Modernanimeruns on emotional dilemmas that force characters into hard situations where no choice is truly right. They may choose a path that, to some, may be entirely evil, but to others, it’s somehow justified and for most, just misunderstood. Whatever the case, these choices define a character by adding much more depth to their story arc.
Whether it’s sacrificing loved ones, betraying allies, or choosing between morality and duty, these moments leave the audience awestruck and leave us lingering for the next episodes to reveal the story further. Some of these decisions break them, while others push them forward, but one thing remains the same: Once the choice is made, there’s no turning back.
10Decim – Death Parade
Whether To Send Chiyuki To The Void Or Reincarnation
In the afterworld of Death Parade, Decim plays the role of an arbiter, judging the souls of the dead and deciding who gets reincarnated and who vanishes into the void. But these aren’t simple cases, as his decisions are based on intense psychological games that reveal a person’s true nature.
While Decim initially follows the rules without question, meeting Chiyuki changes him. He begins to struggle with the idea of judgment itself, realizing that no single decision can truly judge a person. His final choice is a conflict itself, as he has to decide whether to send Chiyuki for reincarnation or to the void.
9Kiritsugu Emiya – Fate/Zero
Kiritsugu Sacrifices His Own Parents
Kiritsugu Emiya is a man born for sacrifice, but no choice was as painful as the one he had to make as a child. In Fate/Zero, he chose to kill his father in order to end his dangerous research forever.
This harsh decision turned Kiritsugu into a cold, pragmatic assassin who believed sacrificing a few to save the many was the only way to achieve peace. His life became such a cycle of impossible decisions that later, after discovering that his mother was boarded on a plane hoarded by zombies, he was forced to shoot down the plane, killing everyone inside to prevent the spread of a contagious virus.
8Gintoki Sakata – Gintama
He Sacrifices His Teacher To Save His Friends
Before becoming thelazy troublemaker that fans loved, Gintoki Sakata endured a traumatic past. As a young samurai, he fought in the Joui War under Shouyou Yoshida, his beloved teacher. But when the war ended, Gintoki was given an impossible choice: either to execute his own master or let his comrades die.
Knowing there was no way to save Shouyou, Gintoki chose to end his master’s life, sparing his friends but ultimately inflicting an emotional trauma to himself as a result of his decision. This moment remained with him for years, and while he rarely spoke of it, the weight of that decision lingered in everything he did.
7Spike Spiegel – Cowboy Bebop
Spike Faces Vicious In A Jaw-Dropping Finale
For years, Spike Spiegel ran from his past, but when the opportunity to face his old rival Vicious finally arrived, he had to decide to walk away and live or fight and risk everything. InCowboy Bebop’s finale, Spike finally chooses to face Vicious, knowing full well that he might not make it out alive.
His decision isn’t just about revenge, it’s about finally settling an old rivalry. With nothing left tying him to the world, he accepts his fate. As he walks into battle, he leaves a legacy.
6Dr. Tenma – Monster
He Prioritizes A Kid’s Life Over His Job
Dr. Kenzo Tenma had everything a man could ask for: a promising career, the trust of his superiors, and a bright future in medicine. But when faced with a critical decision, he defied the system.
Rather than operating on a powerful politician, he chose to save a young boy,Johan Liebert, instead. This act of compassion cost him everything, as he lost his job, his reputation, and even his fiancé. Worse yet, the boy he saved grew up to become a monstrous serial killer. So, Tenma spent years chasing Johan, fighting the consequences of his choice.
5Rem – Death Note
The Shinigami Sacrifices Herself For Misa
Shinigami aren’t meant to care for humans, but Rem is different. In Death Note, she developed a soft corner forMisa Amane, the girl she was bound to protect. When Light Yagami manipulated the situation to put her in danger, Rem was left with only one choice: to break the rules of the Shinigami world and sacrifice herself to save her.
By using her powers to kill L, Rem made sure that Misa remained safe. But the act cost her own existence. It was a selfless, tragic ending, showing that even a god of death could love someone this much.
4Whitebeard – One Piece
Sacrificed Himself to Protect Marineford
Edward Newgate or Whitebeard had every chance to retreat from the Marineford after the battle, but he chose to stay and fight to make sure his men escaped. However, despite his unmatched strength, he knew his time was running out, and this battle would be his last stand.
So, Whitebeard put everything on the line to protect his pirate sons. Even as the battlefield collapsed around him, he stood firm, proving that his reputation wasn’t built on power alone but on the family he had created. His death shook the pirate world, but his decision made him immortal in the hearts of his crew.
3Prince Zuko – Avatar: The Last Airbender
Zuko Finally Chooses to Side With Aang
Zuko spent most of his life believing his destiny was to capture the Avatar andregain his father’s approval. But after years of this struggle, he made a choice to redeem himself when he abandoned the Fire Nation’s expectations and joined Team Avatar.
This decision wasn’t easy, as it meant betraying everything he had once fought for, risking exile, and proving himself to people who had every reason to distrust him. But by choosing his own path, Zuko not only found redemption but also became one of the most beloved characters of the show.
2Captain Levi – Attack on Titan
During Attack on Titan’s Arc of Shiganshina, Levi Ackerman was forced to make a difficult choice: save Commander Erwin, humanity’s greatest strategist, or Armin, a young soldier with an intellect that could change everyone’s future.
Both had reasons to be saved, but in the end, Levi chose Armin. Not because he was necessarily the better option, but because he wanted to let Erwin finally rest. This decision haunted him, as he knew Erwin could have led humanity further. Yet, despite his doubts, he honored what he believed was Erwin’s unspoken wish, to let the new kids take over.
1Itachi Uchiha – Naruto
He Kills The Entire Uchiha Clan For The Greater Good
Few storylines in anime are as painful asItachi Uchiha’s. Tasked with wiping out the Uchiha clan to prevent a coup, he chose to carry out the massacre, sparing only his younger brother, Sasuke. Itachi bore the weight of this crime alone, letting the world see him as a villain while secretly protecting the village.
His actions influenced Sasuke’s entire life, leading to a cycle of revenge that spanned years. Only after his death was the truth revealed, proving that Itachi’s decision was never about choosing sides, rather, it was about sacrificing everything for the greater good.
