Most Effective Cliffhangers in Anime

Anime is well-known for ending episodes and seasons on cliffhangers, often launching new storylines. Here are twenty of the most memorable examples, detailing how these suspenseful endings propelled the narratives forward. Each entry explains the specific events, release timing, and any subsequent seasons or parts to show exactly how these cliffhangers functioned within their respective shows.

‘Berserk’ (1997–1998) – TV run stops at the Eclipse without aftermath

As a fan, it was a bit tough seeing the series end where it did! The 25 episodes wrapped up right during the Eclipse, after everything happened to the Band of the Hawk, but we didn’t get to see what happened after that huge event. It covered the Golden Age arc, all the way up to the ritual itself, but stopped there – we didn’t see how the world changed or what Guts did next. The last episode left a lot of questions unanswered, even though later on they made more animated content that showed what happened before and after. But the original 1997 TV series just ended at that intense peak of the ritual.

‘Code Geass: Lelouch of the Rebellion’ (2006–2007) – Season 1 ends on an armed standoff

The first season ends with a tense standoff between Lelouch and Suzaku, both pointing guns at each other, while it’s still unclear what will happen to Nunnally. The story doesn’t fully resolve in this season; the conclusion is continued in the next series, ‘Code Geass: Lelouch of the Rebellion R2’. This cliffhanger connects the two seasons, with the confrontation serving as a turning point. The next season begins by showing what happens after the standoff and how the political landscape changes.

‘Attack on Titan’ (2013–2023) – Wall Titan post-credits reveal

The last scene after the credits of Season 1 shows a giant face in a wall, hinting at a surprising truth about how humanity protects itself. While the episode wraps up the story arc focused on Stohess, this extra scene completely changes how we understand the world the show takes place in. It directly sets up the mysteries and secrets about the church that are explored in later seasons, essentially launching the plot for everything that comes next.

‘Steins;Gate’ (2011) – Mayuri’s death forces a timeline crisis at the cut to credits

About halfway through the series, a shocking event happens: the main character witnesses a close friend’s death during an attack. This forces them to deal with the lasting impact of this loss. The following episodes feature the protagonist repeatedly jumping back in time, desperately trying to prevent the tragedy. This shift in the story marks a turning point, moving from a more playful and experimental style to a much more serious and urgent one. The shocking ending essentially introduces the core mystery of the show: the manipulation of time itself.

‘Re:Zero -Starting Life in Another World-‘ (2020–2021) – Season 2 opens by erasing Rem from memory

Wow, the season two premiere really hit me hard! It ended with Rem essentially erased from everyone’s memories and left in a coma. It was such a shocking twist, and honestly, it immediately gave Subaru a clear goal for the rest of the season. After waiting so long for the show to come back, that cliffhanger was perfect – it completely changed the relationships between all the characters and made me desperate to see what happens next.

‘Made in Abyss’ (2017) – Season 1 finale teases Bondrewd and hands off to the film

The TV series finale sets up the next story and villain, leading directly into the movie ‘Made in Abyss: Dawn of the Deep Soul’. While wrapping up the characters’ current journey, the episode also hints at the difficulties they’ll face in the next level. Instead of continuing on television, the story moved to the big screen, and this finale serves as a clear introduction to what the movie will be about. Essentially, the cliffhanger isn’t just a surprise ending—it’s a preview of what’s to come.

‘Fate/Zero’ (2011–2012) – Split-cour mid-series pause during the Grail War escalation

The first half of the series ends with the Holy Grail War escalating and a dangerous new threat emerging, forcing the Masters to change their plans. The show was designed to be split into two parts with a break in between. This break leaves several battles unfinished and key strategies uncertain. When the second half begins, the immediate danger is dealt with, and the war moves towards its final stages.

‘Sword Art Online’ (2012) – First cour ends with Asuna imprisoned and a new game unveiled

Once the Aincrad storyline finishes, the episode ends with a shocking reveal: Asuna is still being held captive, and the next part of the story will take place in a new virtual world called ‘ALfheim Online’. This immediately introduces a new enemy and a different power dynamic beyond the original game. The ending shifts the focus from simply trying to survive to a mission to rescue Asuna. The next section of the series then explores the rules and goals of this new world.

‘Bleach: Thousand-Year Blood War’ (2022–2023) – Finale positions Uryu Ishida with the enemy

The first part of the story ends with the heroes gathering together, and it strongly suggests that Uryu Ishida’s connection to the Wandenreich will be a major focus going forward. The story is being adapted in seasonal sections. The ending shows Ichigo recovering and training, and hints that some of the Quincy are changing sides. The next part of the story will delve deeper into Uryu’s involvement and the invaders’ strategies.

‘Tokyo Revengers’ (2021) – Final scene cuts on a point-blank execution attempt

The first season ends with Takemichi and Chifuyu held captive and threatened by Tetta Kisaki during a tense meeting. The episode cuts to black with a gunshot, leaving their fate uncertain. This cliffhanger doesn’t resolve any of the problems Takemichi was trying to fix with his time travel, and instead, introduces a new set of challenges focusing on staying alive, navigating conflicts within the gang, and dealing with the fallout from the meeting.

‘Chainsaw Man’ (2022) – Ending montage introduces Reze for the next arc

Okay, so the season finale ends on a really interesting note, introducing this new character, Reze, who I suspect is going to be hugely important – definitely setting up what looks like a ‘Bomb Girl’ arc. The episode mostly wraps up the fight with the Katana Man, but leaves Denji’s weird door dream hanging, which is frustrating but clearly intentional. It feels like the creators are using this montage sequence to smoothly transition us into the next big story. Honestly, everything points towards the action shifting to a school and café setting, and Reze is obviously the key to all of that. They’re definitely guiding us where they want us to go next.

‘JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure: Stardust Crusaders’ (2014–2015) – Split-cour handoff as the group reaches Egypt

The first part of the series concludes with Jotaro and his team reaching Egypt, signaling the start of the final showdown with DIO. The show then took a break before beginning the ‘Battle in Egypt’ section. This cliffhanger moved the story forward geographically, but didn’t resolve the main conflict. When the series resumed, it introduced new characters, allies, and unique abilities connected to the Egyptian setting.

‘Mobile Suit Gundam 00’ (2007–2009) – Season 1 closes with a timeskip and a new global order

The season concludes with a major battle that leaves Celestial Being broken up and a new, powerful military group taking shape. A jump forward in time reveals significant changes to the world’s governments and the emergence of A-Laws. The new season begins with these altered circumstances, and the ending creates a clear break between the conflicts of the first and second seasons.

‘The Rising of the Shield Hero’ (2019) – Finale reveals threats from other worlds

The first season concludes by revealing the Waves are gateways to other worlds, making the central conflict much bigger than anyone realized. While wrapping up the initial storyline, the finale introduces new characters and hints at dangers that span multiple worlds. This led to the creation of subsequent seasons, building on this expanded scope. The ending dramatically shifts the series’ focus from problems within a single kingdom to the defense of the entire multiverse.

‘Black Clover’ (2017–2021) – Broadcast pause mid-saga with devil training and future battles flagged

The TV series paused with Asta starting training connected to his devil powers, while the conflict with the Spade Kingdom was still ongoing. This episode didn’t offer a real ending, but instead hinted that the story would continue later. A movie followed, and eventually new episodes resumed the main storyline, making the ending feel like a temporary break in production rather than a true conclusion.

‘Dorohedoro’ (2020) – Season 1 stops with multiple plot hooks active

The series ends with Caiman still unsure who he is and the En Family still chasing him. While the final scenes hint at what happens next and set new goals, the main mystery isn’t solved. The show deliberately stops at this point, leaving some relationships and agreements unfinished – these storylines will continue in other media instead of being wrapped up in the TV series.

’86’ (2021–2022) – Part 1 closes with the Spearhead’s fate concealed

The first half of the story concludes with a chaotic battle and unclear signals about the unit’s fate. A brief scene after the credits shows something moving, hinting at more to come but leaving us unsure who or what it is. The second half later explains what happened to the unit and the repercussions for both sides of the war. Because the story is split into two parts, this uncertainty becomes the central point connecting them.

‘Higurashi: When They Cry – Gou’ (2020–2021) – Series hands off unresolved loops to ‘Sotsu’

The story concludes with many key questions still unanswered about how and why the events keep repeating, encouraging viewers to watch the next series, ‘Higurashi: When They Cry – Sotsu’. The answers are intentionally spread out between these two connected shows. The ending creates suspense by continuing the time loop theme, but doesn’t resolve the main conflict. The sequel promises to reveal the rest of the story.

‘Ajin: Demi-Human’ (2016) – Season 1 ends with Satō escalating to nationwide terrorism

The season ends with Satō announcing a major escalation, shifting from isolated events to large-scale, coordinated attacks. While Kei’s situation changes, the overall danger is still present when the credits roll. Season 2 begins with the conflict expanding to include more targets and stronger defenses. The ending doesn’t resolve the original storyline; instead, it clearly shows the conflict growing much bigger.

‘Erased’ (2016) – Penultimate arc cliffhanger strands Satoru in a sinking car

Near the end of an episode, Satoru figures out who the killer is, but then finds himself trapped in a car that plunges into freezing water. Viewers don’t find out if he survives, dies, or is rescued until the next episode. This cliffhanger allows the story to focus on both the urgent situation and the overarching mystery. The solution to the immediate danger ultimately ties into the larger case and its timeline.

Share which cliffhanger floored you the most in the comments!

2025-11-06 10:46