Top 10 Saddest Anime Deaths

The Top Ten
1 Maes Hughes - Fullmetal Alchemist Maes Hughes is a fictional character from the Fullmetal Alchemist manga series and its adaptations created by Hiromu Arakawa.

This was the only character death that I've ever cried about. Sure, I've come close to crying, but the way the anime and the manga portray his death is heartbreaking. He is the only character that you want to come back to life and is such a supporting character with so much to him that you think he will always be there until his unexpected death.

He's a character that you don't realize how much he means to you until he dies. He is the kind of person we want to find in our lives - a kind, supporting, and lovable character. Above that, his character is one that you would never forget as when killed. After that in Fullmetal Alchemist, the anime adds the icing on the cake as it goes through more scenes that if you hadn't cried when he died, you would most certainly cry about this part after. He is, undoubtedly, the saddest anime character death I've ever seen/watched/read.

2 L - Death Note L Lawliet, exclusively known by the mononym L, is a fictional character in the manga series Death Note, created by Tsugumi Ohba and Takeshi Obata.

It kills me that L died the way he did. He knew he was going to die and he knew that he would be killed by his best (only) friend. Every time I watch Death Note, I find myself just as sad as that first time, and for the rest of the series (whether anime, movie, or manga), I generally find myself with a lingering sadness.

Why? L was justice and, in the moment of his death, justice had failed.

I always hoped that L's opinions, his very code, would affect Light positively (because I do side with Light on a few matters), but to see that he died so uselessly and to see Light consider it a victory and nothing more... My tears can't satisfy the wish that L had been able to do more than just leave successors behind.

From the point of L's death and onwards, Death Note gained a darker note for me. In the end, L won through Near, but to get there, so much sacrifice was made, a lot of chances taken, and all for a game of pride, really.

3 Lelouch Lamperouge - Code Geass Lelouch Lamperouge, whose real name is Lelouch vi Britannia, is the title character and protagonist of the Sunrise anime series Code Geass: Lelouch of the Rebellion.

Talk about an epic death. Not to say that Lelouch was a good guy, but he wasn't exactly a bad guy. Or rather, the fact that he plays the part of the bad guy throughout the whole anime to purposely get people to hate him, only to plan his own death at the end so that the world doesn't know who to hate anymore, is pretty amazing.

I also find it extremely satisfying because, after all he's done, there's no way he could be forgiven, even if he had his reasons. He accepted the weight of his crimes and his punishment. I'm left wondering if he was being selfless or selfish. In the beginning, he only wanted to make his sister happy, and along the way, seemed to get tangled up in power. Then, when he had the world in his hands, he gave it up. Was it because he still selfishly wanted his sister to be happy, or because he just wanted to fix the world? Who knows.

4 Jiraiya - Naruto Jiraiya is a fictional character in the Naruto anime and manga series created by Masashi Kishimoto. Introduced in the series' first part, he was a student of Third Hokage Hiruzen Sarutobi and one of the three "Legendary Sannin" along with Orochimaru and Lady Tsunade, his former teammates.

Naruto is probably one of the best animes I have ever been blessed with seeing, and growing up with. This emotional roller coaster of a show will have you happy and cheering for heroes, laughing at the ridiculous situations and gimmicks, and crying over the heartbreaking truths the show reveals. With all of that being said, Jiraiya's death is one of THE SADDEST ever. I have not cried harder watching his death than in any other anime, with the exception of Anohana.

He fought 6 guys at a time, lost his arm, got his throat destroyed, got stabbed in his only arm and in the back, managed to write a codified language, and then drowned. He says his death was full of mistakes, but he realizes he got a perfect student, and, finally, when his book finishes, he starts his last book, "The Legend of Naruto Uzumaki."

5 Korosensei - Assassination Classroom

I have pretty much watched all the top list, but I must say that I have never been such a baby as much as when I saw Korosensei die. I couldn't make out what was right at that time: the students who adored him so much killing him for real this time, or them not going through such a tragic state even though they were trained to do so in the first place. I hated the sad world of anime for killing one of the most inspiring characters of all time. And hearing him say that goodbye was something I could never forget. Heck, even before death, he was teaching Nagisa how to live. This I say about him: there never was a character more passionate in his profession than Korosensei.

6 Kaori Miyazono - Your Lie in April

From the happy-go-lucky cutie, who is an amazing violinist, to someone whose health grows worse and worse, after inspiring the main male character, she falls ill just like his mother. Kaori is easily the saddest death in anime because, for one, you have no idea about her condition from the start. The first sign is when she collapses on stage, but the worst is when she is walking through the hospital corridor and her legs give in and stop working. It was during episode 14 I knew what was going to happen. I knew from that moment she was going to die.

7 Portgas D. Ace - One Piece Portgas D. Ace, born as Gol D. Ace and nicknamed "Fire Fist" Ace, is a fictional character in the One Piece franchise created by Eiichiro Oda.

Ace was one of, if not the most, lovable supporting protagonists in One Piece (which is saying a lot, considering how many there are) and also one of the coolest. He was some of the only family Luffy had, or at least knew he had. He was Luffy's big brother, and how he died reflected this. He did what any good brother should and took a smoldering hot fist through the chest for his little brother. As a person who had been the subject of a manhunt at birth, you'd expect him to be a heartless monster who's committed horrible crimes, but he's incredibly noble. He was born the son of the most notorious criminal, but that's not his fault, yet he ends up paying for it all the same. Also, the reactions to his death (Luffy's specifically) are absolutely heartbreaking. Watch the video on YouTube, and you'll know what I mean.

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

To understand why his death was so tragic, first, you must look at his life. He was forced to do the unthinkable and endure things that most would not have been able to bear. He wanted to die as the hated, the despised, the villain... to make another the hero. He was willing to sacrifice so much, to live and die... all for another. But still, there wasn't a single trace of bitterness, anger, or hatred toward the world that forced him to do so. Instead, he sacrificed himself to protect it. His selflessness is almost beyond compare, and because of it, he will always be remembered. The world lost a true hero the day of his death. Rest in Peace, Itachi Uchiha.

9 Nina Tucker - Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood Nina Tucker is a fictional character from the Fullmetal Alchemist manga series and its adaptations created by Hiromu Arakawa.

Although the Elric brothers didn't really spend much time with Nina, the writers of this series brilliantly developed an emotional connection between her and the viewers. This connection strengthened every time the little girl appeared on the screen, only to have it shatter into a million pieces in the most gruesome and horrible way. The "Big Brother" line hit hard.

I saw this part twice, in the original one and Brotherhood, but they're both sort of different. In the 2003 version, the chimera was killed in an alleyway, whereas in the new one, it was killed inside the house by Scar. Also, in the 2003 version, Shou Tucker himself turned into a chimera while in the fifth laboratory (sorry for spoilers).

10 Kanade (Angel) - Angel Beats Kanade Tachibana is one of the students of the Afterlife school and is said school's Student Council President. She is also referred to as Angel by the Afterlife War Front, which is a nickname coined by Hideki Hinata and later used by the group's leader Yuri Nakamura to refer to Kanade after discovering... read more

Although more of a disappearance than a death, still a heartbreaking scene.

The Contenders
11 Nagisa Furukawa - Clannad: After Story

Never before have I been so emotionally attached to a character in any anime. She is such a sweet and kind girl. She doesn't think much of herself, but everyone in the story cared for her a lot. The fact that she died while giving birth to her and Tomoya's daughter is the thing that pushed me over the edge and made me just cry. It was to the point where just seeing her in a flashback or a picture made me start to cry. Her death actually made me depressed for a while. This is coming from someone who shows little to no emotions and rarely cries in general.

12 Spike Spiegel - Cowboy Bebop

Very few deaths inspire such emotion in you. He was the main protagonist you followed throughout the whole 26-episode series. His death was a striking moment as all the syndicate workers stood there as he limped down the stairs, and it ended with one word, "Bang." When he falls to the floor, you feel it in your stomach. See you, Space Cowboy.

I've never experienced the death of a close person in my life yet. Spike was my first experience with death. Even though he was a cartoon, I felt like I lost something when he died. I felt sad for him and angry at him for his decision at the same time. I'll remember the good times.

13 Ushio Okazaki - Clannad After Story

Probably the most tragic death you will ever encounter in regards of children. When an innocent 5-year-old child who has yet to experience the joys of life dies from an illness, you can't help but feel terrible, especially because of her upbringing.

After 5 years of being turned away from her depressed and neglectful father, they finally reunite. They created memories and bonds with each other. She finally got to know what her mother was like before she died giving birth to her.

What's more heartbreaking is that this was highly unexpected and, if it was predicted, it happened way too fast. I believe it was 4-5 episodes after Nagisa, her mom, died, that Ushio too, died of the same illness.

So sudden, so young, and so many tears.

14 Enma Ai - Hell Girl Two Mirrors

She does not deserve to die after all she has been through, especially the thing about her cousin. Very sad.

Where's our favorite hell girl on this list!?

15 Nicholas D. Wolfwood - Trigun

Wolfwood did everything he could to keep the children from suffering like he had as a child. He even killed for their sake. In the end, he finally realized that there was a way for everyone to live, that Vash was right. He died as a man with many regrets. With the injuries he sustained and the added weight of his sins finally weighing down on his life, he collapsed in a church with his Punisher being the only thing holding him up.

After he reflects on his regrets and sins, his final words are, "I did not want to die this way!" His hand falls to the ground, and he slowly closes his eyes. He was many things: a priest, an assassin, but overall, he was a good man with a big heart. To see him die with the regrets he had makes me sob uncontrollably every single time.

16 Future Gohan - Dragon Ball Z Future Gohan is an anime fictional character from the anime series, Dragon Ball Z, created by Akira Toriyama. He is featured in the alternate timeline counterpart of Gohan.
17 Yui - Angel Beats Yui (Japanese: ユイ, Yui) is a secondary character in the anime series, Angel Beats!. She is a big fan of Girls Dead Monster and also acts as an assistant for publicity and other matters... read more

Not really a death, but I cried so hard during that episode. The relationship between her and Hinata was so funny and very comedic, but the way she passed on was so emotional. Plus, I actually didn't really like her character to begin with, so it was really quite surprising for me.

Yui is already dead. It's that she got obliterated.

18 Van Hohenheim - Fullmetal Alchemist Brotherhood

Everything about this scene shattered my heart, from the way he just looks ahead as he crumbles into ash. I'd grown so attached to Hohenheim's lovable personality, his iron will to defeat Father. To imagine the pain he must've gone through when he realized everyone in Xerxes was dead, ugh. I absolutely love this man.

He didn't break his promise and died along with his wife, with a big smile. And I was sobbing.

Rain, both the song and the eyes.

19 Misuzu Kamio - Air

This far down on the list?! Misuzu was cursed. She got it from her ancestor, Kanna. The curse was passed on from generation to generation down to her. If she fell in love, she would suffer great pain, then finally die. Yukito broke the curse, and Misuzu was reincarnated to live without any more pain from a curse.

This death was terribly sad. She lived a life of pain and suffering, and in the end, finally reached her goal before dying!

Incredible anime. So underrated!

20 Lord Death - Soul Eater

Crap, his death hit me in the feels hard. It's just so hard to picture Lord Death being dead. He was such an awesome character! He was hilarious, and then dead... and then... with Kid's reaction. But of course, Excalibur just had to ruin it...

Pretty proud of my bae Kid though...

Well, he doesn't die in the anime but he does in the manga. When Kid becomes the new Grim Reaper, he is soon replaced and dies. He goes peacefully after fighting Asura. The last chapter of Soul Eater literally made me cry.

Kid's reaction when he learned that he died made me really unhappy. But then, Excalibur had to blow all the feels out the window...

21 Light - Death Note

Light's death was indeed the saddest death in anime ever. The final minutes of the series were probably the most powerful. Many people say that Death Note had the worst ending ever, but I disagree. In fact, there was no better way to end it. Kira had to lose. We all saw it coming, but I don't think anyone thought it would end the way it did.

The way Light was running away, scared and hopeless, knowing that it was all over for him, and the way he was remembering his old self, realizing what he had become, really makes you feel sorry for the guy. What really struck me the most was when Ryuk finished writing down his name because I don't think Light was expecting to die by the Death Note. This was the only anime death that ever made me shed a few tears. I cried.

22 Chiaotzu - Dragon Ball Z

The only death in Dragon Ball, DBZ, and DBGT I ever took seriously was Vegeta dying for the first time. He was CRYING! He was killed by a man who enslaved his race to be his killing machines, killed his father, destroyed his planet, and used him as a tool for many years.

Also, this entry isn't specific, seeing as how Chiaotzu died 2 times in DBZ (3 times in total! 4 if you count Future Trunk's timeline). His words of farewell and sacrifice were touching, but didn't Yamcha die in the same episode or one episode before it? Goku also died 12 episodes prior, but he's not on the list either.

So, his death was in vain anyway, seeing as how Tien and Piccolo died right after. At least Nappa died by the hands of Goku... Wait, what's that? Vegeta killed him? So none of his friends killed him? So he died for no reason?

I'm laughing.

23 Ryuga - Beyblade Metal Fury

I was really heartbroken when Ryuga died because he was my favorite character from Beyblade. Even though he was evil, at the end, he had a good heart and helped Kenta who needed to help his friends. I wonder if Ryuga hadn't died, there would probably be more episodes.

Whoa! I stopped watching Beyblade a while back, and I remember all the characters. I come to this list to find a character from a while back in my childhood has died!

He was a great guy and a great mentor, even for me. He shows that you should be strong enough and independent to live happily. Relying on friends like other main characters won't help always.

24 Going Merry - One Piece

The moment Merry started burning wasn't so sad until the ship started speaking... and then I burst into tears. It brought them into the Grand Line and went through so much. She wasn't supposed to be able to sail anymore, but she miraculously did once more to save the whole crew, then broke in half.

A truly touching moment. Maybe the reason it always makes me cry is that even though it was never alive in the first place, it was loved so much it came to life.
Saddest and most beautiful moment in anime history.

25 Euphemia li Britannia - Code Geass Euphemia li Britannia is a fictional character in the Sunrise anime series Code Geass: Lelouch of the Rebellion.

Even the crazy, hell-bent-on-revenge Lelouch Vi Britannia had to bow down before Euphie's charm and goodwill. Right before he lost control of his power and ruined her, he had decided to accept her proposal for the betterment of all 11's. It was a pivotal turning point for his character, where he started to move past his pain and move forward as a character. He even (half-jokingly) calls her his "most fearsome opponent" while genuinely laughing (and this is Lelouch we are talking about) while about to take her hand in peace. Except he accidentally drives her insane. Being forced to accept this outcome, he then snaps back into his dark path of destruction and uses it as propaganda to further his terrorist crusade to make Daddy suffer.

The tragedy of her death isn't so much that an innocent is slain in the process of doing humanitarian work (no good deed goes unpunished), but how much of a missed opportunity this was for Lelouch's character development.

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