Over the years, anime has had its fair share of controversies and shocking moments. From big plot twists to unexpected character deaths, anime always finds a way to surprise its audience. One of the most memorable parts of any anime is its ending scene. While most take the usual “happily ever after” route, some series get creative, for better or worse.
Many anime titles have become infamous for their unusual endings. From sudden cliffhangers that leave fans in anticipation to heartbreaking deaths in the final scene, these shocking finales have frustrated many fans over the years and left a black mark on their series’ names.
10 Clannad: After Story’s Ending Has A Controversial Retcon
Clannad is a beloved anime series that many regard as one of the saddest stories of all time. From the start, this series brings on the waterworks with one tear-jerking character arc after the next. However, none can compare to the final arc in Clannad: After Story, taking place after protagonist Tomoya and his girlfriend Nagisa have graduated and started a life together.
Clannad features many of anime’s saddest scenes and plenty of gutwrenching deaths that fans still aren’t over. However, the series has become infamous for its unexpected ending, where many of the sad moments are retconned, replaced instead with the typical happy ending. This decision leaves many fans torn, and even though it’s nice that Tomoya and Nagisa get a happily ever after, it takes away a lot of the previous emotions fans felt during the journey.
9 Death Note’s Anime Ending Changes Light’s Fate
It’s to be expected that a series like Death Note wouldn’t have a happy ending. Most fans expected Light Yagami’s eventual death, especially those who read the manga. However, when the moment finally came, many felt that this villainous protagonist was let off easy.
In the manga, Light dies a humiliating and terrifying death as he pleads for Ryuk to let him live, but in the anime, he’s sent off with grace and dignity that many believe he doesn’t deserve. It’s a small change, but it impacts a lot of the storytelling and feels much less satisfying than seeing Light get the true punishment coming to him.
8 Cowboy Bebop’s Final Scene Still Shocks Fans Today
To this day, Cowboy Bebop remains a beloved anime classic, and it’s influenced many series since. It’s a fun and exciting sci-fi series with a unique flair all its own. Though the series is in no short supply of series moments, fans still couldn’t have predicted its shocking ending.
In the final fight of the series, Spike dukes it out with Viscious and finally takes him down. Unfortunately, he’s left with his own mortal wounds, and the series ends with the hero collapsing to the ground. It’s neither confirmed nor denied whether or not Spike actually dies, but it’s still a shocking and infamous scene all the same.
7 The Soul Eater Anime Has A Convoluted Ending That’s Nothing Like The Manga
While it was once one of the best anime of the 2000s, Soul Eater’s anime adaptation has become infamous among fans. This is mainly thanks to its confusing conclusion that adds in non-canon storylines and trails far off from the manga’s plot.
Soul Eater’s manga was still ongoing at the time of the anime’s release, so like many before it, the series decided to make up its own ending. Unfortunately, most fans were unhappy with this choice, and many still find the Soul Eater anime to be a big disappointment because of it.
6 Neon Genesis Evangelion’s Ending Is Still Hard For Fans To Understand
Neon Genesis Evangelion is an iconic ’90s classic, considered one of the best mecha anime to date. Despite its notoriety, many viewers have dropped it in the past, all thanks to the strange and confusing turn it takes towards the end. The series starts out like any other mecha, featuring a colorful cast of characters who pilot mechs and fight evil.
As Evangelion progresses, it gets more and more complicated. That is, until the infamous finale, where things become weirder than ever. Many don’t understand the ending, and some even say it ruins an otherwise great series.
5 Darling In The Franxx Starts Out Strong But Drops The Ball Later On
When it first came out, fans had high expectations for Darling in the Franxx. It was slated to be the next great mecha series, and for a good while, it was. However, the series began to go downhill near the end, and by its finale, fans had become utterly disappointed.
Now, this once beloved series is seen as one of the biggest let-downs of modern anime. Many believe Darling in the Franxx rushed through its story, cheapening the ending and leaving fans feeling frustrated and angry.
4 Elfen Lied Ends With A Strange & Ominous Cliffhanger
During its run, Elfen Lied saw incredible popularity. Even years after its conclusion, it remained a 2000s horror classic. However, looking back, the series suffers from a lot of problems, including its disappointing finale.
After so much build-up, Elfen Lied’s anime ends without even seeing the entire story through. What’s worse, it leaves fans on a frustrating, confusing, and rather creepy cliffhanger that feels like an odd place to end the series. It leaves many questions unanswered, with fans still wondering to this day who was at Kouta’s door in the final scene.
3 School Days’ Shocking Ending Is Infamous Throughout Anime
Most anime fans are well aware of the infamous School Days and its shocking and horrific conclusion, but many were completely unsuspecting of this twist when it first came out. The series starts out like any typical slice-of-life romance story, but it slowly devolves into something much darker.
Before anyone can even react to this tonal change, the series shocks the entire audience with its graphic deaths at the very end. As a result of these horrifying moments, School Days has become one of the most infamous anime in history.
2 Gurren Lagann Ends On A Surprisingly Sad Note
There’s no shortage of tragedy in Gurren Lagann, from the death of beloved characters to tear-jerking backstories. However, nothing tops the shockingly sad ending of this beloved mecha classic. After the final battle is won and the universe is saved, Simon and Nia are finally reunited and can marry.
During their wedding, it seems like everything is finally okay. Unfortunately, things take a turn for the worst right after they say their vows, and Nia disappears from existence, leaving Simon alone. It’s one of the most shocking moments in the entire series, and fans are still grieving Nia’s loss to this day.
1 Naruto’s Unexpected Conclusion Sparked Controversy Among Fans
It was big news when the Naruto anime finally came to an end. Many fans who had previously dropped the series came back, just for this momentous occasion. There’s been a lot of talk over the years, with many speculating how this iconic series would wrap itself up. However, no one could have expected the many twists and turns this finale would take, from Kaguya’s revival to Sasuke and Naruto’s final fight.
Even after the war had ended, this series had more surprises up its sleeve. Most shocking of all was the final moment in the series, showing Naruto all grown up and married to Hinata, now with a family of his own. It was something no one expected, and not everyone was on board with it. To this day, it remains one of the most controversial endings in recent anime history that fans still debate over.
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