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What happens when dying isn’t the end—but just the beginning?
In this list, I’ll walk you through anime where the main character dies over and over, often through time loops, curses, or supernatural resurrection.
Each death leads to a reset, a new timeline, or painful memories they can’t erase.
These anime explore trauma, growth, suffering, and the desperate struggle to change fate.
If you like high-stakes plots and emotionally heavy stories, you’ll love these.
Table of Contents
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1. Re:Zero – Starting Life in Another World
Genre: Isekai, Psychological, Drama
Main Traits: Death loop, trauma, mental breakdown
Streaming On: Crunchyroll, Netflix
Why does the MC die repeatedly?
Subaru Natsuki is transported to a fantasy world with one ability: every time he dies, time resets to a past checkpoint.
It sounds useful—but every death is painful, and he remembers everything. Others don’t.
He watches friends die, fails over and over, and mentally breaks many times.
Watch it for:
- Brutal emotional consequences
- Growth of a weak, broken MC into a true hero
- Time-looped psychological tension
2. Erased (Boku Dake ga Inai Machi)
Genre: Thriller, Mystery, Supernatural
Main Traits: Time travel, death prevention, childhood trauma
Streaming On: Netflix, Crunchyroll
Why does the MC die repeatedly?
Satoru Fujinuma has a strange power called “Revival” that sends him back in time just before a life-threatening incident occurs.
When his mother is murdered, he’s sent back 18 years to his childhood to prevent a serial killer from striking again.
Watch it for:
- Deep emotional tension
- Race against time to save lives
- Strong narrative on childhood fear and friendship
3. Steins;Gate
Genre: Sci-Fi, Psychological, Thriller
Main Traits: Time travel, butterfly effect, repeated loss
Streaming On: Crunchyroll, Netflix
Why does the MC die repeatedly?
Rintarou Okabe doesn’t die every time—but he is forced to watch others die again and again. To save them, he jumps timelines, over and over.
Eventually, even his own death becomes a part of the equation as he risks everything to save his closest friends.
Watch it for:
- Intelligent plotline on time and consequence
- Slow emotional breakdown and growth
- Iconic turning point in anime storytelling
4. Tokyo Revengers
Genre: Action, Drama, Supernatural
Main Traits: Time loop, gang violence, trauma
Streaming On: Crunchyroll
Why does the MC die repeatedly?
Takemichi is sent back in time to his school days whenever he touches a key person.
While he himself doesn’t die as often, he experiences the repeated deaths of those he loves, forcing him to relive brutal timelines trying to stop them.
Each return brings more pain and pressure.
Watch it for:
- Time-looped gang drama
- Heavy emotional flashbacks
- Redemption arc through death prevention
5. Higurashi: When They Cry (Higurashi no Naku Koro ni)
Genre: Horror, Mystery, Psychological
Main Traits: Endless time loops, gruesome deaths
Streaming On: Funimation
Why does the MC die repeatedly?
In each arc, characters are trapped in violent timelines that end in death and madness.
Rika, the true protagonist, remembers every single loop after dying again and again.
She’s lived through hundreds of brutal deaths, trying to find a future where she and her friends survive.
Watch it for:
- Gruesome deaths with psychological horror
- Deep lore and plot unraveling
- Unfiltered emotional horror of being stuck
6. The Executioner and Her Way of Life
Genre: Action, Fantasy, Isekai
Main Traits: Immortality, reset upon death
Streaming On: HiDive
Why does the MC die repeatedly?
One of the characters, Akari, cannot die permanently.
She’s resurrected every time with her memories intact, and only she remembers each death and tragedy.
Her power becomes both a blessing and a curse, affecting relationships and the timeline.
Watch it for:
- Unique female-led isekai
- Pain of immortality and memory
- Mystery built around resurrection
7. Vivy: Fluorite Eye’s Song
Genre: Sci-Fi, Drama, AI
Main Traits: Time mission, repeated deaths in different timelines
Streaming On: Crunchyroll
Why does the MC die repeatedly?
Vivy, an AI singer turned warrior, is sent across timelines to change tragic future events.
She experiences deaths—hers and others—multiple times over 100 years, each reset triggered by failed missions.
Each new mission is a new start, but she carries the emotional weight of every death.
Watch it for:
- Deep emotion in an AI story
- Stunning animation and storytelling
- Time-fractured tragedy
8. Groundhog Day anime parody: “The Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya” (Endless Eight Arc)
Genre: Comedy, Sci-Fi, Supernatural
Main Traits: Endless time loop
Streaming On: Funimation
Why does the MC die repeatedly?
Technically, no one dies, but Kyon and the SOS Brigade relive the same summer vacation over 15,000+ times.
It’s a time loop created unknowingly by Haruhi.
Each loop ends with memory loss—except for Nagato Yuki, who remembers all of them.
Watch it for:
- Meta humor on repetition
- One-of-a-kind time loop execution
- Commentary on boredom and routine
9. To Your Eternity (Fumetsu no Anata e)
Genre: Drama, Supernatural, Tragedy
Main Traits: Immortality, identity loss, emotional rebirth
Streaming On: Crunchyroll
Why does the MC die repeatedly?
The MC is an immortal entity who adopts forms of the dead, constantly being “reborn” with their memories and emotions.
He watches friends and hosts die, often feeling like he himself is dying emotionally each time.
Each death changes him deeply.
Watch it for:
- Philosophical story on life and loss
- Stunning portrayal of emotional evolution
- One of the most powerful uses of immortality
10. Zombieland Saga
Genre: Comedy, Idol, Supernatural
Main Traits: Resurrection, undead MC
Streaming On: Crunchyroll
Why does the MC die repeatedly?
Sakura Minamoto dies in a truck accident and is resurrected as a zombie.
Though the tone is comedic, her journey involves reliving her past trauma, deaths, and setbacks—both literally and emotionally.
She often “dies” or loses herself, only to reclaim her spirit again.
Watch it for:
- A refreshing twist on undead storytelling
- Powerful emotional arcs under comedy
- Fun blend of idol culture and death
PAA (People Also Ask)
Why do anime use time loops or resurrection?
They allow for deep emotional growth, exploration of alternate timelines, and high-stakes storytelling.
What’s the best anime where the MC relives death?
Re:Zero and Erased are top picks for emotional depth and tight plot.
Is there a genre name for this type of anime?
They often fall under psychological, supernatural, or sci-fi time loop sub-genres.
Do the characters remember each death?
In most cases—yes. That’s where the trauma and development come from.
Conclusion
Anime where the MC dies over and over isn’t just a gimmick—it’s a narrative tool that explores trauma, consequence, and personal growth.
Whether they loop back in time, resurrect with scars, or feel every death they witness, these protagonists carry more than just wounds. They carry memories, weight, and meaning.
Each repeated death is a second chance—or a deeper descent into despair.
Read | 10 Best Anime Where Everyone Dies
Read | 10 Best Anime Where Everyone Dies in the First Episode
Read | Top 10 Anime Where the MC Is Dead Inside
Read | 10 Best Anime Where Everyone Dies in the End
Read | Top 10 Anime Where the Main Character Dies
