Summary
- Some anime characters experience fates worse than death, enduring eternal and unorthodox punishments.
- Rika Furude in Higurashi: When They Cry lives through parallel worlds and tragic deaths, triggering disasters.
- Squealer in From the New World is sentenced to "Eternal Hell," living as an unrecognizable lump of meat.
Whether deserved or otherwise, it is not uncommon for anime characters to experience tragic events or suffer cruel deaths, either as a form of retribution or simply to establish their backstories. However, in a medium as creative as this, the worst possible punishment is seldom limited to simply dying. Instead, the anime characters who suffer a fate worse than death have to experience more unorthodox and horrific situations.
While death is seldom desired, its one redeeming aspect is that it's quick and definitive, which is exactly what separates it from these fates. Rather than being granted a proper ending, these characters are typically forced to experience repeated, sometimes even eternal, punishments, that range from reliving their moment of death to being forced to cause and witness the end of many others' lives. Some end up in this situation as a result of their own malicious acts, while others are simply born unlucky.
10 Rika Furude (Higurashi: When They Cry)
Produced by Studio Deen and Based on the Visual Novel by 07th Expansion
Initially, Higurashi: When They Cry is presented as a story about protagonist Keiichi Maebara moving to the idyllic village of Hinamizawa and exploring it with his newfound friends and schoolmates, a group of cheerful local girls. However, upon learning about a series of murders that seem to be connected to the village's mysterious annual festival, the story shifts drastically, with Rika Furude taking the spotlight instead. It is eventually revealed that Rika has lived through multiple parallel words, experiencing various traumatic memories and brutal deaths and retaining her memories of each, seemingly fated to die tragically no matter what. Moreover, her death always triggers the aptly named Great Hinamizawa Disaster.
It is possible to watch the 2020 anime (Higurashi: When They Cry – Gou) without having watched the older ones, as it was made for new and old fans alike.
9 Elder Toguro (Yu Yu Hakusho: Ghost Files)
Produced by Pierrot and Based on the Manga by Yoshihiro Togashi
Yu Yu Hakusho: Ghost Files follows Yusuke Urameshi, a delinquent whose selfless sacrifice impresses the authorities of the spirit realm so much that they give him the chance to return to life. Naturally, a reward as miraculous as this cannot come easily, requiring him to protect humanity by fighting evil beings threatening the world. Elder Toguro is one such corrupted and sadistic demon, who Team Urameshi fights during the Dark Tournament arc. After finally defeating him, Kurama, an ally of Yusuke, decides not to kill Toguro due to his regenerative powers. Instead, Kurama uses the Sinning Tree to keep Toguro in constant, eternal pain, hallucinating about his worst nightmares.
Yoshihiro Togashi also authored Hunter x Hunter, another highly-regarded title that no fans of shonen adventures should miss out on.
8 Squealer (From the New World)
Produced by A-1 Pictures and Based on the Novel by Yusuke Kishi
From the New World is defined by a sudden outbreak of psychokinesis, which causes a great rift between those with powers and those without. Eventually, psychic humans achieve peace by allegedly isolating themselves, living in supposed utopias. However, the truth turns out to be quite different—Cantus s turned non-Cantus s into Monster Rats to ensure they remain harmless. Squealer is dissatisfied with the way his species is treated and the fact that the truth is hidden, and he plots to liberate Monster Rats by wiping out humanity. For this, Squealer is sentenced to the "Eternal Hell" punishment, living as an unrecognizable lump of meat.
7 Prushka (Made in Abyss)
Produced by Kinema Citrus and Based on the Web Manga by Akihito Tsukushi
The story of Made in Abyss revolves around the titular Abyss, a huge, largely unexplored chasm, believed to contain a myriad of ancient relics and mysterious creatures. Only the most fearless of the Divers dare to descend to the lower layers, yet there are people like Bondrewd, who would do anything, no matter how immoral, to conduct their research. After taking the daughter of one of his Umbra Hands, Prushka, and raising her as his own, Bondrewd rewards Prushka's devotion by turning her into a Cartridge, a barely living package of flesh used to deflect the Curse of the Abyss from himself and onto Prushka instead.
6 Finis (Lost Song)
Original Anime Produced by LIDENFILMS and Dwango
Lost Song follows two girls who are seemingly linked only by their magical ability to sing Spirit Songs, Rin and Finis, the latter of whom is forced to live deep within the royal palace, in solitude. Even though using the Power of Song would eat away at her lifespan, Finis is pressured into using this power as a weapon of war. Eventually, she is even tricked into burning Henry, her lover, alive, which causes her to sing her final song, the Song of Mortality, destroying the world in the process. However, as payment, Finis becomes immortal, forced to watch the world doomed by her beginning and ending over and over again.
5 Szayelaporro Granz (Bleach)
Produced by Pierrot and Based on the Manga by Tite Kubo
The Bleach take place in a world defined by the ongoing conflict between Hollows, corrupt spirits threatening humanity, and the Shinigami who purify these evil beings. However, Hollows aren't always equal, as there are some, namely the Arrancar, who gained Shinigami-like powers by taking off their masks, becoming much greater threats. Szayelaporro Granz, one such Hollow, causes plenty of trouble for the Soul Society as part of Sōsuke Aizen's army. Eventually, one of his own tricks becomes his undoing, as a superhuman drug causes a single stab to feel like a century's worth of pain, making Szayelaporro beg for it to end.
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4 Homura Akemi (Puella Magi Madoka Magica)
Original Anime Produced by Shaft
Puella Magi Madoka Magica deconstructs the magical girl genre, presenting itself as colorful and innocent, only to lure and shock unsuspecting viewers with its dark twists. The story follows a group of regular middle school girls who are given the chance to sign a contract with Kyubey, becoming magical girls and fighting witches in exchange for having their wishes granted. However, they typically end up suffering from tragic fates, and Homura Akemi is a prime example. After witnessing her friend Madoka die, Homura is granted the power to revert time, which results in Homura repeatedly trying and failing to save Madoka.
3 Mendoza (GARO: THE ANIMATION)
Original Anime Produced by MAPPA
GARO: THE ANIMATION is an underrated MAPPA anime that takes place in the Valiante Kingdom, where Mendoza, as the king's adviser, starts a witch hunt against the Makai Order, seeking vengeance for his excommunication. However, unbeknownst to the king and his citizens, the targets of this hunt are not malevolent witchcraft s, but rather a secret organization protecting humanity from supernatural threats. Once a high-ranking Makai Alchemist himself, Mendoza was dismissed after creating a dangerous magical tool that had power over life and death. Although he achieves his goal of becoming immortal, Mendoza is trapped in the Makai Realm for eternity, experiencing endless agony as he is constantly burned by a magical seal.
2 Diavolo (JoJo's Bizarre Adventure: Golden Wind)
Produced by David Production and Based on the Manga by Hirohiko Araki
JoJo's Bizarre Adventure: Golden Wind takes place in Naples, where local gangsters govern the streets and drugs run rampant among the youth. Seeking to end its drug dealing business, Giorno Giovanna s the ione gang, whose boss is Diavolo, the story's main antagonist. Diavolo is no easy enemy to take down, as his identity is kept entirely secret most of the time, and he wields a powerful stand in the form of King Crimson, which can erase time and see into the future. However, as Giorno's stand evolves into Gold Experience Requiem, which can nullify anything, Giorno manages to defeat Diavolo by trapping him in an infinite death loop.
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1 Ai Enma (Hell Girl)
Original Anime Produced by Studio Deen
After being bullied for her entire childhood, Ai Enma is chosen as the ritualistic sacrifice that the village elders offer to the mountain god in exchange for a bountiful harvest. Her parents try to hide her in the woods, but she is eventually found, and the villagers force her cousin, who had always stood by her side, to bury them together. Feeling betrayed, Ai swears to exact her revenge upon the village, which she does by returning to life and burning everything in sight. As punishment, the Master of Hell holds Ai's parents' souls hostage and appoints her as Hell Girl, turning her into an eternal messenger of vengeance.
