Anime has a reputation for being diverse, covering everything from deep philosophical stories to over-the-top action and heartfelt romance. But sometimes, an anime comes along that defies all logic, leaving viewers questioning how it even got made. Whether due to absurd premises, bizarre animation, or sheer unpredictability,these shows feel downright cursed.
However, there aresome anime series that push the boundaries of weirdness to the extreme. From unsettling animation choices to nonsensical plots, there are anime that can make even the most die-hard fans wonder what the creators were thinking.
This anime takes viewers on a whirlwind ride through time loops, surreal visuals, and rapid-fire dialogue that isalmost impossible to keep up with. The story follows a nameless college student trying to make the perfect university life, only to relive different versions of it over and over again. Every episode throws him into a new reality, all equally strange and frustrating.
10 Cursed Anime Characters With The Worst Fate
Whether they are doomed to certain death or simply forced to live in unenviable conditions, these characters truly get the short end of the stick.
What makesThe Tatami Galaxyfeel cursed is itschaotic pacing and overwhelming visual style. The animation morphs constantly, characters talk at lightning speed, and the protagonist never seems to escape his endless cycle. It is brilliant but exhausting, like an existential crisis animated at double speed.
Poyopoyo
Cast
Poyopoyo is a comedic anime series that follows the humorous adventures of a unique family and their spherical cat. Released in 2012, the show offers a lighthearted narrative suitable for audiences of all ages, presenting heartwarming family dynamics against the backdrop of an idyllic domestic setting.
At first glance,Poyopoyoseems like a cute slice-of-life anime about a round cat. But the longer it continues, the more unsettling it becomes. Poyo, the cat, never changes expression, never blinks, and has an almost supernatural presence. His cryptic actions range from harmless to outright menacing,leaving his owner and the audience wondering what he really is.
The show’s humor relies on Poyo’s unnatural roundness and eerie intelligence, making it feel like a feline version ofGarfieldif Garfield were a shapeless, eldritch horror. It is cute, yes, but also undeniably cursed.
Nichijouisone of the strangest anime comedies ever made, not because it has a bizarre premise, but because of how wildly exaggerated every mundane moment becomes. One second, a character is petting a cat, the next, she is being launched into the sky by an explosion of pure chaos. The series thrives on absurdity, with scenes like a principal suplexing a deer or a girl firing a gun during a test.
There is no real logic toNichijou, which is what makes it feel cursed. It operates on dream logic, where anything can happen, and nothing has consequences. It is hilariously fun but also unsettling in how completely detached it is from reality.
A Roman bathhouse architect accidentally time-traveling to modern Japan through bathtubs is the kind of plot that sounds like a joke. Yet,Thermae Romaetakes this concept and runs with it in a surprisingly educational series. Lucius, the protagonist, continuously gets transported to Japan, where he learns modern bathhouse techniques before returning to ancient Rome to revolutionize hygiene.
The animation is bizarre, with stiff, outdated character designs that make the whole thing feel like an unfinished fever dream. The sheer absurdity of an ancient Roman man marveling at plastic bath toys and hot tubs makes this anime one of the most unintentionally cursed experiences out there.
6Gakuen Handsome
Anime Series by Team YokkyuFuman; Based on the Game by Tohoku Penet
Take a bad yaoi anime and multiply its ridiculousness by ten, and there isGakuen Handsome.This parody series features male characters with chins so sharp they could cut glass and a plot so nonsensical it barely holds together. The story follows a new student at an all-boys school filled with exaggerated tropes, melodrama, and absurd romance.
What makesGakuen Handsomeso cursed is itsintentionally awful animation and voice acting, which makes every line feel like it was recorded as a joke. It is the anime equivalent of a terrible fan fiction brought to life, and that’s precisely why it is unforgettable.
5Popee the Performer
Anime Series by Ryuji Masuda; Original Series
This nightmarish 3D anime follows Popee, a sadistic clown, and his mute wolf companion, Kedamono.The series is essentially slapstick comedy taken to disturbing extremes, with Popee frequently injuring, maiming, or outright trying to kill Kedamono in increasingly surreal ways. The animation style only adds to the horror, making everything look unsettling.
With eerie music, grotesque facial expressions, and an unpredictable plot,Popee the Performerfeels like something out of a lost VHS tape meant to traumatize children. It is disturbing, nonsensical, and utterly cursed in every way possible.
Imagine if the lead singer of a death metal band was actually a timid guy who just wanted to play Swedish pop music. That isDetroit Metal Cityin a nutshell. Soichi Negishi, the protagonist, accidentally becomes the frontman of a band known for its extreme, offensive lyrics and over-the-top persona. While on stage, he transforms into the demonic alter ego Johannes Krauser II, despite hating everything about it.
The contrast between Soichi’s meek real-life personality and his insane stage anticscreates one of anime’s most absurd and cursed comedic setups. Watching him struggle to balance both lives is both hilarious and strangely tragic.
Made on an animation budget that was extremely low,Inferno Copisan anime that consists mostly of still images and voiceovers. The show follows a flaming skeleton cop who delivers justice in the most ridiculous, nonsensical ways possible, facing villains with motives so absurd they barely make sense.
The show’s charm (and curse) comes from how deliberately terrible it is. The crude visuals, random plot twists, and lack of any real animation make it feel like an inside joke that somehow got greenlit as an actual anime. It is like watching a PowerPoint presentation gone horribly wrong.
IfNichijouis a fever dream,Bobobo-bo Bo-bobois a full-blown hallucination.Bobobo-bo Bo-bobofeatures a protagonist who fights villains using his nose hairand travels with a group of equally nonsensical characters. The plot is incomprehensible, with battles that defy any form of logic or storytelling convention.
Every episode ofBobobo-bo Bo-bobofeels like it was written on the spot by someone who had never watched anime before but had only heard rumors about it. The sheer unpredictability of its humor and its unending absurdity make it one of the most cursed anime experiences of all time.
Originally a generic horror anime,Ghost Storiesbecame infamous whenits English dub team was given free rein to rewrite the scripthowever they wanted. The result was a completely unhinged, improv-heavy dub where characters break the fourth wall, make crude jokes, and mock the original storyline in the most absurd ways imaginable.
Anime’s Funniest Dub, Ghost Stories, Has Aged Horribly, but I Still Love It
Ghost Stories was turned into a joke by its silly English dub, and while some lines have aged poorly, the show is still entertaining.
This dub turned a forgettable anime into a legendary cursed masterpiece. It is impossible for viewers to watch it without feeling like they have stumbled into an alternate reality where voice actors lost all sense of professionalism. It is so bad that it loops back around to being brilliant.
