Every anime protagonist goes through a journey that changes them for the better. On their travels, they learn about many things, but most importantly, they gain more power. The increase in their strength allows them to face stronger enemies and achieve their goals.
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But sometimes even the most overpowered anime protagonists end up losing a fight. The reason for their defeat can be both simple and complex. Considering they have extremely powerful abilities, their losses come as a major shock to the fans.
6Zoro Was Defeated By Mihawk
Roronoa Zoro is among the main characters in Eiichiro Oda’sOne Piece. Zoro was introduced very early in the series, and he made an instant impact with his strength.Zoro was a well-known bounty hunterwho took down many notable pirates and criminals, which boosted his reputation.
From a young age, Zoro dreamed of becoming the strongest swordsman in the world. In order to achieve his goal, Zoro had to defeat Dracule Mihawk. The Straw Hat pirate got the opportunity to fight Mihawk in the Baratie arc, but things didn’t go according to plan. Zoro was easily overwhelmed by his opponent and left in a critical condition.
5Guts Was Taken Down By Griffith
When fans saw Guts defeating one of the biggest and most powerful soldiers of the opposing army, they instantly knew that he was special.Guts carried a massive swordthat could easily slice through the human body, even if it was covered in armor.
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Even the Band of Hawk members were amazed to see Guts in action. After the conclusion of the battle, Guts was attacked by the Band of Hawk, but he managed to kill some of the members. Guts was eventually stopped by Griffith, who challenged him to a duel. Guts was extremely confident that he would get the better of his opponent, but Griffith was in a different league. The leader of the Band of Hawk was effortlessly able to defeat Guts, forcing him to join the group.
4Jotaro Was Obliterated By Rats
Jotaro Kujo is the main protagonistofStardust Crusaders. His Stand, Star Platinum, is extremely strong in close-range, and on top of that, it has the power to stop time. With such a strong Stand at his disposal, it’s no wonder how he managed to defeat so many strong enemies throughout the series.
In the subsequent part, Jotaro took Josuke on a mission that involved killing rats. Considering Jotaro’s powerful Stand, it should have been a cakewalk for him. But the two rats made life quite difficult for Jotaro, and he was on the cusp of death. If Josuke had not been present on the scene, Jotaro would have definitely died. Seeing Jotaro struggle against a couple of rodents when he managed to kill a vampire overlord in the previous part was nothing short of shocking.
3Thors Was Killed By The Mercenaries
Thors is the father of Thorfinn and one of the strongest characters inVinland Saga. He used to be a fearsome warrior, but he gave up that life to be able to live with his family. When Floki found out that Thors was still alive, the Jomsviking ordered the latter to serve the king once again. Thors had no other option, so he accepted.
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But he had no idea that he was going to be ambushed by mercenaries. When the time came to fight, Thors easily dispatched most of them. However, the mercenaries decided to play dirty, and one ofthem took Thorfinn hostage. Thors' parental instincts took over, and he dropped his weapons and accepted his fate. It was truly surprising to see him die so early in the series.
2Rock Lee’s Body Was Destroyed By Gaara
Rock Lee’s debut inNarutowas quite iconic. He wasn’t a cool-looking character by any means, yet he still managed to teach Naruto and Sasuke a lesson. Lee showed how superior he was to them, and it made him a favorite to win the Chunin Exams.
Rock Lee had to face Gaara in a fight, who was not lacking in power at all. Lee tried to attack him, but Gaara’s sand continued to protect him. With no other option left, Lee used the Eight Inner Gates, and lo and behold, his physical abilities reached a new level, and he could finally land attacks on Gaara. Lee dramatically changed the momentum in his favor, and it seemed that he would win the fight. Unfortunately, Gaara still had a trick up his sleeve, which allowed him to withstand Lee’s strongest attack. Shortly afterward, Gaara destroyed the left side of his opponent’s body, thus winning the fight.
1Goku Admitted Defeat To Cell
Goku has the reputation of being one of the strongest anime characters of all time. The main protagonist of theDragon Ballseries is known for taking down extraterrestrials who try to jeopardize peace on planet Earth. Goku has immense potential as a fighter, which enables him to grow stronger after every duel.
InDragon Ball Z, Goku faced Cell, who was an incredibly strong character. Goku gave his all in the fight, but he still couldn’t beat his opponent. In fact, Cell was quite relaxed, as he was aware that the fight would only have one outcome. After trying for quite some time, Goku admitted that he was notstrong enough to defeat Cell. Given Goku’s accomplishments, it was shocking to see him admit his defeat.
