Couldn't find a proper name for the type of ending, so just went with a usual complaint for these type of endings.
What I'm talking about are essentially endings in which sad stuff happens (character sacrifices himself, someone dies, etc) and at the end the sad stuff is reversed. Like it turns out the character wasn't dead, or whatever sad thing happened actually didn't happen, or stuff like that. Hence the common complaint that 'our tears were for nothing'.
A popular and recent example would be The Dark Knight Rises, with Bruce Wayne/Batman still being alive after his 'sacrifice'. For anime related examples a good one would be Clannad After Story, or the recent Kamisama no Inai Nichiyoubi.
[spoiler]The reason I ask is because I am writing a story and am somewhat going for that type of ending. The MC will 'die' but will come back alive in the epilogue. There is a completely valid reason for him coming back alive, too, so it isn't a cop-out or anything[/spoiler]
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Edited by burritosenior: 1/12/2014 3:50:37 AMClannad: After Story, like you said. !@#$ that show man. I mean, it was great and I'm glad I watched it but... -blam!- that show.
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"Kamisama no Inai Nichiyoubi" I was freaking in tears during that last episode, but then the ending made me mad. Don't ever end anything like that.
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I think the opposite is usually a lot better. If you're going to stab the audience in the kidney, you might as well twist the knife. #ME3
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I hate those endings. It is so much better when the person actually does die, or does sacrifice themselves.