Thoughts on anime endings

[MattAlchemy]

Don't you think the endings of anmes making you think you're in it?

I just finished an old anime and I felt the same way as the main character did. They finally leave, going back to the book. After 52 long episodes of excitement. And now all her friends from the book are going back. The main character can no longer see them again.

Don't you feel like the same? No more episodes of an anime, because it's over. It feels like they all have to leave you and you're alone. Thinking of going to a new anime, it hurts to think of having new people in a different anime. It's like having new friends.

If you don't get me... Take this for example.

Me and a friend meet up and be great friends. That friend protects me. But at the end, we defeat the enemy and he has to return to the book. I belong to the real world as my friend belongs in the book. So we split, and remember our friendship. I had to leave my friend and go back the same way it was in the beginning(episode1). Or go to a new anime with new characters(new friends) and forget your old friends(old anime you just finished).

It made me sad at the ending of that anime. (Fushigi Yuugi xDDD Very old, I know.)

[Zero Shinohara]

Well I usually feel like this for every series that I enjoy the bit least. And most series, if I rush trough them, will have an even greater effect on me. Come on, take it from a guy who has actually had hallucinations for an entire night over the ending of Rozen Maiden Traumend, just to give you a newer example.

When a series that you like ends, I guess it leaves a void. First because you will probably not hear of those characters in the future, unless you go for other sources like manga/novels, or keep in touch with the story in the forums; but things die pretty quickly, unfortunately. Anyway. I think that every person with the least bit of sensibility over anime (otakus will probably all answer yes to this) will feel, even the least bit depressed when things in their shows look down or simply end. Everyone gets affected in a way.

[slayer]

yeah, I know what you guys mean.. it sucks hard when you finish a really good anime and you can't do much about it because it's pretty much dead.. that is a major buzz kill.

[nixie]

... or you can rewatch again and again and again.

Well, the pain is real. If it's a show so great you feel like you'll never find one such masterpiece again, it hurts even more. What can I do though, except to move on to other series.


ps: Fushigi Yuugi! One of the earliest shows I chanced upon. Very nolstagic..

[DraGnaR]

yep i have the same
and its fucking iritating
somtime,s i yest doont want 2 watch the last episode yest cus i know it wil all end
o wel on 2 the nexst anime

i tink this is what thay call a ediction :P

[Vaines]

You know what I do about it? I never really leave a story, I invent new endings in the same world, make sequels or spinoffs in my head, mix different animes in a new story including the anime I just saw, mix sometimes even movies or books in it. In my daydreams I imagine everything connected, and stories just never leave me. Most of the time ends are just ends to the show, and although that's already sad because there's no more show in itself, the anime is not over, at least in me

That's just me and my weird imaginative mind

[Orchunter226]

Yea, I know the feeling. When I finish an anime or a book. I always feel like those characters are leaving me. I feel as though it should last forever, so that I don't have to bear the hardships of the ending. I do the same things with really good books like Earth Abides or Saga of the Pliocene Exiles.

Many animes left me feeling like they were leaving me forever, even though I could rewatch them. When Evangelion ended, I could not stop thinking about it for like a week. Same with Gantz, when it was over, I wanted more, much more. I was left pondering, ended up making my own ending to it for closure.

So really it is I become so immersed in that world that I feel like im leaving people I know and love. But that's just my escapism coming into play.

[Soka-chan]

There are some stories that make you feel like that.They're usually, surprisingly, the best ones.

It has happenned to me twice, first with a manga, then with an anime. The manga was Angel Sanctuary; it, not only seemed the end of it for me, but also the end of all things.It's like it built a barrier between the world befroe it was read and after.Nothing was the same.

The anime was FMA, though it was a less overwhelming experience. It built up a tension so strong I was like a very tight rubber, and suddenly....it just ended.Not in a satisfying way, either.It left me thinking, and thinking hard, about the themes played in it....but then I discovered it was still open in the manga, so I'm sticking to it for the time being.

[celcius]

Yeah. When I finished watching KimiNozo, I couldn't sleep, just 'cos of thinking about it. I would wake up suddenly with my heart pounding 'cos I'd see the ending again in my dreams. And after I calm down, I'd hear the painful music (Rumbling Hearts, pf ver) again, drumming in my head constantly. As I go through the day, empty slots in my life (train rides, traveling, etc) are filled with thoughts about it. The most extreme for me would probably be hearing Air's Aozora, which would literally make my eyes moist, if not downright shedding tears (note that I was only able to play Aozora 2 weeks after the ending of Air, so I had a chance to recover slightly). Yeah, it does leave an empty feeling in you; and at the same time, a good feeling, that you've been able to enjoy that show.

This is actually one of my reasons that I want to watch anime as a marathon. Watching them straight has a greater impact. There is no rest, or any break. It just goes from start to end. The downside, as I have just discovered, is that you'll mostly come upon almost dead discussions for previous episodes. If you watch an anime way past airing date, you'll have a hell of a hard time finding an outlet for the emotions inside you.

[Vaines]

Originally Posted by celcius

This is actually one of my reasons that I want to watch anime as a marathon. Watching them straight has a greater impact. There is no rest, or any break. It just goes from start to end. The downside, as I have just discovered, is that you'll mostly come upon almost dead discussions for previous episodes. If you watch an anime way past airing date, you'll have a hell of a hard time finding an outlet for the emotions inside you.

I think that's not necessarily true in all anime forums, but mainly in forums such as this one which is related to a site which has new animes coming out often and comments being made on them rapidly. Other forums also have people that either just discovered anime, discovered an old show to their liking, etc that might create threads concerning ancient animes. I am like you, I like it when a lot of the anime is out, to wait too much just tests my impatience The only downfall is that since I concentrate on the older series/OVAs/etc I don't have time to constantly check for new things, and with uni and a 10GB monthly ADSL Download bandwith, and my money i use for food or anime/manga, there isn't much I can do

[friendshipz]

Originally Posted by celcius

This is actually one of my reasons that I want to watch anime as a marathon. Watching them straight has a greater impact. There is no rest, or any break. It just goes from start to end. The downside, as I have just discovered, is that you'll mostly come upon almost dead discussions for previous episodes. If you watch an anime way past airing date, you'll have a hell of a hard time finding an outlet for the emotions inside you.

ya..i agree with you here, when you watch a anime which has been already aired for the past few months or years, you cant really find a single forum which still offer you a "active" thread for you to discuss what you felt for that anime, even if there is still forum that does that..it remain scarce :/(much of this forum only existed not in your native langauge)

people around me watch those only popularity anime like bleach,naruto,inuyasha etc , which the heck of it, i felt those anime are just plain tedious for me.so in conclusion, i have no one to express how wonderful i felt for that anime i watched(eg, airmaster, super gals, and that chocolate lover in shaman king >_>")
even if i start a lotsa of thread telling all the tales to get ppl attention,who will bother me anyway?all moved on to recent anime still airing in japan.

[Shinoto]

Do you like those endings that have that happy ending where you get that warm feeling, but the problem is with the happy ending is the fact they always leave questions. Like what happens next or the journey will contuine. The ones that they losey end the story with mainly.

Or do you like that sad ending emotional ending that basically means the series has ended. the ones that dont leave as many question or even a question. Where its like the end of the journey. The ones that they force an end.

[Ombrenuit]

I like the endings that feel like they are the end of the journey. That they bring closure to the story and bring out a realistic outcome within that "universe." I also tend to like endings that are bitter-sweet, that don't ignore the sadness earlier in the series but also find a sort of happiness as well. The kinds of endings I don't like are simply Mai-HiMEesque endings.

Spoiler:

Where everyone is literally ressurected and automatically forgives each other for the terrible crimes they inflicted on their friends. Shizuru being forgiven to killing all those people was ridiculous, and she even acknowledged that by laughing when it occured. In other words, it was a forced happy ending. Everyone is happy and together again.

The kinds of endings I have liked have been Cowboy Bebop (my favorite by far) "Life is just a bad dream...", Madlax, Gankutsuou, Monster, and also, considering my taste, surprisingly Gundam Seed, which I felt redeemed the entire series (well at least the first thirty episodes which I felt lacked a lot of substance) with its poignant ending.

[Vexx]

One of the reasons I started watching anime was that here was a medium where when they told stories, irrevocable changes occurred in the lives of the characters some of whom didn't make it out of the story. I really prefer that to the "limbo of unchangingness" that local television loves because its easier to syndicate for reruns ... not to say there aren't some anime series that never freaking seem to end - but they're mostly pretty forgettable.

[Lost]

*scratches head* Wow, another thread started on a rant.

Don't you feel like the same? No more episodes of an anime, because it's over. It feels like they all have to leave you and you're alone. Thinking of going to a new anime, it hurts to think of having new people in a different anime. It's like having new friends.

I feel the same. For me, no matter what I watch, there will always be an weird emptiness; a sort of loss, after finishing it; in fact, I was just having this discussion with a friend the other day (she finished Cowboy Behop, finally got to hear a fangirlish rant from her!) and I had the opportunity to give it some thought.

Simply, I find that the better the series to me, the greater the emptiness; probably because "great series" to me are those that emotionally involve me, and well; it touched me so much and affected me so much while I was watching that when it ends, I'm left without that "fix" (mostly emotional) - good thing about that, was like someone said, it forces one to rethink it over, and that kinda helps to alleviate the emptiness; until it eventually disappears from consciousness some days later. (of course, it will always stay with you, and external references to it that you may stumble across can accutely bring back that empty/sad feeling)

I especially find the emptiness unbearable in series where by the end, I do not find catharsis (PRIME example, FMA - I hate it because of the rushed ending). Its been near 8 months since I finished it, and the empty feeling from that one is still strong. At least, where catharsis can be found for the main characters, and me, I can rationalise that well, all has come to a good end, the characters have to move on now, I too have to move on now, and live another (hopefully) good story - it helps me tide over the end. I felt that way after NTHT, even tho the emptiness was no less greater: took me at least a week to stop rolling it in my mind, and I still tear when I hear the ED song.

Another thing that affects that sense of loss for me is the speed at which I watch the series. Personally, I feel VERY empty when I marathon a series (personal example, Gankutsuou) This is not an emotional emptiness, its a LITERAL emptiness, because I went thru it so fast that when I look back after its done, I cant remember half the good parts even tho I know they were good parts. If I watch it at mine own pace (usually 2-3 eps a day), and let things sink in, much of the sense of loss is still there at the end of the show, but, because I can remember better, its much easier to roll over in my head and well, "keep it alive" so to speak - its a meaningful emptiness. Interestingly, the sense of loss is almost non-existant with shows that are the weekly-released type, I guess its because it doesnt sustain the emotions in me, doesnt let it build up, that when it ends, I dont get that much "withdrawal symptoms". e.g. Haruhi. Probably the only emptiness I felt after Haruhi was the lack of waiting for the subs everyweek; tho I suppose in Haruhi's case, its because it wasnt much of an ending, and I'm awaiting S2.

Gah talk about ranting.

Originally Posted by Vexx

I really prefer that to the "limbo of unchangingness" that local television loves because its easier to syndicate for reruns

Agreed agreed! I highly agree. And that is why I prefer short series now. 24-26, very good; 12 or 13 episodes long, even better. Actually, I'm starting to feel that even 24-26 epsiodes now are getting too long for me. Tho not for Animes like Mushishi, where one episodes contains the start and the END of a story (OMG Maybe thats why I LOVE Mushishi), or slice-of-life/drama like HnC and NANA where the plot is ongoing, just like life. I mainly feel this way for Animes that are divided into plot arcs, or at least, obvious plot arcs. Heh. Utawarerumono.

[SvenTheSweeper]

Originally Posted by MattAlchemy

Don't you think the endings of anmes making you think you're in it?

It made me sad at the ending of that anime. (Fushigi Yuugi xDDD Very old, I know.)

Fushigi Yuugi brings back nostalagic memories of getting FY fansubs on VHS tape through the mail from Tomodachi Anime (1995-1996).

MattAlchemy, I also have experienced the sense of loss like saying farewell to a friend when finishing an anime series. It's not surprising for it to happen when you have formed an emotional bond with a show.

[Deathkillz]

i think we have all experienced the sting of a good anime disappearing ;_; when i get into a really good one it feels as if a part of me has died when it finnishes...its like i am part of the story and that i have been through so much (as an observer) and the end is painful...frantically thinking about it afterwards and hoping for a continuations (my symptoms)...only time heals the wounds (or when i find intrest in a new anime )

[Zaris]

Originally Posted by Shinoto

Do you like those endings that have that happy ending where you get that warm feeling, but the problem is with the happy ending is the fact they always leave questions. Like what happens next or the journey will contuine. The ones that they losey end the story with mainly.

Or do you like that sad ending emotional ending that basically means the series has ended. the ones that dont leave as many question or even a question. Where its like the end of the journey. The ones that they force an end.

Well, every story needs a kind of finale. The issue here is knowing what kind of ending the producers want to give. Literally, it's a choice; you can surprise someone, make somebody feel comfortable, reassured, or you can force an audience into tears. But as a dramatic screenwriter, I look to give the viewers the highest emotional impact possible. Any good dramatist would do the same thing. Knowing how you want an anime to end purely depends on each and every anime in itself, what characters are favored, disliked, what you expect to happen, what you want to happen. It all factors in.

I think the time for ambiguous endings is over. It's just too overdone. Evangelion had a totally ambiguous ending, Battle Royale had an ambiguous ending, Advent Children had an ambiguous ending. It's like the story can continue, but it won't. You want an explanation, but you'll never hear one. People will take that frustration out on the picture (I'm not saying everyone, but it does happen).

You asked what endings do I like. It's a hard decision since I've seen a multitude of both happy and sad ones. The screenplays I've writen are all happy endings. But contrary to what I write, I have to say that sad endings definately offer the highest emotional impact to me. A series or a movie that makes me cry 100% achieves what it set out to do - to sympathize with the protagonist (or antagonist in some cases) and the relationships s/he curtails, the goals s/he achieves, then to see somebody come to an end or departs for a greater good.

Thinking up of alternative endings is very healthy and shouldn't be looked down upon. To wish for a different outcome of events because certain elements within the series/movie sticks with you so greatly that you wish it didn't have to be how it became. It's exactly why fanfiction sprouts up.

Happy endings come in all shapes and sizes. But it's harder to judge a successful picture that's a happy ending because people smile more often than they cry...at least, that's what I've witnessed in my 22 years of life so far.........

[physics223]

I think I'm going to cry and lock myself up in a room after Honey and Clover II would have ended ...

Spoiler for H&C II from manga:

and they're going to end in an open-ended manner with no one of the characters having real bonds; the closest are Rika-Mayama and Takemoto-Hagu, I guess.

...

[Zeifear]

Yeah, it sucks when you get to the end of a book, anime, or video game. Kinda makes ya feel empty inside.... =(

Originally Posted by Vaines

You know what I do about it? I never really leave a story, I invent new endings in the same world, make sequels or spinoffs in my head, mix different animes in a new story including the anime I just saw, mix sometimes even movies or books in it. In my daydreams I imagine everything connected, and stories just never leave me. Most of the time ends are just ends to the show, and although that's already sad because there's no more show in itself, the anime is not over, at least in me

That's just me and my weird imaginative mind

Thats kinda what I do, but instead I imagine the ending never happening, instead something else happened which causes the story to keep going on in my mind. ^^