It’s not unusual for Disney movies to star characters with sad backgrounds, and the newest addition to Disney’s list of animated works is no exception. A colorful tale of a family and full of enchanting songs, Encanto includes a tragic character who doesn’t quite get the closure he deserves. Sadly, for most of Encanto, Tio Bruno is seen as the family outcast.
Ostracized for his gift of seeing the future, Bruno eventually finds himself forced to retreat within the walls of the family home. He and the rest of the Madrigals eventually make amends, but some viewers felt the familial conflict is solved a little too quickly and cleanly. Bruno would have benefited from more emotional support and affection, which certain anime characters could have given him.
10 Sir Nighteye Understands The Burden Of Seeing The Future (My Hero Academia)
The popular anime My Hero Academia stars many characters with powerful abilities, and in some cases, their Quirks aren’t easy to handle. Mirai Sasaki, also known as Sir Nighteye, has a powerful Quirk called Foresight, which allows him to see the future. The ability can be invaluable in investigative hero work. However, it can also place strain on his interpersonal relationships.
Nighteye isn’t the warmest person, but he'd definitely understand Bruno’s burdens. He's in the unique position of grasping Bruno’s confusion and the difficulty he has with his gift. Nighteye himself has struggled with the conclusions he draws from Foresight, and that would make a bond between him and Bruno natural.
9 Eren’s Complicated Relationship With His Father Is Reminiscent Of Bruno’s Bond To Alma (Attack On Titan)
In Attack on Titan, Eren Jaeger’s mother is eaten by a titan—one he later finds out is actually his father’s former wife. Later, his father Grisha forces him to inherit the power of the Attack Titan—by making Eren eat him. The ability allows Eren to receive memories from the future as well as the past. His attempt to earn Paradis’s freedom eventually turns into a genocidal campaign, but much of it is because he's pushed into a corner.
Bruno doesn’t quite have Eren’s problems, but he'd certainly understand Eren’s position. Like Eren, he's rejected by almost everyone around him and is forced to face the possible destruction of his home. His ending is much happier than Eren's, but perhaps he would've benefited from the freedom Eren craved so much.
8 Ken Kaneki Feels Abandoned By His Mother (Tokyo Ghoul)
Tokyo Ghoul’s Ken Kaneki is defined by his struggle between two conflicting natures. After his date, the ghoul Rize Kamishiro attacks him. He survives the experience but is wounded. However, an organ transplant from Rize gives him a ghoul-like nature, which he refuses to accept at first. Much of his early behavior is caused by his feelings toward his mother. She dies due to overwork after attempting to help her manipulative sister, and Ken resents her for abandoning him. She is also shown to have been physically abusive towards him.
Alma’s abuse of Bruno is more psychological than anything else, and certainly not as pronounced. However, the two characters still have things in common. Bruno may not turn into a cannibalistic ghoul, but he's still rejected by his community. Therefore, he and Kaneki would understand each other very well.
7 Tohru Honda Experiences Familial Neglect And Helps The Sohmas Overcome It (Fruits Basket)
The protagonist of Fruits Basket, Tohru Honda loses her father at a very early age. In the aftermath, her depressed mother neglects her and becomes suicidal. She eventually snaps out of her fugue and the two become very close. After her mother dies, Tohru is left in her grandfather’s care but is forced to move out. She finds herself living alone in a tent in the woods, which is how she meets the Sohma family, who are cursed to be possessed by the animals of the Chinese zodiac. This includes the Cat—a family member who's always ostracized. Throughout the anime, Tohru works to free the Sohmas from their curse and help them overcome their problems. The Madrigals in general—and Bruno in particular—would have benefited from her aid.
6 Lelouch’s Grudge Against His Family Could Balance Out Bruno’s Feelings (Code Geass)
Anime families can often be full of conflict and hatred. One of the best examples is the Britannian royal family in Code Geass. Following the presumed death of his mother, the main character Lelouch sets out on a quest for revenge. He gains a powerful but very dangerous supernatural ability called Geass—one that eventually turns him into the enemy of the world.
Bruno’s experience isn’t quite on Lelouch’s scale, and he certainly doesn’t hate any of his family members. On the contrary, he always seeks the acceptance of the other Madrigals. But perhaps that's why they could be great friends. Lelouch’s anger could balance out Bruno’s feelings of inadequacy, and Bruno’s inherent kindness may temper Lelouch. Together, they could find a middle ground that would free them from their respective situations.
5 Tanjiro Kamado Would Do Anything For His Sister (Demon Slayer)
When it comes to tragic anime backgrounds, few people could match Demon Slayer's Tanjiro Kamado. His whole family is killed by demons, and the sole survivor of the attack, his sister Nezuko, is turned into a demon herself. Tanjiro embarks on a journey to find a way to help Nezuko and make sure other families don’t suffer the same fate.
Tanjiro’s devotion to his family is very much like Bruno’s. He doesn’t have the same dynamic of rejection with them, but the feelings of love are similar. Tanjiro’s desire to protect Nezuko may also remind viewers of Bruno’s decision to keep Mirabel safe. These are two characters who would find kinship through their feelings toward their families.
4 Yuji Itadori Is Always Seen As A Threat Despite His Good Intentions (Jujutsu Kaisen)
After eating Sukuna's finger, Jujutsu Kaisen's Yuji Itadori becomes the vessel of the king of curses. Now a sorcerer, he is slated for execution, but he still seeks out Sukuna’s remaining fingers. He wishes to make sure others receive a proper death and is willing to sacrifice himself to make that happen – something related to his grandfather’s last words to him.
His good intentions and genuine kindness don’t keep him safe from the schemes of many sorcerers who think he is too dangerous to live. But his temperament and courage would make him a great friend for Bruno.
3 Rimuru Would Welcome Anyone In The Jura Tempest Federation (Reincarnated As A Slime)
If there’s one thing Bruno needs, it’s acceptance, and one particular character in anime embodies that. In That Time I Got Reincarnated As A Slime, Rimuru Tempest creates a nation of monsters meant to be a home for everyone.
Humans aren’t excluded either, as long as they're friendly towards other inhabitants. If Bruno had left the Encanto like his family actually believed, he would have certainly found a home in the Jura Tempest Federation and he may have been happier.
2 Bulat Is The Big Brother Figure Everyone Needs (Akame Ga Kill!)
In Akame Ga Kill!, Night Raid is a group of assassins working with the Revolutionary Army to topple the corrupt regime. The group becomes somewhat like a family unit. One of Night Raid’s most likable and compassionate members, Bulat is a former soldier of the Empire who becomes disgusted by their corruption.
He is like a big brother figure for the main character Tatsumi, and his kindness anchors Tatsumi during his first days with Night Raid. Upon Bulat’s death, Tatsumi even inherits his Teigu Incursio. Bruno could have definitely appreciated this kind of unfaltering support from a loyal non-judgmental friend, and his own unique skills may have helped save Bulat’s life.
1 Puck Is A Loyal Guardian And Supporter Of Emilia (Re: Zero)
Every Disney character should have a quirky animal friend as a companion. Bruno doesn’t, but Re: Zero’s Puck could fit the bill. An artificial spirit created by Echidna to be Emilia’s companion, Puck is somewhat similar to a house cat.
He is very protective of Emilia, who experiences a great deal of rejection due to her physical similarity to the witch Satella. In the time loops where Emilia is killed, he turns into a monster powerful enough to destroy the world. Although Bruno wouldn’t appreciate the destruction, he would certainly benefit from such a friend and a protector.