LELOUCH LAMPEROUGE: No, don't die!
I order you not to die!
NARRATOR: There's truly no way to describe the feeling of seeing your favorite anime character pass away.
NARRATOR: Welcome to WatchMojo.com, and today we're counting down our picks for the Top 10 Saddest Deaths In Anime.
NARRATOR: For this list, we're taking a look back at all the characters in the anime world that left us too soon,
taking into consideration both sad and misfortunate deaths.
And, as needless as it may be to say, beware of spoilers, and have your tissue boxes ready.
IGARASHI: If you sign this, you... and if by some reason you die, your life...
Your life can be used to help another.
NARRATOR: The series actually follows the protagonist of “Angel Beats!” during his time in the afterlife
and it's only about halfway through that we find out how and why he died.
Having just recently dedicated his life to becoming a doctor and helping people in honor of his late sister Hatsune,
Otonashi finds himself trapped underground after a train accident with several other survivors.
(screaming, tracks grinding)
Being their pillar of strength, he takes care of their wounds and helps ration their food.
YUZURU OTONASHI: Hang in just a bit longer.
Let me know if anything happens.
NARRATOR: In his final moments, he fills out his insurance card to become an organ donor, allowing his example to pass on to the rest -
but he passes away as soon as they are being rescued.
(drilling)
IGARASHI: Otonashi...!
(drilling continues, fades)
NARRATOR: This one scene alone thoroughly introduced us to the horrifying world of the Titans.
NARRATOR: Trapped, and unable to escape the ambush herself,
Eren's mother made sure her kids would not also fall victim to the giant humanoid creatures.
Eren didn't only lose his mom that day,
but also had to watch as she was severed in two and eaten by one of these insidious monsters.
(Eren Yeager gasping)
There was no greater sense of helplessness experienced as when we watched Eren being pulled away while simultaneously crying out for his mother.
(chomping)
(speaking in Japanese)
NARRATOR: The passing of a family member is tough, and that's no exception when it comes to anime.
After being successfully rescued by his brother Luffy and his gang,
this prideful pirate turns back to face his captor, Akainu.
Once Luffy gets caught in his crosshairs, Ace shields him like the good older sibling he is,
but receives a smoldering hot fist through his chest in the process.
(speaking in Japanese)
NARRATOR: As the Whitebeard Pirates' second division commander utters his last words,
the expressions on the crew's faces are too much to bear.
(thud)
(Monkey D. Luffy softly crying, wind blowing)
(crying hysterically)
TOMOYA OKAZAKI (narrating): It's like this town is toying with us.
It grants us happiness on a whim,
then takes it away just as quickly.
NARRATOR: Some deaths are simply inevitable.
In the continuation of the first “Clannad” anime series,
Tomoya has to learn this cold hard truth when his only daughter is diagnosed with the same fatal disease that took his wife's life.
DOCTOR: I'm sorry, but I'm afraid I don't know what's causing it.
If Nagisa's condition was any indication, she could be sick like this for months.
NARRATOR: Ushio passes away while headed on a trip promised by her father.
And the scene is made particularly hard to watch
because Tomoya had just recently accepted his past and finally decided he was ready to truly raise his daughter.
USHIO OKAZAKI: Daddy?
TOMOYA: Hmm?
USHIO: I love you.
TOMOYA: Yeah...
Daddy loves you too, Ushio, very much.
USHIO: I... (struggling for breath)
NARRATOR: Witnessing the deaths of the two loves of his life soon leaves him, understandably, in a bottomless depression.
TOMOYA (screaming): Ushio!
(Tomoya crying)
(speaking in Japanese)
(Shizune gasps)
NARRATOR: It's usually taken as a sign of honor when the student surpasses the master.
In this case, it only left us in tears.
(speaking in Japanese)
(jumping down)
NARRATOR: When encountered by the villainous Pain,
Jiraiya tries his best to thwart the Akatsuki leader's plans.
Unable to stop him, and foreseeing his near end,
the Hiruzen Sarutobi student uses his last bit of strength to encrypt a message about the secret to defeating Pain onto the back of his toad Fukasaku.
(speaking in Japanese)
(Jiraiya laughing)
(speaking in Japanese)
NARRATOR: Naruto's reaction to Jiraiya's death served to solidify the passing of this timeless character in the sequel series to the “Naruto” anime.
(thump)
(Naruto Uzumaki gasps softly in surprise)
(landing on ground)
(birds chirping in background)
(wind blowing)
(Nina Tucker laughing)
NINA'S MOTHER: Play outside!
NARRATOR: Despite only knowing this character for one episode,
the tragedy that befalls this little girl in “Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood” left us with our jaws open.
It isn't just Nina's actual death that cuts deep, but the context behind it that really gets your blood boiling.
SHOU TUCKER: You see, last year, Nina, your daddy didn't get a very good evaluation.
Unless I do something really impressive this year, I won't be a state alchemist anymore.
NARRATOR: Nina's father had performed an unethical Human-Chimera experiment,
fusing her with her own dog in the hopes of keeping his license as a state alchemist.
NINA/ALEXANDER FUSION: Big brother Ed.
(Edward Elric gasping)
NARRATOR: When the Elric brothers are unable to undo Shou Tucker's dark deed,
Scar kills her as a means of mercy to save her from her tortured future.
SCAR: At least...
...your passing will be in peace.
(explosion)
TOMOYA: You're all right, Nagisa.
Hang in there, OK?
You're gonna make it!
NARRATOR: This tear-jerking love story ends with a bittersweet conclusion.
Nagisa has never been that strong when it comes to her health,
as she has suffered from chronic illness her whole life.
NAGISA FURUKAWA: After this is over, the three of us are gonna live together, right here in our home.
NARRATOR: Once she and her husband Tomoya decide to have a baby,
the stress on her body proves too much to take.
TOMOYA (narrating): After a while, I felt like my heart couldn't take it anymore.
I felt like I had run out of hope.
NARRATOR: And, in the middle of childbirth, it finally gets the better of her.
TOMOYA: You can hear her, right?
(Ushio crying)
That's our baby!
That's our baby crying!
NARRATOR: Once their baby Ushio is delivered, Nagisa immediately slips away
and the mortified stare of her husband coddling their motherless newborn couldn't have been more agonizing.
TOMOYA: ...but even someone useless like me finally found something to live for.
Right, Nagisa?
R-right?!
Nagisa!
(screaming, echoing): Nagisa!
L: Can you kill someone just by watching their name on a piece?
RYUK: Can't say. I've never tried using it like that, and I don't know of anyone who has.
NARRATOR: Being the sole symbol of justice within the series,
and the main character's adversary, one might have mixed feelings about this genius detective's passing.
L: You and I will be parting ways soon.
(Light Yagami sighs)
NARRATOR: On one hand, you end up rooting for L to stop the mass murderer Kira,
but still want to see Light, the protagonist, avoid capture.
Nevertheless the way L went left the rest of the series dry and hollow.
L: The sound of the bells behind me sure aren't loud today.
NARRATOR: Moments before his death, L had a notion it was his time,
and it hurt most that it had to come from the person he considered his first and only friend.
(bell tolling)
(series of bells tolling)
(speaking in Japanese)
NARRATOR: In an age full of war and hatred, Lelouch devises a master plan he calls the “Zero Requiem”,
in which he plays the role of a wicked ruler before he is publicly assassinated to provide peace to the world.
(Lelouch grunting)
As the world's scapegoat,
he is despised and willingly allows himself to be killed by none other than his best friend Suzaku.
As he falls to his death, only his sister mourns over his body as the rest of the crowd celebrates,
not knowing about his ultimate sacrifice.
(speaking in Japanese)
(general commotion)
Before we unveil our top pick, here are a few honorable mentions:
SPIKE SPIEGEL: Bang. (echoes)
(speaking in Japanese)
NICHOLAS D. WOLFWOOD: I did not want to die this way!
(thud)
SHIRLEY FENETTE: Is that OK then, Lulu?
And as I'm reborn, I'll fall in love with you over and over.
I'll keep...
...falling...
...in love...
...with...
MAES HUGHES: Cool tattoo you got there.
LUST: Those are your last words? Wouldn't you rather scream?
NARRATOR: This death takes the top spot on account of this character's standup nature.
Maes was just impossible not to love.
His unconditional sympathy toward others made his passing all too unfair.
HUGHES: The enemy's moved in very close to the Führer,
and they've infiltrated the military deep enough to affect large-scale decision!
NARRATOR: After he uncovers secrets of the Fuhrer's motives, Hughes is murdered by the Homunculus, Envy.
ENVY (in Gracia Hughes' voice): You're right, Hughes. Maybe THIS is a more fitting end.
(gunshot, Hughes grunts)
NARRATOR: For once Envy shape-shifts to the form of his own wife, Maes is unable to defend himself.
We wish he were still here just so he could show us pictures of his young daughter one more time.
HUGHES: I'm so sorry, Elicia.
Remember, Daddy loves you.
I'm sorry.
NARRATOR: Do you agree with our list?
What anime character were you just not ready to see go?
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