Sorting Algorithm of Deadness/Anime and Manga

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Sorting Algorithm of Deadness

Using the scientifically Infallible power of the Sorting Algorithm of Deadness, who do you think is the next in line for being brought back from the great Bus in the sky?

To use the Algorithm, simply add the Column's "Death Value", and divide by the number of applicable rows.

Relative deadness factor Deader Than Dead Maybe Back Later Be Back Soon Death? What's That?
Death Value 4 3 2 1
Cause of death Irony, Bridge Drop, Overkill, Stuffed in The Fridge, Ret-Gone Redemption, Sacrifice, Bus Crash, Mortal Wound Reveal No One Could Survive That, just plain killed in battle Jumping
Audience Expectation Anyone Can Die, Kill'Em All Killed Off for Real, Tonight Someone Dies Disney Death Back from the Dead, Death Is Cheap, Nobody Can Die
Body Found? Dead and Buried
Only Bits And Pieces		 At The Morgue Never Found, Frozen, Petrified Left for Dead
Reaction Montage, Bond One-Liner He's Dead, Jim It's Personal Faux Death
Last Words Crap, Killed Mid-Sentence, Carry on men, His Name Is-- Catch Phrase, Famous Last Words, Final Speech, Obi-Wan Moment "Fly, you fools!" "Piece of cake" "My Death Is Just the Beginning"
Characterization Red Shirt, Loved One, Mauve Shirt Recurring Character, C-List Fodder Regular Protagonist, Archvillain
When did they die? 10+ years ago, Series Finale 5–10 years ago Same year Same arc
"Died" and come back? Not yet Died once, but got better Twice I've lost count

If the character hasn't died yet (but seems likely to), see Sorting Algorithm of Mortality. All of this is trumped by the First Law of Resurrection.

Currently, The real Caulder from Advance Wars: Days of Ruin is the only character to have scored 4, the highest possible. And is notable for having 4 in every category. At one point, Shirley from Code Geass and also scored 4, thanks in part to a special CLAMP bonus that became harder to defend as the series went on. No characters have got the lowest possible score of 1 yet, but Davros and The Master are joint leaders in the death defying derby at 1.75, even beating South Park's Kenny.

Baseline Example: The death of Superman.

  • Cause: Heroic Sacrifice, so he's not coming back from that too quickly, or the sacrifice will be cheapened. 3.
  • Genre: It's a comic book, so Death Is Cheap. 1.
  • The Body: Deader Than Dead, a Pietà Plagiarism too for supes sake! So no chance of Faking the Dead. 4.
  • Reaction: Really Dead Montage, uh-oh. 4.
  • Characterization: Protagonist. 1.
  • When did he die: Same year, so 2.
  • Come Back?: This was a first, so 4.
  • Average: So add it up... we get a pretty high score, 19! Since it's not a videogame, divide by 7, and we get... 19/7 = 2.7, meaning supes isn't coming back for at least a few months, maybe even years. In actuality the Death Of Superman happened in January 1993 and he came back some time before May 1994.

Now let's make a prediction with the recent death of Batman in Final Crisis.

  • Cause: Heroic Sacrifice, give or take. 3.
  • Genre: Comic book, so Death Is Cheap. 1.
  • The Body: Dead and buried, but it's a little more complicated. Still, it's a 4.
  • Reaction: He's Dead Clark, plus "Whatever Happened to the Caped Crusader?" probably counts as a Really Dead Montage. 3.5.
  • Last Words: "Try Me." 3.
  • Characterization: It's The Goddamn Batman, people. 1.
  • When did he die: Same year, so 2.
  • Come Back?: This would be the first time, so 4.
  • Average: 21.5/8= 2.7. A semi-high score, and DC seems to be sticking to this one for a while. Still, he'll definitely be back, likely before the end of 2010 at the latest. CORRECT!


Note: This sub-page is for Anime and Manga examples only. Please ensure that you put new examples in the correct Sorting Algorithm of Deadness sub-page.

Neon Genesis Evangelion

The cast minus Asuka and Shinji

Rei

  • Cause: N/A
  • Genre: Anyone Can Die/Kill'Em All. 4
  • Body: Well we never see it die as such. It sort of just vanishes. So either a 1 or NA.
  • Reaction: Seeing visions of her, meh. Difficult to say. I'll put down NA, as the main character doesn't seem to care.
  • Characterization: Protagonist. 4
  • How long ago: Over 5, so 4.
  • Died and came back: I've lost count. 1. (to be fair, she did have a cloning system, but at the end she was at the power of a living god, so I'd put it as the same)
  • 14/5 = 2.8. Deadish.

Actually got a different result for Evangelion.

  • Cause Of Death: depends on the character. On the whole, more Redemption Equals Death than anything else.
  • Genre: Anyone Can Die—not good.
  • Body: It's right there, alive, just melted down into orange drink. Left for Dead.
  • Reaction: not really applicable.
  • Characterisation: everyone on the planet. That strikes me as fairly regular. And the archvillain. And most of the protagonists. I'll give this one a 2.
  • Average: 2.5.

Fullmetal Alchemist

Maes Hughes

  • Cause: Shot by an impersonator... of his wife. Hello thar, Bridge Drop! 4.
  • Genre: Anyone Can Die... although with alchemy... 3.5.
  • Body: Funeral and all. 4.
  • Reaction: "Daddy's got work tomorrow!" 3.
  • Characterization: Regular. 2.
  • Time of death: Not this year, but not 5 yet. 2.5
  • Back from the Dead before? Nope. 4.
  • Average: 4 + 3.5 + 4 + 3 + 2 + 2.5 + 4 = 23/6 = 3.3 If he does come back, in the manga or anime, think Homunculus. However the anime's over and that's not what homunculi are in the manga, so he's pretty much screwed.

Maria Ross, from the manga

  • Cause of death: Burnt to death by Col. Mustang while trying to escape from prison. Classic Dropped A Bridge On Her. 4
  • Genre: Going with the Hughes algorithm, Anyone Can Die... although with alchemy... 3.5
  • Body: Here's where it gets weird. If you're looking at it from the point where she dies, it's a Deader Then Dead barely recognizable corpse. After she's revealed not dead, it's a fake corpse. Let's split it into 2 and 4, averaging it just doesn't make sense.
  • Reaction: SHe's Dead, Jim, for good reason. 3
  • Characterization: I'd say Mauve Shirt. 3
  • When?: Same year. 2
  • Died before?: Nope. 4.
  • Average:4+3.5+4+3+3+2+4/7= about 3.4, which is worse then Hughes. After she's already not dead it becomes 4+3.5+2+3+3+2+4/7 and exactly 3. Better, but it still doesn't look good, which leads me to believe the Sorting Algorithm of Deadness is wroMMPH.
    • I think it's just that the algorithm doesn't work when we already know it's a case of Faking the Dead.

Lust, same.

  • Cause of death: Lit on fire. That's the traditional punishment for lust in Hell, so Death by Irony. 4
  • Genre: Killed Off for Real, 3
  • Body: Vanished, which would technically be never found, but as we explicitly saw her Philosophers Stone get destroyed, Deader Than Dead. 4
  • Reaction: It's Personal from Gluttony. 2.
  • Characterization: Regular. 2
  • When?: Around last year in-story. 3
  • Died before?: Nope. 4.
  • Average: 3.14. Pretty dead. Though, given that Ross survived...

Recently in the same: Gluttony

  • Cause of death: Absorbed. Death by Irony. 4
  • Genre: Killed Off for Real as a whole, but given that he's a homunculus and can be remade, 2.5
  • Body: Absorbed and/or disintegrated. Never found. 3
  • Reaction: A resounding... nothing. No score.
  • Characterization: Regular. 2
  • When?: Same arc. 1
  • Died before?: Once. 3.
  • Average: 2.41. Expect him back around the end of the manga, which should be next year.

Not long after that, Kimblee

  • Cause of death: Absorbed, while Pride promises to let him see the outcome of the conflict, Death by Irony. 4
  • Genre; Killed Off for Real. 3
  • Body: Absorbed and/or disintegrated. Never found. 3
  • Reaction: None. No score
  • Characterization: Regular: 2.
  • When? Same arc. 1
  • Died before? No. 4.
  • Average: 2.83. Unlikely to return, at least not in his own body.

King Bradley/Wrath

  • Cause of Death: Jumping (Fell off a bridge after letting go of Ling/Greed) - 1
  • Genre: Killed Off for Real. 3
  • Body: Falls into a moat and sinks while still he's still conscious. 3.
  • Reaction: None. No score.
  • Last Words: None. No Score
  • Characterization: Regular antagonist. 2
  • When? Same arc. 1
  • Died before? Thought to have perished in a train bombing. 3
  • Average: 2.167. He's likely to come back soon.

Buccaneer

Pratically the whole of humanity minus 7 people

Pokémon Hunter J

  • Cause of death: In a ship underwater that has been flooded, then explodes: Overkill Bridge Drop for sure and shew is pretty much the only person on the show who tries to flat out kill people so death is fitting, 4
  • Genre: Pokemon is pretty light on the deaths, I can't recall anyone (else) that died in the anime (excluding characters who first appear as ghosts and die in their backstory). 1.5
  • Body: Her glasses float to the surface, so never found, but they are oddly intact for, you know, being in an explosion. 2.5
  • Last Words: Don't think there were any
  • Reaction: No one notes it.
  • Characterization: Recurring villain. 2
  • Death: Same year: 2
  • Died yet: nope 4:
  • total 16 with 6 applied categories: 2.6. She deserves a few more points for being the only person on the show to to actually try to kill Ash and co. Most she would ever get is a Pokemon hunter K.

Teeki from Muhyo and Roji's Bureau of Supernatural Investigation

  • Cause: Body mostly disintegrated and soul taken to eternal torment - 4.
  • Genre: Killed Off for Real - 3
  • Reaction: He's Dead, Jim - 3
  • Body Found: Taken away to be tormented - 4
  • Last Words: Oh Crap - 4
  • Characterization: Archvillain - 1
  • When: End of most recent arc - 1
  • Died and came back?: Once (not his actual death, but being mostly disintegrated and attempting to possess Enchu) - 3
  • Score: 23/8= 2.875

Full Metal Panic!!'s Kurz Weber, following the events of the light novel Approaching Nick of Time:

  • Cause of Death: No One Could Survive That, albeit with considerable detail spent describing the injuries inflicted by the "that" in question, and some shades of a Heroic Sacrifice - 2.5
  • Genre: The only characters Killed Off for Real thus far have been Mauve Shirts, and several regulars have had Disney Deaths, so... - 2
  • Body Found?: Never Found, as the survivors were forced to withdraw without retrieving it - 3
  • Reaction: He's Dead, Jim - 3
  • Characterization: Regular - 2
  • When did they die?: Same year - 2
  • "Died" and come back?: Had a No One Could Survive That back in the first story arc and came out of it injured but alive - 3
  • Average: 17.5/7 = 2.5. Back Next Novel, we can only hope.
    • Not quite, but reports are he makes a comeback in the final novel, Always Stand By Me.

Death Note: Lets test this out on none other than...

L Lawliet

  • Cause of death: Bridge Drop - 4
  • Genre: Killed Off for Real turned into Anyone Can Die by this - 3.5
  • Body Found: right there - 4
  • Reaction: Montage - 4
  • Last words: Killed Mid-Sentence - 4
  • Characterization: Protagonist, sort of - 1
  • When: Same arc - 1
  • Died and come back: not in Death Note - 4
  • Average (spoiler tagged to avoid revealing the character via math): 25.5/8 = 3.18. Only dying in sight and being Light's main enemy prevents him from matching the Code Geass character who scored a 4.

Film version of L's real death

  • Cause of death: Heroic Sacrifice - 3
  • Genre: Killed Off for Real, would have turned into flat out Anyone Can Die but he busted Light and ended the Kira case before he died - 3.5
  • Body Found: Soichiro left L to his death, albeit on his behest, and then there are no more scenes that even mention him, so Left for Dead - 1
  • Reaction: none given - 1
  • Last Words: Famous Last Words, sort of - 3
  • Characterization: Protagonist, sort of - 1
  • When: Same arc - 1
  • Died and come back: he faked his death--the one that really did happen in the manga/anime--to get Light busted - 3
  • Average (again, spoiler tagged to avoid revealing the character via math): 16.5/8 = 2.06. Pretty good for a guy who definitely must have died.

And Light Yagami in the manga, anime, and film

  • Cause of death: Bridge Drop and Death by Irony (He'd lost, but his death wasn't guaranteed to be part of it) - 4
  • Genre: Anyone Can Die - 4
  • Body? : Yes - 4
  • Reaction: Montage - 4
  • Last words: in manga and anime, Oh Crap, albeit different - 4; in film, Final Speech - 3
  • Characterization : Villain Protagonist - 1
  • When- Series Finale - 4
  • Died and come back: No - 4
  • Average: 29/8 = 3.625 in manga/anime, 28/8 = 3.5 in film. No, he is not coming back.
Mello
  • Cause of Death: Sacrifice, 3
  • Audience Expectation: Anyone Can Die, 4
  • Body Found?: Never Found, 2
  • Reaction: The closest listed reaction is probably He's Dead, Jim, 3
  • Last Words: Unknown, but his plan was My Death Is Just the Beginning. 1
  • Characterization: Recurring Character or Regular, 2.5
  • When did they die?: Same arc, 1
  • “Died” and come back?: Not yet, 4
  • Average: 2.562. Odds aren't too bad. Too bad for him he's still a Death Note character.


Something to twist the algorithm a bit, because it's funny. Let's test Sousuke Aizen's first death, avaliating the circumstances presented at the moment:

Sousuke Aizen

  • Cause of Death: No One Could Survive That - 2
  • Genre: At the time, Killed Off For Real (it developed to Death Is Cheap in the Hueco Mundo Arc) - 3
  • Reaction: He's Dead Jim (his deadness was diagnosed) - 3
  • Body: Technically not buried, but surely dead, according to all diagnosis and the HUGE SPLATTER OF BLOOD - 4
  • Characterization Protagonist - He wasn't revealed to be a villain until then; he was just a C-List by then, for sure. 3.
  • Died: Same arc – 1
  • Previous Death - Technically, he's already dead... 3.
  • Average: 19/7 = 2.71. Pretty high for someone that clearly faked his death, that's how so many people were surprised when he returned and made The Reveal.

And let's see how one of his later deaths match up. Specifically, when he was blown up by Urahara's little trick.

Sousuke Aizen

  • Cause of Death: No One Could Survive That - 2
  • Genre: Death Is Cheap - 1
  • Reaction: Oh Crap - 4
  • Body: Left for Dead - 1
  • Characterization: Archvillain - 1
  • Died: Same arc - 1
  • Previous Death - So. Many. Times - 1
  • Average: 12/7 = 1.71, unless I'm sorely mistaken. Would have been less if he didn't react to something he knew wouldn't kill him with an 'oh crap'.

So did Grimmjow really die? Grimmjow

  • Cause of Death: Bridge drop (suddenly attacked and struck down by Nnoitra)- 4
  • Genre: Death is Cheap - 1
  • Reaction: Ichigo is angered - 2
  • Body: Left for Dead (hasn't been seen since the start of Ichigo vs. Nnoitra) - 1
  • Characterization: Recurring antagonist, almost a regular - 2.5
  • Died: Same arc -1
  • Previous death: None, except the one that made him a hollow - 4
  • Average: 15.5/7 = 2.20. He'll be back before Ichigo and his friends are done in Las Noches.

Here's an analysis for Harribel, since a lot of people have a hard time accepting her defeat (considering her opponent)

  • Cause of Death: Bridge Drop (done in by a suddenly revealed ability) - 4
  • Genre: Death Is Cheap - 1
  • Characterization: Recurring antagonist - 3
  • Reaction: Potentially She's Dead Jim, as Hitsugaya notes that she won't be able to avenge her underlings - 3
  • Body: Frozen - 2
  • Died: Same arc- 1
  • Previous death: None - 4
  • Average: 18/7 = 2.57. Average chance of coming back

Barragan

Both Barragan and Harribel are alive.

Barragan, again

  • Cause of Death: Killed by his own Respira, Death By Irony - 4
  • Genre: Death Is Cheap - 1
  • Characterization: Recurring antagonist - 2
  • Reaction: Montage of life as a Hollow.
  • Body: Disintegrated. Definitely Deader Than Dead.
  • Died: Same Arc - 1
  • Previous Death: The one above, the one where he was trapped in the gate, and the one that made him a hollow, which doesn't count, so, 2.
  • Average: 2.75. He's not done yet, bizzarely.

Szayel Aporro Granz

Harribel, again

Starrk

Riyalgo Yammy

  • Cause of Death: Overkill. Or I assume so. He was left a bloody mess by Byakuya and Kenpachi, so... 4
  • Genre: Death Is Cheap. 1
  • Characterization: Recurring antagonist. 3
  • Last Words: Unknown
  • Reaction: None
  • Body: Left for dead. 1
  • Died: Same arc. 1
  • Previous Death: No. 4
  • Average: 2. We could be seeing him again. Then again, Kenpachi and Byakuya had it at him, so... maybe not.

Ichimaru Gin

  • Cause of Death: Redemption(ish) 3
  • Genre: Death Is Cheap. 1
  • Characterization: Major antagonist 2
  • Last Words: Final (internal) speech. 3
  • Reaction: Flashback montage. 4
  • Body: Left for dead. 1
  • Died: Same arc. 1
  • Previous Death: No. 4
  • Average: 2.375. Could be seeing him again, especially given the tendency of Bleach characters

to recover from injuries that should really have killed them.

Because someone had to try it, Mu La Flaga from Gundam Seed

  • Cause of Death: It's a Heroic Sacrifice, but given that it involved a friggin' antimatter cannon, it's probably also No One Could Survive That - 2.5
  • Genre: Anyone Can Die - 4
  • Body Found?: Never Found - 3
  • Reaction: It's Personal Murrue is PISSED - 2
  • Characterization: I'm going to call him a regular - 2
  • When did they die?: 2 years between SEED and Destiny - 2.5
  • "Died" and come back?: Not yet - 4
  • Average: 20/7 = 2.86. Not the best prognosis, but Back Next Season isn't unrealistic, and as of Destiny, he's definitely back.

While hardly anyone ever dies in One Piece, here's an analysis on Kuina's death to see if she somehow survived and grew up to be Tashigi.

  • Cause of Death: Bridge Drop (falls down the stairs) - 4
  • Genre: Typically Death Is Cheap, but flashbacks are Killed Off for Real - 3
  • Body: Shown in the manga, but not in the anime - 4
  • Characterization: Loved One - 4
  • Reaction: He's Dead, Jim - 3
  • Died: 5-10+ Years Ago - 4
  • Previous Death: No - 4
  • Average: 3.73. Dead and buried, and NOT Tashigi.
    • Unless, of course, Oda deliberately wrote it so that it's only what he WANTS us to think. Considering the series' ever-growing Holy Shit Quotient...until he reveals what the deal with Tashigi is, it's impossible to really know what exactly is going on.

Now here's a comparsion between Bellemere's death in 4kids and the original

  • Cause of Death: Heroic Sacrifice - 3
  • Genre: Killed Off for Real for flashbacks in the original, Death is Cheap in 4kids - 3, 1
  • Body: Shown in the anime, Left For Dead in 4kids (they don't take her away) - 4, 1
  • Characterization: Loved One - 4
  • Reaction: Montage in original, - 4
  • Died: 5-10+ years ago - 4
  • Previous Death: No - 4
  • Average: 3.73 in the original, which all but precludes her coming back. In the 4kids version, she gets a 3, which is fairly tall odds against her return.

Gin

  • Cause of Death: Heroic Sacrifice (gives Luffy his gas mask) - 3
  • Genre: Death Is Cheap - 1
  • Body: Left for Dead (sails off fatally poisoned)- 1
  • Reaction: None
  • Characterization: C-List Fodder - 3
  • Died: Probably around a year ago, since it's not in the same arc- 2
  • Previous Death: No - 4
  • Average: 2.33. He could return, as some characters from East Blue already have.

Jaguar D. Saul

  • Cause of Death: Heroic Sacrifice (dies defending a young Robin) - 3
  • Genre: Killed Off for Real in Flashbacks -3
  • Body: Frozen - 2
  • Reaction: Shock - 2
  • Characterization: Loved One - 4
  • Died: Over 20 years ago- 4
  • Previous Death: No - 4
  • Average: 3.14. Despite the potential for ambiguity in how he died, he won't likely come back.

Mr. 9 and Miss Monday

  • Cause of Death: Heroic Sacrifice (buying time for Vivi to escape) - 3
  • Genre: Death Is Cheap - 1
  • Body: None shown - 3
  • Characterization: Mauve Shirt (not much stronger or more important to Baroque Works than the Billions) -4
  • Reaction: Shock - 2
  • Died: Last year - 2
  • Previous Death: No - 4
  • Average: 2.42. While their score isn't that bad, they aren't likely to come back after this long.

And just for fun, let's see how Brook scores.

  • Cause Of Death: No One Could Survive That - Technically he didn't. - 2
  • Genre: Killed Off for Real or Death Is Cheap - This is the main thing. Brook died in a flashback, but he ate a Devil's Fruit that brought him back to life. - 3/1
  • Body: Deader Than Dead or Left for Dead - You can't get much deader than a skeleton, but he IS alive now. - 4/1
  • Characterization: Protagonist - He's a Straw Hat now. - 1
  • Reaction: Montage or Waking Up - He died in a flashback, but he pretty much woke back up where his body was left. - 4/1
  • Died: Last Year - A year had gone by the time his soul got back to his body. - 2
  • Previous Death: Once, but got better- Devil's Fruit brught him back. - 3
  • Average: Brook's score is a bit of a doozy, depending on how you're working the score. If you count the fact that the man died in a flashback with a montage and that he's deader than dead, you're going to get '2.71'. If you go by the fact that death is cheap and he woke up on the boat where he had been left, you get '1.57'. This would probably best handled by averaging those scores and putting it at '2.14'. Being that he's currently alive, it make this moot, but you gotta wonder.

And more recently, Mr. 2, comparing his most recent "death" and his previous one

  • Cause of Death: Heroic Sacrifice ( Both times, stayed behind to help Luffy and his allies escape) 3
  • Genre : Death Is Cheap (It's not a flashback) - 1
  • Body: Left for Dead - Fighting doomed battles and dies out of sight of the protagonists - 1
  • Last Words: Final Speech - 3
  • Reaction: Tearful farewell, acknowledging his loss - 3
  • Characterization: Recurring character - 3
  • Died: Last year for previous death, same arc for this death - 2, 1
  • Previous Death: Assumed to have died once before - 3, 4 in his original "death"
  • Average: 2.25 this time, 2.5 the previous time. He could survive this time, too, given how similar the circumstances are.

Now here's an interesting experiment to see how likely it is for Oda to kill off a character in the present timeline.

Little Oars Junior

A particularly spoilerrific case, let's see if this will stick: 

Portgas D. Ace
  • Cause of Death: Heroic Sacrifice ( took a fatal blow meant for Luffy) - 3
  • Genre: Death Is Cheap - 1
  • Body: lying there with a big hole through most of his torso - 4
  • Last Words: Final Speech - 3
  • Reaction: Really Dead Montage - 4
  • Characterization: Loved One ( protagonist's (adopted) brother) - 4
  • Died: current arc - 1
  • Previous Death: none - 4
  • Average: 24/8 = 3. I doubt even Ivankov could be able to heal his injuries; unlike Pell, this is likely to be permanent.
Whitebeard
  • Cause of Death: Overkill (shot and stabbed repeatedly), - 4
  • Genre: Death Is Cheap - 1, although this might break the trend.
  • Body: Present, standing up - 4
  • Last Words Final Speech - 3
  • Reaction: Really Dead Montage - 4
  • Characterization: Recurring character - 3
  • Died: current arc- 1
  • Previous death: none - 4
  • Average: 24/8 = 3. About as dead as Luffy's brother.

Hey, let's try it for Pell.

  • Cause of Death: Heroic Sacrific. 3
  • Genre: Death Is Cheap. 1
  • Body: Supposedly disentigrated by bomb, never found. 3
  • Last Words: Final Speech. 3
  • Reaction: Sort of a montage, so 3.
  • Characterization: Loved one (not romantic but pretty important to Vivi). 4
  • Died: Sort of the same arc, though it was pretty much after it ended so... 1.5.
  • Previous death: None. 4
  • Average: 22.5/8 = 2.8. So he beat Ace and Whitebeard by about .2 points. Possible explanation for why he lived and they didn't?

Here's some cases in Yu Yu Hakusho that shows some values are more important than others.

Genkai's first death

  • Cause of Death: Quasi-Heroic Sacrifice, died fighting Toguro, although technically Stuffed Into the Fridge - 3
  • Genre: Back from the Dead - 1
  • Reaction: Montage - 4
  • Body: Found, handed over to Koenma - 4
  • Characterization: Regular - 2
  • Died: Same Arc - 1
  • Previous Death: No - 4
  • Average: 2.71. Initially unlikely to come back but did

Genkai's second death

  • Cause of Death: Natural causes, somewhat sudden Bridge Drop, since she was alive and well in the previous chapters - 4
  • Genre: Back from the Dead - 1.
  • Reaction: Funeral seen some time later - 4.
  • Body: Not applicable, we didn't see her die
  • Characterization: Regular - 2
  • Died: 10+ Years Ago - 4
  • Previous Death: Yes. 3
  • Average: 3. Unlikely to come back if Yu Yu Hakusho gets a sequel series.

Yusuke

  • Cause of Death: Bridge Drop/Failed Heroic Sacrifice - 3.5
  • Genre: Back from the Dead - 1
  • Reaction: Entire episode about death - 4
  • Body: Yes - 4
  • Characterization: Protagonist, which is lampshaded - 1
  • Died: First episode - 1
  • Previous Death: No - 4
  • Average: 18.5/7 = 2.64.

Yusuke (second time)

  • Cause of Death: Heroic Sacrifice ( Let Sensui kill him in order to give his friends motivation) - 3
  • Genre: Back from the Dead - 1
  • Reaction: Montage - 4
  • Body: Shown - 4
  • Characterization Protagonist - 1
  • Died: Same arc - 1
  • Previous Death: Yes - 3
  • Average: 17/7= 2.42.

Kuwabara

  • Cause of Death: Heroic Sacrifice - 3
  • Genre: Back from the Dead - 1
  • Reaction: Montage - 4
  • Body: Shown - 4
  • Characterization: Protagonist - 1
  • Died: Same Arc - 1
  • Previous Death: No - 4
  • 18/7 = 2.57 And he came back at the end of the fight

Recent chapters of the Naruto manga. OK, give me a minute:

Orochimaru

  • Cause of Death: Bridged dropped twice - 4
  • Genre: Killed Off for Real - 3
  • Body: Mostly gone, but partially recycled - 3
  • Last Words: Oh Crap the first time, Killed Mid-Sentence the second time - 4
  • Reaction: Montage - 4
  • Characterization: Archvillain, albeit one clearly getting the shaft from the Sorting Algorithm of Evil - 1
  • When: Over a year ago - 2
  • Previous "death": Once - 3
  • Average: 24/8 = ; Well, we'll most assuredly be seeing part of him again.

Jiraiya

  • Cause of Death: Indirect Heroic Sacrifice - 3
  • Genre: Killed Off for Real - 3
  • Body: Not found as it sank into the water, but confirmed as fatally injured in multiple ways before being forced to be left behind - 4
  • Last Words: Final Speech, an internal monologue composing much of Chapter 383 and some brief parting thoughts in Chapter 384- 3.
  • Reaction: Flashback to expirience with old family friend - 4
  • Characterization: Recurring Character - 3
  • When: Over a year ago - 2
  • Previous "death": No - 4
  • Average: 26/8 = 3.25; Screwed.

By comparison, here's the analysis for Neji and Choji in the Sasuke Retrieval Arc

Both survived despite being thought dead for long periods of time, but partly as a result of being Left for Dead, their odds were better than any of the recently "killed" characters except Hinata, who scored a 2.75 at first, and a 2.5 after her "body" score was factored in. She was the only one of the four characters who were seemingly killed in Pain's invasion who wasn't really dead.

Retrospective examination of Hinata

By contrast, Kakashi

And for Sasuke in the Land of Waves arc

  • Cause of Death: Heroic Sacrifice (despite claims to contrary) - 3
  • Genre: Disney Death (first character to "die") - 2
  • Body: Found, thought to be dead - 4
  • Reaction: Montage - 4
  • Last Words: Famous Last Words - "Don't you dare die..." - 3
  • Characterization: Regular/Protagonist - 1.5
  • When: Same arc - 1
  • Previous "death": No - 4
  • Average: 22.5/8 = 2.81

Now, Karin (score subject to change in coming chapters)

Nagato/Pain

  • Cause of Death: Redemption. 3
  • Genre: Killedoffforreal. 3
  • Body: Dead and buried (in paper). 4
  • Reaction: Flashback. 4
  • Last words: Final speech. 3
  • Characterization: Faux archvillian 1.5
  • When: A couple of arcs ago. 2
  • Previous "death": No. 4
  • Average: 3.06. Not likely, especially given the recent events concerning Madara and Konan.

Shirley in Code Geass

  • Cause of death: Bridge drop. 4
  • Genre: Anyone Can Die. 4. Not looking good here...
  • Body found: Yup. The protagonist watched her die. 4
  • Reaction: No actual montage so we have to keep it at He's Dead, Jim. 3
  • Characterisation: Just got bumped up to full-fledged Loved One. 4
  • When: Arc changed, so 2 at least. 4 if you count the series ending without her comming back as equivalent to her death having occured in the series finale.
  • Average... 23/6 = 3.8. Yup, we ain't seeing her again.
  • Additionally, given that this series had character designs by CLAMP, some have suggested to add a CLAMP Really Dead Factor for an additional 4. In this case, she scored 4 on average (just to justify the intro text).

This is another test: 

Nunnally, Code Geass
  • Died by: Nuke, but we don't actually see the death; this is either Bridge Drop or No One Could Survive That. I'll go with the latter for 2.
  • Genre: Going by the Shirley example, 4, though if you count Jeremiah, Charles, and marianne, you could make a case for Killed Off for Real. I'll go with that, 3
  • Body: Never Found the Body, though not for lack of trying. 3.
  • Reaction: "Nii-san, she's dead..." 3.
  • Characterization: Loved One, 4.
  • When: Same Arc - 1, though the arc changed since then with a month timeskip, so I'll go with 2.
  • Died and come back: No. Kidnapped once, but they never claimed her to be dead. 4
  • Add them together, 21. All right, divide by the number of applicable rows, which is 7. It ends up as 3. All things considered, her return was a surprise, although pretty much everyone expected it, it was still a Holy Shit moment.

One more Code Geass, this time defying Word of God: Lelouch

  • Cause of Death: Redemption/Sacrifice—3.
  • Genre: I'm going to have to go with 2, considering how much sleight of hand there was with nuked people, among others (how did Suzaku survive his fight with Kallen, again? Also, Mao, Charles, Marianne). Plus, C's World and Geass offer enough loopholes for a technically-dead guy to still have a major role.
  • Body found: While we, as viewers, don't see a burial or anything, considering the circumstances (with literally the entire world watching and, later on, sure that he's dead) it's likely a 4, though the fact that the most likely scenario of him surviving would leave a body behind until he Back from the Dead gives a bit of wiggle room between 3 and 4.
  • Reaction: Montage, although in this case that's kind of watering the Epileptic Trees, but I'll still call that a 4. For a more lenient interpretation, giving the aforementioned WMG, there's also wiggle room here between 3 and 4.
  • Characterization: "Protagonist or Archvillain"? Yes. 1.
  • When did they die: Died in the series finale, so 4. In the case of a hypothetical third season, the postlogue has a two month timeskip, so, same year. 2 at most.
  • Died and come back: IIRC, never. 4
  • Total: Given that it was the series finale, 22/7 = 3.14, ie, probably dead. If you figure based on a hypothetical third season or the wiggle room given by the most likely scenario of his return, 20/7 = 2.86 or 19/7 = 2.71, or even 18/7 if you count both, leading to a 2.57, and a solid maybe, ignoring the Word of God. might. If you figure without including "time since death:" 18/6 = 3 (...exactly the same as the previous entry. Who came back. I swear I didn't do that on purpose).

So everyone who says CC was talking to him in the last episode has a leg to stand on, though I'm ambivalent over whether or not I like this.


Precia Testarossa of Magical Girl Lyrical Nanoha.

  • Cause: She jumped. 1.
  • Genre: Series has had its shares of both Killed Off for Real and Disney Death. 2.5.
  • The Body: Fell into a dimensional gap before her castle exploded. 3.
  • Last Words: Brief Final Speech to Alicia about going together. 3
  • Reaction: Mostly Fate being sad. Probably a 3.
  • Characterization: The Big Bad for an entire season. 1.
  • When did he die: 12 years and counting in the Nanoha timeline. 4.
  • Died and come Back: Not yet. 4.
  • Average: 21.5/8 = 2.68. Expect her to turn up alive and well in a later season, and do a merry tap dance on Fate's self-esteem once again.

Linith of the second Sound Stage of the original series:

  • Cause: Arguably a sacrifice; she willingly disappeared from existence per her contract - 3.
  • The Body: Presumably vanished - 3
  • Genre: Killed Off for Real / Disney Death 2.5
  • Last Words: Final Speech saying goodbye to everyone - 3
  • Reaction: He's Dead, Jim Precia wonders if things were meant to end this way, and Fate and Arf understand thatshe's gone for good - 3
  • Characterization: Loved One for Fate. - 4
  • When did she die?: Two years before the main series, making it 12 before StrikerS and 18 before Force. -4
  • Died and come back: No. - 4
  • Average: 26.5/8= 3.31.

For comparison, the Wolkenritter in Episode 9 of A's

  • Cause: Bridge Drop (Ambushed and killed) - 4
  • Genre: Killed Off for Real / Disney Death. 2.5
  • The Body: Absorbed into the Book of Darkness, but Signum and Shamal's coats are left behind - 3.
  • Last Words: Oh Crap - 4
  • Reaction: It's Personal by the Book of Darkness - 3
  • Characterization - Arguably the Hero Antagonists of the series, but in this case, they serve as Hayate's Loved Ones - 4
  • When did they die: Same night as they were brought back - 1
  • Died and come back: Presumably many times. 4
  • Average: 25.5/8= 3.18

The original Reinforce

Signum in Force

  • Cause of Death: Overkill (Slashed twice, dropped from a height, and stabbed through the chest with a sword)- 4
  • Genre- Disney Death/ Killed Of For Real - 2.5
  • Body: Potentially Left for Dead, as her apparent killer thinks she's dead- 3
  • Characterization: Secondary character – 2
  • Last Words: Oh Crap – 4
  • Reaction: None so far, but potentially building up to It's Personal – Tentative 3
  • When: Same Arc – 1
  • Died And Came Back? Once that we know of, albeit by a way that is no longer possible for her – 3
  • Average: 22.5/8 = 2.67


Puella Magi Madoka Magica

Mami Tomoe

  • Cause of death: Death by Irony, for totally blowing off Homura's warning, overkill - 4
  • Genre: Quickly shaping up to Anyone Can Die - 4
  • Body found: Not found, but we see it hit the ground very messily before it fades, and her teacup both shatters and we don't see her soul gem, so - 3
  • Reaction: Abject horror, Really Dead Montage - 4
  • Last words: Doesn't say anything, but her face is very much Oh Crap - 4
  • Characterization: Mentor - 4
  • Died: Same year - 2
  • Died and come back: Not yet - 4
  • Result: 25/7 = 3.57. Very unlikely to come back.
Kyoko Sakura
  • Cause of death: Heroic Sacrifice (Arguably Senseless Sacrifice too, but...) 3.
  • Genre: Anyone Can Die - 4
  • Body found: Hard to say. We see her soul gem break, and apparently it wasn't what we thought her soul gem was, but all we see after that is a massive explosion. Let's say 2.5
  • Reaction: He's Dead, Jim, from Homura. 3.
  • Last words: Famous Last Words. 3
  • Characterization: She's been pretty much a regular since her first appearance. 2
  • Died: Same year - 2
  • Died and come back: Not yet - 4
  • Result: 23.5/7 = 3.36. Not good odds.
Oktavia von Seckendorff.
  • Cause of death: No One Could Survive That, what with the giant explosion. 2.
  • Genre: Anyone Can Die - 4
  • Body found: Massive explosion. We didn't even see the Grief Seed. 2.
  • Reaction: Apparently He's Dead, Jim, from Homura. 3.
  • Characterization: She's more or less a major protagonist, turned monster. 1.5
  • Died: Same year - 2
  • Died and come back: 3.5 Technically her human body died when she became a witch.
  • Result: 18/7 = 2.5. Oh Crap.

Sayaka Miki

Macross Frontier Alto Saotome (Movie version)

For comparison, Alto Saotome (Series version) At the end of Episode 24

  • Cause of Death: No One Could Survive That, Brera drills a hole straight through Alto's VF-171EX, which spins out of control on fire, then explodes - 2
  • Genre: Killed Off for Real - 3
  • Body Found: Faux Death, he ejected - 1
  • Reaction: Roughly It's Personal, Sheryl screaming out his name when she sees his Valkyrie explode, complete with Pastel-Chalked Freeze-Frame. There is argument for a 4 with Brera's Pre-Mortem One-Liner - 2
  • Last Words: "Klan!" This possibly constitutes a Killed Mid-Sentence, so we'll go with that in exchange for the 2 above - 4
  • Characterization: The Hero - 1
  • Died: Just before the last episode - 1
  • Died and come back: Hadn't yet - 4
  • Result: 18/8 = 2.25. He got better, beginning of Episode 25 shows that he ejected right before Brera shot his plane down, so in the movies he's only slightly more dead than he was in the series where he came back the next episode. Almost exactly as dead if you count him coming back in the series continuity.

Also, Mikhail Blanc (Series version)

And then, Mikhail Blanc (Movie version)

  • Cause of Death: Heroic Sacrifice, He broke from cover so he could snipe the Super Vajra and save Alto - 3
  • Genre: Killed Off for Real - 3
  • Body Found: Faux Death, Klan finds him alive in the wreckage - 1
  • Reaction: It's Personal, Klan goes Roaring Rampage of Revenge on the Vajra (Off-screen unfortunately) - 2
  • Last Words: Oh Crap - 4
  • Characterization: Regular - 2
  • Died: Same movie - 1
  • Died and come back: Nope, well... He sorta comes back in the movie version, but that was to be expected of a retelling - 4
  • Result: 20/8 = 2.5. And he came back! There is hope for hime!

Tengen Toppa Gurren Lagann

Nia

  • Cause of Death: Technically, No Ontological Inertia. There is some aspects of Mortal Wound Reveal since it was revealed during the final battle she would die if the Anti-Spiral died; however, it comes out as a Bridge Drop to some fans. Guess I'll make it 3.
  • Genre: Anyone Can Die - 4. At this point Kamina, {{[[[The Lancer]] Kittan}} and all the secondary mecha pilots aside from Yoko and Viral have already died.
  • Body Found: Disintegrated - 4
  • Reaction: This is a hard one. I guess it is closest to He's Dead, Jim, giving it a 3.
  • Last Words: Kind of an Obi-Wan Moment since she just smiled, said se loves Simon and then Disappeared Into Light. - 3
  • Characterization: Loved One - 4
  • Died: Series Finale - 4
  • Died and came back: Did not - 4
  • Result: 29/8 = 3.625. Hoo boy. She's pretty much Deader Than Dead.

Detective Conan

Shuichi Akai

  • Cause: Heroic Sacrifice. 3.
  • Genre: While someone dies in most episodes, this never happens to recurring characters, so I'm going with Nobody Can Die. 1.
  • The Body: While they found a body, the identification was somewhat shady and there were apparently some strange things with the body. 3.
  • Reaction: Between Jodie's tears and the symbolism of being unable to reach him by phone, 3.
  • Last Words: The words were direct more at Rena than Akai, which may lower the number? 3.
  • Characterization: Recurring Character. 3.
  • When did he die: 2007, so 3.
  • Come Back?: 4.
  • Average: 23/8 = 2.875
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