When it comes to characters’ deaths in anime, it is not quite a moment that we would be proud to watch. But as we know, that makes things a bit realistic and creates a dire atmosphere, especially when the main characters have to realize that death is possible even to them. Even though we know that in most storylines, the main character has to survive through the end, otherwise, that would be just one bad piece of writing.
As the main character of the show survives difficult hardships, it then makes for good character development. And whenever they fall, we always know they will be coming back stronger, and that is what we look forward to the most. When the main character gets that instant boost in powers and they will just be mopping the floor all over with the villains.
Then we have strange franchises like The Seven Deadly Sins and Dragon Ball, where we would see the main characters dying multiple times because there are some strange abilities that would see them come back to life. Let’s look at some of the most impactful and saddest deaths in anime.
Ichimaru Gin: Bleach
We all knew Gin to be a mysterious person all over the series. This was until the very end when we got to know some truth, and he betrayed Aizen, to whom he seemed to be very loyal. He would always carry around his almost constant smile with slitted eyes and his heavy use of sarcasm with his mocking politeness. This makes him a very difficult character to discern, and many used to find his character unsettling.
Gin’s death has been one of the most impactful and sad in Bleach. Because he would seem to have figured out most things and was hardly inaccurate in his plans. In the end, we find out that Gin is playing along with Aizen, so he finds a way to defeat him. Even though he found one, it seemed as if Aizen was a step ahead. So if we look at what Bleach episode does Gin die, we can see all this unfold in Bleach Episode 307 when Gin finally dies after revealing his true nature.
Escanor: Seven Deadly Sins
As we look at another tragic moment in anime, we can see in Seven Deadly Sins that some of the main character’s deaths come not from the hands of the villains. Some anime have techniques that only happen after sacrifices. Or techniques that rely on the very life force of individuals meaning that for the extreme power boosts that they get, they have to pay the price with their lives. We saw this when Escanor official dies in Seven Deadly Sins Season 4 Episode 20.
Escanor was not killed by any individual. Instead, Escanor died due to his own technique “Sunshine” which is a very powerful grace from the angels. He wanted to protect his loved ones and would later use these powers to defeat the demon king. But after the battle, all of his life force was drained away, and the Sunshine grace returned to the angels.
Sir Nighteye: MHA
My Hero Academia Season 4 takes things a bit more seriously and introduces the reality of life after running for a while. So towards the end, things got a bit intense when we came to the realization that every once in a while, we should expect death to visit even some of the main characters that we would not think about. Sir Nighteye was a phenomenal character in My Hero Academia season 4. And if we look at what episode Nighteye dies in, we can see what kind of a person he was.
Most fans would not believe this when they saw it and would frequently ask questions like “Did Sir Nighteye Survive?” and would later get to wonder what did Nighteye say before he died. All this happens in My Hero Academia Season 4 Episode 12. Sir Nighteye died due to a pointed rock that had punctured his stomach as he had received multiple injuries in a battle. His last words were to Midoriya as he told him that his death was near as he could see a bit into the future.
Askeladd: Vinland Saga
Being the mastermind of many evil schemes in Vinland Saga, Askeladd has managed to do almost everything he has planned for successfully. This would even remain true when faced with what appeared to be the strongest character in the series. So his battle tactics managed to let him get his way most of the time. He was a cunning Viking and used to travel around with a band of mercenaries and would lead them to various victories.
There were moments when we thought we would never see Askeladd’s death in the anime. So most fans also wonder what episode Askeladd dies in Vinland Saga. And after he is gone, we also wonder what happens in Vinland Saga after Askeladd dies. Before that, let’s look at how did Askeladd die in Vinland Saga, as he had some of the best moments despite his usual cunning personality. Askeladd died in a duel with Bjorn when he momentarily lost concentration to keep Thorfin out of the fight. So this was a moment of his defeat that saw him finally advise Thorfin instead of the usual taunts.
Chelsea: Akame Ga Kill
Chelsea appeared as a mischievous woman even though all this might have been an act. She used to have a cold and calculative side which would often lead to her making accurate but blunt analyses of people and situations. Towards the end, she displays good intentions when she tries to help the Night Raid members to become more realistic, and she cares dearly for them. This was driven by her desire not to lose them as she did with the previous team.
She was also shown to have a liking for lollipops and her Teigu was usually filled with them. This would explain why she would frequently carry one in her mouth. Her death was not explained in detail in the anime, as we only know that she died in the line of duty. One of the character’s trivia about her reveals that she was at the age of 20 at the time she died. So since she had an interesting character overall, this is one of the deaths in anime that was a bit sad.
Sasha Braus: Attack on Titan
Sasha was a member of the scouts and was a compulsive food hoarder who had a polite way of speech. She was also friendly and loving, and her local accent would easily identify her as being from Dauuper Village. She was timid at first and would make lots of mistakes when under stress. She is also simple-minded and eccentric, and her intuition is very sharp despite all of this.
Sasha died in one of the most unexpected ways. And this presents what the life of a survey corps would come with. Because by just being one, she ended up getting killed. We saw this when Gabi successfully infiltrated the survey corps airship. And this would mean that whoever Gabi comes across first, she will have to shoot as she was in enemy territory. So the first person Gabi saw on the ship was Sasha Braus, and she ended up shooting her. Sasha would later die from her wounds despite her innocence and cheerful character. Her death in anime came unexpected and has touched those who were really close to her.
Erwin Smith: Attack on Titan
Even though he was a complex character, who would always appear serious and calculative, Erwin Smith was always planning for the future and had a high degree of trust in his men. He also figured out that there was a spy in the survey corps very early and even ran it down to possible suspects with high accuracy as we look at the moments leading to his death. There was a bit of controversy on whether his men should save him. But Levi managed to make a decisive decision that even Erwin wanted.
Looking at what episode does Erwin die? We can see this in the anime as Erwin dies in peace in Attack on Titan Season 3 Episode 18, titled Midnight Sun. So this would also answer the question “Did Erwin die in Season 2?” and this is also the episode where Erwin Smith gets hit badly.
Caesar: Jojo’s Bizzare Adventures
As we look into the final moments that led to Caesar’s death in Jojo, it was during the pursuit of Kars when he went ahead of his group as he had had an argument with Joseph about waiting any longer to launch their attack. When Messina tries to help him out, they are ambushed by Wamuu. And even though Caesar managed to wound him fatally, Wamuu moved to take his shadow and ended up hiding from the sunlight, only for the Holy Sandstorm to deal him a death blow.
This would usually happen and lead to death in anime as in the knick of a moment when one individual is on the brink of winning a fight. Then something happens that turns the table around instantly, like we saw when Caesar died. His death was instant and unexpected. So this is all that happened, and in case you were wondering who kills Caesar in Jojo. Then you should know that it was the Holy Sandstorm and a few events that would follow to make his death certain.
Ebisu: Norogami
Ebisu appeared as one of the humorless gods of Fishing and Commerce with a stoic character and always bore near-emotionless facial expressions. He speaks in a reserved and polite manner but with an aloof tone. He can be highly pragmatic and useful as he would constantly progress towards his goals and would go to great lengths for that.
There are some differences between the manga and the name when it comes to Ebisu’s death. Because in the manga, we see that Ebisu dies a bit after leaving the underworld, and he is then held by Bishamonte. But in the anime, he ended up losing consciousness and died later when Yato and Bishamon were retrieved from the underworld when he was held by Yato instead. The anime also changed a scene from the manga when Yato found out about Ebisu’s death and reincarnated. So this was one death in anime that we should also look into.
L Lawliet: Death Note
Death Note has been a phenomenal anime as it has revolved around the concept of death throughout. The notebook itself is actually the notebook of death, and whoever carries it has a lot of control over what happens. We have seen amazing characters like L Lawliet, whose rival Yagami was also a genius. So we should also look at more interesting details like who killed L Lawliet and what episode does Lawliet die in Death Note.
Lawliet was planning to test the legitimacy of the notebook’s rule of 13 days. But when Watari died, he noticed that all of the information Kira was deleted. And as soon as L found out that Rem must be the one who killed Watari. Rem ended up writing L’s name in the notebook, which resulted in his death.
Twelve & Nine: Terror In Resonance
Twelve & Nine had died in the same scene while in the line of duty. So if we are to look into how Twelve and Nine died in Zankyo no Terror, then we will not have to look any further. In Zankyo no Terror Episode 11, during the atomic bomb incident, Nine threatened the US helicopters with another possible explosion that he had planned and would detonate at just the press of a button.
These events then lead to a bullet being shot and ending up killing Twelve right away. Seeing this, Nine is shocked and screams in rage and agony as he has just lost his partner and friend. Nine is determined to press the detonation button, but Shibazaki promises to fix things. So Nine ended up giving the detonation button to Shibazani and told him to remember the life that he and 12 lived before succumbing to one of his frequent headaches and ended up dead as well. So these types of death in anime also carry with them a different degree of sadness.
Igneel: Fairy Tail
Igneel has supported Natsu from a young age up until he finds a family in the Fairy Tail Guild. And even though we know that Igneel ends up passing on at some time, we should look at what episode does Igneed die in Fairy Tail and also see if Igneel did defeat Acnologia. He appeared as a caring father, and he was also incredibly protective of him.
Igneel dies in his fight against Acnologia when he is overwhelmed, and after seeing this, Acnologia berates his weakness. As the ruler of the fire dragon, Igneel could not put much of a fight before the seemingly invincible Acnologia, and we later got to know the truth behind dragons and Dragon Slayers. So Acnologia had fatally wounded Igneel ripping him in half, and would later move to sever his head.
Shirou: Blue Exorcist
Shirou has expressed a protective personality and is a kind-hearted man who is also mysterious. He is a paladin and does not show any mercy towards demons and ends up befriending a Cat sith known as Kuro. He is also an adopted father of Rin, and this has made him one of the few people who are able to calm Rin down when he loses control. Even though Rin was born the twin son of Satan, Shirou raided Rin with Yukio and showed them love as if they were his children.
As he was an Exorcist, Shirou was always in danger whenever he would fight demons. He was issued a fitting uniform consisting of a black coat and a heart-shaped rosary which made him look like a priest as he grew older. He has also turned his Exorcist pin into a very long necklace that he always wears. The necklace has been modified into a Stilleto type weapon, and it is the one he has used to stab himself in the chest, and this would eventually lead to his death. Shirou’s death in anime proved how dedicated he was to his role as a priest.
Zabuza and Haku: Naruto
Even though Zabuza was a charismatic and inspiring individual, he used to dream of a society where Shinobi dominated the ruling class, and this motivated his attempted coup on the fourth Mizukage. After this, he would become bitter and cynical as the coup ended in failure, and this has made him ruthless over time, and he ended up as a mercenary. Zabuza and Haku’s death was one of the most tragic moments in Naruto as we got to learn more about their backgrounds, and seeing Zabuza finally recognizing Haku’s value to him made it even worse.
When Gato finally reveals his true self, it seems as if he was betrayed just like he expected it. So this did not change much from his perspective, so when he was in the land of waves and was fatally wounded, he requested that Kakashi place him next to Haku. This was a few moments before he died as he wanted to get to the same place that Haku would go. So, in the end, they were buried in a peaceful place, leaving Zabuza’s sword as the grave marker.
Kamina: Tengen Toppa Gurren Lagann
Kamina appears as a tall individual who is well built, and he takes pride in himself as he considers himself manly and tough. We usually see him wearing his trademark red sunglasses that would cover his red eyes. At first glance, he appears to be a boisterous and hotheaded individual. He would usually demand recognition and is always looking for ways to become a greater individual.
Gurren Lagann seemed to be an anime where individuals would hardly die at first. Because of the humor that the anime usually carries. We never expected one of the main characters to end up dying. So looking at which episode does Kamina die in Gurren Lagann, we can get further details about what really happened that would put his passing away as one of the death in anime that most would remember. One thing to note was what Kamna managed to achieve. Because his goal was to make the surface habitable for humans, he also managed to motivate Simon to acknowledge his greatness.
Neji Hyuga: Naruto Shippuden
Every Naruto fan knows that Neji’s death was one of the most touching in the series. And this was inspired by the character development that he has shown throughout the series. Because from the beginning, Naruto wanted to change the Hyuga clan, especially when it comes to the way that Neji used to think. And seeing this final act from Neji in the midst of war was quite surprising.
So if we look at what episode Neji dies or how did Neji die in Naruto Shippuden, we will be able to see that it was an act of courage for him. When Naruto and Obito’s battle raged on, Obito tried all he could to prove to Naruto that he was right. So this was followed by a focused attack that Obito had aimed at Naruto. But upon seeing this, Hinata moved to shield him, and this was followed by Neji, who moved to protect Hinata. Taking the blow ended up as a sacrifice so that Naruto and Hinata lived. Neji dies in Naruto Shippuden Episode 364, and that is where you will be able to see everything in detail.
Jonathan Joestar: Jojo’s Bizzare Adventure
As the Son of a wealthy businessman, Jonathan appears as an honest man who is kind and positive. But as we know, bad things mostly happen to good people, and he is no exception. In the anime, he was also the protagonist of Phantom Blood, and his life started to become a mystery when Dio Brando was adopted by George, which would later result in his father’s death.
Dio wanted to kill both Jonathan and his father, and this was what motivated Jonathan to learn to use Hamon’s energy from Zeppeli as he wanted to settle the score with him. Zepelli then transferred all his remaining Hamon into Jonathan, and even when Jonathan managed to defeat Dio. He was fatally wounded by Dio’s severed head when he attempted to take his body. This would ultimately lead to Jonathan dying from the injuries resulting in one of the death in anime that made the list.
Asuma Sarutobi: Naruto Shippuden
Naruto Shippuden came in as a continuation to the original Naruto anime, but after a time skip. So this is where we saw more deaths of the main characters as Akatsuki made its move to capture all tailed beasts. Asuma’s death played an important role in Shikamaru’s character development up until he avenged his teacher. So looking at how did Asuma Sarutobi die in Naruto will carry more answers and clarity on what really happened.
This means that we should look at what episode did Asmua Sarutobi die and also who killed Asuma in Naruto Shippuden. Asuma Sarutobi dies in Naruto Shippuden Episode 80 when facing the immortal Hidan, who performed a strange ritual-like Jutsu that would kill his opponents through the damage he inflicts on himself. Asuma, without knowing this trick, would later fall prey to Hidan’s antiques that would later cost him his life.
Rengoku: Demon Slayer
Demon Slayer returned this year with its second season that introduced the Fire Hashira Rengoku Kyojuro. He was a happy-go-lucky individual, and we all expected things to go well for him. But the early episodes of Demon Slayer Season 2 explored the weaknesses of the Demon Slayers against the recovering demons, which were exhaustion and injuries.
While Rengoku managed to hold off his own against the upper rank three, he was unable to heal from the damage that he would occasionally receive throughout their exchange of blows. The anime also clearly shows how does Kyojuro Rengoku die and why was Rengoku killed off. We also got to see who killed Kyojuro Rengoku and what episode does Rengoku die. Rengoku dies in Demon Slayer Season 2 Episode 8 during the infinite train arc when it reaches its end. This was also one death in anime that most fans had a difficult time coming to terms with.
Meruem & Komugi: Hunter X Hunter
One of the very sad and touching death we have seen in the series. Meruem and Komugi died through poisoning, in case you were wondering how did Meruem and Komugi die in Hunter X Hunter. Meruem was poisoned by Netero with a very contagious poison which also affected Komugi because he wanted to be by her side as she succumbed to the effects of the poison.
Since Netero had a nuclear bomb implanted in his heart, it was also set to explode the moment he died. So the explosion is likely to have killed both of them before the slow effects of the poison do. As we look at what episode do Komugi and Meruem die, Meruem and Komugi die in Hunter X Hunter Episode 135, where every detail of their last moments is revealed.
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Kaori Miyazono: Your Lie In April
Your Lie In April came as a soft anime when it comes to events like death. Because it is a slice-of-life anime, we would hardly expect any individuals to kill each other, let alone be involved in fights. Because for such anime, we have no villains but antagonists.
Sadly, Kaori Miyazono died on the day of Kousei’s piano competition when she underwent medical surgery. Even though she was in the care of skilled doctors, she ended up passing away and for anime like this one, this comes as one of the most touching deaths in anime, as we had already connected well with the character.
Kushina & Minato: Naruto Shippuden
These two are like the progenitor of Naruto’s storyline. Because technically, without them, there is never a Naruto nor Naruto Shippuden story to tell. When Naruto Shippuden approached its final arcs, we got to know the truth about the day Naruto was born.
This was during the nine tails incident when Obito attacked the leaf and unleashed the tailed beast to be rampant in the village. But to save Naruto’s life, both Kushina and Minato sacrificed their lives and ensured that Naruto would have the future that he is living now. If you are looking for which episode Minato and Kushina die, then this is shown in Naruto Shippuden episode 350 in detail.
Maes Hughes: FMA Brotherhood
Maes Hughes dies in Full Metal Alchemist Brotherhood Episode 10 when the conspiracy that surrounded the Philosopher stone was closing in. He was murdered when Envy morphed into the shape of his wife and fatally wounded him with a gunshot. This leads to Hughes bleeding out to death in the phone booth while Roy senses that something seems to be off.
His funeral was later held, and his loved ones and friends mourned his death while Elicia was unable to cope with a situation like this.
Itachi: Naruto Shippuden
In a battle that has started to unsolve all mysteries, we saw strangely that Itachi was slacking a bit in his fight with Sasuke. And later on, his final message left a coded message that would later help Sasuke understand why Itachi lived the way he did.
If we look at what episode does Itachi die in Naruto Shippuden, we will find out that Itachi dies in Naruto Shippuden episode 138 when Sasuke confronted him to avenge his entire clan. But the truth was far more than that, as in the episodes to follow. Obito would reveal what really happened to Sasuke.
Setsuko: Grave OF The Fireflies
When Seita rushed back to the shelter, he found Setsuko hallucinating as she was sucking on marbles that he thought were fruit drops. She offered some rice balls to him, which were actually made of mud, but when she hurried to cook, it was already too late.
Setsuko dies of starvation, and as Seita watches over his lifeless body, she decides that she will cremate her and use the supplies donated to him by a farmer and place Setsuko in a wicker basket which she sets on fire.
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Jiraiya: Naruto Shippuden
Jiraiya’s death was one of the most impactful death in Naruto as it affected a lot of people. He was a teacher to Naruto and a teammate to Tsunade, who was the Hokage at the moment. Looking at how Jiraiya dies in Naruto, we can see that it happened in Naruto Shippuden episode 152 when he was fighting the six paths of pain.
This was before he would figure out how they coordinate their attacks. And finally, being faced with all six of them while he was already fatally injured meant that he stood no chance at all, as there was only one way to defeat the six of them sequentially.
Portgas D Ace: One Piece
Just when we had thought that Luffy was successful in one of his nearly impossible feats. It all ended up in disappointment when Ace had to sacrifice his life to save Luffy from a raging Akainu attack. Ace dies in One Piece episode 483 in case you wondered, what episode does Ace die in One Piece anime.
As Akainu was about to obliterate Luffy with his attack, Ace got in the way creating a human shield for his defenseless brother. In the end, he died because of the magma attack, which was more powerful compared to his fire-based devil powers.
Lelouch: Code Geass
Even though Rolo managed to safely rescue Lelouch, the overuse of his geass would later lead to his death as this overtaxes his heart. He died shortly after he just got to safety which was a bit sad because Rolo was excited over saving him.
This happens in Code Geass R2 Episode 19, and we managed to see how much closer Lelouch and Rolo managed to get because it was surprising when Lelouch ordered Rolo to leave him, only for him to end up rescuing him.
Koro Sensei: Assassination Classroom
Looking at one of the saddest deaths in anime history, we should look at how Koro-sensei lived his life with his students because it all looked like a joke until it actually happened. Koro-sensei dies in Assassination Classroom episode 47, titled future time.
Most fans would wonder who killed Koro Sensei, but the episode reveals that Nagisa was the one who killed him after Koro Sensei suggested that he wanted him to do it with a smile on his face.
Kana Kishimina: Parasyte
Parasyte managed to develop into an interesting anime that most people followed. But it was quite sad if we look at what episode does Kana die in. Because if we also consider who kills Kana in Parasyte, we will see that it was quite a tragic death as she had her guard down.
Kana dies in Parasyte – The Maxim Episode 12 when Kana was due to meet with Shinichi to prove the extent of her powers. But this only led her to a murderous parasite that ended up killing her before Shinichi’s eyes.
Honorable Mentions
Sudou Siblings Sexual Circumstances
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