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Happy endings aren't commonplace in shonen anime, so an upbeat resolution can feel like a miracle. The happy ending could be as simple as surviving a battle or watching two long-awaited characters finally come together. Regardless of the form, satisfying endings are precious to fans because lives are always on the line in shonen animes.
Considering all the hardships that shonen characters face, it feels like the anime owes them a happy ending. However, some heroes power through battles only to lose everything in the end. There's no guarantee that everyone will survive, so fans are pleasantly surprised when a shonen anime ends well.
Spoilers ahead!
10 Inuyasha & Kagome Finally Defeat Naraku
Inuyasha: The Final Act
It seems like Inuyasha will never catch Naraku because he's always several steps ahead of the half-demon. Naraku is virtually undefeatable for much of the shonen anime, thanks to the demon hidden inside the Shikon jewel. The Demon of the Shikon no Tama is an equally-powerful adversary, helping Naraku regenerate even after being torn to pieces.
The battle is so hard on Inuyasha that he uses a jewel shard to enhance Tessaiga. He starts to become a full demon, but Kagome jumps into the acid to stop him from turning. With their combined strength, they defeat the demon and Naraku at once. Despite how long it takes, Inuyasha and Kagome win the battle and get their happy ending.
9 Ed & Al Get Their Bodies Back
Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood
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After watching Ed and Al lose their bodies as children, the happy ending of Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood feels well-deserved. The Elric brothers attempt an alchemy technique called human transmutation to bring their mother back from the dead. The result is Ed losing a few limbs and Al losing his body entirely, and the boys spend the rest of the show trying to get their bodies back.
The brothers narrowly avoid dying at the hands of the Homunculi, but Ed and Al pull through in the end. In the final episode, Ed exchanges his alchemy for his brother's body, and the boys go home to Winry in the flesh. Surprisingly, the Elric brothers face insurmountable odds and come out on top.
8 Natsu Brings Everyone Home
Fairy Tail
The battle to defeat Acnologia is seemingly endless, but Natsu and the other Dragon Slayers in Fairy Tail beat him in the end. The heroes barely escape the Time Rift that Acnologia uses to trap them, just as he avoids their attack on his body in the Fairy Sphere. Considering his accumulation of magic, it takes all the Dragon Slayers combined to finally defeat him.
Natsu brings his friends home after winning the war, and the guild celebrates Lucy's narration of their trials. The two promise to stay by each other's side and go on another quest together. Aside from the villains, everyone gets their happy ending, and the anime leaves things open for more adventures to come.
7 Naruto Becomes The Seventh Hokage
Naruto Shippuden
Naruto's goal has always been to become Hokage, but his journey to reach that level is not easy. To become the Hokage, Naruto trains under Kakashi and goes from his worst student to one of the best. With a hardworking, positive mindset, Naruto grows strong enough to defeat Kage and jinchuriki alike.
By the time he reaches full adulthood, Naruto has such powerful chakra reserves that he intimidates everyone in a fight. Although he sometimes meets his match in Sasuke, the Seventh Hokage proves himself stronger on many occasions. Naruto achieves his dream through sheer force of will, making the ending of the shonen anime happier than expected.
6 Goku Trains His Successor
Dragon Ball Z
Goku is the undisputed protector of Earth due to his ability to keep leveling up. He never stops training, achieving the Super Saiyan form in response to his friend Krillin's death. Goku masters the art of getting stronger by working hard, and he trains his son Gohan to follow in his footsteps.
Since Gohan gives up training in the end, Goku takes on another successor who battles him in a tournament. As the reincarnation of Majin Buu, Uub holds his own against Goku and piques his interest. Dragon Ball Z ends with Goku traveling to Uub's village, and although the conclusion is more open than happy, the promise of more fighting is enough.
5 Shoko Forgives Shoya For Everything
A Silent Voice
Shoya Ishida doesn't have a great time in school after he bullies Shoko, since he gets bullied by his classmates for the rest of his adolescence. He is horrible to Shoko as a child, snatching away her hearing aids and teasing her for being deaf. However, Shoya grows to regret his choices and seeks forgiveness from his classmate for everything.
Luckily, Shoko is never really mad at Shoya in the first place. She befriends him when he lingers outside of her classroom and starts liking him romantically afterward. Despite the somber tone of the entire film, A Silent Voice ends on a surprisingly happy note thanks to Shoko's deep compassion.
4 Miyamura Proposes To Hori
Horimiya
It's not surprising that Horimiya's ending is a good one, considering the easy romance between Miyamura and Hori. However, Miyamura's proposal to Hori comes out of the blue, especially after she admits to not knowing him well enough. He says it in the same chill tone he uses to confess his feelings, shocking Hori with his insistence that they stay together for good.
Hori worries about the fate of their relationship after graduation, but he quickly reassures her. Horimiya ends with Miyamura feeling grateful to Hori for ignoring the rumors and talking to him. The progression of their relationship makes for a sweet ending to the shonen anime.
3 Meliodas & Elizabeth Build A Life Together
Seven Deadly Sins
The Seven Deadly Sins go through a lot to defeat the Demon King, but their efforts are never acknowledged. Still branded as criminals, the Sins each find their own forms of happiness. However, nothing warms the heart like seeing Meliodas and Elizabeth end up together without the interference of their deadly curses.
The couple gets married and rules over Liones together. They have a son named Tristan who is oblivious to their adventures, but that's fine by Meliodas. With the Holy War finally over, Meliodas and Elizabeth are eager to build a life together and put the past behind them. The anime's romantic ending more than makes up for their tragic beginning as a couple.
2 Hyakkimaru Reunites With Dororo
Dororo
Hyakkimaru comes across Dororo as he hunts down the demons who stole his body parts. The two become travel partners when the child follows Hyakkimaru, and their bond deepens into friendship. Hyakkimaru wants revenge on his father more than anything, but he cares about Dororo just as much. When his friend is in danger, he doesn't hesitate to save her.
Hyakkimaru finds his father and ultimately decides to let him live. Despite his father's choice to sell his soul to demons, Hyakkimaru has more humanity than Lord Daigo ever anticipated. The series ends when he reunites with Dororo after the fight. Considering the anime's dark beginning, the ending is surprisingly fulfilling.
1 Gon Meets His Dad
Hunter x Hunter
There's no happier ending in a shonen anime than Hunter x Hunter's Gon finally meeting his father. The young hunter's goal from the beginning is to find Ging, and the last episode focuses on the two catching up with each other. Although there's more to Gon's journey than searching for his dad, the moment is heartwarming for the young hero.
The two sit atop the World Tree and discuss their adventures as hunters. Gon realizes from their conversation that the end of the journey is not as fulfilling as the time he spent with his friends along the way. Hunter x Hunter ends with Gon achieving his goal and finding meaning in what it took to get there.