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Hmmm. Interesting thread. In that case, I would have to say the anime series of Fushigi Yuugi. (I haven't read the manga, nor am I even planning to in the future.)
And no, it's not because of the series having a cast which are primarily men. In fact, I actually thought the story had a lot of potential from the very beginning. The problem for me is that the story just needlessly prolongs itself that it became stale and boring over time.
I also hated the idea that the heroine depends too much on her guardians for protection, despite it being quite logical with respect to her situation. Let's just say I prefer "stronger" female characters--at least with regard to personality. Moreover, I found Miaka simply annoying. I was actually cheering Yui on--who, for me, seemed to be more flawed in a more profound way--and I actually sympathized more with the likes of Nakago more than with Tamahome, despite the latter having lost his entire family on a single day. Overall, the execution of the series was not as holistically sound as I hoped it to be. It was too forced and was driven by too much sentimentality.
One thing I also hate is related to the fact of having Miaka and Yui being transported to another world. This idea initially presents themes of wonder, perspective and scale, that would have been naturally drawn by any person who finds himself/herself in such a situation. These alone would have provided a base for colorful character interaction among different characters with different ways of thinking. Instead, the author chose to focus more on the romantic escapades (which at times seemed naive, and which were really no different than your typical high school love story) that the heroine can't resist getting herself involved in.
In the end, I felt Fushigi Yuugi had a lot of potential, but it just wasn't able to deliver. The element of fantasy ended up being a backdrop most of the time. I know this series is classified under a specific genre, and that the author's intention was obviously different than what I had expected, but still...
Just a difference in personal preferences I guess. No wonder I prefer Juuni Kokki.
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