Naruto may look like a carefree shonen from the outside, but it isn’t afraid to pull heartstrings once fans are a few episodes in. You may not think the anime will make you cry, but it gets under your skin to the point where you have to when characters get killed off.
And, yes — they get killed off. Your favorite isn’t safe in Naruto at any point, and fans have yet to recover from some of the show’s biggest deaths.
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While the franchise may be moving forward with a sequel, Naruto fans aren’t ready to let go of those the original anime killed off. So, we’re here to bring comfort and remembrance in that time of need. As you can see below, ComicBook has ranked those deaths in Naruto that still have us tearing up, so you better grab some tissues. Things are about to get real angsty.
Also, be warned! Spoilers for Naruto and Naruto: Shippuden are below!!
So, which death from Naruto has sat with you the longest? Or in any anime? Let me know in the comments or hit me up on Twitter @MeganPetersCB to talk all things comics and anime!
Haku
For most character in Naruto, childhood isn’t something to be looked back on fondly. Any and all things like murder can mess up a kid, so Naruto made sure to traumatize its ninja early. For guys like Haku, this meant they grew up believing they were a human weapon, and that belief only grew after Zabuza Momichi fueled the thought. This is why a truly lost Haku gave his life to save Zabuza from Kakashi, leaving him to bleed out on a bridge without ever knowing that the rogue Mist Ninja actually cared about him.
By the time Naruto starts angrily crying over Haku’s death, fans know they are in for one heart-wrenching episode. That’s just that.
Neji Hyuuga
While all Leaf Village heroes are expected to give their lives in battle, Naruto’s classmates managed to avoid that kind of sacrifice. Sure, the ninjas got hurt, but none of the Konoha 11 were killed in battle. That is, until Neji Hyuuga gave his life to protect Hinata and Naruto from a Ten-Tails attack.
Towards the end of the Fourth Great Ninja War, Neji stood before a lethal blow that was meant for Naruto. Hinata tried to take it at first, but Neji refused to let his cousin die. The once proud Hyuuga Branch member quickly succumbed to his injuries, and fans could only watch as Naruto sobbed over the death.
Minato Namikaze
Minato Namikaze was a character whose death lingered for years before Naruto got the chance to explore it. As the Fourth Hokage, fans knew the man died in order to seal the Nine-Tails within Naruto, but the loss hurt all the worse when it was revealed Minato was the boy’s father. In order to protect the village, Minato was forced to seal the Nine-Tails in Naruto as he knew his son could handle the powerful burden, but seeing the death via flashback made fans lose all composure.
Gaara
When it comes to messed-up childhoods, few guys can even compete with Gaara. The son of the Fourth Kazekage, Gaara had the One-Tail sealed in him, but the job was only done halfway. The botched seal led Gaara to go mad, and he had numerous assassins set on him by his father. Thanks to Naruto, the boy was able to outgrow his bloodthirsty nature and even became the Kazekage.
Still, Gaara couldn’t catch a break. The Akatsuki came for him and his Tailed Beast, torturing him in order to extract the One-Tail. They succeeded, and the ritual killed Gaara. It was only thanks to Chiyo’s suicidal jutsu that Gaara was brought back to life, and fans are still insanely protective over the redhead because of the close call.
Asuma Sarutobi
The loss of a teacher is difficult, but Shikamaru never expected the death of Asuma Sarutobi to hit him quite the way it did. The jounin acted as the leader of Team 10, bringing some much-needed guidance to the likes of Ino and Chouji. It was thanks to Asuma that the younger heroes turned into the powerhouses fans came to love, and everyone was devastated when the jounin died in battle. Asuma died fighting the Akatsuki, leaving Shikamaru to inform his pregnant lover of his passing. So, to say his passing was sad is a massive understatement.
Itachi Uchiha
When Naruto began, fans thought they would be excited to see Itachi Uchiha die. After all, the guy did kill all of the Uchiha clan, leaving his younger brother Sasuke to suffer for years. However, as the anime went on, fans learned Itachi wasn’t the truly evil person they suspect. The rogue ninja may have killed his family, but he did so to save the Leaf Village from a deadly coup. Flashbacks filled in all the tragic parts of Itachi’s dark past, and the only person more affected by the older Uchiha’s passing was Sasuke himself.
Kushina Uzumaki
Anime has its tropes, and shonen series are not afraid to kill off parents when called for. In the case of Naruto, several heroes started out as orphans, and its lead was one of them. In fact, Naruto Uzumaki was given zero hints about his parentage for years, but fans had figured out the Fourth Hokage was likely his dad. So, when audiences did meet Kushina Uzumaki through the Nine-Tails, they were as excited as they were heartbroken. The lively redhead was everything fans had expected from Naruto’s mom, and that made it hurt all the more when she sacrificed her life to save Naruto all those years ago.
Jiraiya
When you think about the most upsetting anime deaths of all-time, one of Naruto‘s own ranks high on the list. Jiraiya might have been best-known as a pervert ninja, but to Naruto Uzumaki, the older man was the closest thing he had to a father. The infamous Toad Sannin took the jinchuuriki under his wing and molded him to become the hero fans all know. So, when Jiraiya was brutally killed in battle fighting Pain, fans were left in tears. Their grief was only compounded when news of Jiraiya’s death reached the Leaf Village, prompting Naruto to delve into an emotional spiral. His journey towards mourning left Naruto crying on a bench over a popsicle, and fans are still touchy over the heart-wrenching scene.
