With flawless animation from studio David Production (Fire Force), “Undead Unluck” promised to be one of the standout series of the Fall 2023 season. However, some fans on social media expressed disappointment with its reception, despite expectations. With Yuuki Yase directing, Gakuto Haishima as screenwriter, and Hideyuki Morioka as character designer, the series had all the ingredients for success. But what happened?
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Fans in Japan conclude that Undead Unluck has failed
However, several circumstances prevented its complete success, leaving it as just another ordinary series. Fans are debating the reasons for this feeling in popular forums, generating interesting discussions:
- Of course, I can't categorically state that the anime is a success based on a specific metric, but I have an interesting observation to share. I recently returned from vacation in Japan and noticed the variety of anime merchandise available there. I realized that among the anime currently airing, there was a large amount of merchandise for "Undead Unluck" and "Tokyo Revengers," but very little or almost none for others, such as "Sousou no Frieren." While I believe "Frieren" might sell more manga volumes online, I found it interesting that, from a consumer perspective, "Undead Unluck" currently seems to have more physical merchandise available. If an anime is designed to boost manga and merchandise sales, I was excited to see that. I've been following this manga since the first chapter and would love to see it get more attention here in the West.
- It seems there was little promotion or hype before its premiere, not to mention the Disney Plus exclusivity, which ultimately hurt it. I love this series and have been trying to convince all my friends to watch it, but for some reason, they aren't interested. I hope people get excited, because I would be devastated if there isn't a second season.
Other fans in the discussion were more sensible in not considering it a failure
- If the main goal of an anime adaptation is to boost manga sales or achieve good merchandise sales, and it fails to do either, then yes, it's a failure. We love "Undead Unluck," and most of us have been fans for years, so it's hard to admit that the anime, despite its incredible quality, is so unpopular right now, but it's the stark truth.
- It's not wrong to say that the anime hasn't increased the series' popularity so far. But to claim that the manga will be canceled because of this, or that there will never be a second season, is an exaggeration. Pointing out that the anime hasn't met expectations isn't catastrophic.
- I still don't think it's a failure. I believe that when the English dub comes out, it might gain more attention. It could even be a niche anime with a large underground audience. We haven't seen all the episodes yet. Unfortunately, not all series become overnight successes.
- I hate that mediocrity is now considered a failure. How is being average a failure? You meet the standards of quality and popularity, you just don't surpass them. That doesn't mean you've failed. It's like reprimanding someone for crossing the finish line without running an extra 15 meters or something.
- I knew it wouldn't be on the level of the greats, not even close, but I hope it does well enough. I really like this series, especially the second arc, and I've been reading it from the beginning.
- I have no idea, since I couldn't see it because Hulu has exclusivity. What a stupid idea they had.
Synopsis:
Undead Unluck follows the story of Fuko Izumo, also known as the cursed woman of "bad luck." Fuko brings bad luck to anyone who touches her. The curse is so strong that it causes permanent damage to anyone who comes into contact with her for too long. One day, she is saved by Andy, a man who cannot die and is considered a true "zombie." He hopes to find a way to use Fuko's bad luck to finally die. Together, the two try to complete the missions given to them by the Book of Revelation. However, if they fail, the book could exterminate all of humanity.
Finally, Undead Unluck is a Japanese manga series written and illustrated by Yoshifumi Tozuka. It has been serialized in Weekly Shonen Jump magazine since January 2020.
Comment if you've watched any episodes of this anime.
Source: Reddit and Official Website