Anime series of the past decade are often compared to their predecessors, classic shonen or shojo shows that defined a genre or set trends for years to come. With anime quickly becoming a more popular medium on a global level, it’s no wonder that tons of older series regarded as the best have been revisited by newer fans looking to discover the stories that started it all. That’s not to say older fans haven’t carried the torch in the name of their favorite franchises, with older series such as One Piece getting reboots in recent years that have gone on to perform well with audiences.
The nature of a reboot can be pretty tricky, seeing as the newer show needs to outperform the old one in all aspects to truly be considered better than, or on par with, the original. There’s also the fact that most anime fans tend to hold a relative amount of bias for the original work, born of nostalgia and acknowledgment of how groundbreaking certain series were when they first dropped onto the scene. This list will explore a few anime reboots that are considered a huge success in that they managed to outshine the first series they sought to retell in a new light.
3) Hunter x Hunter
Hunter x Hunter is often cited as one of the best shonen series of the past decade, with plenty of fans considering the franchise a standard in terms of trope subversion that adds to the plot. The show was originally adapted back in 1999 and is frequently discussed when viewers bring up how not to translate manga to the screen. The first Hunter x Hunter series had issues with pacing, often looked at as too slow and dragging in certain areas; additionally, the anime contained a hefty amount of filler that took away from the show’s overall plot and message.
The anime was rebooted in 2011 to the relief of long-time fans and significant attention from the rest of the anime community. Fans viewed the newer series as a huge step-up from the past, with cleaner animation during fight sequences that reflected more modern standards of high-quality anime. Hunter x Hunter’s reboot also addressed the past issues of pacing and filler content, cutting out superfluous arcs that added nothing to the plot or characters’ backstory. It’s faithful adaptation of the source material, complete with stellar voice acting performances from the main cast, made Hunter x Hunter’s 2011 version superior to many.
2) Hellsing Ultimate
Hellsing Ultimate is a top contender among supernatural anime reaching for the spot at number one, with a gritty, dark atmosphere that can’t be beaten by many modern anime selections. The first version of the Hellsing anime dropped back in 2001, with a single season containing 13 episodes before it concluded. It had plenty of issues that disappointed fans of the manga, including plot diversion, low-effort storyline, and poor animation that caused the anime to suffer. On top of all that, Hellsing frequently took out important antagonists from the manga’s plot and replaced them with new characters, angering many fans.
After the original series failed so badly, Hellsing Ultimate was considered a massive improvement on all fronts by fans. The series was released in 2006 and had a single season, similar to the first anime of the franchise. A lot of issues were fixed with this adaptation, namely the story actually portraying the manga’s plot and not deviating far away from the key narrative. Many of the characters were also portrayed in a more complex, faithful manner to the manga. It didn’t hurt that, on top of this, Hellsing Ultimate was far better animated, with a healthy heaping of gore to get across the story’s brutality.
Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood was an easy pick to place on this list, often regarded as one of the best remakes of any anime series to ever be made. The first Fullmetal Alchemist anime show came out back in 2004 and had a single season containing just over 50 episodes. Though not outright hated, the original series faced plenty of criticism from fans due to issues with manga deviation, with a cliffhanger ending that left a chunk of the narrative unresolved for viewers. Heaped onto the already prevalent issues, Fullmetal Alchemist struggled with character development and thematic portrayal, feeling tonally off from what the source material meant to convey.
With the release of Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood in 2006, the general audience’s view shifted favorably towards the remake, which cemented the franchise’s long-standing reputation as one of the best shonen series in modern times. It was a direct adaptation of the manga, adding and filling in the blanks the original anime left in its plot, along with ending the story on a conclusive, wrapped-up note. The show is also commonly praised for complex characters, dynamic character bonds, and philosophical themes that resonate with audiences to this day.
Have you watched any of these rebooted series? Tell us your favorite anime remake in the comments below.
