Shoot! Goal to the Future

If you're looking for an anime similar to Sword Art Online (SAO) in terms of being perceived as "bad," you might want to consider recommending "Shoot! Goal to the Future." Just like SAO, "Shoot! Goal to the Future" has faced criticism for certain aspects of its storytelling and execution. In "Shoot! Goal to the Future," the story revolves around a young soccer prodigy named Takeshi, who dreams of becoming the best soccer player in the world. However, the series suffers from similar issues to SAO, such as inconsistent pacing, lackluster character development, and at times, overly predictable plotlines. Additionally, both SAO and "Shoot! Goal to the Future" have faced criticism for relying on certain anime tropes, which some viewers find to be clichéd and distracting. read more 

1. Both are about soccer 2. Both leads hidden genius but trying to quit soccer 3. Both are about team sports and overcoming obstacles through the power of friendship. 4. Both anime are aiming for nationals.  

Whilst both these animes focus on different spots, they focus heavily on one character ‘retiring’ from spots and returning to a new team/different sports team and helping bring the team to new levels; both are enjoyable on the format of "the underdog strikes back" in a different way to the usual "im too small/etc to play this sport but im the prodigy of my generation". Whilst it may be a struggle if you’re into the specific sport that each anime features, I’d recommend giving the opposite a try; the plots and characters are fun and enjoyable!  

I just found the relationships of the characters to have a very similar vibe to one another.