Although viewers generally expect an anime to improve with each season, there are cases, such as One-Punch Man or The Promised Neverland, where the peak is reached in the initial installment, leaving little to look forward to as the series progresses. However, it’s a highly rewarding experience when a slow-paced anime or one with poor animation finally finds its footing, evolving from a lackluster first impression into a satisfying work that compels viewers to keep watching.

While some anime series feature incredibly impactful or exceptionally high-quality opening episodes, specifically designed to hook the audience, others require more time to develop their characters or only benefit from larger budgets later on. Nevertheless, sticking with an anime despite a mediocre first season is like prospecting for gold, since sifting through many low-quality or tedious episodes can ultimately reward the viewer with superior visuals and a fascinating narrative that becomes increasingly engrossing. So, for fans looking for a sure bet that’s worth sticking with, these animes only get better after the first season.

Record of Ragnarok

Netflix’s Record of Ragnarok is a fighting anime that’s pure entertainment for battle tournament lovers, delivering explosive death matches between gods and history’s strongest warriors with the future of humanity hanging in the balance. While the anime’s premise is simple, the format is compelling enough for viewers seeking hard-hitting fights and the suspense of wondering who will ultimately triumph. Sadly, Record of Ragnarok is perhaps one of the most controversial anime series of the last decade.

From the very first episode of Season 1, Record of Ragnarok‘s animation was lackluster, failing to do justice to the manga’s striking artwork and the intensity of the fights, to the point of being compared to a slideshow presentation. Fortunately, Record of Ragnarok II was an improvement over the first installment. Although it still fell short of the animation quality seen in some of the industry’s heavyweights, incorporating CGI into certain scenes was a smart move that made the fights flow better than in the first season.

Record of Ragnarok II also featured great match-ups, like Adam vs. Zeus, and much better pacing, though it remained inconsistent due to being split up during its broadcast, which affected the anime’s momentum. Luckily, these issues were addressed in Record of Ragnarok Season 3, which was a much more solid season across the board, with enjoyable fights that kept the hype high throughout the series.

Bungo Stray Dogs

Bungo Stray Dogs demonstrates how a single story arc can mark a turning point in an anime for the better. Produced by Studio Bones, the series didn’t lack high-quality animation from the start; the issue with the first season lies in its massive ensemble cast, which makes the initial installment feel merely like an introduction, presenting various organizations, characters, and abilities without delving too deeply into their motivations or backstories.

The anime’s first season focuses on the quirky side of characters like Osamu Dazai as well as the Armed Detective Agency solving sort of episodic cases. It is starting with the second season that Bungo Stray Dogs truly reaches its full potential, arguably surpassing the manga by drawing upon the light novels to complement the story. Specifically, the Dark Era arc marks a pivotal moment in the anime.

Not only does the anime reveal Dazai’s true nature through deep emotional exploration of the figures and relationships that shaped him, but this arc also makes clear that the series is more than just lighthearted comedy and fights, given the tragic events and high-stakes conflicts that come later in the story. Bungo Stray Dogs improves considerably by adopting this more serious tone, intensifying as it introduces new characters, complex storylines, and battles of wits that grow in scale with each new season.

Clannad

An anime that has become an essential classic, Clannad begins as a typical high school rom-com with harem undertones. The first season offers plenty of funny moments and lighthearted romance, introducing the arcs of various female characters who interact with the protagonist, Tomoya, and undergo their own personal growth. However, as the story progresses, Clannad‘s themes gradually evolve into a magnificent and intimate depiction of human connections.

While Clannad‘s anime always revolves around family, the theme takes on a whole new context in the sequel season, After Story, elevating the series from a good anime to a masterpiece. With beautiful visuals and a moving soundtrack, as well as metaphorical elements that illustrate the work’s themes and complement the story naturally, Clannad After Story succeeds in deeply resonating with viewers.

Clannad’s charm lies in the fact that it doesn’t resort to cheap melodrama to force tears but rather manages to stir the viewer’s emotions through deep character development. This makes it easy to identify with the characters’ struggles. Overall, while the first season may not have been particularly extraordinary, Clannad After Story is the reason the anime has gone down in history.

World Trigger

World Trigger is an anime that struggled early on, not because of its story, but because of its weekly release schedule. World Trigger presents a fascinating world where a special defense force battles beings invading Earth from other dimensions, delivering some of the best team-based fights in shonen manga.

Sadly, like other long-running anime by Toei Animation that suffered from inconsistent animation, such as One Piece, World Trigger Season 1 had issues such as static shots, rough drawing quality, and even filler and lengthy recap episodes that disrupted the story’s pacing compared to the manga. Fortunately for viewers, World Trigger‘s animation issues disappeared after the series adopted a seasonal format.

World Trigger Season 2 is faithful to the source material and features markedly improved animation, with superior fight choreography and sharper character designs that more closely resemble the manga’s art style. The animation quality improved in Season 3, but the fact that the initial run failed to showcase World Trigger‘s full potential makes it understandable that Toei Animation opted to reboot the anime.

Kingdom

The best way to describe Kingdom Season 1 is that, rather than an entry point, it acts as a hurdle for viewers. But the payoff is absolutely massive. Although it premiered in the 2010s, Kingdom features some of the most jarring CGI animation in the anime industry, characterized by ugly models and clunky movement. While it might have worked for large-scale battles, the fact that it was overused for main characters and failed to blend well with the 2D animation made it difficult for viewers to get used to the anime.

Kingdom Season 1‘s story didn’t help matters either, since the first part, while fundamental for world-building, is a bit weak compared to the subsequent arcs where Xin undergoes significant development. While the change wasn’t massive right away, Kingdom Season 2 saw a leap in quality. By the following season, the anime had moved away from that rough, CGI-heavy look, achieving impressive animation quality and direction, and the Coalition Invasion arc, in particular, became one of the best moments for the series.

The Kingdom anime has reached new heights with each season, improving with every conflict and becoming an underdog story that is deeply satisfying to follow. Its latest installments have even boasted a quality that rivals the best anime of the year. Despite its rocky start, Kingdom is absolutely worth watching for those who enjoy epic battles featuring brilliant commanders and incredible combat strategy.