The Most Overrated Anime of 2024, So Far (2024)

The year 2024 has seen several major anime released, with these being adaptations of manga and light novels, sequel seasons and completely original works. Many of these have received fantastic reviews among fans and critics, with some being considered the best of the year. Of course, some of this positive reception isn't completely founded, resulting in a few of these works being praised a bit more than they deserve.

There are a plethora of overrated 2024 anime, with some of them being the biggest hits of the year. Some simply aren't as great as they're made out to be, while others are complete letdowns whose reception defies all logical. Worst of all, one season of an unexpectedly great series turned out to be a big disappointment, making its place in that show particularly surprising.

10 Uzumaki Only Started Out Good

The Show Quickly Took a Turn for the Worst

Uzumaki is still hailed as perhaps the best adaptation of a Junji Ito manga, and this is arguably true. After all, the show's first episode was a tremendous success, and it showed that the iconic mangaka's work could be done justice as an anime. Unfortunately, the first episode was the only good one, so this seemingly positive reception isn't quite deserved.

Uzumaki completely dropped the ball in its final three episodes, with each of them becoming increasingly bad. Poor animation, rushed storytelling and other issues plagued the show, making it just as bad as other Junji Ito adaptations. While it still might be the best rendition based on one of his works, it still isn't that great, and it's squandered potential only makes it worse.

Uzumaki: Spiral into Horror

TV-MA

Animation

Mystery

Horror

A town of people slowly go insane over increasing obsessions with spiral shapes: patterns in the clouds, everyday objects, hair, insects, skin.

Release Date

September 29, 2024

Cast

Uki Satake , Shin-ichiro Miki , Mariya Ise , Toshio Furukawa , Mika Doi , Takashi Matsuyama , Katsutoshi Matsuzaki , Tatsumaru Tachibana , Kôichi Tôchika , Ami Fukushima , Wataru Hatano

Main Genre

Animation

Seasons

1

Studio

Creator

Main Cast

9 Ninja Kamui Went from Dumb to Worse

The Series Tried to Hide Behind Great Fights

Initially well-liked among fans and critics, original series Ninja Kamui was praised due to its over-the-top and exciting fight scenes. When combined with the general premise, it felt, to some extent, like something that was tapping into the zeitgeist of Demon Slayer and the Dark Shonen Trio, not to mention anime classics such as Ninja Scroll. Unfortunately, what was at first a fun romp quickly became a disaster of epic proportions.

In the first and best episodes of the show, Ninja Kamui only seemed "great" because of the fight scenes and animation. This was thrown away in later episodes, which utilized particularly shabby CGI for mecha battles. In doing so, it exposed how poor the characters and story were, and the largely nonsensical writing became even worse. While it's fun to watch at first due to the initial fight scenes, it's not deserving of praise for even these elements overall.

Ninja Kamui

TV-MA

Animation

Action & Adventure

An action-packed anime that follows Kamui, a former ninja who has left his violent past behind to live a peaceful life. However, when his old enemies resurface and threaten his new life, Kamui is forced to embrace his ninja skills once more. The series explores Kamui's struggle to protect his loved ones and confront his past, blending intense combat scenes with deep character development and a gripping storyline set in a world of ancient traditions and modern conflicts.

Release Date

February 11, 2024

IMDb ID

tt28480255

TMDB User Rating

8 .6

Cast

Kenjiro Tsuda , Atsushi Ono

Seasons

1

Network

Adult Swim

Directors

Sunghoo Park

Where To Watch

Adult Swim

See Also

The 13 Most Overpowered Main Characters in Anime, RankedThe 15 Most Powerful Characters in Anime, Ranked9 Strongest Exorcist Characters In Anime, Ranked50 Most Powerful Anime Characters of All Time (Ranked)

8 Reincarnated as a Slime Season 3 Was a Major Letdown

The Show's Quality Wasn't Maintained

That Time I Got Reincarnated as a Slime is one of the most beloved isekai franchises, and one of the few truly great modern examples of the genre. This extends to the anime adaptation, which has several fans that might not otherwise like isekai. The show's third season continued this praise, but it might not have quite deserved the continued positivity.

​​​​Season 3 of Reincarnated as a Slime is mostly boring compared to previous episodes of the show. This is due to the fact that it focuses a lot on the main character, Rimuru Tempest, having the equivalent of boardroom meetings. While it does a lot for the show's sense of world building, it isn't always the most engaging watch. Thus, fans of the previous seasons might notice a drop in quality in the show's entertainment value.

That Time I Got Reincarnated as a Slime

TV-PG

Action-Adventure

Average 37-year-old Minami Satoru dies and is reincarnated as the most unremarkable creature imaginable-a slime.

Release Date

October 2, 2018

Cast

Miho Okasaki , Megumi Toyoguchi , Mao Ichimichi , Makoto Furukawa

Main Genre

Anime

Seasons

2

Studio

Eight Bit

Creator

Fuse

Sequel

The Slime Diaries

Number of Episodes

48

7 Jellyfish Can't Swim In the Night Barely Stays Afloat By the End

The Music Anime Oddly Didn't Hit the High Notes

Jellyfish Can't Swim In the Night was very well-received, and it was something of a feel-good story about four young ladies using their talents to become musical sensations. It was actually an original series, and it became one of the most positively-reviewed shows of the year. Still, there are a lot of ways in which it squandered its potential and isn't quite worthy of the hype.

For being a show based on a band, the actual musical performances in Jellyfish Can't Swim In the Night are lacking or barely existent. This gives the impression that it's a show that's only tangentially interested in its own concept. Likewise, the final set of episodes really ruin the story and pacing by trying to inject certain dramatic concepts into the show. It was ultimately fairly rushed, and even one extra episode might have fixed this to turn it into a real gem.

Jellyfish Can't Swim in the Night

TV-14

Anime

Comedy

Drama

Release Date

April 7, 2024

Cast

Miku Itou , Rie Takahashi , Miyu Tomita , Miyuri Shimabukuro , Sumire Uesaka , Miho Okasaki , Yukina Shuto , Sally Amaki

Main Genre

Anime

Seasons

1

Network

Tokyo MX , BS11

Character(s)

Kano Yamanouchi (voice) , Mahiru Kōzuki (voice) , Mei 'Kim Anouk' Takanashi (voice) , Kiui Watase (voice) , Miiko (voice) , Mero Seto (voice) , Momoko Yanagi (voice) , Akari Suzumura (voice) , Kaho Kōzuki (voice) , Mion (voice) , Arieru (voice) , Koharu (voice) , Yukine (voice) , Honami (voice)

6 Solo Leveling Was Only "Great" Due to Hype

The Show Isn't Bad, But It Isn't Great, Either

The anime adaptation of the web novel and Webtoon series Solo Leveling was highly anticipated, and for good reason. Its story is essentially a perfect mix between the battle shonen and isekai formulas, which is why it's so exciting. The series was a massive hit, especially for anime streaming service Crunchyroll, but this still doesn't make it as great as some make it out to be.

Solo Leveling isn't great in any medium, especially the anime adaptation. It's simply able to make the most boilerplate and generic narrative elements exciting due to how the leveling system and action scenes are handled. It's not too dissimilar to most other isekai shows, despite handling certain elements much better. This makes it one of the best examples of a recent formula, but mostly, it's just a reminder of how those formulas have been overdone.

8

See Also

The 25 Strongest Anime Characters Ever, Ranked - SlashFilm

10

Solo Leveling

Anime

Action

Adventure

In a world of gifted hunters and monsters, a weak hunter Sung Jin-Woo gains extraordinary powers through a mysterious program, leading him to become one of the strongest hunters and conquering even the strongest dungeons.

Release Date

January 7, 2024

Cast

Aleks Le , Taito Ban

Main Genre

Action

Seasons

1

Studio

A-1 Pictures

Creator

Chugong

Writers

Noboru Kimura

Streaming Service(s)

Crunchyroll

Main Cast

5 Suicide Squad Isekai Had Great Dance Moves - and Nothing Else

The DC Anime Never Rose Above Mediocrity

Suicide Squad Isekai combined an anime genre that many have tired of with a DC Comics property than comic book fans feel about the same way about. The show does succeed in having a zany, electric sense of energy. This is especially seen in the ending sequence, which features Amanda Waller comically dancing to a roaring song. Sadly, that's about the only great thing about it.

Suicide Squad Isekai doesn't do anything particularly well, and even when the series begins to develop a sort of groove of quality, this is immediately dropped in the next scene. From the writing quality to the animation, nothing is consistent, and it feels like a lazy, cheap cash grab when an anime adaptation of almost any other DC property would have been more interesting. Overall, it was just a way for VTubers to push some fairly decent songs, with little in the way of value beyond that. Mostly, it just rode on the idea of the concept and its music.

Suicide Squad Isekai

Not Yet Rated

Anime

Action

Adventure

Harley Quinn, The Joker, and the Suicide Squad cause havoc in ISEKAI*, an all-new original anime series from Warner Bros. Japan and WIT Studio. *ISEKAI(異世界): Term for "another world" in Japanese.

Release Date

November 30, 2023

Cast

Anna Nagase , Yūichirō Umehara , Reigo Yamaguchi , Takehito Koyasu , Jun Fukuyama , Subaru Kimura , Reina Ueda , Mamiko Noto

Main Genre

Anime

Seasons

1

Studio

Writers

Tappei Nagatsuki , Eiji Umehara

Franchise(s)

DC Universe

Directors

Eri Osada

Main Cast

4 Delicious in Dungeon Is Good, But It's Not a Full-Course Meal

The Show Speaks to the State of Fantasy Anime

Delicious in Dungeon is a legitimately good and entertaining series, and its combination of fantasy tropes and culinary pursuits was enjoyable to many. It mainly excelled at comedic elements, and it was meant to mostly be a fairly low-key, easygoing series. This is, of course, fine, but it did result in the show being overrated by at least a little bit.

​​​​​It doesn't help that there's a dearth of more serious, non-isekai fantasy anime. Delicious in Dungeon was a good show that was considered great simply for not being terrible, let alone being another isekai series. While it can't be faulted for having somewhat low stakes, the idea that such a series was rated so highly ended up making many believe it was better than it actually was. Essentially a humorous Record of Lodoss War, the show essentially blends in with other fantasy without its comedy.

Delicious in Dungeon

Anime

Fantasy

Comedy

Action

Can sisters be reincarnated from dragon poop? Laios and his friends Marcille and Chilchuck delve into an endless dungeon in search of his fallen sister, fighting monsters, starvation, and corruption.

Release Date

January 4, 2023

Main Genre

Fantasy

Studio

Trigger

Main Cast

Sayaka Senbongi, Kentarou Kumagai, Hiroshi Naka and Asuna Tomari

3 The Elusive Samurai Is Different, but Not Always In a Good Way

The Series Has Too Many Tonal Shifts

The Elusive Samurai is seen as another sort of "subversive" shonen anime, differing from other examples of the demographic genre. Its less battle-oriented protagonist makes it very different from other popular works, and this is generally seen as a breath of fresh air for shonen anime. Add in its historical setting, and it's essentially an alternative to Demon Slayer.

Unfortunately, this isn't enough to make up for its flaws. The Elusive Samurai sometimes tries to be too experimental with its tone, jumping from comedic to serious in a way that undermines storytelling. Making matters worse is that the show's humor is so bad, ranging from cringey to just pathetic and low effort. It's what keeps an otherwise "fresh" series from truly achieving its potential, despite so many people overlooking these flaws.

The Elusive Samurai

TV-14

Animation

Action

Adventure

Release Date

July 6, 2024

Cast

Asaki Yuikawa , Yuichi Nakamura , Hinaki Yano , Mari Hino , Sayumi Suzushiro , Aoi Yuki , Kikunosuke Toya

Main Genre

Animation

Seasons

1

Writers

Rino Yamazaki , Dai Katarayama

Network

Tokyo MX , Gunma TV , BS11 , Tochigi TV

Streaming Service(s)

Crunchyroll

Directors

Yasushi Tomoda

Producers

Nobuhiro Nakayama , Masanori Miyake , Tomoyuki Ohwada , Miho Matsumoto , Akifumi Fujio , Yuichi Fukushima

Character(s)

Tokiyuki Hojo , Yorishige Suwa , Shizuku , Kojiro , Ayako , Kazama Genba , Fubuki

YouTube Trailer

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SbmJ378Rbzg

2 Kaiju No. 8 Was Never Great - and the Anime Proves It

Monster-Sized Potential Is Squandered By the Latest Overrated Generic Shonen Anime

Crunchyroll hyped up Kaiju No 8's anime as the next big thing, and for the most part, it seemed to have been a success. Finally, adapting the manga series of the same name, the show combines shonen tropes with elements of tokusatsu and kaiju movies. Unfortunately, this isn't enough to make for an actually interesting story, and the hype only exacerbates the issues with the source material.

​​​​​Kaiju No. 8's anime and manga are just another generic shonen story, despite the kaiju genre offering loads of potential to be more. It focuses a lot on cliché anime humor and antics, and despite the protagonist being older, he comes off like any random anime teenager. Worst of all, the anime so far adapts the earlier parts of the manga, which were the only sections that were actually good. Thus, the series is the result of great marketing that promotes an otherwise mediocre at best product that's almost self-indulgent and arrogant in its own amateurishness.

1 Dandandan Is Good, But It's Already Overhyped

The New Anime Will Be a Victim of Its Own Success

The latest anime to be absolutely smothered in praise is Dandandan, which is an adaptation of a manga. It's something of an odd couple story, with a young medium befriending a potential love interest who has a keen interest in aliens. Their mutual interests are soon proven to be founded in reality, and while the series is uproarious and exciting, fans are already gassing it up too much.

Dandadan isn't the "breath of fresh air" that many claim it to be, and it actually comes off, in some respects, as a remixed version of Adult Swim classic FLCL. The sense of energy and stylization are great, but there's an undeniable aura that these elements have already earned the show some not-quite deserved praise. The animation is also great, and the characters are enjoyable. Still, the ever present sense of hype and circumstance surrounding it feels as if the show is being hailed as a classic before it's even finished.

Dandadan

TV-MA

Animation

Action

Adventure

Comedy

Fantasy

Release Date

September 13, 2024

Cast

Natsuki Hanae , Shion Wakayama , Nana Mizuki , Ayane Sakura , Kaito Ishikawa , Mayumi Tanaka , Kazuya Nakai , Kaori Maeda , Miyu Tomita , Ryûnosuke Watanuki , Hikaru Tanaka , Seitaro Taniguchi , Satomi Kobashi , Mayuko Kazama , Ryuuzaburou Ootomo

Main Genre

Animation

Seasons

1

Character(s)

Ken Okarun Takakura , Momo Ayase , Seiko , Aira Shiratori , Jin Jiji Enjōji , Turbo Granny , Serpoians , Miko , Muko , Momo's Boyfriend , Male Student A , Male Student B , Elementary School Boy , Flatwoods Monster