For over two decades, One Piece has stood as an unshakable monument in the shonen genre. Many titles have been hailed as potential successors to Eiichiro Oda’s masterpiece, but the harsh reality shows that such a feat is nearly impossible.
Here are five anime that aimed for the top spot but ultimately couldn’t hold their ground.
1. Toriko
Toriko was perhaps the most ambitious attempt to rival One Piece. It even received strong promotion by appearing in special crossover episodes alongside One Piece and Dragon Ball, forming a powerful trio. However, the anime adaptation by Toei Animation ended up killing the brand.
Over-censorship of violent scenes, which were a key part of the manga’s unique appeal, stripped the show of its distinct flavor. Adding an original character named Tina, who wasn’t in the manga, further alienated viewers. The result was angry manga fans and indifferent new viewers, causing Toriko to fade away disappointingly.
2. Black Clover
From the start, Black Clover was labeled as a “follower” of Naruto. While the manga eventually carved out its own identity with fast pacing and exciting team battles, the Studio Pierrot anime had a rocky beginning.
Early episodes suffered from slow pacing, and the main character Asta’s ear-piercing screams unintentionally pushed away many potential fans. Although the quality of major battles improved later, the inconsistency kept Black Clover stuck as a typical shonen fight series rather than a true challenger to One Piece.
3. The Seven Deadly Sins
The Seven Deadly Sins had all the ingredients to be a generational hit: a unique fantasy world, cool characters, and a huge manga fanbase. The first two seasons were a massive success, but everything collapsed starting from season three.
The switch from A-1 Pictures to Studio Deen led to one of the most embarrassing adaptation disasters in anime history. Viewers were horrified by sloppy artwork, stiff animation, distorted character models, and bizarre censorship that drained the show’s intensity. From a promising masterpiece, The Seven Deadly Sins quickly became an online meme laughingstock, losing all its former prestige.
4. Fairy Tail
Fairy Tail easily attracted a massive audience thanks to its bright tone and appealing characters. However, it failed to earn respect for its depth among critics.
The problem with Fairy Tail lies in its exhausting storytelling loop. No matter how big the trouble, everything is resolved through “the power of friendship.” This undercuts any real sense of danger or drama. Unlike One Piece, where every mistake can have world-shaking consequences, Fairy Tail sometimes feels like a playground where characters survive every hardship without logical reasons.
5. Magi: The Labyrinth of Magic
Magi is the most unfortunate name on this list. It truly had the quality to rival One Piece by building an incredibly complex political world. The series impressed with its mysterious “One Thousand and One Nights” atmosphere combined with a deep and unique magic system. The A-1 Pictures adaptation was vibrant and faithful to the manga.
Yet everything abruptly stopped after season two. Even though the manga continued with exciting content and reached a grand finale, the anime was left unfinished and abandoned. The lack of a proper conclusion caused Magi to fade from the spotlight, leaving fans with a painful “what if”.