Hello people of "The Wired, my name is Quan. So, two weeks or so ago, I released my Top Ten Best Anime Endings countdown, and in that countdown, I may or may not have hinted about something. Well, today, it's time to finally release that something. It's time for the other list, my worst, most despised endings of an anime TV series of all time, the endings that ruined experiences, slashed down scores and generally left a poor taste in my mouth. The rules are simpler than the last list, any ending qualifies, whether it be the ending simply to the first season of a show or the ending to a movie. Everything goes for this one, basically, I have no need to restrict myself here, I'm going on to take on all these bastards. Also, this should go without saying, but major, major spoilers are ahead, so read at your own risk. We're getting started right now with number 10.
9. Aldnoah.Zero
So, apologies in advance for the wall of text, but my feeling on this one are very mixed, so allow me to explain in as much detail as I need. My feelings on this ending have gone through three very distinct stages. The first, when I first witnessed it, I loved it. I really like it when a medium kills of very important characters out of the blue; maybe I just like the shock factor, but it's partly why I love Game of Thrones or Attack on Titan. I just think it's effective I guess. There's also the really well placed irony of Inaho's death, as when he shot down Slaine's ship a couple of episodes ago, and was asked to explain why, he spoke the words to Slaine, "you were the enemy." The same words that Slaine would take to heart when he killed Inaho; there wasn't anything personal between them, Slaine killed Inaho because he was there, completely unaware of his relationship with the princess.
The second stage was confusion. After talking with others about their opinions, I started to question the ending a little. Okay, so Inaho and Princess Asseylum are dead now apparently, but what about all the potential development that Inaho was getting? So you're just going to kill him off before he can get any of the development he needs to become a good character? And for that matter, Slaine, what the hell man? You rescued the person who specifically said he was going to kill Princess Asseylum, the girl you love, and then you were surprised when he did the exact thing he said he was going to do. And you did see Inaho and the princess together holding hands before she got shot, didn't that put any doubt in your mind at all before you killed Inaho?
And the third stage, and my feelings on the ending as they are now, brought up since the premiere of the second episode of Aldnoah.Zero 2. I hate it. This isn't an ending. This is a gimmick, a gimmick so we would all we would all come crawling back two or so months later for the second season to see what happened. You ask, "what's wrong with that?", plenty of anime end their first season on cliff-hangers so people will be breathless with anticipation for the second season, Code Geass: a show I love, being a prime example. Well let me tell you the difference. Things like that are supposed to have implications. The ending of Aldnoah.Zero doesn't develop characters or even advance the plot really, it's simply there to trick us to keep watching. Everyone who "dies" at the end of the first season of Aldnoah.Zero is still alive, nothing was gained, the show took everything back, because it never intended to take the risk in the first place. And that's... not okay.
I was sort of hesitate to put this above Aldnoah.Zero, since I don't seem to hate this ending as much as others do, but if I'm honest with myself, for such a great anime, Fate/Zero's ending really does ruin the experience. It's an ending to serve the sequel: Fate/stay night, things needed to happen the way they did, but it didn't really make sense in the context of the anime's themes of plot progression techniques. It could have been handled a lot worse, but the writer: Gen Urobuchi(who we will be seeing again), really did need to pull some things out of his ass to make the ending work, and that's a shame for such a great series.
7. Mirai Nikki
The last episodes of Mirai Nikki can be described as a spiral downfall themselves, but this ending is when the anime had finally reached the epitome of stupid. Seriously, nothing actually makes sense, because then the universe blows up, and then our main character sulks for about a million years or so after his bat-sh*t insane stalker dies(but she's technically not really dead), and then it ends.... And not a single crap was given from me.
6. Puella Magi Madoka Magica
There's honestly not a lot to say here. What people say about this ending is true, it's a complete and utter cop-out that's basically out of nowhere, and really doesn't compute with Madoka Magica's grim tone or Gen Urobuchi's writing style. It's very odd to say the least, and you have to wonder how something like this happened, whether Urobuchi wrote himself into a corner or this was the direct by-product of someone higher up who wanted a happy ending; either way, I find it hard to believe this ending was planned from the beginning. It actually makes me like Rebellion's ending even more, as flawed as it was.
5. Spice and Wolf II
And if you thought Btooom's ending was aggravating and completely uncalled for, wait until you see this one. Spice and Wolf II also just ends on a massive cliff-hanger, but I think the biggest difference is that I actually really, really care about this franchise. I don't want to end like this. Please don't let it end like this. But it did. And now I'm sad.
The anime review of this is coming, but for now, let me tell you a tragic story. Higurashi no naku koro ni started out as a dark psychological mystery spiced with some of the best horror anime has to offer. Then the second season: Kai, rolled around, and transformed the tone into more of a thriller, which was alright, especially considering the awesome reveal of Takano as a villain and the answers to the questions the first season raised buried deep within subtext. Then, this ending happened. It is beyond me how a franchise previously priding itself on psychological horror reached such a downright cartoonish ending, in which, of all things, the power of friendship is the thing to defeat the bad guy, like an episode of My Little Pony or something.
3. Gankutsuou
What this ending basically boils down to is "an act of true love will thaw a frozen heart." Not even joking. Not sure why, for an anime that had been so close to being perfect at least in plot terms, had to rely on something so dumb for its resolution. And I do understand that this is a very loose adaption of the original Count of Monte Cristo book, and the anime even went as far to improve some aspects of the story, but what was wrong with the way that ended? That is, an ending where The Count literally sails off into the sunset with all three of his perfect revenges complete. I would've been fine that.
2. Neon Genesis Evangelion
Well, I don't think there's very many anime fans who have never taken a shot at this ending, so I'll make my personal rant quick. Even if you are very low on budget, you do not end an anime by holding up paper up to the screen with some drawings of what the ending might have looked like. Congratulations.
1. Clannad After Story
So, first, I will say that this ending, despite what some might say, is not a cop-out. In fact, this ending is foreshadowed and built up from almost the very first episodes of the first season. That's not my problem. My is that it's fucking stupid. All that progress that was made since Nagisa's death, including Tomoya's reconciliation with his father; everything is rep-coned so we can have a happy ending and everyone gets to live in blissful happiness. No. Stop. Clannad and After Story are built on the foundation of both incredibly happy and incredibly sad moments, but always made it clear that that is just the way life is, and you need to take both in stride, because sometimes shit just happens and you can't do anything about it. Unless you have some magical wish-granting city that can completely disregard one of the franchise's core themes and lessons, apparently.
The worst part is, they already had a chance to end the anime, and as a matter of fact, end it perfectly. What do I mean? Episode 18; the end specifically, the train scene, one of my favorite scenes in anime ever, when Tomoya finally accepts Nagisa's death and is ready to live and cherish his daughter Ushio as tears run down his face, a scene which is so perfectly happy and sad that it still makes me cry even I re-watch it. I mean seriously. That makes it a 10/10 right there for me. But no, the anime just stumbles on for a few more episodes, that erases from existence all of that. Just... goddamit.
So yes, that's my rant on the ending of Clannad After Story, there will be more to come in a future review, but for now, I will bid you all adieu. Another anime review hopefully to be released in the coming days.
Goodbye for now guys.
Click here for my full review of the first season of Aldnoah.Zero.
Click here for my full review of Fate/Zero.
Or here for my review of Angel Beats.
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101 Ways to Quickly Identify Low Intelligence
ReplyDelete35: Individuals who think either the TV or film ending of Neon Genesis Evangelion to be anything but perfect.
Film Ending: Pretty freakin' amazing.
DeleteTV Series Ending: A pile of half-baked ideas the show didn't have time for, which lacks proper communication because the production had the budget of a ham sandwich at that point, that has no sort of meaningful purpose when you compare it to the resolution and final few seconds of the EoE.
Sorry man, just the way I feel.