Having a favorite TV show ending is a bitter feeling; on the one hand, it concludes the story, but it is also the end of something they loved. This is especially true regarding anime, as specific series contain hundreds of episodes airing over decades. It is no wonder fans get attached as it becomes part of their lives, which is why theending is so important.
Imagine watchingOne Piecefor over three decades only for it to reveal that the One Piece is the friends made along the way. It is a slap in the face to the audience and can completely ruin the entire show. However, many anime shows have delivered satisfying endings that resolve everything neatly, with some surprises here and there, but overall, theymake the experience worth the watch. With popular anime likeMy Hero AcademiaandDemon Slayerending soon, fans can only hope they get as good of an ending as these ten shows.
10’Death Note' (2006)
Studio: Madhouse
TheDeath Noteanime burst onto the scene in the early 2000s and eventually became one of the most recognizable and acclaimed anime. The intriguing story of a genius high school student finding a notebook that kills whoever’s name is written down has become a staple of pop-culture media, even being featured inThe Simpsons.Death Noteis one of Netflix’s best anime, with its intense plot of cat and mouse between a supernatural killer and the greatest detective in the world.
Fans witnessed thegreat undoing of Light Yagami, the genius high schooler who became absorbed by power and the idea of a perfect world. If fans agreed with Light early on, they definitely changed their minds as the series neared the end, as Light would abuse his power and kill anyone who got in his way, not just criminals. Light thoroughly deserved what was coming to him. Still, it wasdelivered very poeticallyand resulted in the iconic maniacal laughter scene in one of thebest episodes of the anime.
Death Note (2006)
9’Odd Taxi' (2021)
Studio: OLM
A refreshing combination of mystery, thriller, comedy, drama, and fantasy,Odd Taxiis an original story that unexpectedly becameone of the best anime in recent years. The series follows Odokawa, a Walrus cab driver who doesn’t like getting involved in his customers' lives, but when many of them seem to connect to a deep-routed mystery, he is on the yakuzas' watchlist.
This underrated anime took fans on a wild ride, combining different characters' perspectives to eventually create a larger story. Ambiguous endings that leave fans wondering are always polarizing. Some fans love them, some hate them, butOdd Taxiended in a way that allowed fans to assumewhat happened after the cliffhanger. It was a satisfying conclusion that revealed who the murderer was and sent fans off with agreat plot twist to make the show even better.
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8’Hunter x Hunter' (2011)
Regarded as one of the greatest anime of all time,Hunter x Hunteris a breath of fresh air for the long-running Shounen series. The anime is surprisingly dark, doesn’t follow many tropes often seen in similar shows, and contains anincredible cast of heroes and villainsin a unique world. The story follows Gon as he travels the world searching for his dad. To find him, he goes on a journey and undergoes dangerous events to accomplish his dream.
WhileHunter x Hunterhasn’t ended, with the manga currently on hiatus due to the author’s health, the animeperfectly wraps up Gon’s story. The ending culminates the events of the previous arc, with the cast scrambling to help Gon and get his dad to visit him. Gon’s story ends with atouching reunion that all fans want,and they can leave the story satisfied. The manga continues the story of Kurapika and his quest to collect the eyes of his clan, withfans one day hoping it will finally be adapted.
Hunter x Hunter
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7’Steins;Gate' (2011)
Studio: White Fox
With thegreatest use of the time travel genre,Steins;Gateexpertly crafts a unique spin on the trope to create a refreshing story. Rintarou Okabe, a self-proclaimed crazy scientist, has only made a gadget capable of turning bananas into green goo. But, after attending a time travel conference, mysterious events happen around him, including the ability to send texts back to the past, which gains unwanted attention as he and his friends must fix this timeline.
Steins;Gateends on a bittersweet note, giving fans something to be happy about. However, it also stays true to the story anddoes not force a happy endingto make people content. After continuously torturing the characters, they finally find a way to save everyone, even if some won’t remember anything about the others. Despite its great ending with everything wrapping up sensibly,Steins;Gate 0acts as a sequel to give fansmore insight into the endingand what happens in the alternate universe.
Steins;Gate (2011)
6’Ping Pong the Animation' (2014)
Studio: Tatsunoko Production
This unique sports anime blends experimental animation with an incredible story about winning and happiness to create an anime like no other. Smile and Peco are childhood best friends who are interested in ping-pong. Peco boasts about being the best, but Smile never shows much enthusiasm about the sport. The contrast between the two and other characters tells a story about growth and doing what you love.
Ping Pong the Animationends perfectly; despite some characters not accomplishing their dreams or some going on completely different paths, everyone gets what they deserve, and it ultimately makes them happy. The show is sad yet uplifting andendlessly rewatchable, according to Freddie Wong. The anime wraps up nicely to deliversatisfying character arcsand gives each character a beautiful send-off.
5’Cowboy Bebop' (1998)
Studio: Sunrise
Cowboy Beboptakes place in 2071, where human reach has spread throughout the galaxy, allowing crime to thrive. Because crime runs rampant, Spike and Jet can make a solid living as bounty hunters as they travel planets to apprehend dangerous criminals. After Faye, Edward, and Ein join the crew, Spike’s past haunts this colorful cast of delinquents.
It’s no stretch to say thefinal episodes ofCowboy Bebopare the best, as they wrap up Spike’s battle with Vicious to settle things from his past. Thepoetic ending is as perfect as it is depressing; with Laughing Bull predicting the events, the fun adventures of the crew come crashing down when Spike finally decides to face his past. The show ends with some of the most iconic quotes in anime and ensures thefans will carry that weight.
Cowboy Bebop
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4’Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood' (2009)
Studio: Bones
Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhoodfollows brothers Edward and Alphonse as they journey across the country, looking for alchemical secrets to help them create the philosopher’s stone and hoping to get their limbs and bodies back, respectively. This quest uncovers a routed conspiracy and frightening facts about alchemy; all the while, they encounter a dangerous homunculus and a vengeful soul.
Hailed as one of thebest anime of all time,FMA Brotherhood’s ending matches the show’s highlights toconclude a perfect story in a satisfying way. With one of themost complex anime characters,Edward’s arc needed to be handled very carefully, and it was delivered, with him achieving his goal of getting his arm back and saving Al while saving the world. Thehappy ending was the cherry on topof this fantastic series, making it rewatchable anddeserving of a live-action adaptation.
Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood
3’Gintama' (2006)
As one of themost underrated anime,Gintamahas made a name for itself because of its comedy and shockingly intense, serious arcs. The story follows Gintoki, a samurai now doing odd jobs in an alternate version of the Edo period where aliens have taken over. Accompanying him are Kagura, a boorish alien girl, and Shinpachi, an average kid trying to restore his family’s dojo. Together, they go on crazy adventures that get them in trouble with many other eccentric characters.
Many wouldn’t expectGintamato have such an incredible ending because of its focus on comedy and short arcs. Still, the last part of the series solely focuses on the seriousness sprinkled throughout the show. The main villains are connected to Gintoki, making the final duelheartbreaking and epic. Sunrise made the finale into a movie that wraps up every dangling plot point and character arc,culminating in a trulyGintamaexperienceof comedy, epicness, seriousness, and sorrow.
Gintama is a Japanese anime series based on Hideaki Sorachi’s manga. Set in an alternate Edo-period Japan overrun by extraterrestrial invaders, it follows the eccentric samurai Gintoki Sakata and his odd-jobs crew as they navigate a world of adventure, humor, and rebellion.
2’Code Geass: Lelouch of the Rebellion' (2006)
With one of thegreatest protagonists in anime,Code Geass: Lelouch of the Rebellionis a classic anime about rebellion, vigilantism, and the ends justifying the means. Lelouch finds himself with the power to control others, and with it, he goes on a quest for revenge against Britannia, disguised as a rebellion to save the enslaved people of Japan.
When discussions about the best anime ending happen,Code Geassis the first mentioned. Lelouch’s expertly crafted ploy to paint himself as a villain in the end, creating himself as a symbol of hatred and oppression, was all to get his alter-ego to assassinate him and finally free the people of Japan while stillgetting everything he wants. The final scene is relatively ambiguous, but recently, asequel anime was announcedthat may or may not reveal what really happened.
Code Geass: Lelouch of the Rebellion
1’Mob Psycho 100' (2016)
As aperfect anime for beginners,Mob Psycho 100is about Shigeo, a shy middle schooler gifted with overwhelming psychic powers. Despite this, he only wants a normal life but finds himself battling psychic threats wishing to cause harm. Because Mob suppresses his emotions, they often explode in bursts of psychic power that not only help him defeat enemies but also teach him how to better control his emotions.
While many believeCode Geasshas the best anime ending,Mob Psycho 100definitely hasthe most satisfying. The finale sees Mob finally ask out the girl he’s had a crush on since childhood, but after an incident, he can no longer control his powers and is tearing the city apart while marching toward his crush. The endingbeautifully sums up the relationshipbetween Mob and Reigen with atouching show of heroism from all his friendstrying to stop him for his own good. The ending does everything right, allowing Mob to grow as a character and finallylearn how to express his emotions.
Mob Psycho 100
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