In anime, heroes are often defined by their unwavering determination to pursue their dreams, no matter how daunting the challenges may be. They inspire fans with their courage, resilience, and unshakable belief in their own potential. But how many of these heroes meet an untimely end before they can realize their ambitions?
It's a question that is clearly of interest to anime fans, as some of the most beloved characters in anime history have fallen short of their goals and left fans wondering what could have been. From tragic endings to unexpected plot twists, the stories of these fallen heroes continue to captivate fans and remind them of the fragile nature of life itself.
7 Ace (One Piece)
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Fire Fist Ace was known for a lot of things in the One Piece manga and anime series. However, being the Second Division Commander of the Whitebeard Pirates made his popularity skyrocket. As a pirate with the flare-flare devil fruit, Ace planned to make Whitebeard the Pirate King, even though the strong but aged pirate had no such ambition.
Unfortunately for Ace, he died a gruesome death at the hands of Akainu to protect his brother Luffy. Although Ace could not live up to his dreams, his brother Luffy lives on, carrying his inherited will, as he (Luffy) strives to become the Pirate King while protecting those Ace cares about.
6 Nana Shimura (My Hero Academia)
The seventh holder of the One for All quirk, Nana Shimura inherited the will of her predecessors — to defeat All For One. With Gran Torino as a close friend, Nana achieved great heights and trained up All Might, her mentee and successor.
Nana's story is one of tragedy and heroism. She was born into a world where heroes were just beginning to emerge, and she quickly rose through the ranks to become one of the most powerful and beloved heroes of her time. However, her life was cut short when she battled All For One, the longtime enemy of the One For All quirk holders.
5 Jiraiya (Naruto)
As one of the greatest ninjas of his time, Jiraiya was one of Konohagakure's legendary Sannin. Even notorious characters like Itachi Uchiha and Kisame of the Akatsuki feared his prowess. Jiraiya had achieved many things in his life; however, he wanted to become a bestselling author even while he trained Naruto Uzumaki to surpass him.
Unfortunately, Jiraiya was killed, and his dream was cut short by none other than Nagato, his former student. With six bodies, Pain managed to catch Jiraiya off guard after a grueling battle. Although Jiraiya died a gruesome and early death, he left his legacy to Naruto, his godson and student.
4 Jonathan Joestar (JoJo's Bizarre Adventure)
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The enigmatic protagonist of the foremost JoJo's Bizarre Adventure anime series, Jonathan Joestar lived a life filled with adventure and intrigue. After the adoption of his brother, Dio Brando, Jonathan’s life became filled with mishaps. Despite the mishaps Dio wrought on Jonathan, he always lived optimistically and full of life.
Sadly, Jonathan’s life was cut short after Dio gained remarkable vampire abilities. After years of skirmishes, Dio finally prevailed over Jonathan, killing the beloved protagonist of Jojo’s Bizarre Adventure: Phantom Blood. Jonathan had few wishes in life, desiring only to live gentlemanly and peacefully with his wife, Erina Pendleton. But even that was cut short.
3 Erwin Smith (Attack On Titan)
Erwin Smith's dream in the Attack on Titan anime series was to uncover the truth about the world outside the walls and learn the secrets of the Titans. He believed that the government and the military were hiding the truth from the people, and he was determined to uncover it.
Erwin was the commander of the Survey Corps, a military branch dedicated to exploring beyond the walls and gathering information about the Titans. However, even he was unable to survive the onslaught of the Titans and died at the hands of the Beast Titan. Fortunately, Erwin left behind capable soldiers like Levi and Mikasa Ackerman, who saw the end of the Titans to its completion.
2 Sir Nighteye (My Hero Academia)
Mirai Sasaki is popularly known by his hero name, Sir Nighteye, in the My Hero Academia anime and manga series. He was teammates with Japan’s number one hero, All Might, and wanted to see him achieve great things. Unfortunately, after All Might’s grievous injury at the hands of All For One, his eventual retirement was set in stone. But Nighteye refused to give up on creating a cure for All Might’s injuries.
Unfortunately, Sir Nighteye died at the hands of Kai Chisaki, a yakuza who wanted to develop his organization by getting his hands on the quirk-destroying bullet. Due to Chisaki’s many manipulations, Nighteye died in a brawl when the heroes confronted him in the Overhaul arc.
1 Kite (Hunter X Hunter)
Kite's dream in Hunter x Hunter was to find and study rare and powerful creatures. As a professional hunter who specialized in studying rare and new species of organisms, Kite also learned about their various abilities and behaviors. He firmly believed that by studying creatures, he would gain knowledge that would help humanity and make the world a better place.
To fulfill his dream of making the world a better place through the study and discovery of organisms, Kite encountered the Chimera ants. However, rather than learning about their abilities to better help humanity, Kite died at the hands of Neferpitou, one of the three members of the Royal Guards who answered to the king.