Anime fans might reach the end of a story only to remember something that wasn’t addressed in the end. A character could’ve been forgotten about. A driving question might not have gotten an answer. Even classic anime can get haunted by mysteries and there are various reasons why anime leaves something a mystery.
The production team might have simply forgotten about a character or plot thread. Sometimes there were plans, but the series was either rushed or ended too soon. Finally, some anime intentionally keeps things ambiguous, so that the viewer can imagine the explanation they want. Of course, things can also go unanswered as a joke.
10/10 What Is The True Purpose Of APTX 4869?
Case Closed
In Case Closed, the Black Organization is effectively the main antagonist of the series, being behind Shinichi’s transformation into Conan. While connected to various crimes, one thing that has never fully come to light is the organization’s actual goal. Similarly, the true purpose of the APTX 4869 — the “poison” which triggered Shinichi’s change — is similarly vague.
Fans commonly speculate that Black Organization’s ultimate goal might involve creating immortality or even raising the dead. Because of this, it’s speculated that Shinichi’s regression was not actually an accident, but APTX 4869’s intended effect.
9/10 Where Did Queen Serenity Come From?
Sailor Moon
In the Sailor Moon manga, Queen Serenity is said to be an “immigrant” to the Moon Kingdom, despite currently being its sovereign ruler. Notably, the crescent moon mark on her forehead, which appears naturally on Usagi and Chibiusa, appears to come from a tiara. Exactly where she came from is left something of a mystery.
This is somewhat downplayed in the ’90s anime where Queen Serenity is given less focus, but a few questions still remain. In particular, the series never explained the identity of Princess Serenity’s father or if she even had one. Similarly, the ’90s anime implied the Queen’s spirit is watching over her daughter, but she never appears after the second story arc.
8/10 Did Yugi Or Jaden Win The Duel In The Last Episode?
Yu-Gi-Oh! GX
The last episode of Yu-Gi-Oh! GX pits the lead of the series, Jaden, with the original protagonist, Yugi, in a duel. Fans might have been curious to see which one would be the better duelist, but the episode decided to end on an ambiguous note.
The screen fades to black before the duel is finished. The scene cuts to Jaden in a desert, thanking Yugi in spirit for the duel. Jaden then realizes Pharaoh and Professor Banner’s spirits are with him. Jaden then runs through the forest, offering a final “Gotcha!”
7/10 What Happened To The Earth’s Animal People?
Dragon Ball
Early on in the Dragon Ball series, the world was filled with anthropomorphic animal characters. This makes sense given that the series is a retelling of Journey to the West, with Oolong particularly based on Zhu Bajie. Even animals that weren’t anthropomorphic are sometimes shown to be capable of human speech.
With later Dragon Ball entries, animal characters like this have become less common. Former main characters like Oolong and Puar occasionally reappear, however, suggesting they still exist in some numbers. The animal people also saw a return in Dragon Ball Online.
6/10 When & Why Did Stocking Become A Demon?
Panty & Stocking With Garterbelt
The ending of the first season of Panty & Stocking with Garterbelt intentionally parodies anime with ambiguous or open-ended endings. Stocking asks her sister Panty if their weapons, which work on ghosts, could also work on angels. Stocking then proceeds to chop up Panty into tiny cubes and confess to secretly being a demon.
When exactly Stocking became a demon is naturally never explained, whether it was sometime during the series or even beforehand. Stocking’s reasons for becoming a demon are not divulged, either. As for Panty’s fate, the comic “Geekboy Homecoming” at least shows Brief ultimately putting her back together.
5/10 What Happened To Yokai In The Present?
Inuyasha
In Inuyasha, Kagome falls down the Bone-Eater’s Well into Feudal Japan, which is filled with yokai and spirits. This era is treated as the past of Kagome’s present-day life. Kagome even encounters the ancestor of her classmate, Hōjō. However, there’s a surprising unexplained lack of yokai in the present.
Supernatural elements occasionally appear in the modern era. The Noh mask was corrupted by a Shikon jewel. Kagome also once encountered the ghost of a young child. Because of this, the lack of yokai can’t be explained with magic “dying” or this being some alternate reality.
4/10 What Was In The GS Ball?
Pokémon
In Pokémon, the GS Ball is a mysterious Poké Ball that no one can open, even by brute force. Its name and design are based around Pokémon Gold and Silver, appearing half gold and half silver. In the anime, Ash was tasked with retrieving the ball from Professor Ivy to bring to Professor Oak to study.
Despite appearing in a variety of episodes, the series never quite revealed what was inside the GS Ball. Masamitsu Hidaka eventually explained in an interview that the GS Ball originally held a Celebi. Initially, Celebi would have been the focus of another story arc. However, when it was decided that the fourth movie would focus on Celebi, the earlier plot point was dropped.
3/10 Is Shun The Makai World Prince?
Tokimeki Tonight
Infamously, when Tokimeki Tonight was finishing its anime, the manga was still ongoing, so the production team didn’t want anything too conclusive. Shun is believed to be the long-lost prince of the Makai world, complete with a star-shaped birthmark. However, Shun claims it’s only a bruise, and Ranze’s family is cast out of the Makai world until they can find the prince.
Shun’s mother later confirms that the star is indeed a birthmark, but the story really doesn’t divulge any further than that. Shun tries to explain this new information to Ranze, but they are interrupted by Yoko. The series end there.
2/10 Just What Exactly Is Haruhi?
The Melancholy Of Haruhi Suzumiya
It’s often theorized, even within the series, that the titular heroine of The Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya is a literal god, but exactly what Haruhi actually is appears to be a mystery. Koizumi, who presents the theory she is a god, is unsure himself. Similarly, it can be unclear at times if Haruhi used her reality reshaping powers or not.
Regardless if she is a god or not, Haruhi is still quite powerful, being able to create, annihilate, or even warp reality, also known as “data.” Haruhi can even split one reality into two.
1/10 What’s Going On With Yusuke’s Father?
Yu Yu Hakusho
In YuYu Hakusho, not much information is given about Yusuke’s father, such as his name or why things did not work out between him and Yusuke’s mother, Atsuko. Complicating things is that he does make an appearance in the manga. From the brief appearance, he is implied to have some on-an-off-again relationship with Atsuko.
Yusuke’s father also seems interested in Yusuke, but Atsuko claims their son would murder him if he returned. Some fans treat the twist that Yusuke is a descendant of Raizen as a hint at his father’s identity. However, the series never really addresses if it was his mother or his father who had yokai blood.