Warning: This section contains spoilers. We will talk about the deaths of key characters and their impact on the overall plot of the show. If you haven’t seen one of the shows on the list, skip to the bottom of their segment to see where you can stream it and catch up before you get spoiled.
The trope of dead parent has been used in media for a long time. It allows protagonists to travel without being restricted by parents who would tell them not be reckless. It is therefore no surprise that Japanese animation has its share of dead parents. Usually, only the mother dies.
While they don’t last long, they are important characters and always have a place in our hearts. These are the five most important anime moms that are no longer around.
Ai Hoshino
Oshi No Ko was one of the most highly anticipated animes of 2023, and there is no doubt that Ai’s unique charm isn’t the reason for that. The main character’s mom and main character in her own right, Ai, is a central part of the story in Oshi No Ko. Had her children been born to anyone else, I feel the story wouldn’t have taken such a wholesome and thrilling turn.
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Two major fans of Ai’s are reborn as her children. One was a sickly girl who always dreamed of being an idol, and the other was the girl’s doctor. They were reborn to become the children of their idols, and they set out on a mission to protect her.
Ai’s death ruined all their efforts. Now, they are trying to find the murderer of Ai and follow in her steps.
You can watch Oshi No Ko HIDIVE
Trisha Elric
If it weren’t for Trisha, we wouldn’t have a Fullmetal AlchemistAnd without a Fullmetal Alchemist, the world wouldn’t have had Edward as a hero. Trisha raised her sons with great care. She was a mother who was gentle, but firm. When they tried desperately to find a solution to her death, Trisha’s untimely passing fanned flames in their alchemist addiction. These events wouldn’t have happened without her.
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She also helped to establish the dead mom look. Whenever side ponytails are spotted in anime, people are quickly reminded of Trisha’s iconic look. The show and anime as a world were influenced by Trisha.
You can watch Fullmetal Alchemist – Brotherhood Crunchyroll is a great place to watch movies and TV shows.
Sheena
Raising the next king Ranking of Kings isn’t the only thing that made Sheena special. She was the strongest of all the female giants and was set to become King Bosse’s wife and mother of his first child, Boji. Bosse had the strongest child possible by doing this.
She didn’t know Bosse’s real plan was to steal his first son’s strength to be even stronger than he already was. As a result, Sheena’s son was born weak and deaf. Sheena was a good mother and raised Botchi in all her love. Sheena died to defend her sick son during an attack on her Kingdom. She didn’t die in vain. Boji, the future king of Bhutan, inherited her love and courage.
You can watch Ranking of Kings Crunchyroll is a great place to watch movies and TV shows.
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Carla Yeager
Oh, this is one touchy topic. Carla’s cry was heard around the world as what started Eren’s tragic journey. Carla, unlike many other mothers that died from illness or while sleeping, was fully aware of her death. It was shocking, gruesome for both characters and viewers.
Carla wasn’t just the driving force for Eren’s story but the story of other characters. The titan that ate her was her husband’s ex-wife, leading fans to believe that even in a mindless titan form, Dina was motivated to find her husband. During Carla’s time alive, she raised Mikasa, another main character. She was also the wife of one of the major antagonists/protagonists of the show, Grisha. A character that was impactful from the beginning to the end.
You can watch Attack on Titan Funimation.
Touko Yadomi
Ano Hana Followed the story of Meiko, a friend who died and caused a rift between a group. Jinta was particularly close to Meiko and had even developed a crush on the character. Jinta lost his mother before Meiko died.
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Meiko reappears to her friends as a ghost many years after her death. She is desperate to get the gang back together but, most of all, fulfill Jinta’s mother’s final wish. That’s right; her spirit had the strength to return due to an unfulfilled promise to Jinta’s mother. The entire story wouldn’t exist without her. Meiko also would not have been able properly to say goodbye.
You can watch Ano Hana Crunchyroll is a great place to watch movies and TV shows.
The dead mom trope is so strong in anime that fans have maximized their pattern recognition skills to predict when a character’s mother will die. One of the traits is “dead mom hair,” and even without intentionally looking for that characteristic, half of our list has said hair. These fans have a point.
What else do these anime moms share? Tell us in the comments what you think!
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Elizabeth is a children’s book illustrator and author from the Pacific North West. She binges shows and plays obscure video games when she’s not writing.
