Adapting a manga into ananimeisn’t always a straightforward process. Sometimes, studios stay faithful to the source material. But, in other cases, they take creative liberties that completely change the plot. Whether due to production issues, pacing concerns, or the producer’s desire to cater to an audience, deviating from the original story can lead to brilliant reinterpretations or disasters that couldn’t have been avoided.
Many anime differed greatly from the manga, such as their endings, the introduction of new characters, or the removal of major plot points, leaving readers wondering what happened. Whether for better or worse, these animes took a different path than their source material, leading to some of the most debated adaptations in anime history.
10Ghost in the Shell - Anime Film
The Cyberpunk Film Took A Rather Serious Tone
The original Masamune Shirow’s Ghost in the Shell manga carried philosophical themes in an action-packed cyberpunk setting. However, when Mamoru Oshii adapted it into a 1995 anime film, he took a more serious approach. The movie stripped away much humor and lighthearted moments while focusing on existential themes about identity and AI.
Moreover, the manga explored multiple cases involving Section 9, and the film condensed everything into a more streamlined plot. Oshii’s version later became an instant classic, influencing Hollywood films like The Matrix, proving that sometimes, a major deviation from the source material can create something much better.
9The Promised Neverland - Season Two
The Absolute Worst Second Season Possible
The first season of The Promised Neverland was a near-perfect adaptation,as it faithfully captures the suspense and psychological tension of the manga. But when Season Two was released, everyone despised it, making it one of the worst anime adaptations in recent years.
The show went wrong in various aspects, as it skipped entire manga arcs, cut out major characters, and rushed the story in just 11 episodes. Instead of carefully building up the tension just like the manga version, the anime opted for a bizarre, last-minute slideshow ending that barely made sense.
8Yu-Gi-Oh! - Anime Adaptations
Yu-Gi-Oh! manga was far darker than its anime adaptations. While the card game became the franchise’s main selling point, the original manga had Yugi playing all sorts of Shadow Games, where opponents faced cruel punishments if they lost.
This was true from the very first adaptation, which was released back in 1998, famously known as Season Zero, where the creators opted for a grim setting. They replaced the mind games and psychological battles with dueling and ancient Egyptian lore. Though the change made the series a global hit, manga readers will always remember the twisted games that started it all.
7Soul Eater - Anime Series
The Ending Was Quite Rushed And Subpar
While Soul Eater started as a brilliant adaptation of its original manga, the anime eventually outpaced the source material, which forced the creators to produce their own ending.
Instead of following the manga’s final arc, the anime introduced a rushed and original climax where Maka defeats Asura with something as vague as the power of courage. This left fans divided, as the manga’s story continued for years after the anime ended, introducing better character developments and plot twists. And while the anime will always be loved for its stylish animation, its deviation from the manga’s ending will always remain a sore point for many fans.
6Tokyo Ghoul - Season Two Onwards
Truly Undeserving Adaptation Of A Great Manga
Few anime adaptations have frustrated manga readers more than Tokyo Ghoul. The first season was fairly faithful to Sui Ishida’s original work, but from season two onwards, the anime completely abandoned the manga’s plot.
Tokyo Ghoul took liberties with Kaneki’s character arc, making decisions that outright contradicted the source material. By the time Tokyo Ghoul:re attempted to mend the plot holes, the damage had already been done. Many characters were left underdeveloped, and entire storylines were badly compressed. In short, the series never got the adaptation it truly deserved.
5Shaman King
Even A Reboot Couldn’t Save It
The 2001 original Shaman King anime took a massive departure from Hiroyuki Takei’s manga, particularly when it came to its ending. Since the manga was still ongoing at the time, the anime creators had no choice but to create an original ending, one that was not appreciated by many.
Unlike the manga’s carefully built-up final battle and character arcs, the anime rushed towards an unsatisfying conclusion.These production mistakes were later rectified with the 2021 reboot, which tried to provide a better adaptation of Takei’s complete story. Still, for years, fans of the original manga have wondered what could have been done better.
4Boruto Series
When Boruto: Naruto Next Generations first aired, it had almost no manga content to adapt. The manga, written by Ukyo Kodachi and later Masashi Kishimoto, was released at a much slower pace than the anime, leading the studio to create their own arcs. Therefore,the anime introduced many filler episodes and completely new storylines not found in the manga.
While some of these arcs added a layer to the side characters, others felt unnecessary. As the manga finally provided more substantial content, the anime began to align more closely, but for years, Boruto was a case of running ahead from its manga without a clear direction.
3Hellsing - Original Series
Not The Alucard’s Story We All Wanted
The Hellsing Original is a perfect example of what happens when an adaptation diverges too far from its source. Since the manga was still ongoing, the anime quickly veered off into an original storyline, abandoning the lore that made the manga so good to read.
Fans had to wait until Hellsing Ultimate was released years later to see a proper adaptation. The OVA series followed the manga much more closely, giving us a darker, more intense version of Alucard’s story that fans had been waiting for. While the original anime has its merits, it’s Hellsing Ultimate that truly does justice to the manga’s version.
2Berserk - Classic Series
Left The Show At A Huge Cliffhanger
The classic Berserk anime is often praised for how good it was and its adaptation of the Golden Age Arc, but it cut off right at the very best moment, the Eclipse. The show ended the story on a cliffhanger without showing the full extent of Guts’ revenge, keeping the anime-only viewers in the dark.
While later adaptations attempted to continue Berserk’s story, none have reached the storytelling that the manga offered. The missing arcs, especially the Conviction and Fantasia sagas, remain a painful omission for fans who have longed for a quality anime adaptation.
1Fullmetal Alchemist - Original Series
The 2003 Show Introduced Its Own Villain
The Original 2003 Fullmetal Alchemist anime is one of the most well-known examples of an adaptation going in a completely different direction from the manga. Since Hiromu Arakawa’s original work was unfinished at the time, the anime writers created an entirely new second half with its own villain, Dante, instead of the true antagonist, Father.
While some fans appreciated this approach, others felt that it lacked the conviction of the manga’s later arcs. Years later, Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood provided a more faithful adaptation, as it followed Arakawa’s vision, making itself one of the best anime adaptations ever made.
