Expectations for anime being released in 2018 reached all-time highs as the genre continues to grow in popularity. Studios are being given bigger budgets to work with and there’s more content being produced than ever before. Naturally, not all of it is good while other series are knocking it out of the park.

Judging what is the worst and best anime is difficult. There are countless genres in Japanese animation, and not all of them resonate with fans. Some are into super ecchi and Yuri material, while others are into mecha and shōnen. Even within these niches, there is commonly a divide as to what constitutes as the best and worst. In keeping things simple, only shows which received legitimate criticism ended up being listed on the worst side of things.

Some of the runners-up for the best anime so far in 2018 who didn’t make the list (but deserve to be recognized) include: Cells at Work, Phantom in the Twilight, Island, Overlord season 3, High School DxD season 4, Golden Kamuy, Megalobox, and Kakuriyo: Bed and Breakfast for Spirits.

With so much anime content now available through paid and free streaming, it’s hard to know which ones are worth watching. From Crunchyroll and FUNimation to Netflix and Amazon Video, there are some top-notch shows which are a must see and too many anime series' that were absolutely the worst.

30 Worst: Citrus

Via MyMBuzz

The “hype” and expectations were high regarding Citrus, and the otaku community seems to be divided on it like Star Wars fandom is with The Last Jedi. Fans either loved or hated it, with the haters being very outspoken.

Adapted from the manga series written and illustrated by Saburouta, Citrus is a Yuri (girl love) story about two step-sisters named Yuzu Aihara and Mei Aihara. While this may seem surprising to some audiences, Yuri is a commonly told story in Japanese culture. Negative reviews mostly focused on the anime consistently being boring and flat.

29 Worst: Tokyo Ghoul:re

Via AnimeLab

Tokyo Ghoul is loved by many anime fans, but they weren’t too thrilled with the sequel Tokyo Ghoul:re. Many claimed it butchered the manga source material while lacking action displayed in the first series, often leading to boredom. Tokyo Ghoul:re is an anime adaptation of the manga written and illustrated by Sui Ishida.

Upon its release, the inter-web went nuts proclaiming their hate for the new series. With poor animation and English dubbing, it’s not surprising Tokyo Ghoul:re is hailed by critics as being one the worst anime of 2018.

28 Best: My Hero Academia Season 3

Via FUNimation and VRV

Starting off as a niche anime in 2016, My Hero Academia has blown up into one of the hottest series airing now. It’s become so popular that the series was picked up by Cartoon Network for its Saturday night Toonami programming, ranking second in views (just under Dragon Ball Super).

In a world where humans have Quirks (special powers) heroes are needed to combat the steady rise in villains.

My Hero Academia follows a new generation of heroes learning to overcome personal obstacles and a failing hero system. Toonami is currently airing season 2, and season 3 can be found on FUNimation and VRV streaming services.

27 Worst: Magical Girl Ore

Via Nerdist

Many assumed Magical Girl Ore would be in the same style as other “magical girl” anime series, much like Sailor Moon. Whoa, were we all wrong. Crushing sparkling tropes and nostalgia, the series is a more than a little on the weird side.

Adapted and based on the manga series by Icchokusen Mōkon, Magical Girl Ore is about a junior high school student named Saki Uno who finds out she has magical girl powers. Sounds normal right? The twist, however, is that her magical form is that of a buff man wearing a cute girly outfit.

26 Worst: Darling In The Franxx

Via Goomba Stomp

In what should have been a standard mecha anime series, Darling in the Franxx disappointed a great many fans towards the final episodes. Created by Studio Trigger, who has made many a popular anime in the past, the series was criticized for being a copy of Neon Genesis Evangelion.

It also didn’t help when the decent character development and storytelling went out the window towards the finale, leading fans to disown the entire series. Darling in the Franxx takes place in a post-apocalyptic future and is about kid pilots trained to fly mecha to protect what remains under the control of humanity.

25 Best: Attack On Titan Season 3

Via FUNimation and VRV

The first season of Attack on Titan featured some of the best anime visuals and storytelling writing, not seen since the days of Cowboy Bebop and Akira. Season 2 was a tad more on the fanservice side, but season 3 is off-the-hook spectacular.

Incorporating a Game of Thrones feel while keeping to the manga adaptation, Attack on Titan season 3 is a wild ride full of action, suspense, coup d'état, shocking revelations surrounding MC’s, and humanities unstable future. Attack on Titan can be viewed on Cartoon Networks Toonami or streamed on FUNimation and VRV.

24 Worst: Today's Menu For The Emiya Family

Via World Without Horizons

Cash grabs exist in Japanese culture too, and Today's Menu for the Emiya Family is the Fate/Stay Night franchise’s 2018 version. In a lousy attempt to tap into another genre, the series places the original voice actors and characters in a world where they learn how to cook.

Anime fans give SAO flack for their latent spin-offs, but it seems the Fate/Stay Night franchise found a way to push the envelop even further.

Theron Martin from Anime News Network sums it up best by stating, “Imagine if the cast of Game of Thrones or Marvel's Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. suddenly switched to participating in a sedate cooking show.”

23 Worst: B: The Beginning

Via Steemit
Netlfix B: The Beginning 15 Anime TV Shows You Didn't Know Were Coming In 2018

Not every Netflix Original anime released in 2018 was a success. Expectations were high for B: The Beginning, which is probably why most found it to be a disappointment. With a lack of character depth and a choppy story, it let a lot of anime fans down.

The animation looked good, however, and critics have stated the characters get fleshed out more around halfway through the first season. With so many top-rated anime shows available, B: The Beginning just doesn’t make the cut.

22 Best: Steins;Gate 0

Via FUNimation and VRV

Steins;Gate 0 is a direct sequel to Steins;Gate (2011), continuing on an alternate timeline (worldline beta) established in the original series. The show is chalked full of character development, suspense, cuteness (tu-tu-roo), and some cheap action sequences. But don’t hold that against the show, as Steins;Gate 0 is all about great storytelling.

This is my favorite anime series from this year, so far. The only catch is you must watch Steins;Gate (season 1) first before diving into Steins;Gate 0. The series is currently airing on VRV and FUNimation.

21 Worst: Tada Never Falls In Love

Via GoBoiano

There’s nothing wrong with coming-of-age and slice-of-life anime series. Sadly, Tada Never Falls in Love is more boring than entertaining. The show has horrible pacing issues and a lack of comedic relief, making it almost a grind as opposed to an enjoyment to watch.

Produced by Doga Kobo and directed by Mitsue Yamazaki, Tada Never Falls In Love fails to be a proper romantic comedy. Its only saving grace is the stunning artwork, but it’ still not enough to save the series from the chopping block.

20 Worst: Basilisk: The Ōka Ninja Scrolls

Via JustWatch

Basilisk: The Ōka Ninja Scrolls is a reboot and an adaptation from a 1950 novel which heavily influenced many aspects of anime storytelling. Nothing about this version, however, makes it worth watching.

The scenes are choppy, the animation is weak, and the story jumps all over the place.

Audiences without knowledge of the original source material will be lost, and those who are will be severely disappointed. Basilisk: The Ōka Ninja Scrolls is not worth wasting one’s time on.

19 Best: Boruto: Naruto Next Generations

Via: thebitbag.com

Anime fans weren’t thrilled with the first episodes of Boruto: Naruto Next Generations when it first aired in 2017. Since then, however, the series has picked up its pace and improved its overall quality.

Recent episodes have involved tons of fan-favorites from Naruto while focusing on the next generation and their prominent years of training. Character development is consistent, and the action is worth watching, making Boruto: Naruto Next Generations a popular shōnen anime to check out. The series is almost 70 episodes in, but still binge-able. Watch Boruto on Adult Swim Toonami, Crunchyroll, and VRV.

18 Worst: Pop Team Epic

Via Random Curiosity

Specifically written and designed to obliterate standard anime tropes, the series is a hit or miss for fans. The part where Pop Team Epic really fails is becoming something more than a spoof of other anime series.

Spaceballs is a direct spoof of Star Wars, much like Monty Python and the Holy Grail makes fun of every Medieval story ever told. And yet, they each had something unique about them which made them great. Pop Team Epic contains some funny moments but lacks proper structure and creativity.

17 Worst: Gurazeni

Via Anime-Planet

Sports anime continue to grow in popularity each year, with Gurazeni focusing on baseball. Unlike Big Windup! and Major, the series isn’t interesting for casual or die-hard baseball fans.

The writers of Gurazeni know their stuff, especially when comparing the Japanese leagues to MLB. The story, however, lacks what it takes to hook an audience. Visuals are also weak, earning its spot on our worst anime of 2018 list. With so much good sports anime content available, Gurazeni is a bust.

16 Best: Aggretsuko

Via Netflix
Netflix Aggretsuko

Netflix continues to produce top anime content, with many casual anime fans and otaku’s going head-over-heels for Aggretsuko. The show is about Retsuko, a 25-year-old single anthropomorphic red panda. She has learned adulting stinks, especially when you work in an office as a woman whose boss is a male pig.

To relieve her stress, Retsuko enjoys karaoke — hardcore heavy metal karaoke.

You might recognize Retsuko’s character, as she was first introduced on TBS through a series of animated shorts which ran from 2016-2018. Aggretsuko can be found only on Netflix.

15 Worst: Slow Start

Via World Without Horizons

Adapted from the four-panel manga series by Yuiko Tokumi, Slow Start had potential but lives up to its title too much. The flow of the anime is set to a crawling and brutal pace, meant to show how difficult it is to earn someone’s trust.

Rather than paying the audience off for their time spent investing in the series, it remains bland all the way through to the finale. To make matters worse, a major plot point which drove the MC to make certain decisions was never resolved. Don’t waste your time because the title says it all.

14 Worst: Fist Of The Blue Sky Regenesis

Via The Inner Circle Games Network

Focusing on Kenshiro Kasumi from Fist of the North Star, Fist of the Blue Sky Regenesis is an adaptation from the manga written and illustrated by Tetsuo Hara. What should have been a cool 1930s streetfighter anime, was somehow produced as a cheap knockoff of the classics.

From extremely poor animation to a weak story, Fist of the Blue Sky comes off as a cash grab. The character development is non-existence and because of the horrible CGI, the fights aren’t worth sticking around for.

13 Best: Banana Fish

Via Amazon Prime Video

Not to be left out of the anime game, Amazon Video stepped up their original produced anime content in 2018. Adapted from the popular manga series written and illustrated by Akimi Yoshida, Banana Fish takes place in New York City following the Vietnam War.

The show tells its story through the eyes of Ash Lynx, who’s a gang leader with a secret the mob boss doesn’t want to get out. Packed with gritty action and enjoyable characters, Banana Fish is an anime series worth checking out. It’s available to watch via Amazon Prime.

12 Worst: Real Girl

Via My Utopia

Real Girl is another series with massive amounts of potential, especially since its written by a woman and published in a magazine directed towards women. Critics tossed the anime adaptation out the window, however, mostly because the two main characters lacked depth or purpose behind their thoughts and actions.

Adapted from the manga series written and illustrated by Mao Nanami, Real Girl has more than a few issues. It leaves a lot unexplained, and is very trope-heavy.

11 Worst: Made In Abyss

Via comicbook.com

Anime critics were quick to trash Made in Abyss, but a few came around as the series continued to grow on them. It’s a horror type of tale, but without all the gore. It’s more about the suspense created through the plot, to which many fans weren’t about.

Because of the backlash surrounding Made in Abyss, it makes the list, but I suggest watching it for yourself before passing judgment. The anime series does have a niche target audience and isn’t a complete failure.