2/24/08 - Top 5 failures of potential

[Cetonis]

We've pretty much just done positive categories since this started back up, so how about a negative one for a change of pace - this week we'll vote for the top 5 anime that failed to meet their potential.

What series do remember reading about and thinking it had an amazing premise, only to be disappointed by the delivery? Which shows started off oh so well but never lived up to what they seemed to promise? Are there any times you've thought "this show needs a remake by people who care about quality?"

Just be sure to double-check any obscure ones to see if they're in the AniRec, (the top 5 posts on the main site get links) and perhaps take a little time to help add it if it's not. I know one that I need to take care of myself...

That said, please remember the format, and Happy Voting ^_^

***Voting Closed***

The top 5:

Gantz
Ergo Proxy
.hack//Sign
Wolf's Rain
Blood+

Thanks for voting!

[Kenikki]

1. .hack//SIGN
2. DNAngel
3. Tengen Toppa Gurren-Lagann
4. Major Season 2
5. Eyeshield 21

Ghost In The Shell: SAC and Hellsing also came to mind.

[Justice4243]

1. Blue Gender
2. Love Hina
3. Onegai Teacher
4. Futakoi
5.Tengen Toppa Gurren-Lagann

[v16]

1. Wolf's Rain - the first 5-6 episodes were epic, but others just sharply fell to nearly nothing.

2. hack/sign - OK, not that it had great promises in the beginning, but it *could* put something substantial behind the story and emo characters. Alternately, increased focus on RL vs Game player selves could help. But it just hinted and didn't deliver.

[can't remember others yet]

P.S. Claymore is not a failure, it kept up for 20 eps; only the end was bad.

[Tetra]

Kare Kano
Demon City Shinjuku
NGE
Wolfs Rain
Scrapped Princess

[Muramasa]

2. Love Hina

I agree that the execution was off, but it didn't feel like it was that exciting a premise to begin with, other than being a young man's dream to be surrounded by ladies. ^_^

Anyways, don't know if discussion was encouraged here, so I'll stop.
My top 5:
1. Gantz (wow, the worst offender of "could have been awesome!")
2. Ghost in the Shell SAC (and every other GitS series)
3. Wolf's Rain (sounded amazing till I saw it)
4. Paranoia Agent (for all it's apparent appeal, I was completely disappointed)
5. Azumanga Daioh (maybe it's the same as Love Hina in it's simple intentions, but I had heard more praise for this, and it fell utterly flat)

EDIT:
The Blood series was pretty flat as well (should probably be in my top 5 actually), mirroring GitS's (series) boring execution. But Blood The Last Vampire was utterly rediculous animation and action, I would like an explanation as to why you didn't like it freakzilla (the only one you didn't give a little explanation for)? And yes, I agree on Gantz totally. I was SO hopeful for it.

[freakzilla666]

Monster (man i'm gonna get flamed for this :p)
Blood: The Last Vampire
GANTZ (an extreme case of manga owning anime)
Ghost in the Shell Innocence (zzzz)
Mai-Otome (blasphemy to Mai-HIME)

[AngryJellyfish]

Negima!? - insult to the manga really.
Love Hina - see above - Ken Akamatsu has no luck when it comes to anime adaptations.
.hack/SIGN - all talk no action... or anything else really IMO.
Gurren Lagann - Great series, but just wasn't as good after the time skip.
Venus Versus Virus - started poorly, improved greatly, ending dropped it right back down.

And just to say that I personally really liked Wolf's Rain, there was the occasional boring episode but the beginning and end were among the best I've seen in my opinion.

[Fireaxe]

- Ergo Proxy (could have been sooooo much better)
- Mai Otome (like freakzilla said)
- Wolf's Rain (original, but a total snorefest)
- .Hack Sign (This goes for Dusk and Roots also, awesome idea and setting but the execution is just terrible in each of them)

[purplemo]

1) Kodomo no Jikan (this explains it all What Kodomo no Jikan Could've been Rant)
2) Blood+ (what the hell was this?!)
3) You're Under Arrest - No Mercy (ditto)
4) Hitsuji no Uta (not bad, but SO SO below the manga)
5) Final Fantasy VII: Advent Children (looks more like a tech demo than a movie)

*wonders if any of my selections will get more than one other vote* Ah, why do I even bother . . .