30 Day Anime Challenge (2022): Day 3 – Anime That Overstayed It’s Welcome

I promise I’m trying to be reasonable with this one. The problem is, if I feel an anime has overstayed it’s welcome, I drop it. I don’t finish it. It’s hard to pass judgement on something I haven’t completely finished (though, if I’m being completely honest, the entire idea for starting this website was because I was angry ranting to a friend about an anime I never finished and half joked I would start an entire website to voice my displeasure….and then I did).

But I’ve matured! I’ve learned that even if I hate something, I should try to be objective because I’m discussing the work of real people. But sometimes, it’s really hard to be patient.

And so I must pass judgement on…

Spice and Wolf II. PLEASE hear me out on this one. I know this is an anime that generally receives a ton of praise, but let’s be honest, season 2 really tests your strength to hold on until the end.

It actively made me want to walk away and take a break out of frustration. When Holo decided she’s going to manipulate Kraft’s emotions and spends several episodes playing cat and mouse, I had to turn it off. I understand what she was trying to accomplish, but I disagree with her methods.

If someone important to you in real life treated you that way, you would have a hard time forgiving them no matter their reasoning or the circumstances. No amount of “ultimately for good” can justify that kind of manipulation. This is a long and roundabout way to say that I don’t think the end justifies the means when this level of apparent rejection and betrayal are involved.

I eventually did finish it, but I felt more bitter and disappointed than happy. The first season made me excited for a second one, but I’m not sure I could ever be excited for a third. I truly just felt deflated and was happy to walk away in the end.

And yes, I did write about this one during my original 30 Day Anime Challenge. But I feel very strongly about it. I promise no more repeats.

Feel free to chime in with your pick for this category (or shame me for my pick). What anime really stuck around for too long?