I watched the show many years ago and remember liking it a lot. I don’t really remember a horrible ending, but just saw the ratings here… why did so many dislike the last episode?
I don't have a problem with it either, though I do prefer some aspects of the original novel's ending better. It's certainly better than average.
Zeallfnonex2026-01-11 20:08
It's mostly in comparison with the book, which is really hard not to compare it to, since, y'know, adaptation. I just watched it myself, I wouldn't say it's horrible, but it's certainly weaker than the original story. I'd argue that it's in large part how the anime is structured vs the book: the anime tries to keep the suspense of what the Count's overall goals are while the book leads with his history and the audience can very well guess he's after his revenge.
This unfortunately leads to the audience of the anime not being nearly as on the Count's side as the book readers are. We're given the story from Albert's side in the anime, and the Count is still this dread figure that we're constantly told is suspicious and should be wary of, while readers are wholeheartedly on the Count's side. At least, until he starts going too far, and then the readers should be feeling dread and horror as he teeters on the brink and almost destroys the only other sympathetic people in the story in his rage.
The anime watchers only get that for like... 2 episodes at most, and it's simply not enough. We see him ruin lives and *then* get his motives, but this creates a completely different viewpoint from the audience, and it simply doesn't work as well.
I don't think it's as bad as the other reviewer does, I think I left it a 8 or 9, but I'd definitely still prefer the original flow of the story over the anime.
porpoiseoflife2026-01-11 21:19
Part of me thinks that this is because Gankutsuou did not have a happy ending. The main character doesn't grasp the golden ring, doesn't have a conquering moment, and doesn't ride off into the sunset. Anime is a medium where comedies (in the classical theatre sense) are the norm, so the occasional tragedy tends to be looked at as being incomplete.
More recent audiences probably haven't had to sit and read through the entire book of The Count of Monte Cristo and would have no reference to compare it to the book. And while it is true that the anime adaptation does have a weaker ending than the novel, it is still comparable to a couple of the live-action movie endings.
RyaReisender2026-01-11 22:51
Most people like happy endings. Case in point: Look at literally any other anime with a dark ending.
F33372026-01-13 12:00
Here are my 2 cents:
You spend the majority of the show from the POV of Albert and his friends, but the climax is all about the Count's revenge, and it just doesn't work. I almost started laughing when the Count aimed his gun at Albert and threatened his life - in supposedly the most important moment of the show, as we're supposed to feel like his dad is about to lose the most precious thing in his life.....great stuff, however, it was literally Fernand himself who shot his son an episode earlier.
Fernand spewing out "I loved you more than anything" before shooting him is gold, because the show had 20+ episodes to establish that fact, but didn't. The father/son dynamic is *questionable* and severely lacking for it to be presented with such importance. Sure, I can believe Albert loved his dad, but not the other way around.
Commentaires
This unfortunately leads to the audience of the anime not being nearly as on the Count's side as the book readers are. We're given the story from Albert's side in the anime, and the Count is still this dread figure that we're constantly told is suspicious and should be wary of, while readers are wholeheartedly on the Count's side. At least, until he starts going too far, and then the readers should be feeling dread and horror as he teeters on the brink and almost destroys the only other sympathetic people in the story in his rage.
The anime watchers only get that for like... 2 episodes at most, and it's simply not enough. We see him ruin lives and *then* get his motives, but this creates a completely different viewpoint from the audience, and it simply doesn't work as well.
I don't think it's as bad as the other reviewer does, I think I left it a 8 or 9, but I'd definitely still prefer the original flow of the story over the anime.
More recent audiences probably haven't had to sit and read through the entire book of The Count of Monte Cristo and would have no reference to compare it to the book. And while it is true that the anime adaptation does have a weaker ending than the novel, it is still comparable to a couple of the live-action movie endings.
You spend the majority of the show from the POV of Albert and his friends, but the climax is all about the Count's revenge, and it just doesn't work. I almost started laughing when the Count aimed his gun at Albert and threatened his life - in supposedly the most important moment of the show, as we're supposed to feel like his dad is about to lose the most precious thing in his life.....great stuff, however, it was literally Fernand himself who shot his son an episode earlier.
Fernand spewing out "I loved you more than anything" before shooting him is gold, because the show had 20+ episodes to establish that fact, but didn't. The father/son dynamic is *questionable* and severely lacking for it to be presented with such importance. Sure, I can believe Albert loved his dad, but not the other way around.