Well, 5 moments that were surprising for me, at least.
This topic was suggested by Tetrax, who unfortunately has gone on a hiatus in order to concentrate on his studies and real life in general. He was very proficient at writing up lengthy and detailed reviews on anime series and was very focused on keeping the anime blogging community together. Tetrax was a role model and I’m so sorry that I was too late. At least he’ll return in the near future, right? He’s not dead, right?
In regards to this list, these are, as noted earlier, 5 particular anime moments that caught me off-guard when I first experienced them. Needless to say, a lot of these moments happened early into my anime viewing experience (but not all of them).
I’ll try my best to keep each moment spoiler-free.
Alright, here goes!
Saki’s first on-screen rinshan kaihou (Saki episode 1)
Before 2009, I knew nothing about riichi mahjong so a lot of what happened in that first episode just flew over my head. But that very first moment our protagonist did a rinshan kaihou in order to keep a ±0 score while operating under an imposed handicap was a special one.
The special effects suddenly went wild and I was left in awe after seeing Saki accomplish a miracle. Little did I know she’d do that again and again since that was her signature move. Still, that very first rinshan kaihou tsumo was magical to me.
Jean’s secret plan (ACCA: 13-ku Kansatsu-ka episode 12)
Who would have thought that Jean ended up being the one pulling the strings towards the end? The fact that he secretly took an active role after he was forced to spend episode after episode being pulled along by and played with everyone else was very satisfying to witness and experience.
Mami meets Charlotte (Puella Magi Madoka Magica episode 3)
Yup. It got me.
The girl who won the Shingo Bowl (Mashiro-iro Symphony)
I sure didn’t expect the girl who won to be the winner in this series. And that’s all I’ll say about this. What a twist!
Megumi’s machinations (Sora yori mo Tooi Basho episode 5)
Sharper viewers might have caught on earlier. The hints were definitely there all along. But I was not such a detail-orientated viewer this time around, unfortunately. Wow!
Honorable mention: Diamond’s fight in episode 10 of Houseki no Kuni.
Aaaand that’s all, folks. Do you remember any specific moments in anime that caught you off-guard? I’d love to hear about it in the comments section!
The Lily Garden 
Oh my goodness, there are far too many surprising moments in anime to name them all. If one immediately springs to mind, it’s a more laid back discovery in Aria where Akari and her friends undergo a kind of scavenger hunt through Neo Venezia and finally reach their goal. The reward is something immaterial and priceless.
I also remember realizing how special anime was after watching Azumanga Daioh at the start of my fandom. Chiyo-chan’s pigtails, Osaka’s dreams about Father, they all made fall in love with the possibilities of anime.
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Right? There are so many choice! That made this list very difficult to write.
Those are both very amazing moments. The potential within anime is simply astounding!
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Cross Game has been mentioned, and I definitely wasn’t expecting that twist. Even more shocking in the manga, as it spends a full volume on life before the incident.
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Surprising moments…hoo, boy. Madoka’s definitely would’ve been on my list if I hadn’t already been spoiled on it ahead of time. Saki’s was a very cool moment, but somehow not one where I remember feeling super-surprised (I think I was more surprised at Bansei being set up as a huge threat for 3 episodes and then getting shredded by Achiga in about 3 minutes). As for some others:
Dark Schneider’s sacrifice in Bastard!! OVA episode 5. Back in 1999, this was the first scene from an anime that totally left my jaw on the floor. Surprising enough that it happened at all, since Dark Schneider is an arrogant, narcissistic…well, bastard, and the last person you’d expect to make a sacrifice for anyone. The real stunner was how he did it, though.
The endings of episode 2 of Nanoha A’s, and (especially) episode 4 of Vivid Strike. Not many series that do surprise cliffhanger climaxes better than Nanoha, and these were two of the best.
Keita rejecting Karin’s invitation to join the gaming club in ep. 1 of Gamers. You think you’re getting set up to watch a bog standard club show, and then it throws you a fat curveball by going off in a totally different and much more interesting direction (and I appreciated that he stuck to his decision, too).
Togo’s first glimpse of the hellscape beyond the barrier in Yuki Yuna episode 10.
Hatoko’s rant in Inou Battle episode 7. Such a great scene, and I was every bit as caught off guard as Andou was when she suddenly snapped.
When Punie revealed her true nature in Magical Witch Punie-chan. She looked and acted just like a sweet, kind magical princess…until the first time someone crossed her and she suddenly went full MMA on them. And one of my favorite anime comedies was off and running.
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An excellent list. Thanks for sharing!
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Oh, gosh, PMMM’s sudden turn is definitely classic! When I think of other “classic” surprises in anime, these are the ones that come to mind:
Steins;gate: The first episode of the Mayuri arc. Heartrending and the beginning of the non-stop episodes that mark the remainder of the series.
Claymore: The sudden death of a beloved, “invincible” character not only comes so unexpected and quickly that we’re left shocked, it send ripples throughout the narrative that set the tone and story for the entire long series.
FMA: Chimera. Oh, and of course, Hughes.
Gurren Lagann: Almost the same description as that for Claymore—a very large part of the reason that TTGL is regarded in such high esteem.
School Days: I’ve never seen the series, but the ending has pass into anime lore.
Attack on Titan: When Eren was first eaten by a titan, I was totally shocked. The series had already demonstrated its brutality, and not having read the manga at that point, I wasn’t sure if it was permanent or not. If I remember correctly, the next episode didn’t address it either, so I had to wait weeks while it was airing to find out if he really lived.
Cross Game: Ohhh, this series! What a beautiful and brutal first episode. By the end of the episode, you realize this is vintage Adachi: calm and funny and pretty and serene and something that will tear your heart out. I love it.
Those are all pretty classic for anime fans, in addition to lots of surprises here and there that I’ve experienced along the way!
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Those are all great!
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Sounds like a good list despite not being as familiar with everything seen.
As far as stuff that has surprised me in anime, I can think of a few…
Shamanic Princess: The real purpose of the Throne of Yord and Lena’s backstory.
Yugo the Negotiator: The real message of the Christos rings in the Siberia Arc and the fact that the English dub is the only series I can think of to correct a mistake the Japanese version made.
Kimba the White Lion: Despite my ulterior motives in watching that 60s anime the first time, I was shocked by how well they covered topics such as genocide, racial discrimination, and even the cycle of vengeance in a G-rated way in some of the episodes.
The Place Promised In Our Early Days: The way the concept of parallel universes and timelines were portrayed. Not to mention Your Name would reuse that element. Hee hee hee…
Patapata Hikousen no Bouken: The last episode with Harry Killer’s motivations at the end.
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Thank you.
Mmm those are all (pleasantly) surprising moments! Thanks for sharing.
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You’re welcome. I’ll glad you appreciated it. I was surprised with some of those anime series having more depth and quality writing than I expected.
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Haha well I am even more sorry as I started following his blog late last year. Ughh…that is even more annoying. But of course he will be back 😊😊
Well…I shames me to say this but I haven’t seen any of these shows yet. But Acca is definitely one that has been on my list 😊😊 This was a cool idea for a post by the way. Hopefully Tetrax will be back soon 😀
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Yeah, we’ll just have to be patient.
No worries! And yes, you should watch ACCA.
We can only hope!
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