10 Classic Anime Too Problematic To Watch Today (2024)

The classics of anime have stood the test of time for a reason. Be it their impact on the community, the popularity that has persisted over many years, or niche cult classic appeal, the merits of older anime prevail through time and make some shows relevant regardless of how much the medium has evolved. However, the technical improvements and shifts in trends aren’t the only things that change over time - so do people’s values and notions of what is acceptable to depict in art.

The moral connotations and messaging of many classic series from even 20 years ago - let alone the shows that came out before the turn of the millennium - aren’t considered acceptable in modern times, making plenty of older anime hard to recommend. From small yet uncomfortable details, like promoting outdated ideals or featuring offensive character archetypes, to greatly overstepping what is deemed acceptable in today’s society, these classics are riddled with problematic content.

10 Rurouni Kenshin’s Legacy Was Stained by Its Creator’s Actions

It’s Hard to Ignore the Controversy Surrounding Nobuhiro Watsuki

The classic samurai tale of a former assassin on a path of redemption through Meiji era Japan, Rurouni Kenshin hardly features anything egregious in and of itself, despite dating back to the ‘90s. However, the reputation of this beloved shonen franchise has taken a hit in recent years, which makes engaging with the series in clear conscience nigh-impossible.

In 2017, the creator of Rurouni Kenshin manga, Nobuhiro Watsuki, was found liable for possession of child pornography, leading to his legal prosecution. Despite the severity of Watsuki’s crime, he didn’t face much backlash in Japan. However, his actions greatly devastated the legacy of an iconic franchise, making Rurouni Kenshin a controversial series to support.

Rurouni Kenshin

TV-14

Animation

Comedy

Action

Adventure

The adventures of a young wandering swordsman who stumbles upon a struggling martial arts school in Meiji era Japan.

Release Date

January 10, 1996

Creator(s)

Nobuhiro Watsuki

Cast

Mayo Suzukaze , Miki Fujitani , Mîna Tominaga , Yūji Ueda , Mika Doi , Hirotaka Suzuoki , Tomo Sakurai , Yoshito Yasuhara , Yoku Shioya , Noriko Hidaka , Masanori Ikeda , Mayumi Tanaka , Takehito Koyasu , Yasunori Matsumoto , Hiroko Kasahara , Akio Nojima , Yuri Shiratori , Shōzō Iizuka , Junko Takeuchi , Chieko Honda , Yoshisada Sakaguchi , Kazuhiro Nakata , Hochu Otsuka

Main Genre

Animation

See Also

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Studio

Main Cast

Character(s)

Kenshin Himura , Kaoru Kamiya , Yahiko Myoujin , Sanosuke Sagara , Megumi Takani , Hajime Saitô , Makimachi Misao , Aoshi Shinomori , Gensai , Sojiro Seta , Makoto Shishio

9 Few Would Root for the Couples in Marmalade Boy Today

Marmalade Boy Features Both a Siblings Romance and a Student-Teacher Relationship

One anime genre that makes the shift in the cultural paradigm the most noticeable is romance. Plenty of old-school love stories feature tropes modern fans would find disagreeable. And Marmalade Boy, for all the love fans have for the series' exaggerated melodrama, is ridden with romantic dynamics that won’t fly today.

The main couple of the show - the energetic heroine, Miki, and her good-looking yet detached love interest, Yuu - are step-siblings, which the series barely acknowledges in the pursuit of getting them together. However, even more problematic is Marmalade Boy’s side romance between Miki’s best friend, Meiko, and her teacher, Namura. Despite the objective power imbalance and age difference in their relationship, the romance between Meiko and Na-chan is treated as an earnest and inspirational love story, which would definitely rub viewers the wrong way today.

Marmalade Boy

Comedy

Drama

Two sets of parents divorce and marry each other, while their children Miki and Yuu are caught in the middle and start falling for each other.

Release Date

March 13, 1994

Cast

Wendee Lee , Michelle Ruff , John DeMita

Main Genre

Animation

Seasons

1

Producer

Koichiro Fujita, Yasuo Kameyama, Hiromi Seki

Production Company

Toei Animation

Number of Episodes

76

8 Elfen Lied’s Edginess Is Even More Controversial Today

Excessive Violence and Gore Didn’t Help Elfen Lied Stand the Test of Time

Gore and violence are hardly something that can genuinely shock modern anime audiences. Yet, even fans of the brutality in Chainsaw Man and Jujutsu Kaisen might be turned off by just how gruesome Elfen Lied is - an early-2000s classic that introduced an entire generation to “mature” anime.

Focused on a deceivingly childlike humanoid mutant, Lucy, who seeks revenge against humans who rejected her, Elfen Lied is edgy to the point of grotesqueness, and even avid fans of horror find its proclivity to gore excessive. From graphic dismemberment to concerning sexualization of violence to the infamous “dog scene” that might be too disturbing to even describe, Elfen Lied goes so all-out in depicting gore that fans still can’t agree if it’s hilarious or problematic.

Elfen Lied

TV-MA

Sci-Fi

Two university students come across a seemingly harmless girl named Lucy, unaware that she's actually a mutant serial killer with a split personality.

Release Date

July 25, 2004

Creator(s)

Takao Yoshioka , Lynn Okamoto

Cast

Kira Vincent-Davis , Adam Conlon , Christine Auten , Nancy Novotny , Cynthia Martinez , Sasha Paysinger , Jay Hickman , Jason Douglas , Luci Christian

Main Genre

Action

Seasons

1

Studio

Arms, Studio Guts

Creator

Lynn Okamoto

Writers

Lynn Okamoto

Streaming Service(s)

Prime Video

Franchise(s)

Elfen Lied

Directors

Mamoru Kanbe

7 Azumanga Daioh Features a Teacher Character Obsessed with High School Girls

Kimura’s Gags Are Disturbing and Would Hardly Fly Today

An iconic slice-of-life comedy today’s fans have to thank for the still-persisting popularity of moe and CGDCT anime, Azumanga Daioh is, for the most part, pretty inoffensive - if a bit dated. An incredible mix of absurd comedy and cutesy shenanigans, the anime follows a group of eccentric girls as they navigate the challenges - both mundane and hilariously surreal - of high school life.

However, one prominent side character definitely sours Azumanga Daioh’s otherwise stellar reputation. Kimura, the class’ Japanese literature teacher, is an expressive and shameless pervert who constantly makes his love for high school girls known. From begging female students to wear swimsuits to class to harassing one girl in particular, Kaorin, Kimura engages in creepy behavior every time he is on screen - yet the show still tries to paint him in a sympathetic light.

Azumanga Daioh

TV-PG

Comedy

Fantasy

A humorous and highly unpredictable animated series following a group of high school girls and their teachers.

Release Date

April 9, 2002

Main Genre

Animation

Seasons

1 Season

Characters By

Tomoko Kaneda, Yuki Matsuoka, Chieko Higuchi

Creator

Ichirō Ōkouchi

Producer

Shin'ichi Ikeda, Yûji Matsukura, Don Rush, Nobuhiro Ôsawa

Production Company

Genco · J.C. Staff

Number of Episodes

26 Episodes

See Also

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6 Golden Boy Is Charming, Hilarious - Yet Not Unproblematic in Its Ecchi Focus

Golden Boy’s Free Spirit Leads to Questionable Narrative Choices

Following a versatile and eager college dropout, Oe Kintaro, on his travels through Japan in search of lessons spontaneous life can teach him, Golden Boy is a nostalgic feast for any fan of stylish ‘90s aesthetic and creative gag humor. However, the series’ identity as an ecchi anime comes with its fair share of expected warnings.

Attractive, dominant women are Kintaro's greatest passion - and the series can be quite crude and creepy in how it depicts his pursuits. While Kintaro himself is an earnest, likable hero, his lust often leads to him taking advantage of his many love interests - which, unfortunately, includes an underaged girl in the second episode - or not considering their consent. For some, Golden Boy’s shortcomings can be overlooked due to the show’s age and genre, while others might find this classic too raunchy.

Golden Boy

TV-MA

Animation

Comedy

A University drop-out rides Japan on his bicycle, taking part-time jobs and trying not to take women.

Release Date

October 27, 1995

Cast

Mitsuo Iwata , Gorô Naya , Kikuko Inoue , Hiromi Tsuru , Hajime Koseki , Yuka Koyama , Yuri Shiratori , Mika Kanai , Yosuke Akimoto , Tatsuya Egawa , Kenichi Ogata , Sakiko Tamagawa , Junko Iwao , Miki Takahashi , Junko Shimakata , Takkô Ishimori

Main Genre

Animation

Studio

Writers

Tatsuya Egawa

Directors

Akihiko Nishiyama

Producers

Kazufumi Nomura

Character(s)

Kintaro Oe , Narrator , Ayuko Hayami , Madame President , Yakuza B , Yuka Kanzaki , Noriko , Employee E , Yakuza A , Reiko Terayama , Employee B , Employee C , Employee D , Bicycle shop owner

5 Junjou Romantica Is One of the Most Toxic BL Series Out There

Junjou Romantica Glorifies Unhealthy Relationships and Partakes in Harmful Stereotyping

Nowadays, it’s not overly difficult to find anime with good LGBTQIA+ representation. Junjou Romantica, a BL anime from 2008, has the merit of being one of the first series of its kind to reach considerable popularity. However, being a product of its time, the show is ridden with problematic tropes and harmful stereotypes.

From uncomfortable age gaps to severe toxicity, the couples in Junjou Romantica are anything but inspirational and healthy. Most egregiously, the series normalizes sexual abuse and non-consensual sexual acts between the main couple, Misaki and Usagi, treating it as an expected part of their dynamic. Many upsetting tropes in Junjou Romantica still, unfortunately, permeate the BL genre - although popular modern series like Sasaki to Miyano and Cherry Magic show a positive shift in the genre’s identity.

4 Destiny of the Shrine Maiden’s GL Romance Has a Fatal Flaw

Sexual Violence Is Way Too Prominent in Destiny of the Shrine Maiden

While not as prominent as in the BL genre, GL anime also has a reputation for featuring some pretty harmful tropes, especially in older series. A 2004 series that mixes romance and mecha action, Destiny of the Shrine Maiden has a compelling world-saving plot and plenty of riveting love triangle drama to make it an early GL classic.

However, the series develops to be much more emotionally intense than initially assumed, including venturing into extremely problematic territory. Most infamously, Destiny of the Shrine Maiden features an immensely disturbing sexual assault scene between the main love interests, Chikane and Himeko. The assaulter, Chikane, then goes unpunished and redeemed, making matters even more controversial.

3 Boys Over Flowers’ Love Story Is Full of Toxicity and Abuse

The Heroine in Boys Over Flowers Is Treated Horribly

Glorification of abusive relationships is, regrettably, nigh-unavoidable in many older romance classics. Yet, most agree that Boys Over Flowers - a reverse harem following a middle-class girl’s entanglement with her prestigious school’s four wealthiest boys - took things too far, even for the time. The relationship between the school’s elite and Tsukushi begins with bullying - yet doesn’t get much better after the heroine stands up for herself and the boys take an interest in her.

Tsukushi’s main love interest, Domyoji, is an abusive, hot-headed person whose version of romantic courtship includes threats, blackmail, manipulation, and even assault. Worst of all, the series never explicitly condemns Domyoji - or any of the Flower Four - for their action, romanticizing the problematic dynamics between them and Tsukushi in a way that wouldn’t be tolerated today.

2 Wicked City Is a Stylish Horror Flick That Relies on Shock Value

Wicked City’s Ulta-Violence and Explicitness Are a Product of Their Time

A decade rich with controversial productions that didn’t shy away from gruesome horror, ultra-violence, and explicit sexual themes, the ‘80s are remembered for many anime that can be seen as too risky today. One such work is Wicked City, an action horror flick set in a world where demons and humans are supposed to coexist - yet their fragile peace is threatened by demonic terrorists.

Staying in line with the trends at the time, Wicked City blends sexuality and violence - both of which are excessively glorified - in controversial ways by modern standards. Explicit sexual assault scenes occur throughout the movie, often for no narrative reason other than to shock the audience - something that a film with such memorable style and effective horror elements truly doesn’t need.

Wicked City

TV-MA

Action

Fantasy

While protecting a signatory to a peace treaty between their peoples, a male human and a female demon discover that their mutual attraction may be the key to unifying their worlds.

Director

Yoshiaki Kawajiri

Release Date

August 20, 1993

Runtime

1 Hour 22 Minutes

Main Genre

Animation

Characters By

Yûsaku Yara, Toshiko Fujita, Ichirô Nagai

Producer

Kenji Kurata, John Ledford, Carl Macek, Makoto Seya

Production Company

Japan Home Video (JHV), Video Art Co., Madhouse

1 Midori Rightfully Holds the Title of Anime’s Most Controversial Movie

The Horrible Things That Happen to Midori’s Heroine Are Inexplicable

Shoujo Tsubaki, more commonly known as simply Midori in the West, is a peculiar film many consider the most controversial anime of all time - and not without reason. Created almost entirely by a single person, animator Hiroshi Harada, Midori is a haunting yet fascinating passion project so extreme in its contents that it was banned in multiple countries.

An innocent orphaned girl, the film’s titular heroine gets coerced into joining a freak circus troupe. What follows is a deeply disturbing sequence of events that sees Midori’s life ruined by her new colleagues in the most cruel ways imaginable. Even at the time of its release, Shoujo Tsubaki was seen as an extremely problematic piece of art. Today, its gruesomeness hasn't lost any of its edge, and even the most resilient viewers should approach it with caution.

Midori: Shoujo Tsubaki

Unrated

Animation

Drama

Horror

The story based off of the controversial manga by Suehiro Maruo takes place where a little orphaned girl joins a freak-show circus troupe whose members rape and abuse her. She then finds a glimmer of hope in the enigmatic magician who joins the group.

Release Date

May 2, 1992

Runtime

47 Minutes

Main Genre

Anime

Characters By

Hiroshi Harada

Artists

Minako Naka, Norihiko Morishita, Keinosuke Okamoto, Kazuyoshi Hayashi, Yoshifumi Nomura, Sanae Katô, Yumiko Takagi, Akiko Tanaka, Kôji Imoto,

Production Company

Kiryûkan