Every anime fan hopes for a satisfying finish to their favorite ongoing series. An excellent anime finale is always worth the wait, no matter how long it takes for seasonal series to end their runs or how long it takes if the source material isn’t complete. Not every series, though, even has a decent ending; some are either abandoned after the first season or hurriedly wrapped up while the manga is still serializing.
The most tragic instances of anime series being abruptly cancelled occur when the tale begins on a really great note. These shows fade from view after adapting only a little portion of a vast story with infinite potential, leaving viewers yearning in vain for more. Fans might never get to watch the end of these shows, no matter how compelling the beginning was.
Pandora Hearts
The first few chapters of Pandora Hearts are filled with intriguing secrets and intrigues. Young aristocratic heir Oz Vessalius, the main character, is sent to the odd parallel world known as the Abyss for a sin he can’t recall committing. Years later, after making his getaway, Oz searches for the answers that the audience would never find.
When the anime adaptation of the manga Pandora Hearts was created, it chose an abrupt anime-only finish rather than segmenting the plot across several seasons. The captivating storylines from the manga were abandoned, and neither a genuine sequel nor a faithful relaunch were ever given to the show.
The Twelve Kingdoms
The Twelve Kingdoms is an incredibly intricate, diverse isekai fantasy from a bygone era that follows the journeys of three Earth-based students on the run across a magnificent, magical universe. The Twelve Kingdoms, a 2002 film based on a series of fantasy novels from the 1990s, has a terrific opening that introduces the varied, well-developed world.
Every spectator was excited to travel to the land of the twelve kingdoms with Yoko Nakajima and her friends. Fans were sadly only ever given the chance to scratch the surface because the anime only adapts the first four volumes, despite having a very satisfactory ending.
Yuri!!! On ICE
Yuri!!! on ICE, the 2016 ice skating sports anime blockbuster, swept the nation. The series’ gorgeous animation, endearing characters, and subtly significant LGBTQ+ representation confused viewers who had never before been into sports anime. Yuri!!! on ICE exceeded all expectations for an anime original without a fanbase to rely on in the source material.
The program was filled with emotion in every element, which contributed to its enormous popularity. The movie Yuri on Ice: Ice Adolescence was announced in 2017. Fans worried that Yuri!!! on ICE would be canceled as a result of the production’s regrettable extended delay. Although the absence of an official pronouncement provides the neighborhood some hope, it gets weaker with each passing year.
Drifters
Drifters is an isekai epic by Hellsing creator Kouta Hirano that is equally bloody and brutal as the mangaka’s well-known cult favorite. A collection of historical individuals from various ages and continents are followed as they battle for the survival of a fantasy planet.
With superb production value and Hirano’s gift for exploding, dark storytelling, Drifters’ anime adaptation was immediately puzzling. Nevertheless, it had a difficult time, only publishing 12 episodes and 6 OVAs between 2016 and 2018. Although there has been no official announcement on Drifters’ cancellation, it is safe to presume that the program won’t be making a quick comeback.
Chrome Shelled Regios
Chrome Shelled Regios, a post-apocalyptic action epic set in a mobile academic metropolis under attack from mutated nano-beasts, first enthralled spectators with its sheer ambition. This obscure anime series from the late 2000s had far too many intriguing components for it to stop after the first season, including alternate reality twists and one of anime’s most inventive uses of a school setting.
Sadly, the show quickly ended without resolving the majority of its riddles. Even though the light novel series on which Chrome Shelled Regios was based came to an end in 2013, the brand has yet to be revived.
Deadman Wonderland
Ganta from Deadman Wonderland is transported to the titular jail after being falsely accused of the crime he doesn’t remember committing. There, he begins a survival game against the most vicious convicts. A concept like this has all the makings of a hit, and if the manga’s artistic direction is any indication, Deadman Wonderland might have easily become a cult favorite.
Unfortunately, the most exciting sections of Deadman Wonderland’s tale are no longer available to anime viewers because the show was abruptly cancelled after adapting only five volumes of the original material. Furthermore, even the components that were modified hastily, resulting in a disorganized, unfocused final product.
Ouran High School Host Club
Ouran High School Host Club gained a fervent following despite only having one season. 15 years after its debut, it is still the most popular and significant reverse harem shojo series. Ouran High School Host Club’s compelling start is a simple explanation for the show’s standing as a cult classic.
The host club at Haruhi Fujioka’s exclusive school is immediately captivating, brimming with offbeat humor, intriguing dialogue, and the promise of a tender romance. No sequel to Ouran High School Host Club was produced, despite the first season’s reputation. However, it doesn’t stop the fans from persistently spreading speculations about the legendary series’ impending return.
Btooom!
The action-packed survival thriller Btooom! is based on the real-life recreation of the online computer game of the same name, which forces the best players to fight in life-or-death combat rather than sheltering behind a screen. Btooom! was published while the manga was still being written, and because of its dismal sales, there was little chance of it being continued.
In similar situations, other shows frequently decide to craft an anime-specific conclusion. For better or worse, Btooom! didn’t go that way and instead left the audience with a depressing cliffhanger.
Baccano!
Baccano!, Ryohgo Narita’s first anime series, didn’t have as much popularity with its anime adaption as Durarara!! had. As every admirer of Narita’s work is aware, his works always have grandiose premise but really shine at the climax. The quirky array of gangsters, mafiosos, eternal assassins, and other out-of-the-ordinary characters in Baccano! is no exception.
The anime couldn’t fully convey the virtues of the original novels’ plot in just 16 episodes due to how complicated it was. Nevertheless, despite how much Baccano! fans wished for a sequel, both the anime and the novel series are still unfinished.
No Game No Life
No Game No Life is the renowned one-season wonder of isekai anime, and is arguably the most disappointing cancellation of them all. The 2014 release of the series cemented its position as something distinct from its contemporaries. It emphasized the intelligence and strategic skill of its isekai heroes rather than repetitive combat and simple power scaling.
The innovative premise and worldbuilding of No Game No Life won over innumerable fans in just 12 episodes, but the series ended just as things were about to heat up. No Game No Life: Zero, a prequel film, was released in 2017. Fans were disappointed because it had nothing to do with Sora and Shiro’s experiences.