In anime, there are often instances where a hero is called upon to selflessly sacrifice their lives. These final acts of martyrdom may have tremendously positive implications for the main protagonist and overall plot. However, there are other times when a hero flagrantly did not deserve to die.
Whether due to their sterling personality, vital role in the story, or unnecessary nature of their sacrifice, their passing feels like an obligatory and forced way to raise the stakes. By identifying such heroes, it becomes easier to determine why they should have lived and what they ultimately died for.
This article contains spoilers for the Attack on Titan manga.
10 Sasha's Death Did Not Have A Purpose (Attack On Titan)
Although Attack On Titan is notorious for killing its heroes, Sasha's death was particularly unnecessary. Gabi got away with her murder for a mere apology, and the huntress' absence did not enrich the story in any way.
The only way it moved the plot forward was it helped Falco turn into a flying titan. However, Niccolo could have hit him with tainted wine for any number of reasons, such as jeopardizing his relationship with Sasha to begin with.
9 Hayate Gekko Had A Cooler Personality Than Most Shinobi (Naruto)
Hayate Gekko was the chronically exhausted proctor of the Chunin Exams. After overhearing Baki's conversation with Kabuto, he attempted to escape but was promptly killed. Gekko's death was poorly written for a number of reasons. Not only did Baki avoid answering for his crimes, no one even suspected something might be wrong after Hayate's disappearance.
Considering that he was one of the most memorable shinobi of the original series, it is unfortunate that he died so unceremoniously. Though Gekko had a satisfying return in the Forth Shinobi War, his techniques would have been better served fighting alongside Konoha rather than against it.
8 Yasui's Death Was Complicated Due To Kanjuro (One Piece)
Yasui was once a respected member in the land of Wano.After Orochi's takeover, he was forced from his home and eventually ate a defective SMILE fruit just to survive. Though foraging for his village for a time, Yasui was eventually caught and sentenced to execution.
He attempted to use his death in order to lower Orochi's guard about the impending attack on the Fire Festival. However, considering that Kanjuro fed all information back to his master, there was little purpose behind his execution to begin with.
7 Father Was Already Defeated By The Time Greed Died (Fullmetal Alchemist)
By the time Edward got through with him, Father was effectively dead. He had no power, followers, or means of reclaiming his godlike divinity. However, since Greed happened to be nearby, he attempted to retake his Philosopher's Stone in order to revitalize himself.
Considering the sacrifices Greed made for his new friends, he didn't deserve to die. It didn't even make sense in the context of the story since everyone stood by during Father's attack. If they'd been more proactive, the last homunculus could have been saved.
6 Escanor Did Not Need To Fight The Demon King (Seven Deadly Sins)
Having lost "Sunshine" to Mael, Escanor felt powerless. The Demon King reemerged to conquer Britannia, and he could only watch as the other Sins fought without him. He borrowed Sunshine and used it to join the battle.
Pushing past his limits, Escanor's dueled the Demon King with such intensity that he tore himself apart. Considering that the Sins were capable of winning without him, he did not need to throw his life away in order to feel better about himself.
5 Leone Died After Night Raid Already Won (Akame Ga Kill!)
Leone tracked Minister Honest down and killed him personally. However, she lost her imperial arms in the fight, making the wounds she suffered much more severe. Although Leone participated in the victory celebration, she soon retired to an obscured back alley in order to die peacefully.
Considering how many Night Raid members already perished in order to defeat the empire, her death was an unnecessary attempt to pull at the audience's heartstrings a final time.It served no value to the plot and made the triumph feel hollow.
4 Avdol Died For Polnareff's Mistakes (JoJo's Bizarre Adventure)
Since being introduced, Avdol has always paid for Polnareff's mistakes. Whether freeing him from a parasite or saving him from Hol Horse, Polnareff failed to learn his lesson time and again.
During the attack on DIO's mansion, Avdol intercepted what would have been a fatal attack at the cost of his life. However, considering that Polnareff had been the one to make mistakes time and again, he realistically should've been killed instead of his closest friend.
3 In Most Other Anime, Akira Wouldn't Have Died (Devilman Crybaby)
After obtaining the powers of a demon, Akira learned self-control. Over time, he defeated lesser threats and honed his skills until the climatic fight with his former friend, Ryo. In most other anime, this would have been the perfect setup for Akira to fully realize his potential through saving humanity despite his own monstrous nature.
However, considering that Ryo ultimately killed Akira and sundered the planet, such an opportunity was never sufficiently explored. Considering that Akira did not even choose to become a demon, he did not deserve his death narratively or morally.
2 L's Need For Friendship Got Him Killed (Death Note)
Since picking up the Kira case, it didn't take long for L to realize Light's guilt. He invited him onto the Japanese Task Force in order to investigate him closer, resulting in an unexpected friendship between the two young men.
There were a number of reasons why L didn't deserve to die. In addition to only doing his job, he could have easily incriminated Light at any time. The only reason he held back was that he wanted irrefutable, objective proof and he considered Light a friend.
1 Nighteye's Death Did Not Contribute To The Recovery Effort (My Hero Academia)
Sir Nighteye helped to lead the invasion against Overhaul's forces. Despite being personally invested in Eri's safety, he did not contribute to the raid and got killed almost immediately. His hospitalization helped to herald a darker tone for the series where the heroes' lives were not guaranteed.
However, considering how little Nighteye helped the raid despite being a prestigious professional hero, he deserved a more dignified battle to show the full extent of his precognitive potential. Nighteye hadn't done enough to warrant his death so shortly after being introduced.