this post was submitted on 21 Aug 2026
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I enjoy plot twists in my stories.

Unfortunately - maybe it's because I've consumed enough media - 99% of them are totally predictable. I would see the reveal coming a mile away.

So, are there any anime with an actually strong twist?

If I have to name one that truly impressed me, it is

spoiler for an anime with title starting with the letter 'O'

the reveal that the MC have an extreme form of visual agnosia in Oddtaxi.

That one caught me by complete surprise.

Are there are any more of such anime?

Thanks in advance.

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I'd say Your Lie in April qualifies. Yes, they telegraph the ending from very early on. You know it's gonna happen. They swerve a couple times. You think maybe it won't. Then it does. "Ah, that sucks, but I called it from the very beginning," you say. Then the story keeps going, and just when you think "oh yeah what's with the title? It never made any sense," they explain the title.

Angel Beats! is another good one. It's about a purgatory school. They tell you the girl called "Angel" is trying to get people to move on. She kind of is, and eventually those opposing her realise that's the right move, but there's a lot more to it than that. Ask yourself why she's trying to help others when everyone else is just out for themselves.

Then there's Sword Art Online II (the second season). The first part, with the gun game, kind of has a twist — how a guy in a video game that should be harmless is killing people IRL by shooting them in a video game. It's pretty lame, though. The second part, the last seven episodes, if it were a standalone anime, it would be my favourite anime. The adaptation of book 7, Mother's Rosary. The secret behind the undefeated duelist.

[–] Grimy@lemmy.world 0 points 1 week ago (1 children)

Talentless Nana has quite the twist in the first episode.

[–] KairuByte@lemmy.dbzer0.com 0 points 1 week ago

This is what immediately came to mind for me.

[–] Eq0@literature.cafe 0 points 1 week ago (2 children)

One piece

I don’t know how to out the spoiler tag, sorry. But for hundreds of episodes nobody ever dies. Never ever ever ever. Then Ace dies graphically on screen sending Luffy into utter despair. It felt like such a guy punch! It’s supposed to be a feel good story! (Still mad about it)

[–] Endmaker@ani.social 0 points 1 week ago* (last edited 1 week ago) (1 children)

I don’t know how to out the spoiler tag, sorry.

Tap for spoilerhidden content
[–] Eq0@literature.cafe 0 points 1 week ago

Thanks! Edited

[–] YiddishMcSquidish@lemmy.today 0 points 1 week ago (1 children)

Your spoiler tag is still incorrect.

[–] Eq0@literature.cafe 0 points 1 week ago (2 children)

Why? How should I change it?

To me it shows “Spoiler” and only if clicked shows the details

[–] wjs018@ani.social 0 points 1 week ago

Yeah, you're all good. Lemmy uses a kind of weird spoiler syntax compared to most other markdown renderers. So, sometimes some third-party apps might not display it as such. There is no way to make a spoiler render correctly for everybody. I have an old spoiler guide I wrote for the community here that is still pretty accurate.

[–] Endmaker@ani.social 0 points 1 week ago (1 children)

To me it shows “Spoiler” and only if clicked shows the details

On my end, it works on the Voyager app but not the Photon frontend.

Try placing the last ":::" below the rest of the text.

[–] Eq0@literature.cafe 0 points 6 days ago
[–] agent_nycto@lemmy.world 0 points 1 week ago (2 children)

One that doesn't is Madoku Magica. It's a normal magical girl anime. JUST KIDDING SOMEONE TOLD ME THE PLOT TWIST AND SAID IT WAS REVEALED IN THE SECOND EPISODE AND IT WASN'T TILL THE END AND I WAS PISSED OFF FOREVER.

[–] pastermil@sh.itjust.works 0 points 1 week ago

If it makes you feel better, they made a movie that expands upon the original story (preceded by two movies summarizing it). Another one will come in like a week, finally, after being delayed for ten years.

[–] Endmaker@ani.social 0 points 1 week ago (1 children)

IT WAS REVEALED IN THE SECOND EPISODE

I'll admit I haven't consumed a lot of Magical Girls stories, but

Madoku Magica spoiler

isn't fallen/former-magical-girls-turn-antagonist quite a common trope in these stories?

I'd say the later twists are stronger.

[–] agent_nycto@lemmy.world 0 points 1 week ago

I hadn't really heard of that trope till later

[–] Wireless_Dirk@ani.social 0 points 1 week ago

Boku no pico.

Admitingly I dropped it as soon as the plot twist reared its ugly purple little head.

[–] pastermil@sh.itjust.works 0 points 1 week ago

Currently watching the Monogatari series.

Man this thing is wild. The whole thing is unpredictable.

[–] Kolanaki@pawb.social 0 points 1 week ago

Attack on Titan starts off pretty unpredictable, but it later falls into its own formula that you can predict. The only thing that really was predictable from the start was what the titans actually are. It's just the safest bet, and they don't push the envelope with that. Being vague to not spoil it, even though this one has likely been seen by a majority of everyone already; possibly even OP.

[–] devaly@ani.social 0 points 1 week ago* (last edited 1 week ago) (2 children)

Angel beats, Shinsekai Yori, Summertime Render, Higurashi, Nier Automata, Sonny Boy, Kowloon, Tokyo Magnitude 8

[–] Endmaker@ani.social 0 points 1 week ago* (last edited 1 week ago)

Shinsekai Yori

From the New World spoiler

Though my guess about their origins were incorrect, I was still able to predict that the Queerats are (were?) humans.

This trope is surprisingly common. I can name multiple anime utilising the same twist:

meta spoiler; multiple anime titles

  • Attack on Titan
  • Sword Art Online: Alicization arc
  • Madoka
  • Gargantia

Having seen these stories beforehand made the twist kinda predictable.

[–] Grimy@lemmy.world 0 points 1 week ago

Sonny Boy is a work of art. I highly recommend it.

[–] Cherries@lemmy.world 0 points 1 week ago

School Days

[–] isyasad@lemmy.world 0 points 1 week ago

Code Geass is structured around having huge twists every 5-10 episodes. My favorite is the one from

(episode #)Season 2, episode 5

Jaw-dropping, gasping for air, falling out of your chair kinda plot twist

[–] Kusarihime1@lemmy.blahaj.zone 0 points 1 week ago

Attack on Titan

Full metal alchemist brotherhood

Revolutionary girl Utena

Space Dandy!

He’s a dandy guy, in space!

[–] mo_lave@reddthat.com 0 points 1 week ago

Your Lie in April - agreed with @cerebralhawks@lemmy.dbzer0.com's comment

Steins;Gate - I won't spoil it. I'll only encourage you to watch all episodes, no matter what.

Nagi no Asukara

Talentless Nana

BanG Dream! It's MyGO!!!!! and Ave Mujica

I Want to Eat Your Pancreas

Sound Euphonium S3

Orb

Takopi's Original Sin