Most effective cliffhanger/Chapter conclusion

[Daz]

Right, so we all know that Oda has a knack for ending each chapter with a bang, and personally I'd like to nominate the entire series…but Every now and then Oda outdoes himself, as seen in the two most recent chapters, which are emotionally powerful and makes the reader scream for more, respectively.

So, what have put you furthest on your seat?
I myself read up to vol 34 at one time, so most of my cliffhangers are from after then. Nevertheless:

Chapter 153: Hiruluks Sakura...sniff.

Chapter 178: Luffy Dies?!!

Chapter 99: Truly, the legend was about to begin...

Chapter 210: The anime beats it, but still a damn good "artistic" chapter.

Chapter 345: You all know it...man, the weeks after that was painful!!!!

Chapter 331: Duel me!!! Shit, I was biting my fingernails!

Chapter 317: K.O ! Luffys' most badass victory ever!

And my ultimate favourite:
Chapter 198. CROCODIIIIILE!!!! Epic.

[Son Conan]

From Arlong Park arc:

-"Nami, Nojiko…I love you." (BANG BANG BANG)
-"Which one of you is Arlong?"
-Sanji defeating Kuroobi.
-Luffy's Gomu Gomu Bell/Whip/Bullet/Gatling ("That was my warm-up.")
-"...USE?"
-The fall of Arlong Park.

Alabasta:
-"I'm called the Lord of Destruction...CAPTAIN USOPP!"
-Zoro defeating Mr. 1
-Pell's "death."
-Mugiwara and Vivi saying good-bye ("This mark is the sign of friendship!")

Skypeia:

-Sanji beating Satori ("CONCASSE!")
-Luffy confronting Enel for the first time.
-"GOMU GOMU...RIFLE!"
-The ringing of the Golden Bell

[Mog]

Great idea for a topic. I agree mostly with everything on your lists, but still have some to add, of course:

The ending to Chapter 318 made me gasp for breath. It was such a stark and sudden twist and made me go all ''HOT DAMN'' to the max.

I just have to add Chapters 395 and 398, too. Both instant classics in my eyes, and the torment in the weeks after 395 is still fresh on my mind.

Daz listed 99. I agree quite naturally, but in my view 100 has it beat.

Chapter 292 was simply… amazing. The end haunted me for ages. Until Luffy rang the Bell. Awesome.

Chapter 236 was also incredible.

You know, after selecting these, I realized it's virtually impossible to get just a scarce amount of favourites (Oda just has this way of masterfully ending chapters), so I'll guess I'll just leave off here.

[GoAnderson]

I don't have anything to add, really, except perhaps the setting-off for the Grand Line, and Laboon's promise. Great idea for a thread.

[taboo]

"My name is…. SOGEKING." xD

[CosmicDebris]

Ah, yes, Sogeking. Not what you call a cliffhanger, but one hell of a way to end the chapter. :biggrin:

[Buccaneer]

No one's mentioned 345..man, I remember that kicking my ass. "Bingo" was pretty big, as well as 372. And Gear, holy shit. Too bad 399 is due out just tomorrow, 398 was pretty good with the suspense.

However, I think the most insanity was from the winter break last year, between 349 and 351, it got really crazy.

[Cap'n Carter]

K.O.!!!!! Stands out the most for me.

[GoAnderson]

@The:

….
Chapter 345 ….

Yeah. I forgot about Bingo and Sogeking entirely… Dang. Gear was good, too. Man... There's too many good moments to list, even with just chapter endings. o.o

[Strange_One]

@taboo:

"My name is…. SOGEKING." xD

XD Of course.

Personally, being as I've seen most of it in the anime, I can't go by chapters. But if CP9's unmasking was the last page of a chapter, than that's the one.

Biggest HOLY SH!T! moment for me in anything I've ever read.

[Steel Guardian]

Have to go with Chapter 345. CP9's unmasking was the biggest turnover ever.

And who can't forget Chapter 232?! Luffy easily destroying Bellamy. Skypiea had so many cliffhangers. Then the bittersweet ending of Chapter 398.

Damn, there's a lot.

[Onigumo]

This whole Water 7 has been full of cliff hangers. Robin appearing to frame the Strawhats, the whole issue with the ship and ever since she joined, her past has been a cliffhanger, with just bits and pieces of half-truths told about her occasionaly. (Now we know the truth, but it was a long cliffhanger of a wait.)

[joekido the Second]

330: I've decided, we are changing ships
"!!!"

331: I quit the crew! I'm challanging you to a duel Luffy D. Monkey!

332: Flame star expload, small flashback:

"Usopp: Ahoy! A Island!"
"Luffy: Whoa! What kind of Island is that? Going Marry! Full speed ahead!"
"Usopp: Gyahahahahahaahaha!!"

333:

Luffy: Goodbye Usopp, it was fun…It's heavy!!

Zoro: That's what a captain suppose to do, don't start staggering or who should we trust? Let's leave, we can't ever come back....

"Luffy Cries"

336: Shipwights inturruping the fight between Luffy and Franky

374:
Sanji: Damn You!

395: What! There firing already!

398: I want to live!

(I know that chapter 399 is not out yet but due to the spoilers, I'll add it)
399: I'm still mad at you Franky, for what you did to Usopp I will kill you.....bloody.
IT'S ALL YOUR FAULT HE QUITTED THE CREW!!!!

"The Rocket Man flies over to Justice tower."

[KamenRiderNeko]

@Steel:

Have to go with Chapter 345. CP9's unmasking was the biggest turnover ever.

And who can't forget Chapter 232?! Luffy easily destroying Bellamy. Skypiea had so many cliffhangers. Then the bittersweet ending of Chapter 398.

Damn, there's a lot.

yeah, I agree with all those!

also, I really loved that part at the end of the Skypiea arc after Eneru was defeated. the golden bell and everything… that was pretty awesome.

but definately the end of 398. yes.

[Carly]

I can't recall what chapter, but when Luffy got stabbed through the chest by Crocodile, that pretty much solidified OP as my favorite manga ever. Granted by the time I first read OP, Alabasta had just finished so I knew Luffy wasn't dead, but holy shit that scene still gives me chills.

[Bounty1Berry]

@Son:

-"Nami, Nojiko…I love you." (BANG BANG BANG)

I frankly disagree.

The "Bang-Bang-Bang", superimposed across everyone going O.O, was a bit unnecessary. A single, small panel, perhaps with no image or just an outline (like would appear the NEXT chapter's 1st page), would have been more moody, leaving it to the reader to fill in the shock.

[FireFistAce 0]

Kuzan: "I came for Nico Robin… but on second thought, I think I'll kill all of you."

Young Robin (In Chapter 397): "Dereshishi! Dereshishi! Waaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaah!"
Saul: "Live, Robin, with them!"

Sanji: "Goodbye, you Shitty Cooks!"

Crocus: "That boy has a strange aura, eh, Roger? (That one just creeped me out)

[Ubiq]

A few of my favorites:

Chapter 176 with Crocodile's eyes. Hell of a way to end a chapter and a volume.

Chapter 234 with the iconic image of the Blackbeard crew sans Lafitte walking towards the viewer.

Chapter 235; the last four pages are impressive, but especially the Shichibukai arriving at Mariejoa.

Chapter 319. "You need to die now."

Chapter 357: the aftermath of Franky vs the Puffing Tom, especially the look on Spandam's face.

[Daz]

Gah, How could I forget the Blackbeard March, Gear 2nd, and the Alabasta ending? All classics…

Another good one is the end of vol. 14: "It's me...mr. Zero", as well as the end of vol. 28...where Enels' powers had just been revealed.
And of course, the Clock Tower chapters...as well as Luffy and Nami charging up the Giant Jack, only to be met by a giant thunderstorm.

Oh, and also: The one where they all go "you will!" on Enel.

[warp]

the end of vol 29.
chapter 245
pell in alabasta (that was at the end of an anime episode not sure if it was at the end of a chapter in the manga)
The bell has now rung chapter.

[Anime_Rachiru]

For me… Chapter 197. Poor Kohza -_-... He's my favorite character besides Paulie, and I really didn't expect that to happen.
Then when Luffy rung the bell. Especially Wiper/Viper's reaction to it

[DeadJustice]

Volume 19: All of Sanji's exploits as Mr. Prince were great endings.

But one in particular I want to point it is chapter 173 and Mr. Prince's phone call to Crocodile.

"Welcome sir, this is the shitty restaurant.

[Ohara]

issue 247: Where Chopper blows the whistle for Gon Forr

[Toko]

Ahm, chapter conclusion..
I don't remember, but I was really "wtf" when Eneru restarted his own heart and was like "true terror comes from god alone"
Aaand… I'm too lazy to check but it was really beautiful when Luffy finally got to ring the golden bell and down in Jaya Cricket saw Luffy's huuuge shadow.. I don't remember if this was at the end of chapter, but it has to be one of best moments in One Piece.

[Daz]

Just momentarily reviving this thread, in order to nominate 401 as one of the most surprising/funny/WTF? endings of all time. Not just OP.

[Anime Master]

When the buster call started in Ch 395ish. That was a great way to set up the next chapters.

[Malintex_Terek]

Luffy's second defeat by Crocodile was unbelievable. Everyone else had won their fights, Luffy was getting the upper hand during that battle and bam, another loss. Though Luffy was only out for only a couple minutes as most, his second defeat only built more tension for the battle in the Poneglyph room.

[Ms. Suave Debonair]

To see the last spread of chapter 401 without having absolutly no clue to it whatsoever. with all the vast speculation that occured for weeks only to just have it turn on it's head, that is one of the most WTF moments there are around in recent mangas.

[Sano]

Well here are my top favorate Chapter endings

Ch.93: The Collispe of Arlong Park.
Ch.101: With the gang enter the Grand Lane from the Reverse Mountian.
Ch.129: Nami getting sick from the Aftermath of Little Garden
Ch.173: Sanji (Mr.Prince) talking to Crocodile on the Snail phone.
Ch.334: The ending of Usopp Vs. Luffy.
Ch.345: The CP9 revealing themselves to be Lucci, Califia, Blueno, and Kaku.
Ch.367: The introduction of Sogeking.
Ch.390: The Straw Hat Crew arrival at the top of the tower to rescue Robin.

[d.Lughie]

@DeadJustice:

Volume 19: All of Sanji's exploits as Mr. Prince were great endings.

But one in particular I want to point it is chapter 173 and Mr. Prince's phone call to Crocodile.

"Welcome sir, this is the shitty restaurant.

I'll have to second that!!
chapter 292: "we must relight the light of cyandora!"
chapter 216: http://groups.msn.com/onepiecemanga/onepiecechapter216.msnw?action=ShowPhoto&PhotoID=4193

This wasn't the ending chapter but it really was one of the best pages in OP
http://groups.msn.com/onepiecemangav-2/chapter398scanlated.msnw?action=ShowPhoto&PhotoID=5797

the one where robin says "I WANNA LIVE! TAKE ME TO THE BLUE SEAS!"
its so emotional…