Given the plethora of tones and topics featured in shonen anime, it's clear that the genre is extremely versatile. Shonen anime may be known for high-octane, action-packed stories, but it also dips its toes into other types of narratives, often featuring a significant amount of comedy, drama, and horror elements. That being said, the best-known shonen anime are usually fairly upbeat during their conclusions.
Sadly, not all shonen narratives are as lucky. More than a few of these series have surprisingly dour endings, some of which are among the saddest in the entire anime medium. From bittersweet to downright upsetting, almost no viewers saw such heartbreaking endings coming to these shonen anime.
Updated on July 11, 2023 by Kennedy King: Despite the worldwide proliferation of the anime medium over the past two decades, the shonen genre still reigns supreme in terms of popularity. Each passing year brings forth a new batch of shonen series, some of which include heart-breaking conclusions that are sure to take viewers' breath away.
25 Mob Psycho 100 (2016)
Mob Psycho 100, created by the same author as One-Punch Man, is one of the funniest shonen anime of the 2010s. However, that being said, the series isn't afraid to take itself seriously either, with the conclusions of its second and third seasons being some of the most emotional in recent memory.
In particular, the end of Mob Psycho 100's third and final season is particularly evocative. Watching Mob come to terms with not only Reigen's true identity but his own as well is incredibly cathartic, and it results in the happiest, most fulfilling version of Mob to date.
24 Naruto Shippuden (2007)
The Naruto franchise slots among the most well-known shonen anime of all time, and its protagonist, Naruto Uzumaki, could very well be the most popular character in the genre. Naruto and its sequel, Naruto Shippuden, detail his arduous journey to become the Hokage, so when the series concludes, there's obviously some emotional weight to its final proceedings.
In the last episode of Shippuden, Naruto and Iruka meet for one last bowl of ramen before Naruto marries Hinata Hyuga. Naruto asks his former sensei to attend the ceremony as his father in a moving scene, drawing one last tear to the audience's eye before the conclusion of the beloved series.
23 The Seven Deadly Sins (2014)
Like most shonen anime, The Seven Deadly Sins dedicates much of its runtime to fan service gags and high-intensity combat. However, the series also features a variety of emotional storylines, many of which revolve around the Seven Deadly Sins.
By the end of The Seven Deadly Sins, the show's titular order of Magic Knights once again disbands, sending each of its seven members their separate ways. Although it's heart-warming to see the shonen anime's protagonists accomplish their lifelong goals, it's surprisingly bittersweet to see their time together come to an end.
22 Kill La Kill (2013)
From beginning to end, Kill la Kill is an unexpected journey. Its protagonist, Ryuko Matoi, finds herself in a variety of strange situations throughout the series, most of which are fairly light-hearted despite their high stakes. However, these moments slowly become more serious as the anime continues, culminating in a legitimately moving final sequence.
As Ryuko Matoi battles against her all-powerful mother, Ragyo, it becomes increasingly clear that this will be the pair's final encounter. Eventually, Ragyo rips out and destroys her own heart, leaving Kill la Kill's protagonist victorious, but without a mother. This, as well as the loss of Ryuko's trusted Kamui Senketsu, adds a palpable layer of grief to an otherwise uplifting series.
21 Magi: The Labyrinth Of Magic (2012)
Magi: The Labyrinth of Magic primarily revolves around the adventures of Alibaba and Aladdin, the former of whom is prophesied to become the kingdom's next ruler. Together, they encounter numerous characters and embark on a journey that eventually pits them against Sinbad, the current ruler of Sindria Kingdom.
Sinbad is a charismatic, capable ruler, but by the final arc of Magi: The Labyrinth of Magic, his ambition has led him to overstep several boundaries. Alibaba, Aladdin, and many of their allies combine forces to stop Sinbad, and although they are successful in defeating him, his fall from grace makes for a bittersweet conclusion to the series.
20 Noragami (2014)
Noragami is the tale of a god trying to regain followers and fame by doing odd jobs for people around town. Yet, trouble begins when Yato saves a young girl from being hit by a vehicle, causing her to traverse both the human and spirit worlds. Yato and Hiyori Iki set out to find some way to put Hiyori's soul back in her body before it slips out entirely.
Although Bishimon and Yato almost disappear at the end, Hiyori saves them both by calling their true names. However, they can't save the god Ebisu, who gets killed and reincarnated as a child for his misdeeds. Even though the child Ebisu is in good hands, Yato mourns the loss of his friend. In a sudden and tragic twist, Yato never reunites Hiyori with her soul before the anime ends.
19 Guilty Crown (2011)
Guilty Crown is a bizarre anime about a strange virus that ravages Japan. During this time, high schooler Shu Ouma discovers a latent power that lets him draw weapons from people's chests. Joining the rebel group, Funeral Parlor, Shu uses the weapons to fight GHQ, the militaristic organization terrorizing Tokyo.
Guilty Crown is packed with brutal fights, tragic deaths, and a powerful love, yet almost everything gets swept away in an instant. Inori, the girl of Shu's dreams, saves him from losing control of his power. Jumping to the future, viewers learn Shu is blind and Inori is dead. By killing off one of the show's best characters, Guilty Crown ends on a surprisingly sad and tragic note.
18 Anohana: The Flower We Saw That Day (2011)
Anohana: The Flower We Saw That Day follows a group of friends trying to help one of their own cross into the afterlife. On paper, the anime already sounds heavy, but things become even more heart-wrenching. The Super Peace Busters eventually help Menma cross over, but not before one of the most heartbreaking goodbye scenes in anime.
Thinking Menma is already gone, Jinta, the only person who can see her, runs to tell her one last goodbye. The entire group follows Jinta into the woods, screaming out to Menma. Seeing a lone flower, Menma reappears to everyone and says one last goodbye to her childhood friends. This sad anime ending is so emotionally powerful that it can make even the most hardened anime fan shed a tear.
17 Death Parade (2015)
Death Parade follows Decim, an arbitrator at the Quindecim bar where people who died simultaneously come to meet their fate. Decim is the master of the Death Games and decides whether people will be reincarnated or sent to the void. As such, he remains stoic and impartial—at least until he's joined by a mysterious, unnamed partner.
Decim's mysterious assistant helps him see everyone's deaths in a different light. She also observes things about human behavior that Decim never expects. Tragically, their partnership didn't last because Decim's assistant was a human. Having been deemed worthy, she goes off to be reincarnated, and Decim feels his first real emotion: sorrow.
16 Attack On Titan (2013)
The ending to the second part of Attack on Titan's final season laid the groundwork for a bittersweet conclusion. Eren Yeager began the series as the undeterred hero but has since become more of a villain than the man-eating Titans they have fought the entire series.
Wanting to wipe out all non-Paradis people, Eren begins The Rumbling, a mass movement of thousands of Titans that trample everything in sight. The last scene sees Eren's friends and colleagues looking on helplessly as he leads the colossal Titans' devastating trek. As manga fans could expect, the anime's highly anticipated conclusion will be tragic.
15 Yu-Gi-Oh! (1998)
Given all the over-the-top trading card duels that the Yu-Gi-Oh! franchise is known for, it's a pretty upbeat series, even with its darker elements. Yet, the original series knew how to pull at fans' heartstrings, especially toward the end when Yugi and the Pharaoh said their goodbyes.
After Yugi defeats his alter ego in one final duel, the Pharaoh says goodbye to him and all their friends. The Pharaoh assures them their bonds will last forever and reaches the afterlife just before the temple and the Millennium Items get buried for good. While viewers would see Yugi and the Pharaoh in future anime, the initial end to their adventures was nothing short of bittersweet.
14 Death Note (2007)
Death Note's ending is sad, although not for traditional reasons. Light Yagami is a monster, so fans shouldn't be too disappointed to see his reign of terror come to an end. However, watching the pathetic downfall of such a significant figure, regardless of his actions, feels anything but uplifting.
Unlike many of the people Light killed, the protagonist of Death Note is taken out in a mundane fashion after his name is written on a slip of paper from his own Death Note. Light dies essentially alone on the stairs of a warehouse. As such a prolific criminal mastermind, Light's pitiful demise was tragic but befitting of the criminal who only wanted glory.
13 Dragon Ball GT (1996)
Dragon Ball GT is an infamous entry in the iconic Dragon Ball franchise. However, despite its reputation, it has the closest thing to a definitive ending that Dragon Ball's ever gotten. After Goku defeats the last of the Shadow Dragons, Shenron takes the Dragon Balls with him to prevent another catastrophe like the Shadow Dragons from happening again.
Goku leaves with Shenron, saying goodbyes to all his friends one last time before disappearing into the sunset. This episode reminisces on events from the original Dragon Ball, DBZ, and DBGT. While Super would bring Goku and the Z-Fighters back into the spotlight years later, this sad conclusion truly felt like the end.
12 Gurren Lagann (2007)
While Tengen Toppa Gurren Lagann had its fair share of upsetting moments throughout its run, it is generally an uplifting mecha anime. It's loaded with epic action scenes and themes about having enough self-confidence to rise to any challenge. Yet, the sad ending sees protagonist Simon hit massive highs and devastating lows all in one sitting.
While Simon wins the day and marries Nia, she disappears soon after. In response, Simon commits to wandering the world as a nameless drifter. Even though Simon takes all of this tragedy in stride, it's a pretty heartbreaking way to end the journey of a great hero who came up from nothing.
11 Cowboy Bebop (1998)
Cowboy Bebop is an anime staple that mixes space travel and action into a great noir story. Spike Spiegel is an especially charismatic protagonist who easily worms his way into fans' hearts, despite his flaws.
Unfortunately, the ending of Cowboy Bebop leaves audiences wondering as to Spike's ultimate fate. Having been gravely wounded, Spike smiles and gestures with his iconic finger gun-inspired catchphrase at the camera before the screen fades to white. Spike's ambiguous fate is an emotional sucker punch that had many fans in tears.
10 JoJo's Bizarre Adventure (2002)
JoJo's Bizarre Adventure is many things, from weird to action-packed, and even at times horrific. Additionally, the series has fit in more than a few sad moments. Phantom Blood's ending might be one of the saddest the series has ever delivered. After getting married to Erina, Jonathan and his new bride get attacked by Dio, who lands a fatal blow on his stepbrother.
Jonathan saves his wife and an orphaned baby, then holds Dio down, dying as the ship sinks into the ocean. This wasn't the end for Dio, but it sure was a heartbreaking end for Jonathan. Though he had his happily ever after ripped from him, Jonathan was a true gentleman to the very end.
9 Shiki (2010)
Even a horror story full of blood-sucking monsters like Shiki found a way to end on a low note. Death came for the Shiki as the villagers hunted them down and killed them off without mercy. The fire eventually consumed the village, forcing the surviving villagers and Shiki to flee.
Though the humans stood triumphant against the Shiki, their village still ended up being destroyed, making all that violence and bloodshed for nothing. Shiki's somber and open-ended finale cast doubt on whom the real monsters were. It could easily be either the undead Shiki or the villagers who dehumanized their neighbor—it's all a matter of perspective.
8 Digimon Tamers (2001)
Typically, the end of any Digimon season has the kids separated from their Digimon partners after the battle is won. However, Digimon Tamers has the most sudden and upsetting version of that ending. As a side effect of their victory, the Tamers' Digimon can no longer stay in the real world and are all forcefully brought back to the Digital World.
Each of the Tamers gets to say their tearful goodbyes, but nobody is ready for it. While there was seemingly some hope that Takato might see Guilmon again, it is left ambiguous. For a series well-known for its themes of friendship, this was a pretty sad way to end Digimon Tamers.
The original Fullmetal Alchemist anime departed from its source material to create an original, but heartbreaking ending. After getting his brother's body back, Edward Elric falls through an interdimensional portal, only to wind up in pre-World War II Germany—with his limbs, but without powers.
Alone and terrified, Edward comes to terms with his new circumstances, while hoping everyone he loves back home is safe and healed. While they're later reunited in an anime movie, seeing Edward and Alphonse separated was almost too much for fans to bear.
6 Akame Ga Kill! (2014)
Akame ga Kill! cemented itself pretty early as an anime where anyone could die, and that casualty count increased until the very end. Night Raid successfully saved the city, assassinated the lethal Esdeath and the corrupt Prime Minister, and ended the Empire's tyranny once and for all. Still, nearly everyone—save for Akame and Najeda—died.
Najeda uses what little life she has left to build a better empire, while Akame travels the world alone, carrying on the will of her dead comrades. Even with a new era of peace on the horizon, the high cost of all the lives lost hangs over it, making the finale for Akame ga Kill! more morose than uplifting.
Post a Comment