With more than 50 newly airing anime series in the Spring 2022 anime season, it’s a given that some of the offerings would be disappointing to fans and generally fail to get a significant following. Here’s a post about the “failed anime” from this season, which failed to make a splash with most fans… though there may be some hidden gems in the list!
What Failed Anime Series Did the Spring 2022 Season Produce? Keep Reading to Find Out!
Tomodachi Game. A show that thought it was a lot more clever than it was, it’s the story of five friends who get kidnapped and must engage in bizarre psychological games in order to pay off debts they have incurred for some convenient-to-the-story reason.
Skeleton Knight in Another World. A gamer falls asleep and wakes up inside a video game world…as a skeleton. Despite having violent depictions of rape in several episodes, this show failed to attract the ire of the usual groups on Twitter and Tumblr, which would have probably brought it a lot more attention. Fans who watched the show seemed to dislike the wooden main character who immediately snapped into his isekai role without even questioning what was happening to him.
Onipan (Oni Pantsu). You can bet that any show with pantsu in its name caught my attention, and I enjoyed watching the story of three oni (ogres) who had come to Tokyo from Ogre Island to try to change the negative impression of humans. They’re able to put on tiger-striped shorts and transform into whatever cosplay they need for each episode. While the voice acting was a rare disappointment for an anime work, the semi-short episodes and innovative animation style make this show definitely worth your time.
Black★★Rock Shooter: Dawn Fall. The first of the Disney-funded anime series, Summer Time Rendering, proved a big hit, with a great story, memorable characters, and even sexy fan service. But the second Disney-sponsored anime, which marks the return of Black Rock Shooter, fell flat with fans who didn’t like the bland CGI and story. The show is stuck in the “Disney+ Jail” which isn’t helping either. It’s enough to cause fans to start singing, “Black Rock Shooter, doko e itta no?”
Kono Healer, Mendokusai. Although I’m a card-carrying fan of dark elf characters, the unlikability of healer Karla made the show unpopular with most fans. I definitely enjoyed Healer Girl, with its sweet characters and innovative use of songs, much more.
Which was the best healer anime of the Spring 2022 season? Read my “healer battle” post here!
Kawaii Dake ja Nai Shikimori-san. The show started out strong and generated a lot of buzz and memes from fans. But most seemed to lose interest in the super-strong-girlfriend-protects-her-boyfriend formula.
Read my blog post on Shikimori’s Not Just a Cutie here.
Trapped in a Dating Sim: The World of Otome Games is Tough for Mobs. Our main character Leon is blackmailed into playing a BL game by his sister…then he dies and finds himself reincarnated inside the game. Happily, his knowledge of the game gives him an advantage. I found the show enjoyable and smart, poking fun at the ridiculously of the isekai genre at times.
Gunjou no Fanfare. An anime about horse racing, which seems to be trying to capitalize on the popularity of horse racing and Uma Musume Pretty Derby…without the cute horse girls. Hmm…
My Daughter is a Zombie. A South Korean anime that didn’t seem to make much of a splash.
Kaginado Season 2. Although I’m a fan of anime and games by Key, I’m generally not able to get into these cutesy spinoff shows. This show is about Kaginado Academy, a school where the characters from Air, Kanon, Clannad, Little Busters! and Angel Beats attend, seemingly after dying and being reincarnated, making it something like if Jun Maeda wrote the Riverworld series. I think I should give this show a watch!
Yu☆Gi☆Oh!: Go Rush!! Obviously, this series isn’t aimed at me, but this seems to be a low-ish effort reboot of the Yu-Gi-Oh! series aimed at younger fans. Are you watching it?
Shadowverse Flame. Another show not aimed at me, it’s based on a card game, so it’s obviously something recommended for fans who know the game. The game and anime are by Cygames, who usually do good work.
Estab-Life: Great Escape. A surprisingly well-reviewed series about Tokyo in the future, when A.I. personalities run everything. While I know I won’t like the CGI-based “cel-look” animation, it is very colorful and well-designed.
Shin Ikki Tousen. I was super glad to see the return of this ecchi fan favorite, which brought back beloved characters like Hakufu Sonsaku and Uncho Kanu (and their pantsu). And I was sad it had a low MAL rating of just 5.92. Then I remembered that MAL always hates sexy anime because they hate nice things over there.
Thanks for reading this post on the “failed anime” of the Spring 2022 anime season. Did we miss any “bad” shows that should have been on this list, or? Tell us below or on Twitter!
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