10 Lowest-Rated Anime to Have Ever Aired, Ranked

Lowest-Rated anime ever made
Lowest-rated anime ever made (Image Source:

Lowest-rated anime labels describe the industry's most astonishing failures, where ambitious projects crumble under poor undertaking and questionable creative decisions. From bizarre storylines that never find their footing to technical disasters that become unwatchable, these series have earned their place in anime infamy through sheer incompetence.


10. Eiken (2003)

An image from Eikan opening (Image Source: Studio J.C.Staff)
An image from Eikan opening (Image Source: Studio J.C.Staff)

This ecchi comedy follows schoolboy Densuke Mifune, who unexpectedly joins the bizarre Eiken Club, a group made up entirely of women with over-the-top physiques. The show's blatant focus on fan service over meaningful storytelling led to criticism from viewers who found its content gratuitously improper. With only two episodes produced, Eiken managed to set itself as one of the lowest-rated anime due to its shallow character development and over-reliance on sexualized humor.


9. Hand Shakers (2017)

The mysterious girl and Tazuna (Image Source: Studio GoHands)
The mysterious girl and Tazuna (Image Source: Studio GoHands)

This supernatural action series follows high schooler Tazuna, who forms a life-threatening contract with a mysterious girl after holding her hand. The couple must then participate in otherworldly battles to have their wishes granted by God, with the deadly caveat that letting go means instant death. Hand Shakers became one of the lowest-rated anime primarily due to its jarring visual presentation and confusing plot structure.


8. Hanoka (2006)

An action sequence from the series (Image Source: RAMS and Fanworks)
An action sequence from the series (Image Source: RAMS and Fanworks)

Set on the planet Tokinea, where humans and Star Races engage in perpetual warfare, this series revolves around a girl created as the ultimate weapon against humanity and her male partner. The story attempts to explore themes of war and identity, but falls short due to poor execution and lackluster character development. Hanoka earned its place among the lowest-rated anime through its confusing narrative and inability to deliver on its promising science fiction premise.


7. Twinkle Nora Rock Me! (1985)

Nora as seen in the series (Image Source: Filmlink International)
Nora as seen in the series (Image Source: Filmlink International)

This vintage OVA features Nora Scholar, a psychic-powered bounty hunter who receives a concrete reward after arresting a notorious criminal but has ulterior motives beyond monetary gain. The 45-minute production aimed to showcase Nora's supernatural abilities while examining her mysterious past and true purposes. However, Twinkle Nora Rock Me! became identified as one of the lowest-rated anime due to its dated animation quality and poorly framed narrative.


6. Spectral Force (1998)

A character shown in the series (Image Source: Idea Factory)
A character shown in the series (Image Source: Idea Factory)

This fantasy series depicts a world where demons rule over humanity, with human rebels attempting to assassinate Demon King Janus using the legendary demon-slaying sword Tenmaken. Half-human, half-demon Princess Hiro must overcome her hatred of humans to prevent a devastating war that threatens the entire world. Spectral Force secured its position among the lowest-rated anime through its generic fantasy elements and failure to develop its potentially compelling conflict between different species.


5. The Thousand Musketeers (2018)

The protagonist from The Thousand Musketeers (Image Source: TMS Entertainment and Double Edge)
The protagonist from The Thousand Musketeers (Image Source: TMS Entertainment and Double Edge)

Set in a post-apocalyptic world destroyed by nuclear war, this series features the Kijuushi - souls of ancient guns who fight against a world empire using historical weapons. The Thousand Musketeers became one of the lowest-rated anime due to its bizarre premise that failed to resonate with audiences and its inability to effectively blend historical elements with futuristic dystopian themes.


4. Pupa (2014)

A creepy scene from Pupa (Image Source: Studio Deen)
A creepy scene from Pupa (Image Source: Studio Deen)

This horror anime tells the unsettling tale of siblings Utsutsu and Yume, whose lives spiral when Yume mutates into a flesh-eating monster. Utsutsu desperately looks for a way to restore his sister to her human form while guarding her from those who could hurt her. Pupa became one of the lowest-rated anime due to its overly graphic content and psychological themes that many viewers found deeply disturbing.


3. Ex-Arm (2021)

Animation quality of the series (Image Source: Visual Flight)
Animation quality of the series (Image Source: Visual Flight)

This cyberpunk series follows Akira, who died in 2014 but is revived 16 years later as an advanced AI when a policewoman and her android partner recover his consciousness. The story explores themes of identity and humanity as Akira adjusts to his new existence as an artificial intelligence. Ex-Arm became infamous as one of the lowest-rated anime, mainly due to its catastrophically poor CGI animation quality that viewers defined as "pure trash" and "unwatchable."


2. Tenkuu Danzato Skelter Heaven (2004)

Character design as seen in the series (Image Source: Idea Factory)
Character design as seen in the series (Image Source: Idea Factory)

This mecha series pictures Tokyo under threat from an unknown creature, instigating a special force led by Otsuya Funagai to contend in combat against the mysterious enemy. However, pilot Rin Ichikawa's actions endanger to jeopardize the entire mission and put the city at greater risk. Skelter Heaven earned its place among the lowest-rated anime due to "painfully stiff animation" and an "incoherent story" with "barely designed characters."


1. High Guardian Spice (2021)

Rosemary from the series High Guardian Spice (Image Source: Crunchyroll Studios)
Rosemary from the series High Guardian Spice (Image Source: Crunchyroll Studios)

Crunchyroll’s High Guardian Spice became infamous as its worst-rated original anime, sitting at a dismal 1.4/5 score. The show follows four girls preparing to become heroes at High Guardian Academy while forming relationships and readying to protect the world from unknown threats. Viewers slammed the series for its weak animation, awkward voice acting, and bland character designs that showed little imagination or passion.

These lowest-rated anime series stand as examples of creative miscalculation, where awkward storylines met disastrous implementation. The legacy of these disappointments extends beyond simple enjoyment mishaps, becoming cultural touchstones that exemplify what not to do in animation production.

Edited by Nimisha