WHAT SHOW or ANIME FAR EXCEEDED YOUR EXPECTATIONS?
Added 2024-11-23 22:04:11 +0000 UTCI don't mean necessarily something that became your favorite, but instead something that just ended up being significantly better than you had expected.
I have a bunch but ones that pop to mind are Mob Psycho 100, Ouran Host Club, Cardcaptor Sakura and Miss Kobayashi's Dragon Maid. There are more; that's just a few.
What about you guys?
Comments
Person of interested is super underrated! I would also include Burn Notice and White Collar in there
Empyre
2024-11-25 10:08:41 +0000 UTCNot an anime but hazbin hotel brought me from hating musicals to singing some songs almost every day xD
BigPurplePops
2024-11-25 02:47:59 +0000 UTCShow = Bosch Anime = Attack on Titan
Temperistic
2024-11-24 22:18:26 +0000 UTCoo maybe invincible is another good one that exceeded expectations, cuz when i started it i had no context for what it was, so throughout the entire first ep i was definitely thinking it was enjoyable, but it was also just a very generic superhero story.....but nah i was very wrong lmao
Matthew MacKinnon
2024-11-24 22:02:15 +0000 UTC(the part in the brackets not relating to the question,those are my fav shows, not the ones that exceeded expectations, just figured id add the extra info since i said top 4 fav)
Matthew MacKinnon
2024-11-24 21:59:41 +0000 UTCid have to say breaking bad, considering when i initially watched it, i stopped halfway through ep 1 and just wasnt interested, then i went back years later and tried again with VERY low expectations since i had somehow been spoiled on liek none of it.... and now ive seen it 30+ times at least, and its easily in my top 4 favorite shows of all time (the other 3 in no particular order, would be BCS, ATLA, and Naruto, idk what the 5th would be)
Matthew MacKinnon
2024-11-24 21:58:18 +0000 UTCone piece!! hadn’t watched much anime and had no idea what i was in for
ryan
2024-11-24 20:48:41 +0000 UTCPrimal. Really great animation and story line, which is impressive given that there's almost no talking in the entire show. Pretty short too, only two seasons. You should give it a watch.
Giggles
2024-11-24 20:34:44 +0000 UTCKaiji is like a better version of Squid games.
Zaius
2024-11-24 16:01:48 +0000 UTCGolden Kamuy. I was actually taken aback by how much I loved the main characters and how unexpected the plot development was a lot of the time. Solid series, can't wait for season 5.
Patrick Maloney
2024-11-24 15:14:02 +0000 UTCPerson of interest, as far as a show exceeding my expectations, because I thought it was a generic procedural show, and I guess for anime, it was Code Geass, as I knew it had mecha elements to it going in which I'm not a fan of.
Georg Eide
2024-11-24 15:06:43 +0000 UTCKino's Journey 2003. It's literally kino. I didn't even have expectations going in, just having randomly seen the thumbnail while scrolling through HiDive and deciding "guy/tomboy girl and motorcycle? Alright I'll give it a try" and the second the Opening hit, I knew I was in for something special. A masterpiece of storytelling
Tbush
2024-11-24 13:45:59 +0000 UTCSeconding Black Clover. Started watching a few months ago and about to finish. Was expecting a guilty pleasure show like Fairy Tail, but it’s really good. Just finished Elf Arc and it consistently blew me away.
Joseph Finkelstein
2024-11-24 13:29:45 +0000 UTCEvery time I watched Black Clover I expected it to be bad but just kept getting better. Fire Force as well.
Ian McBride
2024-11-24 13:18:15 +0000 UTCIf we're talking series, exclusively: Gotta go with Kaiju No.8. I went in, expecting nothing at all. Left ranking it in my top 10 anime, and was the quickest I caved in and started on the manga (by episode 3). Now if we're including movies, it'd be a tie between Transformers One and Puss in Boots: The Last Wish.
Miasimon
2024-11-24 07:13:10 +0000 UTCFrieren. It was so emotionally captivating.
TheTeeke
2024-11-24 06:19:42 +0000 UTCIf we are talking strictly from the standpoint of exceeding expectations then I would say "High School DxD" and "Is it wrong to pick up Girls in a Dungeon." I figured both would be over the top fan service anime with nothing going for them outside of that. I was pleasantly surprised by DxD, as while it definitely leans heavy on the fan service (one could argue almost too much at times) it surprisingly had decent characters that had some depth and motivation and a decent plot. I was so sure "Is it wrong... " was going to be so over the top gratuitous fan service with no substance that I avoided it for a long time and was very surprised to find it is basically DnD the anime.
Ogre_312
2024-11-24 04:49:12 +0000 UTCsame i didnt expect anything from dandadan but I think if it maintains its current animation I think it might end up being one of my favorites of all time
Nate D.
2024-11-24 02:07:59 +0000 UTCLower decks is so much better than it has any right to be. It’s such a treat for fans of the franchise.
Fritz
2024-11-24 00:25:11 +0000 UTC👀
Fritz
2024-11-24 00:23:30 +0000 UTCParasyte for me. I thought oh boy another “high school” student gets power becomes insanely jacked and wins hooray. But it turned into more of a fighting philosophical anime that helps answer questions like am I human? What are emotions? Am I better than another living thing? Can one gain emotions they aren’t born with? Absolutely loved the show and when “spoiler dies” and “spoiler” finally cried it broke me for a bit both in a happy and sad way
Hammerface1
2024-11-24 00:18:43 +0000 UTCWorld Trigger. The recent chapters of its manga made me reflect about my own life.
Vincent
2024-11-24 00:10:55 +0000 UTCProbably One Piece for me. I wanted to get around to watching it for years. I assumed I would like it but holy shit. Once I got to Nami's breakdown and the boys walking to Arlong park I was absolutely hooked. There were so many amazing moments and lots of world building I wasn't expecting. One Piece has solidified it as one of my favorite series.
RyoujiAyasaki
2024-11-24 00:02:32 +0000 UTCYa Boy Kongming.
Sancturillore -- Élie Simard-Wallot
2024-11-23 23:49:34 +0000 UTCyou might want to keep an eye on the Goosh for next month then... maybe.
Chrome
2024-11-23 22:52:40 +0000 UTCumm, three that come to mind are probably Dandadan, Skip Beat and Maison Ikkoku. I'm glad Cardcaptor Sakura and Ouran Host Club exceeded your expectations lol, I made the right choice in sponsoring them, even if it was only the first few for Ouran. I'm hoping from next month I'm able to add another to your list maybe... Dandadan is one I'd kind of just written off when the manga was getting popular, I didn't think it would be something I'd like, but I gave it a chance when the anime started, and so far I've honestly been really surprised just how good it's been, it's such a fun series. Skip Beat I'd remembered enjoying the anime a long time ago, but when I'd started reading the manga my expectations were just blown away with just how well written it is, Kyoko is such a likeable protagonist. For Maison Ikkoku I've always liked Rumiko Takahashi's works (Ranma, Inuyasha, Urusei Yatsura), but Maison Ikkoku hit me on a different level, it's a much more grounded series, certain scenes from it really touched my heart, there's lines and moments from that series that I'll probably never forget, probably in a similar way that you'll never forget komugi and meruem's death. I think you'd relate to the characters in the series in some ways as well.
Chrome
2024-11-23 22:51:35 +0000 UTCOne Piece. It actually took me a few tries to get in to it, and I don't really know why because it's a fantastic show. And I've noticed more often than not, the people who say they hate it or it's overrated are usually ones who haven't actually watched it at all.
emerald💖octopus
2024-11-23 22:50:51 +0000 UTCAssassination Classroom. No one expected Koro Sensei to be THAT good of a teacher
White Lightning
2024-11-23 22:46:16 +0000 UTCMagic Knight Rayearth: I thought was gonna be a fun Isekai Mecha series, enjoyable enough, but not so mind blowing. It was far more epic than I thought. St Tail: Thought would be a cute magical girl series, but it was far more fascinating and mysterious than I thought. Space Pirate Harlock: I went into it expecting something similar to Space Battleship Yamato, epic scifi. alien fights etc, But it turned out to be this serious story about about dystopian society. Dragon Quest Dai: Looked like Dragon Ball, but the plot and ideas were surprisingly ahead of it's time, so much so, Naruto and MHA may or may not have been influenced by it.
GenesicKaiser
2024-11-23 22:43:15 +0000 UTCSteins gate cause few time travel stories are done right. Legend of the legendary heroes cause the character study and political Intrique. Ef: a tale of melodies because the story got unexpectedly dark. Clannad since the uneasiness sprinkled throughout comes to a head towards the end. Gurren lagann cause the excalation. Desert punk because of the character progression.
V
2024-11-23 22:36:44 +0000 UTCMaid in abyss
Neil Wilson
2024-11-23 22:35:33 +0000 UTCWithout a doubt, Breaking Bad. There are tons of shows that have claimed to be the Greatest TV show, but unlike many of them Breaking Bad is able to back that up to make a valid argument for the best TV show.
Brother E
2024-11-23 22:31:17 +0000 UTCI think it would be Gate. From the first look I was just expecting some normal isekai stuff, a lone soldier nerd, bumbling around with a generic crew, but I was not expecting modern soldiers mowing down hordes of fantasy warriors relentlessly and that with such a nice art. Gave that /HFY feeling
Kniffmaster
2024-11-23 22:30:49 +0000 UTCThere are few other anime that I have had similar experiences with, but Frieren is probably the biggest change of mind for me.
V_VMat
2024-11-23 22:30:22 +0000 UTCI guess for me it's got to be Frieren. I was not expecting to enjoy it as much as I did. Yes, it's voted in MAL as best anime ever and everyone kept praising it when it was airing (and for a reason), but the concept of that anime didn't interest me so I didn't watch it at first, but then watched few YouTubers reactions to it and I was proven wrong.
V_VMat
2024-11-23 22:28:46 +0000 UTCStar Trek Lower Decks. I am a fan of TNG and DS9 and i expected something that would be slightly funny, but very new trek. What we got is basically a ton of comedy that pays homage to treks golden years. It is the best trek show since DS9, even if i kinda liked enterprise when it hit its stride.
Miklar Sihn
2024-11-23 22:26:51 +0000 UTCOne Piece and Attack on Titan. The plot twist in attack on Titan changed the show forever. And I started one piece on a recommendation and did not expect that level of world building and storytelling out of a 1000+ episode show
Matthew
2024-11-23 22:14:36 +0000 UTCDoctor Who. I didn’t think it would be bad, but I didn’t think it would be as good as it was. And I certainly didn’t think it would be so emotionally exhausting. I think I had an idea of what the show was going to be, and I got more wrong every season. I think the first four seasons of Doctor Who may be some of the best television I’ve ever watched. When it comes to anime definitely one piece. Once again, I thought it was going to be good, but I was not prepared for how good. And it just got better and better.
Fritz
2024-11-23 22:10:49 +0000 UTCI expected a Masterpiece before watching it, and I discovered something that transcended even that. i'm talking about One Piece of course
King
2024-11-23 22:09:19 +0000 UTC“That time I got reincarnated as a slime “, hands down 👌🏼 it definitely isn't the greatest anime ever but it is so unique and there honestly isn't anything I've ever seen that's quite like it. It's just pure FUN. you watch it and it makes you happy. I was shocked how fun it was
Tacosareneat
2024-11-23 22:08:48 +0000 UTCCharlotte, Future Diary, Deadman Wonderland, Another, Mob Psycho 100, Fairy Tail, and many more
Matt Kelso
2024-11-23 22:08:47 +0000 UTCKotoro Lives Alone for sure
J
2024-11-23 22:06:09 +0000 UTCDeathnote
Lad Breaks
2024-11-23 22:05:35 +0000 UTCCode Geass quickly turned into one of my favorite anime when I was just expecting it to be another semi enjoyable experience. The ending really sealed the deal for me.
Tyrone Wayne
2024-11-23 22:05:29 +0000 UTC
