10 anime deaths that still haunt me

Anime deaths have a unique way of leaving an indelible mark on your heart and mind, long after the final credits roll. Whether it’s the gut-punch of witnessing Maes Hughes’s selfless heroism cut short on the Central City highway or the wrenching silence of Setsuko’s last breath in the rubble of Grave of the Fireflies, certain farewells echo in your thoughts at the most unexpected moments.

From the bravery of Erwin Smith’s final charge to Kaori Miyazono’s dying bow, these moments remind us why we invest so deeply in the worlds and people we meet on screen.

In this list, fans will confront the heartbreaking farewells they never saw coming: the raw grief of Hughes’s crushed medals of Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood and the haunting loneliness of Young Menma’s ghostly goodbye in Anohana: The Flower We Saw That Day. Each entry captures why these anime deaths lodge themselves in memory, refusing to let go.

Disclaimer: The article solely reflects the author's opinion and not Sportskeeda as a whole.

---

Anime deaths that echo through fans’ hearts and minds

1) Maes Hughes (Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood)

Still of Maes Hughes (Image via Bones)

When it comes to anime deaths that cut to the core, Maes Hughes’s demise during the Central City highway ambush in episode 10 still feels surreal. One moment, he’s beaming, talking about Elicia’s latest drawing. The next, he’s crumpling into Roy Mustang’s arms, still holding that photo of her. The shot lingers, Mustang’s glove stained red, unclasping Hughes’s medal, while Ed just stands there, eyes glassy, bullets ringing in the distance.

It hits hard because it throws the whole story off balance. Hughes was supposed to be untouchable, the kind of person fans counted on. And then, just like that, he’s gone.

---

2) Jiraiya (Naruto: Shippuden)

Still of Jiraiya (Image via Pierrot)

Few anime deaths deliver as much shock and sorrow as Jiraiya’s last stand against Pain in episodes 133 - 134. Watching him exchange sage-toad barrages with the Six Paths, you’re buoyed by his trademark humor, until his final Rasengan splatters across the rain-soaked scroll.

His dying message, written in blood, “The cycle of hatred must end,” flashes across the panels as he falls beneath the storm. It’s haunting because only his own students see the sacrifice happen. His severed arm drifts under the water, a stark, unsettling image of a hero pulled under by the very convictions he lived for.

---

3) Kyojuro Rengoku (Demon Slayer: Mugen Train)

Still of Rengoku (Image via Ufotable)

Few anime deaths blaze brighter and burn deeper than Kyojuro Rengoku’s sacrifice aboard the Mugen Train. In the climactic battle against Upper Rank Three, Akaza’s relentless onslaught sends flames and steel flying. Rengoku’s unwavering spirit and his final shout, “Set your heart ablaze!” echo long after his flame flickers out.

This anime death is hauntingly beautiful and cruel because it steals away a hero just as hope ignites for Tanjiro and his friends, leaving you grappling with the price of courage.

---

4) Kamina (Gurren Lagann)

Still of Kamina (Image via Gainax)

Kamina’s heroic fall in episode 8, Later, Buddy, is one of the most unforgettable anime deaths. As he strides across the battlefield, rallying Team Dai-Gurren, his yo-yo sword flashes in the sunlight, then he’s struck by Lordgenome’s blast, tumbling offscreen. Simon’s desperate cry carries over the swelling soundtrack as Kamina’s mech explodes.

That lingering shot of his hat drifting into the sky captures the air of sudden, permanent absence. This anime death reverberates because it shatters the series’ invincibility fantasy, proving that even legends can bleed out.

---

5) L (Death Note)

Still of L (Image via Madhouse)

L’s unanticipated end in episode 25, titled Silence, is a cerebral gut-punch: after outwitting Light for so long, he succumbs to a heart attack induced by Rem’s hand. The monochrome panels of his final chairside conversation, followed by the soft click of his eyelids closing, punctuate the cruel irony of his defeat by the very notebook he sought to destroy.

That empty chair and Ryuk’s amused grin in the background send a chill down your spine. This anime death haunts you because it transforms a cat-and-mouse thriller into a tale of tragic hubris and fatal miscalculation.

---

6) Erwin Smith (Attack on Titan season 3)

Still of Erwin (Image via Wit Studio)

Few anime deaths sting like Erwin Smith’s final charge in season 3, episode 17, Hero. Facing the Beast Titan’s onslaught, Erwin orders a human wave against impossible odds to buy Levi time. As he leads thousands into battle, his dream of uncovering the truth of their world shatters alongside his body.

The shot of his blindfolded face and bloodied hand gripping the flagpole before it falls makes this anime death unbearably cruel, an idealistic commander sacrificed in a war that never valued his humanity.

---

7) Menma (Anohana: The Flower We Saw That Day)

Still of Menma (Image via A-1 Pictures)

The truth of Menma’s fate is revealed in episode 11, titled Menma’s Last Wish, when Jinta finally admits her accident at the riverbank. The montage of childhood clips - Menma laughing, dangling her feet in the water - cuts to her solitary silhouette atop the bridge.

When her spirit fades as her friends grant her wish, the lingering echo of her “Thank you” feels like a final heartbeat. This is one of the haunting anime deaths of a ghost child that transcends despair, manifesting as both closure and a wound that never fully heals.

---

8) Setsuko (Grave of the Fireflies)

Still of Setsuko (Image via Ghibli)

In episode 2 of this two-part film, Grave of the Fireflies, the moment Setsuko’s eyelids flutter closed in Seita’s arms is as devastating as any battlefield casualty. The camera holds on her tiny hand slipping limply from his grasp as the radio plays an innocuous jingle, evoking the cruel normality of civilian life under war’s shadow.

Her shallow breaths fading to silence create an emptiness that no dialogue can fill. This redefines what animated storytelling can achieve, embedding a grief so profound it lingers in your chest among the most heartrending anime deaths.

---

9) Kaori Miyazono (Your Lie in April)

Still of Kaori (Image via A-1 Pictures)

Kaori’s heart-wrenching final moments in episode 22, titled Spring Wind, are the epitome of anime deaths that leave you breathless. During her bow after the duet performance, she collapses mid-pose, the final note reverberating into an oppressive silence. The sterile hospital corridor that follows feels endless as Kōsei reaches her side, cradling her frail body.

Her fleeting smile before she exhales her last breath makes this anime death unbearably cruel; she brought color to a gray world, only to have it snatched away in an instant.

---

10) Portgas D. Ace (One Piece)

Still of Portgas D. Ace (Image via Toei Animation)

In episode 483, Looking for the Answer, Ace’s final moments during the Marineford War deliver one of the most devastating anime deaths in shōnen history. After bearing Whitebeard’s fatal strike, Ace collapses in Luffy’s arms beneath a blood-red sky. His trembling hand reaches up as he whispers, “Brother…” before his life flickers out.

This anime death is haunting because it snatches away Luffy’s last hope and leaves viewers reeling from the cruel irony of a hero’s demise at the height of a world-shaking battle.

---

Final thoughts

Some anime deaths stay in the back of the mind for years. They turn up again when least expected, carrying the same weight as the first time; maybe it’s a sudden loss that knocks the wind out of a scene or the slow fade of a goodbye that hurts more with every frame. These moments aren’t there just to move the plot along; they’re pieces of life’s harder side, and their shadow never really lifts.

---