Anime is a wonderful and moving medium that has been around for a while but recently started getting some more mainstream attention. It has some of the best stories and most epic moments in media history. The stories told through this medium are undeniably just as impactful as those told through any other.
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Some of the most memorable moments in anime are plot twists. Seemingly obvious facts get completely flipped on their heads, leaving the audience reeling in shock. Here are some of the best plot twists in anime history.
10Naruto Shippuden: Itachi’s Truth
Throughout the runtime of theNarutoanime, Itachi was built up as this big baddie who was out to get Sasuke. He massacred his entire clan, leaving only his brother alive. He even made an appearance which resulted in a torture session for the last Uchiha. The main goal of Sasuke was to take revenge for the Uchiha massacre and kill Itachi.
So, fans were understandably confused when, in his last moment, Itachi didn’t go for Sasuke’s eyes, as he claimed to have left him alive for, but rather tapped him on his forehead. It was soon revealed that the Akatsuki member was forced to commit the atrocities and shoulder the blame alone by his own village. A detailed Itachi perspective was released in the anime and is considered one of the bestfiller arcs in Naruto.
9Tengen Toppa Gurren Lagann: Kamina’s Death
Kamina was the main protagonist of the Gurren Lagann anime. Featuring massive mecha robots, ridiculous power-ups, and a classic art style, Gurren Lagann is considered one of the greatest mecha anime of all time. During the show, Kamina dies within the first arc at the end of episode 7.
His death is sudden, abrupt, and comes without warning. He sacrifices himself for the sake of his friends and leaves them to fend for themselves for the rest of the show. The impact of his death is huge, leading to a change in leadership, different character dynamics, and the coming of age of the second main character.
8Made In Abyss: Tone
Made in Abyssis a modern classic in the making. It starts off with a happy-go-lucky vibe and follows the journey of a young girl as she descends into the chasm. The show hooks you in with absolutely stunning visuals, but the story makes you stay.
Carefully concealed underneath the thin veneer of a childish art style is a deeply disturbing and incredibly interesting story. The show does a 180 out of nowhere just a couple of episodes into the anime and really starts to dive into the nitty-gritty parts of the world.
7Code Geass: True Ending
Being one of the big classics,Code Geassis an anime most people have watched. It’s about a high school genius on a quest for world domination. It’s best known for its interesting power system, cool battle sequences, and incredible storytelling.
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The final seconds of the show are legendary. Once the entire story was finished, all the loose ends were seemingly wrapped up, and the main character achieved his goal; he was assassinated by his own second-in-command. The details of Zero Requiem were a shock to even the most keen-sighted fan and really elevated the show to another level.
6Panty And Stocking: Angel and Demon
Panty and Stockingis a western styled anime focusing on the journey of two fallen angels as they try to get back into heaven by doing good deeds. It has an episodic format and is heavily inspired by western cartoons.
The ending of the series is quite a shocker. Panty, one of the two main characters, slices up her companion and reveals herself to be a devil. The identity of the devil is never teased or subtly shown. There were no warning signs. This ridiculous plot twist makes the show really infamous.
5One Piece: Ace’s Death
Ace’s death is one of the most iconic moments inOne Piece. To this day, the Marineford arc is considered of thebest arcs in all of anime.
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The entire arc centers around rescuing Ace, Luffy’s brother. One episode after another, he somehow manages to escape the clutches of death. Near the end of the arc, just when it seems like all is good and the day is saved, he gets brutally murdered by Admiral Sakazuki right in front of Luffy’s eyes. What makes it more traumatizing for the main character is that Ace died to protect him.
4Your Name: The Timeline
Your Name is a beautifully crafted Makoto Shinkai film about body swapping, Déjà vu, and love. It’s a wholesome romance movie with an interesting mystery element that keeps viewers hooked until the very end.
When it’s revealed that the two main characters were actually in different timelines the whole time, the entire cinema gasped. The reveal came out of nowhere, made so much sense, and added a really cool element to the overarching story of the movie.
3Tower Of God: Rachel’s Betrayal
Tower of God is a manhwa that was adapted into the anime medium in 2020. It features an interesting world with unique powers and a classic story. The main character follows his childhood friend, Rachel, into the mysterious tower. His motivation for the entirety of the first season is to unite with his childhood friend.
Rachel’s betrayal of Bam, throwing him to his death, was a massive shock for audiences. She reveals herself to be incredibly envious of Bam’s identity as the chosen one and establishes herself as the villain for the next season.
2Chainsaw Man: Makima’s Identity
Makimais one of the most popular characters in theChainsaw Manshow. She has an enigmatic personality that has led to a cult-like fanbase. Her powers and exact identity are a mystery to the fanbase, which is a part of her charm.
Everyone knew something was off about the Devil Hunting leader. She was cruel, manipulative, and off-putting. However, just how “off” she was, is revealed in chapter 75 of the manga. And what a reveal it was.
1Attack On Titan: Eren’s Father
The actions of Eren’s father were the driving plot point for the entireAttack On Titanseries. Whether it was the basement of his house or the slaughter of the Reiss family that kicked off the events of the show, he played a major part in advancing the plot of the show.
However, near the end of the series, the powers of the Attack Titan were revealed – To look into the future. Using these powers, future Eren was actually the one who brainwashed Greisha, his father, into doing his bidding and committing the massacre.
