15 Anime Deaths That Still Hurt Years Later

There are anime deaths, and then there are the tear-jerking, depressing, and shocking anime deaths.

That kind of passing that is very untimely or maybe expected, but still hurts like hell.

Sometimes, we also mourn the wasted potentials and the could-have-beens. We may also hate some of these tragic endings.

But this particular list of anime character deaths aims to surpass shock value. This is more about the impact, the narrative weight, and the anime fandom’s reaction.

We also look into the cultural or historical echo. One that goes beyond the anime realm.

The entry could be a known anime tragedy or one that gave the best anime death scenes. Still, these top anime deaths we ranked showcase highly emotional and iconic anime deaths. Those images that made us cry and still hurt even after years or decades have passed.

Some losses just refuse to fade. Let’s reopen some wounds with these unforgettable anime deaths. We’re bleeding internally as we write this list.

#15 - Sasha Braus – Attack on Titan

Niku (meat)

After the chaos in Marley, the Scouts escape by airship. It’s one of those rare moments in Attack on Titan where you can breathe again. The mission was successful. Everyone is exhausted. Some are even laughing.

Sasha sits there like she always does, grounded and familiar, still the same girl who once treated food like treasure and jokes like armor.

Then the airship door opens.

Gabi and Falco manage to board, fueled by rage and disbelief. Everything turns ugly in seconds. Guns out. Panic. Shouting.

A single shot lands.

Sasha slumps. The atmosphere changes instantly. The kind of silence that feels like a void.

She’s still awake long enough to speak.

And then she’s gone.

Why does it hurt more when the cheerful ones die?

Sasha wasn’t the strongest soldier. She wasn’t the strategist. She wasn’t even supposed to be the emotional core of Attack on Titan.

Yet when she died, something shifted.

Her death wasn’t heroic. It wasn’t framed with a grand speech or slow orchestral build-up.

It was just... sudden.

That’s what made it unbearable.

Sasha was the warmth in a world built on brutality. The “potato” jokes. The awkward charm. The reminder that even soldiers were still kids trying to laugh in between battles.

When she was shot by Gabi, fans weren’t just angry at the character.

They were angry at the reality of war and the manipulation that came before. No one gets a cinematic exit. No one gets to choose their final words.

Her death told us something cruel — that in war, innocence doesn’t matter.

And maybe that’s why it still stings.

#14 - Kamina – Gurren Lagann

Team Gurren finally breaks through. The battles get bigger. The confidence gets louder. Kamina becomes more than a person. He becomes a force. The kind of guy who can stare at impossible odds and convince everyone they’re possible.

Then they face Thymilph.

The fight is chaos. Blood. Exhaustion. That moment where you realize the show is no longer playing safe.

Kamina gets wounded badly, but he refuses to fall. He pushes forward anyway. He keeps talking. Keeps shouting. Keeps believing.

He makes Simon stand up.

He makes the team stand up.

And just when victory seems within reach, Kamina’s body gives out.

Why is Kamina’s death painful?

Because he dies right when he feels unstoppable.

Despite being loud, Kamina was the spark. The emotional pillar that made everyone else move.

His death forces Simon to grow, but it also leaves a hole that never fully closes. Even as the series continues, Kamina feels present, like the story itself refuses to let him go.

That’s why fans still talk about him the way they talk about legends. Many fans still say Gurren Lagann was never the same after him.

And that’s precisely the point.

#13 - Ai Hoshino – Oshi no Ko

Ai is introduced as an idol, but not in the shallow way people assume. You see the cracks. The loneliness. The way she performs “love” because it’s her job, and because she doesn’t fully know how to give it naturally.

Then the reveal hits.

She has children. Secretly. She tries to protect them. She tries to build a normal life in the shadows of fame.

But obsession doesn’t care about boundaries.

A stalker finds her. Not because she did something wrong, but because idol culture trained someone to believe they owned her.

Ai opens her door.

And that’s the moment everything stops being glamorous.

She’s stabbed.

She bleeds out in front of the people she was trying to keep safe.

Why is Ai’s death painful?

Because it isn’t just sad. It’s an ugly reality.

Ai dies in the exact space where she should have been safest. At her home. With her kids.

And her final moments are filled with a desperate honesty that makes you feel like you’re intruding on something sacred. She spends her last breath trying to give love properly for the first time.

That’s why her death detonated online.

It’s not the shock factor. It’s because it felt like the story reached into the real world and reminded everyone what obsession can do when a society turns a human being into a product.

#12 - The death of Night Raid members - Akame Ga Kil

Night Raid is introduced like a squad you can latch onto. They’re dangerous, but they’re the “good” dangerous. They feel like the people who might survive because they’re the main characters.

Then the show starts taking them away... One by one.

One mission goes wrong. Someone gets separated. A fight turns fatal. A sacrifice happens too soon. An execution arrives without mercy.

Sheele was the first to go. While protecting Mine, she made herself vulnerable to an already stealthy and lethal attack. Then the dog dismembers her.

Next was Bulat. Handsome, strong, gentleman, and gay. A BL alternative love interest for Tatsumi. He was able to kill seemingly OP opponents, but fell due to poison.

And the pattern becomes clear. 

Chelsea also died and became the tragic meme poster of the show. She has a unique way of killing, but she just went after the wrong opponent. Her head was paraded on a stick in a public park as a government’s show of power.

Mine’s fate crushes fans of the manga as she perished in the anime.

Lubbock’s death shocked us in a different way. He gave a good fight, and we’re rooting for him despite death shadowing over. He killed his opponent, but ultimately fell to his death. We watched it extremely hurt, and with our eyes closed.

We just didn’t expect that Tatsumi, the one with the protagonist POV would die in the anime, too.

Leone is the only one who chose how she would die. See this discussion on Reddit. Still, it gave the audience a lonely scene to remember.

Clearly, this isn’t a story where courage guarantees survival.

Why are the deaths in Akame ga Kill painful?

Because the show trains you to care, then punishes you for it.

The members don’t die in a neat, cinematic way that feels “fair.” They die like soldiers in a real revolution. Mid-plan. Mid-hope. Mid-sentence.

And because so many of them fall, grief becomes cumulative. You don’t get enough time to recover before another one hits.

By the time you reach the later deaths, you’re not even shocked anymore.

You’re just tired.

And when Tatsumi came out of the Incursio unresponsive, our hearts bled. We couldn’t shed a tear anymore.

That kind of emotional exhaustion is exactly why fans still remember this series as one of the most ruthless.

#11 - Mikage Celestine – 07 Ghost

If you haven’t seen the 07 Ghost anime or manga, we’ll fill you in on how this is easily one of the most heartbreaking anime deaths.

Imagine Gon Freecss and Killua Zoldyck, at their weakest.

But their relationship? At its peak of development.

Friendship tested, sacrifices made, then after a long while of separation and uncertainty, they’ve been reunited.

But then, Killua dies. No beautiful corpse to hug. Not even his soul was saved.

Now, tell us. How does it hurt?

Teito Klein, the main character of the 07 Ghost series, was an academy underdog who only had Mikage Celestine by his side. They made a promise to always stick together and be the best of friends.

However, Teito has a mission of his own — assassinate the Barsburg Army’s chief of staff.  Unfortunately, it was a failed attempt, and he had to flee or die. Mikage helped him escape and asked to be left behind, thinking he would be left untouched.

Little did they know that the evil within the institution could do unimaginable things to get what they want.

Mikage was tortured, which was more apparent in the 07 Ghost anime than in the manga.

His soul, half-possessed by an entity called Kor.

Kor is an entity that takes over those who trade their souls for shortcuts — power, wealth, or even love. It manifests in the form of two skeletal wings growing out of its host’s back. A special holy scythe is used to exorcise and save the victims.

Mikage’s case is different, and we’ll explain it soon.

The poor friend was then used to track Teito, who sought sanctuary in Barsburg Church, living with the bishops.

When they met, we knew it was an anime tragedy brewing. For a moment, it feels like everything might be okay. Teito must be very excited, but Mikage isn’t saying anything yet.

Eventually, it was revealed that Mikage only has half of his soul left and will soon cease to exist.

The two had a brief moment together, and Mikage’s last request is:

Listen to me while my voice is still able to reach you, okay? First, don't make the imperial army your enemy. Revenge produces nothing in the end. Even if you hate someone enough to kill them, you won't be saved from it. Always face forward. Walk down the path that has the light. Secondly, you're terrible at accepting other people's kindness and opening yourself up... but you're my best friend. I always pray for your happiness. I'll always be by your side. Don't forget that... I can't return to the imperial army either. I have one last request... Kill me, Teito.

After bidding his final goodbye, Mikage became aggressive, as his body and mind were taken over by his tormentor, Ayanami. He grew a wing on his back, different from other Kors who have two wings.

If that lone wing was cut, the possessed person would die. There’s no saving the victim.

In the end, Ayanami made Mikage throw himself into Frau’s scythe, leading to his end.

Teito rushed to a crumbling Mikage, and they shared their final hug.

Why does Mikage’s death still hurt?

The animation showed how Teito tried to piece back Mikage’s disintegrating essence and feel the remainder of his friend’s body until it’s completely gone.

It’s almost like that scene in One Piece where Luffy rolled on the floor, hating himself, thinking all his crew died, when it’s just actually Kuma’s teleportation ability.

Teito fell into a great depression after these events, and we wanted to do the same. It was a mix of strong emotions that haunted us for days — deep loneliness, rage, and the fear of loving someone only to lose them in the end, in such an unfair way.

We held back the tears as Teito confessed that when Mikage died, it felt like a part of him had died as well. He also admitted that it’s hard to go on without his bestfriend.

Think of losing the only light you had in this dark, cruel world.

Still, the color of his soul will be in our hearts forever.

Also read: The Three Wishes - Hunter x Hunter characters in 07 Ghost World

#10 - Neji Hyuga - Naruto Shippuden

The Fourth Great Ninja War escalates into something chaotic and massive, and suddenly, everyone is fighting for survival in a battlefield that doesn’t feel like the Naruto world anymore. It feels like a meat grinder.

During the Ten-Tails assault, attacks rain down too fast for anyone to fully react. Naruto and Hinata are in the middle of it. There’s a split-second where protection is the only thing that matters.

Neji moves. No dramatic build-up. No long goodbye speech first.

He shields them and takes the hit.

The moment is quick, but the consequence is permanent.

Why is Neji’s death painful?

It closes the story of a character who fought destiny his whole life.

Neji started as someone trapped by fate and bitterness, and slowly became someone who chose his own meaning.

So when he dies protecting someone else, the show frames it as a resolution.

But the fandom feels conflicted.

Some people see beauty in it. Others feel he was used as a plot device.

Either way, it hurts because Neji’s arc deserved more time to breathe.

His death doesn’t just take a character away. It takes away potential.

#9 - Kyojuro Rengoku - Demon Slayer

Set your heart ablaze.

That line quickly became a cultural moment.

Set in the Taisho era, humanity only has their raw strength, blessed swords, and sunlight to fight the growing terror caused by flesh-eating demons.

To counter them, the show gave us a pure-hearted protagonist. He’s likable and very promising. His sibling and his friends who fought alongside him also had great designs.

But wait until you meet the Hashiras. They each have their own flair. Their intro is not as flashy as it happened in the most boring way possible — a meeting. Still, the whole thing was badass.

After showing the difference between Kamado Tanjiro and the lower moon demons’ strength vs Hashiras, the story quickly shifts to the Mugen Train arc, where things start to get serious.

In the film, Rengoku accepts the task of investigating a train believed to be haunted by a demon.

He crossed paths with Tanjiro, Nezuko, Zenitsu, and Inosuke, and saved every passenger from Enmu, the remainder of the lower moon demons who received a considerable amount of boost from the demon lord, Muzan Kibutsuji.

Just when they thought it was over, Akaza, the #3 upper-ranked demon, appeared and battled it out with Rengoku.

Although fatally wounded, Rengoku tries to make a final death blow on Akaza. Unfortunately, the demon was able to escape, and a few minutes later, we found the whole theater crying.

Why does Rengoku’s death still hurt?

So far, the Flame Hashira’s death is the saddest moment in Kimetsu no Yaiba.

Rengoku’s death is a masterclass in emotional pacing.

He enters Demon Slayer: Mugen Train as vibrant, passionate, larger than life. And within hours, he’s gone — but not before giving Tanjiro and the audience a blueprint for strength and honor.

His death alone is indeed depressing, as the whole theater reacted very sadly to it. People went out still with tissues, and their grief was apparent in their comments on Reddit and Twitter.

But it isn’t just that.

We were on the edge of our seats as a furious Tanjiro went after Akaza, threw his sword, and dealt him a blow. The demon still escaped, and the main character’s frustration was passed on to the audience.

As his flame dies, we made sure to see him avenged, and many of us carry it up to this day.

#8 - Nina Tucker - Full Metal Alchemist

The kind of death that hurts and enrages.

Four-year-old Nina quickly developed a rapport with the main characters Edward and Alphonse Elric, while they sought more bio-alchemy knowledge through the notes and resources of her father, Shou Tucker. In a matter of days, the brothers got close to her and started seeing her as a younger sister.

Nina confided that her loneliness is due to her mother abandoning her when she was younger. But the true sinister background in this story is that her mother died as an unwilling test subject in her father’s experiment.

Somewhere in the story, Nina attempts to console her depressed father, who is increasingly becoming anxious about losing his license. However, these reinsurances only woke up the man who engaged in vile chimerical experiments.

While the Elrics are gone, Shou fused Nina with the household dog, Alexander, in a procedure called transmutation.

Edward realizes the horror and attempts to kill Shou because of what he has done. However, Nina pleaded with him to spare his father. In the end, the Elrics left and reported the incident to Colonel Mustang.

As a result, Shou Tucker was placed under house arrest while waiting for further development on his case.

How Nina Tucker’s fate enraged the anime fandom?

Even though the Elrics showed mercy, Shou Tucker’s time is numbered. His perversion of humanity attracted Scar, a vigilante who targets State Alchemists.

Scar made it to his home and assassinated him for the crimes he had committed.

Using his Destruction Alchemy, he broke down the Chimera’s insides, killing Nina Tucker instantly. This was done as a gesture of mercy-killing, as he offered a prayer after the deed. He believed that the state Nina was in would only bring more pain and suffering to the former human.

Although Scar was the one who ended Nina Tucker’s life, the fandom unleashed their fury on the father, who did the unimaginable.

While memes joked around Shou Tucker, earning the “father of the year” award, the internet’s true sentiment on this unforgettable anime tragedy he orchestrated is pure anger.

#7 - Itachi Uchiha – Naruto Shippuden

Sasuke spends years chasing Itachi. The hatred becomes his identity. The whole story builds toward that confrontation.

When they finally fight, it’s intense. Genjutsu. Fire. Blood. A clash of everything Sasuke has become.

And then Itachi dies.

At first, it looks like Sasuke’s victory.

Then the truth unravels. The massacre wasn’t selfishness.

After all, it was a mission. A forced choice. A sacrifice that destroyed Itachi’s soul to keep the village from imploding.

Itachi wasn’t running from guilt. He was living inside it.

Why is Itachi’s death painful?

Because the pain arrives after he’s already gone.

You mourn him twice. First, as a terrifying enemy. Then, as a brother who carried the impossible.

And the realization hits hard: Itachi didn’t just die in that fight.

He had been dying for years, quietly, with no one allowed to understand him.

That kind of loneliness is what stays with fans.

When the truth about Itachi’s sacrifice unfolds, his death transforms from victory to heartbreak. The fandom’s perspective flipped overnight. Cosplay, fan art, essays — Itachi remains one of the most analyzed anime characters of all time.

His death completely redefined the story, and remembering it during the Boruto era still hurts.

#6 - Koro-sensei – Assassination Classroom

Koro-sensei enters the story like a joke. A weird teacher. An impossible creature. A target.

But over time, the class changes. The kids change. They start improving, not just academically but emotionally.

Despite becoming confident and brave, the cruel truth stays in the background the entire time.

Koro-sensei must die.

When the final day comes, the class doesn’t feel like assassins anymore. They feel like children being forced to end the best year of their lives.

The moment arrives, and they do it.

And Koro-sensei accepts it like he’s been preparing them for this goodbye all along.

Why is Koro-sensei’s death painful?

This is what they call consensual grief.

It’s not a sudden tragedy. It’s scheduled heartbreak. The kind where you know the train is coming and you still stand on the tracks hoping it won’t arrive.

His death hurts because he didn’t just teach them lessons. He taught them how to live.

And then he left.

That’s why people don’t just cry at this ending. They mourn it like they lost their own teacher.

#5 - Maes Hughes – Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood

It’s a terrible day for rain.

Hughes starts connecting dots that the story doesn’t want him to connect yet. He investigates. He asks questions. He gets too close.

Then he gets a phone call.

He walks into a trap disguised as normal life, the kind of trap that’s scariest because it doesn’t look like danger until it’s too late.

The betrayal is intimate. He realizes it, and he fights. However, he was outmatched. Hughes dies alone.

Then comes the funeral. The wife. The daughter. That daughter scene.

Oh, we can no longer do this.

Why is Maes Hughes’ death painful?

The show makes you feel safe around him. He’s the lovable family guy. The proud dad. The friend who keeps everyone grounded.

So when he dies, it doesn’t feel like “plot.”

It feels like someone ripped the warmth out of the story.

And the funeral proves it. The little girl asking why everyone is crying is one of the most cruelly realistic moments in anime. It’s the kind of grief that doesn’t need music to hurt.

It just hurts.

#4 - Setsuko and Seita Yukokawa – Grave of the Fireflies

Why do fireflies have to die so soon?

This one transcends anime fandom.

If you haven’t watched the Studio Ghibli film, go watch it now, as we’ll dig deep into the deaths of these young ones. The “if-onlys” and the “could-have-beens” whispered to us a lot as we reached its end, so you'd better brace yourself as well.

Warning: Spoilers from this section.

The film made us appreciate the current peace we’re having.

When firebombs start dropping, everyone loses. But it’s not just a simple loss of life.

Some people suffer consequences, the crazy ones we’ll probably never experience, while world leaders continue to choose diplomacy.

War. Starvation. Innocence lost.

Setsuko and Seita represent some of the young souls who perished in World War II.

Their mother died first after being caught in an air raid. As a result, they lived with their Auntie, who started out to be a nice one, but she ended up being someone you’d hate seeing.

General poverty due to war can do a lot of ugly things to people. However, we think that Seita’s decision to leave with his sister is a mistake.

Still, it’s not something you can say to someone enduring an abusive household for some time. It’s hard to see your Aunt completely overriding her image of safety with nothing but resentment, or maybe selfishness.

Although they have inherited money, Seita’s decision only led to days of starvation.

What most people don’t understand is that money can be worthless in a war-torn country.

Seita had to steal and rush to get food to save his emaciated little sister.

Why are Seita and Setsuko’s deaths painful?

Setsuko’s death is often cited by critics and scholars as one of the most heartbreaking moments in animated film history. It’s not dramatic. It’s not explosive. It’s painfully realistic.

And death didn’t come quickly for her.

Seita took a gravely sick Setsuko to the doctor. When she lifted up her shirt, it revealed her severely malnourished stomach. Ribs are clearly visible.

The doctor clearly stated the obvious. Setsuko must eat, but he couldn’t tell Seita where to get food.

Near the end of the film, Seita finds Setsuko collapsed on the floor. Bugs appeared, which also happened when their mother died.

Just when you thought Setsuko was dead, she’s actually not. Still, she was fragile, exhausted, and hallucinating.

Then her death scene happened, and some viewers admitted they’d do anything to unsee it.

When Seita finally had food to give her, Setsuko ate the watermelon his brother gave her. Setsuko fell asleep and never woke up.

The war was over, and the value of money came back.

Still, Seita died a few weeks later in a train station from starvation, with no one around him.

His death gave the impression that Setsuko’s death was more peaceful. It symbolizes how deadly war could be, even if you were lucky to survive the bullets and the explosions.

However, Seita’s death is more troubling.

It sends a message that even after war, things won’t revert to what they were in a snap of a finger. The damage is done. The trauma is so real that no peace treaty can save someone like Seita from his fate.

#3 - Lelouch Lamperouge – Code Geass

Lelouch builds his empire through rebellion, lies, and strategy, and by the end, he’s sitting on a throne that feels more like a prison than a victory.

He becomes the enemy that the world can agree to hate.

Then he sets the stage.

Zero returns. A public execution. A blade in front of everyone. No escape. No twist in the moment.

Lelouch is killed in front of the world.

And the world cheers.

Why is Lelouch’s death painful?

It’s painful because it’s one of the few deaths in anime that feels complete. It ties together guilt, punishment, and peace in one final act.

The ending of Code Geass is frequently ranked among the greatest anime endings ever. And it hinges entirely on Lelouch’s death.

Was it sacrifice? Was it manipulation? Was it redemption?

The Zero Requiem wasn’t just plot resolution — it was thematic closure. Lelouch’s death gave the series emotional and philosophical weight. Even now, fans argue whether the later film undermines that perfect ending.

But what we can say is this:

• He doesn’t die misunderstood by accident.
• He chooses to be misunderstood so the world can heal without him.

That’s the kind of death that lingers because it is way beyond emotional.

It’s philosophical.

It asks if peace is worth personal annihilation.

Regardless of canon debates, that final scene remains unforgettable.

#2 - Ace – One Piece

If you were online during Marineford, you remember the chaos.

Everyone is fighting. Everyone is bleeding. Everything feels like it could break at any second.

We laughed many times, we worried about Luffy, and we also cheered for him. Boa Hancock’s scenes are golden. Our power scale meter is up as Whitebeard wipes the floor with the Marine Vice Admirals and captains. One of his subordinates crossed blades with Mihawk. We also see Ivankov throwing winks here and there.

Then there’s Ace, with their grandfather Monkey D. Garp sitting there and eventually joining the fight. If we assume correctly, we know no one dies in One Piece.

Something that’s really absurd is going to happen, or so we thought. Luffy got past the admirals. Ace is saved with the help of Mr. 3. The cuffs are off. The escape is happening.

Then Akainu speaks.

Not with fists at first, but with words. He attacks Ace’s pride. He insults Whitebeard. He calls his captain weak.

Just like that, Ace turns back. That single decision seals it.

Ace is just that kind of guy. No one insults people he respects and just gets away with it. In a different world, we’d court and marry him.

Akainu aims for Luffy, and Ace steps in front of it. The hit lands. No haki, no devil fruit shenanigans. The damage is irreversible.

Ace collapses in Luffy’s arms.

The scene doesn’t rush. It forces you to sit there with him.

Why is Ace’s death painful?

Portgas D. Ace dying in front of Luffy wasn’t just a character death. It was a turning point for One Piece as a whole. The optimistic pirate adventure suddenly felt mortal. Real. Dangerous.

Fans still debate whether Ace could have survived. Whether he should have ignored Akainu’s taunts. Whether Oda was ruthless or brilliant.

But one thing is certain: Luffy’s scream still echoes. The hurt lasted many episodes, and we found ourselves crying more when their childhood days played. Even after the time skip, the hurt is still there.

What bothered us most was that Luffy mentioned something I never thought he would — that he'd take his life if he wasn't able to save Ace's. If he won't have to think of wasting Ace's sacrifice, can he really do it?

Also read: Catching Up On One Piece

#1 - Jiraiya – Naruto Shippuden

If you grew up with Naruto, then you didn’t just lose a character.

You lost a teacher.

Imagine being a child no one wanted. No parents. No guidance. No one believed you were more than a nuisance. Then one day, someone walks into your life and treats you like you matter.

That was Jiraiya.

He wasn’t perfect. He was pervy. Loud. Reckless. But he trained Naruto when no one else would. He believed in him when the village didn’t. He saw the potential inside a kid everyone labeled as a monster.

He wasn’t just teaching Rasengan.

He was teaching worth.

Then came the Rain Village mission.

Jiraiya didn’t go there blindly. He suspected something. Whispers of a mysterious leader called “Pain.” A shadow organization is growing too bold.

Then he saw the truth.

Nagato.

The boy he once trained. The child who believed in peace is now standing as a god of destruction.

But it wasn’t just one body.

Pain appeared again.

And again.

And again.

Six bodies. One mind.

If you were watching that fight weekly, you would remember the dread. Every time Jiraiya figured something out, the show would reveal something worse.

He summoned the toads. He entered Sage Mode. He even managed to defeat some of them.

For a moment, we thought:

He’s Jiraiya. He’ll find a way.

But then it shifted. An arm was torn off. His throat was crushed.

Pinned underwater and still, the man wouldn’t give up.

Because it wasn’t about winning anymore.

It was about leaving Naruto the clue.

With barely any strength left, Jiraiya forced himself to write a coded message on the back of Fukasaku. A dying man using his last breath not to scream, not to curse fate, but to teach.

Then he sank.

Alone.

Why does Jiraiya’s death still hurt?

Because it marked the end of Naruto’s childhood.

After Jiraiya died, the tone of the series changed. The jokes felt thinner. The world felt heavier. Naruto wasn’t just training to become a Hokage anymore.

He was grieving.

We watched him sit silently on that bench, holding the popsicle that melted in his hand. He couldn’t eat. He couldn’t speak.

For once, Naruto didn’t shout.

He broke quietly.

And that quiet hurt more than any battle.

Jiraiya’s death also carried another layer — he failed to save Nagato.

He failed to stop the war he once dreamed of preventing.

But he never lost faith in Naruto.

He died believing his student would succeed where he couldn’t. That belief is what makes it unbearable, because he died proud.

Years later, whenever fans list the saddest anime deaths, Jiraiya is always near the top.

Not because of shock value. It’s not even the gore.

But it felt like losing someone who had been guiding you for years.

He wasn’t just Naruto’s mentor. He was also ours.

And when he disappeared beneath that water, we knew the series would never feel the same again.