Dead Account Anime Completes Its First Season: Finale Sparks Controversy
The Dead Account anime, brought to life by the SynergySP studio, concluded its first season with its 12th episode, which aired on March 28, 2026. Based on Shizumu Watanabe's popular manga, the series had been one of the standout works of the winter season due to its unique structure blending social media phenomena and supernatural powers. However, the season finale sparked a major debate among fans, with both critics and viewers describing it as "unexpectedly lackluster" and "anti-climactic."
The name behind the series, Shizumu Watanabe, is an artist known for works that have made waves worldwide, such as Real Account and A Trick for the Witch, and is an expert in the themes of psychological thriller and modern technology. Dead Account centers on the story of Soji Enishiro, who shoots controversial videos under the pseudonym "Aoringo" to cover his sister's hospital expenses. One day, Soji discovers that he is a Deadmancer capable of fighting ghosts that take over the social media profiles of deceased individuals, known as "Dead Accounts," and joins the mysterious Miden Academy, which battles these entities.
The manga, which began its publication life in Weekly Shonen Magazine in January 2023, later moved to Kodansha's digital platform Magazine Pocket, where it achieved great success. Reaching over 130 chapters as of March 2026, the manga cemented its popularity with its anime adaptation. The anime version, directed by Keiya Saitō, brought a fresh breath to the shonen genre throughout the season with its themes criticizing modern internet culture, digital bullying, and social media addiction. However, the fact that the 12th episode slowed down the pace at the most exciting point of the story caused disappointment for many viewers.
The final episode left an open door, emphasizing that the struggle with the main antagonist Sad Boy K is not yet over and that Soji still has a long way to go to reach his true power. Although criticisms are directed at the finale's pacing and lack of action, the ongoing story of the manga and the newly announced roguelite game Dead Account: Two Blue Flames show that the series' universe will continue to expand. Now, all eyes are on a possible second season announcement from the production company.
