Anime that matched the hype machine, or even outclassed it

[Akito Kinomoto]

I think it goes without saying that the hype machine for any highly acclaimed or popular series has a bit of a tendency to create hype backlash. IE we hear so many good things about whatever before watching only to be somewhat disappointed after viewing. This doesn't necessarily mean you didn't enjoy the show, but you simply felt it wasn't worth all of the praise and perhaps found it at least a little overrated.

However, this thread is about the exceptions. What are some anime that have received a lot of positive attention that you feel actually deserved the amount of hype it received?

EDIT: Hype as in hearing a lot of praise for a show, but especially long after it's aired. Attention during the time it's running can count, but I would argue longevity would matter more.

To get the ball rolling I'll be giving those top honors to Clannad: After Story and Legend of the Galactic Heroes. The former genuinely shocked me as it told so much with such a simple theme, whereas the latter impressed me with its sheer sense of scale and never lost sight that it was telling a story.

[Guardian Enzo]

That could be a mighty long list. From this year, Steins;Gate and AnoHana. Evangelion, FLCL, Last Exile just off the top of my head... All hyped series that are genuinely great.

[Triple_R]

I definitely agree with Guardian Enzo on Steins;Gate. I'm leaning towards agreement with him on most/all of the rest of his list, but I'm not quite as confident there.


I'd add Madoka Magica, Gurren Lagann, and the first season of Code Geass as anime shows that matched the hype machine.

Other shows that I think lived up to how much they were promoted (although I'm not sure I'd say they were heavily hyped): Higurashi, True Tears, ef: A Tale of Memories, and Usagi Drop


I'm sure there's more, but I'll leave it at here for now.

[Arabesque]

I don't think Anohana was all that hyped during the pre-airing (I haven't paid much attention to it back then), but Steins;Gate certainly was, yeah. They certainly earned it, in any case.

Just from this year, I guess it would have to be Penguindrum, The Idolm@ster, and Madoka Magica.

And I agree with (most of) the examples mentioned here, and I'll add Fullmetal Alchemist (both shows) Rurouni Kenshin, Utena, Berserk and Cowboy Bebop for shows that I felt matched the hype attached to them.

There are many (many) more, of course, but I do wonder if I should list them, considering that they are highly acclaimed and well liked by the people who watched them, they aren't all they well known or hyped as many of the mentioned shows to fit here (e.g. Beast Player Erin, Kino's Journey, Princess Tutu etc.)

[Dawnstorm]

Heh, I'm not very active on anime boards and such, so most of the time the hype blows right past me. Madoka for example: I watched the show simply because I saw a preview during Arakawa - Bridge x Bridge, and thought that was a strange place to put a magical girl preview. Then episode one started, and there was that pink blob Madoka shuffling through the black and white landscape right into apocalyprica; after that scene I got the epic good-morning scene, and I knew I loved the show. Many anime shows were like that - only later did I realise that there was a hype around them.

Of the famous ones, definitely Evangelion (the original TV series). I'd heard a lot of good things about Elfen Lied, and wasn't disappointed. The latest examples I picked up due to hype were Cross Game, Katanagatari, and Maria sama ga Miteru - all of which I enjoyed a lot.

[zato_1one]

From this year, it's of course Madoka Magica and Steins;Gate. Another potential candidate is Fate/Zero.

Full Metal Alchemist is definitely the best long anime (50+ episode) I've ever seen. Despite its long run, it never gets dull and very fun to watch. I often drop long series halfway because they tend to have many fillers and most of them are boring. The first season of Code Geass is also very good. It would be better if the series didn't prolong to second season. I would like to mention Bakemonogatari but it wouldn't fit the description because that show had almost no hype at all when it started airing.

For comedy anime, I'd say Full Metal Panic? Fumoffu. My other favorite are Zayonara Zetsubo Sensei and Working!! But I don't think that they had any hype.

[ChainLegacy]

Dragonball Z: It's far from a literary masterpiece, but the hype it generated during my childhood was (imo) well-deserved. One of the most exciting action cartoons ever created.

Fullmetal Alchemist: Despite being super popular with the 'anime crowd' that tends to like things I don't enjoy, this is one of my favorite series. The original anime is the reason I even joined this forum way back when.

Gurren Lagann: It was very popular when it was airing, but I think the show had such an atmosphere of energy and fun that it cultivated this fan group based on its merit as an anime rather than general appeal to a large crowd.

[Flower]

Usagi Drop is the most recent one with hype that did an excellent anime that comes to mind....

[Forsaken_Infinity]

What's your definition of hype? Is it hype pre-air or does hype post-air count? And what about obscure series that have a small but devoted, almost fanatical, following?

In any case, most shows mentioned in this thread are a safe bet. I have some minor qualms about some of them but nothing too major.

The hype kind of died or even turned on itself but Nichijou outclassed any hype ever associated with it imho.

Katanagatari had quite a bit of pre-air hype and it delivered imo.

Kara no Kyokai movies outdid the hype.

Of the classics (anything older than say 5 seasons) that haven't yet been mentioned here, off the top of my head, Serial Experiments Lain, Haibane Renmei, Ghost Hound, Honey and Clover, Monster, Mushishi, Seirei no Moribito, Texhnolyze, Mononoke, Simoun, Baccano etc. are as good as they are claimed to be or better. Of course, we're talking about contemporary hype from the self-proclaimed veterans when it comes to most of them.

Among those who were ridiculously popular (or what people call mainstream) that haven't been mentioned yet, I liked Urusei Yatsura, Ranma 1/2, Fist of the Northern Star, Inuyasha, Carcaptor Sakura, The Melancholy of Suzumiya Haruhi, Yu-Gi-Oh! etc. off the top of my head.

Yeah I would need to know what you mean by hype to list more.

[Random32]

Nichijou failed to meet the expectations of the hype around it... You can argue it was hyped wrong as its not a moe pandering series and was hyped as such, but it still failed to meet the expectations of the hype.

I second CLANNAD ~AS~.

Out of this year, Steins;Gate lived up to its hype, so did Madoka and Usagi Drop. AnoHana wasn't really hyped much I think, or at least not as much as Steins;Gate, Madoka, Nichijou, IdolMaster, etc.

I don't really keep track of anime before it airs much so I'm not really that sure about how much hype a certain series received. An interesting question would be what was the most hyped series ever?

[Ichuki]

I think Steins;Gate and Madoka outclassed the hype machine Nichijou on the other hand was too underrated to be considered hyped

[fertygo]

Originally Posted by Random32

An interesting question would be what was the most hyped series ever?

Gundam SEED.

Btw AnoHana isn't that hyped before its truly aired, C is the one that's supposed to be the center of attention.

[Forsaken_Infinity]

Originally Posted by Random32

Nichijou failed to meet the expectations of the hype around it... You can argue it was hyped wrong as its not a moe pandering series and was hyped as such, but it still failed to meet the expectations of the hype.

Like I said, it depends on what OP means by hype. The way I take it, hype means expectations to be a good show, and Nichijou was beyond good. Just because some idiots wanted it to cater to their fetishes doesn't mean it didn't match the expectation that it'd be a good show. Also, there were enough people who knew exactly what they were getting into.

[brocko]

I tend to view hype as something specifically targeted towards an upcoming show and perhaps even while it's currently airing as well. The hype train only comes around once (if at all for some series) and once it's gone with the ending of a series/season, that's it you missed your chance to jump on. Hype is synonymous with anticipation imo.

Of course you could very well hype yourself up in preparation for watching an older classic, but that's not quite exactly the same scenario though.

[risingstar3110]

Agree that the definition of the OP does not go so clear... I means if i have to say , then i will say Haruhi and Higurashi. I had a quick look at these two shows back when they aired (with all those hypes) and were not so interested. Actually watched them later (Haruhi: 1.3 years later, Higurashi: 3 years) and can't believe that i had missed out such great shows for so long

[RegalStar]

Madoka definitely. Also, Clannad. I got pushed by a lot of people into watching/playing it back when I've only watched three animes. After watching it, I pretty much started watching everything else.

[Chiibi]

Madoka, Gurren Lagann, FMA: BROTHERHOOD, and Soul Eater as well.

[Kotohono]

Besides some of the series mentioned here, I'd have to say Spice and Wolf definitely did, it was even better than what I heard really .

[felix]

This thread is kind of useless, no offense Akito.

Hype is more or less just fanboy antics. Hype doesn't actually SAY anything, so how can anyone judge if the expectations were met; there are no concrete expectations to judge with! All you usually get is "it's great, go watch it" or if you're lucky "X is the best [insert genre] in blah-blah".

I'm not saying hype is bad, just that asking people this sort of question is no different then asking people "what's your favorite anime" with the only difference that you sort of imply it has to be really "mainstream", in the sense there are a lot of fanboys for it. So yeah, kind of redundant when we have 2 more threads each season for this (the what you'll be watching and rating threads), along with every series thread and forum pretty much turning into a "did you like it" style thread when the series is over. Actually we also have several award style threads, and all sorts of variations on "whats your favorite something-something" already.

[Chiibi]

Originally Posted by felix

how can anyone judge if the expectations were met; there are no concrete expectations to judge with!

I think it's pretty simple, actually.

The poster is asking "which super-hyped/popular series didn't disappoint you?" basically, not "what is your favorite anime?"