10 Most Heroic Anime Decisions

In anime, there are moments when characters show incredible bravery by sacrificing themselves or part of themselves for others. These heroic moments in anime are powerful and leave a lasting impact on the stories we love with their heroic decisions or sacrifices. Some of them have such an emotional weight that it’s hard to imagine just how strong the characters' spirits would’ve been to endure such hardship.

They are either driven by duty, friendship, or a desire for a better outcome and make decisions that change their stories and inspire the people watching them. The anime characters on this list are fearless and are driven by their determination to succeed or protect others in a way that often leads to devastating impacts on themselves and leads to a brand-new meaning to the word ‘Heroic.’

Zenitsu Lets Himself Be Beaten (Demon Slayer)

Beaten To A Pulp Protecting Tanjiro's Box

What makes Zenits's Heroic deed special?

• Zenitsu endures punishment to shield Nezuko
• Grows from a timid character to a brave protector
• Demonstrates unwavering dedication

In Demon Slayer, Zenitsu, a member of the Demon Slayer Corps, showcases an extraordinary act of bravery. He is known for his thunder breathing techniques and is initially portrayed as timid but demonstrates remarkable strength when he falls asleep. In a misunderstanding, he willingly endures severe physical punishment by Inosuke to shield Nezuko, even though he has just met Tanjiro.

Zenitsu's selfless acts show his dedication and also symbolize the resilience within him, contributing significantly to the emotional depth of the narrative. Inosuke later becomes friends with Tanjiro and Nezuko, but the first meeting between Zenitsu and Inosuke exemplifies Zenitsu as a heroic character who wouldn’t think twice before putting himself in danger to protect others.

Netero And Poor Man's Rose (Hunter x Hunter)

Netero Detonates Himself To Poison And Weaken Meruem

What makes Netero's Heroic deed special?

• Chairman Netero uses Poor Man's Rose against Meruem
• Sacrifices himself in a strategic move to combat an overwhelming threat

Chairman Isaac Netero from Hunter x Hunter confronts the looming threat of the Chimera Ant King, Meruem, employing extreme measures wherein he’s forced into a kamikaze to defeat Meruem. Faced with an enemy of immense power and intellect, Netero executes a plan involving the utilization of Poor Man's Rose and pierces his own heart to detonate it.

Netero's decision to utilize such a devastating weapon as a last resort shows just how far he was willing to go to protect humanity. His last words were a warning to the Ant King not to underestimate humans in their drive to survive. Without his final act, Meruem would’ve never been defeated.

Rem Allows Light's Plan (Death Note)

A Shinigami Kills Herself Out Of Love

What makes Rem's Heroic deed special?

• Shinigami Rem supports Light's complex plan
• Sacrifice challenges her moral norms

Rem was a Shinigami in Death Note who had also found her way into the mortal realm and gave her Death Note to Misa Amane. In some brilliantly played moves by Light, Rem was forced into a corner where she had to decide fast to save Misa from enduring any further torture.

Shinigami in the Death Note universe are effectively immortal and can only die if they kill someone out of the urge to protect someone else. This quality is absent in almost all Shinigami, which makes Rem’s sacrifice to save Misa at the cost of her own life even more heroic. Though she was forced to do so, she decided ending her life would be better than Misa’s imprisonment.

Armin Distracts The Colossal Titan (Attack On Titan)

Armin Burns To A Crisp To Defeat The Colossal Titan

What makes Armin's Heroic deed special?

• Armin's distraction of the Colossal Titan demonstrates quick thinking
• Selflessly diverts attention to protect comrades
• Sacrifices himself for humanity's survival

Armin Arlert was known for his intellect and came up with a plan to weaken the Colossal Titan enough for Eren to land the killing blow. As the Colossal Titan wreaks havoc on Shiganshina, Armin, driven by sheer determination, executes the daring plan to distract the Colossal Titan, diverting its attention to him.

He attached to the Titan’s teeth while being burned by intensely hot steam to the point of charring his entire body and almost died, but he never wavered. His growth from a timid character to a pivotal force within the Survey Corps is shown by his sacrifice, as he fully intended to die if it wasn’t for the titan serum. Eren then managed to slice the Colossal Titan’s nape and pull Bertholdt out, leading to their victory against unimaginable odds.

Vegeta Self Destructs (Dragon Ball Z)

Vegeta's Last Ditch Effort Proves His Worth

What makes Vegeta's Heroic deed special?

• Vegeta sacrifices himself in an attempt to defeat Majin Buu
• Marks a significant character growth and a complete redemption arc

Vegeta has a bit of a villain arc in the Majin Buu saga, where he willingly lets himself be prey to Babidi’s magic to gain power. However, during his fight with Buu, he undergoes a profound character transformation marked by an act of sacrifice. Faced with the threat of Majin Buu, Vegeta confronts the realization that his own power may not be enough to protect his loved ones and the planet.

In a moment of selflessness, Vegeta unleashes a sacrificial explosion, attempting to eliminate Majin Buu at the cost of his own life. Vegeta's unexpected act of self-sacrifice defies his prideful nature, showcasing an evolution from a once-antagonistic character to a hero willing to lay down his life to protect the planet. Though his efforts failed, his intentions were clear.

All Might Almost Sacrifice His Quirk (My Hero Academia)

All Might Fights Against All For One In A Vicious Battle

What makes All Might's Heroic deed special?

• All Might nearly sacrifice his Quirk, One For All, to protect society.
• Symbolizes what it means to be a hero
• Reflects the sacrifices heroes endure for the greater good

All Might, once the world's greatest hero and the Symbol of Peace, faced a monumental challenge in My Hero Academia against All For One, who threatened the stability of society, necessitating a confrontation that pushed All Might to his limits. In a climactic battle against All For One, All Might confront the reality that his time as the symbol of hope is nearing its end. His body reached its breaking point as he battled the villain, knowing that the fight could be his last.

Driven by an unwavering resolve to protect society, All Might push past his physical limitations, ready to sacrifice everything, even his Quirk, One For All. This Quirk passed down through generations, stands on the brink of being extinguished in its entirety as All Might faces the possibility of losing it forever but continues to heroically fight to protect everyone.

Portugas D. Ace Sacrifices Himself (One Piece)

Ace Jumps In front Of Luffy To Save Him In A Heroic Sacrifice

What makes Ace's Heroic deed special?

• Ace sacrifices himself to protect Monkey D. Luffy from a fatal attack
• Displays the strength of familial bonds

In the expansive world of One Piece, Portgas D. Ace is a powerful pirate who finds himself in a predicament that leads to one of the most heroic and sad moments in anime. Captured by enemies seeking to exploit his lineage, Ace faces a situation that threatens the lives of his friends and allies.

To protect them, Ace makes the ultimate sacrifice by intercepting a fatal attack by Admiral Akainu meant for his sworn brother, Monkey D. Luffy. Ace's selfless act of sacrificing himself is one of the greatest heroic moments in One Piece that changed the tone of the series going forward. Right before he dies, he thanks his friends for their love, marking one of the saddest moments in One Piece.

Lelouch's Master Plan (Code Geass)

Lelouch Walks Down A Dark Path For The Greater Good

What makes Lelouch's Heroic deed special?

• Lelouch executes a morally complex master plan challenging heroism.
• Becomes the villain that everyone unites against
• This team-up against Lelouch leads to peace

Code Geass features Lelouch vi Britannia, who executes a meticulously crafted master plan that challenges the idea of conventional heroism. With a morally complex agenda, Lelouch orchestrates a series of calculated moves to achieve his vision of a better world. His decisions, although controversial, are a blend of strategy and sacrifice, reshaping the view of the series and challenging the perception of what it means to be a hero.

Initially, he joins a terrorist organization and eventually becomes a tyrant and the enemy of both the Japanese and the British in hopes of becoming the bigger threat to unite against. By sacrificing his life and his image, this move eventually led to peace and harmony.

Erwin Leads A Suicide Charge (Attack On Titan)

Commander Erwin Gives Up His Dreams For Humanity's Survival

What makes Erwin's Heroic deed special?

• Commander Erwin orchestrates a suicide charge against the Beast Titan
• Sacrifices himself to create an opening for Levi
• Highlights the burdens and sacrifices for humanity's survival

In the Return to Shiganshina arc, during the climactic battle against the Beast Titan, facing overwhelming odds and seemingly insurmountable obstacles, Erwin needed to make a critical decision. Realizing the need for a decisive diversion to tip the scales in their favor, Erwin manages to motivate the Survey Corp recruits to orchestrate a suicide charge with him in the lead.

He eventually leads a daring assault against the Beast Titan, sacrificing himself to create an opening for his comrades. In the process, he gave up his dreams of learning about the world beyond the walls and managed to successfully distract the Beast Titan at the expense of his own life.

Itachi Kills His Own Clan (Naruto)

Itachi Becomes The Outcast For The Leaf Village

What makes Itachi's Heroic deed special?

• Itachi sacrifices his clan to prevent a potential coup d'état and protect the village
• Represents a tragic sacrifice of familial bonds and personal happiness for the greater good

Itachi was a prodigy of the Uchiha clan who faced a heart-wrenching predicament that forever altered his path. Driven by a desire to prevent a potential coup d'état and protect the village and his brother, Itachi makes an agonizing decision. Itachi chooses to massacre the Uchiha clan, including his family, sparing only his younger brother, Sasuke.

This devastating act, shrouded in secrecy and deception, casts Itachi as a pariah, misunderstood by many for his actions. Itachi's sacrifice shows the burdens carried by those who shoulder the weight of protecting the greater good. His sacrifice for the sake of preserving peace and safeguarding the Leaf Village stands as the most heroic decision in anime, only revealed to everyone after his death.

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