Top 10 Anime That Killed Off the Best Character
For this list, we'll be looking at the anime that chose to butcher their most popular and endearing characters. Doesn't matter if it enhanced or devalued the show as a whole, just as long as the running favourite bit the dust.
#10: “Gantz” (2004)
Killed: Masaru Kato
Polite, decent and holds now qualms about beating the shit out of a would-be-rapist in a bathroom stall, Kato was something of Kei’s spiritual opposite. We loved both of them, but only one was a raging ball of hormones that was willing to do anything to get some of that bedroom action. Kato had more important issues on the brain, like staying alive and trying to find a way to escape being a murder for hire by an alien black ball all so he could take care of his little brother. Lot of good it did him since Kei’s pervert powers provided the perfect plot armour, while he got mulched…
#9: “Grimgar of Fantasy and Ash” (2016)
Killed: Manato
Healer, priest, father figure, Manato was truly the glue that bound this wholly unprepared group of adventurers together. Its just a shame that he got himself killed by goblins. Not to knock his replacement Mary or the rest of the medieval crew, it’s just that Manato’s charisma shone in what was admittedly a rather lacklustre party. Ideally, we would have wanted him to see out his fantasy days, but that’s what you get when you’re unprepared for a goblin raid. Thankfully his sacrifice taught the others a valuable lesson – grind, grind and don’t stop grinding!
#8: “Akame ga Kill!” (2014)
Killed: Tatsumi
The life of an assassin is fraught with death, so its not that surprising that the members of the Night Raid ended up losing their lives during the course of its battle with the Empire. We just didn’t expect nearly all of them to meet their makers, Tatsumi most of all. Turned out the wannabe killer didn’t have as much plot armour as we thought, as in order to save innocent lives, he ended up sacrificing himself so a giant fantasy mech wouldn’t come crashing down. We thought after the likes of Mine, Bulat, Chelsea, Lubbock, Sheele and Susanoo, maybe the hot-blooded newcomer would walk away alive? Not if the anime-original ending has anything to say about it!
#7: “Rage of Bahamut: Virgin Soul” (2017)
Killed: Kaisar Lidfard
It’s a crime against humanity such a stunning haircut was wasted. A former bounty hunter who placed a great emphasis of loyalty, Kaisar was one of the few willing to stand up for innocents both human and demon, even against the likes of Charioce. Unfortunately, for all his nobility, it didn’t save him from getting axed in the final episode. Oh, sure he gets brought back by Rita as a zombie, but come on, dude is dead inside. Surely there’s better people you can sacrifice yourself for than an incredibly sketchy King like Charioce.
#6: “Mobile Suit Gundam: Iron-Blooded Orphans” (2015-17)
Killed: Mikazuki Augus & Orga Itsuka
We won’t deny that plenty of Tekkadan’s child soldiers dropped like flies during their last stand with Gjallarhorn’s forces, but let’s be honest here, the only two that really hit us hard were the unbreakable duo of Mika and Orga. So close to making a home for themselves, and yet thanks to a series of missteps, the pair met their end on the final hurdle. Orga was shot down defending one of Tekkadan’s youngest members, while Mika’s life simply gave out after pushing Barbatos to its limit and wrecking house. It was hard watch, but damn was it painfully poetic?
#5: “Cowboy Bebop” (1998-99)
Killed: Spike Spiegel
The Space Cowboy was truly the coolest cat in the galaxy, overcoming criminals, killers and more galactic weirdness than anyone else could handle. Alas, not even his immense suaveness managed to save his skin when he decided to declare a one-man war against the Red Dragon Syndicate. Despite gunning and grenade-ing his way through the majority of his old organisation, his luck runs out after a final, gruelling showdown with nemesis Vicious. At least he went out in literally the most badass way imaginable. That bang still gives us chills.
#4: “Code Geass: Lelouch of the Rebellion R2” (2008)
Killed: Lelouch vi Britannia
He dreamed of overthrowing his corrupt family and uniting the world in peace, and all he had to trade for it was his own life. While his ambitions certainly led him to some dark places, the man known to the world as Zero managed to salvage what was left of his soul by committing the ultimate sacrifice for the greater good – fooling everyone into thinking he was the greatest tyrant who ever lived, then staging his own death. It might be rather brutal to behold, but it still concludes one hell of a redemption arc. At least until that Resurrection movie…
#3: “Fate/Zero” (2011-12)
Killed: Rider
Sorry Kariya, you may have had it worse than anyone else, but your death didn’t come close to breaking us when compared to Rider. After his Noble Phantasm is decimated by Gilgamesh’s overwhelming power, the King of Conquerors is given the choice to either flee or make one last charge that will most certainly end in his demise. Of course, being the manliest Servant to ever live, Rider chooses the latter, and after instructing his young Master to live for his sake, goes out like a boss. While seeing him take home the win would have been great, at least he died like he lived; victoriously.
#2: Gurren Lagann” (2007)
Killed: Kamina
As far as leaving the mortal coil even before the series has reached the halfway point, no one has managed to top the shirtless leader of Team Dai-Gurren. Rebellious to the core, ladies man extraordinaire and Simon’s idol, Kamina was truly a man’s man. Equal parts goofy and awesome. So, imagine our heartbreak when he met his end during a bloody scuffle with the Beastmen. Sure, it paved the way for Simon to rise up as the new face of the series, but there’s really no filling the hole left behind by Kamina’s departure.
#1: “Death Note” (2006-07)
Killed: L
No offence to Near and Mello, and we won’t deny that as far as ingenious twists are concerned, the death of the World’s Smartest (and oddest) Detective was both pivotal and perfectly executed. That being said, oh how we wish L had stayed around a little longer, if only to see more of the exquisite mind games between himself and Light. Alas, thanks to some damn clever deceptions and leashing himself an unwilling Shinigami to carry out his orders, the God of the New World managed to pull off a win against his intellectual equal, and as a result robbed the series of its most iconic and intriguing character.
