Top 10 Saddest Anime Deaths That Still Hurt (Updated 2025)

Anime has a unique way of building emotional bonds between viewers and characters. So when a beloved character dies—whether suddenly, tragically, or heroically—it hits hard. It’s not just about shock; it’s about the emotional weight, the build-up, and what the death means in the story.

This list breaks down the top 10 anime deaths that left fans devastated, focusing on:

• Emotional impact
• Character development
• Narrative importance
• How the fandom still feels about it

Let’s relive the pain. 😢

⚠️ Spoiler Warning

This article contains major spoilers for several anime series. If you haven’t watched shows like Attack on Titan, Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood, or Clannad, consider bookmarking this for later.

🔟 Menma – Anohana: The Flower We Saw That Day

🎥 Series: Anohana (2011)

Why It Hurts: Technically, Menma is already dead at the start—but the show slowly reveals the emotional weight of her loss on each character. The final goodbye scene, with her writing letters to each friend, is beautifully devastating.

A soft, slow emotional burn that ends with a waterfall of tears.

9️⃣ Maes Hughes – Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood

🎥 Series: FMAB (2009)

Why It Hurts: Hughes was the funny, lovable family man—so his sudden assassination hits like a punch to the gut. What makes it worse? His young daughter crying at his funeral: “Why are they burying Daddy? He still has work to do!”

A death that changed the tone of the entire series.

8️⃣ Kaori Miyazono – Your Lie in April

🎥 Series: Your Lie in April (2014)

Why It Hurts: Kaori brings color back into Kousei’s life. Her vibrant personality masks a tragic illness. Her farewell letter, delivered posthumously, is one of the most emotional anime moments ever.

A gut-wrenching mix of love, loss, and music.

7️⃣ Jiraiya – Naruto Shippuden

🎥 Series: Naruto Shippuden (2007–2017)

Why It Hurts: The Pervy Sage was Naruto’s mentor, father figure, and comic relief. Watching him die alone, fighting Pain, with his final message carved into a frog’s back… it’s the end of an era.

A poetic, brave death that still haunts fans.

6️⃣ Portgas D. Ace – One Piece

🎥 Series: One Piece (ongoing)

Why It Hurts: Luffy’s desperate fight to save Ace finally ends with Ace sacrificing himself to protect his little brother. His final words about living a fulfilled life are unforgettable.

One of the most iconic and heartbreaking moments in shonen anime.

5️⃣ Nina Tucker – Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood

🎥 Series: FMAB (2009)

Why It Hurts: This one still haunts anime fans. When Shou Tucker fuses his daughter Nina with their dog in a chimera experiment, it creates a tragedy so horrific it’s hard to even watch.

Short-lived, but devastating on a psychological level.

4️⃣ Itachi Uchiha – Naruto Shippuden

🎥 Series: Naruto Shippuden

Why It Hurts: Initially painted as a villain, Itachi’s true motivations are revealed after his death—he sacrificed everything to protect his brother and the Leaf Village. His quiet, tragic goodbye to Sasuke is unforgettable.

A character redemption that makes his death even more painful.

3️⃣ Lelouch Lamperouge – Code Geass: Lelouch of the Rebellion R2

🎥 Series: Code Geass (2006–2008)

Why It Hurts: Lelouch plans his own death to unite the world in peace through the Zero Requiem. He dies a “villain” in the eyes of the world, but a hero in reality. It’s bittersweet and powerful.

Possibly the most meaningful sacrifice in anime history.

2️⃣ Eren Yeager – Attack on Titan: Final Season

🎥 Series: Attack on Titan (2013–2023)

Why It Hurts: Eren’s arc from hero to anti-hero is one of the most complex in anime. His death isn’t just about losing a main character—it’s the end of an ideology, a boy who tried to break the world and save it at the same time.

Painful, poetic, and hotly debated for years to come.

🥇 1️⃣ Ushio – Clannad: After Story

🎥 Series: Clannad: After Story (2008–2009)

Why It Hurts: Tomoya loses his wife and then his daughter Ushio, all within the span of a few episodes. The scene where he collapses in the snow with her in his arms is emotionally crushing. Clannad turns from a high school romance into a tragedy—and then a cathartic miracle.

Possibly the saddest scene in anime. Period.

🧠 Honorable Mentions

• Neji Hyuga – Naruto Shippuden
• Rengoku – Demon Slayer: Mugen Train
• L – Death Note
• Kamina – Gurren Lagann
• Kyojuro Rengoku – Emotional send-off

💬 Final Thoughts:

Why These Deaths Stay With Us Anime doesn’t hold back when it comes to death. These moments don’t just exist for shock—they reflect deep themes: love, sacrifice, grief, hope. Whether they were sudden or slowly built up, each death on this list changed the trajectory of its story and its fans.

📌 Which anime death hit you the hardest? Did your pick make the list?

🗨️ Share your thoughts in the comments—or send this list to a fellow anime fan and cry together.

Image Credit Ufotable.