Tuesday, August 23, 2011

The never-ending anime


You know, I'm a sucker for an anime that offers up cliffhangers.  They don't have to come at the end of a series, but instead, cliffhangers from season to season are just fine.  There can even be two-part episode cliffhangers.  That kind of stuff may drive most people mad, but I really like having to wait to see the resolution to a big storyline.  That's the key, though.  I really am looking for that resolution.

There are some series' that really walk the line between resolution and open-ended thought.  I don't mind seeing a series end without answering all questions.  If the show was engaging enough, I'll enjoy thinking about what happens after the final scene.  That show just needs to make sure that it wraps up enough of the loose ends to make that final episode/movie satisfying.

Unfortunately, there are a handful of anime movies and series that really don't answer enough questions that are put forth.  These open-ended questions are pushed forward during the entire series, and when you get close to the end, you start to think that some of those elements will be wrapped up.  Answering them with more and more questions just ruins the memory of the show that I have.  I remember it for stringing me along instead of keeping me engaged along the way.

My sister seems to feel that way about Eden of the East.  I don't know if it's going to be the same way for me, because I haven't watched the latest movie yet.  I believe there's a third unlocalized movie that she watched, and said that it left a lot to be desired.  It also didn't really answer anything.  That's making me a bit nervous to jump into the second movie, but perhaps I'll feel different.

What series' have you seen that leave you with more questions than answers?  You're left with an ending that answers nothing, letting it forever play in your head as a show that just didn't bring anything together.  You invested time into the series, and in the end it left you without any answers.  Man, what an annoying feeling that is!

4 comments:

  1. One of the key factors in an anime for me is the ending. It is what makes me love an anime. In fact, one of the most memorable moments of an anime was in Baccano, at the very end, last second, when...well this might be a minor spoiler so watch out O.o...anyways, when the mouse runs into the middle of the road and gets hit. It really brought everything full circle and showed the attention to detail.

    Now on the opposite side of the spectrum theres Haruhi...not only was it broadcast out of order to fu...mess you up, but it never actually ended. It got to a really good part and then just stopped. Then the creators decided to milk it without ever offering answers. That drove a very entertaining anime into mediocrity for me.

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  2. Yeah I don't like it when they leave the answers to us.

    You will find at the end of HOTD, RMC, that there are many questions that haven't been answered :P.

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  3. I consider HOTD to be incomplete so i dont consider it to be a cliffhanger...a second season will (hopefully) come and pick up where the first left off

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