SerpApi.Org
The best anime are those that spawn thriving fan communities that break down and analyze every aspect of the show, and sometimes, this fan analysis can reveal darker things than most would have imagined. The worlds that these theories imagine are more tragic than the original stories, and even the most innocent or mundane anime are not exempt from these kinds of theories. What makes them so haunting, besides how wild they are, is how plausible they are.
Many of these theories reframe entire worlds, turning stories that once seemed lighthearted into bleak and horrifying tales. In another world, a different creator could have made the same anime under a different genre and told these dark stories. Many of these theories, from anime like Spirited Away and Attack on Titan, will likely never be confirmed. However, each one of them is just coherent enough to stick in fans’ consciousness.
Ash Ketchum Has Been in a Coma Since Episode 1
Ash Ketchum being in a coma is one of the longest-standing Pokémon fan theories to date. The theory has roots in the very first episode of the anime, when Ash was struck by lightning. According to this theory, all his adventures are just dreams conjured by his subconscious mind.
Believers of this theory even see his companions as aspects of his mind. Brooke is reason, Misty is emotion and Pikachu is his connection to his own innocence, turning Pokémon from a fun kids' show to a dark illusion. The theory has been around for so long because, no matter how hard people probe, it never stops making sense.
Homura Is the True Villain of Madoka Magica
Homura Akemi's fate was devastating as she repeatedly went back in time trying to save her friend in Puella Magi Madoka Magica. However, according to one theory, her mission wasn't as selfless as she made it seem. This theory proposes that her intention twisted over time. Instead of just wanting to save Madoka, Homura became obsessed with control because the repeated time loops warped her morality, causing her to become fixated on winning.
According to this Puella Magi Madoka Magica theory, Homura is an even bigger manipulator than Kyubey. She is the one character who knows how everything will play out, and some theorists believe that she uses this to her advantage to further her god-like delusions.
Doraemon Is a Hallucination and Nobita Is Mentally Ill
According to this Doraemon theory, the robotic cat was a hallucination created by a mentally ill Nobita in order to cope with his life. The most popular version of this theory proposes that Nobita is a person with schizophrenia, and even goes as far as theorizing that he took his own life. Though this theory has been fully debunked, fans can’t deny that there is some sense to it.
The theory explains why the series never tries too hard to explain what Doraemon's futuristic gadgets are, or how they work. It also explains the overtly hopeful tone of the series, and how Doraemon seems to fix all of Nobita's problems. Instead of being a nostalgic childhood classic, this theory suggests that Doraemon is a much more tragic tale.
All of Osomatsu’s Brothers Are Dead
On first watch, Osomatsu-san is just an absurd comedy reboot of an old classic. However, its fandom is actually known for thinking up some of the most insane theories for the series. One of the most popular theories is that all the Matsuno brothers are dead in the reboot except Osomatsu. The reboot series follows the six brothers into adulthood as they try to navigate new struggles.
According to this theory, Osomatsu lost his brothers sometime between the two series, but continues to hallucinate them to cope with the dark realities of adulthood. This theory explains the surreal tone of the series as a projection of Osomatsu's psyche. All the fourth wall breaks and chaotic comedy aren't stylistic choices, but a mind forcing itself to stay in the absurd to avoid reality.
Spirited Away Is About Child Trafficking
Spirited Away is one of the many whimsical fantasy movies of Studio Ghibli. But some fans believe that there is more to this movie than meets the eye. According to this theory, the tale of Spirited Away is a metaphor for the child trafficking business. The theory holds up extraordinarily well if one looks at the movie very closely.
The bathhouse represents how victims lose their identities. All the laborers lose their names to represent how victims often lose their sense of self. The bodies of their victims are taken over by abusers and made to work against their will, much like Yubaba. Even the contract that Chihiro enters into can be read as coercive. Her flight in this interpretation is even more symbolic because she is a survivor of a dark world.
Madara’s Infinite Tsukuyomi Succeeded
Naruto:Shippuden fans have theorized for a long time that the series' ending has a strangely disjointed feeling. The ending was too peaceful and hopeful, and came after a confusing last-minute villain bait-and-switch. In an attempt to resolve this mismatch, fans developed the theory that Madara's Infinite Tsukuyomi actually succeeded, and the final arc of the story is all an illusion.
In this theory, Madara himself conjured up Kaguya as a distraction in the immediate aftermath of his Infinite Tsukuyomi being triggered. The theory certainly helps to explain Kaguya's sudden arrival out of left field, and the series' conclusion feeling rushed. It makes sense that all the final resolutions are just the idealistic dreams of the characters within Madara's mass illusion.
The Titans Represent Human Sins
Avid watchers of Attack on Titan have been able to come up with some theories that make the story’s world even more complex. This is impressive, as the anime is already heavy with complexity. Beyond politics and tragedy, the story of AoT is full of metaphors and allegories. One of these, according to fans, is that the Titans are supposed to symbolize the sins of humanity. Their grotesque forms reflect the corruption that can lie within humanity.
According to this theory, all of humanity's most destructive tendencies are embodied by the titans. They show how these traits are capable of destroying the entire world. This is most evident through the Rumbling. Eren isn't just a genocidal freedom fighter, but someone raining judgment down on humanity for its actions.
The Homunculi Represent the Elric Brothers’ Sins
The Homonculi of Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood are an obvious reference to the seven deadly sins of the Catholic canon. But in a series that is so full of symbolism and themes, some people believe that there is more to these creations. Some believe that the Homonculi specifically represent the sins of the Elric brothers. Sins like Lust, Greed, Gluttony and Pride are evident in the brothers' failed attempt at reviving their mother at the start of the show.
This FMA: Brotherhood theory proposes that the sins represent their dark sides. These are the thoughts they grapple with throughout their journey as they encounter the consequences of their actions. Instead of being mere villains and only extensions of Father, this theory gives the Homunculi even deeper meanings. Their subsequent deaths represent the brothers' purification as they confront their shortcomings.
The Girls in Wonder Egg Priority Are Troubled Teens Experiencing Drug-Induced Psychosis
Wonder Egg Priority is a beloved fantasy series, but this theory argues that the series is not supernatural at all. According to this, the girls are all troubled teens, and the eggs are actually drugs that they get addicted to. Every new egg is a dose of this drug, and the monsters they fight are projections of their abusers and troubles. This theory isn't too far from the canon, as the girls are truly plagued by all kinds of trauma.
The theory just takes things a step further, even suggesting that all the injuries the girls sustain during Wonder Egg Priority's "battles" are actually self-inflicted. Their traumatized minds invent monsters and threats to avoid their own self-destructive reality. All the fractured logic of the anime is explained this way, and fans have an even deeper layer of themes to unpack.
Sakamoto Is Actually Dying
Sakamoto Days has been a hit since the manga was first published, so the anime's success wasn't a surprise. What was surprising was the number of fan theories that the series spawned. Among these theories, the most popular is that Sakamoto's laid-back life was not truly a choice. This theory says that Sakamoto is actually terminally ill and dreaming up a fantastic life for himself.
Sakamoto's time as a hitman, as well as his assassination and recent adventures, are all fake. This theory feels strong when fans contrast the quiet domesticity of his life with the violence of his past. Believers of this theory think that the series is the attempt of a dying man to rewrite his life into something more interesting, framing all the humor of the series as denial and wistful escapism.
