fantasy franchises was ruined.
5. Blood+
Horror anime often seem to get bad publicity, with only a few outstanding enough to obtain critical acclaim. Blood+ is a classic 2005 classic vampire horror that was loved for its brutality and suspenseful plot. The show’s remake in 2011 took the fans’ demand too literally, with them going out on the gore and forgetting to tell a compelling story. This however, backfired with black listing the show in many countries.
6. Sailor Moon
The original anime was aired in 1992, introducing an entire generation of anime fans to the world of magical girl shoujo. Countless fans still credit the anime as it got them to start watching anime and influenced their taste tremendously. The 2014 release of the revamp drew criticism from viewers. However, the final result felt more lifeless as it seemed to have an extremely polished structure.
7. Legend Of The Galactic Heroes
Legend of the Galactic Heroes, a classic anime space opera is a captivating tale of two opposing interstellar governments, Free Planets versus the Galactic Empire. Many of its supporters were scared about approaching this classic series, as they were scared of its dated look and intimidating length. The 2018 remake did nothing to improve the series reputation; as it lacked the moral complexity and original’s attention to detail, and ended up creating a false image to its old and new viewers.
8. Negima! Magister Negi Magi
The story is about a 10-year-old wizard Negi who recently graduated from Magic academy in Wales, and is on a mission to find his missing father and become a Magister Magi. The history of anime adaptations has been quite strange but also fascinating like this 2005 series. While it followed the manga quite faithfully, the series did not have enough time to cover the original’s contents, which are considered the most iconic. With only the essential ideas of the manga used as guide, the adaptation was an entirely distinct anime, producing an odd and surprising show.
9. Blame
Over the years, there have been several anime adaptations of Tsutomu Nihei’s cult-classic sci-fi manga, but none of them have been able to match the original’s stunning eloquence. The 2003 anime is often regarded by the fans as one of the better unsuccessful adaptations. The bland and mediocre film simplifies the narrative to a comedic degree, which resulted in outraged reviews.
10. Berserk
The topic of despicable anime reboots is rarely brought up without mentioning the most disreputable reboot of all time, Berserk 2016. They were trying to compete with the 1997 nostalgic charm and the indisputable genius of Kentaro’s manga; this might be the most infamous anime ever. It featured awkward direction, horrible CGI animation, and pacing issues.
