The wondrous world of anime is a convoluted hotpot of various emotions induced by memorable and sometimes shocking stories. However, when it specifically comes to the shock factor, there are anime that literally leave fans gasping for air. These stories don’t generally start out with complicated premises or a noticeable body count. Good anime often depends on a slow-burn buildup and an eerie atmosphere that usually entails the coming of something disturbing.

However, sometimes nothing can prepare the viewers for a reality-breaking revelation or a mind-boggling conclusion that is more traumatizing than inspiring. From one of the most well-known mecha franchises to unsettling psychological thrillers, these unpredictable anime endings petrified fans.

10

Code Geass: Lelouch of the Rebellion’s Unexpected Sacrifice Made It Memorable

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Lelouch vi Britannia is one of anime’s most unhinged and brilliant anti-heroes. Shaped by the deep hatred for Britannia and its rulers for exiling him and his sister, Lelouch returned with a meticulously planned vengeance. However, his rise to power would not only cost him his morality but also the loss of many dear friends. As for his endgame, knowing Lelouch, fans must have expected him to fulfill his grand plan and rule the very tyrants who exiled him. However, no one would have thought Lelouch would resort to measures so dire it would involve him planning his own assassination.

Viewers were absolutely flabbergasted when they learned Lelouch had planned his death publically by Suzaku’s hands to make his sacrifice a common tragedy that would unite the people and end the war once and for all. Fans knew Lelouch’s stance against war and corruption, but it shocked everyone to see to the lengths he would go to achieve his goals.

9

Fans Didn’t See Neon Genesis Evangelion’s Cryptic Ending Coming

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Neon Genesis Evangelion is perhaps one of the best-written anime of all time. The intricately woven network of psychological elements and sentimental aspects has cemented Neon Genesis as a masterpiece. However, it surprised fans when the anime ended on a convoluted note with a more psychologically impactful conclusion than anything else. There’s no grand confrontation or heroic battle at the end of the story; rather, the narrative delivers an unorthodox blow of surrealism that was unexpected.

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Instead of showing what happened to the world, Neon Genesis Evangelion ended by highlighting the internal turmoil in Shinji’s mind as the aftermath of the world going through “Instrumentality.” The final moments of the story remain focused on Shinji’s explorative journey, after which he eventually has an epiphany that he can exist as an individual. The series ends with the chants of “congratulations,” leaving fans both shocked and confused.

8

The Cycle Never Ended in Attack on Titan

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Hajime Isayama’s Attack on Titan was a brilliant piece of storytelling, deeply dedicated to unveiling the hypocrisy of war and its viciously unbreakable cycle. What started out as one boy’s ambition to rid his world of monsters turned into an ironic, paradoxical loop that ended with that very same boy killing almost 80% of humanity. It’s not like fans did not notice Eren Yeager’s anti-hero buildup or his slow descent into the madness when grappling with the reality of the outside world. However, no one would have expected he was planning something as harrowing as ending the world.

Eren believed in the ideology of “it’s either us or them” and chose to actually do something about it instead of waiting for Paradis Island’s demise. However, the Rumbling wasn’t even the most shocking part of the anime’s ending. The most disturbing aspect of Isayama’s ideology surfaces when it is shown in the post-credit scene that the cycle of war eventually caught up to Paradis Island when it was unceremoniously destroyed sometime in the future.

7

Light Yagami’s Fate at the End of Death Note Was Bleak Yet Deserving

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Light Yagami believed his omnipotence would remain unchallenged just because he had the Death Note. However, once he succumbed to the arrogance of his self-imposed justice, Light met his match in Near. Nonetheless, with how the anime had set up Light’s prevalence, fans believed the anime would definitely end up with him being the ruler of a cruel world. Although viewers had wished that Yagami met his deserved demise, they wouldn’t have expected it to come the way it did.

Despite holding the ultimate power in his hand, Light was outsmarted by Near and the Japanese Task Force. Even after being brutally shot, Light refused to accept his fate and the fact that his legacy was eradicated. As Light wanders the streets bleeding out, he meets Ryuk, who ends his life by writing his name in his Death Note.

Death Note

Release Date

October 4, 2006

Cast

6

Puella Magi Madoka Magica’s Untraditional Ending Stunned the Fans

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Puella Magi Madoka Magica is an unwavering depiction of the dark side of the Magical Girl genre, subverting all typical tropes and leaving fans anticipating what’s going to happen next. The story was already bleak, with Madoka and peers learning that being a magical girl wasn’t all rainbows and sparkles. On the contrary, they had to abide by their contracts and put their lives on the line to fight witches. With that, fans may have expected the story to turn into a faceoff against the rebellious magical girls and the entity who had tricked them into becoming magical girls.

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However, the mind-boggling revelation toward the conclusion is harrowing as Madoka erases herself from existence and becomes a cosmic entity. She does so to rewrite reality, thus creating an alternate timeline in which magical girls don’t turn into witches after their objective is fulfilled. It’s a bittersweet ending where Madoka only remains a floating concept or a distant memory.

5

Akame Ga Kill! Ended With a Heavy Body Count

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While it’s no big deal for a few heroes to go down in an intense shonen anime story, Akame ga Kill! takes it up a notch and presents fans with a finale full of sacrificed heroes. The story is mainly focused on the misadventures of a group of deadly assassins as they take on the cruel Empire. Though the evil vs. good premise is pretty typical for a shonen anime title, Akame ga Kill subverted all expectations by depicting the jarring reality of what usually happens to rebellions with no substantial support or backing.

Unfortunately, every member of the Night Raid perished in their final attempt to take down the Empire, with only Akame remaining to fight the government’s strongest general. Although Akame managed to defeat her foe, she couldn’t rejoice and was forced to disappear into nothingness, forever atoning for her sins. Fans found the bittersweet ending somewhat understandable, but they didn’t expect it to come at the cost of every other character’s life.

4

Berserk Delivered 1 of Anime’s Most Shocking Betrayals

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Berserk is one of anime’s most ferociously brutal and ruthlessly violent shonen titles. Political intrigue, power struggle, and betrayal are at the heart of the narrative. However, the raw brutality peaks toward the series finale, as the conclusion delivers a scene that might have traumatized several viewers. When Guts rescued Griffith from a dungeon, he believed he was helping an old friend, but little did he know that the latter would stab him in the back.

It’s a truly vile experience in its entirety as Griffith murders his comrades one by one in front of Guts as part of his deal to become a powerful demonic entity. As if the savagery of the murders wasn’t enough, the anime cranks up the shock factor by adding a disturbing sequence where Griffith sexually assaults Casca and makes Guts watch. Despite his every effort, Guts failed to save his friends and ended up traumatized for life.

Berserk

Release Date

October 8, 1997

Directors

Naohito Takahashi

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3

The Truth About the Orphanage in The Promised Neverland Left Viewers Speechless

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The Promised Neverland initially makes it a point to ensure fans never suspect a thing about the Grace Field House. The deceptive premise and the dark themes are understandable, but the grand revelation at the end is beyond shocking. The truth about the orphanage is downright bewildering, followed by a character betrayal that sets the standards for all morally ambiguous characters. What started as an idyllic portrayal of a seemingly normal orphanage life turned into a mind-boggling revelation involving the truth about the outside world.

Emma and Ray finally discover that the orphanage was actually a breeding facility and the kids were being raised as food for demons. Their caretaker, who could have been the sweetest motherly figure to ever exist, was spearheading the gruesome act, and their orphanage wasn’t the only one. However, despite their successful attempt at escaping, the ending feels ambiguous because Emma and Ray’s freedom comes at the cost of leaving the younger children behind.

2

School Days Has 1 of Anime’s Darkest Endings

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Considered one of the most controversial and problematic romance anime of all time, School Days is a handful when it comes to shocking revelations. However, the reason why fans never suspect the harrowing ending is because the anime remains fairly typical for most of its run. Viewers are tricked into believing School Days is just another cliché rom-com with an unhealthy love triangle.

Unfortunately, the anime takes the phrase “hell hath no fury like a woman scorn” at face value as one of the girls with whom the protagonist was in a relationship ended up murdering him brutally for betraying her. If that wasn’t enough, that same girl was murdered by another one of the hero’s many girlfriends. To make matters worse, the final shot of the anime features Kotonoha sailing into the horizon with Makoto’s severed head.

1

Devilman Crybaby’s Apocalyptic Conclusion Was Unexpected

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Devilman Crybaby is notoriously dark as it explores depravity and the fundamental downfall of humanity. Akira knew the consequences of dipping his toes with the demons. However, he was driven by the will to protect his friends and family from demons taking over the world and bringing about the apocalypse. Despite being morally ambiguous and egregious, Devilman Crybaby somewhat convinced viewers there could be a silver lining.

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However, it felt like a punch to the gut when the glorification of being on the good side proved futile. Despite Akira’s best efforts, the world descends into chaos, killing all life and paving the way for the age of the demons. It’s also revealed that Ryo was, in fact, Satan’s reincarnation, and everything happened according to his plan.