Emotional turmoil and injuries are persistent elements in anime. These characters go through an enormous amount of pain, making the viewers sympathize with them and often wonder how they can withstand it. The few things that tug at heartstrings like an admirable or sweet character who undergoes agony or trauma that they don’t deserve. As they say, there is always light at the end of the tunnel. These characters survive their situations while also healing. These people end up in a better position than they were before.
1. Kyo- Fruit Basket
Kyo Sohma is one of Fruits Basket's long-suffering characters. Since birth, he has been possessed by Cat Spirit due to his family’s curse. His family hates and excludes him. His father despises him and also emotionally abuses his wife for birthing the Cat. He always feels guilty for failing to save Kyoko Honda and unintentionally falls for his daughter. He finds closure for his past trauma. His love for Tohru also encourages him to work on his hotheadedness.
2. Ed Atones- Full Alchemist: Brotherhood
Ed Atones regrets convincing his brother to restructure their mother by doing a human transmutation. After the experiment fails, Truth takes Al’s entire body and Ed’s leg. The brothers learn that their government is a conspiracy that has controlled Amestris since its infancy. Their ultimate goal is to turn the Amestris’s people into Philosopher’s Stone so that Father can consume God. Ed can defeat Father and save everyone. He is also able to return Al to his average body. He concludes the Brotherhood by leaving to explore the world.
3. Zuko- Avatar: The Last Airbender
Young Prince Zuko in the Avatar spoke out at a war meeting against a morally objectionable idea. Challenged by Agni Kai for impudence, he finds himself facing his father. Even though he begged for forgiveness, Ozai burned his face, sending him on a humiliating hunt to see the long-lost Avatar. Already having hardship, his mother also left him, and he felt inferior to Azula. It takes a lot for him to overcome hardship, but he regains his honor.
4. Chise- The Ancient Magus Bride
Chise is in a dark place when the anime starts. Her father had abandoned the family, taking her baby brother. She was also strangled by her mother, who later died by suicide. Currently, she cares very little about her well-being and sells herself in an auction. She is purchased by Elias, who intends to marry her. Through him, she connects with the fey and her potential as a Sleigh Beggy. She gains confidence and also develops agency outside of Elias.
5. Erina- Food Wars!
Erina at Totsuki Academy is a talented student. She gets treated as royalty for being the Nakiri family’s heir and also possessing God’s Tongue. She inherited her father's close-minded snobbery. He trained her to judge food his way through pain and intimidation, which made her fear him. She still suffers from his conditioning but slowly starts to heal from it. She eventually loosens up and also absorbs Soma’s humble principles in cooking. She wins the Regiment de Cuisine, becoming the Dean of Totsuki Academy.
6. Vivi- One Piece
Princess Vivi Nefertari volunteers to infiltrate the sinister Baroque Works. The organization destabilizes the country when she uncovers its leader's identity. Two years after putting herself at risk, she gets targeted by Crocodile for discovering his role. She races back home to save her beloved country. She can get everyone to listen to her and lay down their arms. She helps the country to rebuild.
7. Naruto
Naruto, the main character, had a rough childhood. He is an orphan and hated and ostracized for being a Jinchuuriki container for the Nine Tails. At the academy, he is consistently at the bottom and repeatedly flunks the test to become Genin. It follows the story of Naruto, who strives to level up and grow in power. He experiences Team 7’s fracturing, the deaths of multiple allies, and Sasuke’s defection. He finds the love that he always wanted with Hinata Hyuga.
8. Chihiro- Spirited Away
Chihiro is a ten-year-old lost in a spirit world that is hostile towards her human nature. After her parents turn into pigs and her human-world connection disappears, she is trapped. She seeks employment from Yubaba to protect herself and for the first time in her life has to work hard. While being alone she grows more robust, making many friends. She frees her parents, Haku, and herself from Yubaba’s contract. Along with her parents, she returns to the human world.
9. Mei Misaki- Another
Mei Misaki is ignored by her fellow students, who all want to avoid the Calamity. The fans sympathize with her as her classmate accuses her of not doing her part. Along with feeling lonely, she struggles with the grief of her twin sister’s recent death. When the curse starts taking effect and begins killing, her classmate blames her. They all make her apologize and set out to kill her under the belief that she is the Extra. She survives and also finds out the actual Extra.
10. Ken Kaneki- Tokyo Ghoul
Ken is a half-human and half-ghoul hybrid turned by Akihiro Kanou. Due to this, he is stuck in a life he never asked for and wanted. Before this, he had endured the pain of his aunt’s neglect and his parent's death. He, as a ghoul, participates in plenty of violence. He also loses his memory, unintentionally killing innocent people and becoming darker. He however overcomes this, working to foster good relationships between ghouls and humans.
