Top 15 Anime with the Best Endings of All Time, Ranked!

An ending can make or break a story.

As with any other work of fiction, anime storylines are often entirely judged upon their endings. Chances are, if the anime has a kickass ending, you’re going to remember it for a long time, even recommend it to your friends. If it sucks, it’ll tarnish the memory of the rest of the show.

Liking or disliking an ending might sound like subjective business. But more often than not, a conclusive, satisfying, and/or shocking finale that does the entire series justice, will be loved and cherished universally.

Let’s look at the top 15 anime with the best endings of all time! I’ll be listing these according to how memorable the endings are, and how much or what kind of an impact they’ve had on the audience.

Note: I will only be including anime that have had their series finales (have finished airing), and not ones that are ongoing. Also, no spoilers will be revealed in this list.

13. Dororo

Dororo is a critically acclaimed anime adaptation that is often praised for its characterization. It plays with themes of history and mythology while playing with supernatural elements.

Dororo, an orphan boy, befriends Hyakkimaru, a warrior. In a world of demons, the two must stand by each other and make sure that their humanity is not completely lost.

The ending is simple and tell the viewers exactly what they want to know. It shows the redemption of the main character and resolves tensions with a rather peaceful finale.

12. Katanagatari

With just 12 episodes, Katanagatari is like a rich piece of desert.

The series is based on a world of swords/katana, like the name suggests. Shichika and Togame pair up to collect 12 unique swords known as the Deviant Blades and fight the wielders of these blades along with other enemies to reach their objective.

The ending is as epic as it is unexpected. Since the series is so short the creators probably had less factors to consider to craft a memorable ending. But its brevity is no reason to downplay the finale. Without spoiling the finale, it is one of the best ones I’ve ever seen.

11. Gurren Lagann

Here’s another 1-season wonder. The final episode: “The Lights in the Sky are Stars”, is often considered one of the most perfect final episodes in the history of anime.

If you think finales should tie up all loose ends and leave you with a bittersweet feeling, this one is it.

This mecha action-adventure story follows Simon and Kamina, who, with the help of an ancient artifact called Lagann, fight against humanoid beasts called Gunmen.

By the end of the series, we come out as having watched the most exhilarating space battle, with a full understanding of the protagonists’ characters and development.  

10. Madoka Magica

Puella Magi Madoka Magica is about magic and witches – but not in the way you’re imagining. It subverts tropes and stereotypes in a manner that’s totally unpredictable.

Everything is definitely not what it seems in this series. It shows the journey of Madoka Kaname and how arduous it actually is to be a magical girl.

The finale is the perfect example of how one should use deus ex machina – a plot device that conveniently solves an otherwise unsolvable problem in a story. Without any spoilers, the ending of Madoka is dramatic, emotional, and quite simply, a masterpiece.

9. Tsuki ga Kirei

Tsuki ga Kirei is a romance themed series with a super conclusive ending. It has no cliffhanger, no loose ends, no unanswered questions – or a possibility of a sequel – which in this particular case, is a good thing.

The ending shot of the series is raved about by a lot of fans due to its finesse and clarity.

Kotaru Azumi and Akane Mizuno, 2 middle school students, realize that love is not as straightforward as they thought. It’s not always about chemistry and loud gestures. This series is a joy to watch, a true original gem.

8. Assassination Classroom

Who else cried during the finale of Assassination Classroom? This series is definitely one of the most unexpected and underrated Shonen anime out there.

With the moon stuck in a crescent, an extraterrestrial monster that is the best teacher you’ve ever seen, and naïve students stuck in an oppressive school, Assassination Classroom is a great series to binge.

The finale sees the death of a character the audience grew to love since Day 1, but at the same time, we knew this had to happen. Tragic, yet beautiful.

7. Naruto: Shippuuden

The longer and more popular a series, the harder it is to wrap it up. Naruto is one of the most widely loved and recognized Shonen out there, with 500 episodes and 10 years (15, including the previous series) of building love and attachment.

The ending of Naruto doesn’t get appreciated enough. In my opinion, it beautifully concludes a saga of friendship and ambition without losing on its thrill and action.

In a world of power, Naruto struggles to reach his dream. And everything in between. The Naruto universe gave us the end we deserved with Shippuden, and also provided us with a sequel – Boruto.

6. Your Lie in April

Your Lie in April is one of those rare anime that actually has more fans of its ending than the entire series itself.

If you like heartbreaking endings, this one is for you. But although the finale is legitimately sad, it is also really satisfying – and surprising.

The story revolves around a piano, tied to trauma and mothers and monochrome, and how it takes the love for music to fill the world with colour.

5. Cowboy Bebop

Cowboy Bebop is one of the greatest anime of the 90s, and one of the things that cements its place as a legend is its end. When the Real Folk Blues Part 2 kicks in, the entire fandom melted into tears.

The series is set in the future, where bandits and hunters scavenge space for treasure. Spike Spiegel pursues these criminals to make a living, but his past keeps haunting the present, and his future.

With humor and adult cast space action, Cowboy Bebop concluded its series with utmost perfection. It is strong, emotional, and timeless.

4. Monster

This one might be slightly controversial. Many people find the ending of Monster to be underwhelming but it is actually quite brilliant.

Monster is about the psychological portrayal of Dr. Tenma, an elite neurosurgeon who loses his social standing – and his conscience – after a botched surgical procedure.

He embarks on a journey to kill the monster he had once saved, and the ending makes you question who the real monster is.

3. Steins Gate

I bet you’re starting to realize how many sci-fi series exist on this list. Sci-fi anime just know how to make good, fulfiling endings. The legendary Stein’s Gate is one of them.

Okabe Rintarou learns how to send messages into the past and thus change the future. This comes at a cost and results in death. He tries to revert the timelines to their original states but there is no escaping death.

Every season finale of Steins Gate is amazingly crafted, but the series finale is stupefying. You’ll just have to watch it to know more.

2. Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood

Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood is a Shonen-Seinen gem, that has a world of loyal fans that would defend it to their death. Rightfully so.

This series did what its predecessor, Fullmetal Alchemist, did not, which is resolving all major conflicts and giving us a neatly wrapped up masterpiece.

Ed and Al learn from and love each other to the very end, with side characters developing as much as the main ones. In a world of homunculi and alchemy, the show reminds us how mortality and brotherhood is more important than living for ever without happiness.

Although the ending is predictable, it is wholesome to another degree. FMAB will always remain a tear-jerker.

1. Code Geass

Code Geass: Hangyaku no Lelouch has the best anime ending of all time. It is a showcase of complex goal fulfilment, a well-crafted plot twist, and ultimate sacrifice, laced with palpable tension and overall epicness.

Lelouch Lamperouge embarks on a journey of vengeance and leads an onslaught against the Holy Empire of Britannia in guise of the vigilante, Zero.

With the “power of absolute obedience” and the power of his intellect, Lelouch eventually becomes one of the most complicated protagonists in history.

The ending does complete justice to this magnificent series.