Your favorite mid-series climax

[pianocello]

I've noticed that many anime series that is about half a year long - namely around 24/25/26 episodes long tend to have a climatic moment around the middle part of the series - around ep 12/13/14. The mid-series climax can be anything from a major encounter with a villain, unexpected romantic development, important plot twist etc.

Which is your favorite mid-series climax? (also please note that I am only refering to series about the above length, not longer or shorter shows).

[something]

I don't remember if it was right at the middle or a few episodes after, but I really, really loved the dramatic climax midway through Scrapped Princess.

[aemartell]

Princess Tutu's stands above all the others that I can think of at the moment. You almost could have ended the story right there, although it would have altered the overall tone of the show dramatically.

[HellKorn]

Wolf's Rain and Texhnolyze have pretty insane mid-series climaxes -- the latter in particular because (WARNING: SERIOUSLY MAJOR SPOILERS DO NOT IF YOU HAVEN'T SEEN THE SERIES AND DO NOT WISH TO BE SPOILED) after some of the most intense plotting and build-up, it ends with Yoshii's death.

And I guess Gurren Lagann, if only because I liked its first half ending more than its second.

[Lego]

I don't know if this counts per say but one that has stuck with me for years is the two parter "Jupiter Jazz" from Bebop. I'm not sure of the episode numbers, I think at 16 and 17 but for me it felt like a midway point with Vicious and Spike meeting while trying to find Julia and Faye's ordeal.

[Kouji Tamino]

One of my favorites is the one for Kiddy Grade. So many exciting and sometimes jaw dropping scenes, and the lead-up to it has some really suspenseful moments. Not to mention that the aftermath in the beginning of the second half has one of the most badass return from the dead scenes I've seen in a while.

[DKL]

Princess Tutu

OH SNAP!

I wins the internet, nyoro.

OH, and yeah... Haruhi if you watch it in chronological order.

[Horny_Otaku]

Haruhi episode 6


thats all that needs to be said.

[Splitter]

Blood+ - Enter Diva, the character who single-handedly saved the entire show from boring me to death.

Rozen Maiden - It's why I love Gin-chan

Eureka Seven - Reunited and it feels so good

Kaleido Star - Sora and Layla performing the Legendary Maneuver. I was left breathless, and cried at the end. I love Layla :beat:

Kannazuki no Miko - I'm sorry, but... she deserved it. That's what you get for playing coy.

And the coup de grace...

Death Note - Just as planned.

[Njr Scrawl]

As your thread, I though it was a hentai topic! :grin:

Storywise, the 2 favourites are Gunbuster's episode 3 & Evangelion's arc where the base Misato & Ritsuko are visiting blows up, while Shinji in Eva 01 faces (unknowingly its Toji in) Eva 04-turned-Angel with dire results.

[TalonG4]

I'd say My-Hime with The battle and defeat of the Sears Foundation.

[Isuzu Inugami]

I don't remember if it was right at the middle or a few episodes after, but I really, really loved the dramatic climax midway through Scrapped Princess.

That was good. I also think ROD TV's mid-series climax was terrific stuff.

[SpaceDebris]

Gungrave - Simple but effective.

Trigun - $$60 Billion man indeed.

[Buster Blader 126]

Here are two examples that came to mind:

Gun X Sword: After about 10 episodes of "event of the week," the real story begins. The man with the claw and the Band of Seven make their unexpected appearances, and a big fight takes place between various members of the Band of Seven, and Van and his acquaintances. Van finally meets the clawed man again, and Wendy finally meets her brother again, whose objective and viewpoint has changed entirely since his kidnapping.

Suzuka: Anybody who stuck around to the half-way point of the series were likely rewarded with Honoka actually making a move on Yamato, and succeeds! Honestly, when was the last time a supporting girl actually made a move on the guy, and was rewarded for her efforts? I give Suzuka credit for this particular plot twist.

[Critic Chris]

Trigun - $$60 Billion man indeed.

Are we talking Episode 12? If we are, I'll definitely vouch for that. "They're dead. People are DEAD." It's also very disconcerting to see Monev the Gale beg for his life; props to Peter Spellos for selling the terror.

[Spirit Of The Stage]

It's 52 episodes, but what the hey. Fushigi Yuugi - hands down. Tamahome returns home, ready to greet his family...and then, he sees them...dead. And his retaliation on Suboshi...shocking and awesome.

[Buckeye]

Haruhi episode 6


thats all that needs to be said.
That is if you viewed it in chronological order. It's no wonder it was airing out of order with this episode being the finale. The climax is reach in episode 6 with the rest of the season being episodic.

[mikedude]

One of my favorites is the one for Kiddy Grade. So many exciting and sometimes jaw dropping scenes, and the lead-up to it has some really suspenseful moments. Not to mention that the aftermath in the beginning of the second half has one of the most badass return from the dead scenes I've seen in a while.

Agreed. Too bad the mid-series climax was better than the show's actual ending.

[William K]

Uchuu no Stellvia
- It's the Second Wave and the threat of destruction for mankind. Can't get more climactic or epic than that can we? :P

[Macron one]

I've always considered the mid-series climax of Moon phase to be infinitely better than the actual ending climax of the series.

[roastedpekingduck]

R.O.D the TV - I really liked the mid-season climax and liked it much much more than the conclusion. I actually found the first half of R.O.D to be damn good stuff. The second was merely okay for me.

Princess Tutu - Tutu has my second favorite mid-season climax ever from any anime. Simply beautiful.

Gungrave - I've rewatched episode 14 so much that I'm scared I'm going to wear my disc out. I've watched it at least 5 times myself, then I've loaned out that disc to multiple friends just so they can see that episode. The volume clearly shows lots of wear from the amount of times its been watched. There's multiple scratches on the plastic cover for example. Anyhow, the second half of that episode is just amazing. The silence in the elevator is damn tense, and finally, the way Brandon's first death was handled is just a beautiful sight to behold. The shattering of the glass, the contrast of color, Harry's insane face, Brandon's blood droplets, and finally Brandon's remark about the blue sky was just perfect.

Texhnolyze - Lukuss's further descent into chaos was wonderfully escalated.

Wolf's Rain - Whenever I think of Wolf's Rain, I tend to associate the word "beautiful" with the show. The entire thing is just lush and deliberate, and the midseason climax was especially fantastic. I've only rewatched the first half of Wolf's Rain, since the second half is pretty taxing.


Giant Robo - At seven episodes, Giant Robo can't really be considered a season, but the Battle of Shanghai felt like a climax. There were many wonderfully epic moments during that episode.

[bobma]

Apart from the ones already mentioned, I remember being quite on edge during the mid season climax of Witch Hunter Robin.

[DKL]

I actually like how they shot Harry putting the gun down; that was well-done and you can really see where everything was coming from given the the emotions could be conveyed with subtle movements like that.

But yeah... I've seen that one episode a ton of times too; really high-quality animation and storytelling.

[HellKorn]

Since everyone else seems to be including shorter series, I'll add:

The Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya (Chronological Order) - Duh. Really fun stuff (and I'd actually prefer this order if 14 was cut/switched in favor with 12, which is a fitting transitional conclusion).

Shigurui - Episode six is mind-blowingly amazing. Absolutely brutal.

[bluesilo]

Gurren lagaan has a lot of climax's. All of which were amazing.

And I agree with Gungrave. That episode was better than the ending and probably one of my favorite anime episodes ever.

[zaitcev]

Stellvia had a mid-series climax while not under a threat of cancellation, in fact it did not even occur at the season edge. But Vandread had a mid-series climax clearly designed to wrap up just in case (also the second half uses a different art style).

[Rolancehack]

Berserk had a nice mid season climax With Guts leaving the Hawks

GTO had some nice arc climaxes through out, and even more in the manga.

I was also a fan of Neo Ranga's mid series climax where The girls are driven from Shimabara.

[Shsway]

Kannazuki no Miko - I'm sorry, but... she deserved it. That's what you get for playing coy.

Even if she was, and I very much doubt it, nobody deserves to get molested or raped.

[Splitter]

Kannazuki no Miko - I'm sorry, but... she deserved it. That's what you get for playing coy.

Even if she was, and I very much doubt it, nobody deserves to get molested or raped.

That's how anime lesbianism works though. One girl's oblivious to the other's advances, and the only way they ever get the picture is if they get their no-no parts felt up.

What I wouldn't do for a series that broke that stereotype...