Top Ten Anime Characters with the Saddest Pasts

The Top Ten
1 Rukia Kuchki

Rukia has a sad past. She never got to meet her sister then lost her own mentor to a hollow. She had it rough.

2 Naruto Uzumaki Naruto Uzumaki is a fictional character in the anime and manga franchise Naruto, created by Masashi Kishimoto.
3 Gaara Gaara is a fictional character in the Naruto manga and anime series created by Masashi Kishimoto. He is the jinchuuriki of the one-tailed shukaku and can control sand that is stored in his gourd.

Sure his back story was similar to Naruto's but it's the differences in them that set him apart. Gaara was considered a monster by not only his village but his family as well. His uncle tries to kill him on orders from Gaara's own father. I think the fact that he had family but was treated as he was is more tragic than Naruto's. Gaara was even led to believe by his father that his mother had hated him and that he was responsible for her death. Think about all that verbal abuse coming from the family who is supposed to love you. No wonder Gaara was so messed up and unstable.

4 Sasuke Uchiha Sasuke Uchiha is a fictional character from the manga and anime franchise Naruto, created by Masashi Kishimoto.

I honestly feel like if I were to choose I'd say Itachi had a sadder back story. Sure Sasuke saw the dead bodies of his clan but Itachi had to actually kill them and his parents all for the sake of the village. Everyone always says poor Sasuke but I feel that Itachi is the one that had it more rough: forced to make an impossible decision between his village or clan, then has to leave his village and join a cult to spy on for his village (all while he's still a teen), and finally dies without his village knowing of his sacrifice for them. At least Sasuke found out about Itachi after he died but Sasuke was a bystander for his clan's murder while Itachi was forced to be an active participant. Itachi was a hero to his village but no one knew or acknowledged this while he was alive. He was treated as a traitor for following orders and putting the lives of the entire village before his own clan or emotions. He was like the shadow Hokage.

5 Erza Scarlet (Fairy Tail) Erza Scarlet is an S-Class Mage from the infamous magic guild Fairy Tail. Erza starts off as a lone wolf and stays loyal to following the rules. As the story develops Erza changes into loving mage strong and independent. As her terrible past haunts her she ignores her Nakama's calls that they want help... read more
6 Elric Brothers (Fullmetal Alchemist)
7 Gray Fullbuster Gray Fullbuster a fairytail wizard is a kind sensitive person which can be mainly found in underwear or fighting a guildmate / friend brother Natsu Dragneel (which I am supersede dint make this list) anyway Gray has a habit of stripping which he found while training with his now unfortunately dead master... read more
8 Nico Robin "Devil Child" Nico Robin is a fictional character of the One Piece manga franchise created by Eiichiro Oda.
9 Jellal Fernandes (Fairy Tail) Jellal Fernandes is a childhood friend of Erza Scarlet. When he lost his own memory, he was a Dark Mage who desperately sought to revive Zeref via the R-System. Jellal served as the main antagonist of the Tower of Heaven arc and is currently a member and co-founder of Crime Sorcière.

His past is way worse than Erza's because at least Erza has her friends and Fairy Tail, plus everyone loves and idolizes her, whilst Jellal had been being controlled for most of his life then had to either go to jail or relentlessly on the run as a fugitive and face the risk of being caught all the time.

10 Itachi Uchiha Itachi Uchiha is a fictional character in the Naruto manga and anime series created by Masashi Kishimoto.

Kill your own family just for good or your own village but the village that he save treat him like a criminal. Its more painful that you killed your own family just for the sake of the village that betrayed you. I that he should be in the top 3 because sasuke just watch his family died but the village accept him.

I feel like having to kill your own family is much worse than watching your family get killed. Sasuke shouldn't be so high up.

The Contenders
11 Nami Nami is a fictional character in the One Piece franchise created by Eiichiro Oda. She is based on Ann and Silk, two characters from Oda's previous manga Romance Dawn.

It's not even that bad! Her past is much better than many One Piece characters.

12 Ciel Phantomhive Earl Ciel Phantomhive (Japanese: シエル・ファントムハイヴ, Shieru Fantomuhaivu) is the main protagonist of the manga and anime series "Black Butler". He is the current head of the Phantomhive house, the notorious Queen's Watchdog, the owner of the Funtom Corporation, and an Aristocrat of... read more
13 Sanji Vinsmoke Sanji, most commonly known by his moniker "Black Leg" Sanji, is a fictional character in the One Piece franchise created by Eiichiro Oda. He is the cook of the Straw Hat Pirates, as well as the former sous chef of the Baratie. He is also the third son of the Vinsmoke Family, thus making him... read more
14 Zeref Dragneel (Fairy Tail) Zeref Dragneel is a character from the anime/manga series, Fairy Tail, created by Hiro Mashima. He debuted in chapter 200 of the manga, and episode 96 in the anime. In Fairy Tail, Zeref is considered to be the strongest Dark Wizard of all time, who was under the Curse of Contradiction. He is the founder... read more

Hmmm... Zeref and Jellal have the saddest pasts in my opinion but Zeref has been enduring pain for 400 years so... yeah.

15 Ken Kaneki
16 Guts

Born by a corpse, raised by a group of mercenary and ironed by the flames of many battles, Guts learned that in this life only the powerful survived. Always alone, always in battle, he doesn't have anyone or anything to call his own, only his trusted blade.

17 Shoto Todoroki (Boku No Hero Academia)

He hasn't had anyone die or anything, but he had an abusive father and his mom poured boiling water on his head.

18 Future Trunks
19 Shouko Nishimiya (A Silent Voice)
20 Kurapika
21 Kyoko Sakura
22 Nagato Nagato (Also known by his alias "Pain") is a fictional character from the manga and anime franchise Naruto, created by Masashi Kishimoto.
23 Mami Tomoe Mami Tomoe (Japanese: 巴マミ) is a fictional character and one of the five main magical girls from the 2011 anime series, Puella Magi Madoka Magica and its related media. She serves as a protagonist alongside Kyoko Sakura in The Different Story.
24 Mikasa Ackerman (Attack on Titan) Mikasa Ackerman is a fictional character in the manga and anime series Attack on Titan, also known as Shingeki no Kyojin in Japanese, created by Hajime Isayama. She accompanies the main protagonist Eren Jaeger. Her most notable feature is the red scarf that she wears. She is one of the most strongest... read more
25 Kikyo

Her story is filled with so much sadness Like a soul thate full of sorrow and needs to be put to rest.

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