SPOILER: EVERYBODY DIES
The Reborn! anime has closed up shop, pulled down the curtain, locked the door, and went home drunk.
I've seen good endings, I've seen bad endings, and I've seen downright terrible endings. And you know what Reborn!'s ending is?
Adequate. Barely.
Mmmhmmm.
Yes, it followed the manga. But that's the problem.
You see, I felt this was a case of the makers of the anime just throwing their hands up and saying "Okay, we're done." rather than planning out an actual ending that befitted the series. I mean, we didn't even know it was actually ending until about a week ago. Normally, when animes end, you know months ahead of time and the finale is suitably epic (or epically bad). But this was the creators essentially saying "oh, BTW, it's over" and just ending it right there.
I have no complaints that it followed the manga. But the anime is a completely different creature altogether. It's had two entire filler arcs that were completely relevant to the plot, and expanded on quite a few characters, backgrounds and plot lines. Can you see where sticking the ending from a manga where none of those things happened could be problematic?
The ending doesn't really feel like an ending. It just feels like a transition between two arcs, because to be honest, it leaves a lot unclosed.
1. Does Tsuna actually become a mafia boss? I know that the ending is supposed to be opened ended and imply that he continues his training, and you see his future self, but the entire point of the series was to make him one. This is why leaving the ceremony arc out was kind of a bad move; you never actually get to see Tsuna become what the entire series was supposed to make him be.
2. The Arcobalenos. Yes, I know we had an arc about them. But what of their curse? Will it break? Will they ever find a way to break it? Why were they chosen in particular? What did Colonello do to stop Lal from becoming one, and why was that partially unsuccessful? Now that the Tri-Ni-Set is broken, are they even needed? Why did they turn into babies of all things? Is Viper a boy or a girl? So many questions left unanswered.
3. Characters that were introduced and were given little to no backstory. I'm looking at you, Fran. Him and Uncle Kawahira stand out the most as characters that basically came out of nowhere. How did they get the hell rings? Why did Mukuro take Fran as an apprentice when he had Chrome already? How is Kawahira such a master illusionist? Where the hell did they come from? Without more time to expand, these characters come off as plot devices. Hilarious plot devices, but still.
4. Relationships were rather undisclosed. At the end, we were left exactly as we started, with all the relationships between the cast being exactly as they were towards the beginning, with little change. Tsuna still loves Kyoko from afar, Gokudera still is antagonistic towards everyone sans Tsuna, Hibari's still a flat character, you get the picture. With all that they've been through together, I think at least a nod towards the changed relationships would make me feel more satisfied.
But anyhow, on to better things.
-I love the Millefiore villains, but I laughed when Kikyo got headshott'd by Xanxus. It's like even the creators were saying "NO VILLAINS CAN'T BE SYMPATHETIC AT ALL STFU ABOUT THAT THING CALLED BACKSTORY"
-"I see Mammon!" "Oh, you look well." OTP WHAT
-The scene between Gokudera and Bianchi was really sweet. Kudos to Goku for showing something more than PMS and JUDAIMEEEEEEE. Their interactions also that sibling vibe that had bent absent up untill then. But the MOSCA and yeah the scene is ruined.
-The extra lines they gave Fran were great :3 NOW JUST TELL US WHERE THE HELL YOU CAME FROM
-I'm so shallow, but that 10 second shot of Xanxus talking was A++ in hotness.
-Ryohei freaking out = gold.
-Seeing the future guardians for all of 4 seconds was great.
-BIG BAD WAS KILLED, TSUNA LAUGHS AND LOOKS UP AT THE SKY, UNICORNS SHAT RAINBOWS, REBORN'S OVER EVERYONE GO HOME
oh hai there Byakuran
wait
holy crap
is that the beach from Inception?
EVERYTHING MAKES SENSE NOW.
Tsuna is batfuck insane. It was all a dream, and Byakuran is his extractor (the Real Six Funeral wreaths are his dream team associates). He "died" in order to get to the fourth level to unlock Tsuna's subconsciousness and hopefully wake him up. Fran is the architect; how do you think he manages to break someone out of prison when he's never been there? He made it. Also explains his breaking of the forth wall and nonchalantness. The Varia were trying to kill Tsuna to "take over the vongola family" aka take over this world and wake him up, but lost their sanity in the dream and began to believe it was real.
All the villains are trying to kill him in the dream, so that he can wake up in reality. They are the good guys.
That was probably the crackiest thing I have ever wrote what.
I promise I'll post something less ranty and insane next time.
I've seen good endings, I've seen bad endings, and I've seen downright terrible endings. And you know what Reborn!'s ending is?
Adequate. Barely.
Mmmhmmm.
Yes, it followed the manga. But that's the problem.
You see, I felt this was a case of the makers of the anime just throwing their hands up and saying "Okay, we're done." rather than planning out an actual ending that befitted the series. I mean, we didn't even know it was actually ending until about a week ago. Normally, when animes end, you know months ahead of time and the finale is suitably epic (or epically bad). But this was the creators essentially saying "oh, BTW, it's over" and just ending it right there.
I have no complaints that it followed the manga. But the anime is a completely different creature altogether. It's had two entire filler arcs that were completely relevant to the plot, and expanded on quite a few characters, backgrounds and plot lines. Can you see where sticking the ending from a manga where none of those things happened could be problematic?
The ending doesn't really feel like an ending. It just feels like a transition between two arcs, because to be honest, it leaves a lot unclosed.
1. Does Tsuna actually become a mafia boss? I know that the ending is supposed to be opened ended and imply that he continues his training, and you see his future self, but the entire point of the series was to make him one. This is why leaving the ceremony arc out was kind of a bad move; you never actually get to see Tsuna become what the entire series was supposed to make him be.
2. The Arcobalenos. Yes, I know we had an arc about them. But what of their curse? Will it break? Will they ever find a way to break it? Why were they chosen in particular? What did Colonello do to stop Lal from becoming one, and why was that partially unsuccessful? Now that the Tri-Ni-Set is broken, are they even needed? Why did they turn into babies of all things? Is Viper a boy or a girl? So many questions left unanswered.
3. Characters that were introduced and were given little to no backstory. I'm looking at you, Fran. Him and Uncle Kawahira stand out the most as characters that basically came out of nowhere. How did they get the hell rings? Why did Mukuro take Fran as an apprentice when he had Chrome already? How is Kawahira such a master illusionist? Where the hell did they come from? Without more time to expand, these characters come off as plot devices. Hilarious plot devices, but still.
4. Relationships were rather undisclosed. At the end, we were left exactly as we started, with all the relationships between the cast being exactly as they were towards the beginning, with little change. Tsuna still loves Kyoko from afar, Gokudera still is antagonistic towards everyone sans Tsuna, Hibari's still a flat character, you get the picture. With all that they've been through together, I think at least a nod towards the changed relationships would make me feel more satisfied.
But anyhow, on to better things.
-I love the Millefiore villains, but I laughed when Kikyo got headshott'd by Xanxus. It's like even the creators were saying "NO VILLAINS CAN'T BE SYMPATHETIC AT ALL STFU ABOUT THAT THING CALLED BACKSTORY"
-"I see Mammon!" "Oh, you look well." OTP WHAT
-The scene between Gokudera and Bianchi was really sweet. Kudos to Goku for showing something more than PMS and JUDAIMEEEEEEE. Their interactions also that sibling vibe that had bent absent up untill then. But the MOSCA and yeah the scene is ruined.
-The extra lines they gave Fran were great :3 NOW JUST TELL US WHERE THE HELL YOU CAME FROM
-I'm so shallow, but that 10 second shot of Xanxus talking was A++ in hotness.
-Ryohei freaking out = gold.
-Seeing the future guardians for all of 4 seconds was great.
-BIG BAD WAS KILLED, TSUNA LAUGHS AND LOOKS UP AT THE SKY, UNICORNS SHAT RAINBOWS, REBORN'S OVER EVERYONE GO HOME
oh hai there Byakuran
wait
holy crap
is that the beach from Inception?
EVERYTHING MAKES SENSE NOW.
Tsuna is batfuck insane. It was all a dream, and Byakuran is his extractor (the Real Six Funeral wreaths are his dream team associates). He "died" in order to get to the fourth level to unlock Tsuna's subconsciousness and hopefully wake him up. Fran is the architect; how do you think he manages to break someone out of prison when he's never been there? He made it. Also explains his breaking of the forth wall and nonchalantness. The Varia were trying to kill Tsuna to "take over the vongola family" aka take over this world and wake him up, but lost their sanity in the dream and began to believe it was real.
All the villains are trying to kill him in the dream, so that he can wake up in reality. They are the good guys.
That was probably the crackiest thing I have ever wrote what.
I promise I'll post something less ranty and insane next time.