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Discover the 8 most controversial anime endings. Explore what makes these finales so divisive and where they rank amongst each other.
Anime is an unforgettable medium greatly enhanced through an ending. While we have seen some conclusions that have created a long-lasting positive impact for fans, others have completely ruined the series.
Along with these, there are also more debated endings, sparking intense discussions among viewers. Whether due to ambiguity, unexpected twists, or perceived disappointments, these finales have divided audiences. Here are the 8 most controversial anime endings, ranked.
8) Devilman: Crybaby
Devilman: Crybaby is a series that featured a lot of controversial scenes right from the beginning, and the ending stayed consistent with this. It started by following Akira, a weak boy who gained the powers of a devil. Becoming a devilman, he worked with his friend Ryo to rid the world of its threats.
However, by the end, fans found a devastating truth. Ryo, who was Satan in disguise, was planning on taking over the world. Despite his wishes for Akira to join him, he was turned down, and an electrifying battle took place. Shockingly, Akira lost this fight, lying at the edge of death.
Right when Ryo regretted killing his friend, God intervened. He sensed Satan’s plan and decided to destroy the entire planet. No viewer expected this grim and apocalyptic ending. While some fans appreciated the show’s uniqueness, others felt distressed by the absence of a hopeful conclusion.
7) Code Geass
Code Geass is an audacious anime that ended in a bold and shocking way befitting its nature. It tells the tale of Lelouch, a boy with the supernatural ability to control others through his “Geass.” Using this, Lelouch decided to topple the Holy Britannian Empire, which was led by his father, who abandoned him.
The ending saw Lelouch making the ultimate sacrifice, drawing the hatred of the world before being killed by his friend Suzaku. This supposedly ensured peace for the rest of the citizens. Many fans consider this a masterpiece of storytelling, appreciating Lelouch’s sacrifice and the poetic justice of his fate.
Others believe that it is highly unusual that a world plagued with so much trouble simply became happy after one individual’s death. It also didn’t help that the protagonist’s death was ambiguous, given the multiple Code Geass sequels with questionable canonicity.
6) Neon Genesis Evangelion
As one of the most revolutionary anime of all time, Neon Genesis Evangelion’s ending is still a source of heavy confusion and debate. For a series that mostly follows humanity’s struggle against the Angels, the final episodes of the anime completely overturned the script.
Through abstract visuals and an ambiguous plot, they delve deep into Shinji’s subconscious. Rather than focusing on the major world-destroying events, fans witness the protagonist’s mentality, how his relationships were strained, as well as alternate scenarios of him living an ideal life.
While The End of Evangelion movie helped provide a more conclusive ending, it was equally controversial for how dark and devoid of hope it was. Hence, despite the many conclusions of the Neon Genesis Evangelion series, fans continuously discuss its true meaning and whether it was good or bad.
5) Death Note
As one of the most beloved anime of all time, Death Note keeps viewers on the edge of their seats for the most part. It follows the cat-and-mouse chase between the serial killer Light Yagami and the genius detective L.
Unfortunately, the ending of Death Note didn’t quite live up to the rest of the show. It showed the protagonist being cornered by L’s successor due to his carelessness. He revealed his identity in a moment of shock before dying at the hands of the police and his shinigami.
Watching the confident Light Yagami’s tale conclude with him begging and desperately escaping before falling was certainly not an easy experience. It also left a sour taste in the mouths of fans that Near, a detective trained by L with little development, suddenly came and defeated the protagonist.
While some defend the ending, stating there was no other satisfying manner to end the egotistical Light’s story, others believe the series overstayed its welcome after L’s death.
4) Tokyo Ghoul
The anime adaptation of Tokyo Ghoul is a source of intense contention among fans. The series revolves around the tensions between humans and man-eating creatures known as ghouls. Ken Kaneki, a normal boy, soon got embroiled in the world of ghouls after an accident.
Having experienced both sides of the fence, he decided to become a messiah pushing for peace and coexistence. While most viewers agreed that Tokyo Ghoul’s first season was a good adaptation, it began falling apart after this.
The showmakers skipped crucial manga details, killing characters and bringing them back with no explanation. While the ending was the same, showing Kaneki living happily with his wife and daughter, its execution was completely different. Anime-only fans were left confused and disappointed due to the lack of proper buildup and the rushed pacing.
3) Akame Ga Kill
Akame ga Kill! may have Akame’s name in the title, but the series majorly followed Tatsumi, a boy who joined an enigmatic group aiming to take down the authoritarian empire. Throughout the series, the anime shocked viewers with its high death toll, but it took it to another level with the finale.
In the concluding battle against Esdeath, both Tatsumi and Esdeath end up dying. Akame was the only surviving member of the group by the end, with fans believing she hadn’t received the development necessary for a protagonist.
As a result, fan opinions completely split on this anime. Some believed it to be a tragic and depressing masterpiece. Others thought it overindulged in its “shock factor,” nullifying the impact of deaths.
2) Attack on Titan
Considered one of the best anime ever made, Attack on Titan is set in a world where humanity lives under the fear of Titans. The protagonist, Eren, is a boy who lost his family to these giants and vowed to take revenge.
However, with each season, his personality underwent a change until he eventually became a leader aiming for genocide. The reveal of Eren orchestrating the events of the series and the beginning of the Rumbling have gone down in anime history.
Unfortunately, the ending of Attack on Titan is where audiences split. Right before being killed, Eren shared his feelings for Mikasa, explaining how all his actions were to keep those close to him safe. He broke down, being consoled by Armin. Some fans appreciated the tragic nature of this character, while others felt that Eren’s characterization in the final episodes contradicted his development.
Additionally, since war continued in the world even after Eren’s death, fans were left wondering whether his sacrifice was truly meaningful.
1) The Promised Neverland
The Promised Neverland is an infamous name in the anime industry as a series that had unparalleled potential to be great but never delivered upon it. The story started by following the kids in an orphanage, spending time together happily with their caretaker, “Mama.”
However, they soon found that the world is covered with demons, and all the inhabitants of the orphanage were merely food for these beings. Upon discovering this, the main characters escaped their home, exploring their vast surroundings.
While the first season of the anime excelled at developing the world, the second completely deviated from its source material. It rushed through the major arcs, showing the redemption of “Mama” and the characters finding refuge in the human world within very few episodes.
For a series that could have gone on for multiple seasons, the studio took an anime-original approach, showing crucial scenes through a montage. This broke the hearts of most fans, with the unsatisfying resolution causing outrage and heavy controversy.
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