10 Best Anime with Great Endings
When you’ve spent hours diving into a great anime—falling for the characters, getting wrapped up in the story, and letting the soundtrack live rent-free in your head—there’s nothing worse than a flat, forgettable ending. Right?
That final episode isn’t just the last scene; it’s the ribbon that ties the entire experience together. A great ending can make an anime unforgettable, lingering in your mind long after the screen goes black.
So today, we’re counting down the 10 best anime with endings that truly stick the landing. Whether it’s tear-jerking, mind-blowing, or just incredibly satisfying, these finales did justice to everything that came before.
Let’s jump right in!
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10. Cyberpunk: Edgerunners – A Neon Tragedy That Hits Hard
This anime punches you in the gut—and then hands you a cigarette and tells you it’s all part of the plan. Cyberpunk: Edgerunners might only have 10 episodes, but it packs an emotional wallop, especially in its devastating finale.
Set in the dystopian chaos of Night City, we follow David Martinez’s meteoric rise and heartbreaking fall. The ending doesn’t shy away from the grim reality of a world ruled by corporations, and yet it still manages to feel meaningful. It’s brutal, beautiful, and oddly cathartic.
The final moments? They’ll leave you staring at the credits, wondering what just hit you. That’s the power of a great ending.
9. Cowboy Bebop – See You, Space Cowboy…
Some endings don’t give you all the answers—and that’s exactly why they work.
Cowboy Bebop’s final episode is legendary for a reason. Spike Spiegel’s last stand, the melancholic “Bang,” and those final shots of his face? It’s art, plain and simple.
This isn’t an ending that ties every bow or tells you what to feel. It’s open, symbolic, and deeply personal. Whether you see it as tragic, hopeful, or something in between, one thing’s for sure: you’ll never forget it.
“See you, space cowboy…” hits different after episode 26.
Related:
10 Anime Like Cowboy Bebop
8. Steins;Gate – The Art of Time Travel with a Purpose
Time travel is tricky. Time travel with heart? That’s genius.
Steins;Gate manages to weave together multiple timelines, emotional stakes, and head-spinning paradoxes into one of the most satisfying sci-fi endings in anime history.
Okabe’s journey from a mad scientist parody to a broken-yet-determined hero is beautifully realized. The ending gives closure without cheating the emotional weight of the journey. You get that “yes!” moment of triumph and a heartfelt payoff.
Few shows pull off both brains and feels. This one nails it.
7. Violet Evergarden – A Letter to the Heart
Sometimes the best endings are quiet. Poetic. Gentle.
Violet Evergarden is a masterclass in emotional storytelling, and its final episode is no exception. After episodes of self-discovery, growth, and pain, Violet finally comes to terms with her past—and begins to truly understand love.
The ending doesn’t rely on plot twists or high drama. It’s about healing. About closure. About hope. And it’s told with stunning visuals, subtle writing, and music that tugs at your soul.
You’ll cry, but they’ll be the good kind of tears.
6. Parasyte: The Maxim – Humanity and Monsters
At first glance, Parasyte is a horror-action anime about aliens taking over humans. But dig deeper, and it’s a philosophical exploration of what it means to be human.
The finale brings all those themes full circle. Shinichi’s transformation from a scared teenager to someone who questions the nature of existence is incredibly satisfying. The ending is both thought-provoking and peaceful in its own eerie way.
No dramatic explosions, no last-second twists—just a simple, profound resolution that sticks with you.
5. Summertime Render – A Perfectly Looped Mystery
This hidden gem is like Groundhog Day meets Death Note, with a sprinkle of horror.
Summertime Render builds a complex mystery around time loops and a deadly island curse. But what’s truly impressive is how it wraps everything up without leaving major plot holes. That’s no small feat.
The final episodes hit hard emotionally and give each character a sense of closure. When the loop ends for real, it feels final—and earned. That balance between heady sci-fi and emotional payoff makes its ending shine.
4. 86 Eighty-Six – A Bittersweet Farewell to War
War stories don’t always get good endings—but 86 Eighty-Six pulls off the near impossible.
It tackles the horrors of war, systemic injustice, and dehumanization with heartbreaking precision. But it’s not all tragedy—the final episodes bring a surprising sense of hope.
Lena and Shin’s journeys converge in a way that feels poetic and real. Their reunion? Pure emotion. And the final scenes give you enough warmth to believe that even in a world built on suffering, healing is possible.
3. Monster – Justice, Redemption, and the Human Psyche
Slow burns don’t get better than Monster. This psychological thriller takes its time—74 episodes of character-driven tension—and lands an ending that’s as haunting as it is poetic.
The finale doesn’t go for cheap drama. Instead, it’s a slow, deliberate payoff that reflects everything the show built up: morality, guilt, and the weight of one’s choices.
It’s not about action. It’s about resolution. The quiet power of the ending leaves a lasting impression, making you reflect on justice, forgiveness, and the monsters within.
2. Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood – Alchemy and Sacrifice
Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood is widely considered one of the greatest anime of all time—and a huge part of that is because of its incredible ending.
After a rollercoaster of adventure, sacrifice, and philosophical questions about power and humanity, the final arc delivers a conclusion that’s equal parts emotional and epic. Every character gets a fitting resolution, and the Elric brothers’ final choices feel meaningful and earned.
There’s action. There’s sacrifice. There’s redemption. And best of all? It’s satisfying as hell.
1. Your Name – A Fateful Reunion
No ending has broken hearts and mended them back together quite like Kimi no Na wa.
Makoto Shinkai’s masterpiece is a time-twisting romance that builds and builds until it reaches that final moment. You know the one. When they pass by, stop, and turn around…
“Have we met before?”
It’s simple. It’s perfect. After all the tears, dreams, and missed chances, the ending gives us the reunion we needed. And it doesn’t over-explain. It trusts the audience to feel it.
This isn’t just a great ending—it’s one of the most iconic in anime history.
Conclusion
A great anime ending doesn’t just finish a story—it defines it. It’s the final note in a song you never want to end, the last page of a book that leaves you staring into space, wondering what to do with your life now.
From tragic farewells to hopeful new beginnings, the anime on this list prove that the ending is just as important as the journey. And when it’s done right? It sticks with you forever.
So, which of these anime hit you the hardest? Or did we miss your favorite?
Either way… see you, space cowboy.
