Why did they have to die?
Anime seems to be the type of media that just loves hurting its fans. And it’s especially cruel when it comes to killing off our favorite characters.
While we know that some of them had to die because it moved the plot forward or served an emotion-evoking purpose, we can’t help but feel sorry for their deaths.
These are exactly the characters we’d like to talk about now.
- L — Death Note
Still one of the most heartbreaking deaths in anime history. L was an extremely likable character, and so many fans were rooting for him to catch and defeat Light. Their mind games and cat-and-mouse chases were the heart of the series, and losing such an important character was heartbreaking.
We don’t think it’s just a coincidence that Death Note began gradually getting worse after L’s death. After all, he was always just as important and loved as Light.
- Euphemia — Code Geass
Even Lelouch, who, by the way, is the person who shoots Euphemia, was upset that it had to come to this. He became teary-eyed when he ordered to kill her.
While Euphemia’s death was heartbreaking, fans also admit that it was a brilliant narrative decision. It showed that no matter how intelligent and witty Lelouch is, he’s still human, capable of making mistakes. He never meant to command Euphemia to commit genocide, and regretted the joke that went out of control.
- Nanami — Jujutsu Kaisen
Do we even need to say anything?
Despite not having as much screen time as we wanted him to have, Nanami managed to win over so many fans. His wonderful dream of just having a rest on a beach in Malaysia had to come true! But it never did.
The most upsetting thing about Nanami’s death is how he had to go: murdered by Mahito, with Yuji watching his last moments in shock. He definitely deserved more and will be missed by the fandom.
- Erwin — Attack on Titan (Shingeki no Kyojin)
You may disagree but we think that Erwin is definitely one of the most interesting characters in Attack on Titan. A great strategist and exceptionally intelligent, watching him plan and lead the scouts is one of the greatest things in the series.
The most tragic thing about Erwin’s death is that he died just moments before fulfilling his dream. He wanted to learn the truth about the world and what’s inside the basement so much, but met his demise an episode before the big reveal.
- Rengoku — Demon Slayer (Kimetsu no Yaiba)
It was a complete surprise back when no one really thought that the Hashira could possibly die due to how strong and skilled they were. But turns out, they can. And it’s highly upsetting that Rengoku had to be the one to show us that.
Rengoku’s bright personality made him an extremely likable character. And watching him fight Akaza was one of the most edge-of-your-seat moments in the series. If only he could have won or escaped!
- David — Cyberpunk: Edgerunners
It’s been more than a year since the anime was released, but some fans are still crying over the ending. David is the main protagonist, so why did he have to die?
His interactions with Lucy were the most beautiful part in the entire series, and admit it, there was a part of you that wanted them to live happily ever after even if you realized that it was never meant to happen. David suffered enough and deserved a happy ending.
- Ash — Banana Fish
Another example of “but the main protagonist can’t die!”. Unfortunately for Ash, they do die.
Despite his young age, Ash showed that he’s something to reckon with many times. And after all the suffering, and everything he’s been through, he just deserved a better fate.
Getting stabbed like that when you thought everything was over? No, that’s just too cruel. At least he died after reading Eiji’s letter, knowing that there was at least one person who truly cared about him.
- Ai — Oshi no Ko
Although she’s just the mother of the main protagonists, fans seem to agree that she completely steals the show. They wanted Ai to stay in the story for as much as possible and to see more perspective on the idol industry from her point of view.
It’s rumored that even Aka Akasaka understood what a brilliant character she was, but was scared that she would outshine her children, so it was decided to kill Ai off.
- Maes — Fullmetal Alchemist
It was impossible not to fall in love with this strong and duty-driven character. His immense love for family only made him better. He didn’t deserve to be murdered like that, even if it had to happen to move the plot forward.
Fans joke and say that they wanted him to survive just so that he could keep shoving the picture of his daughter in everyone’s faces. Family men have always been trendy!
- Jiraiya — Naruto
Being a pervert was never on Jiraiya’s way to fans’ hearts. Moreover, some enjoyed him even more for that. But Pain took him away from them and made so many fans cry their eyes out.
Fans can’t even watch OP number 6 anymore without shedding a tear or two due to how sad Jiraiya’s death was for them. And the fact that he died without having the chance to complete his book or tell Naruto everything he had to tell makes it even sadder.