Animehas never had a shortage of tragic stories. Across the medium, in any genre imaginable, audiences have clutched for tissues over the fates of countless unfortunate characters. As an art form, anime has a unique way ofhiding incredibly human themes underneath outlandish concepts, and will often catch unsuspecting viewers off guard with a poignant scene in what otherwise might be an entirely upbeat show. Other series or films are made with the sole intention of drawing tears from fans, and are extremely efficient in doing so.
Whether it be shōnen action, romance, slice-of-life, or coming-of-age drama, nothing hits quite as hard as the death of a beloved character. Some have their lives cut horribly short, or sacrifice themselves for the greater good, while others might have set themselves on the right track, only to be removed from a series forever. Whatever the reason for a character’s departure,some anime deaths are simply more impactful than the restin an art form which loves to tug at an audience’s heart strings.
Chainsaw Man
Cast
Chainsaw Man follows Denji, a young man burdened by debt, who teams up with his pet devil Pochita to fight devils under the yakuza’s control. Released in 2022, the series portrays Denji’s struggle to achieve his dream of living a simple, peaceful life.
Death is not uncommon inthe cold and unforgiving world ofChainsaw Man. In fact, it lurks around every corner, which would lead some to think that the death of a supporting character like Himeno wouldn’t hold very much weight. However, her tragic and ultimately pointless sacrifice isn’t heartbreaking because she’s a fan favorite member of the cast, but rather because of how it affects the characters that are fan favorites.
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A veteran devil hunter who wanted nothing more than to run away with her buddy, Himeno’s death drives the typically stoic Aki to tears. Furthermore, just before the appearance of Katana Man, she became one of Denji’s few friends who had no intention of harming the protagonist. While Himeno’s death is certainly tragic for the manner in which she went out, what is more heartbreaking iswhat could have been between her and the series' main characters.
Attack on Titan
Attack on Titanis a globally successful manga and anime franchise created by Hajime Isayama. The story is set in a world where humanity lives inside walled cities, threatened by giant humanoid creatures called Titans. The series follows Eren Yeager and his friends as they fight to uncover the truth about the Titans and the world. First serialized in 2009, the franchise has expanded into anime series, films, video games, novels, and live-action adaptations.
Attack on Titanis another series that is no stranger to death, as countless characters meet their gruesome ends throughout the show’s run. However, the untimely passing of Sasha Braus is one that hits unexpectedly hard. A character that was along for the ride from the anime’s very beginning, Sasha was always a lighthearted, goofy, food-loving beacon of hopethat the world ofAttack on Titanwouldn’t always be so cruel.
Unfortunately, that hope would be unceremoniously snuffed out as a reminder to the audiencethat death on the battlefield is not some glamorous thing. Sasha’s tragic end marks a turning point in the dystopian fantasy series, signaling to the viewer that the story ahead would have no room for whimsical humor. Though she may not have been one of the anime’s main characters, Sasha was a beloved member of the cast who had been present from the very beginning of the series.
Death Note
Death Note follows high school student Light Yagami, who discovers a mysterious notebook granting the power to kill anyone by writing their name in it. As Light uses the notebook to enact his own sense of justice, he attracts the attention of the enigmatic detective known as L, leading to a complex game of cat and mouse. This Japanese anime series explores themes of morality, power, and the consequences of absolute authority.
The eventual death ofDeath Note’s divisive protagonist left the series' fanbase torn. However, it is practically universally agreed uponthat L was wholly undeserving of his fate. At a critical point in the investigation, the genius detective’s name was written in the Death Note by the shinigami, Rem, and L fell to the floor while suffering a heart attack. The tragedy of his death, and a large reason for the lukewarm response to the series' conclusion, was that he was killed before he was able to prove that Light was Kira.
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If any positive is to be taken from L’s death, it would be that Light did him the favor of admitting his identity as Kira in his rival’s dying moments,by watching the life fade from his eyes with a villainous smile. A large portion ofDeath Note’s fanbase believes the series stumbled to the finish line after L’s death, adding another layer of tragedy to the character’s end.
Demon Slayer the Movie: Mugen Train
Demon Slayer the Movie: Mugen Train is a sequel to the 2019 anime series and is based on the 2016 manga series by Japanese artist Koyoharu Gotouge. The story follows Tanjiro, Nezuko, Zenitsu, and Inosuke are sent to investigate and hunt down a demon that caused forty people to go missing. Teaming up with the powerful Hashira of flame known as Kyojuro Rokuro, the Demon Slayers find themselves trapped on a demon train that will require every trick at their disposal to escape.
Demon Slayer’s first theatrical release is the highest grossing Japanese film ever, and the Flame Hashira, Kyojuro Rengoku, is a big reason for that. One of anime’smost popular characters to have enjoyed such little screen time, Rengoku was an enthusiastic, wise, proud, and incredibly skilled swordsman who embodied everything it meant to be a Demon Slayer. And after forcing its audience to become attached toDemon Slayer’s newest cast member, the film kills him off in an incredibly emotional final scene.
Partaking in one of the series' flashiest fights to that point in the series, Rengoku’s resolve is inspiring, though it ultimately leads to his death.Demon Slayerhas never shied away from darker themes and plot elements, and yet a character with such little screen time managed tocapture the hearts of an entire fanbase.The franchise is set to returnwith another trilogy of films later in 2025, and fans may want to stuff their pockets with tissues just in case.
Assassination Classroom
Assassination Classroom follows the story of a mysterious and powerful creature, known as Koro-sensei, who becomes the homeroom teacher for a class of misfit students tasked with assassinating him to prevent Earth’s destruction.
Koro Sensei’s death inAssassination Classroomis wildly impressive, both for the fact that it is an incredibly emotional scene, but also because the storyreveals early on to its audience that his death will inevitably come. Even with that knowledge in mind, fans cannot help but be moved by the teacher’s final goodbye. Koro Sensei had to die, yet that didn’t stop both his students and the audience from wishing he didn’t have to go.
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Assassination Classroomhas received praise for its satisfying conclusion since the anime’s finale, which saw the main cast of characters having found success years down the road,due in large part to the time they spent with Koro Sensei. Only anime could present a character that is essentially a smiley face with tentacles, and make its audience weep over that character by the series' end.
Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood
Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood follows brothers Edward and Alphonse Elric who use alchemy in a quest to restore their bodies after a failed transmutation. The series explores themes of sacrifice, the consequences of ambition, and the quest for truth in a richly developed world.
Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhoodis known for its emotionally harrowing storytelling, and for havingone of the greatest finales in anime history. Its earliest section, however, is memorable for the absolutely disturbing tale of Shou and Nina Tucker. Nina’s eventual deathis more of a mercy killing than anything else, as the series reveals that she had been turned into a chimera by her own father.
Nina’s death is just a cherry on top of the absolutely heartbreaking fate of a small child. If audiences were unprepared for the type of seriesFullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhoodwas, it would not take long for the anime to communicate thatit would not be a lighthearted affair.
Your Lie in April
Your Lie in April follows Kousei Arima, a piano prodigy who loses his ability to hear the piano after his mother’s death. His life changes when he meets Kaori Miyazono, a spirited violinist who helps him rediscover his passion for music. The series explores themes of loss, recovery, and the power of music in healing. The show stars Natsuki Hanae as Kousei and Risa Taneda as Kaori.
Your Lie in Aprilis an incredibly moving series which follows one-time piano prodigy, Kousei Arima, on a journey of self-growth and healing as he learns to love music again. Though the entire series enjoys tugging on its viewers' heart strings, its finale and the death of Kaori Miyazono arguably make forthe saddest twenty-something minutes in anime history. The violinist is on borrowed time throughoutYour Lie in April, and passes during a risky operation, leaving the series' protagonist to deal with death once more.
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The final episode ofYour Lie in Aprilis incredibly heartbreaking, revealing to Kosei and the audience that Kaori was a fan of his long before the two ever met and planned to duet. The series serves as many anime fans' introduction to the romance genre,and leaves them with a gaping hole in the chest.
Cyberpunk: Edgerunners
David Martinez (Kenichiro Ohashi) is a streetwise kid living in the slums of Night City in Cyberpunk: Edgerunners. To survive, David becomes an edgerunner, also known as cyberpunk, taking on mercenary jobs outside the system. Together with a group of new and veteran edgerunners, David will shoot for the moon to escape the underbelly of the increasingly cyber-obsessed city. Unfortunately, the law isn’t the only group that the edgerunners will have to contend with, as other heavily cyber-augmented humans will pose an even more significant threat.
A tragic ending is written in the stars for anyone who wants to be someone in the world ofCyberpunk: Edgerunners, andseries' protagonist David Martinez is not exempt from that rule. A good kid who becomes a walking weapon of mass destruction, David nearly succumbs to cyberpsychosis during the anime’s final confrontation with Adam Smasher, and only regains his sense of self after Lucy intervenes.
Unfortunately, that would be the last time the two would meet, as David is overpowered and executed by Smasher,and Lucy is left to travel to the moon alone. The series' closing sequence with Lucy imagining a younger David by her side is beautifully heartbreaking, and viewers will not be able to forget it long after they’ve walked away from the anime.
Grave of the Firefliesis far and away Studio Ghibli’s darkest film, and one ofthe most emotionally devastating anime movies ever produced. Set in World War II Japan, the film follows Seita and his younger sister, Setsuko, following a bombing that claimed the life of their mother. With no where else to go, they move in with their aunt, who treats both terribly. Forced to live on their own, the two children cannot fend for themselves,and Setsuko eventually dies of malnutrition.
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The events ofGrave of the Fireflieswould be a difficult watch if adults were cast into the main roles, andare only more disturbing because the film’s two main characters are childrenno older than 14 and 4 years old respectively. Setsuko’s death is a brutal reminder of the horrors of war, and one of the most depressing moments in anime history.
Clannad
Clannad follows Tomoya Okazaki, a delinquent high school student, whose life changes when he meets a peculiar girl named Nagisa Furukawa. Together, they navigate the complexities of youth, friendship, and family while discovering the importance of dreams and perseverance. This anime is a blend of romance, comedy, and drama, set in a small Japanese town, illustrating everyday struggles and emotional growth in the lives of its characters.
Clannad’s first anime series is a typical slice-of-life romance with a standard harem set-up, and it delivers nicely on its emotional beats and down-to-Earth themes.Clannad: After Storythen follows it up withone of the most unexpectedly devastating stories in anime history. Tomoya Okazaki loses his wife, Nagisa, whom the audience learns to love during the prior series, to an illness during childbirth. Broken by the loss, the series' protagonist leaves his new daughter in the care of Nagisa’s parents, and ignores her existence.
Later, the two become reunited, and Tomoya vows to care for his daughter Ushio, finding a reason to continue living in the form of his child. After the emotional reunion, however,the series drives a stake into the hearts of its viewers, revealing Ushio to be suffering from the same illness that took her mother. Eventually, the young girl dies in her father’s arms.
Fortunately,Clannad: After Storyhas a happy ending, alleviating some of the feelings of despair its final 10 episodes provide. However, given the emotional impact of Ushio’s death, even with a happy ending, it is the most heartbreaking in all ofanime.
