I would like to present to you, Escapist, what many are calling "the worst anime of all time".

EstrogenicMuscle

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Perhaps that's just a knee-jerk reaction to what many are finding to be one of the worst disappointments of the season.

But I thought I'd share some anime community stuff with the non-anime fans out there of something that truly horrifies thousands and maybe millions of anime fans.

If you're someone who hates anime, this time you have an excuse. Because most anime fans would be with you.

Aku no Hana

This comedic little clip basically sums up the storm that is going on right now in the anime community over how terrible this anime is.

The anime is among the worst rated on My Anime List. And is pretty much universally hated outside of a few people who like it for being "different".

Among having character designs which most people hate. A lot of the criticism relates to completely failing at representing the manga. Having terrible pacing, lazy animation(in many cases not even drawing eyes). And such.

Here's an actual video review of the anime and not just a random video mocking it and the storm going around it.
And here's another one.

If you want to watch the episode, to see for yourself, it should be up on Crunchyroll which I believe is legal and not considered piracy at this point. If not, good luck, I'm not going to promote piracy and you'll have to find it yourself.

So, Escapist, what do ye think of what the anime community is choosing largely as one of the "worst anime ever". And do you agree?
 

Casual Shinji

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Well, I'm largely blind to what the current anime community thinks, but from the few short clips I've seen from this anime, I can't really blame them for despising it. It does kind of look like dogshit in motion. And that was before I even knew what the original manga looked like.

Best to check out Little Witch Academia to wash the stink away. Seriously, go watch it!
 

Not G. Ivingname

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This is not in the uncanny valley.

It is in the uncanny TRENCH, deep in the abyss where none can rise again to have nightmareless dreams.
 

[Kira Must Die]

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So, I'm guessing you haven't seen Mars of Destruction?

Anyways, nope, this is far from the worst I've seen. Hell, I actually kinda like it. I think it's intriguing. I thought the pacing was fine, although I do tend to like slow paced psychological animes, and really the rotoscoping isn't that bad once you get used to it. It's rare to find anime, let alone these days, that's taking risks and trying something different, so it seems like a waste to just drop it. Now, whether it's for the best of worst is debatable, as different doesn't always mean good. And that being said, this isn't a good example of "good" rotoscoping, and there are moments that are pretty stupid. Still, it has my attention, and I'd like to see where this is going, whether it gets worse or better. I guess I'm just a bit more open minded than others. I mean, I totally get why people would hate it, it just doesn't bother me personally.

Now, I haven't read the manga, although many say the art is beautiful, which from what I saw it really just looks like any other manga. From what I can tell by the tone of the story, though, is that it seems to be going for creepy, unnerving, and disturbed, which in that extent I think the anime conveys that just fine. It's from the same director as the Mushi-Shi anime. The rotoscope does help make some scenes (intentionally) uncomfortable, as I could see that if this were to have a traditional anime look it would come across as more erotic.

Also, lets just say for the sake of discussion that this wasn't categorized as anime, that it was just a rotoscoped TV series, and that it wasn't based on a manga, while the rotoscoping still isn't very good, would it spark this big a reaction if it wasn't intended for the anime audience? Hell, I didn't even know The Flowers of Evil manga was even popular enough to piss off so many people. If they did this to a much more popular manga series that is known for having actually beautiful artwork, then I'd understand, and then the hate would be kinda deserved.

That said, I'd still rather watch this than some animes that people consider good, like Penguindrum. God, I hated that anime.
 

DoPo

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Jan 30, 2012
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EstrogenicMuscle said:
This comedic little clip basically sums up the storm that is going on right now in the anime community over how terrible this anime is.
Well, it doesn't do a good job. I have no real clue what I saw and even what it tried to convey. Also, it wasn't comedic, either.

Overall, having not watched any episodes or even read (or heard of) the manga, I cannot classify it and I don't care enough to find out if it's the worse thing ever. Doesn't concern me, chances are I won't like it, if it's indeed very bad, so...why the hell should I care in the first place?

Unless somebody has a lengthy comedic review that tears the anime to shreds (I like critical reviews of terrible media), I probably won't bother with it.
 

4RM3D

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Looking at the worst anime of all time or even just the worst of something is generally kinda boring because there is always some obscure thing to be found that classifies as anime but it really is crappy. This discussion is only brought up when abysmal quality anime hits the mainstream (of anime fans) and then wondering why this anime became known at all (or greenlight at all). Boring still...

Now lets talk about Haruhi 2 (The Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya season 2)... How the hell did that every get produced. This has to be the 'best' worst anime out there. :)
 

Madman Muntz

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It looks like the rotoscoping technique used in films such as A Scanner Darkly and Waking Life. Big whoop. Not sure what the fucking furor is over unless the story is absolute shit. I guess maybe the anime purists find it annoying but to me its light years better than the usual cartoon realism where a normal person yells in shock or surprise and his mouth suddenly takes up three quarters of his fucking face.
 

Thaluikhain

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Of all time? Time hasn't ended yet.

...

Erm, actually, time might have ended and I wouldn't notice, would I?
 
Oct 2, 2012
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thaluikhain said:
Of all time? Time hasn't ended yet.

...

Erm, actually, time might have ended and I wouldn't notice, would I?
Dude, time ended like 5 years ago. We're on New Time+ Mode now.

OT: It doesn't seem that bad. It certainly doesn't seem all that good and I definitely don't want to watch anymore episodes but it isn't the worst thing ever. I like that they tried something new in making it, just a shame that they didn't do it well though.
Oh well, on to the next crappy thing!
 

Sacman

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May 15, 2008
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Wow, no where near the worst anime ever made... not matter what you say, there's nothing that can stack up to M.D. Geist... nothing...<.<

And honestly from what I've seen about this show, it looks good, presentation wise... it seems to actually have an identity that can't be summed up in one word, like how Lucky Star is obviously Moe, or Dragonball Z is the epitome of shonen... I especially like the characters, they're simple, yet striking in how life like they are... reminds me of Ralph Bakshi's rotoscope work...<.<

Honestly from everything that I've seen and heard, it more or less comes down to, because it's different... and it doesn;t exhume "Anime" from every pour...<.<
 

XandNobody

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Aug 4, 2010
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4RM3D said:
Looking at the worst anime of all time or even just the worst of something is generally kinda boring because there is always some obscure thing to be found that classifies as anime but it really is crappy. This discussion is only brought up when abysmal quality anime hits the mainstream (of anime fans) and then wondering why this anime became known at all (or greenlight at all). Boring still...

Now lets talk about Haruhi 2 (The Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya season 2)... How the hell did that every get produced. This has to be the 'best' worst anime out there. :)
Why, why oh why did you feel the need to remind me about the "endless eight"? I'd managed to forget there for a little while, life was good and everything! >.>

OT: In all seriousness though, you can't really call it the worst just because it looks bad. I mean, it does look bad, like, 'terribly awful oh my lord what have they done' bad, but there are too many anime in categories of bad ranging from art style, to story-line, to voice acting, etc. to call this the worst ever. There are even distinctions in looks bad, The SoulTaker was a beautiful anime, if you ever managed to see colors the same way again after it's kaleidoscope of a color pallet addicted to neon and human suffering was done with you that is.
 

EstrogenicMuscle

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[Kira Must Die said:
]So, I'm guessing you haven't seen Mars of Destruction?
I have. And I think it is worse than this, to be honest.

I'm just sharing the opinion I've gotten from a lot of people within the anime fandom. And the revile at this anime is new. While the whole Mars of Destruction thing is a legend that keeps growing. Not so topical.
 

JemothSkarii

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Nov 9, 2010
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Well, all I can really say is that someone has clearly never watched Kampfer...just...no...never again...holy hell. I like a lot of 'bad' anime, but that just...I need to go wash my brain out...
 

Pandalisk

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Casual Shinji said:
Well, I'm largely blind to what the current anime community thinks, but from the few short clips I've seen from this anime, I can't really blame them for despising it. It does kind of look like dogshit in motion. And that was before I even knew what the original manga looked like.

Best to check out Little Witch Academia to wash the stink away. Seriously, go watch it!
I watched that yesterday actually!

Loved every moment of it, shame its just a short. From what i can gather, since its release it's been getting loads of support, do you reckon we might see a proper series?

I can dream at least..
 

sethisjimmy

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I watched the first episode and I like it well enough. It's very atmospheric and the characters seem to be written realistically. I can understand not liking it for not being like the manga, but as a standalone anime? It seems pretty good.

I think the people going apeshit about the animation are like the people who flip their shit over technical graphical quality in games. Just accept that it's different, it doesn't look like every other anime, and that isn't a bad thing. It's got a unique art style.
 

RoonMian

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This reminds me a little of the animation style in Richard Linklater's concept movie "Waking Life" where the traditionally filmed actors where then frame by frame drawn over. It was hailed as radical, advanced, a breakthrough...


I would laugh my ass off if the makers of that anime were gunning for that, failed and now are wondering why no one is "getting it." XD
 

madwarper

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There have already been a half dozen threads about this. Did we really need another?

Being a big fan of the manga, I tried watching the first episode of the anime. I tried... I stopped after 15s. The use of rotoscoping is egregiously terrible, which is a shame given how interesting the story is. Hopefully it will be remade with traditional animation techniques, so that the it can be judged as a whole, rather than just this one's craptacular animation style.

Also, I wonder how they were going to tackle the... You know...
Rape scene.
 

ZehMadScientist

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Ah, yes this is causing quite the shitstorm over in animeland.

Yes, the animation looks like dog poo, scenes that are supposed to be very impactful end up looking really dumb. Read the manga instead.

But still, "worst anime of all time?" Far from it. I raise you Kenya Boy and Angel Cop.
 

hazabaza1

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madwarper said:
There have already been a half dozen threads about this. Did we really need another?

Being a big fan of the manga, I tried watching the first episode of the anime. I tried... I stopped after 15s. The use of rotoscoping is egregiously terrible, which is a shame given how interesting the story is. Hopefully it will be remade with traditional animation techniques, so that the it can be judged as a whole, rather than just this one's craptacular animation style.

Also, I wonder how they were going to tackle the... You know...
Rape scene.
This is the first I've even see this mentioned on the Escapist.

Also the two top comments on that second video were fantastic

Top comment #1 (5 thumbs up)
"I've never read the manga, and I have never heard of Aku no Hana before the anime premiere. When I looked it up on Youtube and Tumblr, I was very surprised to see all the negative reviews.
I believe that the animation is fluid, beautiful, and mysterious, very fitting to the general atmosphere of the show. I also believe that calling the animation 'hideous' is very rude to the artists.
To each their own, but I absolutely adore the first episode, the animation and the introduced characters."


Top comment #2 (5 thumbs up)
"FUCK THIS ANIME"

More OT: From what I've seen of it the actual animation doesn't look... too awful. Like, it looks bad, and the way that the colours become one giant blob of undefined blarg seems kinda shitty but I've seen worse. Doesn't interest me enough to get into seeing how good/bad the story is though,
 

FFP2

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Didn't the creator guy of the manga say that the anime made was intentionally shit in order to get people to read the manga instead?

OT: It's no Angel Beats but it's better than that Queen's Blade shit.