March 23rd, 2016
Anime Endings: Epic ways of logueing
Anime Relations: Cowboy Bebop, Fullmetal Alchemist, Fullmetal Alchemist: The Conqueror of Shamballa, Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood, Highschool of the Dead, Steins;Gate, Fate/Zero, Fate/Zero 2nd Season, Sword Art Online, No Game No Life, Fate/stay night: Unlimited Blade Works, Absolute Duo, Fate/stay night: Unlimited Blade Works 2nd Season
A story be it in: anime, cartoons, books, live-action, or even real life needs to have a conclusion or an end as most people call it. I have noticed quite a few different approaches to what an ending can be. I have decided to state what the types of endings a series can have. (There won't be direct spoilers but I advise to skip over series you might want to watch, only if your really worried)
Just End. (The Cowboy Bebop method)
Sometimes the most direct approach is the most appropriate in my opinion and Cowboy Bebop does that job pretty smoothly. The story begins, events unfold and characters develop, and we either grow as people or feel absolutely nothing of value at the end. However the room or space for the story to continue from the end point seems near non-existent and their is no room for the imagination to necessarily run wild since we know what happens at the end. Cowboy Bebop best embodies this type of ending leaving little room for the viewer to draw their own assumptions and the own only continuity can't relate directly to the plot without seeming out of place (*cough* Modern pokemon movies).
Good Bye? (Highschool of the Dying?)
Sometimes you don't want things to end because there too much fun or a person to leave because you enjoy their company. But "if you love something set it free and if it returns it is yours"; this phrase is not true of HOTD (*laughs*). HOTD gave the semi open ending but also the large possibility of a sequel vibe, unfortunately it has the same problem that HunterxHunter has in that the source material has a very slow progression and that it was part of a time where zombies were everywhere. And as such we don't really get an ending but instead a conclusion (confusing yes). It's like getting a birthday cake with the lit candles and being told to make a wish but your not allowed to blow out the candles; its not that important but it feels weird to not have it there doesn't it.
Too be continued... (Fate/Number before one and Fate/Stay for the night with unlimited fireworks)
Nothing like a good mystery and no mystery is better than not having a conclusion to your plot and continuing months (or years) later like nothing happened. This isn't an ending per say for the series but rather for the first season of the show. Leaving questions and plots to be answered and resolved respectively, in the second season. This is more a choice of the source material since they can only work so fast but the studio adapting can also choose to halt production even if they have enough source material (*loud cough*Attack on Titan 2nd Season). Nobody minds a cliff-hanger if its in the middle of the show else we're worried you might pull a HOTD and your return would be met with awkward relief and confusion (though this can vary from Boondocks to Durarara in terms of how people react to its return and what the creators do to the show).
To be continued...NOT! (Panties but a lack of stockings)
Splitting a series and risking not giving a conclusion is bad, but you know what's worse? Not giving a conclusion. HOTD and Panty and Stocking have two things in common (probably more): They were released in the year 2010 and they don't have any recent adaptions (at the time of release, I can only hope). Except PaS takes it a step further by placing a plot twist at the absolute end of the series, leaving it there and walking away. Essentially a kick in the crotch like any cliff-hanger without the apology of a resolution.
Don't let your dreams be dreams! (Semi-metal alchemist: One of the brothers has a hood)
As the title suggests animes have a prologue and much like anime they can vary, though I personally haven't seen a bad prologue for a good show or good prologue for a bad show. Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood dedicates an entire episode to the 'where are they now?' type of prologue showing the viewer the who, what, where and when of the series protagonists after the main story. FMA:B ending is the only reason I like it more than the original adaptation (but I'll explain that in due time)
Don't let your dreams be dreams, let them be nightmares (Full of Nazi metal alchemist: The conqueror of Shambles)
And by due time I mean right away! This is like FMA:B in that is dedicating an entire 'resource' to its conclusion. The difference being quality, aside from the Nazi's this was a very decent movie but it intrinsically failed in what it aimed to do in its finale, tie all the loose plot threads but it left one of the threads untied by doing what is in essence the ending of FMA. All-in-all this spot is for anime that would rather end on a movie (or a special) then a single episode or in the after-credits with the Full ED (or OP).
Don't give me those puppy dog eyes, you know what you did (Absolute disastero)
This isn't really a category but it still counts. It isn't a spot for anime with bad endings but rather bad anime that doesn't have or doesn't deserve to have an ending. I point you towards Absolute Duo or as I like to call it "My first animistake" (Didn't make that up at the time of writing I swear). Shows that may or may not have had a solid conclusion but don't matter because against your better judgement you didn't drop them and pushed through to the end hoping that it would get better.
In conclusion there are a lot of ways to say good-bye and though I'm sure my descriptions was both lacking and not very diverse I hope I shed some light on how our most loved (and most hated) anime can leave us. I end with pictures of Shiro, Kurisu and Asuna so I can shamelessly add their shows to the anime relations, who's ending each fit into different categories in this post.
Just End. (The Cowboy Bebop method)
Sometimes the most direct approach is the most appropriate in my opinion and Cowboy Bebop does that job pretty smoothly. The story begins, events unfold and characters develop, and we either grow as people or feel absolutely nothing of value at the end. However the room or space for the story to continue from the end point seems near non-existent and their is no room for the imagination to necessarily run wild since we know what happens at the end. Cowboy Bebop best embodies this type of ending leaving little room for the viewer to draw their own assumptions and the own only continuity can't relate directly to the plot without seeming out of place (*cough* Modern pokemon movies).
Good Bye? (Highschool of the Dying?)
Sometimes you don't want things to end because there too much fun or a person to leave because you enjoy their company. But "if you love something set it free and if it returns it is yours"; this phrase is not true of HOTD (*laughs*). HOTD gave the semi open ending but also the large possibility of a sequel vibe, unfortunately it has the same problem that HunterxHunter has in that the source material has a very slow progression and that it was part of a time where zombies were everywhere. And as such we don't really get an ending but instead a conclusion (confusing yes). It's like getting a birthday cake with the lit candles and being told to make a wish but your not allowed to blow out the candles; its not that important but it feels weird to not have it there doesn't it.
Too be continued... (Fate/Number before one and Fate/Stay for the night with unlimited fireworks)
Nothing like a good mystery and no mystery is better than not having a conclusion to your plot and continuing months (or years) later like nothing happened. This isn't an ending per say for the series but rather for the first season of the show. Leaving questions and plots to be answered and resolved respectively, in the second season. This is more a choice of the source material since they can only work so fast but the studio adapting can also choose to halt production even if they have enough source material (*loud cough*Attack on Titan 2nd Season). Nobody minds a cliff-hanger if its in the middle of the show else we're worried you might pull a HOTD and your return would be met with awkward relief and confusion (though this can vary from Boondocks to Durarara in terms of how people react to its return and what the creators do to the show).
To be continued...NOT! (Panties but a lack of stockings)
Splitting a series and risking not giving a conclusion is bad, but you know what's worse? Not giving a conclusion. HOTD and Panty and Stocking have two things in common (probably more): They were released in the year 2010 and they don't have any recent adaptions (at the time of release, I can only hope). Except PaS takes it a step further by placing a plot twist at the absolute end of the series, leaving it there and walking away. Essentially a kick in the crotch like any cliff-hanger without the apology of a resolution.
Don't let your dreams be dreams! (Semi-metal alchemist: One of the brothers has a hood)
As the title suggests animes have a prologue and much like anime they can vary, though I personally haven't seen a bad prologue for a good show or good prologue for a bad show. Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood dedicates an entire episode to the 'where are they now?' type of prologue showing the viewer the who, what, where and when of the series protagonists after the main story. FMA:B ending is the only reason I like it more than the original adaptation (but I'll explain that in due time)
Don't let your dreams be dreams, let them be nightmares (Full of Nazi metal alchemist: The conqueror of Shambles)
And by due time I mean right away! This is like FMA:B in that is dedicating an entire 'resource' to its conclusion. The difference being quality, aside from the Nazi's this was a very decent movie but it intrinsically failed in what it aimed to do in its finale, tie all the loose plot threads but it left one of the threads untied by doing what is in essence the ending of FMA. All-in-all this spot is for anime that would rather end on a movie (or a special) then a single episode or in the after-credits with the Full ED (or OP).
Don't give me those puppy dog eyes, you know what you did (Absolute disastero)
This isn't really a category but it still counts. It isn't a spot for anime with bad endings but rather bad anime that doesn't have or doesn't deserve to have an ending. I point you towards Absolute Duo or as I like to call it "My first animistake" (Didn't make that up at the time of writing I swear). Shows that may or may not have had a solid conclusion but don't matter because against your better judgement you didn't drop them and pushed through to the end hoping that it would get better.
In conclusion there are a lot of ways to say good-bye and though I'm sure my descriptions was both lacking and not very diverse I hope I shed some light on how our most loved (and most hated) anime can leave us. I end with pictures of Shiro, Kurisu and Asuna so I can shamelessly add their shows to the anime relations, who's ending each fit into different categories in this post.
Posted by Tshepilepci | Mar 23, 2016 12:20 AM | 0 comments