Worst Uses of Deus Ex Machina In Anime

Anime often features “deus ex machina” moments – unexpected powers, items, or plot twists that suddenly save the day when all hope seems lost. These moments are important to pay attention to because they can significantly impact the story, character development, and even the future of entire anime series. Here are some notable examples where a last-minute rescue, a change in the rules, or a reality-altering ability appears, along with explanations of what happens, how it works within the anime’s world, and the immediate effects on the story.

‘Neon Genesis Evangelion’ (1995–1996)

Towards the end of the series, the Human Instrumentality Project begins, blurring the lines between individuals and changing the focus from fighting Angels to an internal, spiritual journey. The fate of the world ultimately depends on Shinji’s personal acceptance, shown through glimpses into people’s minds rather than a traditional battle. This shift happens after the Angel attacks become more intense, but avoids a purely physical solution. The series ends with a sense of hope within Instrumentality, leaving what happens to the world uncertain until later additions to the story provide more answers.

‘Neon Genesis Evangelion: The End of Evangelion’ (1997)

During the final battle, Rei and Lilith combine, starting a process called Instrumentality that merges all of humanity into one collective consciousness as the world changes around them. Shinji’s decision ultimately stops this process, giving people the choice to return to individual existence. As a result, the physical world is restored, though different than before – we see this with the LCL sea disappearing and certain characters reappearing. The movie reinterprets the original series’ ending by showing a massive, world-altering event that’s suddenly stopped by one person’s choice.

‘Sword Art Online’ (2012)

During the final battle of the Aincrad arc, Kirito keeps fighting even after a devastating attack. The game’s system, using powers beyond what players normally experience, steps in to prevent anyone from being permanently trapped, letting the remaining players log out. Surprisingly, Asuna’s progress is saved, even though the game’s rules previously suggested she would lose it. Ultimately, the story is resolved not through Kirito’s skill, but by the hidden power of the game’s administrators.

‘Naruto Shippūden’ (2007–2017)

During the battle with Kaguya, Kakashi briefly gets the Sharingan back, and with Obito’s help, he’s able to summon a complete Susanoo. This unexpected surge in power gives him the abilities he needs to fight Kaguya, even though he hadn’t trained for them or used any special items to achieve this level. This boost is crucial for launching the final attacks that finally defeat her.

‘Naruto’ (2002–2007)

During the fight on the bridge in the Land of Waves, Naruto unexpectedly unlocks the Nine-Tails’ chakra for the first time. This burst of power shatters Haku’s ice mirrors, completely turning the battle in Naruto’s favor. It’s a much greater display of strength than he’d ever shown before, and it establishes a pattern: whenever Naruto is under intense pressure, the Nine-Tails’ chakra can emerge. This sudden surge gives him an immediate and decisive advantage, allowing him to quickly end the fight.

‘Dragon Ball Z’ (1989–1996)

With Planet Namek on the verge of destruction, the dragon Porunga quickly used a wish to teleport the heroes to safety. This instant relocation left Frieza behind and prevented everyone from being destroyed. Careful wording was used to overcome previous restrictions on wishes, successfully completing the evacuation. Ultimately, the heroes were saved by this magical intervention, rather than winning a fight.

‘Dragon Ball Super’ (2015–2018)

Following the Tournament of Power, the Super Dragon Balls completely reversed Zeno’s destruction of the universes with just one wish. Everything was instantly restored – all the fighters and worlds that had been erased returned. This effectively undid the major consequences built up throughout the entire series, acting like a reset button that wasn’t affected by who won or lost the tournament.

‘Bleach’ (2004–2012)

Orihime’s Shun Shun Rikka allows her to ‘reject’ what has happened, effectively reversing damage and healing even fatal injuries. It’s like wounds and defenses never existed, going beyond normal healing abilities. The power works by treating reality as something that can be altered nearby. This often changes hopeless situations into survivable ones by essentially resetting what just happened in a limited area.

‘One Piece’ (1999)

During their escape from Enies Lobby, the Straw Hats were unexpectedly saved by the Going Merry, which appeared just when they thought all hope was lost. The ship arrived amidst a chaotic battle with the Navy, allowing them to escape across rough seas and crumbling buildings. They then held a touching farewell for the ship, recognizing the incredible damage it had taken. The rescue depended on the Going Merry reaching them at a moment when no other escape seemed possible.

‘Fairy Tail’ (2009–2019)

During Acnologia’s devastating attack on Tenrou Island, the Fairy Tail guild is saved when Mavis activates a protective sphere, putting everyone into a frozen state. This shield keeps them safe, but time passes much faster in the outside world. This explains the years that jump forward in the story, and how the guild avoids complete destruction—not through fighting back, but through a powerful, guild-wide protective spell.

‘Guilty Crown’ (2011–2012)

In the end, Shu takes the Apocalypse Virus into himself, and Inori’s sacrifice saves the world from disaster. By concentrating the infection in one person, the spread of the virus stops immediately. Thanks to the unique properties of the Void Genome and how resonance works, everyone is cured without needing a traditional medical fix. The crisis ends suddenly as the virus is contained and the responsibility for it is essentially passed on to Shu.

‘Darling in the Franxx’ (2018)

About halfway through the story, a powerful alien group called VIRM arrives and changes everything. They shift the focus from the fighting between humans and Klaxosaurs to a much bigger danger threatening the entire galaxy. The heroes then combine with upgraded versions of their giant robots and launch a desperate attack in space. This new development introduces a previously unseen enemy and a way to win that wasn’t possible before. The ending feels sudden, jumping from battles on Earth to a conflict with cosmic implications and advanced technology.

‘JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure: Golden Wind’ (2018–2019)

When Giorno’s Stand, Gold Experience, is hit by the Arrow, it evolves into Gold Experience Requiem, gaining a powerful, unmatched ability. This new ability essentially rewinds time around any attack aimed at Giorno, preventing it from ever actually happening. Diavolo keeps trying to win, but his efforts are constantly reversed without Giorno needing to defend himself. This sudden transformation gives Giorno an instant and overwhelming advantage, immediately ending the fight.

‘Attack on Titan’ (2013–2023)

When Eren briefly touched a Titan with royal blood, it unexpectedly activated a powerful ability called the Coordinate. This ability instantly commanded nearby Titans to attack a specific target, creating an opening for escape. Surprisingly, this happened even though Eren wasn’t thought to have the royal lineage needed to use it. The Coordinate’s effect took over the battlefield almost immediately, overriding existing control and making Titans incredibly dangerous. The discovery of how this ability is activated coincided perfectly with the resolution of an ambush that was underway.

‘Inuyasha’ (2000–2004)

Tessaiga gains new powers that directly counter whatever dangers arise, like powerful shockwaves or incredibly sharp attacks. These abilities aren’t learned through practice – they appear suddenly during intense battles and can instantly change the course of a fight. Opponents who previously had the upper hand are quickly overcome when Tessaiga unlocks a new technique.

‘Yu-Gi-Oh! Duel Monsters’ (2000–2004)

Crucial moments in duels often come down to drawing the perfect card when all seems lost, like quickly summoning Exodia against Kaiba. These lucky draws happen when a player appears to have no chance of winning. Special cards and unique rules can completely change the game in a single turn, and stories often end with an unlikely, game-winning card drawn from the top of the deck.

‘Pokémon: The First Movie’ (1998)

Following a final, intense battle, Ash is turned to stone, but the tears of the Pokémon surrounding him bring him back to life. This revival not only heals him but also undoes any damage from the battle’s energy. The incident concludes the fighting and leads to a peaceful understanding between those who were once enemies. It was a miraculous recovery, happening through the combined emotions of the Pokémon and unlike any typical healing process.

‘Gurren Lagann’ (2007)

As battles intensify, heroes gain the ability to summon increasingly powerful mechs and unlock abilities that surpass their previous limits. With each new power-up, they instantly find ways to overcome the enemy’s latest weapons. The climactic fights involve incredible, on-the-fly displays of power that reshape reality itself. Ultimately, these conflicts are resolved by exceeding the challenges through sheer force of will and energy, rather than relying on pre-existing strategies or technology.

‘Akame ga Kill!’ (2014)

Okay, so when things got really bad, Tatsumi’s Teigu, Incursio, just… changed. It evolved into this incredible dragon form, and it was seriously tough enough to withstand the Emperor’s massive weapon! I mean, it was way more durable and powerful than we’d ever seen before. It happened right when the capital was about to be destroyed, and honestly, it totally turned the battle around. The whole city was saved because of this sudden, crazy transformation that happened right when they needed it most!

‘Black Clover’ (2017–2021)

During critical battles, Asta’s ability to negate magic allows him to access new powers and sword forms, most notably his Black Asta form, which can completely cancel out powerful spells. These transformations are especially effective against curses and elemental magic that are stronger than anything ordinary mages can handle. The devil’s power gives Asta a burst of speed and sharpens his attacks, helping him break through tough fights. He usually reveals these new abilities right when he needs them most, and they often lead to immediate victory.

‘Sailor Moon’ (1992–1997)

The Silver Crystal has the power to bring fallen teammates back to life and undo major damage at the end of each story arc. It consistently reverses defeats, effectively resetting things back to normal for the team. This crystal acts as a fix-all for death and destruction, and the conclusions of each season often depend on using it to undo the consequences of the final battle.

‘CLANNAD: After Story’ (2008–2009)

Mysterious lights appear throughout the story, creating a miracle that reverses the tragic events affecting Tomoya and his family. This reset blends a separate, dreamlike world with the main reality, erasing alternate timelines and restoring things to how they once were. In an instant, all that was lost is recovered, thanks to the positive actions and kindness shown throughout the story. The ending features a complete reversal of fate, happening through something beyond normal explanation.

‘The Promised Neverland’ (2019–2021)

Okay, so in the second season, things started feeling a little…convenient. Suddenly, the kids had these tools – like a special pen – and it seemed like help was coming from everywhere, but we never really saw who was helping. A lot of the really tricky stuff – escapes, big talks – just happened off-screen, summarized in quick cuts. It was like the show would hint at a complex plan, then just show us the result. These tools kept revealing secret passages and shortcuts when they needed them most. And the final plan? It felt less like a carefully built strategy and more like a quick, sweeping solution that just…fixed everything all at once. Honestly, it felt a bit rushed.

‘Fate/stay night [Unlimited Blade Works]’ (2014–2015)

When Saber is near, Shirou’s hidden scabbard, Avalon, automatically activates, protecting him from even deadly attacks and instantly healing his injuries. It essentially negates damage, bringing him back to full fighting strength. This protective power also creates opportunities to fight back against stronger opponents. Avalon’s legendary defense often changes the course of crucial battles, pushing Shirou beyond his normal capabilities.

‘Puella Magi Madoka Magica’ (2011)

I was completely blown away by Madoka’s wish. It didn’t just change things, it fundamentally rewrote the rules for magical girls, effectively eliminating witches and reshaping everything that had ever happened. It’s incredible to think that one choice could retroactively fix so many terrible events, giving everyone a new, better fate. The whole series ends with this completely revised reality, where nothing follows the old patterns anymore. It was a universe-wide reset, finally breaking the tragic cycle that had been going on for so long.

Share the moments you think best fit this list—and the ones we missed—in the comments!

2025-10-29 19:51