Mode comparison
Is mixed mode harder than franchise mode?
In most cases, yes. Mixed mode is harder because it pulls from the full roster, which means more series overlap, more year spread, and more visual trait collisions. Franchise mode is narrower, so each clue removes a larger share of the remaining pool.
Why mixed mode feels tougher
The first clues still leave many cross-series branches alive.
Popular years and common visual traits repeat across unrelated anime.
One good guess often narrows the board less than it would inside a single franchise.
When franchise mode is better
Franchise mode is better when you want deliberate practice, faster recognition, or a lower-variance path to improving. It teaches the same clue language with much less noise.