Top 20 Instant Deaths in Anime
Top 20 Instant Deaths in Anime
Top 10 Instant Deaths in Anime
Welcome to WatchMojo, and today we’re counting down our picks for the Top 20 Instant Deaths in Anime. For this list, we’re looking at the times where anime characters bit the dust instantaneously. No build up. No long winded battles. We’re talking rapid fire RIPs! Did we skip over an especially speedy demise? Let us know in the comments!
#20: One Last Kill
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“Bungo Stray Dogs” (2016-) Even on the edge of defeat, this maniacal mastermind couldn’t resist getting his hands bloody, just as a final F-U to the Armed Detective Agency before he’s shuffled off to jail. Again. Following the events of the Cannibalism crisis, Fyodor seems to have finally been duped when Dazai and the rest discovered his location. Just when it looks like he’s going to go quietly – he activates his ability and eliminates a random officer with a tap of his hand. Well, that soured the mood.
#19: Deicide
“Dragon Ball Super” (2015-18) You’ve got to love that even gods in the DB-verse have a hierarchy, and if one steps out of line, there are certainly ways to deal with them. Given Zamasu’s atrocious actions in a parallel universe, Goku and Beerus decide it might be prevalent to stop the Zamasu in their own dimension from going down the same wicked path. Turns out this version is just as narcissistic and murderous as the other, but before he can take out Goku, the God of Destruction steps in, and promptly lives up to his title as a God of Destruction.
#18: Eizen Gets Mulched
“Hell’s Paradise” (2023) With his eyepatch, crimson hair and ranking as the strongest of the Asaemon swordsmen, we were all under the impression that Eizan was going to be one hell of a threat. After all, there’s no way they’d introduce such an imposing figure for the express purpose of killing him off right away…right? Well, as it happens, Eizan’s reputation counted for nothing as he was casually torn to pieces by the likes of Rokurota. Apparently the Asaemon ranking system needs to be updated.
#17: By Kira’s Decree
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“Death Note” (2006-07) In one of Light’s coldest and most ingenious kills, he demonstrated that he was more than willing to cross any and all moral boundaries in order to ensure his identity remained a secret. After taking FBI Agent Raye Penber hostage, Light tricks him into eliminating potential threats to his crusade, all before writing his name in the Death Note to finish the job…but not before letting him see his face in his dying moments. That’s hardcore, and one of the truest examples of Light’s transition into the villain of his own story.
#16: Magne Gets Overhauled
“My Hero Academia” (2016-) What better way to introduce an arc’s new threat than by having him kill off one of the main villain’s crew in the most gruesome way possible? Initially approaching the League of Villains about a possible partnership, Overhaul doesn’t hesitate to show force when negotiations break down. Magne’s use of magnetism and incoming lariat might have been enough to take down a lesser foe, but against someone with a Quirk that allows them to break people down to the molecular level – Magne was turned to soup before their blow even landed.
#15: Off With His Head
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“Vinland Saga” (2019-) You have to be a special kind of stupid to openly threaten and insult a man like Askeladd when in range of his sword. Obviously, the crusty old king didn’t know who was dealing with. In an attempt to blackmail Askeladd into joining his side and kill off Canute, Sweyn makes the incalculable error of calling Askeladd’s mother a slave. Que the Welsh pride, as Askeladd took a no win situation and turned it to his advantage…starting with the decapitation of England’s King in an exquisitely bloody swing.
#14: Giyu Don’t Give a Damn
“Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba” (2019-) You have to feel sorry for Tanjiro here – he fought against a Demon Moon with everything he had, damn near killed himself to come within a hair’s breadth of victory. Only for Giyu to come along and finish off Rui with minimal effort. Not that it wasn’t amazing to see the Water Hashira flex, demonstrating the massive skill gap for those at the top echelon of the Demon Slayer Corp. Before Rui even released his threads had no effect, he’d already lost his head!
#13: What Does the Fox Say?
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“Chainsaw Man” (2022) Just because the members of Public Security hunt down devils, doesn’t mean they don’t utilize them when the moment calls for it. With Denji left exhausted due to his battle with the Bat Devil, it falls to Aki to swoop in and save him at the last second before he can be taken out by the Leech Devil. Luckily, he’s got friends in low places – including the Fox Devil, who is all too happy to take a bite out of crime and finish the fight. Fear the fluffy.
#12: Welcome to Night Raid
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“Akame ga Kill!” (2014) Well, at least Tatsumi doesn’t have to worry about proving himself via an initiation. After being saved by the assassin group known as the Night Raid, he’s left to decide the fate of Aria – the brat of a noble who imprisoned and tortured strangers for her own sadistic pleasure. My man doesn’t even hesitate to bust out his blade and bisect her on the spot, not only putting an end to his twisted hobby but also getting himself a position as the Night Raid’s latest member.
#11: The End of Dolph
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“Nichijou” (2011) I mean…what do you even call this? We get introduced to Dolph as some over the top, comedy crook who plans to overthrow a kingdom…only for him to quite literally trip over his feet, and die. No fanfare, no gore, he just falls flat on his face, and that’s the end of him. Death has never been so unexpectedly hilarious, and even to this day few have been able to reach Dolph’s level of peak silliness.
#10: Ice Ice Baby
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“JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure: Stardust Crusaders” (2014-15) By this point, Jotaro and company had pretty much taken out every Stand user in Egypt, so how was one more going to make a difference? What, just because he’s got some of Dio’s blood and he’s named Vanilla Ice? Oh please! Just watch Avdol burn him to a…oh…that’s a bad way to do. Thanks to the power of his dimension-swallowing Stand, Vanilla Ice managed to decimate everyone’s favourite fire spitting uncle to the point where only his bloodied arms remained.
#9: Busting out the Drago Buster!
“That Time I Got Reincarnated as a Slime” (2018-) It pays to have a Demon Lord as your bestie, especially one who can be bribed so easily with food. That way, when a monstrous creature starts making its way towards your town, you can call in a favour and have her wreck shit. Good job Rimuru has such a bestie in the form of Milim. With the hauntingly sinister Charybdis looming on the horizon and none of his squad managing to make a dent, the sentient slime has no choice but to call in the big guns. Don’t judge her just because she’s on the short side, Milim is so OP she manages to bring down a beast that spits sky sharks with just a single move!
#8: Always Look Both Ways
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“Zombie Land Saga” (2018) We know we shouldn’t be laughing at the sight of a young girl getting killed in a traffic accident…but holy George Romero is this scene hilarious. An idol-enthusiast with everything to live more, Sakura’s life comes to a rather abrupt end when she fails to see an incoming vehicle, and promptly gets sent flying into the air while heavy metal music thrashes about in the background. As far as intros go, this pretty much sets the dark tone for the hilarity to come. Besides, what’s a little brain-death compared to living it up as a member of an undead idol group?
#7: A Little off the Top
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“Puella Magi Madoka Magica” (2011) Oh Mami, you came and went like the summer sun. So full of life and class, only to get your head bitten off by a witch while your young classmates can only look on in horror. It’s the first real example of how this series is so much more than your average Magical Girl experience. The fact that the person many considered the best girl was wiped out after three episodes was shocking enough, but to get literally chewed out but something that looks like it came out of a Willy Wonka fever dream is a whole other level of disturbing.
#6: Waste of Time
“Bleach” (2004-12) Ah, the Fullbringers. By themselves the might come across as semi-decent opponents who could certainly give the average mortal a rough time, but when put against the Captains and Lieutenants of the Gotei 13…they’re basically sparkling cannon fodder. None more so that Giriko, who thought that just by roid-ing out he would stand a chance against the likes of Kenpachi. HA! He’d have a better chance of trying to beat Mortal Kombat blindfolded, one arm tied behind his back and on max difficulty. Turns out the one-eyed Captain finds the whole affair rather dull, deciding instead to shut up the pocketwatch-pumping fiend with a single slash.
#5: Heartbreaker
“Hunter x Hunter” (2011-14) Kind of amazing that despite the fact that Killua eventually learns how to turn himself into a lightning bolt, his crowning achievement still remains that one time he aced his way through the latter stage of the Hunter Exam…by tearing out the heart of a convicted criminal. Scratch that, he tore out the heart of a convicted criminal in less than a second, without him noticing, and still found time to wrap it in a doggy bag, to the point where the heart was still beating. That is…disgustingly impressive.
#4: Luck of the Irish
“Fate/stay night: Unlimited Blade Works” (2014-15) You know what, good on you Lancer! We all might have been secretly laughing at how you look like an armoured blueberry and are constantly going on about swinging your Gae Bulg, but well done on managing to accomplish what so many fans had craved to see – slapping the Holy Grail out that little prick Shinji, and more importantly, impaling Kirei Kotomine. Two smug bastards for the price of one, the latter of which being the one who brought about no shortage of misery throughout the events of Fate/Zero. Take it deep Kirei!
#3: Knuckle Sandwich of Doom
“One-Punch Man” (2015-) It doesn’t matter what opponent he takes on, Saitama manages to wreck them all with nothing more but a casual swing of his fist. The caped baldy’s strength truly knows no bounds, and as a result he’s managed to quash beasts and supervillains that could slaughter their way across the world easily. While he’s mostly knocking down his cockier foes, make no mistake, Saitama has one hell of a kill count. Chances are if you’re in the business of killing innocents, Saitama’s death punch is likely to get up in YOUR business!
#2: Don’t Mess with Bone Daddy
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“Overlord” (2015-19) After watching this undead sorcerer casually wipe out seventy-thousand soldiers in order to summon Lovecraftian tentacle goat demons, we didn’t hold out much hope that one dude with a sword was going to be able to cut him down. Not that we have anything against Gazef, dude was a paragon of virtue, something that even the Supreme One seemed to recognize. Unfortunately, all that recognition got him was an instant death thanks to a high tier spell. Guess it’s a damn sight better than being tramped by goats from hell.
#1: King Crimson…It Just Works!
“JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure: Golden Wind” (2018-) He may be a murderer and scumbag, but you have to admire the Boss’ commitment. There aren’t many people who could have pulled off such a perfect assassination after puking up razor blades and getting their throat cut open by scissors. In his desperation to keep his identity a secret, the Boss of Passione manages to somehow mix in with a bunch of kids playing soccer, which allows him to sneak up on Abbacchio and unleash King Crimson on his unsuspecting backside. Thanks to his infamously convoluted Stand, Bucciarati’s right hand man ends up in the unfortunate position of getting impaled through the torso. Gruesome, yet effective.
