Summary
Finding a greatanimecan be challenging,as there are many excellent entries across the various genres,all fighting for your attention. And, aside from the proven hits, there are bound to be some stinkers every now and again, which can steer you away from a genre completely.
But what about the anime that kicks things off with a bang, then instantly goes downhill when it returns for its second season, making you question whether the first season was even as good as you remembered it being? Unfortunately, there are many of those, too, which can be soul-crushing to experience!
Genre
Comedy, Romance
While undoubtedly the least offender on this list, Nisekoi: False Love’s second season is a vast dropoff in quality from its first season, making each episode feel like filler instead of a continuation of the story you just experienced.
However, if you loved the first season, chances are you won’t mind its second season; it just won’t hit the same highs or even come close. The manga, however, will, which makes it the classic case of where switching to the manga halfway through is the better choice than sticking with the anime!
Dark Fantasy, Action, Childcare (?)
Season one of Goblin Slayer is a tremendously dark and violent dark fantasy anime that excels at building characters and advancing its plot, only to be blindsided by its second season in a very odd and confusing manner.
Goblin Slayer’s second season is more slice of life and childcare than it is a dark fantasy epic,and not in the meaningful or profound way Vinland Saga shifts its genresto flesh out its world, plot, and characters. It just seems very out of place and jarring!
Horror, Suspense
Tokyo Ghoul is no stranger to this conversation, as it was among one of the first massively popular anime to descend downhill the more it continued, especially when compared to its stellar manga. While you can still enjoy them to some extent, the subsequent seasons after season one are noticeably worse across the board.
If you loved the action and animation in its first season, you will likely be fine with the second season. However, if you were invested in the plot, this is when things go downhill, as it quickly becomes convoluted and nonsensical. It also deviates HARD from the manga here, which is bizarre since the manga is top-notch!
Action, Fantasy
You knew you’d find it in here, as there is no escaping the memes of the disastrous third season of The Seven Deadly Sins, which has to be one of the biggest examples of a drop in quality in anime of all time. It’s pretty staggering when compared to its first season.
Despite the second season being okay, it still pales in comparison to the remarkably fun and exhilarating first season. You can begin to see the cracks form in season two, which is why it’s best to only watch the first season and count your losses from there!
Mystery, Sci-Fi
Oh, boy, where do we start with this one? The Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya is anexcellent mystery comedy animethat boasts a stellar, must-watch first season, which then catapults you into a very strange and unpredictable second season. But not in a good way.
For the record, what Kyoto Animation attempted here is interesting and takes guts, but they missed the mark by a mile. Season two kicks off with ‘The Endless Eight,’ which consists of eight consecutive episodes with only slight differences, as Kyon attempts to break the time loop.
The kicker is, this is the only time the show veered from the path of the light novel it was adapted from, leaving fans flabbergasted each week as a new episode aired, and they essentially watched the same thing over and over again for eight weeks straight!
Survival, Space, Action Shonen (?)
Terraformars made a splash with its first season, offering a remarkable suspense horror anime with excellent mystery and build-ups before throwing a curveball at its audience with season two, turning it into an action shonen, complete with fan service.
Yes, it’s as drastic as it sounds. And, no, it’s not enjoyable to watch either. The complete 180 that happened with this show is astonishing. Everything that the first season set up and illustrated perfectly was seemingly wiped away in the first episode of its second season!
Action, Sci-Fi
Speaking of anime with tremendous potential that flushed it all away with its second season is Aldnoah.Zero, which ends its first season with one of the best cliffhangers of all time, is the culmination of superb writing, character building, and action.
Alsnoah.Zero crushes everything it sets out to do in its first season without breaking a sweat, which is why its second season was highly anticipated, only for it to release and practically undo everything that was set up in the first season. And it only gets worse from there. It’s upsetting!
Psychological, Survival
Last but certainly not least is The Promised Neverland, the show most people think about when asked for an anime that falls off after its first season. Theeerie and suspenseful natureof season one is perfect, and watching the main cast plot their escape from the orphanage is harrowing.
Then, season two comes along, skips another solid arc from the manga, and just bulldozes everything in an instant. There is no reason to watch this show beyond its first season, not even for morbid curiosity. There is no redeeming factor here, which is heartbreaking considering how they hit a homerun with season one!
