Few things in the world of anime are as electrifying and frustrating as a perfectly executed cliffhanger. The right cliffhanger leaves fans shouting at their screens, desperately counting down the days until the next episode or season. It is a delicate art, because it needs to be a reveal just enough to shock the audience, but not so much that they feel satisfied. The suspense, the emotion, and the sense of looming consequences are what transform a good story into an unforgettable one.

Over the years, certain anime have delivered cliffhangers so iconic they still spark conversation among fans today. Whether it is a heartbreaking twist, a pulse-pounding moment frozen in time, or a shocking revelation that changes everything, there are many cliffhangers that stand out as some of the greatest in anime history. But out of the thousands of notable anime cliffhangers, there are some that just stand out as the best for making audiences wait to see what happens next.

8 Haikyu!! Season 3, Episode 9

The Spike That Froze a Nation: Haikyu!!'s Ultimate Match Point

In the sports anime world, Haikyu!! has long reigned supreme for its emotional depth and exhilarating matches. The third season focuses entirely on Karasuno’s grueling face-off against Shiratorizawa, a team that represents the pinnacle of high school volleyball. With everything on the line, episode 9 delivers one of the most nerve-wracking sequences as the teams battle with everything they have. Just when the match reaches a fever pitch, Hinata soars for a critical spike and the screen cuts to black.

This was not just any spike. It was the culmination of seasons of character growth, teamwork, and relentless training. Fans were left on edge, knowing that the outcome of this point could determine the entire match. By abruptly ending the episode at this decisive moment, the showrunners ramped up the tension to an unbearable degree, making sure that viewers would be glued to their screens for the final episode.

7 The Apothecary Diaries Season 2, Episode 11

Anticipation and Agony: Maomao and Jinshi’s Near-Moment

The Apothecary Diaries had been steadily building anticipation throughout its second season, but episode 11 pushed fan excitement to a breaking point. In this installment, the beloved "frog scene" between Maomao and Jinshi was teased and had just been about to start, but the episode never fully revealed it. Instead, the episode ended right before the anticipated moment, forcing audiences to wait an excruciating week to see it unfold.

The chemistry between Maomao and Jinshi had been crackling for episodes, and just as fans thought they would finally witness a breakthrough, the narrative pulled the rug out from under them.

The genius of this cliffhanger lies in its subtlety. Unlike many cliffhangers that hinge on death or disaster, this one centered around emotional tension and character dynamics. The chemistry between Maomao and Jinshi had been crackling for episodes, and just as fans thought they would finally witness a breakthrough, the narrative pulled the rug out from under them. It was a masterclass in patience and payoff, and it kept audiences eagerly theorizing and discussing for an entire week until the next episode aired.

6 Berserk 1997 Ending

The Eclipse: Berserk’s Legacy of Pain and Shock

Anime adaptations of Berserk have been a mixed bag over the years, with many fans longing for a true and complete anime to be adapted, but the original 1997 season's ending delivered a gut-wrenching cliffhanger that still resonates with fans. After enduring endless hardship together, Guts and his comrades are betrayed in the most brutal way imaginable by Griffith, their once-revered leader. The finale culminates in the horrifying Eclipse event, where dreams, friendships, and lives are shattered in a moment of cosmic horror that was almost too much to be shown on screen.

What made this cliffhanger so impactful and absolutely disgusting was the sheer scale of the betrayal and the bleakness it introduced. Viewers who had grown attached to the Band of the Hawk were blindsided by the nightmarish turn of events, despite knowing that Griffith was not a good person. Griffith’s fall from grace was not just a personal failure; it was a cataclysm that left an indelible scar on the world of Berserk and on the hearts of its fans.

5 Solo Leveling Season 2, Episode 10

A Beheading That Changed Everything: Solo Leveling's Pivotal Cliffhanger

Solo Leveling might have started as a web novel and manhwa, but its anime adaptation brought its breathtaking action scenes to life with stunning intensity. In season 2, Episode 10, Solo Leveling delivered one of its most memorable cliffhangers with the sudden and brutal death of S-Rank Hunter Shimizu at the hands of Beru. Without warning, Shimizu's head was cleanly severed, shocking both the characters and the audience.

This scene did not just provide a gore-filled shock; it fundamentally shifted the story’s stakes. Beru’s raw power, Sung Jinwoo’s absense from the Jeju Island raid at that point, and the real threat of political chaos all crystallized at this moment. Fans were left wondering how the other nations would respond to such an overwhelming force, and what it meant for the future of humanity itself. It was a bloody reminder that Solo Leveling would not pull its punches.

4 The Promised Neverland Season 1, Episode 1

Innocence Shattered: Grace Field’s Dark Secret

The very first episode of The Promised Neverland set a new standard for anime cliffhangers. Emma, Norman, and Ray, three of the brightest children at the idyllic Grace Field House, stumble upon a horrifying truth that they are being raised as livestock to be fed to demons. The final reveal, complete with the chilling image of Conny's lifeless body, upended everything viewers had assumed about the setting and tone.

This twist was not just shocking; it completely reframed the narrative moving forward. What appeared to be a heartwarming story about orphaned children quickly transformed into a desperate battle for survival. The masterful pacing and careful buildup of the episode made the final moments hit like a punch to the gut, leaving viewers desperate to see how the children would outsmart their captors in The Promised Neverland.

3 Steins;Gate Episode 22

Save Kurisu or Save the World: The Time Traveler’s Agony

Steins;Gate is known and praised for its intricate and detailed story, and episode 22 is possibly its most emotionally devastating installment. Okabe Rintarou, the eccentric yet brilliant protagonist, faces a heart-wrenching dilemma between saving Kurisu, the woman he loves, or preventing the outbreak of World War III. Every attempt to alter fate seems to spiral into tragedy, trapping Okabe in a relentless cycle of loss and failure.

The episode’s final moments leave Okabe, and the audience, dangling on the precipice of despair. His pained expression, the looming threat of global annihilation, and the question of whether he can defy destiny all coalesce into a breathtaking cliffhanger. It is rare for an anime to balance personal stakes with global consequences so deftly, and Steins;Gate nailed it, leaving fans emotionally wrecked and desperate for resolution.

2 Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood Episode 10

The Phone Booth Scene That Broke Every Fan’s Heart

Few deaths in anime have hit as hard as that of Maes Hughes in Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood. Known for his warm demeanor, corny jokes, and unbreakable devotion to his family, Hughes was the emotional heart of the series. In episode 10, after uncovering dangerous secrets about the Homunculi, Hughes is ambushed and fatally shot, disguised as his beloved wife, no less, by the shapeshifter Envy.

The abruptness of Hughes' death and the loss of such a beloved character cemented this as one of anime’s most unforgettable cliffhangers, leaving viewers both heartbroken and furious.

The betrayal and sheer cruelty of the moment stunned audiences. Hughes' final attempt to call for help from a phone booth, bleeding and desperate, was a heart-wrenching image that stayed with fans long after the credits rolled. The abruptness of Hughes' death and the loss of such a beloved character cemented this as one of anime’s most unforgettable cliffhangers, leaving viewers both heartbroken and furious.

1 Attack on Titan Season 2, Episode 12

Scream: Attack on Titan’s Most Perfect Cliffhanger Yet

Attack on Titan has a well-earned reputation for crafting heart-stopping cliffhangers, but none left fans more breathless than the ending of season 2’s finale, "Scream." As the dust of battle settles and the Survey Corps reels from both victories and losses, a chilling moment steals the spotlight: the Beast Titan, towering and terrifying, lets out an otherworldly roar across the landscape. It is not just a roar of rage, it is a scream of command, awakening countless Titans hidden within the walls. The sudden revelation that the Titans may be controlled, and that the Beast Titan might hold the key, turns the entire understanding of the war upside down.

The brilliance of this cliffhanger lies in how it expands the story’s mythology in one shocking moment. Until then, the Titans were seen largely as mindless monsters. With the Beast Titan’s scream, the audience realizes there is intelligence, and possibly an even darker plan, behind the horror. As the credits roll, viewers are left stunned, grappling with a thousand new questions of who, or what, is the Beast Titan really? What does his control over the Titans mean for humanity's future? The long gap until season 3 only made the suspense sharper, cementing "Scream" as one of anime’s most unforgettable season-ending cliffhangers.