In the world of anime, there’s nothing quite like a heartfelt ending to leave you feeling satisfied, yet simultaneously, tearing up like a baby. Some series manage to conclude on such a poignant note that they linger in your memory long after the credits roll. Here are ten anime series that perfectly nailed the art of a heartfelt conclusion.
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For the uninitiated, Tokyo Magnitude 8.0 is a short but sweet series that tells the story of a young sister navigating the harsh realities of a post-apocalyptic world following a devastating earthquake. The last few episodes of the series escalate into an emotional rollercoaster of sentiment and pain as our protagonist comes to terms with an unimaginable loss. The scene where she gets to share one last bittersweet moment with her sibling is guaranteed to leave even the toughest viewers sniffling.
There’s no denying the cultural significance of Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood in the world of anime. Its sprawling narrative takes you on a rollercoaster ride of action and drama that reaches a peak with its shocking finale. It shows exactly what it means to pay the price of playing god and the redemption that comes after taking responsibility for one’s mistakes. The result is a beautifully bittersweet blend of sadness, nostalgia, and self-discovery.
Plastic Memories boasts a meandering narrative riddled with inconsistencies but somehow delivers a mesmerizing conclusion. The interactions between the main character, Tsukasa, and his AI partner, Isla, evoke an irrepressible mix of bittersweet memories and tragedy. Their romance is beautifully contrasted against the inescapable reality of mortality, triggering all the right feels as their story finally draws to a close.
Set in an idyllic high school world, AnoHana: The Flower We Saw That Day tells a haunting tale of friendship transcending the boundaries between life and death. The poignant resolution of its central plot revolving around help from the afterlife feels genuinely insightful as our protagonist comes to terms with the existence of otherworldly phenomena. Its delicate narrative not only earns your emotions but makes sure you question the value of our presence on earth as well.
Violet Evergarden’s epic journey comes to a poignant end in a stunning yet haunting finale that shows our lead undergoing an eye-opening journey of self-growth. The series successfully crafts its eponymous lead from a robotic child that merely carries out her orders into a compassionate human that reflects on her life through unsent letters to parents she barely remembers. We finally see Violet rediscovering and reclaiming her long-lost identity as she walks toward an unpredictably daunting future.
Drawing heavily from real-world historical events and locations, Grave of the Fireflies stands as a timeless allegory about an unconscionable assault on innocence. Narrated with a quiet restraint that amplifies its raw emotional power, the film crafts unforgettable vignettes that paint a memorable, unflinching portrayal of childhood corrupted in an unimaginable way. It ultimately hammers home an important lesson โ the despicable brutality and far-reaching consequences that come with going to war.
Ultimately leading up to a climactic, and highly emotional, conclusion, A Silent Voice tries its hand at breaking your heart as you reluctantly join our protagonist in confronting an unexpected and rather unorthodox form of redemption. Breaking down years of animosity, what unfolds ultimately illustrates an insightful growth in understanding by the lead character that is sure to make any viewer reach for a box of tissue paper to stem their own outpouring of tears.
Directed by Makoto Shinkai and armed with striking visuals, Your Name reflects the passage of time by effortlessly telling two touching love stories over parallel universes where everything converges to ultimately come crashing together in unexpected harmony. Against a vibrant cosmic tapestry that encompasses two lovers from various time frames it beautifully ties down various narrative threads around a stunning visual backdrop that was only in the most vivid dreams of the director and finally gives it that ethereal quality in a fine union of light and feeling and at which humanity may take heart and follow on their own adventures.
With a narrative built around the complexities of human communication and a deep introspection, 5 Centimeters per Second offers beautiful, albeit ephemeral, hope. The film leaves the onlooker questioning when and what becomes the defining element of our shared human moments, also with a tender portrayal of a lifelong hope that resoundingly dissolves the past as bittersweet promise transcending the time to tie a touching bond between past and the future.
My Neighbor Totoro, while outwardly simple, comes as an emotional experience that touches everything that animation does its best โ painting feelings that never fade. Beautiful compositions complement a visually stunning setting in an intimate love story centered around two little girls struggling through times when the main people in life are mostly away until finally helping their mama battle severe pain of an overwhelming and lonely sadness by conjuring the mythical presence of the spirit Totoro. That visual artistry leads deeply into the soul, just perfectly making that bittersweet reunion all the more special and the ultimate poignant outcome worth achieving and that nothing else should shatter in a beautifully crafted end that endures across generations.
With only the perfect amount of poignancy that’s weaved into its narrative, each of these masterfully crafted anime series offers life-reflecting stories in one unforgettable crescendo bringing out genuine life-lifting emotions which stand out greatly helping viewers understand key aspects about human perception, memory, love and ultimately existence itself that provide profound lessons to share when that inevitable journey down memory lane finally ends.
