Summary
Mass destruction events in anime aren’t very common, but when they happen, they’re devastating. Villains will usually cause them, andthey’ll end up turning the main character’s world on its head in an instant.While there can be some clean up done, or recovery to bring people back, some of the devastation is permanent. This can leave a lasting impression on the series as a whole, or even define it, like the case of Eren Yeager inAttack on Titan.
Mass devastation events are brutally tragic; they can end up killing a few of the series' favorite characters, further changing the themes of the show permanently.
No matter what happens after these events, they are all brutal,destroying worlds and lives with nothing more than a thought.
10Petrification – Dr. Stone
The Entire World Turned to Stone
The mass petrification event that takes place at the beginning ofDr. Stoneisa cataclysmic event like no other.Everyone on the Earth suddenly saw a beautiful green light, and moments later, they were turned to stone. Some people were preserved in their normal state, others weren’t so lucky. Some of the people that got petrified in theDr. Stoneuniverse were broken when they became stone, causing them to die if they unfreeze.It’s a complicated issue for Senku that never gets much easier.
The mass petrification event isone of the most unique premises in anime.It sees the main cast come back to their world 3,000 years later, with buildings destroyed and their friends encased in stone. Luckily, it’s a situation that can be fixed for some of the people who have been petrified.For others, not so much.
9Kid Buu Destroys the Earth – Dragon Ball Z
The Death of Everyone on Earth
Death isn’t usually something theDragon Balluniverse takes too seriously. Most of the cast has died at least once, and Goku himself as died several times. While the Z Fighters themselves aren’t strangers to the afterlife, the rest of the world is. There have been a ton of villains threatening the destroy the Earth, but none of them actually succeeded, until Kid Buu did. With a single attack,Kid Buu managed to do what every other villain inDragon Ballwanted to: he destroyed the planet.
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Not only did Kid Buu destroy Earth and everyone on it, buthe was also able to kill Goten, Trunks, Piccolo, and Gohan,four of the world’s strongest fighters. Seeing the main cast get killed is incredibly jarring and makes for one of the most serious moments in all ofDragon Ball.
8The Near-Third Impact – Neon Genesis Evangelion
Humanity Meets a Brutal End
Neon Genesis: Evangelionhas several cataclysmic events that occur.Called ‘Impacts’, these events change the course of humanity, and in some instances, end it.The Near-Third Impact occurs when Shinji is fighting the 10th Angel. The Angel has absorbed Rei and Shinji won’t accept it. He revives his downed Evangelion Unit and charges at the Angel, accidentally using its fuel source as his own. Unit 01 then began to ascend,growing angel wings of its own and leading to massive devastation around the planet.
The resulting explosion was massive. Shockwaves were sent around the world, killing anyone who wasn’t in an underground bunker. While the Third Impact was technically stopped, it was used as a catalyst for the eventual Fourth Impact that would open the Gates of Guf andplunge the world into even more chaos.
7The Paranormal Liberation War – My Hero Academia
The Villains Reshaped Midoriya’s World
The Paranormal Liberation War Arc was one of the darkest arcs inMy Hero Academia.It featured an all-out war between the heroes and villains, and like with any war, there were significant losses on both sides. Gigantomachia was running wild, causing huge problems for the heroes trying to stop him. While they were able to subdue him, it wasn’t without cost.Many heroes died trying to stop Gigantomachia, including fan favorite Midnight.
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The villains won the Paranormal Liberation War by some margin, killing a lot of important heroes and destroying tons of property in the process. Not only did the heroes suffer countless casualties on their end, but they also began to lose the public’s faith, making their jobs even harder.The Paranormal Liberation War was one of the few moments in anime where villains won so handily.
6Bunker Destroyed - Nier: Automata Ver1.1a
Only Two YoRHa Units Remain
Nier: Automata Ver1.1ais already an incredibly bleak anime.Its themes revolve around identity, purpose, and more, but focus on the darker side of reality. One of the single darkest moments in the series comes when the Bunker becomes infected, causing every YoRHa unit outside 2B and 9S to go berserk. 2B and 9S are forced to flee their home base by none other than the Commander herself, who has gotten infected in the process as well. The fight against the Machine Lifeforms was already looking bad,but without the Bunker, the situation seemed hopeless.
A2 is the only other remaining YoRHa prototype unit that might be able to stop the Machine Lifeforms. But even with her strength, it’s not looking great for humanity’s remaining defenders.A2 watches the Bunker explode as 9S and 2B fall back to Earth, hoping for some help against the Machines.
5The Rumbling – Attack on Titan
Eren Kills 80% of the World
Attack on Titan’ssolution to its Marleyan problem is a doozy. After Eren relives his father’s memories, and his own to some extent, he decides thatthe only way to protect his home island of Paradis is to kill most of the world that has threatened him.While it’s an absurd leap of logic, he can’t be blamed for the decision he’s made. He’s relived the past and the future at the same time as the present, effectively shattering his mind. The only thing left on it was the protection of his people and the destruction of everyone who harmed them.
His plan worked. Eren caused the Rumbling, freeing all the Titans from the Walls in Paradis and setting them upon the world. No nation was prepared for the devasation they’d bring,as the Titans would end up killing 80% of the world’s populationbeforeMikasa put Eren’s onslaught to an end.
4The Fall of Kamakura – The Elusive Samurai
Takauji’s Historical Betrayal
The Elusive Samuraihas quickly becomeone of the best shows of the Summer 2024season.It has amazing animation, jaw-dropping scenes, and lovable side characters. It also features one of the most brutal betrayals in anime, as Takauji Ashikaga turned his back on the Kamakura Shogunate and slaughtered them all. Most of the descendants of the Hojo clan committed suicide as soon as they heard of this betrayal.For those who didn’t, life became a nightmare.
Takauji’s forces obliterated what was left of the Shogunate when they arrived back to Kamakura.Their betrayal set the stage for theElusive Samuraias a story and also happened in real life.Takauji’s betrayal is historical and one of the most brutal to look back on. He gave Tokiyuki Hojo the inspiration he needed to become a powerful man and a wise leader, one day retaking his homeland.
3Pain Destroys Konoha – Naruto Shippuden
Pain Came to The Hidden Leaf With a Vengeance
Pain’s arrival to the Hidden Leaf was one of the single most destructive events inNaruto: Shippuden.Not only did Pain defeat most of Konoha’s strongest fighters using his six bodies, but his main body then unleashed its most powerful ability over the rest of the village.By using the Almighty Push and his Rinnegan, Pain wiped Konoha clear off the map.If it wasn’t for Naruto’s triumphant return, it would’ve been gone for good.
Many characters died defending the Village Hidden in the Leaves. While Naruto was able to convince Nagato to bring everyone back to life, the loss was monumental when it first happened.Kakashi’s death especially hit the hardest.There are a ton of devastating moments in Naruto, but none compare to Pain’s destruction of Konoha in terms of lives lost and physical land forever changed.
2The Fall of Wall Maria – Attack on Titan
Eren’s Entire World Flipped Upside Down
The opening ofAttack on Titanis jarring to say the least. The first few seconds of the anime feature Eren and the rest of the Shiganshina district enjoying their day before getting interrupted by the Colossal Titan. He peers over their city before he andthe Armored Titan break the wall and let Titans pour in.Titans then run amok within the walls, stomping over people and buildings alike. They destroy everything in sight, andeven kill Eren’s mother right in front of him.
It’s a day that defines Eren’s existence. He had a normal upbringing until the Titans showed up and destoyed his family and home.Now, he’s solely focused on getting his revenge, no matter how many people have to die.The fall of Wall Maria is one of the most devastating events in all of anime.
1The Shibuya Incident – Jujutsu Kaisen
Destruction Caused by Yuji’s Own Hands
The Shibuya Incident could easily be seen as the most brutal arc in all ofJujutsu Kaisen.The heroes of the series are lured into a trap set by Pseudo-Geto, and things couldn’t have gone much worse for them.Their strongest sorcerer Gojowas captured, many more were killed, and even worse, Sukuna slaughtered hundreds of people in Yuji’s body. Sukuna took over Yuji’s body and went on a rampage, helpfully defeating Mahoraga while leveling Shibuya in the process.
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Before Sukuna was causing chaos on the surface of Shibuya, Choso, Mahito, Dagon, and Hanami were setting up their trap in the subway.They drew Gojo down and began to kill as many innocent people as they could,forcing the expert fighter into a corner. Their trap worked. They were able to capture Gojo while only losing Dagon in the fight, killing dozens of innocent people in the process.
