10 Dead Anime Waifus We Wish Never Got Killed Off (Spoilers)

If there’s one thing I know about the anime community, it’s that we get really attached to the characters of a good show.

In fact, we get so attached that I’m still waiting for the day when riots break out in the streets because everyone’s beloved waifu got killed off.

And while fans haven’t rioted yet, we’re counterintuitively stoking that flame with this ranking, as we count down the most notable anime waifus whose deaths made us lose a bit of our soul.

Spoiler Warning: this should go without saying, but be prepared for a lot of spoilers.

10. Leone

Anime: Akame ga Kill!

Akame ga Kill is basically known for killing off anyone and everyone.

So picking just one tragic death from this series was quite the challenge.

And while the likes of Esdeath or Chelsea definitely had a lot more screen time and stronger bonds with the audience, Leone’s death made me the saddest because of how it went down.

While most of the other characters managed to go out in a blaze of glory and were grieved for by the rest of the squad, Leone had to see them all die – and then went off where no one could see her and passed away all alone.

She put up a brave act despite being at the end of her wits so that people wouldn’t worry about her. But nobody would even know what happened to her in the end, as she just vanished out of their lives.

Plus, the fact that she was a woman of the people definitely adds a few more cut onions into the mix.

I might have slept on her waifu abilities initially. But that ending made me appreciate her to the moon and back.

9. Kushina Uzumaki

Anime: Naruto: Shippuden

Naruto as a series is a weird one, because some of the saddest deaths are actually retroactive.

It’s like, these people have been dead from the beginning, but they just sprinkle in some flashback episodes (and maybe some spirit shenanigans) and make us all collectively cry like sissies.

I will admit that Rin’s story had me in tears quite often. But I decided to go with Kushina for this spot in my ranking, because the talk she and Minato had with Naruto is one of the biggest tear jerkers I’ve ever seen.

From the beginning of the series, you ask yourself who Naruto’s parents could have been – and why did they end up leaving their little bundle of demonic fox power?

So when you’re finally introduced to this spicy habanero of a mother, her wholesome as hell husband, and the baby they cared so much for, it really hits hard.

Legitimately, I don’t know whether I have ever cried more for a character with as little screen time as Kushina.

It a touching story.

8. Meiko Honma

Anime: Anohana: The Flower We Saw That Day

The way I see it, this is less of a TV show and more of a biochemical weapon designed precisely for the extraction of human tears.

You can legitimately not know anything about the plot or the characters and still cry your eyes out by watching the final episode.

The outro of this show has even become synonymous with sad emotions in the anime community as a whole.

So Menma showing up on a list like this shouldn’t be much of a surprise.

She’s wholesome as hell, and the way she manages to bring all of her old friends together, drawing out the best of them and giving them closure they might have not even known they needed… it’s simply art.

Seeing it all end was the most bittersweet moment in anime.

I’m sure Meiko takes the number one place in all of our hearts. But since it’s such an obvious answer, I decided to put her lower down here, so that we have a bit more room to keep you curious as we go.

7. Komugi

Anime: Hunter x Hunter (2011)

You can tell an anime is good when it gets you to cry over the villain.

And that’s exactly what Hunter x Hunter, did thanks to the introduction of Komugi.

Up until this point, Meruem was just the mean turtle Cell knockoff who liked to ratio everyone in his path.

But then Komugi came along and oh my god, she’s the most precious character I have seen in a very long time.

Her intentions were so pure, and her love of Gungi so infectious, that when she was attacked by a bird even the trust of animal lovers felt the sudden rush of hatred.

And as you could have imagined, when she died, a little piece of me went along with it.

Her insistence to stay by Meruem’s side and his paranoia that she would disappear while he was still alive were so precious and heartwarming – it helps you immediately forget all the innocent people Meruem killed.

Komugi is nothing short of an angel.

And maybe if she was still around I wouldn’t mind HxH chapters coming out less frequently than the Olympics.

6. Isla

Anime: Plastic Memories

Plastic Memories is just weird, as we’re told from the beginning that Giftias only live for about nine years – and yet we’re all still somehow surprised that Isla dies by the end.

How are humans at the top of our food chain?

Regardless, Isla is just the most precious little thing. And that final episode probably put thousands of people off from ever going on a Ferris wheel for the rest of their life.

Be it Tsukasa’s attempt to stop the tears, or the fact that Isla straight up starts saying the most beautiful one-liners – there’s no dry eyes to be seen.

And sure, some have created a sense of closure from the fact that another similar Giftia is presented at the very end of the episode. But that just proves that we’ve learned nothing from this experience, because she too will die way too son.

I just can’t do this man. Even the thickest layers of sarcasm isn’t going to cover up the fact that I cried for like half an hour when this show finally ended.

Stupid Isla being all cute and stuff.

5. Sasha Braus

Anime: Attack on Titan

You know a death is tragic when you as the viewer start cheering at the sight of children getting beaten up.

Like seriously, I don’t think anything will ever change how I feel about Gabi after this point. And even the show itself seems to be mourning her loss.

She was the last bit of comedy in the entire anime.

From her humble beginnings of just being the potato girl, to wholesome scenes of her wanting to share stolen food with her comrades, Sasha definitely carried the few positive vibes Attack on Titan had – and you could feel her absence.

The death itself was a tear jerker.

But that wasn’t enough, as we got to see all the people who loved her slowly crumble as well, rubbing salt in the wound and making me swear off loud trigger-happy characters for the rest of my career.

As I’m writing this, the Attack on Titan finale hasn’t aired yet – and I already know there are going to be plenty of tears to come.

But I’m confident that very few will match Sasha’s emotional weight.

4. Kyoko Honda

Anime: Fruits Basket

Shakespeare wishes he could have written characters as tragic as Kyoko.

Because at the end of the day, we don’t get that many great mom characters in anime.

And since Kyoko is arguably one of the best ones out there, her death hit a weak point I didn’t even know I had.

Kyoko was an exemplary mother and person, dropping her troubled past and basically behaving like a saint afterwards.

She cherished Tooru like every parent should & even helped her friends get through tough times in their life.

So when the accident happened, it was tragic on so many levels.

Seeing Tooru sad is basically kryptonite to anyone with a soul. And when you take into account Kyou’s connection and subsequent guilt related to her death, it just becomes too much to handle.

Seriously, we need more characters like Kyoko.

And since just writing this is starting to get me worked up, I’ll promptly move onto a different character that’s also bound to start the waterworks.

3. Zero Two

Anime: Darling in the Franxx

Even though this series is now notorious for the most unforeseen and weird change in direction, you can’t tell me the final episode didn’t make you feel a profound sadness.

First off, seeing Zero Two and Mister Darling float through space, barely even aware of their own existence as they fight waves of enemies is just depressing as all hell.

Especially once Hiro starts to fade out mentally.

Secondly, the fact that all of their friends kept waiting for them back home is another tear jerker.

We all knew they would likely never get to reunite again. But just seeing them all holding hands and screaming encouragement at the sky hits a bit different.

Just like with Plastic Memories, we do see somewhat of a hopeful scene at the very end of Darling in the Franxx.

Specifically with a type of reincarnation of the two love birds.

But that did little to quench my overall sadness.

All of their friends were dead by this point. And although it’s precious that they found each other yet again, it’s still hard not to think of the story that had just ended.

2. Togame

Anime: Katanagatari

Oh boy, this death straight crushed me.

Togame’s final monologue is probably one of my favorite pieces of writing I have ever had the pleasure of experiencing.

It is so simple, and yet so utterly devastating through and through.

Not to mention the fact that nothing about this show initially screamed “I’m going to verbally pulverize your heart”.

Togame and Shichika were just this goofy pair of people that set out on this grand adventure, growing closer as time went on.

But then that final episode hits.

And nothing in this world could have prepared you for it.

The revelation of Togame’s character, her saying “can I fall for you” the massacre that would ensue shortly after… it’s all just too much.

It takes a good show to write a good and lovable character like Togame.

But it takes a great show to flip her character on her head, and make me weep like I just loss the most precious thing in my life at that very moment.

Truly a slept on masterpiece.

1. Kaori Miyazono

Anime: Your Lie in April

Here’s another one of those situations where we should have seen it coming, and yet it still hit like a truck when it happened.

Kaori’s unwavering optimism and cheerfulness lulled us all into the belief that things would somehow end up happily ever after – even though that was never an option.

And I have to point out how beautiful the writing is here.

The fear of being alone after Kaori’s passing, her comfort, that one line that keeps making me tear up; “we all need someone to kiss us goodbye”, it was all masterly crafted to create a very real and bittersweet moment that was bound to move you as the viewer.

The music, the visuals, the flashbacks, the voice acting…

I honestly find it hard to even explain why this ending hit as hard as it did – it’s all so seamless.

But I do know it was in part due to Kaori being such an extraordinarily lovable and memorable character, that her absence left a legitimate void.

That’s all I am going to say on the matter since I don’t want to get my keyboard all wet.

So here’s main takeaways for why Kaori comes in at #1:

1. This show hurt and helped a lot of people

2. Kaori is a ray of sunshine that never should have hit a shadow

3. And now I’m gonna to go hug my mom or something