Top 10 Anime That Never Got a Second Season

Despite their outstanding performance and widespread acclaim, certain anime are only given one season and are not granted a sequel. In contrast, the anime industry often greenlights second seasons for mass-produced isekai shows before their first season even ends. This means that well-crafted and beloved anime like Hyouka, Stars Align, and After the Rain are unfortunately overlooked for a sequel. In this list, I will be discussing the top 10 anime that were not given a second season and are unlikely to receive one. So without delay, let’s explore these underrated and underappreciated anime.

Japanese Princess Jellyfish

Tsukimi Kurashita’s fascination with jellyfish began during a trip to an aquarium with her mother, who has since passed away. Despite being a 19-year-old who feels like an outcast, Tsukimi resides in a dorm with other unemployed otaku women and aspires to become an illustrator. Unexpectedly, her life takes a dramatic turn when she meets Kuranosuke Koibuchi, a boy who enjoys cross-dressing. The anime Princess Jellyfish was produced by the renowned studio Brain’s Base, which is infamous for not continuing with projects beyond the first season.

Golden Boy

Golden Boy is a transformative and thought-provoking anime that should be seen before one’s lifetime ends. Consisting of only 6 episodes with a duration of 28 minutes each, Golden Boy chronicles Kintarou Ooe’s travels throughout Japan as he takes on various odd jobs in order to expand his knowledge through unconventional means. Alongside him is his unwavering ally, the Mikazuki 5.

Although I highly recommend watching Golden Boy, an educational show, I am disappointed that it only has 6 episodes despite having more than 100 chapters to adapt. While a sequel would be welcomed, it seems that it is time to accept that there won’t be one.

Monthly Girls’ Nozaki-kun

Despite her bright and cheerful personality, Chiyo Sakura finds herself falling for Umetarou Nozaki, a guy who is completely oblivious to her feelings. When Sakura confesses her love, Nozaki mistakes it for admiration for his hidden identity as a popular shoujo mangaka and gives her an autograph. As a result, Sakura becomes Nozaki’s manga assistant through a series of events. The rom-com anime that follows will have you rethinking the definition of ‘absurd’, but unfortunately, it only had one season. So, why was Doga Kobo chosen to produce this unique and entertaining series?

Blue Spring Ride

After facing rejection from her female friends in middle school for being too popular with boys, Futaba Yoshioka sets a goal to become a tomboy in high school. However, when she reunites with her first love, Tanaka, who now goes by Kou Mabuchi, she begins to long for the warmth and happiness of their past relationship. Unfortunately, Kou has changed and is no longer the kind and loving boy she once knew. It is a mystery why Production I.G chose to only adapt 15 out of 53 chapters from the manga and not continue with a second season.

Keep Your Hands Off Eizouken!

Despite the incredible success of Keep Your Hands Off Eizouken, there has yet to be a second season. This is surprising, as the anime celebrates otaku culture and has only adapted 3 volumes out of the total series. However, there is still hope for a second season as Midori Asakusa and her friends continue to see the world as their blank canvas, full of potential for their imaginative creations. With their new anime club in disguise, they are determined to make their mark in the school. It is clear that there is still much more to be explored in this dynamic story, making a second season very much possible.

5 Bocchi the Rock!

Despite being an extreme introvert, Hitori Gotou decided to learn guitar in hopes of becoming more popular. However, her efforts proved to be fruitless until she met Nijika Ijichi, an extrovert who convinced her to join the Kessoku band as their previous guitarist had unexpectedly left just before their first concert.

Despite her struggles with dizziness, Bocchi was able to overcome her fears and perform in front of a crowd simply by making eye contact with a stranger. Though her performance was only average, it marked a significant milestone in her journey to becoming a social and professional guitarist. However, even after one and a half years since the first season, there has been no announcement of a second season. Is Bocchi’s musical career doomed to be a one-season wonder?

Hinamatsuri

One pleasant day, while yakuza member Yoshifumi Nitta is savoring a glass of wine, a massive capsule suddenly falls on his head, interrupting his peaceful moment. Upon opening the capsule, he discovers a blue-haired girl named Hina who possesses supernatural powers and must use them to protect herself from harm.

Despite being forced to become her caregiver, Nitta’s perspective changes when she single-handedly defeats the enemy yakuza gang. Hinamatsuri is a must-watch comedy, yet it never received a sequel despite having many chapters left to adapt. Perhaps Studio feel didn’t see the potential in it.

3. Yuri!!! on Ice (TV series)

Following his loss at the Grand Prix, Yuuri Katsuki returns to his hometown to reflect on his future in figure skating, and also to indulge in his beloved Tonkatsu (pork cutlet), which ultimately leads to some weight gain.

However, despite the announcement of a sequel movie for one of MAPPA’s best original works, his career was ultimately revived when a video of him performing world champion Victor’s routine went viral, leading to an offer to be coached by Victor.

Stars Align

Despite facing potential disbandment due to being outperformed by the girls’ soft tennis club, Touma Shinjou was determined to find new members for the boys’ team. His luck changed when transfer student Maki Katsuragi showed impressive reflexes and flexibility, making him the perfect fit for the team. With Maki’s help, the team’s determination for the game was reignited. Despite the personal hardships these middle school students faced, they came together to protect their fragility. Unfortunately, Stars Align was originally planned to be a 24-episode series, but due to lack of funding, it was cut short to 12 episodes. The original creator and director, Kazuki Akane, is still searching

Hyouka

Houtarou Oreki is known for always being in power-saving mode, prioritizing a low-energy lifestyle. Despite this, he reluctantly joins the Classics Club at the request of his sister and meets the endlessly inquisitive Eru Chitanda. Before he knows it, Oreki is caught up in solving mysteries sparked by Chitanda’s insatiable curiosity. It’s frustrating to think that there was never a sequel produced by Kyoto Animation for this series, which seamlessly blended elements of mystery and slice-of-life.

Summary and Conclusion

Despite being one-season wonders, there is still a glimmer of hope for anime like Bocchi The Rock to receive a second season. However, whether or not this hope will be realized is uncertain. All we can do is hope and pray for these anime to receive a sequel.