Guilty Crown Ending Explanation/Interpretation

Feb 28, 2019 11:47 AM

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Jan 2019

Damn man i just finished watching this anime and it hurts but Thanks to you it won t hurt that much how.Still why it hurts...

Apr 19, 2019 8:44 AM

#152

DinkyAlchemist

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Sep 2015

I had this on my crunchy roll list for ages and only watched it now on Netflix. I'll be honest I didn't get the ending at first, ie. why is Shu blind? etc. Your interpretation I think is correct. However I would have had to watch through the whole thing again to come to the same conclusions. There are definitely a lot of underlying subtleties throughout the whole series, some I got others I didn't. I'm glad found this because I was about to right off the ending as trash to be honest. without this explainer id have rather they left it as both Shu and Inori were dead.

Apr 29, 2019 10:08 PM

#153

OhNoTheLag

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Dec 2018

I love your theory makes me a little bit happy but I'm still crying a little bit

May 14, 2019 6:26 PM

#154

Yodawg97

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May 2019

Good theory from you @Xspy70. Finally after all this time i know the reason what inori did.
I'm really into this series, and especially the songs. Each song or soundtrack have relation to the anime.
A bit trivia but still related to this series. have you ever listen ed song of guilty crown lost christmas "planetes"? In the beginning of song, you can hear some morse code, right? A fans in japan has discover the true meaning of that morse code (using wabun code for encrypting), it says "shuu, aishiteru". Actually there're more morse codes inside the song. You can try search it in google.
Even her body is long gone but her soul and love are still there within the song :")
Btw this is the first time i make this account so i can post here :)

May 14, 2019 7:31 PM

#155

Xspy70

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Jul 2015

Yodawg97 said:
Good theory from you @Xspy70. Finally after all this time i know the reason what inori did.
I'm really into this series, and especially the songs. Each song or soundtrack have relation to the anime.
A bit trivia but still related to this series. have you ever listen ed song of guilty crown lost christmas "planetes"? In the beginning of song, you can hear some morse code, right? A fans in japan has discover the true meaning of that morse code (using wabun code for encrypting), it says "shuu, aishiteru". Actually there're more morse codes inside the song. You can try search it in google.
Even her body is long gone but her soul and love are still there within the song :")
Btw this is the first time i make this account so i can post here :)

Whoa! That is very intriguing! I had no idea! Thanks for pointing this out. Couldn't find other morse codes and their meanings though - care to link me up?

Come to think of it - I don't remember if Inory ever said she loves Shu to Shu directly. It's been too long. That's one way of saying it.

May 14, 2019 11:13 PM

#156

Yodawg97

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May 2019

Xspy70 said:

Whoa! That is very intriguing! I had no idea! Thanks for pointing this out. Couldn't find other morse codes and their meanings though - care to link me up?

Come to think of it - I don't remember if Inory ever said she loves Shu to Shu directly. It's been too long. That's one way of saying it.

tbh it has discovered long time ago (lol) and i know it from certain fan page on facebook.

you can read the article in here : https://anime.stackexchange.com/questions/18403/meaning-of-telegraph-code-in-the-song-planetes

and for the video you can watch it here : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7JuxSwlEkkg

although there're more morse codes in it, it's really hard to listen. so i just copy paste all the morse translation here:

"Now I'm far from you
I suddenly remembered
The warmth of your hand
A smile is on your face
Everything from you
I've fallen in love
Do you remember that?
I remember everything
Everything is beautiful and very charming
I will not accept it again
I know it
thank you
I am thankful
And I hope to see you again someday"

ah i find the twitter person who translate all the morse code : https://twitter.com/sukko0626

Yodawg97May 14, 2019 11:23 PM

May 15, 2019 12:07 PM

#157

Xspy70

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Jul 2015

Yodawg97 said:

Thanks! This is a good find!

May 27, 2019 9:20 AM

#158

KeoAcedia

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May 2019

Honestly, I felt the same way when I finished this anime. I believe if I was able to come to the same conclusion BEFORE reading this article and then reading it and realizing someone else out there thought the same way...

We may just be right lol. (I didnt know all of the finer details like you did, but the gist of it was basically what I was thinking.)

Jun 7, 2019 3:23 AM

#159

_Panda_Cheese_

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Jun 2019

Thank you so much for the debunk, I missed out one detail when i finished just now and I didn't really get it. Appreciate all your effort writing all this, enjoyed watching it till the end.

Aug 12, 2019 7:29 AM

#160

Smags_for_real

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Dec 2015

I just finished it and I was so overwhelmed with the ending. Thanks to you though I now believe this is the actual ending. Gai also said to Shu when they talked in the "crystal" or whatever it was that now it was in his hands to save Inory so how possible it is for him to not have saved her? Really believe what you said us true.

Feb 16, 2020 8:54 PM

#161

1_2_3_T_4_5_6

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Feb 2020

InoriYShu said:
I think this is the end because when I finished it I also thought that and i wonder if one day Inori would have a body although she seemed very happy, so I will be happy with the happiness of Shu X Inori
❤

Actually, someone found a hidden ending. Not just an ordinary hidden ending, but a happy ending that was hidden inside the Opening Song #2 all this time.
Inori is alive, physically in the real ending.

https://www.bilibili.com/read/cv1458291/
The link above is where you can find the answer. But it is in Chinese and google translate couldn't be able to fully translate it.

May 25, 2020 8:48 PM

#162

0Barbarossa0

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Apr 2020

THX ................!!!!!!!!!!! best explanation CUDOS to u ! just the bad thing that the anime feels in a rush u to solve all the things u say u cant keep up with all the staff couse too much unknown piled to the end ...! it is sad that u have to search have to solve or gather all the pieces to understand it ...

May 26, 2020 2:02 PM

#163

Xspy70

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Jul 2015

1_2_3_T_4_5_6 said:

Hey, that's some interesting article. Too bad I can't understand it - Google Translate doesn't really do it good. Can anyone who knows Chinese translate it? Doubt though, it's pretty long. Would love to dig into it, but it is too scrambled.

0Barbarossa0 said:
THX ................!!!!!!!!!!! best explanation CUDOS to u ! just the bad thing that the anime feels in a rush u to solve all the things u say u cant keep up with all the staff couse too much unknown piled to the end ...! it is sad that u have to search have to solve or gather all the pieces to understand it ...

You're welcome! I agree.

Jun 17, 2020 1:23 PM

#164

Amatniki

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Aug 2018

41211

Yeah, its a very "empty" ending. Doesnt explain much and well Inori died so there really wont be a season 2. I hate that they had to end it like that.

Jun 22, 2020 4:14 AM

#165

SomeGuyWithHair

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Jul 2019

1305

I honestly think the ending felt strange like, "Is that it? What the hell?" so I looked for some explanations behind it and I found this.

Gotta say, good job. While it's still sad that Inori doesn't have a body anymore, it's way better than leaving it just like that. You changed my mind about the show. I still believe that it's not a masterpiece as there are some questions still lingering in my mind that bothers me a lot and also think that this needs more episodes to wrap it all up neatly and fully give it a proper closure, I'll give it an 8/10.

SomeGuyWithHairJun 22, 2020 10:16 AM

Jul 2, 2020 6:40 PM

#166

P-edro

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Apr 2020

WOW! Congrats for this post, maybe this is greater than Evangelion theories and explanations.

Ngl, I'm glad I dropped the show soon enough, I just came here to have some conclusions of the ending, if was good or bad. If you need to make a big post like this to explain the ending, it can be considere a big pile of crap so.

And your theory seems to please more the viewers than the original ending so, good job once again.

I neither agree nor disagree, on the contrary.

Aug 9, 2020 2:48 PM

#167

Produkteris

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Aug 2020

So i watched GC recently, and just wanted to see what do people think about this anime, and to my surprise i found this. I read all the comments in this thread, and i feel so disappointed in people, because from reading their comments how your explanation pleased people, im the only one (at least form this comment section) who already thought that this(all the things you said Xspy70 in your explanation) is how it ended, i didn't need any theorys to understand it, because all the dots connect in the end (if you actually paid attention). Im even confused how could people think that this is not how it ends, all of this was pretty clear from start. I feel like people truly don't care about what they watch sometimes. The only thing i wish that would've been explained more was Cat's Cradles.

Wanted to add a few things too, about Shu's blindness, it seems that you all forgot how the King's Power is related to eyes( its one of the condition that you have to look in to other's eyes to pull out the Void ,in other sense see their heart's), so maybe of him loosing his power ended up in some kinda side effect making him blind, which would also mean that he has no right to look in to other people's hearts anymore, except his OWN. Making him be able to see only his soul which is also connected to Inori, and thus making Shu and Inori able to meet at ,,spiritual lobby''(love the name you gave to this place). This would also deny the theory about how Shu was affected by Inori's blindness, which was side effect of crystalization(because we know that crystalization doesnt effect soul).

And another song that is without doubt connected to Inori's surival and i by survival i mean her soul. That song is ,,Release My Soul''. Soo the scene where Inori sacrifices her body, and then we see all the crystalization shattering from Shu, the songs that is playing has THESE lyrics starting on that exact moment,
''To stay with you always
You're the world to me
And dreaming on
So you can take my sword for you
Oh How do you feel so fine
You're the world to me
And dream on
You stole my heart so long ago
Oh I release my soul
So you feel my song''

That first line, says it all. That line alone should already make you think that she is with him. She is without doubt with him always from that moment and forever. Making me think to olmost peotic thing. Even tho a human being cant feel other human physical touch or that warmth, there is still even more pleasant feeling of warmth of another soul.

Another very intresting mythological thing is the ,,Red String of Fate'' which we see when Inori is giving her soul to Shu(which is sligtly glowing in red color and is a string, and by giving him her soul she ties the knot of their fate. It olmost makes you think that all the events of GC is for Shu and Inori to meet each other.
,,The red string of fate can stretch or tangle but can never break.''

Just wanted to thank you for your hard work in explaining all the ending to the ones that didn't get it and though it was out of place or something like that.

ProdukterisAug 9, 2020 3:08 PM

Sep 5, 2020 11:47 PM

#168

Mancoverdinbooks

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Sep 2020

Omg, I love your thesis man. 3 years ago I watched this anime series since then I was down and depressed even until now I cannot get over it and decided to just try to erase the anime series from memory, but thanks to the internet once in a while I keep seeing pictures of the anime which made me remember it and be back to square 1 again so I can never forget the anime. I saw the link on this post on the internet stating that it will change my views on the ending and thank GOD I trusted the link and click it to read. I really thank you for spending hours and hours analyzing and scrutinizing various details of the anime that out a peaceful end of my depression. I cannot thank you enough. With all that said, would you mind writing my dissertation for me? I believe you would be better making one than me lol. just kidding, I just want to be relieved fully

Oct 26, 2020 12:16 AM

#169

removed-user

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Jul 2018

564055

@Xspy70
How to thank you enough, you really are awesome buddy, thanks a lot

Jan 30, 2021 3:35 PM

#170

Maxpoel

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Jan 2021

@Xspy70 Hello, how are u !? Hope u are fine. I watched GC like 4y ago now, and recently i came again into it and i don't why or how but im really happy about that. When i watched it for 1st Time i don't get over the end ans now i discover ur article so thanks u because for me its seem correct and logic. But i have a ask if it is right that when a person give u ur string it means transfering her soul to his body did that mean that what mana want to do with shu when they were childs !? Also i saw a chinese article that saying the op 2 was a plot and telling that inory was alived, get physicaly reincarned and now is with shu , u think it's right !? ( Op 2 ). Hope u will answer me soin, i know it's a bit late but i really don't know why i remember all that things again but im really happy because with that i fond ur post. Have a nice day :)
PS sorry for bad english ^^

MaxpoelJan 30, 2021 3:48 PM

Feb 1, 2021 7:05 PM

#171

Hitoribotchi

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Feb 2021

I originally came up with this same conclusion just not as detailed as yours but as I thought u came up with one question that made me think otherwise. my question is what happened to all the Voids? At first I thought they were all going back to their original owners but then Shu said something along the lines of “I can feel their emotions and lives going through me” (I think). So that made me think that the Voids had gone into Shu. But then I thought if he dies won’t everyone else die (cause he was gonna die) because their souls got cut completely defeating the purpose of everything he was trying to do? But then Inori (Inory) gave her soul to Shu, so does that mean Shu holds the souls of everyone in the world? But if that’s the case how is everyone else still talking, walking, etc., etc. I don’t know if I missed something or am just reading too far into things but I would like to know.

HitoribotchiFeb 1, 2021 7:16 PM

Feb 1, 2021 7:25 PM

#172

Hitoribotchi

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Feb 2021

Xspy70 said:

Luis-_-R said:
So I was thinking of everything I remember and I might have a theory of the involvement of shu losing his power but what if he didn't lose them at all like you mentioned he shuts his eyes to gain his innocence or something similar to that and I agree but it could also be in addition to what you said, him shutting his power away because he has no need for it and he probaly can't use it. Now I know it's debatable on what happened to his power and if he lost it or not but remember that his metal arm is an affect of his void he brought his void out when he regains the power of a king and he takes the weakness of others, but in the end after he defeats gui and mana he takes the void of everyone who is alive including his friends voids as well. You mentioned that the voids are also the souls of people, so when he took the voids of everyone would that mean that everyone is soulless or he was able to change the form of them somehow it's still a mystery, but you never know, also if shu lost his power how is his metal arm still there or is it that he never got rid of his own void. I think personally he has no need for him to use his power because there's no reason for him to use his power so he's not going to use it for a crisis because there is none. Also when took the voids of everyone he was prepared to die with inori and that's when she somehow takes all of them and dies like you said she used her body as the sacrifice and gave her soul to shu which means it's possible shu still can have his power and his void in addition to inoris inside of him.

Doesn't really check out here. Specific terminologies.
"Voids are the manifestations of people's personalities, souls, hearts, complexes, etc." Manifestation means, like, an image of it, not IT itself. At least, I don't think they are actual souls, as you would say, people would be soulless. I also don't think that he took their souls away. This whole thing is a virus. These voids were not there by nature. So, indeed, the virus merely manifests a soul, not replaces it (as people could live before and after the virus).

Also, there are no hints that I'm aware of that imply he still has the King's power. The metal arm you see at the end is simply a metal, prosthetic arm (that functions like a real arm because Futuristic Anime). It is NOT his void.

So yeah. Small details and specific terms. Hard to spot, tricky to use, but change everything.

There are a lot of questions, like the whole mechanism of the virus. Why does it form crystals on the body? Why does it need a body sacrifice to collect all voids to get rid of the virus? When Shu collects all the voids and gets rid of them - wouldn't that rather crystallize everyone instead of freeing them? These sort of questions. They might be there in the anime and research. Probably references to mythology. But I feel like I'm going too far with it. Extracting science out of science fiction is pretty damn hard lol.

@Loki_Kc Glad to hear! :D

Omg thank you for that. I was wondering the same thing but I wasn’t totally sure about it so thank you for answering this and thank you for asking it.

Feb 25, 2021 6:33 PM

#173

Playcool

Supreme Tsundere

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Nov 2012

4245

This was an interesting read, certainly well-argued, and in the context of what is given, which calling very subtle isn't saying doing it justice, good work indeed.

No problems with what was said, and I do believe that could have been the writer intended, but sometimes it is kinda hard to get a feel for it, cuz they like to leave shit open-ended for others to interpret for themselves when most people would just rather have a conclusive end of the narrative instead.

THAT SAID, you almost lost me there at the end when you freaking brought up that ME 3 indoctrination theory, I still recall those days when I keep telling people, that is fancy and all, but you are reading too much into it, and almost everyone was self-deluding themselves that shit was true, the devs had to come and say they never had such intent to push in that direction, which was obvious to me.

But anyway, I don't think both are the same, ME 3 really had a clear and disappointing ending, nothing else to read in between the lines, the same cant be said for CG, and while this does NOT make the anime any better (considering the train wreck it was during a good chunk of its plot), certainly brought a good closure to it.

Even though I think people do overreact saying that was the anime with the worst ending ever, even before reading this theory, nope, it wasn't that bad, and those that said it, clearly have not seen enough anime/manga/LN with shit endings, but they do exist, guys, thankfully CG wasn't one of them and this theory fits really well, enough to be seen as canon, if only the writers had been more direct about it.

Dec 9, 2021 8:39 AM

#174

Tetsuya69420

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Mar 2020

Best post I've seen on Mal. Great theory, made me understand lots of plot points and stuff. Tho I still have question about how did shu lost his eye sight..?

Feb 15, 2023 3:47 AM

#175

JZH92

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Feb 2023

Amazing ending explanation, extremely well thought out, I would also like to point out to go with your theory at the end of Shu being at peace. If you look at the cake right before it shows Shu in his state after the whole climatic scene. it was to celebrate Hare birthday. That right there shows that he completely at peace see as he couldn't even talk about her with any one and like you pointed out went strain iron dictation after she died and was willing to sacrifice even his closet friends to help other survive. Again Amazing work

Jul 9, 2023 3:18 AM

#176

1takemalu

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Jul 2023

Very nice theory, Makes me feel much better now because all this time I always hated how it ended like “he should’ve died with her” but realizing now they both are one and shu can always see and maybe talk to inori is great to know I wish they did extend it a little bit had a like a season 2 or something but oh well. After almost a little over 10 years it’s still a very unique/great anime I will never forget it my #1 fav anime. I hope nothing happens to the anime lol/ I wonder if inori was still alive at the end could they have had children?

Oct 1, 2023 2:37 PM

#177

totherpage95

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Oct 2020

108

if anyone has seen the matrix series before idk about anyone else but i feel guilty crown took inspiration from those. that's my explanation for why inori and shu were afflicted with blindness. not just that but the way everyone in guilty crown has a gun in their trench coat

Nov 27, 2023 3:32 PM

#178

Yatora_kami

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Oct 2020

Thanks for explaining dude like i readed similar explanation for like many years but your was so defined had proof to back it up and tbh it was fun to read it thanks man as fellow guilty crown lover who still watches this anime time to time ❤️✨

Dec 2, 2023 12:02 AM

#179

phantom346

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Jun 2015

3900

It hasn't been 2 decades, so NO.

READ TORIKO

Mar 15, 4:48 AM

#180

immaluckez

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Apr 2016

Masterpiece analysis 17/10. God bless u.

Dec 22, 7:18 AM

#181

Weeb_ZERO

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Dec 2021

Thank you very much, it was a big help.

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Guilty Crown Ending Explanation/Interpretation

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