7 Best Canceled Anime You’ll Wish Continued

While colossal franchises like One Piece and Dragon Ball operate with near-guarantees against cancellation—thanks largely to their globally beloved characters and massive commercial success—many high-quality anime properties are not so fortunate. Throughout the decades of Japanese animation, numerous series have faced premature endings, leaving fans with unfinished stories and lingering questions.

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Despite having their runs cut short, whether due to production issues, rating dips, or simply catching up too quickly to the source material, a select group of shows stands out as deserving of a complete narrative arc. This list highlights seven great anime canceled well before their time, each possessing the narrative depth and fan dedication required for a successful revival.

The Unfinished Seven: Canceled Anime Awaiting Their Second Chance

7.) Berserk (1997)

While the Berserk franchise has seen subsequent animated iterations, including recent movies and the divisive 2016 CGI-heavy series, the raw intensity and atmosphere of the original 1997 adaptation by OLM remain unmatched. Despite later series covering post-Eclipse events, many fans hold out hope for a complete, high-fidelity adaptation of Kentaro Miura’s dark fantasy epic.

• Original Run & Studio: 1997 (1 Season); OLM
• Key Features/Benefits of a Revival:
  • Vast Untapped Source Material: Years of the manga’s story arcs have yet to be properly animated.
  • Artistic Integrity: A modern revival could finally offer the detailed, traditional animation style the highly-regarded manga visuals warrant.
  • Completeness: Offers the chance to present a coherent, full-scale adaptation of Guts’ journey from start to (eventual) finish.

6.) Claymore

Adapted from Norihiro Yagi’s manga, Claymore brought a grim, medieval dark fantasy setting to life, centered on Clare and her fellow Yoma-hunting warriors. The anime, produced by the acclaimed studio Madhouse, concluded well before the manga’s finale, necessitated by the pace of the source material at the time.

• Original Run & Studio: 2007 (1 Season); Madhouse
• Key Features/Benefits of a Revival:
  • Incomplete Adaptation: The initial run only covered the first 11 volumes of the 27-volume manga, leaving the bulk of the story untold.
  • Acclaimed Conclusion: The manga has a definitive and well-regarded ending that deserves to be seen animated.
  • Distinct World: The compelling narrative of half-human, half-demon Claymores battling grotesque monsters provides a strong foundation for a continuation.

5.) No Game No Life

Studio Madhouse’s visually striking adaptation of the light novel series garnered a significant fan following for its unique premise: two genius siblings, Sora and Shiro, are transported to Disboard, a world where conflicts are resolved through games. Despite its popularity and ongoing source material, a second season remains unconfirmed.

• Original Run & Studio: 2014 (1 Season); Madhouse
• Key Features/Benefits of a Revival:
  • Ongoing Source Material: The light novel and manga continue to progress, providing ample, confirmed content for a follow-up season.
  • Strategic Depth: The high-stakes intellectual games and mind-bending strategies are a massive draw for the anime community.
  • Creator Support: Creator Yuu Kamiya has publicly expressed their desire for a second season, keeping fan hope alive.

4.) Kaiji: Ultimate Survivor

This critically acclaimed psychological thriller from Madhouse is a masterclass in tension, following Kaiji Itou as he enters a series of life-or-death gambits to erase mounting debts. The show’s themes resonate strongly with the recent global popularity of psychological thriller “death games,” making it ripe for a full continuation.

• Original Run & Studio: 2007 (Season 1) & 2011 (Season 2); Madhouse
• Key Features/Benefits of a Revival:
  • Massive Manga Content: Nobuyuki Fukumoto’s manga began in 1996 and continues to this day, with over ninety volumes, meaning the anime has only scratched the surface.
  • Timely Relevancy: Its exploration of debt, desperation, and high-stakes survival is profoundly current.
  • Unmatched Intensity: The series is famous for its visceral portrayal of anxiety and psychological pressure during its deadly games.

3.) Gantz

Studio Gonzo’s 2004 anime offered a brutal, cynical take on a dark sci-fi world where recently deceased individuals are forced into a deadly game of hunting aliens. While the anime was popular, it concluded prematurely, requiring an original ending before the source manga was complete.

• Original Run & Studio: 2004 (1 Season); Gonzo
• Key Features/Benefits of a Revival:
  • Completed Manga Arc: The original manga, running from 2000 to 2013, has a full, cohesive story that a new series could adapt faithfully.
  • Intense Action: Features visceral, futuristic action and unsettling alien designs that would be stunning with modern animation.
  • Mature Themes: Its unflinching look at violence, morality, and second chances appeals to a demographic seeking a genuinely dark narrative.

2.) Deadman Wonderland

Set in a privatized prison where inmates are forced to participate in deadly amusement park games, Deadman Wonderland has one of the most unique and disturbing premises in modern anime. The 2011 adaptation by Manglobe was critically successful but suffered from a short 12-episode run that ended on a significant cliffhanger, leaving the core mystery unresolved.

• Original Run & Studio: 2011 (1 Season); Manglobe
• Key Features/Benefits of a Revival:
  • Unresolved Cliffhanger: The initial run failed to adapt the manga’s complete storyline, leaving viewers without the true conclusion.
  • Distinct World-Building: The prison’s grotesque nature and the unique “Branch of Sin” blood-manipulation powers offer compelling action.
  • Narrative Closure: The manga completed its run in 2013, making a full adaptation entirely feasible.

1.) Toriko

Often mentioned alongside One Piece and Dragon Ball during its early run, Toriko follows the adventures of a Gourmet Hunter with superhuman strength searching for the ultimate full-course meal. Despite a relatively long run of nearly 150 episodes, the anime was canceled two years before the manga published its final chapters.

• Original Run & Studio: 2011–2014 (147 Episodes); Toei Animation
• Key Features/Benefits of a Revival:
  • Needed Grand Finale: A movie or short OVA series could be produced to adapt the crucial final arcs of the manga, providing a necessary Toriko finale.
  • Imaginative World: The over-the-top action, giant creatures, and focus on food discovery make its world incredibly distinctive.
  • Proper Respect: The series’ contribution to the Shonen genre warrants a complete and satisfying animated conclusion.

Conclusion: The Enduring Hope for Canceled Anime

The fate of a series in the global entertainment market is complex, often hinging on factors far removed from its quality or the devotion of its fans. Yet, the persistent demand for the continuation of these seven shows—from the dark fantasy of Berserk to the high-stakes thrills of Kaiji—underscores the powerful impact that incomplete narratives have on the anime community. A successful revival would not merely be a win for the studios and creators, but a true reward for the loyal audience who never stopped believing these great stories deserve their proper final act.