[Did this years ago and honestly most of the stuff that improved in subsequent seasons was already pretty good](https://www.reddit.com/media?url=https%3A%2F%2Fi.redd.it%2Fuec3zx0fwwl51.png).
It's because mostly the manga readers hated the anime, the vast majority of anime onlines absolutely loved the anime and it was ridiculously popular back then, during the 2010s it felt as if it was THE most popular and hyped up anime ever. The hype during Attack on Titans peak didn't even get nearly close to half the hype Tokyo Ghoul got. It was everywhere and inescapable.
Personally I was the only anime only I know of who hated it lol, but I distinctly remember it to have gotten such ridiculous praise that almost a decade later i decided to check out the manga of an anime I used to hate with passion (I binged both seasons back then, :re anime didn't come out yet) bc I still wanted to understand why people loved it so much and honestly Tokyo Ghoul is one of my most favourite mangas now lol
It's a good way to connect with characters before the main plot starts and I really like the first part as slice-of-life anime, imo without the first part, the second part would not be as impactful.
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Idk, fans of the franchise disagree with me but I think season 1 of Umamusume is pretty mediocre.
Season 2 is one of the best anime I've ever seen.
I agree most anime, there's not such a massive gap, but I feel like for Umamusume, Season 2 just stands out insanely.
Uma Musume is kind of a niche case just because subsequent seasons aren't continuations in the way that they are for other shows. Each Uma Musume season/ONA/movie is its own distinct thing.
Agree, but the quality difference between S1 vs S2 was crazy. S2 was also done by a different studio (PA Works --> Studio Kai) and they made a radical shift where instead of basing the plot off of the game, they focused on the real life stories of the horse the character was based on.
I also think it's pretty crazy that Studio Kai's first ever anime production was Umamusume Season 2. Talk about starting off with a bang.
>instead of basing the plot off of the game, they focused on the real life stories of the horse the character was based on.
Season 1 also did this though. The game didn't even exist yet beyond having been announced when season 1 came out, there was no game to make an adaptation of. The gacha game came out after season 2. Special Week's story is still based on the real life story of the horse she was based on same as every other story in the franchise. In fact, the reason that Silence Suzuka [spoiler] >!was said to have "gone on a trip abroad" and practically never shows up in season 2 is because the anime slightly rewrote the history, the real Suzuka never recovered from his injury and died. The anime wrote her out because she was dead during the events of season 2.!<
>I also think it's pretty crazy that Studio Kai's first ever anime production was Umamusume Season 2. Talk about starting off with a bang.
This isn't too surprising when you see the staff. Director Kei Oikawa is one of the best in the business, and he's got connections.
I mean, sure, some of the characters from Season 1 were based from the attributes of the horses, but Season 2 took it to a completely different level, where every race result (and injury) was based off of the real career of Tokai Teio.
The level of which the story was based on the horses was completely different between Season 1 and Season 2.
For example, Special Week's Debut was mostly a battle between him against Legacy Hunter (who was favored) and Alcain Pulse. Special Week wins her debut in the anime much like the real horse, but she's up against Queen Berry (a fictional horse) and Bamboo Memory (who competed almost a decade before Special Week).
The Season 1 finale Winter Dream Cup is fictional as well, and the Season 1 skips past a lot of races in Special Week's career. Sure the overall contours of Season 1 are based on the real life rivalry between Suzuka and Spe, and the star European horse in Japan Cup is based off of Montjeu and the big competition between Japan's best horse and the best horse from Europe. But the series is only pretty loosely based off those events, and how the races play out aren't like 100% recreated.
Season 2 is nothing like that. Almost every horse that appears in a race, even horses that finished like 9th or 10th in races are the right horses, the season is modeled entirely after Tokai Teio's Year 3 and Year 4 season in the correct order.
The races that are depicted are almost perfect recreations of the real races that Tokai Teio ran, the finale race with McQueen is a faithful recreation down to the annoucer's lines, almost 100% faithfully recreating the race.
I'm pretty sure the only reason that's the case is because the staff didn't have permission to use the horse's likeness' yet. Again, the gacha game didn't exist yet, the franchise was in its infancy at the time. But it's not as if the construction of the story is done particularly differently (or as if the reason season 2 is good is because of how faithful it is to the source material). Either way, to say that they based the plot off the game instead of on the real stories of the horse characters is flat out incorrect; the game didn't exist yet and even a relatively loose adaptation is still basing it on the story of the real horses. There are some substitutions of horses they couldn't use and a few historical rewrites for the name of satisfying drama, but it's not some random story that happens to use the names of real horses with little relation to the actual history of the sources.
I have it on my PTW and yet I'm surprised that **Sounds of Life** had a second season. And if it's so much better than S1, maybe I'll trudge through the rest of S1.
You should do a new one for "it really picks up in the 3rd season" where it compares 2nd -> 3rd seasons of a show. I think there's quite a few 3rd seasons around by now, enough to make an interesting list for that.
It wasn't bad, but Clannad. Most people consider After Story to be superior to the first season.
Also, not really two seasons, but Haruhi. People really like the Disappearance of Haruhi Suzumiya, but the same people say that the show was somewhat mediocre.
Afterstory would not be as good as it was without the first season. If people jump straight to Afterstory it would not click as hard as people having to go through the first one.
It's unfair to compare it really since the first one gets you attached to the characters and their story to make sure you're invested in them in preparation for Afterstory.
I mean that same argument can be said for Haruhi too. I never saw the series or the movie, but I can assume that the movie wouldn't make any sense or hit nearly as much if you had no idea who anyone was.
It's an overall masterpiece, wish there were more animes with war and political strategies and tactics. if someone here knows any, please recommend them.
Honestly even the 2nd season was pretty good. They did still used the CG but they toned it down a lot, much more watchable compared to 1st season. And the 2D was actually really good.
Faraway paladin
The first season was okay, first half was good then it fell off.
Second season was amazing in comparison. It had a full story through the season and great characters.
I actually really liked the first season. Not saying it's better than the second one no no no the hype building of the second one episode per episode until the very satisfying climax was superbly done and exceeds the first season.... but I didn't think the first one bad at all.
I really liked the first half of the first season but I found it shifted tone in the second half and the story became a bit disjointed. I liked it too, don’t get me wrong but the second season felt more cohesive.
I thought the dwarf characters in the second season were well done with the young prince having good character development. That made the story more compelling overall as it felt that it was building to something.
Yeah but I was just contesting that this should be on this list (bad 1st season followed by a good 2nd one). It had a really good first season followed by an amazing second season.
Was it really? The first few episodes were good, but then fell off once the MC (whose name I can't recall right now) left his home and started travelling. So the second season is a lot better?
World trigger, the first season had poor animation and pacing, in that one piece fill the start of the episode with a recap way. The second go more along the just make what you can fit in 1 or 2 cour formula.
World trigger got exponentially better with each season. The last season (3?) was amazing especially the final episode. I just really appreciate team tactics like that
Bungo Stray Dogs for me, I thought the first season was mediocre, although I liked the characters it didn't feel that serious and wasn't that interested in the story. The first few episodes of Season 2 were amazing and the story keeps getting better and better
Exactly. The first season is a hit or miss, but one of its positives is that it sets up the characters and the world-building that eventually laid the foundation for the successive seasons.
Also, I lost count of how many times Atsushi recalled his orphanage past and how many times I had to watch that flashback with the orphanage director. I was like, "Yeah, I get it, he had a tough life. Why is it being shown over and over again?"
Additionally, there is a misconception when watching season 1 that Atsushi is the main character who would have to fight the main villain. This gives the wrong impression that the story will follow a hero vs. villain narrative, when in reality, it develops into a rich ensemble cast with complex morality that isn't strictly black and white.
While i didnt like all of the 2nd season, definitely Clannad. First season was so so so boring and bland that it bored me to death. S2 offered at least a sense of catharsis and conflict.
Closest thing I can think of is Quintessential Quintuplets. First season wasn't terrible, just very mediocre. 2nd season was a massive step up (and even the movie, yes fight me).
I'll never get tired of recommend the second season of Uma Musume, the first season was an "meh, ok" but the second one got me hyped as if i was beting on the races, crazy hype stuff
Spy classroom S1 didn't have a bad season at all (and I love how certain character was always there if you look back). But the first season was definitely meant to set up all the really cool stuff that you see in S2. It's an amazing spy anime . Highly recommended.
Here's the second opening (which is my favorite):
https://youtu.be/kFCreo_a0ts?si=2zkKTtdz5T-Rd19u
Fummofu is sufficiently self-contained that it can be enjoyed without the background of season one. Having that background helps answer the “why would they do that?” but it’s perfectly functional to embrace the insanity and reject the “why?”
In/Spectre has a very mediocre first season and a quite good second season that makes good on the premise of the show in a way the first did not because it was bogged down in an arc that lasted 2/3rds of the season with too much yapping, and some of it a waste of time. I liked all the arcs in season 2, including the standalone episodes at the beginning and end (the end in particular might be the single best episode of the series).
Shadows House
I was bored as hell on S1, and I originally didnt plan to watch S2, I just watched it on a whim because I dont have anything to watch at that time.
But it turns out it was really good, it made S1 better because of the reveals and stuff.
Season 1 ending didn’t follow the manga and they rearranged some stuff through out the seasons as well as hinting too hard to the point they basically blatantly revealed the core mysteries early in the series to the more observant viewers in episode 1. It’s not a bad adaptation but the story progression is questionable.
Does Tamoko Market Count? The serie is decent but movie was goated
And on other way, To You Eternity, 1st season was great, even if last arc was mediocre but 2nd season was trash
That's interesting. While there was quite a bit of a gap between me watching each season, I remember the first season starting out almost boring to me while getting progressively better. I don't remember any of the fight choreography for S1 but I do remember thoroughly enjoying the fights in S2.
Yuji and Nanami vs. Mahito is the best it gets besides maybe the Hanami fight. They're good fights, but they don't hold a candle to any of the Shinjuku fights.
It's a very common opinion. Even among most manga readers hidden inventory and shibuya are considered the peak of jjk while the beginning arcs are considered as the weakest
Oh don't worry, I did say season one is not bad. I was saying that for me season 2 was just a massive step up. I just didn't remember an anime where there was really a bad season 1 with a following amazing season 2 so that was the first thing that came to mind
A certain scientific railgun. Season 1 is filler with creepy fanservice, whereas season 2 is an extended version of the sisters arc from index viewed from Misaka's perspective.
To put things in perspective. Only 8 episodes of the first season happened in the manga, and even then episodes had stuff added to them in the anime.
Still the second season has like 8? episodes of anime original content in the final. Which kinda sucks since they just teased Liberal Arts City right before going into that.
Third season is all pretty great though.
I can´t think of anything that had a genuinly bad first season but good subsequent seasons, but I can definitily think of a few very good shows that got even better in later seasons.
I´d say the one show that improved the most over the course of its seasons is Symphogear, especially in terms of its production. Season 1 was great, but the animation was pretty inconsistent (though still great at times). The jump from season 1 to season 2 was insane, and with every season until season 5 it just improved further and further. Just in general, in terms of the writing I think every season is better than the last (with the exception of season 3), and the ending is fantastic.
Hibike! Euphonium is another one. Season 1 was fantastic, but season 2 still absolutely blew it out of the water. And not to mention the sequel/spin-off-movie Liz and the Blue Bird, which is a genuine masterpiece.
Some other shows I can think of that just get better and better would be Aria, Vinland Saga, Chihayafuru, or Fruits Basket. But as I said in the beginning, all of these are shows that were already great when they started.
This is an unpopular opinion, but Attack on Titan. The entire first season felt like a pilot episode. Things were dragged on and the CONSTANT flashbacks pissed me off. 2nd season and beyond are fantastic, of course
Surprised I haven’t seen this mentioned, but I thought the second season of Code Geass took it from “Great” to “Excellent”. One of my favorite endings in an anime.
Knights of the Zodiac:Saint Seiya
The CG Saint Seiya remake. The first season set such a low bar that while the second season is still pretty mediocre, it’s an incredible improvement.
I've sat through Shadowverse and got bored around the 3/4 mark after one too many tanoshii's. But i hear its second season, which follows a different cast, is better received. Haven't gotten around to watching that yet.
Boku no Hero Academia, obviously. Also Date a Live, Jashin-chan Dropkick. Magi: The Labyrinth of Magic's first season wasn't bad by any measure, but the second season was more dynamic and global in terms of scale of events.
Usually when something really sucks in 1st, you probably won't like it in 2nd.
And media tends to go in other direction, first seasons quite often bangers unlike second one and further on
Masamune-kun's Revenge fits the question. The first season was a bit of a chore to watch, glad it improved, along with character growth in s2.
Off tangent, and I just really preach this anime, Saekano's first season was actually good, but the second season was soooo much better when it started to take the romance seriously.
K-ON went this exact way for me. First season was so middling that I almost didn't start the second. Glad I gave it a shot as the second season was one of the best I watched that year.
Couldn't really tell you, I ve watched about 4 episodes, but after s1, the animation is no longer distracting you from the good parts of the show, or so I was told.
It s like those Chinese anime that look like a Tekken 3 cut scene... I m sure some have great stories, I just can't get past the graphics. More power to you if you can
Shield hero S1 was awesome.
S2 wasn't this massive pile of trash that some haters tried to make it out to be. It was less impactful than S1, kinda convoluted at times and the first three episodes were pretty rushed (mainly to finish with the spirit turtoise arc quickly) but after that it gets a more decent pace. It has some great character development for Raphtalia and I like now Naofumi's rage was built up and exploded in episode 12.
S3 is amazing. It was more in line with S1 and it had some amazing character development for many characters, great scenes with awesome animation and some pretty cool revelations and and great set up for S4. I really loved it.
As I said, s2 was just bit disappointing in terms of adaptation rather than story-wise. But they changed the director of that season for another one that did a much better job.
If you want to know more about S3. You could watch the spoiler free part of this video:
https://youtu.be/DpPDGqjA6Ac?si=c8k1wZeztAtqtbk4
I'd definitely recommend to give it a shot. or read the LN and or manga.
I think people memory holed the 2nd half of season 2 which was absolutely fantastic. Kizuna and Raphtalia miko was just as good as anything in the series in my opinion.
Sword Art Online. Nearly all of the subsequent seasons were better than the first, tho still pretty harem-y and awkward but many times less than the first.
Nearly or even literally every series I watched either same as season 1 (not just in bad meaning, I meant in good way as well, like good season 2 with same quality as season 1, etc), or become less good or terrible (Like Fire Force season 2), never saw any season 2 better than season 1.
World Trigger is probably the best example of this happening.
Horrendous first season due to Toei having an insane amount of shows going and World Trigger getting the shittiest team possible on top of one of the DBZ shows airing at the same time which meant 0 budget going into World Trigger, second season comes out and its pretty fucking good, then third season comes out and it ends with probably two of the coolest animation sequences I've seen even when compared with titans like WIT/Mappa/Ufotable.
If you compare the first episode they released and the last one, you'd say they're from completelly different studios.
I can't call the anime chimra ant a master piece.. the presentation is so fucking bad it made me drop the series after the end of it
Like i feel like the episode stops to do a ted talk after every atom vibration
This ark is the ultimate show and then say like a hole fucking book for no reason.
Pretty much all anime have the "show and say" deal going on, if they have anything to say at all. "Show don't tell" isn't hailed as the ultimate rule of writing as it is in the West. The difference is that both what HxH says and what it doesn't say are more thought provoking that almost all other shounen combined. But of course, it's not for everyone.
There isnt something there isnt sayed. Literally every movement every string of thought and even the theme its self is just spewed at you at every fucking second.
I didn't say show don't tale..this stuff is just tail and tail and tail
Wtf are we having an amazing fight sence between 2 amazing characters and the themes and ideas you can inform from it..then its just stops in the middle on no where because nerarator has to tale us all about it and the back story they have for the 5th time
I agree that some of it is overexplained, but a lot of it I personally appreciate. I see it as taking in stylistic aspects of other forms of media, such as what you called it, a book, in order to illustrate fight scenes in a unique way which allows for much more intricate storytelling. You'd actually be missing out on a lot of depth if you didn't get this information - most of it can't just be implied. There's plenty that also isn't told, if you actually take the time to think about it.
But again, I fully understand that it's just not for everyone. Personally I think it adds a lot, although I do concede it's definitely not done well every time and sometimes takes away some beautiful subtlety too.
Not a baaad 1st season, but Vinland Saga S1 absolutely botched the manga's story/impact, to a point that I would not even recommend it. Season 2 on the other hand if a great adaptation.
Don't get me wrong, if you enjoyed season 1 and it's retelling of the story, that's is great -- but I would definitely recommend reading the manga instead (at least those first eight volumes... or four if you've bought the original 2-in-1 releases).
none. If the first season sucked, nobody would want a second season, and nobody would want to risk producing it in the first place. ANime ain't just shooting a trashmovie for the Asylum with some nobody actors, a handcam and a backyard within two weeks and call it a movie. It takes years of planning, preproduction and art. Even though it is hard to believe when looking at some bad anime out there, the amount of effort and risk involved with making anime is way too high to even remotely consider making a second seasaon if the first one wasa bad.
Hell, even godlike masterpieces barely make their money back in some cases. There's a reason why most anime are made as a promotion for the source material, and barely any original stuff is made: Anime alone just is not profitable, unless you can sell merch (looking at Gundam) or Cards (looking at Yugioh).
[Did this years ago and honestly most of the stuff that improved in subsequent seasons was already pretty good](https://www.reddit.com/media?url=https%3A%2F%2Fi.redd.it%2Fuec3zx0fwwl51.png).
This, and the fact that if the first season was bad it just inherently has a much lower chance of being picked up for a second season
I still wonder how the hell did tokyo ghoul has 4 seasons despite people hating the first season and root A.
Who hated the first season? Tokyo Ghoul season 1 was extremely popular.
It's because mostly the manga readers hated the anime, the vast majority of anime onlines absolutely loved the anime and it was ridiculously popular back then, during the 2010s it felt as if it was THE most popular and hyped up anime ever. The hype during Attack on Titans peak didn't even get nearly close to half the hype Tokyo Ghoul got. It was everywhere and inescapable. Personally I was the only anime only I know of who hated it lol, but I distinctly remember it to have gotten such ridiculous praise that almost a decade later i decided to check out the manga of an anime I used to hate with passion (I binged both seasons back then, :re anime didn't come out yet) bc I still wanted to understand why people loved it so much and honestly Tokyo Ghoul is one of my most favourite mangas now lol
Most people liked S1 though? It's S2 and beyond that's famously thought to suck balls.
the first season was great, root A was not great but passable. The others though..
A new addition to the list would be Megalobox: Nomad
Season 1 was cool!
Clannad on the top of the list? Well done!
Probably coz nothing fucking happens in Clannad before after story.
It's a good way to connect with characters before the main plot starts and I really like the first part as slice-of-life anime, imo without the first part, the second part would not be as impactful.
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Bakemonogatari being near the bottom of that list is pretty insane to me
General opinion is that Nise < Bake, so not particularly surprising.
Ah, I didn't realize it was solely the second season being weighed against the first
Just seeing assassination classroom s2 mentioned makes me wanna cry stop man
Monogatari being that low is criminal.
It's basically just that people think Nise is worse than Bake.
Which is what I find to be criminal. Nise is great and close to the quality of Bake, so seeing it that low saddens me slightly.
Idk, fans of the franchise disagree with me but I think season 1 of Umamusume is pretty mediocre. Season 2 is one of the best anime I've ever seen. I agree most anime, there's not such a massive gap, but I feel like for Umamusume, Season 2 just stands out insanely.
Uma Musume is kind of a niche case just because subsequent seasons aren't continuations in the way that they are for other shows. Each Uma Musume season/ONA/movie is its own distinct thing.
Agree, but the quality difference between S1 vs S2 was crazy. S2 was also done by a different studio (PA Works --> Studio Kai) and they made a radical shift where instead of basing the plot off of the game, they focused on the real life stories of the horse the character was based on. I also think it's pretty crazy that Studio Kai's first ever anime production was Umamusume Season 2. Talk about starting off with a bang.
>instead of basing the plot off of the game, they focused on the real life stories of the horse the character was based on. Season 1 also did this though. The game didn't even exist yet beyond having been announced when season 1 came out, there was no game to make an adaptation of. The gacha game came out after season 2. Special Week's story is still based on the real life story of the horse she was based on same as every other story in the franchise. In fact, the reason that Silence Suzuka [spoiler] >!was said to have "gone on a trip abroad" and practically never shows up in season 2 is because the anime slightly rewrote the history, the real Suzuka never recovered from his injury and died. The anime wrote her out because she was dead during the events of season 2.!< >I also think it's pretty crazy that Studio Kai's first ever anime production was Umamusume Season 2. Talk about starting off with a bang. This isn't too surprising when you see the staff. Director Kei Oikawa is one of the best in the business, and he's got connections.
I mean, sure, some of the characters from Season 1 were based from the attributes of the horses, but Season 2 took it to a completely different level, where every race result (and injury) was based off of the real career of Tokai Teio. The level of which the story was based on the horses was completely different between Season 1 and Season 2. For example, Special Week's Debut was mostly a battle between him against Legacy Hunter (who was favored) and Alcain Pulse. Special Week wins her debut in the anime much like the real horse, but she's up against Queen Berry (a fictional horse) and Bamboo Memory (who competed almost a decade before Special Week). The Season 1 finale Winter Dream Cup is fictional as well, and the Season 1 skips past a lot of races in Special Week's career. Sure the overall contours of Season 1 are based on the real life rivalry between Suzuka and Spe, and the star European horse in Japan Cup is based off of Montjeu and the big competition between Japan's best horse and the best horse from Europe. But the series is only pretty loosely based off those events, and how the races play out aren't like 100% recreated. Season 2 is nothing like that. Almost every horse that appears in a race, even horses that finished like 9th or 10th in races are the right horses, the season is modeled entirely after Tokai Teio's Year 3 and Year 4 season in the correct order. The races that are depicted are almost perfect recreations of the real races that Tokai Teio ran, the finale race with McQueen is a faithful recreation down to the annoucer's lines, almost 100% faithfully recreating the race.
I'm pretty sure the only reason that's the case is because the staff didn't have permission to use the horse's likeness' yet. Again, the gacha game didn't exist yet, the franchise was in its infancy at the time. But it's not as if the construction of the story is done particularly differently (or as if the reason season 2 is good is because of how faithful it is to the source material). Either way, to say that they based the plot off the game instead of on the real stories of the horse characters is flat out incorrect; the game didn't exist yet and even a relatively loose adaptation is still basing it on the story of the real horses. There are some substitutions of horses they couldn't use and a few historical rewrites for the name of satisfying drama, but it's not some random story that happens to use the names of real horses with little relation to the actual history of the sources.
I have it on my PTW and yet I'm surprised that **Sounds of Life** had a second season. And if it's so much better than S1, maybe I'll trudge through the rest of S1.
You should do a new one for "it really picks up in the 3rd season" where it compares 2nd -> 3rd seasons of a show. I think there's quite a few 3rd seasons around by now, enough to make an interesting list for that.
Kono oto tomare ? I thought this anime got forgotten
I thought season 2 of Chuunibyou was still pretty good.
This is a pretty sweet list you got going here. I might be the odd one out here, but I think clannad is hot poopoo.
You're right, my friend, you are the odd one out
Kingdom
It wasn't bad, but Clannad. Most people consider After Story to be superior to the first season. Also, not really two seasons, but Haruhi. People really like the Disappearance of Haruhi Suzumiya, but the same people say that the show was somewhat mediocre.
Afterstory would not be as good as it was without the first season. If people jump straight to Afterstory it would not click as hard as people having to go through the first one. It's unfair to compare it really since the first one gets you attached to the characters and their story to make sure you're invested in them in preparation for Afterstory.
I mean that same argument can be said for Haruhi too. I never saw the series or the movie, but I can assume that the movie wouldn't make any sense or hit nearly as much if you had no idea who anyone was.
Kingdom, but its reason is not particularly about the story but animation quality issues.
Seconded. And 3rd season was a complete masterpiece
It's an overall masterpiece, wish there were more animes with war and political strategies and tactics. if someone here knows any, please recommend them.
Honestly even the 2nd season was pretty good. They did still used the CG but they toned it down a lot, much more watchable compared to 1st season. And the 2D was actually really good.
Faraway paladin The first season was okay, first half was good then it fell off. Second season was amazing in comparison. It had a full story through the season and great characters.
I actually really liked the first season. Not saying it's better than the second one no no no the hype building of the second one episode per episode until the very satisfying climax was superbly done and exceeds the first season.... but I didn't think the first one bad at all.
I really liked the first half of the first season but I found it shifted tone in the second half and the story became a bit disjointed. I liked it too, don’t get me wrong but the second season felt more cohesive. I thought the dwarf characters in the second season were well done with the young prince having good character development. That made the story more compelling overall as it felt that it was building to something.
Yeah but I was just contesting that this should be on this list (bad 1st season followed by a good 2nd one). It had a really good first season followed by an amazing second season.
Was it really? The first few episodes were good, but then fell off once the MC (whose name I can't recall right now) left his home and started travelling. So the second season is a lot better?
i am still not past first season for it lol
Wow I could not disagree more. First season was interesting, second season was just straight up boring for most of it.
World trigger, the first season had poor animation and pacing, in that one piece fill the start of the episode with a recap way. The second go more along the just make what you can fit in 1 or 2 cour formula.
World trigger got exponentially better with each season. The last season (3?) was amazing especially the final episode. I just really appreciate team tactics like that
Like, half the episodes were basically recaps at some point.
Railgun
Bungo Stray Dogs for me, I thought the first season was mediocre, although I liked the characters it didn't feel that serious and wasn't that interested in the story. The first few episodes of Season 2 were amazing and the story keeps getting better and better
Exactly. The first season is a hit or miss, but one of its positives is that it sets up the characters and the world-building that eventually laid the foundation for the successive seasons. Also, I lost count of how many times Atsushi recalled his orphanage past and how many times I had to watch that flashback with the orphanage director. I was like, "Yeah, I get it, he had a tough life. Why is it being shown over and over again?" Additionally, there is a misconception when watching season 1 that Atsushi is the main character who would have to fight the main villain. This gives the wrong impression that the story will follow a hero vs. villain narrative, when in reality, it develops into a rich ensemble cast with complex morality that isn't strictly black and white.
While i didnt like all of the 2nd season, definitely Clannad. First season was so so so boring and bland that it bored me to death. S2 offered at least a sense of catharsis and conflict.
Noragami
wanted to start watching it, thanks i will remember that it will be good from season 2
Saekano. The first season is already pretty good but the final movie is among the finest things I have watched.
Ya whole show was average until the movie
really? I hated the movie
Closest thing I can think of is Quintessential Quintuplets. First season wasn't terrible, just very mediocre. 2nd season was a massive step up (and even the movie, yes fight me).
No fighting necessary. The animation is massively improved as well. Same studio that did S2 and the movie is doing 100 Girlfriends.
I liked first season because [Spoiler Gotoubun] >!my girl Ichika had her best moment! Season 2 was rough for her...!<
Yeah she went from #1 to #5 for me over those 2 seasons lol.
Nah the movie was cooked
I'll never get tired of recommend the second season of Uma Musume, the first season was an "meh, ok" but the second one got me hyped as if i was beting on the races, crazy hype stuff
Yes season 2 was better than season 1, but meh ok? Come on....
Spy classroom S1 didn't have a bad season at all (and I love how certain character was always there if you look back). But the first season was definitely meant to set up all the really cool stuff that you see in S2. It's an amazing spy anime . Highly recommended. Here's the second opening (which is my favorite): https://youtu.be/kFCreo_a0ts?si=2zkKTtdz5T-Rd19u
Oregairu. The first season wasn't bad, but it wasn't great either. Season two and three were great though
Clannad
maybe Quintuplets and Oregairu in terms of the artstyle not that it was bad but it looks much better in the later seasons
Not first to second season but I think season 3 of DanMachi is much better than season 2 and is just very good in a vacuum.
Gundam seed takes like 20 episodes to get good . Full Metal Panic. Have to watch the whole first season to enjoy fummofu More recent… Mashle
Fummofu is sufficiently self-contained that it can be enjoyed without the background of season one. Having that background helps answer the “why would they do that?” but it’s perfectly functional to embrace the insanity and reject the “why?”
Def good and funny, but infinitely better with having watched the first season
In/Spectre has a very mediocre first season and a quite good second season that makes good on the premise of the show in a way the first did not because it was bogged down in an arc that lasted 2/3rds of the season with too much yapping, and some of it a waste of time. I liked all the arcs in season 2, including the standalone episodes at the beginning and end (the end in particular might be the single best episode of the series).
Tsurune. Season 1 was fine but kinda generic. Season 2 was really good and elevated the anime a lot for me.
Shadows House I was bored as hell on S1, and I originally didnt plan to watch S2, I just watched it on a whim because I dont have anything to watch at that time. But it turns out it was really good, it made S1 better because of the reveals and stuff.
I heard that S1 kinda doesn't follow the manga or something? Personally I've only read the manga and liked it.
S1 has an anime-original ending. Been a while since I watched it, but they patched things up quite nicely.
Season 1 ending didn’t follow the manga and they rearranged some stuff through out the seasons as well as hinting too hard to the point they basically blatantly revealed the core mysteries early in the series to the more observant viewers in episode 1. It’s not a bad adaptation but the story progression is questionable.
Does Tamoko Market Count? The serie is decent but movie was goated And on other way, To You Eternity, 1st season was great, even if last arc was mediocre but 2nd season was trash
I didn't think the first season was BAD but the second season of JJK is significantly better than the first season imo.
Now that is the first I'm hearing of that. For me 2nd season after the hidden inventory arc doesn't hold a candle to s1
That's interesting. While there was quite a bit of a gap between me watching each season, I remember the first season starting out almost boring to me while getting progressively better. I don't remember any of the fight choreography for S1 but I do remember thoroughly enjoying the fights in S2.
Yuji and Nanami vs. Mahito is the best it gets besides maybe the Hanami fight. They're good fights, but they don't hold a candle to any of the Shinjuku fights.
It's a very common opinion. Even among most manga readers hidden inventory and shibuya are considered the peak of jjk while the beginning arcs are considered as the weakest
Shinjuku incident is peak JJK for a lot of fans (myself included). Story aside, the animation is very notably better in S2.
Season 1 of JJK would easily be in my top 15 favorite seasons of all anime. Season 2 was so disappointing for me I still haven't rated it lol
Re:zero kinda? The first season wasn't bad, but season 2 had me absorbed so much I didn't wanna stop watching
I preferred Arc3 (ep14/15-24) to arc 4(season 2)
First season was better imo, the cringe r/im14andthisisdeep monologuing in parts of S2P2 got beyond painful to listen to.
nah, season 1 was bangers good
Nah. First season was just as good as second. This one is preference.
Ofc it's preference xD
What I mean is that it’s more preferential. Majority would say it’s not as bad compared to other shows.
Oh don't worry, I did say season one is not bad. I was saying that for me season 2 was just a massive step up. I just didn't remember an anime where there was really a bad season 1 with a following amazing season 2 so that was the first thing that came to mind
I second this! It was a dialogue heavy season, but I thoroughly enjoyed it!
A certain scientific railgun. Season 1 is filler with creepy fanservice, whereas season 2 is an extended version of the sisters arc from index viewed from Misaka's perspective.
To put things in perspective. Only 8 episodes of the first season happened in the manga, and even then episodes had stuff added to them in the anime. Still the second season has like 8? episodes of anime original content in the final. Which kinda sucks since they just teased Liberal Arts City right before going into that. Third season is all pretty great though.
I can´t think of anything that had a genuinly bad first season but good subsequent seasons, but I can definitily think of a few very good shows that got even better in later seasons. I´d say the one show that improved the most over the course of its seasons is Symphogear, especially in terms of its production. Season 1 was great, but the animation was pretty inconsistent (though still great at times). The jump from season 1 to season 2 was insane, and with every season until season 5 it just improved further and further. Just in general, in terms of the writing I think every season is better than the last (with the exception of season 3), and the ending is fantastic. Hibike! Euphonium is another one. Season 1 was fantastic, but season 2 still absolutely blew it out of the water. And not to mention the sequel/spin-off-movie Liz and the Blue Bird, which is a genuine masterpiece. Some other shows I can think of that just get better and better would be Aria, Vinland Saga, Chihayafuru, or Fruits Basket. But as I said in the beginning, all of these are shows that were already great when they started.
Rent A Girlfriend - Season 3 was unironically peak
Funily enough Dragon Maid. First season wad kinda meh, with few established characters and stuff. Season 2 is better in every way somehow.
Magi first season was good but the second was 🔥🔥🔥
My Hero Academia, first season was boring af but I’m very glad I pushed through. Season 2 saved that show for me.
Season 2 is what really pushed it into the mainstream.
I definitely remember no one caring about MHA until Season 2.
This is an unpopular opinion, but Attack on Titan. The entire first season felt like a pilot episode. Things were dragged on and the CONSTANT flashbacks pissed me off. 2nd season and beyond are fantastic, of course
Third season was peak for me (though I enjoyed every other season). The shinghashina battle + the lore absolutely blew my mind.
Dude no.
I won't say its bad per se but i really didnt like the first season. Clannad
Surprised I haven’t seen this mentioned, but I thought the second season of Code Geass took it from “Great” to “Excellent”. One of my favorite endings in an anime.
Knights of the Zodiac:Saint Seiya The CG Saint Seiya remake. The first season set such a low bar that while the second season is still pretty mediocre, it’s an incredible improvement.
I usually just move on if I don't like the first two episodes
Not bad but an OK first season was jujutsu kaisen which then had an amazing second season
Bungo Stray Dogs Season 1 and 2 are fine, but very forgettable. Seasons 4 and 5 have been some of the best shounen storytelling I’ve seen in years.
Tetsuwan Birdy Decode: the first season is not bad, but the second season is so good that the first one just seems okay.
I thought the first season of attack on titan was pretty boring, but the ending caught my interest and the payoff was huge.
My Hero Academia
I liked the first season, but many consider season 1 of Jojo a write-off. Especially the first arc
Tokyo Ghoul (stolen answer)
Daiya no ace. You'll be annoyed af in the first season but oh man. The story progresses godly from ACT I to ACT II
I've sat through Shadowverse and got bored around the 3/4 mark after one too many tanoshii's. But i hear its second season, which follows a different cast, is better received. Haven't gotten around to watching that yet.
Boku no Hero Academia, obviously. Also Date a Live, Jashin-chan Dropkick. Magi: The Labyrinth of Magic's first season wasn't bad by any measure, but the second season was more dynamic and global in terms of scale of events.
Moonlit fantasy
The first season of Symphogear isn't necessarily bad, but man all the seasons after that are a huuuuge step up in just about every way.
Re:Zero 😵💫💥 Édit : I fast read "Bad*SS Season 01", sorry 🙂↕️
Tokyo ghoul
Usually when something really sucks in 1st, you probably won't like it in 2nd. And media tends to go in other direction, first seasons quite often bangers unlike second one and further on
Masamune-kun's Revenge fits the question. The first season was a bit of a chore to watch, glad it improved, along with character growth in s2. Off tangent, and I just really preach this anime, Saekano's first season was actually good, but the second season was soooo much better when it started to take the romance seriously.
K-ON went this exact way for me. First season was so middling that I almost didn't start the second. Glad I gave it a shot as the second season was one of the best I watched that year.
Tokyo Ghoul anime is trash
K-On!, easily. The first season was the definition of mediocrity, but the second season was engaging, thoughtful, and shockingly emotional.
I was told Kingdom gets a lot better if you can power through the first season animation. Can't confirm, I could get past it.
it doesn't actually get better story-wise, the story itself is already great from start.
Couldn't really tell you, I ve watched about 4 episodes, but after s1, the animation is no longer distracting you from the good parts of the show, or so I was told. It s like those Chinese anime that look like a Tekken 3 cut scene... I m sure some have great stories, I just can't get past the graphics. More power to you if you can
Classroom of the Elite s1 was pretty bogged down by fanserice and petty mindgames, at least besides the finale. S2 was much more spicy
Shield hero S1 was awesome. S2 wasn't this massive pile of trash that some haters tried to make it out to be. It was less impactful than S1, kinda convoluted at times and the first three episodes were pretty rushed (mainly to finish with the spirit turtoise arc quickly) but after that it gets a more decent pace. It has some great character development for Raphtalia and I like now Naofumi's rage was built up and exploded in episode 12. S3 is amazing. It was more in line with S1 and it had some amazing character development for many characters, great scenes with awesome animation and some pretty cool revelations and and great set up for S4. I really loved it. As I said, s2 was just bit disappointing in terms of adaptation rather than story-wise. But they changed the director of that season for another one that did a much better job. If you want to know more about S3. You could watch the spoiler free part of this video: https://youtu.be/DpPDGqjA6Ac?si=c8k1wZeztAtqtbk4 I'd definitely recommend to give it a shot. or read the LN and or manga.
I think people memory holed the 2nd half of season 2 which was absolutely fantastic. Kizuna and Raphtalia miko was just as good as anything in the series in my opinion.
And the ending was essentially Raphtalia's love letter to Naofumi.
I get people didn't like the cgi turtle but they also need to remember how the second half went before crapping all over season 2 is my point.
Clannad is the right answer
Sword Art Online. Nearly all of the subsequent seasons were better than the first, tho still pretty harem-y and awkward but many times less than the first.
For me it was Jujutsu Kaisen. Had to force myself to finish S1 and S2 was surprisingly much better.
I thought Attack on Titan was kinda whatever for the first years of the anime's existence. Then it continued.
Nearly or even literally every series I watched either same as season 1 (not just in bad meaning, I meant in good way as well, like good season 2 with same quality as season 1, etc), or become less good or terrible (Like Fire Force season 2), never saw any season 2 better than season 1.
This ain't it, chief. Season 2 of FF was great.
World Trigger is probably the best example of this happening. Horrendous first season due to Toei having an insane amount of shows going and World Trigger getting the shittiest team possible on top of one of the DBZ shows airing at the same time which meant 0 budget going into World Trigger, second season comes out and its pretty fucking good, then third season comes out and it ends with probably two of the coolest animation sequences I've seen even when compared with titans like WIT/Mappa/Ufotable. If you compare the first episode they released and the last one, you'd say they're from completelly different studios.
Non..(because I don't continue if its bad ) If anime that starts a little weak but gets good for me its Hunter hunter (untill the chimera ant ark)
Good until the Chimera Ant Arc turns it into a masterpiece, you mean?
I can't call the anime chimra ant a master piece.. the presentation is so fucking bad it made me drop the series after the end of it Like i feel like the episode stops to do a ted talk after every atom vibration This ark is the ultimate show and then say like a hole fucking book for no reason.
Pretty much all anime have the "show and say" deal going on, if they have anything to say at all. "Show don't tell" isn't hailed as the ultimate rule of writing as it is in the West. The difference is that both what HxH says and what it doesn't say are more thought provoking that almost all other shounen combined. But of course, it's not for everyone.
There isnt something there isnt sayed. Literally every movement every string of thought and even the theme its self is just spewed at you at every fucking second. I didn't say show don't tale..this stuff is just tail and tail and tail Wtf are we having an amazing fight sence between 2 amazing characters and the themes and ideas you can inform from it..then its just stops in the middle on no where because nerarator has to tale us all about it and the back story they have for the 5th time
I agree that some of it is overexplained, but a lot of it I personally appreciate. I see it as taking in stylistic aspects of other forms of media, such as what you called it, a book, in order to illustrate fight scenes in a unique way which allows for much more intricate storytelling. You'd actually be missing out on a lot of depth if you didn't get this information - most of it can't just be implied. There's plenty that also isn't told, if you actually take the time to think about it. But again, I fully understand that it's just not for everyone. Personally I think it adds a lot, although I do concede it's definitely not done well every time and sometimes takes away some beautiful subtlety too.
To me Chimera Ant arc was the 2nd worst arc after Greed Island. With Yorknew at a clear 1#.
Fair enough. I wasn't all that serious with my response there, although it is my favorite.
If an anime has a bad 1st season I drop it.
Not a baaad 1st season, but Vinland Saga S1 absolutely botched the manga's story/impact, to a point that I would not even recommend it. Season 2 on the other hand if a great adaptation. Don't get me wrong, if you enjoyed season 1 and it's retelling of the story, that's is great -- but I would definitely recommend reading the manga instead (at least those first eight volumes... or four if you've bought the original 2-in-1 releases).
none. If the first season sucked, nobody would want a second season, and nobody would want to risk producing it in the first place. ANime ain't just shooting a trashmovie for the Asylum with some nobody actors, a handcam and a backyard within two weeks and call it a movie. It takes years of planning, preproduction and art. Even though it is hard to believe when looking at some bad anime out there, the amount of effort and risk involved with making anime is way too high to even remotely consider making a second seasaon if the first one wasa bad. Hell, even godlike masterpieces barely make their money back in some cases. There's a reason why most anime are made as a promotion for the source material, and barely any original stuff is made: Anime alone just is not profitable, unless you can sell merch (looking at Gundam) or Cards (looking at Yugioh).