movies/tv What Makes a Truly Satisfying Ending to an Anime Series?

[PonyFunk 155]

To be quite honest, I'm one of those people who prefers an anime with a great sweet and happy ending over a really sad or even bittersweet ending. Whenever I see an ending to an anime that's extremely bittersweet or heart-wrenching, I get this feeling of major un-satisfaction, especially when the main character(s) were trying to reach an ultimate goal and they never reach it in the end, or at least not in the way you expected.

 

For instance, I felt this huge disappointment after watching the end to Madoka Magica. Homura tries over and over to save Madoka, but she never can. In the end, it is Madoka who saves Homura and all of humanity by making herself into a goddess, creating a world where there are no more witches and baddies to fight. However, that means the new world has no more Madoka in human form, and the world goes on without Madoka's existence. I was so disappointed with this ending, and I felt that there could be another way around this. Since Madoka had become a goddess with virtually unlimited powers, she may have created a happier ending for the series. I shared my feelings about this on this forum a year ago, and people were saying that a happier ending would have ruined the overall tone of the series. After much time thinking about it, I still think the ending could have been a bit different to have a more satisfactory conclusion.

 

There are plenty of other animes with endings leaving you shocked and unsatisfied. But I think in the end, the absolute best endings are the ones when you feel you have connected enough with the characters, no matter what happens to them in the end or what drastic decisions they make to bring an end to the series.

 

What do you think? What are some of the best and most disappointing examples of an anime ending you can think of and why?

[cmarston1 5,959]

Well personally I don't mind bittersweet or sad endings if I feel like the ending was a satisfying conclusion to the show in general.

So basically a good ending would wrap up loose ties, complete character arches, and or give off a sense of finality.

[Discordian 6,015]

Most of the time the ending isn't worth paying much attention to. There's rarely any real payoff and too many questions left unanswered. It's a rare anime that has an ending I actually like.

 

Off the top of my head I've enjoyed the endings for Level E, Rumbling Hearts and Air Gear. In that last case I hate that there's a cliffhanger but the way they finished it left me quite satisfied. Other than that I'm usually just feeling like there should have been more to it.

[Johnny1226 14,674]

The best ending is one that can be continued

[Sugar Pea 2,682]

​Yes! Mention on one of my favorites!

​I think what truly makes a good ending is the impact it has on the viewer, while at the same time tying everything into one big bow. For example, I watched an anime called Air, and let me tell you that is the first and last time an anime made me cry.

[takai 1,060]

Unfortunately a lot of anime, TV anime that is, are set up to have "meh" endings. Simply because they adapt to a certain point in the Manga they're adaptating. So honestly, I can't really think of a truly satisfying ending. At least not off the top of my head.

 

I suppose an "original anime" such as FLCL or Kill la Kill usually have indefinite endings. I guess I enjoyed Kill la Kill's. It was satisfying for the most part.

[Plume 922]

I guess an ending that makes me feel satisfied. There's nothing worse than imagining all these amazing things only to have the ending leave you sitting there feeling confused, disappointed, or an odd mix of both.

 

The ending of Anohana would be probably a good example of that - it left me sobbing cause I'm hella weak but also just had this beautiful bittersweetness to it that made me smile through the tears.

[Megas 27,746]

Knowing when to quit and sticking to your guns. Case and point, DBZ. The ending of the Cell games was perfect, with Gohan saving the day and Goku passing the torch to Gohan as the Earth's new hero after 3 sagas of building up Gohan's power. And pretty much everything up to that point had been wrapped up.

 

Then then Toriyama decided to make the Buu saga, and undoes pretty much all of that build up, and brings Goku back to life and save the day. And then ends the series with him going off to train some random kid

Edited January 1, 2016 by Megas75