When the stakes are high, characters find themselves in their darkest moments where they must make sacrifices. Sometimes this results in loss of life. Other times, something else just as precious gets taken away. Either way, many characters in anime have to make this difficult decision.
When they're needed most, they choose to save the ones they love instead of themselves. No matter how important their lives or dreams may be to them, those around them are far more important. Without these sacrifices, there's no telling what could happen. Their selfless acts change the course of the story, and the lives of their friends and loved ones, forever.
10 Ahiru's love for Mytho means more to her than being human (Princess Tutu)
In the anime Princess Tutu, Ahiru is responsible for restoring Mytho's heart, the lost Prince of an old storybook. In doing so, she transforms into the mythical Princess Tutu and is the only one who can retrieve Mytho's heart shards. Before becoming Princess Tutu, Ahiru thought she was just an ordinary girl.
She soon discovers, before her life as Princess Tutu, she was nothing more than a mere duck. After her task of collecting the heart shards is complete, Ahiru learns she will return to her original duck form, never to become a girl again. Despite this, she carries on with her duty. Her love for Mytho means more to her than being human. She gladly gives up her humanity for his sake.
9 Tomoe sacrifices her life for Kenshin's (Samurai X: Trust & Betrayal)
Tomoe Kenshin Himura's first wife from the series Rurouni Kenshin. She becomes close with Kenshin in Samurai X: Trust and Betrayal to avenge the death of her fiancé. But after spending time with him and learning who he truly is, Tomoe finds herself falling in love with Kenshin. She ultimately decides she no longer wants a part in his demise and tries to back out of her deal with the Yominobu.
However, they plan to use her as bait to force Kenshin to them. When Kenshin comes for her and faces off with Tatsumi, Tomoe sacrifices herself by getting in the way of Tatsumi's final blow. Kenshin manages to kill Tatsumi, but at the cost of his wife's life.
8 Kish gives up his mission & his life to protect Ichigo (Tokyo Mew Mew)
Originally one of the aliens who came to reclaim Earth for their own, Kish is the enemy of Mew Ichigo and the other Mew Mews in the Tokyo Mew Mew series. He sees Ichigo as a mere toy he enjoys playing with at first, but as the story progresses, his possessive feelings for her begin to deepen into real love.
When Deep Blue awakens, he abandons his original mission altogether, turning against him to protect Ichigo. His efforts result in his death at Deep Blue's hand. Though Ichigo is able to revive him with the Mew Aqua, in the end, he gave up his mission and his life for her. Despite the importance of his mission and his desire to save his people, his love for Ichigo outweighed everything else.
7 Nui No Kata abandons the life she knows to save Hyakkimaru's humanity (Dororo)
Nui No Kata is the Lady of Ishikawa and Hyakkimaru's mother in Dororo. At the beginning of the series, she helplessly watches as her husband abandons their newborn son, sacrificing him to the demons. She carries the grief and guilt of that day with her from then on. Her pain over Hyakkimaru even causes her to neglect her youngest son, Tahomaru.
When she discovers that Hyakkimaru is still alive, she begs for his forgiveness and attempts to sacrifice herself to appease the demons in place of her son. She eventually abandons her status as Lady, as well as her husband and second son. With her old life behind her, she joins Dororo and follows after Hyakkimaru. She ultimately gives up her life to save Hyakkimaru from losing his humanity, choosing him above all else.
6 Rem kills Watari & L to protect Misa (Death Note)
In the series Death Note, Rem is the Shinigami who gives Misa Amane her Death Note. During her time as Misa's Shinigami, Rem grows to care for Misa, protecting her from any harm that comes to her from following Light. Her fondness for Misa is used as leverage for Light to take advantage of Rem.
Misa is put into further danger as she continues to help Light, allowing him to convince Rem to write both Watari's and L's names in the Death Note. Upon agreeing, Rem crumbles into dust. She knew that killing for the sake of a human would cause the end of her life but her love for Misa was more important to her. She willingly gave up her life in the hopes that it would save Misa.
5 Kittan Bachika puts his life on the line for his team (Tengen Toppa Gurren Lagann)
Nearing the end of Tengen Toppa Gurren Lagann, Team Dai-Gurren members find themselves trapped by the Anti-Spiral. The only way to escape is to destroy the Death Spiral Machine producing a great space sea. The mission is an impossible one. If anyone attempted to take down the machine, they wouldn't be able to survive.
Kittan readily volunteers to destroy the machine and put his life on the line. He knows more than likely he won't make it out alive, but he is willing to sacrifice his life for his team and his friends. His sacrifice isn't in vain, giving Team Dai-Gurren their chance to escape and their eventual victory. Long after the war is over, Kittan is remembered for his act of bravery in his final moments. A memorial is created for him and placed right next to Kamina's memorial.
4 Queen Serenity sacrifices herself to revive the Moon Kingdom court (Sailor Moon)
Queen Serenity is the Moon Kingdom's ruler and Princess Serenity's mother, the previous life of Usagi Tsukino in Sailor Moon. When the Dark Kingdom invades, the Moon Kingdom is devastated by the attack. Queen Serenity manages to seal the evil away but is too late.
The Kingdom perishes under the attack, including the Queen's daughter and her love, Prince Endymion. Serenity sacrifices her own life to revive the spirits of her daughter, Endymion, and the Sailor Senshi by sending them to be reborn on Earth. She hopes in this last act that the Moon Kingdom can flourish once again and that Princess Serenity and Prince Endymion can find happiness together in another life.
3 Madoka's wish saves her friends in exchange for her humanity (Puella Magi Madoka Magica)
In Puella Magi Madoka Magica, Madoka is unsure if she wants to accept the powers of a magical girl. However, after watching her friends suffer for so long, she finally makes a decision. To save her friends, she wishes to change history and rewrites it so that witches no longer exist.
By making this choice, she becomes a diety with immense power. However, her newfound status comes with a price. She loses her humanity entirely, giving up her place by her friends and loved ones. Her sacrifice ends the cycle of magical girls and saves everyone she loves, but now she can never see them again.
2 Portgas D. Ace shields Luffy to save his life (One Piece)
Portgas D. Ace is Luffy's older brother in the One Piece series, with strong loyalty to Luffy's family. When Ace is captured and sentenced to death, it triggers the Summit War of Marineford where Luffy resolves to save his brother. Though Luffy succeeds at freeing Ace, the pair is unable to escape. Marine Admiral Akainu finds them before they can get away, determined to take them down.
During their battle, Ace knows he's no match for the Admiral. Despite the uneven odds, he doesn't back down. When Admiral Akainu turns his attack onto Luffy, Ace immediately protects his brother. He shields Luffy from the blow at the cost of his life. His sacrifice becomes a turning point for Luffy in the series. From then on, he grows and becomes stronger, carrying his brother's act with him for years to come.
1 Neji Hyuga chooses to sacrifice his life for the lives of his loved ones (Naruto)
Neji's death is one of the most shocking in all of Naruto. To this day, fans still haven't forgotten it. At the peak of the Fourth Great Shinobi War, Naruto and the others clash against the Ten-Tails. During the beast's attack, Naruto is nearly impaled and Hinata rushes to his aid. Rather than see them both killed by the Ten-Tails, Neji takes action and takes the hit in their place.
He dies in Naruto's arms, a smile on his face. His sacrifice parallels with the sacrifice his father made when he took the place of his brother. Both his father and Neji willingly choose to die for their loved ones. Though they lose their lives, they gain something greater. Through their sacrifice, they both overcome their fates and choose their own destinies.