Everyone has their own opinions about a movie. Opinions on characters, cinematography, animation style and plot lines are all subjective. This is especially true when it comes to the judgment of critics and the sentiments made by cinephiles.
When it comes to any form of entertainment, ‘love’ and ‘hate’ are subjective. Anime is no exception. Usually, there is a distinct gap between what is deemed critically exceptional and what fans enjoy. Notably, anime movies that are considered good in mainstream media don’t always appeal to their own niche community. Often, there are anime movies that critics love, but fans hate.
10 The Plot Of My Hero Academia: Two Heroes Doesn’t Do The Series Justice
My Hero Academia has become one of the most prominent names in modern shounen anime. Despite shounen’s seemingly foolproof and derivate formula, the standards for the popular genre keep rising.
Fans sing praises for My Hero Academia, but Two Heroes received a drastic range of mixed reviews. Some die-hard fans didn’t respond well to the predictable plot and the one-dimensional characters. Different castes of the internet have even heavily debated the art style of Two Heroes. Some fans say it made Two Heroes worthwhile, some insinuated that it looks like a low-budget version of the My Hero Academia series.
9 Ride Your Wave Propagates The Idea That Every Girl Needs Their Prince Charming
Hinako and Minato’s love story may have been critically acclaimed, but some fans found Ride Your Wave’s plot predictable and worn out. Masaaki Yuasa’s Ride Your Wave is a heartbreaking romance film that touched the hearts of many. It received plenty of love from critics all around the world and was applauded for its thought-provoking qualities.
However, other fans weren’t as happy with Ride Your Wave as it perpetuates the stereotype that women are an attachment of men. Hinako has few redeeming qualities, and can barely take care of herself. Minato, like most male characters, is put on a pedestal. Hinako’s lack of independence and the thickly-laid romance is enough to put some viewers off.
8 Penguin Highway Has A Better Book
The ‘movie vs book’ debate is never-ending and Penguin Highway is a prime example. The complex twists and turns that come with the story were presented so elegantly in the Penguin Highway novel, but the movie fell short. The film adaptation presented phenomenal cinematography but fans thought the tone could have been more organic.
Penguin Highway’s writer, Tomihiko Morimi, believed that Hiroyasu Ishida’s movie had been too faithful to the novel. If the film hadn’t been as faithful, it could have had a smoother pace. By focusing solely on the source material, the tone of the Penguin Highway movie wavered and was inconsistent.
7 Asuna In Sword Art Online The Movie: Ordinal Scale Is Just Another Damsel In Distress
Sword Art Online is a relatively distinguished anime series. With an already solid fanbase, the 2017 film was released into an ocean of sharks. Critics may have loved Ordinal Scale, but long-time fans didn’t care for it.
Ordinal Scale sees Asuna and Kirito’s group battle Aguma. The pair’s romantic relationship was an ongoing theme. With many plot lines, the story progression and character development took a backseat, and dramatic plot holes were scattered throughout. Furthermore, fans felt that Asuna could have played a bigger role in the battle scenes rather than waiting for Kirito to save her life. Unfortunately, Asuna wasn’t a fleshed-out character, but a mere damsel in distress.
6 Words Bubble Up Like Soda Pop Wasn’t What Fans Were Expecting From Ishiguro
Any fan of Your Lie In April would’ve kept a close eye out for the release of Words Bubble Up Like Soda Pop. Unfortunately, Words hasn’t lived up to the expectations the audience had for Kyohei Ishiguro, especially not after Your Lie In April.
The classic ‘boy meets girl’ story is a tale as old as time. Add ethereal music and gorgeous animation and you have a critically renowned film, and that’s exactly what happened. Words Bubble Up Like Soda Pop won the hearts of critics around the globe. For anime fans, the dialogue was more cringe-inducing than the average romantic anime. Exaggerated intonations might be a given with anime, but illogical and absurd dialogues are where anime-lovers draw the line.
5 Metropolis Can Afford To Lay Back On Its Detail
Metropolis is a 2001 anime inspired by the 1949 manga by Osama Tezuka and a 1927 German silent film by Fritz Lang. The meticulous detail that went into creating the environment for Metropolis is magnificent. The detailed art transcended the main characters. Even background characters were seen doing menial tasks like picking up a bottle or puffing smoke.
For a movie with an already heavy message like class warfare, Metropolis could have done with a lot less detail and a more focused plot. Some fans felt that the filler scenes made Metropolis tedious and muddled the symbolic message the film intended to deliver.
4 Kun’s Theatrics Ruined Mirai No Mirai
Mirai No Mirai is the first non-Ghibli anime film to be nominated for an Academy Award. Although Mirai No Mirai has an iconic and picturesque art style, some fans still can’t look past the annoying character of Kun. Most of Mirai No Mirai’s negative reviews surround Kun’s personality.
Admittedly, Mirai No Mirai frames a pertinent lesson on how different styles of parenting can influence the personality of a child. However, Mirai No Mirai is not for those who have a low tolerance for children’s antics, and will have viewers rolling their eyes over how dramatic Kun can be.
3 Mainstream Media Wasn’t Ready For Belladonna Of Sadness
One of the most commendable aspects of Belladonna Of Sadness is its psychedelic water-color art style. Coined as the “lost Tezuka masterpiece,” Belladonna Of Sadness quickly became a cult classic when it wasn’t well-received in mainstream media.
Belladonna Of Sadness makes heavy use of symbolism to deliver its message. With barely any animation and an incredibly niche plot, casual anime watchers had loads to say. Most of the negative reviews highlighted the lack of movement in Belladonna Of Sadness, which was scrutinized for being a collection of alluring images instead of an actual movie.
2 Mind Game Is Missing A Plot
Mind Game has fallen victim to the harsh words thrown around in mainstream media. The abstract work of art that is Mind Game doesn’t attract as many viewers as a regular light-hearted anime film would.
The random splotches of color repelled some viewers, comparing it to a fever dream rather than a carefully thought-out film. To add fuel to the flame, the word ‘abstract’ also applies to the plot, which is hard to follow. Die-hard fans of Mind Game will undoubtedly defend the artistic piece, but casual viewers might not be as easily swayed.
1 Dragon Ball Z: Resurrection ‘F’ Is Nostalgic
Being one of the shounen holy trinity has its perks, but pressures the anime with incredibly high expectations. A good proportion of criticism for Dragon Ball Z: Resurrection ‘F’ came from fans that grew up with Dragon Ball. The 2015 film may be enough to appease critics but isn’t enough for long-time fans of the franchise.
Most take issue with the fight scenes. Dragon Ball is iconic for its fight scenes, but fans felt that Resurrection ‘F’ didn’t do Dragon Ball justice. Some fans consider Resurrection ‘F’ to have capitalized on legendary characters and nostalgia instead of adding some originality to the Dragon Ball franchise.
