Top 10 Saddest and Most Painful Anime Character Deaths, One of Them from Studio Ghibli

10. Itachi Uchiha Anime: NARUTO SHIPPUDEN For years, Itachi was regarded as a traitor who slaughtered his entire clan for power. However, the truth is that he did all of this because he was forced to choose between a great civil war or sacrificing his reputation to protect the village and his brother, Sasuke. In the final battle against Sasuke, Itachi's body was actually very weak due to a severe illness and excessive use of the Mangekyo Sharingan. After ensuring that Sasuke was strong enough to survive, Itachi died while touching his brother's forehead for the last time.

9. Sasha Blouse Anime: ATTACK ON TITAN Sasha was killed after being shot by Gabi when the Survey Corps managed to escape from Marley using an airship. The bullet hit Sasha fatally, causing everyone on the ship to panic immediately. What makes her death so painful is that Sasha had been a source of humor and warmth in the dark story of ATTACK ON TITAN. Her last words about food also left many fans unable to hold back their tears.

8. L Anime: DEATH NOTE L actually began to suspect that Light Yagami was Kira, but he never managed to obtain final proof. Light then manipulated Rem and Misa to force a situation where L's name was written in the Death Note without him appearing as the direct perpetrator. L ultimately dies from a heart attack right in front of Light, the person he had been suspicious of all along. That moment feels incredibly painful because the audience sees how the genius detective was several steps behind in Light's manipulation game.

7. Maes Hughes Anime: FULLMETAL ALCHEMIST: BROTHERHOOD Hughes was killed after he was close to uncovering the major secret behind the Homunculus conspiracy and the Amestris government. Because he was too close to the truth, Envy disguised himself as his wife to distract Hughes before ultimately shooting him. Hughes' death feels very heavy because he is known as a warm father figure and friend throughout the story. His funeral scene even becomes one of the most emotional moments in anime when his daughter keeps asking why her father is being put into the ground.

6. Rengoku Kyojuro Anime: DEMON SLAYER After successfully protecting all the passengers of the Mugen Train from Enmu, Rengoku must face Upper Moon Akaza alone. The battle is brutal as Akaza keeps regenerating while Rengoku's body deteriorates due to severe injuries. Even with a stab in his chest and his life nearly gone, Rengoku continues to fight until sunrise to prevent Akaza from escaping easily. His last words to Tanjiro and his brother make his death feel even more heartbreaking.

5. Lelouch Lamperouge Anime: CODE GEASS Lelouch deliberately makes himself the enemy of the world through a grand plan called Zero Requiem. He takes all the world's hatred upon himself so that after his death, humanity can unite and stop the ongoing war. In front of the public, Suzaku, disguised as Zero, stabs Lelouch to death on top of the royal carriage. This moment feels very emotional because only at the end of the story do viewers understand that all of Lelouch's cruel actions were actually sacrifices for peace.

4. Portgas D. Ace Anime: ONE PIECE Ace actually almost got saved in the great Marineford war after Luffy and Whitebeard fought desperately to free him. However, the situation changed when Akainu insulted Whitebeard and provoked Ace's emotions, leading him to choose to fight back. When Akainu attacked Luffy, Ace immediately protected his brother, and his body was pierced by a magma punch right before Luffy's eyes. His death became one of the most devastating moments in ONE PIECE because all the great sacrifices made to save him ended tragically.

3. Jiraiya Anime: NARUTO: SHIPPUDEN Jiraiya went alone to Amegakure to investigate Pain's true identity to protect the village of Konoha. In his mission, he eventually discovered that the leader of Akatsuki was actually his own student, Nagato, who had changed due to the suffering of life. Although aware that he was outnumbered and severely injured, Jiraiya continued to fight until the end to send important information to Konoha. He sank to the bottom of the sea after his body was destroyed by Pain, but he still smiled because he believed Naruto would become the savior of the ninja world.

2. Kaori Miyazono Anime: YOUR LIE IN APRIL Kaori had actually been hiding her deteriorating health condition from those around her from the very beginning. Although she appeared cheerful and full of spirit, she suffered from a serious illness that gradually caused her body to lose the ability to move normally. She eventually passed away after undergoing a high-risk surgery to survive longer. What made her death feel very emotional was Kaori's last letter to Kousei, which revealed all the feelings and secrets she had kept hidden all this time.

1. Setsuko Anime: GRAVE OF THE FIREFLIES Setsuko is one of the most tragic deaths in anime history because she is just a little girl who becomes a victim of war. After their city is destroyed by a World War II bombing raid, Setsuko and her brother, Seita, must survive alone without parents and without adequate help from those around them. Setsuko's body gradually weakens due to hunger and malnutrition until she finally dies in a simple shelter. The moment of her death feels very painful because the film shows how war destroys the lives of children who are truly innocent.