Anime storytelling thrives on unexpected turns, with some twists catching audiences completely off guard. However, not all surprises are created equal. Some reveals feel less like twists and more like inevitabilities or confirmations of what fans had long theorized. While these moments don’t necessarily fail on a narrative level, they don’t deliver the punch they’re meant to pack.
In many of these cases, the effectiveness of the twist is diluted by heavy foreshadowing, visual cues, or even narrative logic that points toward certain outcomes before they occur. By the time the truth is revealed, the reaction is far from disbelief as audiences finally watch the inevitable come to pass.
Frieza Survives Namek (Dragon Ball Z)
Frieza’s apparent death on Namek initially seems like a decisive endpoint to his story. Goku leaves him weakened, bisected, and abandoned on a planet that teeters on the brink of total destruction. The story treats it as if the conflict has been resolved, and moves the story forward.
However, given that fans never truly saw Frieza die, his return to Earth alongside King Cold was hardly a twist. Especially since Dragon Ball has a long history of reversing fatal outcomes and bringing back villains one last time. As a result, Frieza’s survival felt more inevitable than an unbelievable shock.
Minato Is Naruto’s Father (Naruto)
The question of who Naruto’s parents were was a long-standing one that many fans had had for years. Yet, by the time of the revelation that his father is none other than Minato Nanikaze, audiences had already long since come to that conclusion. Long before the official reveal, fans had already seen Minato’s appearance and noted the similarities to Naruto.
The two share distinctive visual traits, including similar hair and the same-colored eyes. Later, fans learn they share mannerisms and an unmistakable thematic connection through their ideals and abilities, making it rather obvious that the two were connected before the official reveal.
Annie Is the Female Titan (Attack on Titan)
The Female Titan’s identity is treated as a central mystery in the first season of Attack on Titan. Her sudden appearance, tactical intelligence, and fixation on capturing Eren quickly made her stand out from the countless other Titans in the series. However, from the moment fans saw the Female Titan, it was clear that it was Annie.
The Female Titan shares distinctive features that pretty much identically resemble Annie. Paired with her martial arts style and cold demeanor, the Female Titan stood out as an identical parallel to Annie, making the reveal in the tunnel far less shocking than it may have intended to be.
Dabi Is Toya Todoroki (My Hero Academia)
Although My Hero Academia mainly focuses on one protagonist, Izuku Midoriya, it grows to include a deuteragonist, Katsuki Bakugo, and a tritagonist, Shoto Todoroki. When it was finally revealed that Dabi was Toya Todoroki, it served as a major turning point in the series as it connected the villain to one of the main protagonists of the story.
The reveal reframed past conflicts and explained Dabi’s motivations and hatred for Endeavor. However, there were many clues pointing to his heritage in his quirk, eyes, dialogue, and interactions with Shoto and Endeavor. So by the time the truth was finally confirmed, many fans had already anticipated the reveal.
Gojo Had To Be Removed From the Story (Jujutsu Kaisen)
Satoru Gojo stood as the most powerful sorcerer in Jujutsu Kaisen, with his presence alone enough to change the tides in any situation. He resolved conflicts with minimal effort, making him a source of ease that dilutes tension. With a character as powerful as Gojo, no threat feels too big or threatening.
That’s precisely why many fans knew he had to be removed from the story one way or another to raise the stakes and allow the storyline to unfold without a practically undefeatable sorcerer overshadowing every challenge. While many fans didn’t know how Gojo would be removed, it was clear that he had to go in order to move the story forward.
Kaori Miyazono’s Death (Your Lie in April)
It was clear from the beginning for many fans that Your Lie in April would have a tragic ending. Kaori’s passing at the end of the series served as the emotional climax and cemented the series as one of the best works dealing with loss and personal growth with its tragic, bittersweet, and poetic finale.
However, there were many hints that steadily accumulated throughout the series that pointed to her inevitable fate. While her death lands emotionally, it doesn’t shock or come as a surprise to viewers, as the story’s atmosphere, foreshadowing, and tone hinted that the narrative was building toward a tragedy.
Kyubei Is the Villain (Puella Magi Madoka Magica)
Kyubey’s role as the central antagonist in Puella Magi Madoka Magica is revealed through the consequences of his manipulations and emotionless nature. While it initially appears as a helpful guide, Kyubey’s actions are eventually revealed to be a self-serving agenda for the Incubators, reshaping the story and characters when they learn the truth.
However, there were many clues hinting at its true nature that suggested it was far from benevolent. Despite its cute, seemingly harmless appearance, Kyubey’s secret role as the central antagonist felt inevitable due to a strong, growing distrust that gradually built throughout the series.
Gaku Yashiro Was the Killer (Erased)
The revelation that Gaku Yashiro was the murderer in Erased was designed to be the story’s climactic twist that completely reframes his interactions with the protagonist in the series. Initially introduced as a supportive teacher and mentor, his dual life as a calculating killer was supposed to land as a shock to viewers.
However, the clues pointing to his identity were present early on in the series, and there were far too many inconsistencies to go unnoticed. When the truth finally comes to light, it lands more as recognition or confirmation than surprise, with many fans sharing that they were able to piece together the truth ahead of the reveal.
Light Doesn’t Win for Long (Death Note)
Light Yagami’s ultimate downfall in Death Note served as the story’s climactic conclusion and culmination of Light’s journey. Despite his careful planning and sharp intellect, his defeat was inevitable from the beginning, making it clear that he would have to face the consequences of his actions.
Given Ryuk’s warning at the beginning of the series, many viewers anticipated Light’s defeat one way or another, whether by L or by the shinigami himself. By the time L was defeated, despite standing as a monumental victory for Light, many fans agreed that the eventual outcome still felt inevitable, and the introduction of L’s successors only cemented it.
Nice Is Still Alive (To Be Hero X)
To Be Hero X is an anthology following the top heroes before a biannual tournament to determine who is the most powerful and deserving of the title X. From the beginning of the series, the story takes a dark turn as a popular hero known as Nice jumps from a roof to his death.
However, despite being initially replaced by Lin Ling, Nice’s presence haunts the later arcs of the story, leading many to believe that he would return to the story alive. Then, in the final episode, viewers see him heading toward the tournament, confirming that he survived; however, many didn’t expect his appearance to look broken, as if he were glass.
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