The Supernatural Spin-Off About Sam And Dean That Fans Forgot Existed

"Supernatural" enjoyed 15 successful seasons on the air, and there are many fans out there who wish that Sam (Jared Padalecki) and Dean Winchester (Jensen Ackles) were given more monster-hunting adventures for years to come. Despite the show's success, however, attempts to expand the franchise haven't set the world on fire. The CW canceled "The Winchesters" spin-off after one season, while the planned mafia-inspired "Supernatural: Bloodlines" series never materialized due to the lukewarm response to its backdoor pilot. Similarly, "Supernatural: The Animation" was put to rest after one season before becoming a forgotten memory — like the many spirits Sam and Dean encounter while traveling America's haunted hotspots.

Produced by Madhouse — the legendary Japanese animation studio behind "Death Note," "Perfect Blue" and other beloved anime properties — "Supernatural: The Animation" follows Sam and Dean as they battle all manner of beasts. Most of the episodes are retellings of stories from "Supernatural's" first two seasons, which features monster-of-the-week adventures and an overarching story about the siblings' search for The Yellowed-Eyed Demon who killed their mother. There are some original episodes, too, but the majority of the animated show's one and only season covers well-trodden ground.

That said, "Supernatural: The Animation" is arguably more visually interesting than the original saga. The live-action series had to contend with budget restraints, meaning that the demons typically look like regular people with black eyes. What's more, the action sequences are pretty basic. The creative leeway afforded by the anime format, however, allows for the monsters to look like otherworldly nightmares, and the overall spectacle is more imaginative. However, if you go into this one having seen the original live-action series, "Supernatural: The Animation" might get boring rather quickly — and some elements of the show are downright frustrating.

While the monster designs add some nightmare juice to familiar tales of terror, "Supernatural: The Animation" is an unnecessary show. The series had an opportunity to tell some brand-new stories centered around Sam and Dean that could have expanded the franchise's lore, but the creators instead chose to condense the first two seasons of "Supernatural" into 22 short episodes. The animated series is a fine introduction to Sam and Dean's story for newcomers, but for seasoned fans, it's unessential viewing.

Not only that, but some of the animated show's characters leave a lot to be desired. Sam and Dean are similar to their live-action counterparts — Jared Padalecki even voices Sam for the whole season, and Jensen Ackles reprises Dean for two episodes — but their ally, Bobby Singer (Jim Beaver), is unrecognizable. The original Bobby is a no-nonsense hunter with a beard, but the anime adaptation reimagines him as a doofus with a bowler hat. Granted, remakes should bring new ideas and characterizations to the table, but this version of Bobby is inferior to the O.G.

Minor quibbles aside, "Supernatural: The Animation" is entertaining for the most part. The scary monsters and darker tone are commendable, which makes the series' lack of originality easier to swallow. Still, the series might have been more memorable and successful if it pitted Sam and Dean against a fresh rogues gallery of creatures, as opposed to spooks they'd already faced before.