Death often looms ominously over beloved anime characters. It’s a recurring theme that leaves viewers emotionally invested, sometimeswitnessing protagonists meet their demiseeither at the outset or the conclusion of a series.
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Some characters, though, defy this trope and the clutches of the afterlife. They’re not merelyreincarnated in another realm. Instead, these characters elude the cold grip of death, having gotten a second chance in life. Some have faced death only once and returned, while others have experienced a harrowing cycle of demise and resurrection.
Updated by Stefania Ikeda-Stavridi on the 20th of October 2023:The theme of characters coming back to life after a near-death experience is a recurring concept in the world of anime. In this updated list, we have included five more characters who have cheated death, taken from both classic and recent anime series.
15Sakura - Zombieland Saga
Sakurais one of the protagonists in Zombieland Saga, and her story is an embodiment of a unique journey of life, death, and resurrection. Her tale begins with an unfortunate fate as we witness her death in a dramatic accident.
Throughout her life, Sakura had been plagued by the Saga curse, which had marked her with a series of small yet harrowing accidents that constantly shadowed her until they caused her death. Eventually, she and the other girls get resurrected asidol zombiesto fight against this curse.
14Sailor Moon - Sailor Moon
Sailor Moonexperiences multiple intense moments of life and death. As Princess Serenity, she witnesses the tragic fall of her kingdom andthe death of her belovedPrince Endymion. Overwhelmed by grief, she takes her own life.
However, her soul is reborn, granting her a new beginning as a high school girl who later discovers her true identity as Sailor Moon. In another critical moment, she kills her love interest to break a spell. Overcome by sorrow, she once again takes her own life. Yet, the power of the Silver Crystal leads to their resurrection.
13Rin - Inuyasha
Rin, a young and innocent girl, encountered death twice in her life but was given a second chance both times. The first time, she was saved by the powerful demon Sesshomaru, who used his mighty Heavenly Sword, Tenseiga, to revive her.
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Later, when her life force was drained in the underworld, Sesshomaru could not save her himself, as he had revived her already once. It was his mother that came to her rescue, using her precious artifact to bring her back to life.
12Yuji Itadori - Jujutsu Kaisen
Itadoridefies conventional expectations by surviving a deadly attack that tears his heart apart. While it appears that he is lifeless, Yuji’s consciousness endures within Sukuna’s innate domain, where he holds absolute power.
Recognizing the deep connection between them, Sukuna strategically transfers Yuji’s soul and consciousness into his own domain, allowing him to persist despite the loss of his physical body. This unexpected twist in the plot adds an intriguing element to the story.
11Rin - Rin: Daughters of Mnemosyne
Rin Asogiis a unique character in the world of immortality and the supernatural. When she was still a human, unaware of her immortality, she was traveling through Japan. Her story took a tragic turn when she was killed by bandits.
However, she had unknowingly become infected by a mysterious time fruit, which brought her back to life. Now immortal, Rin fights for the greater good, uncovers mysteries surrounding her own existence, and navigates the complexities of the supernatural world.
10Sakura Kusakabe - Bludgeoning Angel Dokuro-chan
As a hapless protagonist,Sakura Kusakabeendures an absurdly unfortunate fate. Thisquirky comedy animeshowcases Sakura repeatedly meeting his demise at the hands of the titular angel, Dokuro-chan, armed with a brutal spiked club.
Yet, the twist lies in Sakura’s instant resurrection, making his plight simultaneously comical and pitiable. The angel is using this sort of torture to keep Sakura from inventing an anti-aging technology in the future while simultaneously finding joy in doing so.
9Yusuke Urameshi - Yu Yu Hakusho
Yusuke Urameshi’sjourney begins with an act of selflessness. In a defining moment, he sacrifices his life to save a child from an oncoming car, meeting an untimely demise.
His story takes an extraordinary turn when he is granted a second chance at life. To earn his resurrection,he accepts the role of a Spirit Detectivetasked with protecting the human world from supernatural threats.
8Hyoudou Issei - High School DxD
Hyoudou Issei’slife takes a dramatic twist when he unwittingly steps into a hidden world teeming with demons, angels, and fallen angels. While on a seemingly ordinary date with a fellow schoolmate, his life takes a dark turn as he meets his demise.
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However, his fate shifts dramatically when he’s brought back to life by the captivating devil, Rias Gremory. In an unexpected turn of events, Issei becomes her devoted servant, diving headfirst into a world of supernatural intrigue.
7Kei Kurono - Gantz
Keiloses his life in the beginning of the anime while attempting to save another. Struck by a train, he experiences a gruesome death, and his resurrection plunges him into a nightmare.
He awakens in a room among strangers and is thrust into a twisted game with life and death stakes. While Kei does return from the afterlife, his existence takes a much darker path.
6Natsuki Subaru - Re: Zero
Subaru’sjourney is a relentless cycle of death and revival, which isa unique twist in the world of isekai anime. He initially finds himself transported to another world but faces a grim reality. Every time he dies, he returns to a specific point in time, burdened with the memories of his past failures.
HIs resurrections offer no respite from suffering. Instead, they force him to endure emotional and physical torment while attempting to navigate the intricate web of politics, magic, and danger in this fantastical realm.
