We often take anime sequels for granted. Because certain anime, despite their exceptional performance and word of mouth, never get a second season and remain as a one-season wonder. In an industry where second seasons of mass-produced isekai garbage are greenlit before the end of their first season, anime like Hyouka, Stars Align, and After the Rain fail to get a sequel.
And I have curated this list to talk about the anime that never got a sequel, and chances are they never will. So, without further ado, let’s dive into the top 10 anime that never got a second season.
10Princess Jellyfish
Tsukimi Kurashita’s obsession with jellyfish started when visiting an aquarium with her late mother. Now, as a 19-year-old outcast, Tsukimi lives in a dorm with unemployed otaku women and dreams of being an illustrator. However, when she comes across a cross-dressing boy named Kuranosuke Koibuchi, her life takes an unimaginable turn.
Princess Jellyfish is another one-season wonder by the infamous anime studio Brain’s Base, known for abandoning projects right after the first season.
9Golden Boy
Golden Boy is a life-changing, mind-blowing, and eye-opening anime that one must watch before dying. With only 6 episodes spanning 28 minutes each, Golden Boy follows Kintarou Ooe on his journey across Japan, doing odd jobs to learn new things in whatever way possible. With him is his strongest support, the Mikazuki 5.
Golden Boy is an educational show I would highly recommend you watch. Unfortunately, this gem only has 6 episodes despite having more than 100 chapters to adapt. A sequel is always welcome, but I guess it’s time to give up.
8Monthly Girls’ Nozaki-kun
Chiyo Sakura is a bright and cheerful girl. She has fallen for Umetarou Nozaki, a guy so oblivious that he thinks Sakura’s confession is about his hidden identity as a popular shoujo mangaka and gives her an autograph. And through a chain of events, Sakura ends up as Nozaki’s manga assistant.
You’ll relearn the definition of ‘absurd’ after watching this rom-com anime that, unfortunately, only had a season to its name. Why Doga Kobo?
7Blue Spring Ride
Futaba Yoshioka aims to become a tomboy in high school after being ostracized by her female friends for being too popular with the boys in middle school. However, after reuniting with her first love, Tanaka, in high school, she gives up and wants to feel the fuzziness of their early days. Unfortunately, Tanaka isn’t the warm-hearted king boy she knew; he has changed along with his name, Kou Mabuchi.
Never understood why Production I.G decided not to do a second season despite adapting only 15 out of 53 chapters from the manga.
6Keep Your Hands Off Eizouken!
Midori Asakusa sees the world as her blank canvas where she can imagine and draw whatever she wants. Her interest is specific to detailed backgrounds and landscapes. With her calculative friend, Sayaka Kanamori, they save a girl from her overprotective bodyguard. Later, these three decide to open an anime club in disguise as a motion picture club as there’s already an anime club in the school.
Keep Your Hands Off Eizouken celebrates otaku culture, and considering how successful it was, everyone expected a second season, but it never happened. With 3 volumes still left to adapt, a second season is very much possible.
5Bocchi the Rock!
Hitori Gotou is the definition of an extreme introvert who started learning guitar to become popular, but it didn’t help her cause until she met Nijika Ijichi, an extrovert, who dragged her into joining the Kessoku band as their guitarist had fled just before their first concert.
Bocchi managed to perform in front of a crowd for someone who struggles with dizziness just by eye contact with a stranger. Although an average performance at best, she has taken a huge step toward becoming a social creature and a professional guitarist.
It’s been one and a half years since the first season, and still, there’s no sign of a second season announcement. Will Bocchi the Rock get struck by the One Season Wonder curse?
4Hinamatsuri
On a fine day, when yakuza member Yoshifumi Nitta is enjoying a glass of wine, a huge capsule drops on his head out of nowhere and interrupts him. Upon opening the capsule, he finds a blue-haired girl named Hina who has supernatural abilities, and she needs to use them to stay out of danger.
Nitta had no choice but to become her caregiver, but when she wipes out the enemy yakuza gang by herself, Nitta’s perspective changes.
Hinamatsuri is a comedy that everyone must watch, but it never received a sequel, even though it has a lot of chapters left to adapt. I guess Studio feel didn’t feel it.
3Yuri!!! on Ice
After his defeat at the Grand Prix, Yuuri Katsuki returns home to contemplate his future as a figure skater, but more so to eat his all-time favorite Tonkatsu (pork cutlet) contributing to his weight gain.
But when a video of him doing world champion Victor’s routine goes viral, he is offered to be coached by Victor, reviving his deteriorating career. It’s one of the best MAPPA originals whose sequel movie was announced but was eventually canceled.
2Stars Align
Touma Shinjou is desperately looking for members for the boys’ soft tennis club as it faces disbandment after being outperformed by the girls’ soft tennis club. Luck was with him as the new transfer student, Maki Katsuragi, seemed the perfect candidate because of his quick reflexes and flexibility. After joining the team, Maki revived their determination for the game. These middle school students try to protect their fragility from personal hardships outside these conflicts.
Stars Align was supposed to be a 24-episode series but was cut short to 12, and original creator/director Kazuki Akane is still looking for sponsors to fund the sequel. A rather unfortunate fate for this one-of-a-kind sports drama.
1Hyouka
Houtarou Oreki is always in the power-saving mode; he wants to lead a life using as little energy as possible. Upon his sister’s requests, he joins the soon-to-be disbanded Classics Club and meets an ever-curious soul, Eru Chitanda. Before realising, Oreki is dragged into solving mysteries born from Chitanda’s curiosity.
It’s infuriating to think why this doesn’t have a sequel. There’s no explanation why Kyoto Animation never produced a sequel for this work that effortlessly combined mystery and slice-of-life genre.
Conclusion
These one-season wonders will never get a second season; however, hope for anime like Bocchi The Rock is still there, but no one knows. One can just pray for these anime to get a sequel.
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