Fair warning: many of these occur at the end of a work, so spoilers may be unmarked. Tread carefully.
Last-Second Chances in Anime and Manga.
- In Attack on Titan, Jean and Connie desperately try to talk Reiner and Bertolt down, using The Power of Friendship. After this triggers Bertolt's Villainous BSoD, Mikasa calms down from her previous murderous rage and asks him to give Eren back. He regrettably responds that he can't, and after several more casualties, the group ultimately manages to rescue Eren, leaving Reiner and Bertolt behind.
- Dragon Ball:
- In Dragon Ball Z Goku abruptly ends the battle with Frieza, claiming that the tyrant was no longer a challenge to him and thus not worth fighting anymore. Goku goes on to say that he's satisfied in leaving Namek in the knowledge that Frieza would be forever tormented by the humiliation of his defeat at the hands of a Saiyan. To reinforce his distaste in continuing the battle Goku powers down from his Super Saiyan form and immediately flies off. Frieza enraged by his words throws an energy disk at Goku (akin to Krillin's destructo disk) as a last-ditch effort to kill Goku; this betrayal of the mercy Goku offered Frieza incites his wrath and has him passionately retort: "You truly are a helpless fool! I gave you one last chance to live, and this is how you repay me?!" Frieza ends up cutting himself in half with his own attack, but Goku gives him another chance to save himself by transferring some of his own lifeforce to Frieza. When Frieza still keeps attacking him, Goku finally has had enough and goes for the Coup de Grâce.
- In Dragon Ball Super, years later (both in universe and in reality), Moro is beaten within an inch of his life after a rampage across the entire universe that resulted in the deaths of countless innocent lives. Goku gives Moro a senzu bean to heal him on the condition that he return to Galactic Prison. Moro agrees and is healed... and adds on that he'll do so only after killing Goku. The results very immediately proves to have been a massive mistake on Moro's part.
- In Higurashi: When They Cry Hanyuu gives this sort of version to Takano after she lost, saying that she can forgive the sins of man. However, Takano rejects the offer, saying that it's too late, then tries to shoot Mion.
- Used at the end of Magical Girl Lyrical Nanoha. Precia refuses Fate's offer, however, and goes down with the tank containing Alicia's lifeless body.
- Lyle Dylandy offers this to Ali al-Saachez in episode 24 of Season 2 of Mobile Suit Gundam 00. It doesn't work... however he's smart enough not to lower his gun, allowing him to immediately shoot Ali when the latter attempts to turn around and fire at him.
- Nina tries to pull this on Johan in Monster by forgiving him for his actions (towards her, at least) in the climax, to stop his plan to make Tenma shoot him. Johan replies, apparently somewhat saddened, that some things cannot be taken back or forgiven. He had already pulled the same plan on her ten years ago, and she shot him.
- Sonic the Hedgehog:
- Occurs in the OVA. When Metal Sonic is about to fall into the Lava below, Sonic reaches out to him offering his hand in a last-ditch bid to help him. Just when he's gotten close enough, Metal knocks his hand away with the same statement he's been saying all movie: "There is only one Sonic", and since he just lost to Sonic, he decided it's not him.
- The same scene is recreated in Sonic X, with Yellow Zelkova falling into lava and refusing to let Knuckles save him.
- In Toriko, IGO President Ichiryuu visits the Gourmet Corp headquarters to confront Midora. He invites Midora to share a meal with him at one of their old hangouts, reminding Midora of the good old days when they considered each other family. He then asks if Midora would be willing to share GOD. Midora smirks and declares that he'll be taking GOD all for himself. Ichiryuu resigns himself to war with his former brother, realizing they can no longer sit at the same dining table.
- In Unico in the Island of Magic, Unico refuses to attack Lord Kuruku due to strongly sympathizing with him over the reasoning for his hatred of humans and everything. Before Kuruku gets the upper hand, Unico warns him to simply break his spell and release all his puppets, or else he might be forced to use his horn to destroy him. Ignoring his warning, Unico reluctantly rams into his chest. When noticing how bad he hurt Kuruku, he decides to use a peaceful solution by telling him how strongly he pitied him and how loneliness can lead to hatred. Noticing Kuruku in pain due to his kindness and compassion towards him, Unico promises Kuruku that he will be "His friend forever" if he frees all his puppets and insists on being his friends. Sadly, Kuruku tells Unico that his hatred was the only thing keeping him alive before he and Unico fall from floating pillars as Kuruku turns back into a normal puppet.
- Yu-Gi-Oh!:
- One of the anime's most prominent examples is Jounouchi's/Joey's second duel with Mai during the Doma arc. Unfortunately, by the time she decides she doesn't want to kill him, he's already in the throes of a Heroic Sacrifice. Mai was still under Mind Rape/brainwashing when she was about to finish him off but suddenly snapped out of it at that very moment.
- In Yu-Gi-Oh! ZEXAL, Vector of the Barian emperors has proven himself to be a remorseless monster, but when he was about to get absorbed by the series' God of Evil, Yuma risks his life to save him, saying he still considers him a friend (since Vector had previously masqueraded as one of Yuma's lovable friends, and it has been revealed that most of his sadistic persona is due to Mind Rape). While it appears at first that Vector is moved, he reveals his psychotic face again, wanting to take Yuma with him towards their demise, much to the others' shock. However, Yuma still smiles at him and promises him to go with him, so that he is never alone. This time, however, Vector lets goes of Yuma and bids him farewell before letting himself be absorbed.
