History SacrificialLion / AnimeAndManga

** The deaths of the various Leomon always tend to be one of the series' {{Tear Jerker}}s. [[BreakTheCutie ESPECIALLY]] [[Anime/DigimonTamers Tamers]].

* ''Manga/BakiTheGrappler'': [[spoiler:[[AnyoneCanDie Just don't get too attached to anyone.]]]]

* ''Manga/MyHeroAcademia'': [[WhamEpisode Chapter 362]] happens full-swing in the FinalBattle of the entire series, and it's conclusively proven [[AnyoneCanDie nobody's safe from death]] via the demise of its Sacrificial Lion. Who is it, you may ask? '''''Series deuteragonist Katsuki Bakugo'''''.

* ''Manga/BakiTheGrappler'': [[spoiler: Just don't get too attached to anyone.]]

* ''Manga/BakitheGrappler'': [[spoiler: Just don't get too attached to anyone.]]

* ''Manga/JojosBizarreAdventure'' is full of these. Out of all the protagonists' allies, AnyoneCanDie, [[DeadSidekick partners]], [[MentorOccupationalHazard mentors]], friendly rivals, etc.
** The 'Stardust Crusaders' arc in particular has plenty of characters to dispose of to show how dangerous Jotaro's opponents are.
** And 'Stone Ocean', which is more explicit that the main characters drop like flies due to how powerful the BigBad becomes. [[spoiler: Even Jotaro himself and the arc's protagonist Jolyne die.]] [[spoiler: In fact, all the fighters die sacrificing themselves while the [[NonActionGuy Non-Action]] KidHero survives and saves the day.]]

** [[OldMaster Hiruzen]] [[ReasonableAuthorityFigure Sarutobi]], the [[AsskickingEqualsAuthority Third Hokage]] , who went out fighting [[KnightOfCerebus Orochimaru]], the BigBad of Part 1. Even though he goes via HeroicSacrifice, it still counts as the villain had pushed him into a spot with no alternative, and was the first major "good guy" death (2nd following [[SacrificialLamb Hayate Gekko]]). It also has a huge impact and lasting consequences (specifically, being replaced in his station by [[CoolOldLady Tsunade]]). His son Asuma, Team Leader for Team 10 qualifies even moreso, dying partway into Part 2 and embellishing how dangerous Akatsuki members are. Incidentally, in the two anime adaptations both Sarutobi men die in Episode 80.

* The lovable Maes Hughes of ''Manga/FullmetalAlchemist'' dies a ways into ''both'' versions of the series (but especially in [[Anime/FullmetalAlchemist the 2003 anime]], where his death was one of the cruelest twists in the series). He was already well underway to unraveling the plot before the main protagonists (and it's not until a good deal later that the protagonists ''and'' the audience discover just ''how'' close Hughes had come to figuring out the villains' scheme) and even manages to get the drop on his assassin. Unfortunately, the assassin [[HealingFactor wasn't human]].

* ''Literature/LegendOfTheGalacticHeroes'' has two separate instances of this trope. The first is Kircheis, Reinhard's best friend and equal, who takes a bullet for him a quarter of the way through. The second is Yang Wenli, the main character next to Reinhard, who is shot in the leg and dies from blood loss three-quarters of the way through.

* Nuriko of ''Manga/FushigiYuugi'' was killed by Ashitare roughly two-thirds of the way through the story. It came as a real shock since Nuriko was a [[BoisterousBruiser comic]] but well-developed character, he was extremely popular, and it was the first time a Suzaku warrior had been KilledOffForReal. His death was also a foretaste of the much bloodier turn the series was about to take, in which [[KillEmAll most of the Suzaku and Seiryuu warriors were picked off one by one.]]

* Leomon in the ''Franchise/{{Digimon}}'' Franchise. Incidentally, he's an actual lion. This is a recurring in-joke for the meta-series which the directors are entirely aware of. When they were deciding on which digimon would be killed during ''Anime/DigimonTamers'' they chose Leomon simply because he had been killed before. Other seasons seem to follow suit and [[TheyKilledKennyAgain at least one Leomon is killed per continuity]].