Rewatch Bonus / Anime & Manga

• Attack on Titan has plenty. With the massive amount of foreshadowing and revelations, many things soon come together and make sense on a second watch.
• The first episode of Baccano! gives away the endings of every story arc in the show, and you'll have no idea what any of it means until you watch the whole thing through and start over.
• Chainsaw Man: Once you learn the real motives of Makima and Pochita's backstory, many things from earlier chapters take on a whole new meaning, like Makima hugging Denji when she meets him, listening to his heartbeat or crying when she watches a scene of two characters hugging.
• At the beginning of Cowboy Bebop, the audience knows absolutely nothing about main character Spike and his backstory, which is only hinted at, usually through quick and disjointed flashbacks. Only towards the end of the show does the audience learn more, and being armed with that knowledge gives the flashbacks, hints, and some occasional behaviors from early in the show much more meaning and makes much more sense to the viewer.
• Durarara!!: The anime is famous about this.
  • Just to start with, there are three characters in a chat room who discuss how the general public sees the events of each episode. Their identities are revealed in episode 12, and in hindsight, are super obvious.
  • Mikado always gets a very interesting look on his face whenever anyone mentions the Dollars. This is because he founded the gang as a joke over the internet, so he's shocked that it's become a serious power in the city.
  • Anri tends to shut down whenever anyone tries to hit on her (which is often), and shows a shocking amount of stamina when she drags Mikado halfway across the city without even breathing hard. Not only does she have little understanding of love, but she's bonded to the demonic blade Saika, who taught her swordsmanship and can provide her with supernatural endurance in an emergency.
  • Masaomi starts the series (after a few terrible jokes) by giving Mikado a serious rundown of local politics and telling him who to avoid. He also glares whenever he sees the Yellow Scarves. He actually founded the Yellow Scarves in middle school, and with Izaya's help was able to weave through the politics of the city to make them the strongest gang in the area. He quit, but now the gang is back and trying to draw him in again.
• In Fairy Tail, when Zeref meets Natsu for the first time onscreen, he cries and says, "I missed you, Natsu." This appears weird, not only to the audience but also to the in-universe characters. Happy even lampshades it saying, "You have some real weirdos as friends, Natsu!" Watching this scene again after knowing the backstory presented in a much later arc makes Zeref's reaction understandable since Natsu is Zeref's brother, whom he loved very much.
• In Fullmetal Alchemist (2003), there actually are hints about the reveal that the other side of the Gate is our world. During the flashback to what Ed saw when he saw the Truth, there are flashes of real-world pictures, such as the American flag. Later on, one soldier is heard humming a real-world song. And later, we see an abandoned chapel with many broken stained-glass windows, and inside there are clearly crosses on the altar. And then when it goes into blatant foreshadowing, Izumi notes that a letter Hohenheim wrote to Dante was dated 400 years ago with a dating system based off the birth of Christ, a religion that hasn't been practiced in centuries in Amestris, showing us that Amestris is an alternate history of our world.
• In Gundam Build Divers, Ayame has two vocal-only flashbacks and gives Riku a warning about the fact that she pilots an SD Gundam when he attempts to recruit her into Build Divers. These make more sense after watching episode 11.
• Gungrave:
  • Biscoe and Norton play a major role near the end, to the point that their appearance seems too sudden, except for Biscoe, who has a brief scene in episode 15. But then, in a rewatch, Biscoe and Norton actually first appear in episode 6 as nameless characters in a blink-and-you-miss-it shot of Big Daddy's conference.
  • Alzac Tino, whom Big Daddy later chooses to lead Millennion after his retirement. Alzac first appears in the same shot as Biscoe and Norton.
  • The piano tune in episode 6 is a variant of the OST Bitter Ending that plays more often in the latter part of the anime as everything slowly goes to hell. The tune plays as Brandon dances with Maria, as Big Daddy has a conference with his business associates, and as Harry eliminates the Lightning goons, which drops a hint that the happy times won't last long. Much later in the series, Brandon breaks up with Maria, Harry murders Brandon and Big Daddy and has Maria killed, and Millennion becomes a corrupt organization under Harry's reign.
  • Mika's family speech at the finale makes more sense (and is a bit of a Fridge Horror, as a variant of Bodyguard Betrayal has just happened to her and she isn't aware of it) if one pays more attention to Gary's and Widge's speech in episode 21. Gary and Widge define family as a special bond that exists between people as long as they don't betray each other.
• In Howl's Moving Castle, the scene where Howl first meets Sophie is initially played off as a Boyfriend Bluff where he greets Sophie with "There you are, sweetheart. Sorry, I'm late. I've been looking everywhere for you." However later in the movie, Sophie travels back in time and meets a young Howl, telling him to find her in the future, and his first words to Sophie take on a different, more heartwarming meaning.
• In If I Had Just One Chance, the girl has her Eyes Always Shut. At first, one might write it off as stylization. After reading through, it's revealed she can't use them.
• Kaguya-sama: Love Is War:
  • The series as a whole thrives on this, with lots of little details, foreshadowing, and character traits only becoming noticeable on a second or third rereading.
  • One particularly strong example would be Chapter 192, which paints all of Osaragi's previous appearances in a very different light given that she was revealed to have been in love with Ishigami since middle school.
• Little Witch Academia:
  • At the end of the first film, it's all but stated that Diana is a closeted Shiny Chariot fangirl. Rewatching the beginning reveals that not only did she attend the same show as Akko, but she's also the very first character onscreen.
  • In the TV series, Croix's existence and relevance to the plot is hinted at a couple of times before she makes her official introduction halfway through:
    • A picture of her can be seen among the other winners of the broom relay race in the display case, indicating her status as one of the most talented students during her time at Luna Nova.
    • Her Magitek cubes appear in the Shiny Chariot show Akko attends in episode one. This is the show that we learn Chariot used the Dream Fuel Spirit for, the one that Croix had been helping her out with, and the one that ultimately marked the end of their friendship.
    • Her voice is heard in the flashback Akko sees in the Polaris fountain, as the one Chariot is performing her Moonlit Witch routine for, indicating just how close the two friends used to be before their falling out.
• Lupin Family All-Stars is completely different the second time around. Everyone's dialogue and demeanor make a lot more sense when you know they're all another character in disguise.
• The Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya:
  • The anime was originally broadcast in non-chronological order, the plot naturally made more sense when re-watched chronologically, or at least with the knowledge of what order the episodes take place in.
  • The anime also has many hidden details one might miss during the first viewing. Just as an example, did you know the taxi driver of episode 5 (chronologically) is very likely to be the butler Arakawa?
  • When Kyon and Haruhi discuss her daily changing hairstyle, she briefly paused and asked Kyon if she has met him before. On first viewing, it sounds like Haruhi is just remembering their brief chat from their first day of class. After learning of Kyon's time traveling shenanigans, and watching this scene again, it takes on a different meaning: Kyon reminds Haruhi of John Smith.
• Hello! Sandybell: An early episode contains a flashback to Leslie and Kern discussing Leslie raising Sandybell as a single dad, which is an inevitable conversation if you just became a widower follwing your child's birth. However, the actual context is that of someone adopting a stranger's child because there was no one else to take care of said child, as the father is dead and mother nowhere to be found.
  Kern: Are you sure you can take care of Sandybell all by yourself?
  Leslie: I am.
  Kern: Wouldn't it be easier if you asked someone for help?
  Leslie: Maybe, but I want to ensure she's taken care of and raised into a proper lady.
  Kern: If you say so, but... What will you tell her when she starts asking about her mother?
  Leslie: Well...
• The Misfit of Demon King Academy: Although the anime adaptation doesn't go beyond the Hero Academy arc, rewatching episode 8 after finishing the season reveals a plot thread that continues into the next arc. At the end of the season, it's revealed that Avos Dilhevia is actually Lay in disguise. However, the mask Avos uses in episode 8 is different from the one Lay uses for his disguise, indicating that there's still a second Avos at large.
• Naruto:
  • Itachi had set up Sasuke's eyes such that it would cast Amaterasu on Tobi if Tobi were to show his Sharingan to Sasuke. He does, and the Amaterasu does engulf Tobi. Tobi goes offscreen for a while, and returns without any damage, exclaiming to himself, "I am glad Itachi did not know everything about me." We can now see that Tobi escaped the Amaterasu by using Kamui to teleport it into his alternate dimension, or failing that, by using Izanagi.
    • Before that, Itachi hypes up "Madara" (or rather, Tobi) as his mentor, and states a desire to surpass him in a rather cliche, Sith Apprentice-esque monologue, when Sasuke inquires if he had an accomplice (and is, at this point, strong enough that he could pose a threat to Itachi or Tobi in a fight). One could take that at face value on the first watch, but on a second watch, it's very clear that Itachi is doing this to warn Sasuke, as while who the stronger of the two is debated to no end on the internet, what isn't debated is that unlike Itachi, Tobi would have shown Sasuke no mercy.
  • Once you know Tobi's true true identity, it is embarrassingly obvious that "Tobi" is a phonetic Sdrawkcab Name for Obito. Though, to be completely honest, it was obvious before The Reveal which is why so many dismissed the initial theory at first. Truthfully, a person could fill an entire page on just Tobi alone, listing all the little details that doubled as foreshadowing for his true identity in hindsight.
• One Piece: It's got foreshadowing galore, Easter eggs here and there, and trivial lines that will blow up in your face 500 chapters later. And it all just makes perfect sense and shapes the One Piece world and its characters beyond the first glance. The fandom jokes that Eiichiro Oda has the memory of an elephant. You know that one minor character who's seen in one chapter and then forgotten? He'll be back, 400 chapters later, and often in a big way.
  • Punk Hazard stands out, as it's considered the starting point of the Yonkou Saga, where the Straw Hat pirates would meet important allies for the rest of the saga. Aside from the foreshadowing of the Wano Kuni arc, the Punk Hazard has significant character interactions between Law and the Donquixote Family, which become clear during the Dressrosa arc. If you know Law's backstory, Law's interactions in Punk Hazard will hit very differently than originally.
  • Sanji's goodbyes to Zeff and the Baratie also counts. It was already heartwarming, but the revelations about Sanji's full Dark and Troubled Past add even more weight to it. Upon rewatching it, you realize how much Sanji meant it when he said that he owes Zeff "a hell of a lot".
• Puella Magi Madoka Magica:
  • Homura's pained expression when Madoka meets Kyubey for the first time. Well, it's not really the first time. The creators even encouraged the audience to re-watch the series from the beginning after Episode 10 was aired, saying it would change people's perception of Homura.
  • The runes weren't meant to be deciphered until the release of the last BD, where the jacket would have the same lines as the almost-last display of runes, in plain letters (a case of Rosetta stone, that is). Unfortunately for the creators, some people are determined code-breakers. Mami mogu mogu.
  • Also true for Puella Magi Madoka Magica The Movie: Rebellion, perhaps even more so. For example, the park scene initially seems nice, but unimportant. The second time, its eerie undertones come to the forefront, and one realizes that the conversation in it prompts Homura's Start of Darkness.
  • After watching Rebellion, consider what we have learned about Nagisa Momoe's wish. Now go back and watch the conversation Mami and Madoka have in episode 3 inside Charlotte's Labyrinth. Yeah.
• The Quintessential Quintuplets: If you go back and re-read the manga after reading from Chapter 86 and onward, you'll notice that many events involving Yotsuba have become this.
• Watching RahXephon a second time is a completely different experience, as suddenly all sorts of really minor incidents suddenly seem to be foreshadowing or symbolism. More than a few people have claimed to not truly understand the story until rewatching the series.
• Rebuild World: All over the place here, as a result of The Reveal (various of them) having been accounted for from the beginning of the story. Certain characters (exactly who is each a spoiler) have psychic Power Incontinence effecting the emotions and impressions within everyone around them to varying degrees without the either side knowing as side effect of their connection to the old world domain. This extends into More than Mind Control persuasion and even a Psychic Link at times.
  • What on first read, seems like a sweet bonding moment of Akira giving Sheryl a Cooldown Hug and them cuddling for a day as she falls for him Because You Were Nice to Me on second read is actually Akira unknowingly brainwashing Sheryl as Alpha cheers this on.
  • Shirakabe's repeated navel-gazing about his The Force Is Strong with This One assessments seeming off about Akira and Katsuya is the psychic influence of them both effecting him.
  • Before everything is fully revealed, certain people seem to have a Psychic Block Defense against mental influences that is unexplained. This is basically Akira's psychic influence protecting others from Katsuya's influence. This is most obvious with Sheryl, and Inabe going straight from bonding with Akira to detecting and rejecting Katsuya's influence, but downplayed with Reina and Yumina.
  • It seems weird that Carol is such a Sex God that she can have the repeated strategy as a Predatory Prostitute of offering free sex only to increase her prices for each visit after that gets them addicted, in a Hope Crusher effort to drive hunters to ruin, and can even satisfy a cyborg who suffers from Sense Loss Sadness regarding sex. This is hinted to be because they're some degree of Mindlink Mates from Carol being an old world connector. Foreshadowing for the reveal of her being one, includes her knowing the secrets of Sarenthal Tower ruin, and panicking at the mention of connectors.
• Rewatching Revolutionary Girl Utena is very helpful due to the symbolism-heavy nature of the series. On rewatch, the viewers know about the truth of the duels and the Rose Bride, allowing the watcher to pick up on certain characters' behaviors and actions and notice a lot of symbolism and foreshadowing they might not have noticed before.
• Minor example in Saint Seiya: there are a couple of scenes in Episode 29 of the anime, where Seiya and Saori share rather some romantic moments: first when she holds onto his neck before they jump off the cliff to escape, and later while he's unconscious and she almost kisses him. If you pay attention, Shaina's attitude during both scenes takes a different undertone if you already know that she's actually in love with Seiya due to one time they met during training.
• The reveal at the end of Sayonara, Zetsubou-Sensei, that Kafuka was dead the whole time and her ghost was possessing one of the main 12 girls in her every appearance, is foreshadowed all through the manga's run: quite often, one of the girls will disappear randomly mid chapter and Kafuka will coincidentally show up. This carries across in the anime too, and is oftentimes more noticeable there.
  • This was more clearly foreshadowed in the chapter where they all visited the hot springs: the spring was said to get rid of evil spirits and guess who disappeared mid chapter?
• In the Hot Springs Episode of Seitokai Yakuindomo, Mitsuba mentions how she noticed a "lens-like" gleam in the sky appear from time to time (this is after she destroys it by chucking a rock at it). Rewatching the episode again, yup, there it is.
• Shimoneta: The sudden awakening of Anna's hormones is commonly attributed to the accidental kiss between her and Tanukichi. Rewatching the scene reveals it wasn't the kiss alone that did it, it was caused by his knee brushing against her lower genitals as he stood up. The contact causes Anna's thigh to twitch in response. After Tanukichi runs away, Anna is seen lightly rubbing herself in the same spot, though it's obscured by the folds of her dress.
• The anime adaptation of SHUFFLE! lacks the big build-up between Rin's romance with the girl he chooses from his harem, so his sudden desire to make a Love Confession to one of the remaining two girls comes rather out of nowhere. The recap season SHUFFLE! Memories summarizes each girl's arc in two episodes, and it's effectively shown that Rin's girl of choice appears in all of them. While she's heavily involved in only two of the five arcs (which, obviously, includes her own), she still manages to be an important support for Rin in the other three arcs, despite her lack of screentime, helping him to make the right decision. This actually shows that the original adaptation had a very subtle build-up to their relationship and why he would choose her over the others.
• Pretty much everything in episode 1 of Steins;Gate where Okabe and Mayuri visit the time travel lecture counts as foreshadowing and gains more significance in episode 23 when Okabe revisits the conference using the improved time machine.
• At the start of the Super Cub anime, you see Koguma cycling to school, during which time another cyclist, a girl with gray hair and a uniform with a short skirt, passes her. A flashback in the penultimate episode reveals that the girl in question was Shii (someone who becomes Koguma's friend midway through the series), and if you rewatch the first episode, you can recognize Shii as the girl who passed Koguma if you look closely.
• A relatively minor scene in Tokyo Ghoul becomes very significant when one has finished the first series. Novelist Takatsuki Sen can pass through the CCG's ghoul-detecting gates because she, like the protagonist, is a half-ghoul...the monstrously powerful One-Eyed Owl.
• The opening parts of Toradora! play out much different in a second viewing when the viewer knows that Minori has just as much a crush on Takasu as he does on her, and she's perhaps even worse at dealing with it than he is. Minori's not oblivious to him, she's trying to keep herself from confessing and taking her best friend Taiga's crush away from her.
• In Yona of the Dawn, Zeno, in addition to being a Walking Spoiler, is a walking, ''talking' rewatch bonus. A lot of his offhand comments and odd actions become loaded (and/or hilarious) when you know that he is actually a 2,000 year old immortal who has been waiting patiently for Yona to become the badass princess she eventually does. Him calling an elderly grandmother "young lady?" Hilarious. Him constantly jumping in front of projectiles and not being wounded? Loaded.
• Yuri!!! on Ice: Episode 10, particularly the post-credits puts everything in perspective: The episode reveals a year prior to Victor going to Japan, he and Yuri had already met when Yuri got drunk and partied, including inviting Yurio, Victor and Christophe for a dance-off. The end result of that partying was The Reveal that Yuri was the one that invited Victor to go to Japan and be his coach, and it's also implied that Victor started falling in love with Yuri then, which would explain all the times he acted flirty or touchy-feely with him.

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