Not all anime characters had a happy upbringing/past and live their lives with optimism. Some of them have gone through numerous tragic events in their pasts, which left a trauma in their psyches.

So, which anime characters had the most tragic pasts? Without further ado, let’s get into it.

1. Killua Zoldyck - Hunter X Hunter

Killua was born into a family of assassins, which means his childhood was far from normal. When he was only three, his parents put him in dangerous situations, ranging from tortures to seeing if he could avoid deadly attacks.

At that age, Killua has also killed more people than most adults. Therefore, he had to attack his entire family, even leaving his mother's face wrapped in bandages to escape the living hell.

2. Sohma Kyo - Fruits Basket

Born into the Sohma family as one of the zodiac animals, which is the cat, the most hated animal of the zodiac, Kyo had terrible luck since his birth.

Even though Kyo is able to be free earlier in the story, it turns out that those born as a cat sign are usually left in solitary confinement and can never leave. Kyo's mother even took her own life as she wanted to love her son, but couldn't, due to his terrible true form.

3. Ciel Phantomhive - Black Butler

Ciel Phantomhive may just be a child, but that doesn't make his past any less tragic than other characters on this list. When he was 10, his parents, as well as all the servants in their mansion were killed by an unknown assailant.

He was also kidnapped by the cult, tortured, and attacked until he accidentally helped summon a demon with his hatred of the cult members.

4. Ray - The Promised Neverland

Almost all the characters in The Promised Neverland have tragic backstories, but Ray's probably the most tragic of all.

Ray, who is considered the calmest kid amongst Emma and Norman, turns out to have learned the dark truth. He knows that their mother, Isabella, was feeding the children to demons.

5. Akame - Akame Ga Kill!

Akame may come off as a cold-blooded killer to those who don't know her, yet her past explains her character. After her parents sold her and her younger sister, Kurome, to the empire, she had to do anything to survive, even if it meant killing others.

Akame has also been betrayed several times by those she trusted the most, including a girl named Martha, who used loopholes to try and slash at Akame. Therefore, it is not easy to gain her trust.

6. Lelouch Vi Britannia - Code Geass

Lelouch vi Britannia is an example that it's possible for a noble-born can live tragic lives. As a child, he witnessed the murder of his mother, which also incapacitated his sister, and was later exiled to Japan and abandoned by his father.

With that tragic past, it's no surprise that he has such deep hatred towards his father and the Britannia Empire. After obtaining the power of Geass, Lelouch creates Zero as his alter ego and seeks to end Britannia's rule over Japan.

Unfortunately, his desire for revenge overpowers his desire for justice. He ultimately becomes the thing he wanted to destroy.

7. The Elric Brothers - Fullmetal Alchemist Brotherhood

Despite the absence of a father figure during their childhood, Edward and Alphonse Elric lived a happy life with their mother, Trisha. After she died, they were in despair and Ed began to develop hatred for his father.

In their desperate efforts to bring their mother back, they resorted to taboo alchemy and human transmutation. Their efforts ended up with a crippled monster.

To make things worse, the attempt also cost Edward's arms and legs, while Alphonse lost his entire body. Ever since then, Edward and Alphonse went on a long and emotionally painful journey to recover their bodies.

Read Also:

• 7 Facts About God One Punch Man Who Has Unlimited Power
• Here Are 10 Marines with Evilest Minds in One Piece!
• 7 Facts about Gundam Barbatos with Unique Combat Techniques with Pilot Mikazuki Augus

8. Itachi Uchiha - Naruto

After witnessing the horrors of war as a child, Itachi Uchiha vowed to create a world without violence. Years later, he discovered the hatred and contempt of the Uchiha clan. When his clan began plotting a coup, he secretly became a double agent for Konoha.

Despite his efforts, he was forced to execute his fellow clan members. The only one who was left unscathed was his brother Sasuke, whom Itachi convinced to hate him so that Sasuke could avenge their clan. The fact that Itachi had managed to carry this burden alone for so long is certainly amazing.

9. Hyakkimaru - Dororo

Hyakkimaru is destined to suffer due to his father's cruelty. Even during his birth, Hyakkimaru's father offered him as a sacrifice to several demons in exchange for the prosperity of his land.

The demons robbed Hyakkimaru of everything, including his skin, limbs, eyes, voice, as well as his spine. His father then ordered him to be left abandoned. Hyakkimaru was later rescued and raised by a doctor, Jukai, who gave him artificial prosthetics to help him thrive.

Being forced to suffer for the sake of another man's ambition is a fate worse than death.

10. Nico Robin - One Piece

Nico Robin has the most tragic past of all in One Piece. When she was two, her mother left Ohara, leaving her verbally and physically abused by his aunt, as well as other kids.

At eight, the Marines attacked her home, resulting in the deaths of her mother, her fellow archaeologists, and her friend Saul.

Since then, Robin has spent 20 years running away from the World Government. During that time, she was forced to take care of herself because everyone she trusted ended up betraying her. Robin's life was nothing but hell until she met the Straw Hats.

11. Seras Victoria - Hellsing

Seras was turned into a vampire by Alucard as she was just a mere police officer before that. In most parts of the series, her past remained a mystery. It wasn't until the seventh episode of Hellsing Ultimate that details of her past were revealed.

The episode shows that her father was a police officer who led the criminals that he investigated and followed him to their home — where Seras witnessed them execute her parents.

After stabbing one of the assailants, she was shot and left to die, but she was also forced to watch one of the criminals torture her mother's corpse. This incident continued to haunt Seras throughout her childhood.

12. Lucy - Elfen Lied

As a child, Lucy grew up in an orphanage where she was neglected by her caregivers and bullied by other children.

Her only friend was a puppy that she secretly took care of. After showing the puppy to a fellow orphan, she revealed his whereabouts to the kids who bullied her.

Lucy was then forced to watch them beat her only friend to death. This traumatic event caused her to attack and slaughter her tormentors.

Lucy is then eventually captured and imprisoned in a government facility, which made her hate people even more. Ever since she was just a lonely little girl, Lucy's interactions with evil humans turned her into a ruthless killing machine.

13. Crona - Soul Eater

Growing up, Crona constantly received physical and psychological abuse from his mother Medusa and his demonic weapon Ragnarok. Their harsh treatment finally made Crona go insane. Crona does not hesitate to finish off his opponents and absorb their souls.

In the series, Crona's friendship with Maka helps him escape his madness. Unfortunately, this is not the case in the manga. He succumbs to madness and commits immoral acts such as brutally killing Medusa and becoming the new Kishin.

14. Hänsel & Gretel - Black Lagoon

The true identities of Hänsel and Gretel are very much unknown. But what is certain is that they both have one of the most terrifying pasts in anime. Abandoned at a young age, Hänsel and Gretel were forced to participate in snuff films.

They were ordered to kill other children or risk being violated and killed themselves. The constant abuse and horrors they witnessed drove the twins to embrace violence, turning them into serial killers.

The twins began to think that they were actually "vampires", who could live forever if they continued to take lives. Unfortunately, the twins met their end at the hands of Balalaika after they tortured and slaughtered her men.

15. Guts - Berserk

Guts' life has always been surrounded by death and violence since his birth. After he's found as a baby under his mother's hanging corpse by mercenaries, he's taken in and raised as a child soldier. He also experienced severe abuse under his guardian Gambino, who even sold him to one of his soldiers.

Guts ultimately joins the Band of the Hawk, where he eventually develops bonds of friendship and camaraderie. Years later, he is forced to watch his friend, Griffith, sacrifices his comrades to demons and forces himself onto his lover Casca. Even though he survived the massacre, he is cursed to be hunted by demons every night until he dies.

Stick around for more anime and gaming info, and make sure to follow Dunia Games on Facebook and Instagram for the latest updates.

You can also buy vouchers for various games, such as Mobile Legends, Free Fire, and Call of Duty Mobile, at lower prices by making your top-ups at Dunia Games!

Read Also >> 8 Zoan Devil Fruit Powers That Lucky Roo Should Have in One Piece!