In the anime industry, hype can be your best friend or worst enemy. Every season sees dozens of series debut backed by massive marketing campaigns on streaming platforms, but some vanish from collective memory almost as fast as they arrived. Factors like rushed productions, unforgivable deviations from the original material, or simply failing to connect with audiences cause these promises to end up in the graveyard of forgetfulness weeks after their conclusion.

Below, we review animes that promised to conquer the world, build lasting franchises, or adapt legendary mangas, but were ultimately ignored by the fandom.

Details of the forgotten animes hype couldn’t save

7. RWBY: Ice Queendom

The anime adaptation of the popular American web series fell to Studio SHAFT. While the original work had built a passionate fanbase thanks to its fairy tale-inspired drama and action, this anime version introduced new elements that failed to connect with viewers or capture the original energy. Today, the project remains one of the most ignored entries in both the franchise and recent anime.

6. High Card

This original anime project by Studio Hibari aimed to become a massive global success, with ambitions comparable to Assassination Classroom. The story followed a secret organization using power cards to maintain order, but despite its high production values, the split-cour format (split and aired in two different years) completely diluted its impact on audiences. It shone briefly before fading into darkness.

5. Ikebukuro West Gate Park

Doga Kobo tried to recapture the magic of the novels and the famous live-action from the 2000s about delinquency, organized crime, and urban culture in Tokyo. Unfortunately, its 12-episode adaptation was harshly criticized for “smoothing out the rough edges” and softening the raw themes that made the original work great. It ended up feeling like just another generic series and faded into oblivion despite the popularity of its source material.

4. Sakura Wars The Animation (2020)

SEGA attempted to revive its beloved franchise combining tactical role-playing, mechas, and dating simulator with a new series and fresh characters. Although it featured updated animation, it miserably failed to capture the charm of its source material’s unique blend of genres and characters, leaving it forgotten despite the franchise’s legacy.