The world of anime is known for delivering some serious drama and heartbreak to balance out all the humor, and some series are built almost entirely on tragedy and drama to tell a good story. Even lighter series are known to hit the readers hard with a tragic death, and anime fans would give anything to bring back those beloved characters.
Sometimes, these tragic characters meet an untimely end through accident or disease, being the victim of homicide, sacrificing themselves for their friends or family, or perhaps something even more exotic. Shonen and seinen action series, in particular, are always ready to kill off their characters, though heartbreaking deaths can happen in other genres, too. Now, which deaths are the most tragic of all?
10 Neji Hyuga, Who Made A Battlefield Sacrifice (Naruto)
At first, Neji Hyuga was Naruto’s ideological enemy, having a bitter and fatalistic worldview fueled by his grim role in the Hyuga family. Neji had a change of heart after Naruto defeated him, however, and he soon became a vital ally to both Naruto and Hinata Hyuga.
Then the Fourth Great Shinobi War flared to life, and Neji answered the call of duty along with all his Leaf Village friends. In the end, Neji gave his life to shield those who were most dear to him, and Naruto named his future son Boruto (a pun on “bolt”) in Neji’s (a pun on “screw) memory.
9 The Detective L, Who Just Wanted To Win (Death Note)
The antagonist of this series, the world-famous detective L, was never truly a villain. He merely wanted to triumph over Kira to prove that he is true justice, and his competitive nature drove him to persist despite the odds. He very nearly captured Kira, but Light Yagami got the best of him.
L won over legions of fans with his unkempt appearance, quirky personality, amusing hobbies, and his unpredictable and brilliant mind. It was a grim day indeed when Rem wrote L’s name down, and he died in Light’s arms.
8 Kaori Miyazono, Who Put Life Into Music And Music Into Life (Your Lie In April)
This cheerful blonde girl helped the protagonist, Kosei Arima, put a little music and magic back into his life. Secretly, though, Kaori was in poor health, and she knew it. So, Kaori filled her days with music and joy, and this turned Kosei’s life around.
The two of them played lovely duets together, but when Kaori’s health worsened, she underwent risky surgery and died on the operating table. Everyone was heartbroken, but they’ll always remember the gift of music that Kaori gave them.
7 Maes Hughes, Who Paid The Price For Finding The Truth (Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood)
Maes Hughes was a soldier, but unlike the emotionally distant Riza Hawkeye or the bloodthirsty state alchemist Kimblee, Maes Hughes had a warm heart and endless charisma. He was popular and well-regarded, and everyone knew how proud he was of his wife and young daughter.
Maes even got the chance to meet Winry Rockbell, along with the Elric brothers, but he soon met an early end at the hand of Envy, who shot him. Maes had found the truth of Father’s plans, and the homunculi needed to shut him up.
6 Portgas D. Ace, Who Died Happy At Marineford (One Piece)
It has been confirmed that the mythical One Piece is a solid object, not just “the friendships we forged on the way,” but still, friendships and family bonds are valuable treasures in this pirate anime. Monkey D. Luffy and his adopted brother, Portgas D. Ace, were very dear to each other, along with Sabo.
Ace was a member of the Whitebeard Pirates, and when he got himself captured, Luffy risked life and limb to save him at Marineford. However, Ace died all the same, and he tearfully thanked Luffy for loving him as a brother. This loss shook Luffy to his core, and no doubt every viewer was moved, too.
5 The Kamado Family, Slain By Muzan (Demon Slayer)
A case of several characters instead of one, but the members of the Kamado family all lost their lives at the same time and under the same circumstances. Truly, this was a devastating loss for Tanjiro and Nezuko, the only survivors of this massacre.
This was a warm and loving family, and completely innocent, too. One night, the cruel Muzan Kibutsuji happened by and killed nearly all of the Kamados except for Nezuko, who became a demon. Tanjiro was overwhelmed with grief when he found the scene of the crime, but he also took action, determined to save his sole surviving sibling. The Kamados deserved better than this.
4 Takako Kobuchizawa, Who Vanished In Antarctica (A Place Further Than The Universe)
Takako Kobuchizawa used to explore Antarctica’s wilderness, but one day, she vanished into that great icy wasteland, and she was presumed dead. Her daughter Shirase was determined to find her, and she and her three friends journeyed to the world’s coldest continent to locate this missing mother.
But it was all for naught. The girls had to accept that Takako was really gone, and even more heartbreaking was the fact that Takako had never read the numerous e-mails her daughter had sent her. Antarctica is an unforgiving place, and Shirase learned that there is no way to beat it. She simply had to move on, and she did.
3 Isla, The Robot Giftia Who Learned To Love (Plastic Memories)
This short but sweet sci-fi animated series is yet another piece of fiction to ask intriguing questions along the lines of “can machines think and feel?”, but this series is hardly Blade Runner. Instead, Plastic Memories is a love story with a tragic end.
The heroine, Isla, is running out of time, and she was at peace with that. But then she and the human Tsukasa realized that man and machine can love, and they spent Isla’s last moments together aboard a Ferris wheel at night. By the time their carriage reached the bottom again, Isla was gone, and Tsukasa carried her away.
2 Sasha Braus, The Brave Country Warrior (Attack On Titan)
Many characters lose their lives in this bloody series, but no death was more shocking, outrageous, and heartbreaking than that of Sasha Braus, AKA the potato girl. Sasha was always a cheerful and fun-loving spirit who could brighten this dark series with her mere presence, and now she’s gone.
Sasha once saved a girl’s life from a Titan with just a bow and arrow, and later, she was one of many Scouts who raided Liberio to back up the rampaging Eren Yeager. However, the warrior candidate Gabi Braun shot her, and Sasha died of her wounds. Even more disturbing was how little Eren seemed to care.
1 Bruno Bucciarati, The Best Mom (JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure)
Bruno Bucciarati is fondly remembered as the “best mom” of the Golden Wind story arc, thanks to his talent as an empathic team leader who looks out for others. Bruno was a victim of the mob’s drug trade, and he took it upon himself to rid Italy of crime so no one else has to suffer like that.
Bruno fought hard to take down the boss, Diavolo, but in the end, he couldn’t triumph over King Crimson. The show bade him a fond farewell as he ascended into heaven, and Giorno Giovanna finished the fight in his honor with Gold Experience Requiem.
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