7 Popular Shonen Series With The Most Controversial Endings

Anime and manga aimed at young boys, often called ‘Shonen,’ is incredibly popular, known for its thrilling stories spanning genres like fantasy and adventure. Fans appreciate these series for their creative worlds and unique power systems. However, Shonen is also notorious for endings that disappoint or cause controversy. While Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood is widely praised for its perfect conclusion, many other series haven’t received the same positive reaction from viewers when it comes to how their stories end.

Although these series remain incredibly popular and well-known, the final parts of their stories proved controversial. Many fans were left unsatisfied with loose ends and endings that didn’t quite live up to expectations. Despite being among the most beloved Shonen manga ever created, these seven series faced criticism when they concluded.

7) Fairy Tail

After the original story of Fairy Tail concluded, a sequel series began and is still continuing, following Natsu and his friends on a new adventure. Unfortunately, the final storyline wasn’t particularly memorable, and the ultimate battle against Acnologia felt hurried. While the series offered a heartwarming conclusion, it left many fans with mixed feelings due to misleading deaths and quickly resolved, highly anticipated fights.

6) Bleach

Despite the anime’s promise of a revised ending with new scenes and input from creator Tite Kubo, the original manga’s conclusion is often cited as a major letdown for Shonen fans. Bleach was known for its impressive power system, compelling villains, and exciting battles, making the ambiguous and unsatisfying ending particularly shocking to many viewers who were left with unresolved questions.

5) Naruto

Throughout most of the Shippuden series, Madara Uchiha was built up as the primary villain. However, the story later revealed he was just a pawn, which many fans found disappointing. The final villain, Kaguya Otsutsuki, hasn’t resonated with viewers as much as Madara did, and this plot twist is a common point of criticism.

4) Attack on Titan

The ending of Attack on Titan is now generally better received, especially after the anime adaptation. However, creator Hajime Isayama was deeply worried about how fans would react when the manga finished. The finale was extremely controversial, as many readers were shocked by Eren’s transformation from a hero fighting for freedom into a villain committing genocide. While the story explained his motivations, the resulting destruction felt too extreme.

3) Jujutsu Kaisen

While the ending of Jujutsu Kaisen initially received a lot of criticism in 2024 when the manga concluded, extra content released afterward—like the epilogue and sequel manga—has softened some of that negative reaction. Many fans were left with unresolved questions, and the controversial death of the incredibly popular character Satoru Gojo fueled much of the disappointment. The lengthy battle against Sukuna ultimately felt rushed, leaving viewers without the closure they expected.

2) My Hero Academia

From the very beginning, My Hero Academia focused on Deku’s journey to become the world’s greatest hero, following in the footsteps of All Might. However, the recent ending frustrated many fans, as Deku lost his powers and had to wait eight years to get a hero suit before continuing his path. While the final arc was lengthy and showed what happened to the characters after the big battle, the series didn’t explain the Quirk Singularity Theory, which had been a central and intriguing question throughout the story.

1) Demon Slayer

Recently, Demon Slayer has become incredibly popular, but the manga’s ending in 2020 received a lot of criticism. Many fans were disappointed because the final battle resulted in the deaths of half the main characters and most of the Demon Slayer Corps, making the victory feel hollow. Additionally, the story quickly jumped ahead to the modern era instead of exploring the consequences of the battle.

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2026-02-22 06:40