Time to debunk some widespread anime misconceptions! From misunderstood villains and animation techniques to character roles and plot points, we're setting the record straight on some of your favorite series. Did you know these common beliefs about popular anime were actually wrong?
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00:00Welcome to WatchMojo, and today we're counting down our picks for the most common misconceptions
00:13about some of the most famous anime.
00:22Number 10.
00:23Porygon Caused the Seizures – Pokemon Perhaps the most infamous episode of the long-running
00:28Pokemon anime is the one that debuted the Pokemon Porygon.
00:42It was reported after broadcast that some scenes with flashing lights induced seizures
00:48in over 600 people, mostly children.
00:51Many assume that the polyagonal Pokemon is the one responsible for the seizures.
00:56After all, the episode was never rebroadcast, and Porygon and its evolutions have never
01:02appeared again in the TV series, ostensibly to prevent any reminders of the incident.
01:09However, the strobe effect was actually caused by Pikachu.
01:15Given that they couldn't exactly drop their mascot Pokemon, the decision to shun Porygon
01:20was understandable, if unjust.
01:23If most Pokemon could talk, we have a feeling Porygon would say, "'Et tu, Pikachu?"
01:35Number 9.
01:36It Was a Flop in Japan – Ghost Stories This horror anime has become infamous for its
01:41English dub, which features risque and fourth-wall-breaking jokes.
01:51The prevailing rumor online has often been that writer Stephen Foster and the actors
01:56were given free reign to do whatever they wanted with the script because Ghost Stories
02:01proved unpopular in Japan.
02:03However, this is far from the truth.
02:12The novels the anime is based on were very popular.
02:15Ghost Stories also had good ratings when it aired.
02:19It was successful in magazine popularity polls.
02:22It's unclear whether the myth that it was originally a flop originated with Foster, or
02:28if it was a misunderstanding due to its ratings being poor in other Asian markets.
02:33Whatever the case, Ghost Stories certainly scared up plenty of attention.
02:42Number 8.
02:43All Might's Muscles Come From His Quirk – My Hero Academia
02:48The world's number one hero, All Might spends much of the first part of the series swapping
02:53between his skinny form and his muscular hero form when using his quirk, One For All.
02:59This leads some people to mistake All Might's muscles as being caused by his quirk.
03:07However, this conveniently glosses over the fact that All Might's protege, Deku, also
03:14has One For All and does not have this form.
03:18Deku has to train his muscles in order to handle the quirk's power, whereas All Might
03:23had already trained his body to the point where he could handle it right away.
03:33All Might's withered physique is the result of injuries, and he describes his muscular
03:38appearance as flexing to return to his former look.
03:48Number 7.
03:49Sukuna Is A Cursed Spirit – Jujutsu Kaisen
03:53He may be one of the primary villains of JJK, but not everyone understands real man Sukuna.
03:59Many assume that Sukuna is a cursed spirit, like other major antagonists in the series.
04:05Several cursed spirits support him and believe Sukuna will lead them to an age of cursed
04:10spirit supremacy.
04:12He's also confusingly called the King of Curses.
04:15However, Sukuna is actually a jujutsu sorcerer, born a millennium ago.
04:25To preserve his consciousness, Sukuna transformed himself into 20 cursed objects, his own fingers
04:31after death.
04:36By certain hosts – namely Yuji – eating the fingers, Sukuna can reincarnate into a
04:42new body.
04:43He may be every bit as vicious and savage as cursed spirits, but Sukuna is ultimately
04:49just a terrible human being.
04:53Number 6.
04:54The Breathing Elements Are Real – Demon Slayer Kimetsu no Yaiba
04:58This period supernatural action series features a ton of flashy sword techniques.
05:03Using various elemental-themed breathing techniques, the eponymous Demon Slayers appear to produce
05:09various effects when using their swords against their demonic foes.
05:20Appear is the operative word here.
05:22According to the manga volumes, breathing elements are simply included for visual effects
05:27to make the attacks look flashier.
05:29The Demon Slayers might visualize their sword swinging with fire, water, wind, or snakes,
05:35but their swords don't actually make them.
05:45We can understand the confusion since demons themselves have magical abilities and often
05:49produce wild effects.
05:51But Demon Slayers have almost always been the underdogs compared to their immortal enemies,
05:57and elemental attacks would make the conflict more even than it actually is.
06:05Number 5.
06:06It's Pro-Fascism – Attack on Titan
06:09Thanks to a much-circulated Polygon article and some viewers completely misunderstanding
06:15its messaging, many mistakenly believe that Attack on Titan is supportive of fascist ideologies.
06:21While the series may feature elements associated
06:32with fascism, racism, segregation, nationalism, political violence, genocide, it also consistently
06:40depicts these things as being awful.
06:43Attack on Titan repeatedly demonstrates that fascism and the intolerance it inspires only
06:49leads to a cycle of revenge that's ultimately futile and self-destructive.
07:02The paragon of virtue in the series isn't protagonist Eren Yeager, who hopes that by
07:07destroying all his enemies, he will achieve freedom.
07:10Instead, we'd argue that it's Sasha's dad, Arta, of all people.
07:15He's willing to put down his weapon and let hatred die instead of passing it on.
07:27Number 4.
07:28Season 1 Had a Higher Budget – One Punch Man
07:31Conventional wisdom among anime fans is that if a series has good animation, it means the
07:37budget is big.
07:39So naturally, when fans saw the mind-blowing fight scenes of One Punch Man Season 1, many
07:44assumed that they were achieved with a high budget.
07:55This impression was further reinforced after Season 2 switched to a new studio with less
08:00detailed or fluid fight scenes.
08:02However, Season 1's budget was average, and the quality was due to director Natsume
08:07Shingo and his connections.
08:14Natsume gathered a talented pool of animators that he knew from previous projects, including
08:19some from other studios who were hired on a freelance basis.
08:24The great animation came from the people and the time allowed to animate, not the money
08:29or studio.
08:36Number 3.
08:37Zoro is the First Mate – One Piece
08:40He may be Luffy's first crewmate, but Zoro is not the first mate.
08:45Despite airing over a thousand episodes, these straw hat pirates have never referred to Zoro
08:50as the crew's first mate and or vice captain.
08:54That just blew your mind, didn't it?
08:56Official sources in the manga also deny that Zoro holds the position.
09:00It's easy to understand why everyone believes this.
09:03Zoro often takes charge of the crew or lectures Luffy on leadership.
09:18Some side characters refer to Zoro as the first mate or the second in command.
09:29The live-action version even gives Zoro the title, but all official sources simply call
09:34him a fighter slash swordsman of the crew.
09:37Even if Zoro being the first mate is headcanon, it does feel right, admittedly.
09:51Number 2.
09:52It Adapts the Entire Manga – Fullmetal Alchemist Brotherhood
09:56There are two Fullmetal Alchemist anime.
09:58Famously, the first one has an original ending, with its entire second half diverging from
10:03the manga.
10:07However, despite popular belief, this doesn't mean Fullmetal Alchemist Brotherhood adapted
10:19the entirety of the manga, either.
10:21It does feature a largely faithful depiction of the manga's latter half, barring a few
10:26character moments here and there, and a fight or two.
10:29The beginning does have more cuts, though.
10:31In addition to featuring slightly more rushed pacing, a couple of early side stories are
10:36removed entirely.
10:38One of them is briefly recapped by Yoki, explaining his grudge against the Elrics.
10:52Brotherhood also never gave us the train hijacking that served as Mace Hughes' original introduction.
10:58And who wouldn't want more Hughes?
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11:211.
11:22Goku Has Beaten Vegeta – Dragon Ball Franchise
11:26What?
11:27But both Vegeta and Goku are rivals, and Vegeta is so insecure about Goku being stronger.
11:33Surely, Goku has won one of their fights, right?
11:37Nope.
11:38Well, not exactly.
11:40Their first fight does see Vegeta retreat, but that's because Goku got the assist from
11:45Gohan, Krillin, Yashirobe, and energy from the entire world after Vegeta wrecked him.
11:55In their rematch, Goku could've won if he'd gone Super Saiyan 3, but he didn't.
12:00Plus, they got distracted by Boo, and Vegeta knocked Goku out.
12:10And in Dragon Ball Super and the accompanying movies, the duo spar several times, but either
12:16the fight gets interrupted or Goku admits defeat.
12:20Goku may have won some of their informal bouts, but they were all off-screen, Kakarot fans.
12:26Victory for Vegeta!
12:36Is there an anime mistake we were mistaken for leaving off our list?
12:40Help correct us by sharing your picks in those comments below.