Not everyanimethat has aged needs a remake. Some shows have been able tostand the test of timeand remain at the pinnacle of the art form even decades after their initial premiere. On the same note, a remake does not need to be a replacement. In fact, it would be a disservice to the creators of a series to have an updated version of their work replace the original entirely. Remakes and reboots work bestwhen intended to be companion pieces to the original work, and are enjoyed as such alongside other entries in a franchise.
However, in some cases, there are anime series that would benefit greatly from being revisited. Whether plagued by subpar visuals or a non-cohesive, rushed narrative, or for simply having failed the test of time, anime can suffer from countless issues that would call for a reboot years down the line. Though, in some rare cases,there are also shows that could use a modern update almost immediately after airing.
It’s likely thanks to an incredible final act and a few high-quality films that many seem to have forgottenhow disastrousDragon Ball Superwas during its first half. Inconsistent artwork and subpar animation defined the series until the final episodes of the Goku Black Arc, after which there was a noticeable increase in quality. However, before then, and especially during theBattle of GodsandResurrection: ‘F’sections of the anime, the visual quality of the series was horribly poor, even for the timeDragon Ball Superwas airing.
It’s well-known thatproduction issues and a lack of time led to many of the anime’s problems, and a remake that awards Toei’s staff ample time and resources would do wonders forDragon Ball Super. The recently completedDragon Ball Daimashowcased justwhat the franchise can look like with modern visuals, packing detailed art and fluid animation into every fight scene. The only thing that might keep fans from wanting a remake ofDragon Ball Superwould be a stronger desire for a remake of the originalDragon Ballanime series.
6The Flowers of Evil
Produced by Zexcs (2013)
2013’sThe Flowers of Evilis based on the breakout hit manga byhorror master Shuzo Oshimi, and that’s precisely where the show’s problems stem from. The first ever anime series to be produced exclusively using rotoscoping, the show’s visual style is ambitious and incredibly striking, and the product of a bold artistic decision by those overseeing the project. It isn’t that the visuals are inherently bad in any way, but they ultimatelyfail to capture much of what madeThe Flowers of Evilsuch a special manga.
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Shuzo Oshimi, unlike manga’s other master of horror, Junji Ito, employs horror elements that areheavily psychological and often subdued. What can make or break a tension-building moment or horrifying page turn is the simple uncanny or distorted expression on a character’s face. The anime’s rotoscope animation, which causes a lack of finer details in its characters’ faces, fails to capture the subtler moments of horror that define Oshimi’s works.The Flowers of Evilis a fine series, but its source material deserves a more traditional adaptation.
5Wonder Egg Priority
Produced by CloverWorks (2021)
Wonder Egg Priorityis a somewhat tragic case of a show just going wrong. Premiering to mass fanfare in 2021, it seemed the anime was primed to become one of those special 13-episode series that’s remembered fondly for years following its conclusion. Directed by Shin Wakabayashi, who previously lent his talents toAttack on Titan’s first season, alongside Yuta Yamazaki, who has directed shows likeThe Elusive Samurai,My Dress-Up Darling, andLaid-Back Camp, the series impressed with its outstanding visuals and promising premise.
That is, until it could suddenly no longer stop itself from falling off a steep cliff.Wonder Egg Priority’s once highly-impressive visuals began to lose their luster, pacing issues plagued the show’s second half, and the ongoing narrative seemingly stumbled more often than anyone would have liked. It turns out the series' production team was severely understaffed, and its few animators had burnt themselves out by the halfway mark of the season. Episodes were often finished hours before they aired, and the failure to complete production on episode #8 led to the airing of a recap episode in its place.
Despite all its issues,many still rememberWonder Egg Priorityfondly, and a reboot that makes use of the necessary time and resources might just help to deliver that special experience viewers once thought they were in for.
Though it wrapped up only months ago, 2024’sUzumakianime adaptation wasa heartbreaking experience for fans of Junji Ito’s magnum opus. Many have tried, but no anime series has quite been able to recreate the horror master’s grotesque scares. However, in 2019, an anime adaptation ofUzumakiwas announced which promised to do just that. Set to feature black-and-white visuals and artwork that closely mirrored the original source material, it seemed fans might finally be able to enjoy a high-quality adaptation of Junji Ito’s work.
The first episode premiered and was met with universal acclaim, and thenthe subsequent second, third, and fourth episodes were not. It’s well-known thatUzumakiwas plagued by production issues, and its consistent delays before premiering were red flags that should have warned fans of what was to come. Following the series' first episode, production was passed around to several sets of hands,resulting in an adaptation which was largely unfinished.
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The Uzumaki anime adaptation suffered from bad animation and rushed pacing, yet it revealed Junji Ito’s works can be animated successfully.
It’s likely pressure from higher-ups to complete and air the series in much too small a time-frame, along with budgetary issues, caused the anime to flame out after just one episode. If a studio were willing to take the risk and pick the series back up,and actually supply its production team with the time and resources needed, fans might finally be able to experience a proper adaptation of Junji Ito’s work.
One of the most infamous anime series in history,Berserk2016 took on the Herculean task of adapting Kentaro Miura’s epic, masterpiece manga series. Prior adaptations, such as the fan-favorite 1997Berserkanime, as well as the trio of films released in the early 2010s, all covered the manga’s Golden Age Arc, leaving fans desperate for an anime continuation that dove further into the story. 2016’sBerserkpromised to do just that,but not in a way anyone really wanted it to be done.
Shockingly unpleasant visuals, strange audio direction, and a rather masterful soundtrack were employed to adapt one of the most successful andvisually impressive manga series in history. If fans ofBerserkdoubted the chances of the series receiving a proper adaptation past the Golden Age, the 2016 anime all but took their hopesand buried them deep below the surface of the Earth. It would be difficult to blame a studio for hesitating to pick up the series in the future, given the backlashBerserkreceived. However, both fans and Miura’s series are deserving of a 2016 anime do-over.
There’s quite a bit to like aboutThe Promised Neverland’s first season. The shocking reveal of the world in which the story takes place, the subsequent cat and mouse chase between the orphans and Isabella, and the eventual cathartic escape during the finale are just some of the highlights of the anime’s impressive initial run. Unfortunately,The Promised Neverlandjust couldn’t quite make it to the finish line unscathed.
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The omission of one of the manga’s most important arcs, overall rushed pacing, and a series finale that couldn’t compare to the ending of its previous season all contributed toThe Promised Neverlandending with a whimper. After gaining immense popularity during its first go around, many viewers havechosen to forget the second season ever existed, while others continue to call for a remake in the vein ofFullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood.The Promised Neverland’s original manga is still enjoyed by many, anda more faithful adaptation of its final arcs would be highly appreciated by fans.
Tokyo Ghoulacted as countless fans' introduction to anime during the mid-2010s. Its first season was incredibly well-received by both new viewers and fans of Sui Ishida’s original manga series,and seemed destined to achieve ‘classic’ status upon reaching its conclusion. However, when the anime’s second season got underway, fans were shocked by what they were witnessing. Instead of a faithful continuation, viewers were met with an ending that couldn’t fully commit one way or another to telling an original story or following the source material.
What resulted was a largely incoherent continuation of what was already a beloved manga series and an incredibly popular anime. Unlike other shows which have strayed from the events of their source material,theTokyo Ghoulmanga was already completed, yet Pierrot decided to move ahead with an anime original second season anyway. The decision continues to puzzle fans to this day, andcalls for a remake are louda decade on from the anime’s conclusion.
While other anime have failed due to production issues or running out of source material to adapt, Pierrot’s decision to ignore the manga they were adapting makesTokyo Ghoulthe most deserving of a modern, faithful anime remake.
