Top 10 Anime Moments That Made Us Die Inside
Script written by Alex Crilly-Mckean
#10: Good Dog
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“Talentless Nana” (2021)
Even brutal assassins need a friend sometimes. In her hunt to massacre superpowered students, Nana finds herself on death’s door when her target gets the better of her, leaving her to bleed out. At least until Michiru shows up. In spite of being berated and manipulated by Nana all along, the eternally innocent Michiru arrives at the last second and uses her ability to heal her wounds. Alas, the strain proves to be too much for her to handle, sacrificing herself for the girl who would have eventually killed her anyway.
#9: All for a Golden Thread
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“Kemono Jihen” (2021)
Ever wondered why Shiki was such a rebellious little shit? Well, wonder no longer, here’s the horrifying truth. As a creature capable of making silk, Shiki’s mother was forced by his Uncle to provide the means to make golden silk. How so? By forcing her to breed with different monsters a la trial and error until she produced what he desired. It’s a monstrous act of betrayal that, once again, shows that humans are the sickest creatures of the bunch. The fact Shiki was witness to this messed up process just adds to the violation of it all.
#8: The End of Best Girl
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“Mobile Suit Gundam: Iron-Blooded Orphans” (2015-17)
There was a whole harem of targets to choose from, and yet they just had to eliminate best girl. In a power move made by enemies of the Turbine family, Lafta is unceremoniously gunned down by an enforcer, just as she’s made the decision to step down and pursue a normal life with Akihiro. It comes out of nowhere and does away with one of the better characters in Tekkadan’s circle, and in doing so starts the domino effect of the cast getting axed off one by one.
#7: No Way Back
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“Jujutsu Kaisen” (2020-)
Junpei had it rough, what with the bullying and being strung along by a sadistic curse. Turns out Mahito’s promises were empty ones, proven when he showed no hesitation in using his Idle Transfiguration ability to turn the misguided victim into a monster…with no hope of recovery. The only thing more shocking is Yuji’s reaction. Driven to darkness over losing his new friend, the jujutsu sorcerer holds nothing back and lets his desire for revenge run wild, and it is a spectacle to behold.
#6: Regrets
“Death Parade” (2015)
If you want to make it to the other side after you bite the bullet, then you have to play a little game. As per usual, Decim and the other properties of purgatory give the souls of the departed the chance to reflect on their actions before they pass on. Only in this instance, Chiyuki is finally given her own reckoning. Stimulating her life for her, Decim allows her to see that taking her own life may have been a mistake, and that she still had plenty to live for. It’s the worst kind of hindsight.
#5: I Don’t Want to Die
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“86” (2021)
In a series centred around expendable child soldiers and their plights, there’s bound to be one or two or a hundred deaths that end up stinging. Despite the friction between herself and the 86s in her care, Lena finally succeeds in assisting Spearhead Squadron in their battle against the Legion. Only to then make a critical mistake with the layout of the battlefield. Caught in the wetlands, all everyone can do is listen over the coms as Kirschblute is rendered immobile and torn to pieces. That’s some good PDST fuel for ya!
#4: Goodbye Shion
“That Time I Got Reincarnated as a Slime” (2018-)
There’s no arguing here; Shion was and remains the best member of Rimuru’s squad. Beautiful, packing a hell of a swing, and just an all-around darling, the former Ogre was very much the unspoken light of everyone’s lives. So, to see her among the hundreds of casualties following the invasion of Tempest was hard to accept. Beyond healing, all Rimuru can do is look on bewilderment as Shion’s corpse is presented atop the pile of the deceased, something that almost causes him to snap.
#3: Ishigami’s Ostracization
“Kaguya-sama: Love is War” (2019-20)
Lies, gossip, rumours, and the wicked minds of teenagers. Put all that together and you have the makings of Ishigami’s personal hell. Before he was a recluse and an outcast, Ishigami was your shy, average student…at least until he tried to do the right thing. After confronting the slimy boyfriend of a girl he liked, Ishigami is framed as a creep, with the whole school eventually poised against him. The pressure and pain he’s subjected to just because of one popular jock’s social standing hits on a guttural level, not to mention gives us a whole new appreciation for Ishigami’s character.
#2: Second Death
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“Tokyo Revengers” (2021)
Time travel can be a real kick to the nads. After going above and beyond to ensure certain events are prevented thanks to his newfound ability to hop back into his past self, Takamichi returns to a future where his old flame Hina is still alive and thriving. Too bad their reunion is cut woefully short when she’s assassinated. Turns out that Takamachi made a few missteps back in the past, and as an unforeseen consequence, Hina’s second life is ended via a crash and one hell of an explosion.
#1: Remember Me Forever
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“To Your Eternity” (2021)
The first of many tragedies to follow Fushi on his journey of self-realization. Upon taking the form of a wolf, the immortal being finds himself taken in by a good-willed yet lonesome boy. Together, they venture out in search of civilization, only to be met with obstacles at every turn. The trek turns out to be more than the nameless boy can handle as he suffers the painful realisation that everyone he knows is dead, gaining a fatal wound for his troubles. As you can imagine, watching this poor, lonely soul die over the course of a single episode raised the bar for just how upsetting an anime can be.
