The medium of anime is rife with amazing stories, ranging from riveting murder mysteries to battle shonen series that push the notion of power to new heights. These stories don’t shy away from portraying massive stakes where worlds and universes are on the line, forcing the heroes to put everything on the line in a bid to save the things that matter to them.
Sometimes, this leads to characters losing their lives in a bid to make the ultimate sacrifice, which is pretty harrowing for fans who became attached. Many anime fans remember all the sacrifices made by their favorite characters with a heavy heart, powering the stories to new and exciting directions as viewers see their deaths avenged.
8Jiraiya (Naruto)
To this day, Jiraiya’s death still causestears to flow from the eyes of manyNarutofans. The white-haired pervert had a heart of gold and helped Naruto hone his powers and become one of the most accomplished shinobi around.
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His infiltration of Amegakure allowed Jiraiya to figure out Pain’s secret, allowing him to send this critical information to Konoha at the cost of his own life. Watching Jiraiya use the last of his strength to write this information on Fukasaku’s back is a powerful moment that really hammers in just how useful and accomplished this member of the Sannin really was.
7Hange Zoe (Attack On Titan)
Hange is a strange but brilliant member of the Survey Corps who loves carrying out twisted experiments on Titans to figure out where they’re coming from. After the Rumbling threatens to destroy everything, the heroes realize that they need to reach Eren and tear out the root of the problem.
However, before their ship can escape port, the Rumbling reaches them. In a bid to stop this wave of Colossal Titans, Hange decides to stay back and topple over as many Titans as possible, before eventuallyburning alive because of the immense heat let out by these gigantic monstrosities.
6Vegeta (Dragon Ball Z)
Vegeta is one of the more complex characters inDragon Ball Z. Despite the world being in a state of peace, the Saiyan pride within him makes him resent this time of tranquility.
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After he lets Babidi possess him, Vegeta manages to goad Goku into a battle while he was still on Earth. Both Saiyans unleashed a ton of energy in this battle, releasing Majin Buu. As Vegeta slowly realized how his actions could destroy the family he’d built, he has a change of heart and blows himself up in a bid to stop Majin Buu.
5Lelouch vi Britannia (Code Geass)
Code Geassisa rollercoaster of a story, somehow managing to merge elements of a political thriller with mecha elements to great effect. At the heart of this story is Lelouch, a teenager who forms a cover as a high school student while secretly striving to regain his lost heritage as the rightful king of Britannia.
However, by the end of the series, Lelouch realizes that all the hate in the world won’t go away with him as ruler, especially given the heinous nature of his actions. So, in a bid to bring peace to Britannia, Lelouch decides to sacrifice himself by letting his best friend stab him in front of everyone, making for a bombastic conclusion to a great series.
4Portgas D. Ace (One Piece)
Luffy’s brother is easilyone of the most likable characters inOne Piece. This is precisely what makes Ace’s sacrifice to save the protagonist so heartbreaking.
After a battle with Akainu reveals that both brothers were out of their depth, Ace saw the Marine gearing up to end Luffy’s life. In a heroic act, Ace took the full force of the punch instead, with the villain’s fist tearing through his abdomen as he saved his brother from certain death.
3Greed (Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood)
The Homunculi are extensions of Father, a nefarious beingwho tried to shed his sins to become what was essentially a god. These creatures represent the Seven Sins, and most people would expect that the homunculus named Greed would only look out for himself as he attached to the body of his host, Ling.
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Over the course of this parasitic existence, both Ling and Greed actually grew fond of each other. So, when Father tried to absorb this homunculus (an act that would have killed Ling), Greed decided to remove himself from his host to save Ling in a moment of selflessness. It was quite heartbreaking to witness, especially since Greed could have fought Father off if he’d used his full power while staying attached to Ling.
2Rem (Death Note)
Light Yagami is a master of manipulation. The very fact that he was able to goad a shinigami to fulfill his demands is a testament to just how smart he really is.
After endangering Misa Misa’s life,Light gives Rem a choice— either watch her beloved host die, or kill L and Watari. The shinigami takes the latter route, ending her own life in the process since a God of Death can’t interfere in the demise of a human without consequences.
1David Martinez (Cyberpunk: Edgerunners)
Cyberpunk: Edgerunnersis a short but amazing thrill ride that really hammers injust how brutal the world of Night City is. People lose their minds and bodies in a bid to become legends, and David Martinez fell for this trap as well.
After the dreaded Adam Smasher comes to kill David and Lucy, the former requests his friend to take Lucy to a safe spot as he willingly stays behind, stopping Smasher for long enough. However, David pays the ultimate sacrifice. Adam Smasher completely destroys David’s body, as his beloved canonly lament the loss of the man she loved.
