Where ink and animation collide, sometimes titles of the same name take on a life of their own. Some classic anime series followed their manga counterparts down to the dialogue. However, there is a subset of anime that chooses not to follow the path of their mangas, instead choosing to wade into uncharted territories. But there is room for backtracking! Yana Toboso’s Black Butler is the newest title to do so, ignoring the long-established anime canon for the already-created manga story. Sadly, some of the best titles got left behind, with no remake or reboot in sight.
Here are five classic anime that deserve the same manga comeback that Black Butler had in 2014.
Soul Eater’s Manga
Soul Eater is a hard one to follow. This classic anime is excellent in its own way, but the ending left people scratching their heads. Sure, it was satisfying, but when readers want more and go to the manga, they find that around fifty chapters got left out. The story itself is set in Death City, Nevada. Death himself opens a school for those with the power to turn into weapons. They, and those that wield them, attend in the hopes of becoming the next Death Scythe. However, in order to reach that milestone, they must collect 99 corrupt human souls and the soul of 1 witch. Maka and her weapon partner, Soul Eater, are in the next generation of students to try their hand at creating the most powerful weapon of all.
There’s a lot that the Soul Eater anime chooses to leave out or make up on its own. In fact, the whole concept of the anime is something that doesn’t exist in the manga. The anime leaves out very important plotlines with just about every character. Thank goodness the Ultimate Written Exam story exists in both adaptations, though.
Will this anime probably see a comeback? Out of this entire list, this one has the most potential. Soul Eater got a spinoff series in 2014 called Soul Eater Not! which follows a new set of meisters and weapons. Like all but one title, the entire thing would have to be remade. If it did a Black Butler, it would be complicated.
Elfen Lied’s Manga
Elfen Lied was too edgy, even at the time it came out. It became a classic anime title for all the wrong reasons. The first fifteen minutes of the first episode showed all that needed to be known. It follows a girl named Lucy, who is a special breed of human called a “Diclonius.” With a pair of short horns and telekinetic hands, she becomes the government’s next testing subject. When she breaks out, she sustains a head injury that leaves her with the mind of a child. In comes Kouta and his cousin Yuka, who take in Lucy with the intention to help her. Little do they know the murderous personality that lies beneath.
Is the manga like that? Yes and no. It adapts less than half of the manga while leaving out big chunks of information concerning Lucy and Kouta. The anime was lackluster, gory, and violent, but the manga handles the story’s events a lot more tastefully. It leans more toward being a psychological thriller with a great narrative to tell about forgiveness, morality, and what it means to be a person.
Will this anime ever see a comeback? Most likely no. The anime story people got was too weak, too edgy, and tried to push too many buttons in its short 13 episodes. It blew up in America in 2005 and was seen cited by the Duffer Brothers as being one of the inspirations behind Stranger Things, but Elfen Lied making a return is not likely.
Deadman Wonderland’s Manga
Going from the Deadman Wonderland anime to the manga is something like whiplash. From the very beginning of the manga, a handful of important characters were not included in the anime. As the series continued, it becomes evident that not including important characters and early plot points was not the right choice. Deadman Wonderland’s story follows middle schooler Ganta Igarashi as he’s framed for the grisly murder of his classmates. He swears revenge on the elusive ‘Red Man’ for ruining his life. But first, he must survive the maximum-security prison Deadman Wonderland, and compete against other inmates for the chance to live another day.
This one had a reason for straying from its path. Around the time the anime and manga were being simultaneously released, the author (Jinsei Kataoka) went into labor. That put the manga on hiatus and left the anime without an ending or story to follow. It really is a shame. Both the anime and manga were excellent in their own respective rights. The anime had great art, music, and voice acting. The story had good character depth and plot, meaning this should have been a powerhouse in 2011.
Will this anime probably see a comeback? Probably not… Studio Manglobe went bankrupt in 2015, leaving Deadman Wonderland and many others like it unfinished. Like Black Butler, there is a chance for a studio switch to happen, though.
Rosario+Vampire’s Manga
Rosario+Vampire’s anime has a complete shift in genre. While the anime mainly focuses on cute monster girls doing cute things and fighting over Tsukune, the manga doesn’t entertain that plot for long. The anime got flamed terribly for being a repetitive rom-com and not really building up to anything. If that’s your thing, though, then by all means, go for it! Main character Tsukune Aono is unable to get into any high school, so his parents take a chance and enroll him in the hidden Youkai Academy. It becomes evident why the school is hidden, as it caters to the kids of the scariest monsters from around the world. Now, Tsukune has to keep his human identity hidden with the help of the most powerful monster of all: a vampire named Moka.
It’s hard to find a reason for the shift in genres other than the studio saying they wanted to focus more on romance and love triangles (more like a love octagon). Rosario+Vampire’s manga is more plot-based and has more action and stakes. With the manga, there’s more of a morally grey, ‘nobody is in the right’ vibe to the world of monsters. Even the characters are vastly different between the anime and the manga.
Will this anime probably see a comeback? Probably not. The anime went so far off the rails from the manga that in order to continue, it would have to be completely redone. That isn’t to say it’s impossible, though! Black Butler happened.
Ouran High School Host Club’s Manga
Anyone who knows classic anime from the 2010s immediately knows about Ouran High School Host Club. To this day, it remains a household name with its sickeningly sweet romances, characters, music, and art style. Out of the entire list, Host Club is the only anime adaptation that gets a 100% recommendation. So why is it on this list? The ending. Seventeen years later, the end is terribly iconic, but that’s where the manga comes in. If anything, nothing too dramatic is changed from the story or tone. It still follows Haruhi Fujioka, a commoner attending the prestigious school Ouran Academy. She still stumbles into Music Room 3, meeting the elite Host Club and its distinct, handsome members. And she still breaks an 8-million-yen vase, forcing her to pay off her debt by becoming a male host herself.
The manga continues on (minus the last two or so episodes). The only difference is that time is running out because life moves on. Haruhi has a study abroad in America, other boys are making their move, and Tamaki is not getting any younger, with graduation right around the corner. Watching them dance around the L word is excruciating, but it’s impossible to stop because each character, antic, and story is just that good.
Will this anime probably see a comeback? There is a possibility. It would undoubtedly cause just as much (if not more) excitement as Black Butler.
