Ever feel like sometimes, it’s hard to finish things that you’ve set your eyes on? In fact, if you are still struggling with it now, then I will without a doubt, congratulate you. Because you care so much about it, that you haven’t given up on it yet. If you’ve released the burden and stopped caring, then I’ll clap my hands for you. Because you’ve put so much effort into something, letting go is just much harder than just clinging on to it.

So, no matter which state you are in, what struggles you are facing, how strong the bitterness in your heart is, I have three words for you. Heavy spoilers ahead. For Attack on Titan Season 3, March Comes in Like A Lion 2nd Season, Noragami Aragato, Steins; Gate and Made In Abyss.

Five characters from these five anime have their own approach to their struggles. You too, have claimed numeruos exhausting struggles as your own enriching experience without realising it. It’s a gift unique to everyone. To charge and push forward, to stop at nothing and continue leaping, and to embrace the tears shed. To you, I have three more words.

You did well.

 

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Erwin Smith

“ My soldiers, CHARGE! My soldiers, SCREAM! My soldiers, FIGHT! ”

Like a general who charges forward, leading all his comrades as decoys to be annihilated. Embracing showering boulders, painful stings to the heart and heavy burden of numerous lives with an unwavering face and strength. All is not for naught, if you choose to add meaning to your actions. No matter how futile any struggle seems to be.

 

 

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Hinata Kawamoto

“ Because .. what I did was definitely not wrong! ”

Like a small girl who pushes forward, even when she becomes the target of the bullies and her teacher blames her for it. A fragile heart, against their corrupted parents and relentless insults, yet not a hint of regrets in her heart for protecting her friend. She stands up to the bullies with a strong conviction, because she chooses to face this struggles with tears, with smile and she is never, ever backing down. 

 

 

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Ebisu

Like a rich god who stops at nothing, to bring the world and humans happiness with his genuine desire and actions. But it is in his deathbed that he realised he was struggling in the wrong direction. He’s dedicated his life into caring about what other people think and feel, without considering his own emotions and desires. It is his selfless action that resonated with many people and gave a crucial lesson — sometimes, it’s ok to be selfish. In fact, you should.

 

 

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Okabe Rintarou

“ Life isn’t about doing things over. ”

Like a self-proclaimed mad scientist who leaps backward, over and over to protect ones that are precious to him. He’s forced to watch a childhood friend repeatedly dies in front of him regardless of his numerous saving attempts. He’s forced to travel back in time to rewrite the happy endings that he’s set for his precious friends. And ultimately, someone he comes to love dearly needs to be sacrificed in exchange for his childhood friend’s life. Eventually, he made a choice knowing that it will tear him apart but that choice brought him an unusual surpirse. This showcases that the future is uncertain. It’s made up of inifite possibilities. That’s why it is so damn beautiful.

 

 

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Nanachi

“ I’m sorry. ”

Like Nanachi who chooses to cry out her suppressed feelings of having lost a treasured friend. The sorrowness and guilt that was eating at her has finally been casted away, but at a cost too big for Nanachi’s heart. This heaviness of letting go mixed with regrets is perfectly captured in this scene that it evokes empathy inside a stranger who listened to this backstoy. It’s painful, and as hard as one tries, it could never be swallowed in whole.

But it’s only through this, that Nanachi can move on. It’s only by leaving some of the unnecessary burdens behind that one can pick up new responsibilities, and moves forward.

These are all real-time lessons portrayed by our five tragic heroes. To add meaning to your action, to never backing down, to sometimes be selfish, to leave a room for an unusual surprise, and to let go. These are what made their struggles much more captivating and inspiring, and ours, much more meaningful.

 

End notes:

Most of the time, it’s difficult to describe how bitter a moment is. You’d have to detail the plot that has built up, the consequences to come but most importantly, your emotions. Though it is possible to convey the void that you felt and how painful an attachment can be, but to embrace it, one needs to experience it.

That’s how memories are made, how struggles are created and the reason why extreme bitterness radiate from these five characters that I claimed as tragic heroes. These are five bitter stories that I’ve experienced, and I hope even just a bit of it can reach you and help you when you need it the most. Thanks for reading!

:D.