Warning: Contains Spoilers for Vinland Saga, Naruto: Shippuden, JoJo's Bizarre Adventure, Hunter x Hunter, Attack on Titan, Mushoku Tensei, Cyberpunk: Edgerunners, and Dragon Ball Z

While a character in anime might be forced to sacrifice themself, usually to save someone or a group of people, it doesn't make it any easier. Sacrifices in anime are almost always heart-breaking, as they involve a noble character laying down their life for the greater good. Characters like Neji from Naruto and Vegeta from Dragon Ball also prove that, just because they started the series on the wrong foot with the protagonist, doesn't mean they can't come around and redeem themselves in the end.

Other characters, like Thors from Vinland Saga or Erwin Smith from Attack on Titan, were good people their entire lives and chose to sacrifice themselves so that the next generation might live on. No matter what a character's reason for making the ultimate sacrifice, it never makes it any less heart-wrenching to watch. The best sacrifices combine the tragedy and heroism of such a noble act, leaving an impact both on the characters and the audience in a way that resounds long after the person making the sacrifice has drawn their last breath.

10 Thors vs. Askeladd

Vinland Saga Episode 4 - "A True Warrior"

Thors's death set the tone early in Vinland Saga. He was an honorable man, a good father, and one of the strongest characters in all of Vinland Saga. He fought Askeladd evenly, and before he was about to defeat the pirate captain, Askeladd had Bjorn take Thorfinn as a hostage. Askeladd is an incredibly smart and cunning character, so he knew he had to kill Thors underhandedly. After Thors sees the position he's in, he puts down his sword and is hit by a dozen arrows at once.

It's a vicious sacrifice to watch as Thors won his duel fair and square, but it never mattered. Askeladd had Thors in checkmate before the fight ever started. Thors's sacrifice set the stage for the rest of the series, leading to Thorfinn's life of vengeance against his father's killer and his eventual redemption.

9 Neji Saves Naruto and Hinata

Naruto: Shippuden Episode 364 - "The Ties That Bind"

Neji and Naruto didn't have the best relationship early in Naruto. Neji was under a lot of pressure from the Hyuga Clan, and he gave up hope, telling everyone that destiny would overtake them all. Naruto couldn't subscribe to that line of thinking less, causing the two to always butt heads. Even though they weren't exactly friends, Naruto was humble enough to it Neji was a genius in his own right, something Neji never forgot.

Naruto and Hinata were so touched by Neji's death, that they named their son, Boruto, after him, as Neji means screw while Boruto means bolt.

During the Fourth Great Ninja War, when the Divine Tree sends shards right at Naruto and Hinata, Neji gets in the way. Neji's sacrifice is one of the most gripping in Naruto because he's one of the few good guys to die. While Kakashi and the rest of Konoha died earlier in the series, they're eventually resurrected. Neji doesn't get the same treatment. Without Neji's sacrifice, both Hinata and Naruto might have died and the Fourth Great Ninja War would have been lost.

8 Jonathan Joestar

Episode 9 - "The Final Ripple!"

Jonathan Joestar, the first of the Joestars, was the shining example mangaka Hirohiko Araki wanted all future JoJo's to look up to. Jonathan is an honest, determined, strong-willed young man who would do whatever it takes for his love, Erina. When the pair head out to sea for their honeymoon, the worst-case scenario unfolds when Dio is found on the ship with them. He attacks Jonathan in an attempt to steal his body, but even Dio wasn't prepared for Jonathan's resolve.

Jonathan saved his wife, unborn child, and another child all at once when he took Dio with him. It's a moment that defines the series as it shows that no matter how depraved Dio gets, there will always be a JoJo to stop him. Jonathan takes Dio with him to the bottom of the sea, trapping his enemy for nearly 100 years and giving his family and the world a fighting chance. Jonathan's relationship with Dio is part of what makes the moment work so well. Though Dio did many terrible things to Jonathan and others, there is a fondness in Jonathan's eyes as he cradles Dio's head and the ship burns around them.

7 Netero's Poor Man's Rose

Episode 126 - "Zero x And x Rose"

Isaac Netero is one of the Hunter x Hunter, but even he knew that the King of the Chimera Ants was a threat unlike any other he faced before. Before he even went to fight Meruem, he had a Poor Man's Rose installed in his body. As soon as his heartbeat hit zero, the near-nuclear bomb would go off, erasing him and everything else in a huge radius. While Netero had a good fight against Meruem, even he recognized the fact that he never stood a chance.

Netero's use of the Poor Man's Rose is the most strategic sacrifice in anime. Netero went into the fight knowing there was a sizable chance he'd lose and set everything up to accommodate that possibility. He drew Meruem away from his friends, provoked him into continuing the fight by saying that he'd reveal the Chimera Ant King's name, and was able to lower his guard long enough to bomb him.

6 Eren Yeager

Episode 93 - "A Long Dream"

Eren Yeager's sacrifice is easily one of the most controversial in anime. He became evil incarnate in an attempt to save his friends and the island of Paradis once and for all. By starting the Rumbling, Eren became the sole person responsible for the death of 80% of humanity. His plan was to kill everyone who could potentially hurt Paradis, and force his friends to be the ones who kill him, cementing themselves as heroes to the rest of the world.

Technically, Eren's plan worked. Not only did he kill 80% of the world, but his friends were the ones to stop him and the remainder of the world didn't try to continue the war. It's a brutal sacrifice that forces Eren's friends to fight against him. Mikasa is the one to finally end Eren, finally saving him from himself. Unfortunately, despite Eren's intentions to inevitably bring peace, Attack on Titan's ending ultimately shows that war will return to Paradis. Whether Eren's sacrifice was ultimately pointless or if he bought his friends and the world time before the next great conflict is left entirely up to the viewer.

5 Itachi Saves Konoha

Naruto: Shippuden Episode 455 - "Moonlit Night"

Like Eren Yeager, Itachi Uchiha was forced to become evil. He did it for the good of his brother, Sasuke. Itachi was forced to make a decision and only had two, equally terrible options to pick from: either he could fight with his clan against the rest of Konoha, creating a violent civil war that could end with more than just the Uchiha slaughtered, or he could crush his clan's uprising before it started. Itachi chose the latter and assassinated every last one of the Uchiha, bar his little brother.

Regardless of whether fans feel like Itachi is a hero or villain in Naruto, it's a great sacrifice because Itachi's true intentions aren't revealed until much later, and he's not even the person to reveal them. He chooses to be the ultimate enemy from Sasuke's perspective, because he thinks that's the best option for his little brother. He even eventually pulls Orochimaru out of his brother and is the catalyst for Sasuke's Mangekyou Sharingan as well

4 Paul Greyrat

Mushoku Tensei Episode 46 - "Parents"

Paul Greyrat was never a good father to Rudeus, but he tried his best. He was a fun dad who put a little too much pressure on his son, but that doesn't mean he didn't love Rudy all the same. Rudeus was forced to trade one parent for another when he and the rest of Paul's gang went into the Labyrinth to save his mother Zenith. In a fight against the Manatita Hydra, Rudy was about to be killed, but his father, Paul, kicked him out of the way at the last second.

Paul's death in Mushoku Tensei rightfully shook Rudy to his core. He went into the Labyrinth so he could save a parent, not to lose one. The worst part about Paul's death is that the episode he dies in, Parents, was ironically aired on Father's Day. Paul might not have been the greatest father figure, but he's certainly a good dad for laying his life down for his only son.

3 David Rodriguez

Cyberpunk: Edgerunners Episode 10 - "My Moon My Man"

Cyberpunk: Edgerunners delivers a gripping, thought-provoking, and ultimately heartbreaking story in only 10 episodes, making it one of the best short anime series. It stars David Rodriguez as he looks to make a name for himself in Night City. He gets a lot of power he can't really control, but he's forced to use it if he wants to save his love interest Lucy. Even though he knows he's not going to survive, David does everything he can to make sure Lucy can live and hopefully, one day, head to the moon.

David's sacrifice is made even sadder when he apologizes to Lucy for never taking her to the moon. Nothing is more heart-breaking than two star-crossed lovers destined to never be together. David fights the legendary Adam Smasher on even ground for much longer than he should have been able to, before finally dying like the hero he always wanted to be.

2 Majin Vegeta

Dragon Ball Z Episode 237 - "Final Atonement"

Not many episodes are named better than episode 237 of Dragon Ball Z, "Final Atonement'. Vegeta has lived for himself his entire life. When he settles down on Earth, there's still a seed of pride within him. That seed is nurtured by the evil wizard Babidi who gives Vegeta the power he's looking for at the price of his own humanity. After realizing the mistake he made, Vegeta looks to atone for his sins by blowing himself up, hopefully taking Buu in the process.

It's the culmination of everything that's happened to Vegeta. He's finally able to thank Kakarot for being a worthy rival, and can even thank Bulma and Trunks for being the family he's always wanted. Unfortunately for the Prince of all Saiyans, like most sacrifices in Dragon Ball, it's completely meaningless as Buu is able to revive himself and has one less enemy to face.

1 Erwin Smith and the Scouts

Attack on Titan Episode 53 - "Perfect Game"

Erwin Smith's final speech to his Scouts is one of the greatest speeches in anime. It's heroic, logically sound, and so epic that it's no wonder the Scouts were brave enough to ride to their deaths. Zeke Yeager, the Beast Titan, had the Scout regiment pinned down thanks to his spectacular throwing abilities. Knowing they had no real options left, Erwin told his troops to head straight at the Beast Titan, laying down their lives so that Levi would have a clean shot.

Erwin, a true leader, was at the head of the charge. It's one of the most impactful sacrifices in anime because Erwin is sacrificing his life and the lives of his men in order to win. He wanted to know the real history of the Titans, but at that moment, he put humanity's future above his own dreams. He never learned where the Titans really come from, but he was able to buy Levi enough time to cut the Beast Titan into ribbons.