Anime Endings that OWNED *spoilers*

[KatsuhikoJinnai]

A bad ending can really ruin a good series... but for me, a great ending can redeem a semi-mediocre series.

What are some of your favorite endings to anime TV shows or films?

Try to keep things in spoiler tags... :sd:

My favorite would have to be Utena.
The ending to the TV series just floored me. Fantastic... awesome... Utena sacrificing herself to free Anthy and enduring ultimate suffering. Man, what a finish...

[Dylonius Funk]

While the series itself might not have been the greatest ever i allways like the ending to Sakura Wars TV. It's worth it to finally see the Flower Formation (Not sure if that's the right term i don't have my discs handy) finally come together and to see Satani go down is worth it. Another nice ending is Angelic Layer. Everything comes together in the end and nothing feels contrived or forced.

[Andrew Cunningham]

Gilgamesh. So nasty and cynical it put the final finishing touch on the series and was absolutely perfect.

[Morwen]

The first one that came to my mind is Cowboy Bebop. Yes, it's incredibly sad, but it's one that's stuck with me, and really it's the ending that made me realize why people love it so much. Very emotionally charged, but still with that element of 'cool'. A great way to end a series.

[jojo_home]

Redeeming a series? It depends what you mean by "ending". A great second half can redeem a mediocre series, but a series that's mediocre right to the last 5 minutes of the last episode is still mediocre.

I can name many series that started off average or just "okay" that got better as it went along...

Giant Robo - Went from disjointed and confusing to Shakespearean levels of greatness by episode 3 and on.

Planetes - Actually starts out decent, but gets even more deliciously complicated and well-observed as it goes along.

Evangelion - Actually, the first 5 episodes are a bit boring, but the last 10 or so are quite gripping. To me, anyway. :sd:

[leongsh]

Tough to choose one as there are quite a few that I felt spot on.

The first Rurouni Kenshin OVA (i.e. Tsuiokuhen) is one of those that come to mind. As Kenshin sets off to do his part in the revolution in the last few minutes of the OVA, completes it and leaves his katana embedded in the ground and to his master's lament.

Then one of my favourite anime series, Ashita no Joe, and how they ended it all in the end of the second season (and scored to better effect in the second movie as they summarised the second season in the second movie just as they summarised the most of first season in the first movie to lead-in to the second season). Ends the same as the manga, of course, but the manga ending was perfect. Why change an ending that already has an iconic status?

How about an ending that crushes hopes? Watch Texhnolyze. Won't say more but do know that the ending is highly despairing but intellectually spot-on.

And then, how can there be a thread on great endings without any mention of Gunbuster? Capped it all off brilliantly at the end of the last episode (Episode 6) of the OVA.

Just a few for the time being.

[something]

I'm cannibalizing my own thread from last July about this, with some updates, and the recent thread on endings in Recommends. These aren't in order.

Full Moon wo Sagashite - From the moment i saw it I considered it one of the most moving and beautiful moments in all of anime. Absolutely classic. Blew me away, and was the closest I'd come to crying until Chrono Crusade.
Mahou Shoujo Lyrical Nanoha (and A's) - Textbook perfect case of how to pace an ending. An epilogue other shows can only dream of. The envy of all writers. And they nailed it not once, but twice.
Stellvia of the Universe - The hardest to justify without spoiling little moments. The music, and future promise were a big factor. Unfortunately, Sato/Xebec have crushed hopes for the latter, but at the time I was so, so very excited to see it end like it did and to think about what might be to come. "End of the World" is such a great song.
The Melancholy of Suzumiya Haruhi - Very few endings have been more appropriate or better planned than this one. Everything in the show, every episode, leads up to the one-two punch at the end with the last two episodes of the Melancholy storyline. Everything that came before in the seemingly disjointed order makes the final moments so much more compelling. Kyon's last line (both before the epilogue and at the very, very end) bring it all together as well as drive home the feeling that there's so much more to tell. Without any doubt, one of best endings many of you will never appropriately experience.
Chrono Crusade - I don't want to go into too much detail with this because I totally laid it all on the line when I did the CC discussion thread, but it was EPIC. The macro-micro dual ending worked extremely well, and Chrono Crusade is a fitting partner for Full Moon for raw emotional impact. What Full Moon made me feel in terms of elation, Chrono Crusade evoked with heart-crushing bittersweet tears. Devastating.

Honorable Mentions to Azumanga Daioh, My~Otome and Kannazuki no Miko, among others.

[Talyn]

Not to say these were bad or middle grade shows, to me these are top fav shows for me with the most awesome endings.... In no particular order...

RahXephon
Berserk... (love bleak and dark endings)
Noir
Trigun
Cowboy Bebop

[vtr9kvictor]

The broadcast order ending of Haruhi Suzumiya was AMAZING, but the actual last episode may leave many viewers going "huh? THIS is what all the hype was about?" Watch the subtitled broadcast version too!

Another INCREDIBLE ending was Rayearth season 1. I mean it came out of NOWHERE and made perfect sense.

[Splitter]

Though the remake will inevitably top it next Thursday, the original Kanon had an amazing ending despite it's lackluster run.

[Arcturus]

What are some of your favorite endings to anime TV shows or films?


Gunbuster - Welcome home.

Giant Robo - "Say, how about we pull out all the stops on the animation budget?" "Okay!" *awesomeness ensues*

The Irresponsible Captain Tylor - Whenever I hear the William Tell Overture, I will recall the epic battle between Tylor and Dom.

[Kurou]

I'll second the Giant Robo, Nanoha, and Nanoha A's, endings.

Never really liked Gunbuster's ending, though..but that's just me.

[daymare]

While these may not be super good or bad-ass endings, I generally like endings that take a little time after the final showdown to show some of the aftermath...especially those that dedicate a full episode as an epilouge, such as Dual, Chrono Crusade, Hand Maid May, Saber Marionette JtoX...I'm sure I've seen more.

These endings give me a tremendous sense of satisfaction.

[Njr Scrawl]

Utena TV was devastating she did not deserve any of it. It truly shows the road to hell is paved with good intentions

Utena movie is its antidote, but I needed 2 watchings to the TV's 1 watching initially.

Evangelion TV ending is the only Eva ending for me. That's the last 2 TV episodes in preference to all EoE.

Bebop's ending put me off the whole series. Because of what happened to Julia.

Oh My Goddess OVA ending is a real emotional rollercoaster, as, differently' is Sailor Moon season 1's ending.

I really liked the proper ending of Fushigi Yugi, which is the end of OVA season 2.

Rurouni Kenshin:Reflections ending is very sad, but very poignant & poetic. You know the redeemed Kenshin & Kaoru are reunited forever in heaven, as the cherry blossoms fall on their bodies. More moving than Gunbuster to me.

Kimagure Orange Road TV, movie 1 & movie 2 endings all create different feelings for me based on the stories leading up to them, but all have a sense of relief followed by wanting to watch more - or buy lotsa merchandise etc.

[leongsh]

Rurouni Kenshin:Reflections ending is very sad, but very poignant & poetic. You know the redeemed Kenshin & Kaoru are reunited forever in heaven, as the cherry blossoms fall on their bodies.
I thought the ending was too maudlin and a bit contrived. Didn't work at all for me.

[Busaiku]

I thought the Ouran High School Host Club ending really did well.
It was pretty cool and a nice little wrap-up to a great show.

[Captain Impulse]

Gungrave as a whole was pretty badass, but it had it's ups-and-downs. Personally, I hated Blood War as a character, as well as his whole arc. I didn't like some of the freakish-mutant boss fights (Bob and Balladbird in particular) near the end either.

However, the ending itself was bittersweet, moving and altogether perfectly executed. There are very few series that end that well. Very, very recommended.