Why Guts Is The Most Tragic Hero In All Of Anime?

Pavas Gagneja
Aug 10
3 min read

We all know that Guts has never known anything but suffering all his life. He was cursed from birth, and it was no better even when he got older. However, he still carries on, giving all of us hope and showing us how important it is to never give up.

Born into violence, forced to fight for survival from childhood, Guts is driven by a vengeance he can never fully satisfy. He knows he can never recover from the horrors of his past, but still, he chases peace. If there is some award for the most tragic hero, Guts would be the winner without a contest. Here is what makes Guts the most tragic hero in all of anime.

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Guts Was Born Into Suffering

Guts' tragedy began before he even drew his first breath. Born from the corpse of a hanged woman and discovered lying in mud beneath the gallows, his earliest moments foreshadowed a life that would forever be marked by pain and abandonment. Cherry on top, he was adopted by a brutal mercenary named Gambino. Guts’ childhood was stripped of warmth and safety. In fact, he was raised among killers and taught that only the strong survive.

By the time he became a teenager, Guts was already a veteran of dozens of battlefields. He became a boy whose only lesson in life was how to swing a sword harder and faster than the enemy. He faced the ultimate betrayals from those who were supposed to care for him. And these experiences forge him into a survivor, but a deeply mistrustful one. He was always hesitant to let others into his life for fear that they would repeat the cycle of pain.

Lost Brotherhood And Betrayal

Guts' life took a turn for the better when he joined the Band of the Hawk, a mercenary band led by Griffith. That was the first time in his life when Guts experienced friendship. He formed genuine friendships, especially with Griffith and Casca, and helped the Hawks to get legendary victories. In those moments of happiness, Guts began to believe that he could build a life without violence and trauma.

But the true depth of his tragedy became apparent during the Eclipse — a world-shattering betrayal. That was the time when Griffith sacrificed his loyal comrades for ultimate power, transforming into the God Hand’s Femto. Guts alone fought to the end, trying and failing to save those he cared about. The scars from the Eclipse (literal and figurative) never truly healed.

The Brand And Endless Struggle

Guts was forever marked by the Brand of Sacrifice after the Eclipse. It was a supernatural symbol that condemned him to be endlessly hunted by demons. Every night became a fight for survival, with monsters drawn to his blood. But what made Guts’ suffering even more potent was that he did not simply give up. Instead, he chose the path of relentless resistance.

This phase of Guts’ journey exposed a new layer of isolation to his tragedy. Anyone who came close to him was also at risk. Still, he continued to fight, for the sake of his happiness with Casca, even when the whole world was trying to steal it from him.

Humanity Amid Chaos: The Tragic Hero’s Heart

Guts sitting at the window with his hand chopped off

Despite his horrific experiences, Guts retained more humanity than anyone might expect. His capacity for compassion was shown in moments when he tried to shield the weak, comforted those in suffering, or risked everything for Casca’s safety. He collected a “family” of comrades along his journey even if circumstances continually ripped it away.

Guts is unforgettable among anime protagonists. Ho knows exactly how to handle a tragedy with determination. Also, he isn’t a tragic hero just because life treats him cruelly, but because he keeps fighting anyway. A strong will to live, love, and choose your own path: that's what Guts stands for.