There is no such thing as dropping an anime forever. When I use the term ‘dropped’ that does not mean that’s the last I’ll see of that anime in my life. Dropping a show means that I don’t have the enthusiasm to watch this show currently and at a later date I’ll return to that anime. This later date may be the time when I’m stuck in a jail cell with TK from Angel Beats as my only conversation companion with nothing other than a portable dvd player and a ‘Lucky Star’ boxset, but I will one day return and give the anime another shot. With this in mind, combined with the fact that I’ve passed the 100 anime mark on my MAL account for anime I’ve dropped, I’ve decided that I’m going to take a look back at all those series I’ve dropped, recognise why I dropped them and evaluate when I should give them another go.
Nabari no Ou
Dropped After: 12 episodes
Why I dropped it: Nabari falls quite cleanly into the same group that many others have fallen into over the course of writing these posts. It wasn’t actually a bad show, I just lost enthusiasm for the thing. The character of Yoite and his fashionable hat was definitely the highlight of the show. He was one of these angsty bishies except done extremely well. He oozed pure emo-ness. Now the reason that doesn’t actually sound like that appealing a character to many people is because you’ve seen it done poorly far more often than done well. The rest of the characters in Nabari no Ou are testament to that. Many of them have their own angsty whines but they were dull and annoying compared to Yoite. Also, when the plot wasn’t focused on Yoite it was bloody dull.
Rebirth Chances: Above average. Again, this show hinges on Yoite. Like After Story, the main draw back to an anime would be watching a certain character I enjoyed and finding out what happened to them as the plot progressed. The problem is Yoite isn’t the main character so he doesn’t get as much screen-time as he deserves, although I have heard the main story does focus on him in the end (yeah I’ve been spoiled for the ending). Oh, and there’s an Irish character in this anime. He’s afraid of trains and cooks stew.
Natsu no Arashi Season 2
Dropped After: 4 episodes
Why I dropped it: A lot of people didn’t like Natsu no Arashi. In fact, it was panned by a considerable amount of people, most notably from Shaft fans calling it the first Shaft misstep, ignoring the yawn-fest of Maria Holic a season earlier. (hah, ironically Natsu no Arashi is rated higher than Maria Holic on MAL. That makes me happy). I liked Natsu no Arashi for the most part, although it certainly never came near the mangaka’s other series School Rumble. The second season was terrible. Hey, let’s repeat the same joke about Hajime not figuring out whats-her-face is a girl over and over. No, it will never get old! Goddam you Shaft and your shitty sequels.
Rebirth Chances: Average. Eh, maybe it improved. As I said, the show was panned in the first season so very few people talked about the second season. Hence I never read any reviews that said whether it decided to try out some new jokes. However the fact remains that it’s a sequel to a show I originally enjoyed that just had a poor start to the second season. Sounds like After Story to me, which I’ve now started using as a yard stick for what a successful pick-up should look like.
Nyan Koi
Dropped After: 3 episodes
Why I dropped it: I can totally understand why someone would like Nyan Koi. It’s light-hearted fun and has some decently funny jokes. I’m baffled by anyone who genuinely thinks this is a great series though. It’s about as generic and you can get when you’re not called Mayoi Neko Overrun. There’s no part of that show that excels. It’s jokes might make you grin but never make you laugh out loud. Its characters aren’t remotely memorable nor original. That’s why I dropped it. Not a bad show, not a good show. I don’t want to watch averageness.
Rebirth Chances: Below average. Let me guess: the main character makes absolutely no romantic headway with any of the girls? He gets into a potential position to do something with one of them but a cat gets in the way? They introduce a few more female characters, each one having less romantic influence on the main character? The girl who was introduced second becomes increasingly infatuated with the main character as the show progresses and yet he shows no interest in her at all? I’m being overly harsh on this show I know. But really, we’ve seen this all many times before and this is certainly not breaking any new ground.
Ookami Kakushi
Dropped After: 3 episodes
Why I dropped it: I still haven’t seen Higurashi, this Ryukishinumbernumber guys apparent masterpiece. I did see Umineko though, which was a pretty entertaining show if often for the wrong reasons. Ookami Kakushi had none of the nonsensical charm that Umineko had. In place of a dark lord we had a quee– err, I mean in place of a crazy witch we a bunch of personality-less kids. It’s strange to wish that something was more similar to Umineko but Ookami totally lacked the entertainment factor and confidence Umineko had. It was, to put it simply, dull.
Rebirth Chances: Very low. The idea of ‘following’ episodic blogs for an anime you’re not watching is a strange one, but when RP, Shinmaru and Blidability were blogging the same show I couldn’t help scan through their posts. And boy was it amusing to watch each one of them descend into various forms of disbelief at what happened towards the end of the series. The basic gist I got was the entire plot was totally nonsensical and the final plot twists were Alison to Lillia level proportions of dumb. I might watch it for lulz I guess.
Ouran High School Host Club
Dropped After: 1 episode
Why I dropped it: Too much pink.
Rebirth Chances: Below average. The main problem with picking this back up again is it’s shojo. Yes, a parody of the shojo genre but a playful parody that can only be enjoyed by people who enjoy the genre it’s parodying. Kimi ni Todoke was the last straw for me with the shojo genre. I have come to accept that I just don’t like shojo and the idea of going into a show that requires prior fascination with said genre is a daunting and unwelcoming area. If I’m going to watch a parody of the shojo genre I’d prefer to watch something that genuinely takes the piss out of it rather than pretends to. I’d watch The Wallflower over Ouran.
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19 Comments
Huh, surprisingly I’ve watched all of these!
Nabari no Ou is what I picked on the poll even though Ouran is my favourite on the list. Nabari is decent — not brilliant not terrible, just middle of the road watchable. Its solid throughout and worth a look at least.
The 2nd season of Natsu no Arashi was pretty awful. I really liked S1 — it got much better after a lacklustre start, but S2 was shite from the start and never got better. Terrible shame, it did have promise.
Weirdly I liked Nyan Koi! Its a genre I hate, but it was lighthearted, funny and well animated even if the plot went nowhere fast. Something to watch if you’re bored, not a must see.
Ookamikakushi on the otherhand is just godawful. It went nowhere fast and the completely nonsensical ending wasn’t even stupid or OTT enough to laugh at! Characters were utterly bland, animation was pretty iffy too — the only thing it really had going for it was the music.
Now Ouran I love, but I’m quite tolerant of shoujo stupidity and I read the manga for the series! Bones did a great job of the anime adaptation though — tis great fun. But if you have no stomach for shoujo you’re being sensible to avoid it.
Never bothered with Nabori no Ou. Ouran was the most entertaining of the rest, but dragged on forever and required patience even from a shoujo fan like my wife. It wasn’t nearly as tedious as Kimi ni Todoke, though. Yawn Koi never went anywhere, instead opting for a season two teaser ending. Natsu no Arashi S2 was just a disappointment, given that the first season was surprisingly good. Kakushi was so lifeless and boring that I couldn’t even find anything to make fun of.. until the facepalm ending, which seems to come out of nowhere just to DO SOMETHING. I was more amused by the aniblogger’s posts than the actual show.
I’m not sure that Ouran requires you to like shoujo too much, though with the reason you’ve listed, I do think a 3-episode taste test is in order for you to evaluate it further. If it doesn’t stick to you by then, you’ll probably not be too keen on finishing it and I wouldn’t be able to blame you at that point.
People really do seem to overlook Maria+Holic which is… not the sort of creativity that I’d been expecting from Shaft. Did enjoy Natsu no Arashi (the 3 episodes that I’ve seen of it) even if it’s nothing great. The impression I have is that it’s Arakawa-lite (or is Arakawa Natsu no Arashi’s eccentricities done right?).
Arakawa.. better than Arashi? Come on
At best they’re equals. Arashi had the balls to try different styles of humor. Arakawa is one big overreactionary gag after another. Lol, I guess. Then again, Arashi didn’t have Sakamoto Maaya, so to me it balances out.
Hmm, I want to recommend Ouran, but I myself haven’t finished it yet. I’ll tentatively agree with Zzeropartic and say that you might not necessarily need to like shoujo that much to like Ouran. I’m pretty indifferent about shoujo and I’ve come to like the series very much so far.
Interested to see what you say if you pick up Nabari no Ou. I watched the first episode and it wasn’t bad, but it didn’t give me that overwhelming urge to watch the next episode.
“a parody of the shojo genre but a playful parody that can only be enjoyed by people who enjoy the genre it’s parodying.”
No its not. I tolerate shoujo because of things like Ouran, which was hilarious. To put Wallflower over Ouran seem almost offensive to me.
I voted Ookamikakushi because it is the funniest anime in history.
If you dont like Ouran once, you’re not going to like it again. Though, you cant say that wasnt a great first episode, with a perfectly set up reveal and all.
I would read the Nhabari No Ou Manga instead if anything else. Barring that; watch Ouran it’s hilarious.
ouran is overly pink on purpose to emphasize the ridiculous-ness of shoujo sparkles and flowers. i was a huge fan of the manga but now im kinda leaning over to the anime more because the anime has no real drama (but it does have a plot, more or less), while the manga has recently took a nosedive. and the characters REALLY grow on you. all of them. even the ridiculous bishounen. haruhi will always be one of my favorite female manga/anime characters of all time, even if the manga has recently mangled my image of her.
the anime actually parodies and makes fun of more than just the shoujo genre, it makes fun of otakus, rich people, poor people, and basic character archetypes (not found exclusively in just the shoujo genre).
but yeah, listen to zzeroparticle. if you dont like it after 3 eps, then its really not for you *shrugs* (protip: ALWAYS SKIP THAT TERRIBLE OP *shudders*)
You decided not to watch Ouran right now because.…. IT’S TOO PINK!!! Man… your hilarious.
This is the first time I’ve ever read anything on this blog and completely raged. The Wallflower? That’s unfair and absolutely insulting to Ouran. I can see why you wouldn’t like Ouran, but The Wallflower is an utter turd. If you can’t see why Ouran doesn’t deserve to be compared with The Wallflower, let alone ranked below it, then you have a completely indiscriminate sense of taste.
Watch Ookami Kakushi!!! As bad as the ending fell apart, the ending to that show was just…there are no words. I’m cracking up again just thinking about it, laughing not so much in the ‘that’s funny’ way but in the ‘I’ve lost my mind’ manner. The ending to that show just completely broke me. It was definitely an experience to look back on.
But if you’re not willing to put yourself through that, Ouran is my vote from the list that I’ve seen (almost finished, three episodes to go.) Calling it shoujo is a stretch in my opinion. I parodies shoujo, but all that goes into the comedy that is the focus of the show. The occasional serious parts are so few and far between that I don’t think it should bother a shoujo hater like you.
Nyan Koi was fun, but you’re not missing anything groundbreaking there. Natsu no Arashi 2 is something I dropped at about the same point, but will finish some day. The over-reliance on the crossdressing jokes is what made me lose enthusiasm too. But out of fondness for the first season that I enjoyed so much I’ll finish it eventually. Plus, you know, Arashi and Kaya.
I’ve been meaning to pick up Nabari no Ou eventually…
Also: I DO NOT suggest continuing Ookami Kakushi if you’re actually serious about watching it. It’s a winding road of never really being content. Used for a drinking game? Maybe.
As for Ouran? If it’s not in your tastes, don’t force it. I watched Ouran knowing full well that a pastel-filled palette, a budding sorta-kinda love story and overdone antics weren’t my thing and I ended up almost regretting watching it. Sure, I enjoyed the first few episodes enough, but then it hit some heavier material and I had to force myself through the last few episodes. I preferred it lighthearted and the added relationship confusion and subsequent minor angst frustrated me. Haruhi also hit all the wrong buttons for me… On the other hand, I have a differing view of the sorta similar Kimi ni Todoke than you. I absolutely adored the show since I could very easily identify with Sawako, since I was pretty much mute for a good portion of my early school life, and some really good friends helped me become who I am today. Relationship problems at the time it was airing also made me really yearn for the “all too perfect” sort of relationship Sawako and Kazehaya had. In conclusion: It all depends on where your lines for accepting/enjoying series like Ouran are and sometimes even your circumstances at the time of watching.
I knew Ouran would win this poll when I saw the 5 anime on display today. I thought I’d finally said goodbye to that accursed shojo genre but I guess it’s time to give it one final whirl.
@Caraniel
Solid throughout isn’t really what I wanted to hear about an anime that I dropped after the halfway point. I was waiting for an ‘OMG you dropped it there?!?!?! The best bit is only just coming up!!!11eleven’. Ah well~
@Hogart
The anibloggers posts were indeed quite amusing to read. I admire their patience to be able to put up with that show and it makes me want to take apart an anime for one season. The thing is I’m not very good at doing that. Writing about Letter Bee was the closest I ever got to doing that
@zzeroparticle
Arashi vs Arakawa, I’m not seeing the similarities myself beyond the Shaftyness. I suppose there are some similarities but that’s really pushing it. Arakawa is far better anyway
3-episode taste test…eh, I think I’ll have to watch it longer than three episodes for the sake of these posts. I might stop after halfway if I’m reeaaallly not enjoying it
@smallish @kangry
I do believe that prior enjoyment, no matter how small, of a certain genre is required to watch something that’s a parody of something, especially if it’s a playful lovable parody of the Ouran kind. It’s of the ‘oh that’s so true but I love it anyway’ kind and the fans of that show are quite typically shojo fans anyway.
@Shinmaru
Funnier that Miracle Train?
@luffyluffy
I know a lot of people like that first episode. I just balked at all the pink
@gw_kimmy
KISS KISS FALL IN LOVE *wheeruuu wheeruuuuu*
Yes, I know the opening. It keeps coming up on those ‘my top 20 anime openings’ youtube videos I am strangely addicted to
@Hinochi
Thought I might as well be honest
@Sorrow-kun
*le sigh* I haven’t seen Wallflower. I was basing that assumption from what I’ve read and heard about both series, and also from people whose opinions I trust. Your outburst of rage has now gotten me interested in comparing the two though.
@ExecutiveOtaku
But it’s not just the serious parts of shojo that I don’t like. The humour doesn’t click with me either. Shojo can be pure comedy as much as they can be pure drama and neither end of the pendulem clicks with me. Obviously I get through far more eyerolling in the drama shojo but the fact remains I don’t like either type
@miken-chan
Ah, connecting with a character. I said it back in my After Story review but watching Tomoya was such an eerie experience because of how similar he was to me. Watching how he went through life was like watching what I might have looked like if I’d taken a different path in my life.
actually ouran makes fun of shoujo stuff more in the way of “omg shoujos DO do that all the time. and it IS that ridiculous.” the commentary made by haruhi and renge enforces that satire. i guess you could call it “lovingly poking fun”, but the anime never embraces it really. and im someone who hates and rages at most of the common shoujo tropes and cliches.
hmm…so what’s shoujo humor for you? is it the gimmicks and/or random nature of some characters? ouran’s humor is more of the random variety with some satire mixed in, but if that’s not your cup of tea, then yeah, you probably won’t enjoy the anime.
and yeah, comparing ouran to wallflower just seems weird. i’ve only read one chapter of the wallflower and dropped it after that. different senses of humor i think because everything that was “supposed” to be funny in the wallflower fell incredibly flat for me. plus i didnt like any of the characters.
Ouran is another series that’s become a classic. You’d want to understand your Hetalia fangirls right?
Besides, it’s hilarious. “Then what are we?” “Gay homo side characters.” will remain one of my favorite anime jokes of all times.
Thinking back on it.. the best thing about Ookami Kakushi was the opening..
@gw_kimmy
Whoever said the Wallflower was a total piss-take of shojo must have been wrong then. I did a bit more reading around and it just sounds like another standerd shojo, albeit with more focus on comedy
Shojo humour is…hrrrmmm…damnit, I hate trying to explain humour! It’s the idea that an over the top action or response of enthusiasm constitutes as humour. It’s similar to 4-koma humour except that relies on reactions rather than the actual action.
@Aorii
I will never understand my Hetalia fangirls and trying to do so is a fruitless endevour
@luffyluffy
Like Tenjou Tenge. That had an awesome opening. The anime…not so much