Significant deaths often play a big role in shaping an anime’s narrative, so it’s not entirely unexpected to see at least one character die during a long-running series. It is surprising, however, to witness a death that has such a deep and lasting impact on the rest of the characters.
Granted, there is nothing quite as devastating to an anime fan as seeing their favorite character suffer an unfortunate death. Although, it’s the deaths that have a reverberating effect that extends beyond the mourning for the deceased that often result in some of the most shocking, heartbreaking, and memorable moments in the entire series.
10 Ryouko’s death prompts a confrontation between Touka and CCG (Tokyo Ghouls).
tokyo ghoul The initial season is full of shocking twists, turns, and several incredibly tragic events. In one of the most harrowing moments of the season, Ryouko sacrifices herself to save her daughter Hinami from the ruthless CCG duo, who were responsible for the death of Hinami’s father.
Ryouko’s death means Hinami is left an orphan and must learn to live without her parents. Touka, who takes responsibility for Hinami for a while, is particularly hurt by her ordeal and is nearly killed when she seeks revenge on the men responsible for her.
9 Satoru seeks to erase a tragic past (erased)
Erased is one of the most emotional anime of all time. Erased tells the story of Satoru Fujinuma as he is transported eighteen years into the past after the murder of his mother in the present. Soon after, Satoru deduces that his mother’s murder must be somehow related to the kidnapping and murder of his classmate Kayo.
Despite having changed the past and saved Kayo from her tragic fate, Satoru does not end his childhood crush for erased conclusion, as you move into the future with someone else. However, this doesn’t change the fact that it is Kayo’s death that sets Satoru’s journey in motion.
8 Okabe risks everything to save Kurisu (Steins;Gate)
jugs; door follows protagonist Rintaro Okabe as he seeks to save Makise Kurisu from a tragic fate and prevent World War III by going back in time to prevent Kurisu’s assassination. As a result, Okabe is forced to watch Kurisu die multiple times before he can figure out a way to save her.
Though Okabe eventually ensures Kurisu’s survival, he endures unimaginable torment, mental anguish, and suffering along the way, including the death of his old friend Mayuri. Fortunately for Okabe, he manages to change the past and save everyone from a terrible future.
7 Tem’s murder causes unrest among the herbivores (Beastars)
beasts is easily one of the best anthropomorphic series in all of anime. When the herbivore Tem is brutally murdered on campus by a carnivore, it threatens to cause an irreparable rift among the students of Cherryton Academy. Tension is high as the herbivore community is now concerned about their well-being and everyone trusts carnivores less.
This story takes place over two seasons, but ultimately by Beastar the protagonist Legoshi finally discovers the identity of Tem’s killer. Ultimately, Legoshi defeats the responsible bear in battle, but not before the entire ordeal has drastically disrupted the established harmony between the two communities.
6 Shinichiro’s death alters Toman forever (Tokyo Revengers)
tokyo avengers It is loaded with surprising facts. in the episode Once Upon a time, Kazutora convinces Baji to help him steal the bike Mikey wants for his birthday. They enter a bike shop, but are caught by the shop owner, who turns out to be Mikey’s older brother, Shinichiro.
Kazutora unknowingly hits Shinichiro over the head with a wrench, killing him. The event causes dissension among Toman members. It also results in Kazutora being excommunicated from the group and precipitates a war between Toman and Kazutora’s new gang, Valhalla.
5 Koito’s suicide drastically changes Ai’s life (wonder egg priority)
For him Wonder Egg Priority protagonist Ai, it is the suicide of her best friend Koito that sends her on a dazzling journey into the unknown. Debuting in early 2021, Wonder Egg Priority emerged as a strong contender for the year’s deepest and most thought-provoking anime due to its exploration of pertinent and poignant themes.
Ai’s journey involves meeting three other teenage girls who are searching for similar answers to the suicide of someone they knew. Koito’s death remains the center of attention throughout Wonder Egg Priorityas Ai explores the reasons behind her friend’s decision to take her own life while haunting a mysterious world in her sleep.
4 Erwin’s death piles a heavy responsibility on Armin (Attack on Titan)
attack on titan it’s packed with surprises and unexpected twists, many of which have a lasting impact on the rest of the story. In one such case, the Survey Corps is forced to choose between saving Commander Erwin Smith or military man Armin Arlelt after both suffered fatal injuries during an intense confrontation with the Titans Armored, Beast, and Colossal.
In the end, with only a vial of Titan serum at their disposal, Levi and his comrades choose to save Armin by having him eat Bertholdt while in his Titan form in order to inherit the Colossal Titan. This decision weighs heavily on Armin for the rest of attack on titan as he accepts that his survival came at the expense of humanity’s greatest leader.
3 Conny’s death reveals the truth about Grace Field House (The Promised Neverland)
The Promised NeverlandThe first episode of concludes with a shocking development that reveals the premise of the story. After saying goodbye to Conny, Grace Field’s latest child to be adopted, Emma runs into Conny’s beloved “Little Bunny”. Worried that Conny will struggle without him, Emma enlists Norman’s help and they set off to return Conny’s stuffed animal.
Emma and Norman come across some kind of garage where they find Conny lifeless just moments before learning that the children of Grace Field are being raised as meat for some kind of man-eating monsters. This horrific discovery leads the pair and Ray to devise a plan to escape from Grace Field, eventually sparking a war between humans and monsters.
two Light inadvertently creates his own undoing with L’s Murder (Deat
Death Note It is known, among other things, for being one of the best anime to build suspense and subvert audience expectations. This is never more apparent than in the aptly titled episode Be quiet where, after a long and exhausting investigation into Kira’s identity, L finally meets his end.
Light, having developed a serious God complex, declares himself “God of the New World”. He is confident that he no longer has anything to worry about after defeating his greatest adversary. However, this triumph does not last long, as L is replaced by the incredibly capable Near. Near eventually taunts Light and becomes the man responsible for his downfall.
1 Thorfinn will stop at nothing to avenge his father (Vinland Saga)
In one of Vinland Saga In the most shocking scenes, the young Thorfinn is forced to watch as his father, the great Viking warrior Thors, is killed by the mercenary Askeladd. Not only is this event a complete surprise given how early in the vinland sagabut it is also central to shaping the anime’s narrative.
Enraged at his father’s murder, Thorfinn swears revenge on the man responsible. He follows Askeladd and his mercenary band on his adventure, intending to one day defeat Askeladd in a duel. Thors untimely death plays an important role in Thorfinns maturation from a child to a warrior, like the rest of vinland saga focuses on his desire for revenge.
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