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Anime is well-known for its success stories, and for good reason. Watching protagonists start out weak, bet against by their peers, or even flat-out in denial of their own destiny grow into world-saving heroes is always satisfying and often inspires many viewers. Even so, there are just as many stories that end up incredibly dark, with heroes giving up on their lifelong dreams altogether. This is present even in many series that have ultimately uplifting messages.
On the surface, many of these characters’ struggles seem needlessly painful, but stories of pain and tragedy can be just as relatable — and ultimately empowering — as the characters who never give up until they succeed. After all, life is never without its hardships, and everyone experiences moments where they feel as if giving up might be easier than whatever problem they’re facing. Seeing someone grapple with the weight of a similar situation can be cathartic.
10 Mikasa Ackerman Goes From Protecting Eren To Having To Kill Him (Attack On Titan)
Mikasa from Attack On Titan feels that she’s personally indebted to Eren after he saves her from being sold by human traders, as well as teaching her that she has what it takes to survive. She follows him wherever she has to in order to protect him, even when he scolds or straight-up attacks her for doing so.
All she ever wanted was to live a peaceful life with Eren and his family, being her ultimate dream after losing her own. This dream is first killed during the fall of Shiganshina, further still when she joins the military alongside Eren, and finally at the end of the series where she’s forced to kill Eren for the good of those still alive.
9 Crona Sacrifices Themselves Despite Yearning Only For Human Connection (Soul Eater)
In the Soul Eater anime, Crona is ultimately able to break free of Medusa’s reign after Maka and Marie come to their aid. They’re ultimately able to take down Medusa, and Crona is essentially reborn as someone who’s able to live for their own dreams, that being protecting Maka to thank her for all she’s done for them.
However, the canon version of Crona’s story that’s told in the manga is much more tragic. Instead of Maka and Asura having a wild fight to the death, Crona seals Asura — along with themselves — on the moon to keep everyone safe. All Crona truly wanted was to make friends and be accepted by others, and it’s awfully tragic that they have to leave them behind right after doing so.
8 Sayaka Miki Believes She’s Too Far Gone To Go After Love (Puella Magi Madoka Magica)
All Sayaka Miki from Puella Magi Madoka Magica wants is her crush’s recognition. She says she wants to be just like her hero, Mami, and help others while acting as a symbol of justice. And while this is true, she’s ultimately just a lovestruck teenager hoping to act as the fairytale savior in Kyosuke’s life.
So she makes a wish to heal his incurable paralysis, while deep-down a small part of her hopes that a romance would blossom between the two after. Unfortunately, the truth of being a magical girl is too dark for Sayaka to cope with, and she distances herself from him, believing that she no longer deserves him.
7 Hohenheim Is Never Able To Grow Old With His Family (Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood)
It feels as if basically every character in Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood is chasing after their own personal dreams, and this includes Hohenheim, the protagonists’ father. All he wants is to be able to grow old with his wife and children, which is the catalyst that sets him out on a journey across the land to try to find a way to do so.
Fans of the series are painfully aware that he never gets to do so. He unknowingly loses his wife Trisha to illness, and later gives his own life in order to help his two sons survive the final battle. This tale isn’t all grim, though, as even though he does give up his dream of dying alongside his family, he at least passes on wearing a smile.
6 Kaede Manyuda Gives Up On Everything After A Humiliating Loss (Kakegurui)
Kaede Manyuda from Kakegurui is an incredibly driven character who believes he has everything it takes to sit at the top of the world. He’s highly intelligent and a skilled gambler, adept at reading his opponents and figuring out their weaknesses as well as how to exploit them.
That is, until he suffers a humiliating defeat at the hands of Yumeko Jabami and Itsuki Sumeragi. Yumeko’s unpredictable nature and Itsuki’s willingness to go along with her plans make them impossible to read, and Kaede is a defeated shell of a character who refuses to do anything afterward.
5 Sakura Minamoto Doesn’t Believe She’s Good Enough To Be An Idol (Zombieland Saga)
There’s nothing that Sakura Minamoto from Zombieland Saga desires more than to be a successful idol. However, she’s plagued with crippling self-confidence issues that prevent her from doing so.
After being resurrected as a zombie without any knowledge of her life prior, she’s able to help bring some notoriety to Franchouchou. However, upon remembering her old self and past life, she reverts back to believing that she’ll never be able to achieve her dreams. While this is ultimately resolved, it’s still painful to watch.
4 Shoto Todoroki Grows Past His Dream Of Proving He Can Succeed Without His Father’s Power (My Hero Academia)
Shoto Todoroki’s original dream in My Hero Academia is far from healthy. He wants to beat Izuku and become a pro hero without utilizing the fire-side of his Quirk, having been bestowed upon him by his abusive father.
This is one dream that viewers are incredibly happy was ultimately given up on for the sake of Shoto’s happiness. Instead, he learns to utilize the full extent of his powers to help others and can give up on his toxic dream to reach for a healthier goal.
3 Akechi Abandons His Dreams Of Revenge To Save The Phantom Thieves (Persona 5: The Animation)
Not every tale of abandoning one’s dreams is inherently negative, though in the case of Persona 5: The Animation’s Goro Akechi, the outcome is still tragic. Throughout the series, Akechi does everything he can to get closer to fulfilling his revenge-fueled plan of finally getting back at his father, Masayoshi Shido.
In his final moments, Akechi, along with the rest of the Phantom Thieves, are attacked by Shido’s cognitive version of Akechi. He ends up sacrificing himself in order to allow the Phantom Thieves to escape, despite claiming to be their enemy for the majority of the series.
2 Karin Gives Up On Her Dreams Of Pursuing Sasuke And Supports Him Instead (Naruto)
Karin is utterly and hopelessly devoted to Sasuke for a majority of her time on-screen in Naruto. Even after he’s willing to sacrifice her life without a second thought, she still admits that she can’t shake her attraction or desire to be with him.
She’s forced to give up on this dream after Sasuke gets together with Sakura, though. This is solidified even further whenever she helps Sakura deliver their baby while the three of them are out on a mission, and she becomes a big source of encouragement in Sarada’s life.
1 Raye Penber Wanted A Peaceful Life With His Fiance But Fell Victim To Kira (Death Note)
Raye Penber’s relationship with his fiance Naomi Misora is one of the cutest within Death Note. They have dreams of marrying in the upcoming spring, and the two talk of having children and living happy lives together with their little family.
However, this all comes to an end whenever Kira decides to eliminate Raye along with all of the FBI agents residing in Japan at the time. Ironically, by keeping his arguably sharper ex-agent fiance uninvolved and trying to figure out Kira’s identity himself, he ultimately seals his own fate.
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