Believe it or not, but the subject of selling one’s soul to an evil entity is very popular in anime – has been around for many years. So, today we’ll try to figure out exactly what happens when you sell your soul as the hero of a manga/anime movie/series.
Now, we’re not going to be talking about stories where the characters drink the poisonous blood of their enemies and turn into monsters in order to save the planet (like in Tokyo Ghoul) or change their nature for the greater good. In this article, the focus will only be only on anime that deals with selling/renting the soul. Even though this is a pretty dark matter, we’ll still try to make it as fun as possible for you.
What Happens When You Sell Your Soul – Nothing Good!
Obviously, no person out there has ever benefited from losing the only thing that makes them human to a vile creature. Yet, sometimes, they manage to buy it back (even though that happens very rarely). While some of the following anime might not be familiar to you, you should still give them a chance. Who knows, maybe you’ll end up falling in love with these stories?
Belladonna Of Sadness
This 1973 anime movie follows the misfortunes of Jeanne, a simple woman in love with a peasant. However, the local baron demands an insane tax for the right to be in a marriage. When the couple fails at paying the tax, the sadistic Baron has his way with the girl. On her way back, she meets a demon that offers her a deal: enormous power for the price of her soul.
Jeanne agrees and lays waste to every single person that ever wronged her. At first, everything goes smoothly; however, later on, when bad things start to happen to the village, the locals cast her away as a witch. BoS was a commercial flop; yet, it has an iconic status in some circles.
Soul Eater
– Soul Eater is a pretty popular shonen manga that had been around for almost 10 years (during the 2004-2013 period). In this franchise, the soul of a human that fails to resist corruption turns into an “Egg” and then into a so-called “Avatar of madness.” Power in exchange for control over the soul – that’s the main deal in this world. Interesting fact: for some reason, Death itself doesn’t like this and is doing everything in its power to stop the Eggs.
Hell Girl (Not Related To Hell Boy)
– In this stylish show that has lasted for 3 seasons (recently, the 4th one was also announced), a demonic young woman offers random folks a chance to take away their enemies and send them straight to hell. But what happens when you sell your soul to her? Well, your soul is also taken! Yep, this is an offer with a catch!
Hakoiri Devil Princess
– Keita, the lead character, was tricked into believing that he met a genie in the face of Maki; however, as it turned out, she was a devil. As soon as she granted his 3rd wish, the evil enchantress took possession of his soul. This is actually a very common plot twist not only in anime but in literature as a whole. Many world-famous classics have written about this concept of tricking someone and stealing his/her soul.
Naruto
– The world-famous Naruto also deals with this subject. Sasuke, the lead character’s biggest nemesis, is always ready to do whatever it takes to bring the hero down. But it all starts with this brother. He makes a deal with the devil: he wants powers, strong enough to defeat Itachi once and for all. For that, the demon is allowed to take over his body and control it.
So, what happens when you sell your soul in an attempt to kill your brother? Watch Naruto and find out! It definitely is worth it, which is confirmed by the record-breaking number of copies sold around the world and the praise that both the critics and the fans have given it.
Death Note
– The humans had no choice but to strike a deal with Shinigami. The book allows them to gain never-seen-before powers and defeat their enemies. In return, they lose the very thing that makes them human – their souls. Technically, their lives turn into misery without light and happiness, but that’s exactly what happens when you sell your soul without learning about the consequences.
Chrono Crusade
– Chrono Crusade had a nice run for 5 years – during the 1998-2003 period. It follows the adventures of Rosette, a nun with a mighty gun that works as an exorcist in the US in the 1920s. Yes, the setting is pretty amazing, and the manga certainly deserves your attention.
In this world, the demons are in desperate need of a human soul to survive. So, they contact living-breathing men and women with an offer: they will serve the humans in any way possible, but when the time comes, the demons will “drain” their souls, thus taking months and years from the “owner” – for good.
As you can see, there is more than enough anime/manga out there that talks about the concept of selling/renting one’s soul. And some of them are pretty popular and entertaining!
