Creating good anime is no easy feat. Not only do the producers have to write an engaging story, but they also have to create an ending that will satisfy their audience. Most of the time, studios manage this perfectly fine, but when a series becomes popular and overhyped, it can be difficult to create an ending that will satisfy everyone.
This is especially true for anime that diverges from the original manga or anime that aren't adaptations at all. No matter how good the story is, if the ending falls flat, it can ruin the entire series. Most anime fans can name at least one series that was ruined for them because of the ending, and, unfortunately even the best series are affected by this problem.
10 A Great Anime Ruined By A Confusing Ending (Neon Genesis Evangelion)
Neon Genesis Evangelion is considered one of the best anime series of all time. It was groundbreaking in terms of its themes, designs, and music. However, even this anime suffers from a poorly written ending. While most of the series focuses on the fight between the Angels and the human race, the ending comes out of left field with trippy effects, monologues, and philosophical rants. Instead of neatly closing out the story, this series leaves a majority of the plotlines open-ended, and fans were left underwhelmed by the story's incompleteness. Luckily for fans of the series, a movie was released to tie up all the loose ends.
9 The Anime Ended Before The Story Concluded (Inuyasha)
Inuyasha was a long series, so fans were understandably miffed when the series was completed before the story actually ended. None of the plots was resolved, Inuyasha and Kagome didn't end up together like fans hoped, and the big bad was still around. However, the poor ending wasn't entirely the anime's fault as the manga wasn't completed so it didn't have an ending either. It wasn't until the second installment, Inuyasha: The Final Act that fans were able to get the true ending.
8 The Ending Ruined A Promising Anime (The Promised Neverland)
The Promised Neverland was a unique show with a dark twist. It hooked audiences immediately, and fans couldn't wait for a second season to drop. Unfortunately for eager fans, not only was the second season a disappointment but the ending was even worse.
Most of the second season diverted from the manga, and this resulted in a rushed plot that didn't make much sense. Important character-building moments were entirely left out, which resulted in an ending that ultimately felt hollow. For fans who loved the first season, the second season and its ending really ruined the series potential.
7 An Ending That Enraged Fans (Rurouni Kenshin: Reflection)
Rurouni Kenshin is a beloved anime from the early 2000s and is actually getting a remake soon. Even though the series ended before the manga, most fans were satisfied with it as it concluded the story for the characters in a satisfying way. This changed when the OVA was released. While most would expect the OVA to tie up all the loose ends, this OVA did the opposite. Fans were shocked when Kenshin and Kaoru, two characters fans wanted to end up together, both died of an unknown disease. It was an unusual turn for the series to take and one that fans were incredibly upset over.
6 A Forgettable Ending For A Forgettable Series (Soul Eater)
The quality of Soul Eater is debated by fans of anime, and that's mainly because of its ending. While some fans were perfectly fine with it, others noticed how different it was from the rest of the story. Not to mention, the ending of the anime is completely different from the ending of the manga. Soul Eater may have not had the worst ending, but it ignored the rules of its own universe, and that almost makes it worse than any other bad ending.
5 This Anime Made A Complete 180 (Fena: Pirate Princess)
Fena: Pirate Princess is a more recent series, so the disappointment fans felt for the ending is still fresh in their minds. Anyone who picked up the series expecting it to be a fun pirate adventure was disappointed when it took a turn towards the second half of the series.
The last episode introduced a lot of supernatural and magical elements that just weren't present in the first half. None of the characters got a satisfying ending, and even the villain's ending fell flat. If the story had been consistent throughout, the ending probably wouldn't have been as poorly received as it was.
4 They Needed A Reboot To Fix The Ending (Fullmetal Alchemist)
Both Fullmetal Alchemist and its reboot are beloved by anime fans, but there is a reason most fans prefer the reboot over the original. When the original series was airing, the manga hadn't finished yet. Like many other anime series at the time, the studio decided to include original content. The ending of Fullmetal Alchemist is vastly different from the ending of the manga, and many fans felt unsatisfied by how open-ended it was. Not to mention, it didn't have the proposal, which is one of the best moments in the series.
3 This Series Botched The Story From An Amazing Manga (Tokyo Ghoul)
Considering how beloved the manga is, it's hard to believe the anime turned out to be such a mess. Like many anime with bad endings, this series completely diverted from the manga, and because of that, the story ended up completely rushed and confusing. Important plotlines were dropped, and the story just completely devolved into a chaotic mess. To a majority of fans, the ending of the anime was so botched that they would rather have new fans read the manga than go anywhere near the anime.
2 The Series Was Ruined In The Last Few Moments (Kuma Miko)
Kuma Miko is a cute slice-of-life series about a country girl who wants to go to high school in the city. Most of the series revolves around Machi as she learns to come out of her shyness and integrate into society. This series had a great message about accepting one's self and going outside of one's comfort zone, but the last few minutes of the series ruined that message. After competing in an idol competition, Machi changes her mind about attending high school in the city, making all of her character growth completely pointless. On top of that, she completely reverted to her old ways, and none of the characters even attempted to help her.
1 The Ending Was Incredibly Cringy (Darling In The FranXX)
Darling in the Franxx had a straightforward plot up until the last few episodes. While most of the series revolved around children using robots to fight monsters, the ending had space invasions, a giant spaceship girl, and reincarnation. To many fans, the change came completely out of left field and felt contrived instead of interesting. Fans were especially weirded out by the giant Zero Two who traveled the universe fighting aliens.