One of the greatest qualities of anime lies in its potential for diversity and variety. With dozens of new shows coming out each season, there is truly something for everyone - from upbeat, colorful, positive anime to more serious ones with dark backstories and realistic characters. Sometimes, these two seemingly opposite types of anime can even coexist, within one single nuanced show.
There are shows that initially present themselves as charming and innocent only to lure in unsuspecting viewers and later reveal a truth that puts everything into a new perspective. While not everyone may appreciate such contrasts, it is impossible to deny their impact. From sudden twists that no one saw coming to those that are subtly set up throughout multiple episodes, such scenes often end up being the most memorable ones.
10 Made in Abyss
The titular 'Abyss' in Made in Abyss is a huge, largely unexplored chasm, believed to contain secrets of the past and unknown creatures. The series follows protagonist Riko, an aspiring Cave Raider, who meets and eventually teams up with a mysterious robot known as Reg.
Determined to explore the Abyss and find her missing mother, Riko sets out on a journey with Reg. However, they soon learn that this journey is much more perilous than they could have ever expected. The most shocking reveal is the truth about the Abyss and its curses, particularly those affecting people who wish to escape the sixth layer – loss of humanity through deformation, or death.
9 The Promised Neverland
The Promised Neverland starts out innocently enough, following the seemingly peaceful lives of orphans living in the Grace Field House. Lacking neither food nor shelter, and lovingly cared for by their "mother" Isabella, the kids are free to spend their time as they please. Occasionally, one of the children is adopted, which may appear to be an event worth celebrating, as they are supposedly taken in by a good family.
However, the three oldest orphans discover the truth one day, that children are not sent to be adopted, but rather eaten by demons. Moreover, their peaceful orphanage is but a farm, specifically created to raise human children for consumption. This grisly twist sets in motion the true conflict of the series – a mind-bending cat and mouse game to save the remaining children before time runs out.
8 From the New World
From the New World is a classic case of an apparent utopia that reveals itself to be in fact closer to a dystopia. In a world nearly destroyed by the sudden outbreak of psychic powers, humans with these unique abilities seem to have found a way to maintain peace by isolating themselves from others in a tranquil town.
As long as they follow the rules, people living in the town of Kamisu 66 can live peacefully, free of worries. Main protagonist Saki Watanabe and her friends end up caught in a web of lies and end up facing the truth – that their society has been controlled and manipulated through selective memory alteration.
7 School Live!
There are plenty of anime series that focus on school clubs, but there is none like School-Live!. Unlike the usual sports or music clubs, the titular School Living Club consists of a group of students who like school so much that they decide to commit to living there permanently.
Aided by the cute, colorful visuals, the show paints the image of students cheerfully going about their daily lives. Then the truth slowly reveals itself; they live at school not by choice, rather because of a zombie outbreak. Yuki, one of the protagonists, seems to be unable to process the truth, and her friends must protect her and themselves from danger.
6 Yuki Yuna is a Hero
As a proud member of the Hero Club, middle-school student Yuki Yuna loves to help out her peers and make people smile together with her friends. One day, as their precious world is invaded by strange destructive forces known as Vertexes, they must become real heroes and fight against these mysterious attackers.
Yuki Yuna is a Hero contains multiple plot twists, but perhaps the most shocking reveal consists of the sacrifice that heroes must accept when using their powers. While being unable to die, heroes eventually lose bodily functions, memories, and even emotions. Due to their nature as heroes, such sacrifices are still preferred over certain defeat.
5 Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood
After unintentionally breaking one of the fundamental principles of alchemy in an attempt to bring their deceased mother back to life, the Elric brothers suffer severe losses – Alphonse's entire physical body, and Edward's right arm and left leg. Hoping to regain what they lost, they set out on a quest to find the powerful Philosopher's Stone.
Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood is a complex series with multiple twists and dark moments, but many recall Nina Tucker's scene as the most shocking and disturbing one. After meeting and playing with Nina and her dog, the brothers later find out that they were used to create a talking chimera by Nina's father, Shou Tucker.
4 Revue Starlight
Revue Starlight takes place in the Seishou Music Academy – a school known for fostering talented stage actresses – where students participate in a yearly festival known as the Seishou Festival. This school seems to hold a secret, however, as beneath it there lies a mysterious stage.
There, girls participate in duels that combine performance with sword fights, with the winner being promised a leading role in the 'Starlight' play. The one twist that changes everything about this show is the reveal that a previous winner, protagonist Nana Daiba, has been keeping her class in a loop, always repeating the same festival that she can't let go of, in spite of the consequences.
3 Astra Lost in Space
Astra Lost in Space opens with the scene of Aries Spring excited to attend a camp on a distant planet. Things go awry quickly though, as Aries and her group are suddenly transported by a mysterious orb to the middle of nowhere, aimlessly floating in the dark depths of outer space.
Due to its survival theme and mysterious sci-fi setting, Astra Lost in Space never appears to be particularly light-hearted, even as the protagonists try to stay positive. Yet things become decidedly darker when it's revealed that the kids are clones, created by their parents in an attempt to achieve immortality, and that they are not together by mere coincidence.
2 Lost Song
Lost Song follows two girls, one of whom lives in the royal palace, while the other resides in a remote village. The one thing they seem to have in common is the power to perform magical songs, a power they use to the benefit of those around them.
However, their fates are significantly more intertwined than one would believe. Despite being shown as if taking place concurrently, halfway through the show comes the reveal that Finis actually lived in a world she chose to destroy after being deceived into killing her beloved. Ever since, she has been repeating this loop waiting for the ideal moment to end everything.
1 Puella Magi Madoka Magica
Puella Magi Madoka Magica has become synonymous with the concept of subverting expectations and the idea of shocking reveals. Initially presented as an ordinary magical girl anime, wherein the protagonists are granted the power to turn their wishes into reality, the truth gradually reveals itself to be much more complicated and darker than that.
The particular twist that shocked first-time viewers and instantly changed fans' impressions of the show takes place early on, when a veteran magical girl who has been teaching the newcomers is suddenly killed by a witch, with little to no fanfare. This only sets the stage for what happens next, with many more surprising twists awaiting unsuspecting viewers.
Some of these shows start off looking innocent only to later catch viewers off guard. Others make no effort to hide their thrilling nature, but it still comes as a shock when they reveal just how dark they can get. Either way, these major plot twists made for great opportunities to take their stories to new levels of gloom. Once the infamous scenes became known, no one could ever look at these series the same. Yet it is exactly these twists that allowed these anime to stand out from the rest and achieve greatness.
