Often, the death of an anime hero is romanticized as a brave sacrifice that draws their life to a satisfying close. In some instances, it can inspire their comrades and encourage them to fight. But some hero’s death becomes in vain. Here are some heroes who die in vain. Here is everything you need to know about an anime hero who died in vain.

Read this: The Most Heartbreaking Anime Deaths That Broke Our Hearts

Yasuie: One Piece

After being identified and arrested, Yasuie was strung up in public and prepared to be shot. With his final breath, he told Orochi’s henchmen that the crescent mark on dozens of heels was meaningless. He invalidated the rendezvous point that Kin’emon and his comrades were passing out as a bad joke.

Though this ruse fooled dozens of villains, Kanjuro informed Orochi of the truth. Oden’s other retainers assigned a secondary meaning to the flier which enabled Onigashima’s invasion.

L: Death Note

After months of diligence and research, L almost had definitive proof of Light’s guilt. However, it would have also incriminated Misa Amane, which compelled Rem the shinigami in order to act on her behalf. By prematurely forcing L’s death, Rem spared Misa’s life at the cost of her own.

Since Light was physically in the room with L when he died, the other members of the Japanese Task Force were convinced that he could not have possibly been the killer. Therefore, L died without accomplishing his greatest missions.

Erwin: Attack On Titan

Commander Erwin is best known for his heroic final stand against Zeke. He hoped that it would lead to the salvation of Paradis regardless of his ability to see what or who lived beyond the walls. Although Erwin’s actions bought Eldia time, the armies of the world eventually gathered, bombing the island.

While Erwin may have died a hero, his sacrifice meant nothing in a matter of a few short generations. In the end, the allied coalition undid its best efforts to save Paradis.

Nana Shimura: My Hero Academia

Nana Shimura stood against All For One in hopes that her Quirk was strong enough to beat him. Unfortunately, the villain had amassed so many abilities that her courage meant nothing and her sacrifice was meaningless. After Nana’s demise, All For One reigned victorious for a considerable amount of time.

Read this:My Hero Academia: The 5 Strongest Quirks Ranked!

Hayate Gekko: Naruto

When Kabuto and Baki conspired to overthrow Konoha, Hayate Gekko eavesdropped on their plans. Though nearly escaping, Baki confronted the man and attacked him. Hayate may have had an advantage in speed and skill, but Baki only needed to land a single well-placed strike with his wind blade in order to win the battle.

In the end, the attack on the Leaf went as expected. By the time Orochimaru revealed himself, not even Hiruzen Sarutobi was prepared to fight back.