Anime That Were Cancelled Before The Story Finished

The anime world frequently sees promising shows cut short due to financial difficulties for studios, poor TV viewership, or weak DVD/Blu-ray sales. Even when based on popular and ongoing stories like manga or light novels, some anime don’t get to finish adapting the complete tale, leaving viewers with unsatisfying endings or storylines that differ from the original plan. These cancellations happen despite a show’s popularity or how well it’s animated. Below are some notable examples of anime that were stopped before they could finish telling their stories.

‘Stars Align’ (2019)

Originally, ‘Stars Align’ was intended to be a 24-episode series that followed a junior high soft tennis team, exploring both their challenges on the court and in their personal lives. However, the show was shortened to just 12 episodes during production. Director Kazuki Akane has stated that the story isn’t finished and was meant to continue past the final episode, which ends on a cliffhanger with several storylines and family issues still unresolved. As of now, there are no announced plans for a second season or a movie to wrap up the story.

‘Gangsta.’ (2015)

‘Gangsta.’ followed two skilled fixers who worked for both the police and the criminal underworld in a dangerous city. Sadly, the animation studio that made the show, Manglobe, went bankrupt right after the first season aired. This meant the show was canceled and no new episodes or related content were ever made. The anime ends abruptly during a large-scale riot, leaving the fates of several key characters unresolved, and the story remains incomplete in animated form due to the studio’s closure.

‘Saint Seiya: The Lost Canvas’ (2009–2011)

‘Saint Seiya: The Lost Canvas’ was a prequel to the original ‘Saint Seiya’ series, set during the Holy War between Athena and Hades in the 1700s. While fans outside of Japan loved the show and praised its quality, it didn’t sell well on DVD and Blu-ray within Japan. This led to its cancellation after just two seasons. The story ends mid-battle, with the heroes about to launch their final attack, and the rest of the fight can only be found in the original manga.

‘Bobobo-bo Bo-bobo’ (2005)

The Japanese comedy series ‘Bobobo-bo Bo-bobo’ ended before it could cover the entire story from the original manga. Although the show had a reasonable number of viewers, it received complaints from parents who found its humor strange and sometimes violent. These concerns, along with a loss of sponsors, caused the show to be cancelled after 76 episodes. The final episode leaves the battle against the Maruhage Empire unfinished, but the story continues in the manga with a time jump and a follow-up series.

‘Rave Master’ (2001–2002)

‘Rave Master’ told the story of Haru Glory’s journey to collect five pieces of the powerful Rave Stone and battle the dangerous Shadow Stones. However, the anime was cancelled after 51 episodes because it wasn’t popular with viewers or in terms of sales. This happened before the story could finish, so fans never learned what happened to the characters or how the world’s conflict would be resolved. The series ended without resolving the main storyline involving the Demon Card organization. The creator, Hiro Mashima, later achieved more success with the anime ‘Fairy Tail’.

‘Slam Dunk’ (1993–1996)

‘Slam Dunk’ is a hugely popular and important sports anime, but it famously didn’t animate the entire story from the original manga. The anime series has 101 episodes and ends right before the Shohoku basketball team competes in the National Championship. Disagreements between the animation studio and the manga author about how quickly the story should move and its overall direction led to the series ending there. Fans waited for many years for ‘The First Slam Dunk’ movie to finally see some of the final tournament matches animated. Because of this, the original TV series is still considered unfinished when it comes to the Nationals storyline.

‘Nana’ (2006–2007)

Okay, so ‘Nana’ is a really compelling anime about two young women, both named Nana, who are total opposites but their lives become completely intertwined. The anime only ran for 47 episodes because it actually caught up to where the manga was at the time. Sadly, shortly after the anime finished airing, the manga artist, Ai Yazawa, became ill and had to put the manga on hold indefinitely. Because the manga is still unfinished, the anime doesn’t get a proper ending either. It wraps things up with a thoughtful, but ultimately ambiguous, scene, leaving you wondering what happens to all the characters and their relationships. It’s a bit frustrating, but honestly, the journey is still worth it.

‘Highschool of the Dead’ (2010)

‘Highschool of the Dead’ became very popular thanks to its fast-paced zombie action and unique animation style. The first season adapted the beginning of the original manga, finishing with the main characters finding refuge in a shopping mall. However, a second season was delayed because the manga stopped being published regularly for extended periods. When the manga’s author, Daisuke Sato, passed away in 2017, the manga was never finished. This means the anime will also never conclude the story of the worldwide zombie outbreak.

‘Deadman Wonderland’ (2011)

The anime series ‘Deadman Wonderland’ only covered the beginning of Ganta Igarashi’s imprisonment in a privately-run prison where inmates battle to stay alive. It left out important characters from the original manga, making it hard to continue the story with another season. Because DVD sales in Japan weren’t strong enough, the anime ended after 12 episodes and one additional animated episode. The ending didn’t explain the mystery of the ‘Red Man’ or the secrets of the prison, leaving viewers with unanswered questions. The complete story can only be found in the 13-volume manga.

‘Rurouni Kenshin’ (1996–1998)

‘Rurouni Kenshin’ was a popular anime about a former assassin trying to redeem himself during the Meiji period. The show initially did a great job of adapting the first two story arcs from the manga, but when it ran out of source material, it started creating its own filler episodes. These episodes weren’t well-liked by viewers, causing ratings to drop and ultimately leading to the show’s cancellation. Because of this, the final story arc from the manga, ‘Jinchu,’ wasn’t included in the original series. Fans were only able to see a portion of this final story through the ‘Trust & Betrayal’ and ‘Reflection’ OVAs.

‘Bubblegum Crisis’ (1987–1991)

‘Bubblegum Crisis’ is a popular cyberpunk animated series known for its memorable music and distinctive visual style. Originally planned for 13 episodes, production was halted after only eight were completed due to disagreements and conflicts between the companies involved, Artmic and Youmex. This left the central storyline, a battle between the Knight Sabers and the Genom Corporation, unfinished. A later series, ‘Bubblegum Crisis Tokyo 2040,’ chose to restart the story instead of concluding the original plot.

‘Btooom!’ (2012)

‘Btooom!’ is an anime about a dangerous game where players are stranded on an island and must use bombs to defeat each other. The 12-episode series covered the first part of the original manga, ending with the main character facing off against the game’s makers. Although popular with international audiences, it wasn’t successful in Japan. This lack of financial success prevented the creation of additional seasons to finish the story. The manga concluded with two different endings, but neither of these have been adapted into animation.

‘Skip Beat!’ (2008–2009)

‘Skip Beat!’ tells the story of Kyoko Mogami, who joins the entertainment world to get back at a friend from her past. The anime series, which closely followed the beginning of the original manga, had 25 episodes and received positive reviews. Unfortunately, the show ended right when Kyoko’s career was gaining momentum and her relationship with Ren Tsuruga was becoming more complex. It finished with a message promising more to come, but a continuation never happened. The original manga is still being created and has many chapters that haven’t been turned into an anime yet.

‘The Twelve Kingdoms’ (2002–2003)

“The Twelve Kingdoms” is a fantasy series inspired by a set of novels that delve into the intricate political landscape of a different world. The anime version was planned to be longer, but it was shortened to 45 episodes. While the anime covered several of the original novels, many storylines involving other kingdoms and characters were left unfinished. Production stopped suddenly, and later novels weren’t adapted. Despite being a beloved classic, the story feels incomplete due to the fragmented narrative.

‘Zatch Bell!’ (2003–2006)

‘Zatch Bell!’ is about 100 magical children who come to Earth to compete to become the Mamodo King. The anime series lasted 150 episodes, but towards the end, it started to differ from the original manga story. This happened because the manga’s author, Makoto Raiku, hurt his hand, slowing down its production. To finish the anime quickly, the creators wrote their own ending. As a result, the final, important storyline from the manga – including the big final battle – wasn’t included in the anime.

‘D.Gray-man’ (2006–2008)

‘D.Gray-man’ centers around Exorcists who battle demons called Akuma using a substance named Innocence. The initial anime series, which ran for 103 episodes, stopped because it was catching up to the manga, which was often paused due to the author’s illness. Several years later, a continuation called ‘D.Gray-man Hallow’ premiered in 2016, but it was also cut short after just 13 episodes due to disagreements between the author and the anime’s creators. As a result, a significant part of the original manga has never been animated.

‘X’ (2001–2002)

The anime ‘X,’ adapted from the manga by CLAMP, centers on a conflict between two groups – the Dragons of Heaven and the Dragons of Earth – who are fighting for the world’s future. Production on the manga stopped in 2003, and the anime had to create its own ending because of this indefinite pause. CLAMP halted the manga’s creation due to worries that its violent themes were mirroring real-world events. As a result of the unfinished source material, the anime’s ending isn’t considered part of the official story, and the original planned conclusion remains unknown.

‘Beelzebub’ (2011–2012)

Beelzebub is a funny, supernatural anime about a troublemaking high school student who unexpectedly becomes the caretaker of the Demon King’s son. Although the original manga continued for years, the anime was cancelled after 60 episodes, likely because viewership dropped and production was affected by the 2011 earthquake in Japan. The show ended abruptly with a finale created specifically for the anime, which meant important storylines and character arcs from the manga were left out. As a result, many of the series’ supernatural questions and character developments were never fully explained or resolved.

‘REBORN!’ (2006–2010)

‘Katekyo Hitman Reborn!’ started as a funny, lighthearted comedy but evolved into a popular action series focused on the Vongola Mafia. The anime series ran for 203 episodes and covered many important storylines, including the Future Arc. Unfortunately, it ended before it could adapt the “Inheritance Ceremony” and “The Curse of the Rainbow” arcs, which would have provided a satisfying conclusion to the main character Tsuna’s story and revealed the mysteries surrounding the Arcobaleno. While the manga finished in 2012, the anime has never been revived to complete the adaptation.

‘Air Gear’ (2006)

Air Gear is an anime about Air Treks – special motorized skates that let people speed around like they’re flying and battle in gangs. The anime series ran for 26 episodes, but it only covered the very beginning of the original manga. It stopped right as the more serious, professional side of Air Trek racing was about to start. Though some extra episodes were made to show a few later fights, they didn’t fill in the missing parts of the story. As a result, a lot of the manga’s detailed plot, including its politics and supernatural elements, never made it into the anime.

‘Gantz’ (2004)

The anime ‘Gantz’ centers around a group of people who, after dying, are compelled to hunt aliens in a dangerous game. While the anime has 26 episodes, it eventually ran out of source material from the original manga. To finish the series, the studio created a controversial ending called the ‘Temple Arc,’ which skipped over a major storyline (‘Catastrophe’) and key details about the Gantz spheres. Fans wanting the complete and intended ending need to read the 37 volumes of the manga.

‘Berserk’ (1997)

The 1997 anime series of ‘Berserk’ is well-known for its grim fantasy world and shockingly violent depiction of the ‘Golden Age’ storyline. It famously concludes with the ‘Eclipse,’ a truly shocking ending that left the hero, Guts, still on his path for revenge – a story that was never animated. Later attempts to adapt the rest of the story in 2016 and 2017 were poorly received due to their animation. Despite being incomplete, the original 1997 series is still considered a landmark achievement in dark fantasy anime.

‘Claymore’ (2007)

The anime series ‘Claymore’ takes place in a world where warriors with both human and demon traits fight to protect people from creatures called Yoma. For most of its 26 episodes, the anime closely followed the story of the original manga. However, because the manga was still being written when the anime was made, the series created its own ending. This meant a final battle happened much earlier than in the manga, and important parts of the story – like details about the mysterious Organization and the world outside the island – were never shown.

‘Baccano!’ (2007)

‘Baccano!’ is a unique anime series set in America during Prohibition, featuring a complex story with alchemists, gangsters, and thieves. The 13-episode show (plus three additional episodes) covers the beginning of the original light novel series. While the anime wraps up its immediate storyline, the larger story about immortal characters continues in the books. These light novels, written by Ryohgo Narita, explore the characters’ backgrounds and future challenges in much greater detail. Unfortunately, no additional seasons of the anime were made to adapt the rest of the story.

‘Fruits Basket’ (2001)

The original ‘Fruits Basket’ anime from 2001 was very popular, but it only covered a small part of the 23-volume manga series. After 26 episodes, the show ended, leaving out important details about many of the characters and the curse itself. This happened because the manga wasn’t finished yet, and the director and author, Natsuki Takaya, had different ideas about how the story should go. It took almost 20 years for a new version to be made that told the complete story. While many still fondly remember the 2001 series, it remains an unfinished part of the overall narrative.

‘The Guyver: Bio-Booster Armor’ (1989)

This anime series, based on ‘Guyver,’ tells the story of a high school student who merges with an incredibly powerful alien suit. With 26 episodes, it updated the original manga and covered events up to the fight against Richard Guyot. Because the manga has been ongoing since 1985 with many breaks, it’s been hard to adapt the entire story. The anime concludes with the main character facing a new challenge, but that storyline is never finished. As a result, the story feels unresolved in both the manga and anime versions.

‘Wonder Egg Priority’ (2021)

Wonder Egg Priority stood out for its striking visuals and its deep dive into complex emotional and psychological issues. However, the show experienced major production problems, which resulted in the final episode being released separately, much later than the rest of the season. This final episode received a lot of criticism because it didn’t offer satisfying answers to the show’s main questions and spent a lot of time simply replaying old scenes. The production difficulties ultimately prevented the creator from delivering their intended ending, leaving the story feeling incomplete and unresolved. As of now, there are no plans for additional episodes or content to provide further closure.

‘Panty & Stocking with Garterbelt’ (2010)

‘Panty & Stocking with Garterbelt’ is a fast-paced, funny show about two angels who are banished from heaven for being mischievous. The last episode includes a surprising twist that dramatically alters the characters’ situation and leaves the story open-ended. Following the show’s release, many of the people who worked on it left Studio Gainax to start Studio Trigger. Because of this staff change and some legal problems, a second season wasn’t possible for more than ten years. Though Trigger recently announced a new project related to the series, the original story remained unfinished for thirteen years.

‘No Game No Life’ (2014)

‘No Game No Life’ is about two incredibly smart siblings who find themselves in a world where all disputes are decided by playing games. The anime adapts the first three books of the original series and finishes with a surprising discovery about the world’s gods. Even though it’s very popular and a movie came out beforehand, a second season hasn’t been made. Fans have been wondering why for years, with theories ranging from the author’s health to legal problems. The story is currently paused right when the main characters are starting their journey to challenge God.

‘Magi: The Labyrinth of Magic’ (2012–2014)

Inspired by the classic stories of ‘One Thousand and One Nights’, ‘Magi’ is a fantasy anime that follows Aladdin and Alibaba on their adventures. The anime adapted the first part of the manga, concluding after the Magnostadt arc with two seasons. While the manga continued and finished its story, the anime wasn’t picked up for a third season. As a result, important storylines about the world’s history and the final, decisive battle were never animated, making ‘Magi’ a well-known example of a popular series that ended prematurely.

Tell us about any TV shows or book series you loved that never got a proper ending, and share your ideas for how the story should have concluded in the comments below!

2026-02-06 04:49