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Many anime shows tried to be as popular as One Piece. But they failed because of weak stories, bad animation, or poor characters. In the end, people forgot about them.
One Piece isn't just an anime; it's a cultural phenomenon. Its blend of adventure, humor, and heartfelt moments has set a high bar for storytelling. Over the years, several anime have attempted to capture that same magic, only to fade into obscurity. Here's a look at 10 such series.
Created by Nobuhiro Watsuki, the mind behind Rurouni Kenshin, Gun Blaze West aimed to blend Western motifs with traditional shonen elements. Despite its unique premise and Watsuki's pedigree, the series struggled with pacing issues and a lacklustre plot, leading to its premature cancellation after just three volumes. Critics noted its uninspired storytelling and unremarkable character development, making it a brief and forgettable endeavour.
This anime was based on a story by Monkey Punch, the creator of Lupin III. It tried to combine samurai tales with science fiction. However, the animation quality was poor, and the story didn’t make sense. Because of these problems, it quickly became unpopular.
Victory Gundam was part of the famous Mobile Suit Gundam series. It was meant to bring new life to the Gundam world. Instead, it became known for its very dark story and the high number of character deaths. Fans didn’t like the tone, and the series didn’t sell many toys or merchandise. Over time, it was mostly forgotten.
This anime was based on Nintendo's F-Zero video games and aimed to introduce Captain Falcon to a new audience. While it had fast racing action, it didn’t capture the excitement of the games. Fans didn’t like it, and the anime was cancelled. It was one of Nintendo’s few failed adaptations of their popular franchises.
This anime took place in a world where warships had their own minds and fought for control. It mixed naval warfare with science fiction. While some people liked it, others didn’t because the story moved too slowly and the characters weren’t well-developed. The use of CGI animation also turned off many viewers, making it hard for the show to reach a bigger audience.
An alternate Edo period mecha anime, Dai-Shogun intended to mix historical settings with advanced technology. Though it was an interesting premise, the show suffered from a lack of substantial plot and inadequately developed characters. The project's reboot planning did not reach its Kickstarter goal, which resulted in the indefinite delay and ultimate death of the project due to forgetting.
Targeting children, Zatch Bell! had supernatural fights between childish demons and human allies. Though popular at the start and with a high episode number, the series did not have a clear ending and suffered from poor storytelling consistency. Its inability to keep a solid narrative chain caused it to lose popularity in the long run.
Flame of Recca trailed a young boy who possessed flame-controlling powers, going on an adventure that was full of supernatural fights. Although it compared to early Dragon Ball in its fight scenes, the series was cut short at 42 episodes, with most of the storylines left untold. Its early termination and failure to wrap up the stories denied it sustained success.
Meant to be a futuristic sci-fi action series, EX-ARM was criticized for its poor animation quality and nonsensical plot. The series' heavy use of aged CGI and weak storytelling made it the subject of ridicule and tarnished the reputation of its creators. Its lack of appeal among audiences made it a cautionary tale in anime production.
Initially a light-hearted comedy about a boy training to be a mafia boss, Katekyo Hitman Reborn! shifted to a more serious tone with supernatural battles. Despite its unique premise and character development, the series struggled to maintain consistent quality and failed to achieve the same level of popularity as other long-running shonen anime. Its inconsistent tone and pacing issues led to its decline in prominence.
These anime all tried to be as great as One Piece, but they couldn’t keep up. Each had big ideas, but problems with story, characters, or production caused them to fade away. Their failure shows how hard it is to make a long-lasting anime in such a fast-moving and competitive world.
