Top 10 Worst Things That Happened to Anime Heroes
Top 10 Worst Things to Happen to Anime Heroes
Top 10 Worst Things Done by Anime Heroes
Welcome to WatchMojo, and today we’re counting down our picks for the Top 10 Worst Things to Happen to Anime Heroes. For this list, we'll be looking at the most traumatic and horrific events to happen to anime protagonists that left them scarred and nearly broken. We'll be considering events that happened to protagonists during their adventures, as well as events from their pasts. Which anime heroes' traumatic past hit you most in the feels? Let us know in the comments below.
#10: Nico Robin: Sole Survivor
“One Piece” (1999-) Nearly every character in Oda’s world has a traumatic past, but Robin’s stands out as one of the most tragic. After the World Government confronts the archeologists of Ohara for their research into the mysterious Poneglyphs and the Void Century, they are condemned to face the wrath of the Buster Call. After losing her mother, the giant Saul and her fellow archeologists, Robin is left as the sole survivor of Ohara. After learning of Robin’s survival, the World Government fools the world into believing that Robin is an unholy demon hellbent on destroying the world. Unable to trust anyone, Robin spends the next 20 years running for her life, surrounded only by despair.
#9: Naofumi is Framed
“The Rising of the Shield Hero” (2019-) Although Naofumi is one of the four heroes destined to save the world, he may as well be a devil to the king of Melromarc. After failing to get his own party due to his status as the weakest hero, things appear to look up for Naofumi after a female adventurer named Myne joins his party. However, Myne, or rather princess Malty, betrays Naofumi and not only steals his money and equipment, but frames him for assaulting her. Along with sparking controversy in the anime community, this act destroys Naofumi’s reputation, along with his faith in others, leaving him constantly hostile towards the world around him.
#8: Todoroki’s Viscous Upbringing
“My Hero Academia” (2016-) He may be the son of the number two hero, but his childhood was anything but fun. Viewing his son as his “masterpiece,” Endeavor trained his youngest child with the goal of surpassing All Might. However, Endeavor’s methods proved too overwhelming for Shoto’s young body to handle, leading him to abuse both his son and his wife Rei when she tried to defend her child. The abuse proves so overwhelming for Rei that she lashes out by burning Shoto and scarring him. This incident causes him to hate everything about Endeavor, including his own fire quirk, causing him to limit his own potential. Fortunately, fellow hero in training Midoriya is able to knock some sense into him before it’s too late.
#7: The Infinite Deaths of Elizabeth
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“The Seven Deadly Sins” (2014-) Some fates are far worse than others. After Meliodas and his lover Elizabeth betray their respective races, they are sentenced to one of the cruelest punishments imaginable. Meliodas is cursed with eternal life, while his lover Elizabeth is killed. After discovering that Elizabeth was reincarnated, Meliodas is initially overjoyed. Unfortunately, Meliodas soon learns that their reunion is by no means a miracle. He soon realizes that once Elizabeth remembers her past life, she is fated to die in three days, upon which she will reincarnate once more. Powerless to prevent her death, Meliodas is forced to endure endless suffering and heartbreak as he spends the next 3000 years watching his precious Elizabeth die over and over again.
#6: The Victoria Family Massacre
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“Hellsing Ultimate” (2006-12) Although she may have left behind the realm of humanity, even a vampire as strong willed as Seras can’t escape from her dark past. After encountering Zorin Blitz of the Millennium organization, Seras finds herself trapped within one of her illusions, where she is forced to relieve the traumatic moments of her parents' murder, as well as the defiling of her mother’s corpse. It’s hard not to feel for Seras as she’s forced to relive the day her innocence came to a brutal end, all for the enjoyment of a sick and twisted individual.
#5: The Elric Brothers Lose Their Bodies
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“Fullmetal Alchemist Brotherhood” (2009-10) Even though Edward and Alphonse only had the best of intentions, they are forced to learn the hard way about what happens when you try to play god. After performing the taboo act of human transmutation to resurrect their mother, Ed and Al pay a heavy toll, with Al losing his whole body, while Ed loses his leg and sacrifices his arm to bond his brother’s soul to a suit of armor. Despite their sacrifice, the boys fail to resurrect their mother and instead create a deformed inhuman being, leaving them scarred for life in every shade imaginable.
#4: Tortured by Caretakers
“Bungo Stray Dogs” (2016-19) Growing up in an orphanage, Atsushi’s careminders were anything but supportive. Along with verbally abusing Atsushi to the point of irreparably damaging his sense of self worth, he also suffered physical abuse and torture at the hands of the orphanage director. The fact that Atsushi can turn into a vicious weretiger certainly did not make his situation any easier. What’s even more messed up is that the director’s cruel actions towards Atsushi were done out of a twisted sense of paternal love to ensure that he went down the right path. But no matter how good his intentions, there is no justification for putting a child through such a hellish upbringing.
#3: Sacrificed to Demons
“Dororo” (2019) Not only does Hyakkimaru suffer one of the worst fates imaginable, he also has to deal with one of the worst father’s in all of anime. Shortly before his birth, Hyakkimaru’s father Daigo makes a deal with demons offering them anything in exchange for power. When the demons come to collect, they strip a newborn Hyakkimaru of literally everything. After losing his skin and limbs, as well as his ability to speak, see, hear and feel, Hyakkimaru is subjected to what can only be described as a living death. Even though Hyakkimaru is able to retrieve his missing body parts by killing the demons, it is unfortunate that he has to suffer so much for his father’s sins.
#2: Kaneki Gets Jason’d
“Tokyo Ghoul” (2014) Kaneki sure has some rotten luck. Just when he finally gets the hang of living as a half-ghoul, he gets kidnapped by the organization Aogiri Tree. Left in the hands of the sadistic Jason, Kaneki undergoes a brutal 10 day torture session, where his captor performs unspeakable acts such as repeatedly cutting off parts of his body and even shoving a venomous centipede down his ear. Jason even tortures Kaneki psychologically by forcing him to choose between two people, only to end up killing both victims in the end. The trauma from this experience proves so overwhelming, that Kaneki has no choice but to embrace his inner ghoul, allowing him to get some much needed payback.
#1: The Life of Guts
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“Berserk” (1997-98) From the moment he was born from his mother’s hanging corpse, Guts spent his entire life suffering one hell after another. Raised as a child soldier, beaten and almost murdered by his foster father and all before he was a teenager. While he is able to find some peace after meeting Griffith and the Band of the Hawk, Guts' happiness comes to a horrific end after Griffith sacrifices him and his comrades to demons in order to become a god. Griffith even goes so far as to violate Guts’ lover Casca before his very eyes. At this point in time, Guts may as well be crowned the king of suffering for all that he’s had to put up with.
