Hot Take: Bad endings don't ruin every anime

So something I noticed trending in the anime community is an abundance of fans telling people not to watch certain shows simply because they think the ending is bad or disappointing. Going as far as to say the entire series is bad/ruined because of the ending.

In my opinion, it isn't really up to you to decide if an anime is worth watching simply because the ending was not what you wanted. Say what you want about the endings to Attack on Titan, Erased, Akame Ga Kill, etc. The journey to the ending was still a fun / interesting watch for ALL of these series. We can still enjoy these shows for their animation, characters, music, etc. I'm used to mediocre endings in Japanese media but fuck if it ever stopped me from trying new things. And hell, some people defend the endings of these "bad ending" shows to the absolute death so of course not everyone unanimously agrees they are awful.

Stopping people from watching certain anime (or playing certain games even) for this reason is just so petty to me. Let that person decide if they like it or not.

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Commentaires

ActualRound76992026-01-21 04:21

I have a solution to this at least on Reddit:

* Stop posting those “should I watch x anime” posts
* stop caring so much about wanting to fit in with a fandom and watch the damn show

the-big-dingo2026-01-21 04:25

Also learn to use MAL and stop asking

“ if I liked X anime what are others like it I may enjoy “

ActualRound76992026-01-21 04:32

Yup exactly.

like as an aside, people are just disgustingly lazy about it. Why don’t I just watch the anime for you and tell you how you feel then?

I mean ffs, google exists worldwide.

the-big-dingo2026-01-21 04:35

“ what’s the watch order of fate “

If you google that 100 Reddit threads asking the same question pop up

ActualRound76992026-01-21 04:37

Or just check the damned watch order wiki. Where they have a literal watch order for any show you’d ask about. Monogatari is another one they do that for. And lately I’ve seen it for JJK - when a five second google search will answer you.

Enough_Campaign_65612026-01-21 05:14

While I do think people should use MAL alot more I dont see an issue with asking for recommendations or thoughts on a particular show. Its not like the reviews on MAL are worth a dam half the time anyways.

the-big-dingo2026-01-21 05:21

There’s an entire section with recommendations based on whatever anime you look up is my point.

Asking “I liked X show why should I watch next” can be answered looking in that section

Enough_Campaign_65612026-01-21 05:30

I just dont see it as a huge problem. Its optional if you engage with those posts and it encourages community engagement. Are there too many of them, yes. Is it a problem worth complaining over though?

potatojayy2026-01-21 09:16

It's very low value community engagement at best. Usually when someone asks for recommendations, it's just one word or one phrase answers. Or people just listing a bunch of titles without any additional info.

Enough_Campaign_65612026-01-21 18:19

You can get some decent discussions going on them and its not like there is a cost to having them. Most of who I see posting those are newer to anime and the community as a whole. Making a post asking for recommendations gets them involved, even if a little. I do agree with your points Im just dont think its a problem.

ActualRound76992026-01-21 05:36

this for me. Crunchyroll specifically has a whole “more like this” section. And this sub has a whole recommendation section.

don’t even get me started on all the “yo where can I watch x for free” because they clearly couldn’t be bothered to read the rules of the sub. Or anything for that matter.

ActualRound76992026-01-21 05:22

reading a few reviews on there for some self punishment, I found they were pretty similar to what I would get here tbh.

I also don’t think recommendation posts are bad all the time.

* “Hey can someone recommend me a show similar to (insert show)“ <- perfect you give us a rough idea of what you want
* ”yo fam Im bored, recommend me some fire shyt” <- gives us nothing as to what you’re actually seeking and is frustrating

Enough_Campaign_65612026-01-21 05:40

I don't read reviews on here, Ive pretty much learned the only trash taste in anime I can trust is my own. And I 100% agree on the recommendation posts I wouldn't even bother engaging with the second example but would actively put time into the first.

Muffin-zetta2026-01-21 05:01

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ActualRound76992026-01-21 05:02

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Muffin-zetta2026-01-21 05:05

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ActualRound76992026-01-21 05:08

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Muffin-zetta2026-01-21 05:14

Oh I literally had someone say to me that they watched 130 episodes of something and “couldn’t get into it”. And I’m like “you watched 40 hours of a show and couldn’t get into it?”

baseballlover7232026-01-21 09:27

Sorry, your comment has been removed.

- This looks like meta content. Comments about the sub itself should be posted in the [monthly Meta Megathread](https://www.reddit.com/r/anime/search?q=subreddit%3Aanime+title%3A%22Meta+Thread%22&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=year), which we keep an eye on all month long.

---

^(Questions? Reply to this message, )[**^(send a modmail)**](http://www.reddit.com/message/compose?to=%2Fr%2Fanime)^(, or leave a comment in the )[**^(meta thread)**](https://reddit.com/r/anime/search?q=subreddit%3Aanime+author%3AAnimeMod+title%3A%22Meta+Thread%22&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=year)^(. Don't know the rules? Read them )[**^(here)**](/r/anime/wiki/rules)^.

melcarba2026-01-21 05:07

Then tell the mods here to delete those extremely low-effort questions/threads on sight.

ActualRound76992026-01-21 05:09

the most time efficient solution would be to heavily lock down the sub and require every non MOD or auto past to require MOD approval.

But I would be okay with that. And banning people who make consistently low effort posts like that after say three attempts.

baseballlover7232026-01-21 09:35

> the most time efficient solution would be to heavily lock down the sub and require every non MOD or auto past to require MOD approval.

That's basically akin to what happens now. We have the [insurmountable wall](#aliens) of requiring 10 comment karma to post using most flairs, and the flairs that those people can use are automatically reported and put into the mod queue, where a mod will take a look at them (usually within a few hours depending on the time and who's online etc).

And we still regularly get mod mails saying we're tyrants for removing their posts (or just generally asking why their autoremoved post (that always comes with a removal comment) was removed).

Anyway, any more meta discussion will need to occur in the [meta thread](https://redd.it/1q3afc7). Meta discussions should involve the mods directly and not take place in random threads that will essentially be lost to time in about a day.

muzlee012026-01-21 08:35

But that requires effort from the mods.

baseballlover7232026-01-21 09:38

It would take far less mod effort to just include them in the karma gate than it would to actually moderate them by hand.

Anyway, if you have any thoughts on how the subreddit should be run, I highly encourage you to make a comment in [monthly meta thread](https://redd.it/1q3afc7) which we get notifications for new comments in.

kaushik04082026-01-21 04:23

I'm like that with oshi no ko. I'm not gonna watch Oshi no Ko knowing the dogshit ending it has unless the anime is going with an anime original ending

blakeavon2026-01-21 04:36

I don't know people calling it dogshit are way worse than ending.

kaushik04082026-01-21 05:26

So? Guess I'm worse than dogshit.

Raymond490902026-01-21 04:24

I think a bad ending can sour the feel of a manga, especially if it seemingly backtracks on certain character arcs (looking at you, \*one specific show that's airing this season\*), but it doesn't really ruin the early parts of it for me.

This is a really minor example, but I wasn't the biggest fan of the BNHA manga ending for a while (though I've come to like it more after the post-epilogue chapter was released), but even when I disliked the ending, Season 3 Episode 11 was still on the top of my "anime episodes to rewatch" list because whatever happened a few seasons later didn't change the fact that it was one of the most epic shounen battles ever.

Still, I do understand if people don't want to watch something because they're invested in the payoff, and know that it's going to end up badly.

ResidentWaifu2026-01-21 04:35

I always wondered why people hold endings to anime to such high standards but not intros or even climaxes.

There is so many anime that I dreaded the first 5 or 6 episodes to but it got better as I went along. And God forbid I didnt enjoy those episodes, then I'm just a hater and don't understand "peak" lol

ActualRound76992026-01-21 04:39

“I always wondered why people hold endings to anime to such high standards but not intros or even climaxes.”

Lookin at you:

* AoT
* eventually Demon Slayer, JJK, Vinland Saga, and probably One Piece too

ResidentWaifu2026-01-21 04:43

One Piece is the best example I can think of. I did not enjoy the early parts of it that much but that does not mean I didnt like it later into the story.

ActualRound76992026-01-21 04:52

I mean as far as the endings go too. I think sometimes that can happen when expectations are too high. One Piece being the most lucrative IP in the world at this point, once we know the ending is within ten chapters, the hype is going to get so bad that no matter what, people will hate the ending because they put their expectations too high.

I think it will happen with Vinland a saga, Demon Slayer, and JJK too. Now personally, having finished all three manga, I loved the endings and thought they fit perfectly with the story. But the hate trains will definitely fill the station.

ResidentWaifu2026-01-21 04:56

Oh for sure. If One Piece ever ends in our lifetime the media will either explode over it's ending being disappointing or explode over having the best ending if all time (or so they say)

ActualRound76992026-01-21 05:00

I predict that it will end in our time, and there will be two times it temporarily disrupts internet traffic and makes national news:

1. The actual in-manga reveal of the One Piece
2. The day the last chapter drops

Muffin-zetta2026-01-21 05:07

Yeah, ending barely count for anything because if the beginning or middle are bad, I’m not going to get to the ending.

Ashteron2026-01-21 09:19

>I always wondered why people hold endings to anime to such high standards but not intros or even climaxes.

>There is so many anime that I dreaded the first 5 or 6 episodes to but it got better as I went along. And God forbid I didnt enjoy those episodes, then I'm just a hater and don't understand "peak" lol

Many anime watchers don't hold writing to any standards in the first place.

Ryuki-Exsul2026-01-21 09:35

Intros? Well it's hard to exactly have hard feelings with intro especially when it is manga adaptation. A lot of intros are similar because of cancellation period when mangaka just try to hook people and a lot of time go by pretty standard beginning tropes. Sometimes those tropes will be later fully changed even some genres of the work change( Reborn is an easy example here from comedy to battle manga after like 60 chapters ). Most series will get their footing in first big arc like in this season Dead Account did in its 20s chapters or my favourite Blue Exorcist that fully showed what it is about and where its focus is in Impure King arc( season 2 of anime ). This is really common and the reason why people say stuff like watch One Piece to Arlong Park :D Problem sometimes is when anime is just begining and if you don't go to manga they have nothing beside introductions and few small arcs like with for now Kemono Jihen.

Ending on the other hand people just remember because they are after best parts of the series. So they got more critism. Granted I'm not really that into endings and I can take a lot before I will hate it( only one manga did it to me ) but a lot of people do care.

Spidooodle2026-01-21 04:28

BEAUTIFUL thing about opinions, they are biased and preferential not obligatory or true.

“Bad” is just obtrusive to me when people base it off of “it deviated from manga, it didn’t appeal to my ethics of enjoyable.”

I watch so many things i adore that (mainly Americans) completely shit on like they are an authority on the matter. Everyone’s sense of good is based on the way they’ve trained themselves to look at things. Just like life.

If you like something FCKEM and dont defend yourself or get offended!

Edit: plz if I offended by the (__) ignore it and just focus on the point of “Like what you like and do it unapologetically!”

ActualRound76992026-01-21 04:35

to be fair this isn’t an American only thing. Make a wrong opinion about an anime typically shit on in here and I guarantee the downvotes will come in. you’ll absolutely be Reddit punished for wrong think when its as easy as just not interacting with the post.

instant proof - I was downvoted for this comment 😂😂😂

lztsrts2026-01-21 04:49

>you’ll absolutely be Reddit punished for wrong think when its as easy as just not interacting with the post.

If you care about being downvoted just follow the recipe:

When it's a new show just write "peak is finally here!".

If it's a new season: "peak is back!".

On the episode discussions just summarize what happened on the episode as lazily as possible so you can post it fast and take a few screenshots of the more fan servicy bits.

Don't interact with anything else.

ActualRound76992026-01-21 04:53

Right, or just don’t care because Reddit opinion is insignificant. I do the second thing, but I think some people get so caught up in wanting to be liked, they will toe the popular line.

Your assessment is spot on 😂. throw in some still images for added flair am I right?

lztsrts2026-01-21 04:59

> throw in some still images for added flair am I right?

Oh yeah and you gotta farm those upvotes while you can cause the summarizing + images strat has been losing it's appeal.

Just stick with "peak" this and "peak" that to be safe.

ActualRound76992026-01-21 05:01

You know what though? I think hate watching lasts a little longer. Maybe by a day for traffic. For stuff like RaG, the hate watching is probably unreal

ResidentWaifu2026-01-21 05:00

If everything is peak, then nothing is peak

Spidooodle2026-01-21 04:50

Naaa I didn’t say explicitly. Just the majority of my personal public interactions. Sad bc that was the smallest portion of point i made.. but you felt targeted for that observation, i hear you.

Bro you said “wrong opinion..” That is a fallacy of ones own despondency. Its a personal truth not an abject fact, which is why it’s called opinion. No distain for a downvote or someone disagreeing with me and do not disparage someone for their take.

Nothing i said was wrong, thats what votes are for. So one can voice their take, on someones take.

ActualRound76992026-01-21 04:58

I feel ya. Not that I felt targeted, but I think as an American, it’s easy for me to fall into the trap of believing most people on the site are American when iirc demographic wise they are not. ah well c’est la vie.

Oh I agree it’s a fallacy, I am firm enough in reality to understand subjective versus objective and to know that opinions will always be subjective. I dont have disdain for the act of disagreement, a lot of the disdain comes form when people try to convince others their opinion is the right one? Not even disdain but like - live and let live ya know?

I completely agree with your whole point. Tis the nature of social media too, I think. So, best to never let anything be personally bothersome has been my philosophy with it.

Spidooodle2026-01-21 05:17

You are quite sensible. Those traps you speak of are not. Quit the congenial interaction with you btw. Inherently assumed is one of our biggest killers, lest we fall into the vicissitude of a “one track mind” that lack our own propensity, just that one thing that jumps out at us.

I literally did it too 😅 I was speaking from THE MF HEART ab how i felt, then I was hit with paroxysm from an encounter today and pettily added it with quotations. Quite unbecoming bc cuz sometimes I ruin a good thought with my personal indiscretions.

Choubidouu2026-01-21 04:28

While not totally ruining it, it definitely ruin the will to ever rewatching it.

ResidentWaifu2026-01-21 04:30

Personally, I didnt feel this way with any series with a mid ending.

Without spoilers, I didnt like the ending to Erased at all. Felt very rushed and anticlimactic. However, I very much so enjoyed watching it again a couple years later even while fully knowing the ending. There can be great ideas and execution along the way.

Not every show can have a perfect ending like Steins;Gate ... which imo wrapped itself up so perfectly it can make other anime endings look like actual poo.

Choubidouu2026-01-21 04:35

There is a difference between mid ending and bad ending, and again, if an ending is really bad, even though i liked the anime, i will have literally no motivation to watch it ever again.

ResidentWaifu2026-01-21 04:36

The line between mid/bad has kinda been muddled in the anime community but I dont think any anime I ever finished had THAT bad of an ending... and if it did, I probably stopped watching before I even got there.

Choubidouu2026-01-21 04:39

>The line between mid/bad has kinda been muddled in the anime community

I don't really care about the opinion of others, it's for me to judge if i like an ending or not.

>I dont think any anime I ever finished had a bad ending... and if it did, I probably stopped watching before I even got there.

The promised neverland is the perfect exemple, good season 1, okish season 2, but the last part is... I mean, they did a diaporama with the last part of the manga, or at least it feels like it (never read the manga).

ResidentWaifu2026-01-21 04:45

Well there is also controversial endings (AoT)

And then widely considered bad (Promised Neverland)

Thats my takeaway by all I seen

Enough_Campaign_65612026-01-21 04:51

A good example is Darling in the FranXX. I really enjoyed it but the ending really was a let down. Did it ruin the show for me? No but when other people tell me the show was ruined because of it, I can understand why.

ghostpickleonastick2026-01-21 05:17

Agreed, but it sure would be nice if more anime had satisfying endings.

tapdancinghellspawn2026-01-21 05:31

They do for me. I've lost a few people in my life. I know life is filled with moments of sadness and despair. I don't need it shoved in my face when I'm trying to do some escapism. But I realize that is just me. Others want it. They can have it.

muzlee012026-01-21 08:37

I think you confuse bad ending as something bad happens in the ending with bad ending that is written like shit

Brokenpipeisbroken2026-01-21 13:12

> Let that person decide if they like it or not

Sure. Such people are free to NOT asking questions like "should I watch this anime?" and they are free to not care what I (or anyone else) writes about certain title. It's not us who stops them, they do it on their own will. You should rather talk to them to not read any postitive/negative opinions on any show (or game).

Guilty-Tell2026-01-23 17:05

It deoends when it comes to romance I like to be warned at least because the bad ending is gonna ruin the whole show for me. When it comes to Naruto and Attack in Titan for example I did hate the endings on both shows but it did not spoil everything for me. Anyway people can still decide to watch a show anyway despite getting the warning of a bad ending. Your whole post is kinda pointless ngl since you can not stop people from telling the truth and they don't rly decide for the 3rd person anyway.

ResidentWaifu2026-01-23 19:34

People literally go on Reddit to ask if an anime is worth it and then people say its bad because of the ending and fail to mention all the good parts about it. Thats the point of my post.