Seasoned anime enthusiasts know all too well the fleeting nature of their favorite characters. One moment they’re there; the next, they’re gone, often in the blink of an episode. Iconic series like Dragon Ball Z and Attack on Titan have a notorious reputation for dispatching beloved figures, leaving fans heartbroken. While these characters sometimes make a comeback—be it through resurrection or spin-off stories—their initial departures leave a lasting impact on the narrative.

Anime deaths can transcend mere sadness, reaching levels that are downright unsettling. The loss of innocent bystanders, cherished family members, and even central protagonists often occurs under harrowing circumstances, creating some of the most intense and visceral scenes in anime history.

Though violence is a common theme in shonen anime, Attack on Titan stands out for its particularly grim and gritty storytelling. Creator Hajime Isayama subjects nearly every character to extreme trials, sparing no one, not even secondary figures like Nanaba of the Scout Regiment. Her demise during the confrontation with the Beast Titan at Utgard Castle in Season 2 is a prime example of the series’ ability to deliver shockingly disturbing deaths that leave a profound impression on viewers.

Nanaba Is Attack on Titan’s Most Surprisingly Brutal Death

Image via WIT

Shonen anime is no stranger to violence, but even by its standards, Attack on Titan is exceptionally dark. Hajime Isayama’s series puts almost all of its cast through the wringer, including minor background characters such as the Scout Regiment’s Nanaba. During Attack on Titan Season 2, Nanaba is part of the standoff with the Beast Titan in Utgard Castle, and unfortunately for her, this results in one of the most unexpectedly disturbing deaths in anime.

Watching Nanaba be killed by Titans isn’t what makes her death disturbing — after all, dozens of AoT characters suffer this fate. What makes Nanaba’s death so visceral is the traumatic flashbacks that she suffers as her fate becomes imminent, which prompt her to beg for her father’s forgiveness in a disarmingly candid moment. Years later, this moment is still Attack on Titan‘s best anime-only scene, as well as one of the most memorable anime deaths of the 2010s.

Image via Wit Studio

Attack On Titan

Release Date

2013 – 2022-00-00

Kite’s Murder Drives Gon and Killua to Dark New Heights

Image via Madhouse

For as lighthearted as Hunter x Hunter often is, the iconic series is no stranger to gut-wrenching moments. In particular, the death of Gon and Killua’s mentor, Kite, at the hands of Neferpitou stands out as one of the most important moments in the entire series, as it ultimately leads to Gon’s dogged resolve to get revenge against the Ant King’s forces.

Kite doesn’t just die in combat against Neferpitou; he’s turned into a sickening plaything by the newly born villain. Using Kite’s corpse, Neferpitou learns the intricacies of Nen usage, resulting in a massive power-up for her and the other Chimera Ants. Although Gon ultimately sacrifices his own Nen to exact revenge on Neferpitou later in Hunter x Hunter, the sight of his mentor’s desecrated corpse is as shocking for fans as it is for the series’ protagonists.

Asuka’s Final Stand Is the End of Evangelion’s Most Iconic Moment

Neon Genesis Evangelion is one of the darkest, most existential anime of all time, so it shouldn’t come as a surprise that the series spawns its fair share of shocking deaths. In particular, Asuka Langley’s death in the End of Evangelion film still hits close to home almost 30 years after it initially aired.

By the events of End of Evangelion, Asuka has been thoroughly beaten down by her circumstances, having effectively discarded her title as pilot. However, the rebellious teen finds one final burst of motivation as End of Evangelion draws to a close, and using this spark, she takes on all nine of the Mass-Produced EVAs. The talented pilot seemingly defeats all her opponents before the devastating realization that her opponents can regenerate sets in. In the end, Asuka is ripped to shreds alongside her EVA, setting the tone for the final events of Evangelion‘s story.

The End Of Evangelion

Release Date

July 19, 1997

Runtime

1 hour 47 minutes

Director

Hideaki Anno

Writers

Hideaki Anno

Cast

Junpei Yoshino Fell Victim to Mahito’s Depravity

Image via MAPPA

As one-third of the Dark Trio, Jujutsu Kaisen is no stranger to brutal deaths, yet even by its standards, Junpei Yoshino’s death at the hands of Mahito is exceptionally disturbing. A regular high school student who befriends Yuji Itadori by coincidence, Junpei lives a mostly normal life before he encounters Mahito, only for things to take a dark turn after the Special Grade Cursed Spirit realizes he can use Junpei to hurt Yuji.

Junpei Yoshino isn’t the only notable Jujutsu Kaisen character to be killed by Mahito; after all, Kento Nanami’s death is also one of the series’ most devastating moments. That said, there’s something truly horrific about watching a (mostly) innocent high school student begging for mercy after being disfigured into a curse, which is why Mahito’s murder of the character becomes such a defining part of Yuji Itadori’s early narrative.

Jujutsu Kaisen

Release Date

October 3, 2020

Network

TBS, MBS, CBC, Tulip Television, BSN, tys, NBC, HBC, RKK, i-Television, SBS, IBC, BSS, MRO, OBS, TUF, RSK, TUY, tbc, RKB, SBC, KUTV, RBC, UTY, RCC, MRT, atv, MBC

• Yuichi Nakamura

  Satoru Gojo

Image via Bones

No father in anime history is more infamous than Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood‘s Shou Tucker, and for good reason. The sickening experiments that the alchemist performs show no regard for human life, resulting in the death of not only Shou’s wife but also his daughter, Nina.

In an attempt to create a Human Chimera, Shou combines Nina and their dog, Alexander, into a single grotesque being — a heinous act that eventually results in Nina’s death at the hands of Scar. Alphonse and Edward carry the weight of Nina’s death until the end of their journey, while Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood fans still remember this scene years after it initially aired.

Conny’s Death Sets the Tone for The Promised Neverland

Image via CloverWorks

Before The Promised Neverland became infamous for its terrible second season, the dark anime was best known for fielding one of the most shocking pilot episodes ever. After the series opens to what seems to be a normal orphanage, things take a sinister turn when The Promised Neverland‘s main character, Emma, finds her recently adopted friend Conny dead just outside their home.

The Promised Neverland Season 2 is a travesty, but that doesn’t take away from what it accomplishes in its opening salvo. Conny’s death sets the tone for an incredible first season, and as disturbing as Emma’s discovery of their corpse is, it’s a great example of how shock value can be used to legitimately elevate an anime’s storytelling.

Image via CloverWorks

The Promised Neverland

Release Date

2019 – 2021-00-00

Future Gohan Suffers the Most Tragic Death in Dragon Ball

For as many characters die in the Dragon Ball franchise, the series doesn’t really feature that many gut-wrenching deaths. With the Dragon Balls almost always available to revive characters, there are very few deaths in Akira Toriyama’s franchise that have enough emotional gravitas to truly qualify as disturbing, making Gohan’s death in Future Trunks’ timeline one of the most memorable moments in the series.

As shown in The History of Trunks TV special, Future Gohan lives a brutal life before his crushing death at the hands of Androids 17 & 18. After watching the Z Fighters die one by one to the Androids, Gohan manages to defend Trunks for years before eventually falling victim to the Saiyans, leaving Trunks with almost nothing to protect and nobody to turn to for help. It’s a bleak result for Dragon Ball‘s original timeline, and it remains the most hopeless moment in Akira Toriyama’s legendary franchise.

Dragon Ball Z

Release Date

1989 – 1996

Network

Fuji TV

• Masako Nozawa

  Son Goku / Son Gohan / Son Goten (voice)

• Ryo Horikawa

  Vegeta (voice)

Nene Motoe Set the Bar for Violent Anime Deaths

Image via Production I.G.

Sometimes, an anime becomes notorious specifically because of how many disturbing deaths it features. Perhaps no series is a better example of this than Blood-C, a dark fantasy anime that was violent enough to warrant its censorship in both Japan and China upon its release in 2011.

Of Blood-C‘s various graphic deaths, none are more horrific than those of the Motoe twins. Both characters are killed by the Cerberus demon, which ravages their bodies with blunt force trauma until they’re unrecognizable. Nene gets the worst of the demon’s violent outburst, although this is only appropriate, seeing as she shoved her sister, Nono, to the ground in an attempt to get away.

Blood-C

Release Date

2011 – 2011-00-00

Network

CBC

Directors

Atsushi Kobayashi

Writers

Nanase Okawa

• Nana Mizuki

  Saya Kisaragi (voice)

• Kenji Nojima

  Fumito Nanahara (voice)

• Keiji Fujiwara

  Tadayoshi Kisaragi (voice)

• Masumi Asano

  Yūka Amino (voice)

The Great Rabbit’s Massacre of Subaru Still Haunts the Dreams of Anime Fans

Image via Toei Animation

Death is commonplace in anime of all genres, but few utilize the concept more than Re:Zero. The isekai anime revolves around Subaru Natsuki’s attempt to navigate a strange fantasy world, and unlike most fictional characters, his story doesn’t end when his heart stops beating — it simply results in him being reborn at an earlier point in his story.

Subaru’s ability to be reborn opens up the door for numerous gruesome deaths, none of which are more infamous among anime fans than his death at the teeth of the Great Rabbit’s avatars in Re:Zero Season 2. This scene sees Subaru ripped to shreds by a horde of fiendish rabbits, pushing the limits of the series’ violence while tormenting Re:Zero‘s protagonist to the point of pure agony.

Image via White Fox

Re:Zero -Starting Life in Another World-

Release Date

April 3, 2016

Network

TV Tokyo, AT-X

• Yûsuke Kobayashi

  Subaru Natsuki (voice)

• Rie Takahashi

  Emilia (voice)

Kozuki Oden Is Killed Despite Accomplishing the Impossible

From Dr. Hiriluk to Portgas D. Ace to Nefertari Cobra, there is no shortage of deceased characters in One Piece‘s long-running narrative. However, the most disturbing One Piece death was reserved for none other than the series’ most selfless hero, Kozuki Oden, who was killed after sacrificing his life to save his retainers from being boiled alive.

After being punished by Kaido and Lord Orochi for their perceived threat to Orochi’s rule, Oden and the Nine Red Scabbards are sentenced to be boiled in oil for an hour, only for them to survive the ordeal thanks to Oden’s tremendous fortitude. Sadly, after Oden accomplishes this seemingly impossible task, he is rewarded by being shot and killed, bringing an end to his life before he could see his goal of opening Wano’s borders come to fruition.

Image via Toei Animation

One Piece

Release Date

October 20, 1999

Network

Fuji TV

• Mayumi Tanaka

  Monkey D. Luffy (voice)

• 

  Kazuya Nakai

  Roronoa Zoro (voice)