Anime is usually based on manga or light novels. This gives viewers an idea that the series will more or less follow what the original material has. But sometimes, production studios like to change things to what they think is best for the anime.
When that change is made, there are times when fans would agree that it made the story better, and there are times when the followers of the manga or light novel would complain about how the anime adaptation was made. With that in mind, we decided to compile the 12 anime with controversial endings.
Neon Genesis Evangelion
As mentioned, there are endings that made people complain or would go as far as give the writer and director of the series death threats. One example would be the ending of Neon Genesis Evangelion. It appeared that fans of the series were disappointed with the new ending as it did not explain the loopholes in the story.
Tokyo Ghoul
Tokyo Ghoul is one of the most loved manga. A lot of fans were excited that it received an anime adaptation and were actually happy how the first episodes turned out. But as the anime progressed, fans noticed that the series did not follow the original content to the point that the ending was totally different from the manga. This left avid fans of the story to be disappointed.
Death Note
While Death Note somehow followed what happened in the manga: Light finally made a contract with Ryuk and the Shinigami wrote down the former’s name in the Death Note to kill him. The way it happened was not what manga fans remember it would be. The manga showed that the Death Note was the main factor Light was killed but the anime made it look like the gunshot was the reason as it happened even before Light’s name was written.
Future Diary
Those who anticipated Future Diary are happy with what happened during the majority of the series. However, by the end of the series, a new element was introduced which was time travel that made it confusing for the viewers. It was also the reason fans felt that the ending was unsatisfying. The studio decided to release an OVA to make the ending better but for some, if the studio can make a better ending, why not do that on the original series? Why do they have to experiment in the first place?
Fullmetal Alchemist
The studio that animated Fullmetal Alchemist decided to put a different perspective on the series. While it followed some details on the story, the ending was different from what the manga readers know. Fullmetal Alchemist Brotherhood was released as a reboot of the series and the new version stayed true to the manga.
Claymore
Claymore took viewers to a world where Yoma or monsters exists. The Claymore warriors are tasked to hunt these monsters. The premise and most of the episodes made the viewers happy but the ending felt like everything was rushed. This resulted in unresolved events and ignored character developments. There are also loopholes that kept viewers asking for more.
Big Order
One of the most frustrating endings is when the viewers do not understand the point at all. They followed the journey and anticipate answers to their questions but did not get it towards the end. That’s what the viewers of Big Order felt during the finale of the series. Eiji was able to put back everything to normal in seconds which he could have easily done during the start of the series. It made the journey irrelevant and for some, a waste of time.
Soul Eater
The anime adaptation disappointed the manga fans of Soul Eater. A lot of circumstances were changed that led to a whole new result in the series like teams losing when they should have won. This made fans unhappy with how the story was made and the ending made everything worse. This is why most Soul Eater fans recommend reading the manga instead of watching the anime.
Erased
Erased is known for its mysterious vibe. It has all the intriguing points to watch: supernatural mission, serial killer, and time travel. Those elements alone can intrigue anyone to check out the series. Each time Satoru tries to find out the identity of the killer, another situation would happen that would make the series more interesting. But when the killer’s identity was revealed, fans felt that his motives were not thoroughly explained and all the efforts Satoru made kind of felt empty.
Digimon Adventure 2
Digimon Adventure 2, from the name itself, is the sequel to the popular series Digimon Adventure. Lots of fans joined their journey and we're glad that a sequel was made. But it appeared that the new season did not live up to the expectations of the viewers. The characters suddenly ended up far from what the whole story prepared them for. While the ending was not totally bad, someone who watched the entire series would feel that the ending was unjustified.
Sword Art Online
The anime ended in an unexpected way. The character motivations were ignored that fans were left confused after finishing the series. Asuma became a passive individual, Kirito released the World Seed felt random, and even Kayaba’s scheme was unexplained. These elements made the whole series unsatisfying especially those who wanted to get answers from the very beginning.
The Promised Neverland
Season one of The Promised Neverland got the attention of anime fans. It was one of the popular series at that time. But the second season just changed everything to the worst. Suddenly, the problems had easy fixes, issues were ignored, and everyone just followed what Emma wanted. Fans believe that the main issue is that the manga started the flow this way and the anime just made it worse. The story felt rushed with no further explanations. The human world was introduced vaguely and suddenly everyone got the reunion they wanted. Just by watching, viewers will feel like the scenes were just put together without proper planning and execution.