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Some heroes fight to win.
Others fight knowing they’ll die—but do it anyway.
In this blog, I will show you anime where the main character dies protecting a girl—be it a loved one, a friend, or someone they barely know.
Their deaths are not meaningless. They carry weight, emotion, and often change the story forever.
These moments are unforgettable. They define courage, loyalty, and sacrifice at their core.
Table of Contents
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1. Akame ga Kill – Tatsumi
Genre: Action, Drama, Fantasy
Who he protects: Mine
Streaming On: Crunchyroll, Netflix
Tatsumi fights as a revolutionary in a brutal empire. His bond with Mine grows strong over time.
In the final battle, he sacrifices himself to save the citizens—and especially to protect Mine, who survives and carries his memory.
Why Watch?
- Emotional romance amidst violence
- Hero’s death with real consequence
- Powerful scene of sacrifice
2. Guilty Crown – Shu Ouma
Genre: Sci-Fi, Romance, Action
Who he protects: Inori
Streaming On: Funimation
Shu starts as a weak teenager and evolves into a selfless leader. In the end, he takes on all the world’s virus and suffering to save Inori, sacrificing his life while she fades in his arms.
Why Watch?
- Stunning animation
- Deep bond between MC and heroine
- A bittersweet, symbolic death
3. Angel Beats! – Otonashi Yuzuru
Genre: Supernatural, Drama, School
Who he protects: Kanade Tachibana (Angel) and the others
Streaming On: Crunchyroll, Netflix
Technically, Otonashi is already dead—but his final act in the afterlife is still a major sacrifice. He gives up his peace to help Kanade and everyone else find closure and move on.
Why Watch?
- Beautiful storytelling about life after death
- Touching emotional moments
- A peaceful sacrifice that hits deep
4. Plastic Memories – Tsukasa Mizugaki
Genre: Sci-Fi, Romance, Drama
Who he protects: Isla
Streaming On: Crunchyroll
Tsukasa doesn’t die in the traditional way. But he sacrifices his happiness and emotional well-being to be with Isla, a Giftia (android) whose memory will be wiped.
He stays by her side, loving and protecting her till her final moment—even knowing their time is short.
Why Watch?
- Heartbreaking countdown romance
- The emotional cost of loving someone doomed
- A metaphorical death of self for someone else
5. Akira – Tetsuo Shima / Kaneda Shotaro
Genre: Sci-Fi, Action, Post-apocalyptic
Who he protects: Kei
Streaming On: Hulu, Funimation
Although the lines blur between hero and villain in Akira, Kaneda risks his life repeatedly for Kei, a girl in the resistance.
In the end, Tetsuo, transformed and uncontrollable, dies in an explosive rebirth—but his bond with Kaneda and Kei is central.
Why Watch?
- Deep psychological themes
- Legendary anime film
- Sacrifice wrapped in chaos and power
6. Fate/Zero – Kiritsugu Emiya / Saber
Genre: Fantasy, Action, Tragedy
Who he protects: Irisviel and Ilya (indirectly)
Streaming On: Netflix, Crunchyroll
Kiritsugu sacrifices everything—his ideals, his soul, and ultimately his life—for the sake of Irisviel and their daughter Illyasviel.
Though he doesn’t die in a single act, his entire life becomes one long sacrifice to protect them from a cruel world.
Why Watch?
- Shakespearean-level tragedy
- Heroism without reward
- Haunting themes of utilitarian sacrifice
7. Clannad: After Story – Tomoya Okazaki (alternate timeline)
Genre: Drama, Slice of Life, Romance
Who he protects: Nagisa and Ushio
Streaming On: Crunchyroll
In one timeline, Tomoya dies emotionally and physically after losing Nagisa and Ushio.
He tries to protect them both but fails—until another timeline gives him a second chance. The original sacrifice, though, is soul-shattering.
Why Watch?
- The most emotional anime death arcs
- Love-driven decisions
- Hope after heartbreak
8. Sword Art Online – Kirito (Season 1 Final Battle)
Genre: Fantasy, Action, Romance
Who he protects: Asuna
Streaming On: Netflix, Crunchyroll
Kirito is fatally struck by the final boss, but before dying, he takes the enemy down to protect Asuna and others.
Though he is resurrected in the virtual world, his sacrifice was real and emotionally heavy.
Why Watch?
- Real-time death stakes in a game world
- High tension romance
- Death-for-love with comeback twist
9. Violet Evergarden – Major Gilbert (Backstory)
Genre: Drama, Romance, War
Who he protects: Violet Evergarden
Streaming On: Netflix
Major Gilbert protects Violet during the war. He orders her to survive and live freely—while he dies covering her escape.
Even when wounded, he prioritizes Violet’s safety and emotional growth.
Why Watch?
- Elegant storytelling
- Tragic beauty of love through death
- Themes of loss, letters, and healing
10. Cowboy Bebop – Spike Spiegel
Genre: Action, Drama, Sci-Fi
Who he protects: Julia (and later Faye and Jet indirectly)
Streaming On: Netflix, Crunchyroll
Spike knows he’s walking into death. But he chooses to face his past and protect Julia, the love of his life—even if it costs him everything.
His final words, his slow fall, and the emotional weight of his journey make it one of anime’s most iconic deaths.
Why Watch?
- Cool and tragic antihero ending
- Deep, layered character writing
- Memorable last scene in anime history
PAA (People Also Ask)
What makes anime MCs who sacrifice themselves so impactful?
Because their death often creates emotional weight, closure, or evolution in the story and in the characters they protect.
Are these deaths always romantic?
Not always. Some are acts of brotherhood, friendship, duty, or deep admiration.
Do the girls they protect always survive?
In most cases, yes—the MC’s sacrifice either saves them directly or gives them a chance to live on meaningfully.
Which is the saddest death in anime protecting a girl?
Tatsumi in Akame ga Kill, Shu in Guilty Crown, and Major Gilbert in Violet Evergarden are widely regarded as the most heartbreaking.
Conclusion
These protagonists knew the cost—and still paid it.
Anime where the MC dies protecting a girl is about more than romance or heroism. It’s about making choices when the outcome is clear, about sacrificing comfort for someone else, and about the power of love, duty, or friendship strong enough to face death.
Some came back. Some didn’t. But every story left a mark.
Read | Top 10 Anime Where the Main Character Dies and Comes Back to Life
Read | Top 10 Anime Where the MC Dies and Gets Reborn in Another World
Read | Top 10 Anime Where the Main Character Dies and Gets Reincarnated
Read | Top 10 Romance Anime Where the Main Character Dies
