Many popular anime characters are renowned for their overwhelming strength or ability to realize their own dreams. Self-actualization is admirable, but some characters are just as worthy of praise for their benevolence. Setting aside one's own dreams for the sake of people in need is not always a glorious undertaking, but sacrifice is sometimes necessary to preserve hope for others.
It is commonplace for mythical heroes to sacrifice an object of their desire to attain their ultimate goal, and most worthy undertakings require tradeoffs for glory to be obtained. These characters, however, convey through their actions that those they love are more important than their desires.
10 Margaret Mitchell Takes A Leap Of Faith (Bungou Stray Dogs)
Though she may initially appear to be self-absorbed and self-serving, Guild member Margaret Mitchell is really a compassionate woman who does not want to see her companions harmed. The ecosystem of the gifted in Bungou Stray Dogs is often cold and unforgiving, but some characters transcend their environment and choose to love others.
When fellow Guild member Nathaniel Hawthorne faces certain demise at the hands of Port Mafia havoc-wreaker Ryunosuke Akutagawa, she leaps in front of the doomed man of faith and suffers critical damage from Akutagawa in Hawthorne's stead. She managed to survive that blow, but it is unclear whether she will ever regain full use of her mental and physical faculties.
9 Mirio Togata Refuses To Let Eri Live A Life Full Of Tears (My Hero Academia)
Many teenagers would have an ego trip if they were recognized as one of the three most powerful and influential students at their high school, but Mirio Togata is no normal teenager. He may be airheaded, and his humor leaves a bit to be desired, but his kindness and compassion are unmatched.
My Hero Academia features many heroes, students and Pros, who make sacrifices to protect others, but Togata is perhaps the most striking example of laying down one's own interests for the sake of another. In his battle against Overhaul, he could have stayed out of harm's way for the sake of his potentially legendary Pro Hero career, but he did not hesitate to protect Eri, even at the expense of losing his Quirk.
8 Leonidas Is The Ultimate Warrior (Fate/Grand Order: Babylonia)
The Spartan warriors who made their last stand at Thermopylae are among the most universally revered soldiers of all time, and their leader, Leonidas, is nothing short of a legend. In Fate/Grand Order: Babylonia, the Greek icon takes his famous last stand to a whole new level as he faces the seemingly insurmountable power of Gorgon.
He knows there is no chance he will prevail against her in battle, but he steels himself to buy time for his comrades. Every last ounce of his being is spent protecting Uruk, and his dying resolution inspired all of Mesopotamia to persevere until victory was won.
7 Mikiya Kokutou Continually Saves His Beloved From Herself (The Garden Of Sinners)
He is one of the least physically imposing characters in The Garden of Sinners, but Mikiya Kokutou displays his strength by relentlessly supporting and saving his beloved, Ryougi Shiki. Shiki is not a particularly easy person to love because of her standoffish personality, and that difficulty is compounded by her murderous and destructive impulses. Nevertheless, Kokutou does not cease to stick out his neck to keep her from the dangers posed by others and by herself. He is a shining example of refusing to give up on those you love, even when they have given up on themselves.
6 Ram Will Not Allow Roswaal To Succumb To Despair (Re: Zero)
Keeping up with the established timeline in Re: Zero can be disorienting because of Natsuki Subaru's Return by Death ability, but one relationship dynamic which does not need much clarification is Ram's love for Roswaal Mathers. She is fiercely loyal to the devious mage because he saved Ram and her sister, Rem, from disaster in their childhood village.
The events in the Sanctuary revealed just how much Ram cares for her master. She is not just a maid pledged to serve Roswaal; she has devoted her body, mind, and soul to him. Fighting someone is not often the best way to save them, but Ram's battle with Roswaal in the snow left no questions regarding her love for him, and she was prepared to be brutally beaten if it meant Roswaal would snap out of his delusions.
5 Zaryusu Shasha Puts It All On The Line For His People (Overlord)
Overlord is not a story centered around compassion or benevolence. The protagonist, Ainz Ooal Gown of Nazarick, wipes out all who stand in the way of his people's prosperity, and though he is not entirely merciless, he does not value highly those outside his kingdom. However, there are peripheral characters like Zaryusu Shasha who put their life on the line for those they love. Even when faced with certain death at the hand of Cocytus, Zaryusu does not waver, and he dies at the hands of the Nazarick warrior. Ainz does see valor in the lizardman's actions, so he eventually revives him and takes him under his wing.
4 Thors Snorresson Displays His True Strength In His Sacrifice (Vinland Saga)
Thors Snorresson of Vinland Saga is another warrior who highly valued sacrifice. Before he became a father, he was a ruthless, fearsome Viking warrior who struck down all who stood in his way. War was central in his life, and he did make much time for his wife. After his children were born, however, he decided the Viking lifestyle was not the path to happiness for him, and he left behind his warrior self, much to the dismay of his former comrades. When faced with the prospect of returning to the Vikings, he chose instead to protect his son and eventually was killed doing so.
3 Kiyama Harumi Will Not Give Up On Her Students (A Certain Scientific Railgun)
One of the more complex characters in A Certain Scientific Railgun is the scientist and former teacher, Kiyama Harumi. She at first appears to be a deranged, power-hungry villain who looks to make Academy City her own, but it is soon clear she is not acting only for herself.
Harumi's means of obtaining power were by no means justifiable, but her motive was the salvation of her former students, who were being used as guinea pigs by Academy City scientists. She suffered greatly for her efforts to save them, and there were many opportunities for her to give up. In the end, Misaka Mikoto and her friends came alongside her and helped save the children, much to the benefit of Harumi's sleep schedule.
2 Yamato Mikoto Fights For Lifelong Friendship (Is It Wrong To Try To Pick Up Girls In A Dungeon?)
Is It Wrong To Try To Pick Up Girls In A Dungeon? protagonist Bell Cranel makes plenty of gambles on his life to protect others, and that courage is not exclusive to him. Fellow Hestia Familia member Yamato Mikoto is a noble ninja who uses her stunning skill to aid her friends.
When Mikoto learns her childhood friend Sanjouno Haruhime is enslaved by the Ishtar Familia, she is ready to risk it all to save her from that fate. In her battle in the Hanging Gardens, she takes a huge fall after creating an opening for Bell to save Haruhime. That fall could have been life-threatening if not for some aid from the Freya Familia, so it is safe to say she surrendered life and limb for her friend.
1 Hitagi Senjougahara Sets Aside Her Pride (Monogatari)
Fans of the Monogatari franchise are accustomed to watching Koyomi Araragi recklessly rush to help others in their time of need, but his girlfriend Hitagi Senjougahara does not shy away from doing the same to save him. Though she is well-known for her tsundere persona and femme fatale aura, she is also ferociously protective of Araragi.
When Araragi decides to save Nadeko Sengoku, Senjougahara knows he will probably get himself killed doing so. She gathers her resolve and turns to the person she hates most, con-man Deishuu Kaiki, to save Araragi. While Kaiki does not threaten Senjougahara's physical well-being, her haunted childhood was at the center of the events which caused her so much pain. It took monumental humility and earnestness for her to entrust to him something so dear to her, and the weight of that sacrifice should not be downplayed.
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