Chronic illness is definitely one of the topics I can talk about at length (along with Harry Potter, Miraculous Ladybug, Angels of Death, and a few others). Since starting Mental Health Mondays, I thought it would be a good time to highlight some of the chronic illnesses that anime characters have faced.
10. Kentarou Momose from My New Boss is Goofy
- Chronic illness: PTSD
Kentarou is a guy dealing with Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) as a result of past events in his life. His chronic mental health condition impacts his daily activities and makes it hard for him to feel safe or at ease in social situations. Kentarou’s PTSD triggers cause him to become easily startled and anxious. This, in turn, affects his ability to engage with others and go about his daily work life.
Despite these challenges, he shows a great deal of personal growth over the course of the series and learns to manage his symptoms.
9. Ayase Shinomiya from Guilty Crown
- Chronic illness: paraplegia
Physically impaired due to a past incident, Ayase is left confined to a wheelchair. Her condition doesn’t define her, however, as she is an incredibly intelligent and capable person, contributing significantly to her team with her technical expertise.
While she faces the daily challenges of living with a disability, Ayase’s determination and strength are clear. She is an example of a character who, despite the limitations imposed by her illness, doesn’t let it hinder her contributions or her ability to fight for a cause she believes in.
8. Riki Naoe from Little Busters!
- Chronic illness: narcolepsy
Riki struggles with Narcolepsy, a condition that causes him to experience sudden and uncontrollable episodes of sleep. This chronic illness has a significant impact on his social life and his ability to participate in activities with his friends. Riki often finds himself in situations where he unexpectedly falls asleep, which leads to awkward and sometimes dangerous circumstances.
However, his illness also drives the emotional core of the story, with his friends rallying around him to provide support. Riki’s journey is one of learning to accept his condition and live his life to the fullest despite it.
7. Jun Misugi from Captain Tsubasa
- Chronic illness: chronic heart condition
A soccer player who is forced to confront his chronic heart condition, Jun has only limited ability to play the sport he loves. His heart condition is something that he has struggled with for years, and it requires him to take frequent breaks from playing, limiting his performance on the field.
Despite these challenges, Jun continues to pursue his passion for soccer and pushes through the physical limitations imposed by his illness. His character highlights the importance of following one’s passion, even when chronic illness presents constant obstacles and struggles.
6. Kagaya Ubuyashiki from Demon Slayer
- Chronic illness: congenital terminal illness
Kagaya Ubuyashiki, the soft-spoken leader of the Demon Slayer Corps, lives with a tragic hereditary illness caused by a curse tied to his family’s connection to Muzan Kibutsuji. His condition causes his body to deteriorate slowly, resulting in blindness, extreme weakness, and purple scars spreading across his face.
Although he is bedridden, Kagaya leads with calm authority, remembered for his kindness and sharp intellect. His illness never stops him from guiding the Corps, and he ultimately sacrifices himself in a last-ditch effort to weaken Muzan, the series’ biggest antagonist.
5. Mitsuki Koyama from Full Moon o Sagashite
- Chronic illness: throat cancer
Mitsuki Koyama dreams of becoming a professional singer more than anything else in the world—but her body has other plans. When she’s diagnosed with throat cancer, she’s forced to make a heartbreaking choice: undergo surgery and possibly lose her voice, or leave it untreated and risk her life.
Things take a turn when two shinigami show up and tell her she only has one year left to live. With time running out, Mitsuki makes up her mind to chase her dreams with everything she’s got, determined to make the most of the time she has left.
This was one of my first anime and manga. It actually got me to start drawing more. I love the old-school design graphics. Both the anime and manga made me cry (even with slightly different plots).
Check out Searching for the Full Moon Manga
4. Nagisa Furukawa from Clannad
- Chronic illness: weakened immune system
Since birth, Nagisa Furukawa has suffered from an unnamed hereditary illness that causes repeated bouts of fever, weakness, and pain. Throughout Clannad, she faces repeated attacks of this illness, which cause her to miss school and other social experiences. In Clannad: After Story, it becomes a much larger problem, leading to her death after giving birth to her daughter, Ushio.
Clannad does something with Nagisa’s plot that few anime do. When Nagisa expresses concern that she burdens her parents with her problems and prevents them from achieving their dreams, they loudly declare she has done no such thing, and their job is to take care of her and watch her achieve her dreams. It’s not uncommon for people with a chronic illness or disability to feel like a burden, so it’s refreshing to see Nagisa’s parents explicitly reject such fears.
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3. Tatsuhiro Satou from NHK
- Chronic illness: social anxiety, panic disorder, and agoraphobia
I’ve already done a full post about Welcome to the NHK, but this one is more mental than physical. Still, the main character struggles with his mental illness that causes so many physical issues.
I’m pretty sure he has panic disorder/social anxiety and possibly agoraphobia. The anxiety gives you full panic attacks where you’re nauseated and dizzy. Even standing is hard.
2. Rachelle Fletcher from Where Tangents Meet
- Chronic illness: post-traumatic cognitive regression
Of course, I’d include a webtoon here. There’s an online comic (animated) created by instantmiso, who’s also the creator of Siren’s Lament that we’ve mentioned a few times.
Rachelle is an 18-year-old girl who was once very mature and talented at dancing. However, after a childhood accident, she is left mentally changed. Now, she acts in a very lovable manner, usually smiling and laughing, though she occasionally shows moments of true sadness—something that still lingers within her.
She’s a bit less understanding and can be somewhat dense, often failing to grasp casual jokes or subtle social cues. While this wasn’t something she was born with, it’s still a chronic condition she’ll have to manage for the rest of her life.
Link to Where Tangents Meet(Webtoon)
1. Harunobu Nikaidou & Kai Shimada from March Comes in Like a Lion
- Chronic illness: chronic kidney disease (Nikaidou), recurring stomach condition (Shimada)
​In March Comes in Like a Lion, both Harunobu Nikaidou and Kai Shimada portray the resilience of individuals living with chronic illnesses.
Nikaidou, the self-proclaimed rival of protagonist Rei Kiriyama, suffers from a lifelong kidney disease, likely nephrotic syndrome, which causes fatigue and swelling. Despite this, he remains enthusiastic about his dual professions as a shogi player and children’s book author.
His mentor, Shimada, also faces health challenges, dealing with chronic stomach pain that sometimes hinders his ability to eat or complete matches.
So, there you have it—9 different anime characters and 1 webtoon character who suffer from chronic illnesses. While this is a bit different from our usual #MentalHealthMonday, I hope you still enjoy it!
As always,
Keep Smiling!
