Not every day is for action-packed shounen animes. Somedays, you just want to feel something deep and maybe cry your eyes out – All you need to watch is a depressing anime.
So, here are some of the top sad anime that exist just to make you cry.
10. Orange
Deep down, everyone wishes they could go back in time and do what they knew they should have done.
The regret-filled future self versus the ignorant current self. What happens if the two come together? Presenting itself as a romance drama with a time-travel twist, Orange manages to strike a fair balance between the two.
The story starts when sixteen-year-old Naho receives letters from her future self. The letters urge the younger Naho to make decisions that will not lead to future regrets. But it's more complicated than that!
Orange challenges its audience to consider their past regrets and consider whether those regrets outweigh their current happiness.
9. Tokyo Magnitude 8.0
Tokyo Magnitude is one of the most under-appreciated anime series that deserves more recognition.
This series focuses on the pain and destruction caused by a natural disaster, specifically the aftermath of an earthquake, and how it would affect innocent individuals.
Tokyo Magnitude is a depressing portrayal of real-life tragedies, a heartbreaking story about the pain and grief caused by forces entirely outside the characters' control.
With just 11 episodes, this series is sure to keep you on the edge of your seat while making you cry the entire time.
8. Violet Evergarden
Violet Evergarden is a collection of depressing tales about love and loss.
How do you handle losing the person whose existence made your own complete? The writer, who is grieving for his daughter, the soldier who never returned, the young girl who lost her beloved mother—but at the center of it all, Violet Evergarden, the girl who is curious about the significance of the words the major whispered to her, "I Love You."
With just 12 episodes, prepare to go on a roller-coaster of emotions. It's a true work of art!
7. I Want to Eat Your Pancreas
Hold up! No one is eating anyone else's pancreas, Literally.
I Want to Eat Your Pancreas is one of the saddest anime movies of all time and will leave the audience in shambles.
This movie explores a beautiful portrayal of a unique and special relationship between two people – Sakura, a girl dying of a pancreatic illness, and the protagonist, Haruki.
Although we are aware from the beginning that our protagonist Sakura won't have a happy ending and that we shouldn't get attached, somehow, we still get attached to her. The same goes for the protagonist, Haruki.
As the only person outside her family to know about Sakura's condition, Haruki vowed to help her achieve everything on her bucket list before her inevitable death. Little did he know he was falling in love with her until it was too late.
6. A Silent Voice
Silent Voice is a terrific movie that leaves you thinking like all great movies should, questioning your interactions with people both past and present, making us all attempt to be better people. It's unsettling and heartbreaking, yet also heartwarming and hopeful.
The story references bullying, The emotional aftermath for both the victims and offenders and the difficult path to redemption. We follow Shoya on a challenging journey to make amends after bullying his old deaf classmate, Shouko.
5. Your Name
Your Name is one of the most well-known anime films in recent years. It's simple to see why, as the anime film features one of the most touching and devastating storylines ever.
The story revolves around Mitsuha Miyamizu, a village girl who is dissatisfied with her current way of life, and Taki Tachibana, a boy who lives in Tokyo. However, things get messy when they discover that their bodies inexplicably switch.
Your Name has something for everyone, from mystery to romance to tragic events that would make any anime lover cry.
4. Banana Fish
Banana Fish is gut-wrenching and will leave an impression on everyone who watches it.
The plot of this anime centers on the gradual love story between Eiji and Ash – Ash is a gang leader, and Eiji is a photographer. Unfortunately, their relationship is doomed to tragedy since they can never be together.
Fans of the series will freely admit to crying during the final episode, though these tears typically stem from anger and sorrow in equal measure.
With its dark themes and intricate character dynamics, Banana Fish is an emotional roller coaster from beginning to end. The core themes of Banana Fish center on the traumatic experiences that make someone feel unlovable and the healing potential of unconditional love.
3. Your Lie in April
Your Lie in April is a work of exquisite animation, music, and loss. This series examines how tragedy can happen before us and explains why that's no reason to give up.
After losing his mother to a fatal illness, piano prodigy Kousei experiences a painful mental barrier he must overcome. He later encountered Kaori, a free-spirited violinist who encouraged him to rediscover music and life (while falling in love). Unfortunately, things didn't go as planned.
Like a song, a person's time with a loved one is finite and will pass before realizing it. However, we never forget the melody.
2. Anohana: The Flower We Saw That Day
Most sad series end with the death of a major character, but that's not the case with Anohana. Instead, it starts the other way around.
Anohana tells the story of a group of friends in their teenage years, attempting to cope with the loss of their friend Menma, who died when they were kids. They were split apart by this awful event, but the ghost of their long-lost friend might just be able to reunite them once again
Anohana focuses on how humans cope with loss and how everyone is affected similarly regardless of age.
Famous for being one of Netflix's best sad animes. This eleven-episode anime is filled with emotional, tear-jerking moments – Just hearing the closing song will have you in tears!
1. Clannad: After Story
Clannad: After Story is a follow-up to the acclaimed slice-of-life anime Clannad.
This unique anime lets viewers follow the characters' lives throughout, instead of ending with high school graduation or the couple holding hands.
Clannad: After story explores the ups and downs of characters' lives after high school. But what really melts our hearts is the developing romance between the two special characters.
What really sets this series apart are the characters' tragic, yet realistic and sympathetic backstories. You can't help but feel for them and cry your eyes out.
