5 Beloved Shonen Series With Disappointing Endings

Shonen is the most popular demographic in the anime and manga industry, known for its variety of stories across fantasy and other genres. For several decades, most successful anime and manga franchises have been from the same demographic. However, just as Shonen is loved for its unique stories, many such series are also equally criticized for disappointing endings. Even some of the classic series often end up disappointing fans with their anticlimactic endings. Whether it’s the unexpected twist during the end of the serialization or the creator facing burnout due to a weekly schedule, the reasons behind such disappointing endings vary.

Regardless, while the anime can somewhat save the ending with original scenes or better adaptation, the overall conclusion can never be changed. The five beloved Shonen listed below are some of the most legendary series of all time, yet their endings are far from satisfying.

5) Attack on Titan

Attack on Titan finally managed to save its ending thanks to MAPPA’s exceptional adaptation. However, during the time of the serialization, the final stretch of the manga was heavily criticized for the direction the story took due to the Rumbling. Whether it’s the insane plot twist at the end or Eren’s death, the ending was hated for many reasons. Even if the anime did manage to soothe fans with the adaptation, the series still took the direction that was originally intended.

Not to mention that Hajime Isayama faced a lot of stress during the time, and he still hasn’t returned with a new series even more than five years since the manga’s conclusion. Attack on Titan is one of the highest-rated series of all time, and fans love it now more than ever. However, the controversy from back then was still immense, and it’s a miracle that the series managed to save itself from what could’ve been the biggest blunder in Shonen history.

4) Naruto

Not many fans would want to admit it, but Naruto‘s ending still leaves a bitter feeling after the appearance of Kagaya Otsutsuki. The series instilled fear among everyone by hyping Madara Uchiha as the final antagonist, and things were going fine until Black Zetsu revealed that the legendary Shinobi was nothing more than a puppet. Madara’s actions were guided by Zetsu in order to free Kagaya from the eternal prison. Even now, the ending often receives mixed reactions, especially in the manga that doesn’t feature an entire arc after the final war.

The anime followed the characters after the final war in filler episodes, giving them individual conclusions, which was way better than how the manga handled things. The manga wrapped right after the battle between Naruto and Sasuke, with an extra chapter released later on to hype up the sequel spin-off, Boruto. This is also the reason why the anime is more loved worldwide compared to the manga despite having so many filler episodes. Although the series is considered a classic, Kagaya’s appearance will always be met with criticism due to the last-minute plot twist.

3) Bleach

Another classic series on our list is Bleach, another one of the Shonen Big Three. Bleach ended a decade ago, and the series never really saved its reputation from the controversial ending until the anime confirmed adapting the final arc. Whether it’s the unanswered questions or the open-ended and rushed finale with a sudden timeskip, the ending was criticized for several years. It also worsened the series’ reputation within the Shonen Big Three despite having an exceptional story and world-building. During that time, Tite Kubo was struggling with health issues, which severely impacted his work.

Luckily, the anime adaptation in the Thousand-Year Blood War is more than enough to make up for it. Released in four cours, the final arc in the anime not only has exceptional animation and pacing, but the original scenes add more depth to the overall story. It’s also been confirmed that the finale will be a bit different from the manga. Kubo has been actively involved with the anime adaptation in the final arc, providing original character designs and scripts to ensure a better conclusion.

2) Jujutsu Kaisen

Jujutsu Kaisen‘s ending is somewhat less hated now due to the epilogue in the final volume and the sequel manga. However, it still wasn’t enough to save the disappointing manga finale, which barely left any room to follow the aftermath. The Shinjuku Showdown Arc was simply just one battle after another, without giving the story any space to breathe for development. After the fast-paced action, the series ended without ever explaining Yuji’s Domain Expansion.

There were several unanswered questions during the ending that were never explained, which isn’t what you’d expect from a series that popular. Leaving things unanswered during the finale is the major reason why Jujutsu Kaisen will always be remembered as having one of the worst endings of all time. Despite the disappointment, the series’ popularity has only continued to increase with a successful anime adaptation and over 150 million copies of manga in circulation.

1) Demon Slayer

It’s been more than six years since the manga reached its conclusion, and to be honest, not even the anime can save it. The Infinity Castle Arc was still impressive with the matchups and the backstories, along with so many intense battles. However, things took a completely different turn during the Sunrise Countdown Arc when the surviving Corps members faced off against Muzan Kibutsuji. It’s difficult to appreciate an ending when more than half of the cast has been killed off during the brutal battle. Not to mention that the plot twist after Muzan’s defeat only prolongs the suffering of Tanjiro and others when the demon tried to take control of him.

While the final chapter gave a sense of bittersweet ending, it’s also important to remember that it wasn’t the beloved characters who got their happy endings, but they were either the descendants or their reincarnations with no memories of the past. The night-long battle continued for the entire Infinity Castle and the Sunrise Countdown Arc, with barely one chapter to follow the aftermath. Even years after the ending, the manga never returned with an extra release or a spin-off to carry on its legacy. Despite that, Demon Slayer is one of the most successful anime and manga series of all time, and its popularity only continues to increase thanks to the trilogy.

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