7 Incredible Anime That Deserve a Sequel Instead of Rent-a-Girlfriend
Rent-a-Girlfriend is popular mostly because of the controversies surrounding it instead of being praised for its story. Despite the fact that it’s not nearly as good as other major shows, the anime keeps returning with new seasons, and it has already confirmed a sixth season. Whether it’s the unlikable protagonist, agonizingly slow plot progression, or uncomfortable cringeworthy moments, the series is often at the center of attention for all the wrong reasons. And yet, while this unworthy anime continues to get more seasons, some of the best series of all time might never release their sequel seasons at all.
This may not always be the respective animation studio’s fault since underrated series often have a low chance of getting a sequel. Unlike Rent-a-Girlfriend, which made its name thanks to its controversial themes, the masterpieces mentioned below failed to get enough popularity for a sequel, despite being better in every way possible.
7) Children of the Whales
Children of the Whales premiered in 2017, and it’s one of the most visually striking and colorful anime series you will probably ever watch. Yet, it carries a surprisingly dark twist, and it doesn’t take long for the story to reveal the horrifying truths of the brutal world. This forgotten masterpiece is set in a post-apocalyptic world where an endless sea of sand covers the earth. A group of people, marked and unmarked by powers, lives on a massive floating island called the Mud Whale. The marked ones possess special telekinetic powers but have a shorter lifespan, whereas the unmarked lack such abilities and don’t die at an early age.
However, the people of the Mud Whale have no knowledge of the outside world. They pay a steep price for it when other humans, who have weaponized their telekinetic powers, invade. As the story continues, the disturbing truths about the islands come to light, challenging the survivors to confront their fate and attempt to change it before it is too late. The anime is based on a critically acclaimed manga written and illustrated by Abi Umeda, which reached its conclusion in 2023.
6) Ouran High School Host Club
Despite being a critically acclaimed Shojo classic, this anime never adapted the majority of the manga. It goes without saying that whenever there’s a conversation about classic Shojo series, Ouran High School Host Club is always mentioned as one of the most unforgettable romantic comedies ever. Based on Bisco Hatori’s acclaimed manga, Studio Bones released an anime adaptation in 2006 and aired 26 episodes within the first season. It has been two decades since the anime debuted, but the series is just as loved as ever.
The story centers around straight-A student Haruhi Fujioka, a student at the prestigious Ouran Academy. She accidentally stumbles across a music room while looking for a quiet place to study. However, the girl has no idea that the room belongs to the school’s popular Host Club, full of attractive boys who entertain the girls from the school. Startled by Tamaki Suou, the founder and president of the club, Haruhi knocks down an expensive vase, which she is unable to pay for. The club members leave her with no choice but to dress as a boy to repay her debt by helping with their work, and what follows is a series of hilarious events amid budding romance.
5) Barakamon
Barakamon is often considered one of the best slice-of-life anime of all time, but despite that, it was removed from Crunchyroll in July this year. Even without getting a sequel, the anime is nothing less than a masterpiece perfect for fans who want to take a break from battle Shonen. This heartwarming story of redemption and self-discovery takes place on a quiet, small island where Sei Handa, a renowned calligrapher, had recently moved. After hitting an elderly curator of a calligraphy exhibition, His father sends him to a remote island to help him clear his head and realize his mistake.
While he initially has a hard time adapting to the countryside lifestyle, he blends right in thanks to the friendly neighbors and the notorious young girl named Naru Kotoishi. Beneath the absurd comedy, this beautiful story explores themes of personal growth and self-discovery as Sei finds joy in simplicity and forming new connections. Unfortunately, after Crunchyroll’s removal, the anime is impossible to stream anywhere legally now. With no hopes for a sequel season, it might not be long before this masterpiece is forgotten.
4) Noragami
After 14 years of serialization, the Noragami manga reached its conclusion in 2024, but the anime still hasn’t been renewed for a third season since Season 2’s conclusion in 2015. At this point, a reboot would be a far better option than a Season 3, not only because of the decade-long delay but also because the anime made a lot of changes from the manga. Despite not getting a sequel in so long, Noragami still has a dedicated fanbase waiting for any updates on the anime adaptation. This beloved Shonen fantasy follows Delivery God Yato, an unpopular deity without any worshippers, who takes on odd jobs for only five yen, hoping to amass a fortune and buy himself a shrine, but trouble never stops coming his way.
While already dealing with his bad luck, he crosses paths with Hiyori Iki, a young girl who pushes him out of harm’s way but instead gets knocked down by a vehicle. Her life takes a drastic turn when she discovers her soul has come loose from her body, so Yato promises to help her. And of course, he plans on charging five yen for his services every time.
3) GTO: Great Teacher Onizuka
The criminally underrated Shonen series is rarely talked about these days, and it barely has any fans outside of Japan. The story centers around Eikichi Onizuka, a 22-year-old ex-gang member who sets out to become a teacher to be popular with schoolgirls. Even though he begins his teaching career for the wrong reasons, he develops a conscience after seeing the students struggling and does everything he can to help them. As the story continues, he gets to learn more about each of the students and the problems they face, including bullying, suicidal attempts, sexual harassment, and more.
With his unconventional methods, he supports his students and tries to make school as enjoyable for them as he possibly can. Although it’s technically a Shonen, the series comes off more as a Seinen due to its mature themes and the sensitive topics such as grooming, bullying, and depression. Not only that, but GTO: Great Teacher Onizuka is also an inspiring story of redemption that can’t be overlooked. The anime premiered in 1999 and released 43 episodes, but never actually adapted a majority of the manga.
2) Magi: The Labyrinth of Magic
Based on Shinobu Ohtaka’s award-winning manga, this criminally underrated gem has yet to continue its main story in the third season since the second season’s finale in 2014. The anime also released a prequel later on, but the main plot still has a majority of the story left to be covered. This captivating story centers around a young Magi called Aladdin, who wanders around the world in hopes of finding his true self. Magi is a title granted only to those exceptional magicians whose powers are so immense that they can shape the world.
Most Magi even hold significant influence in the world, which is why they are able to choose at least one worthy candidate to become a king. Accompanied by his friend Ugo, a djinn Aladdin can summon using a flute, he embarks on a journey and meets Alibaba Saluja before the duo join hands to conquer a nearby Dungeon. The two hit it off almost immediately and journey together as the story continues to reveal more secrets about them.
1) The Heroic Legend of Arslan
The anime adaptation of this 1986 historical classic novel first premiered in 2015 and returned with an eight-episode second season the next year. However, the anime has yet to confirm another season, even though the novel concluded in 2017. The series also has a manga adaptation, which is currently in its final stretch but hasn’t confirmed a finale release date yet. Despite its brilliantly captivating story, The Heroic Legend of Arslan never managed to secure a strong footing among the global audience.
The series draws inspiration from Persian history and mythology, particularly the tale of Arsames, an ancient Persian prince. It centers around Arslan, the heir to the Kingdom of Parsa and the son of King Andragoras III. The king’s capture led to a crushing defeat by the religiously fanatical Lusitanian army, forcing Arslan to take on a role he never thought he was ready for. Despite his strained relationship with his parents and the mystery surrounding his birth, Arslan embarks on a journey accompanied by a small but trustworthy group of allies to reclaim his kingdom and free his father from the clutches of the enemies.
