There are a lot of reasons why people watch anime. For some, it’s the usual getaway from the world to wind down and relax. For others, it’s part of the culture or a way to differentiate between something unusual and more mainstream. Whatever the reason, there’s an anime movie or show for every taste. Today, we are talking about the saddest anime in particular. So, get some tissues ready, as some entries on this list are real tearjerkers!
Sad anime quotes often make their way into regular, non-anime-watching people’s lives, proving that the power of writing these creations is on a level that might surpass Hollywood. So, to find the saddest anime of all time, you’d have to spend hours and hours researching, watching every minute of each episode, and even then, you wouldn’t be close. It might be a more straightforward case with anime movies, but we believe you’d still struggle to document everything. Dubbing something “the saddest” is highly subjective since there are many different approaches, and what’s sad for one might not be for another.
However, much like sadness is a universal emotion, some things naturally evoke negative emotions. Often, sad anime movies and series are inspired by tragic real-life events. For example, Grave of the Fireflies is based on the author’s experience during WWII, which, as you can imagine, wasn’t a pleasant time for anyone. It’s no secret that harsh life experiences often inspire the most remarkable works. While it’s sad to think that anyone had to suffer through something like this, emotional anime shows like the ones on this list can surely build you up a different worldview.
If you’re not afraid to take risks, dig into this list of the saddest anime series and see if you can recognize some of them. If not, well, now you have another great show to watch! Also, don’t forget to share this article with your fellow anime lovers and vote for your favorites.
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#1 Grave Of The Fireflies
1988 | 1h 29m | Directed by Isao Takahata | IMDB: 8.5/10 | Rotten Tomatoes: 100%
Towards the end of WWII, the American army is terrorizing the local population of Kobe. 14-year-old Seita sees his mother dying in front of his eyes, in agony from the extensive burns on her body. With no parents to take care of him, he’ll have to survive through the end of the war while also becoming a parental figure for his 4-year-old sister. Grave Of The Fireflies is based on the author’s personal experience during the Kobe firebombing in 1945. It was written as a personal apology to Keiko, his little sister, who he failed to save from starvation.
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60points
#2 Anohana: The Flower We Saw That Day
2011 | 11 episodes | Directed by Tatsuyuki Nagai | IMDB: 8.2/10 | Rotten Tomatoes: 72%
A group of six childhood friends drifts apart after one of them dies in an accident. Ten years later, the group leader, Jinta Yadomi, gathers the group back after seeing the ghost of their late friend. Anohana is widely known for being one of the saddest anime series ever, and that’s the reason why it took me so long before watching it. This emotional anime crushes your heart like few other things out there, and I honestly wept for days just thinking about it.
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57points
#3 Your Lie In April
2014 | 22 episodes | IMDB: 8.6/10
No surprise this one is so high on the ranking. Your Lie In April falls under the sad romance anime category. It follows the story of a young pianist, Kоsei Arima, who loses the ability to hear the piano after his mother’s death. However, upon meeting violinist Kaori Miyazono, he slowly regains his footing. The series director, Kyohei Ishiguro, wanted his adaptation to be appealing to those people who usually do not watch anime. In our eyes, he succeeded at this task with flying colors!
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56points
#4 A Silent Voice
2016 | 2h 10m | Directed by Naoko Yamada | IMDB: 8.1/10 | Rotten Tomatoes: 95%
A Silent Voice follows a former bully turned outcast who decides to reconnect and befriend the deaf girl he had tormented when he was a kid. The movie covers some heavy themes like suicide, disability, bullying, social alienation, and the pursuit of redemption. A Silent Voice is a little gem that deserves all its recognition.
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55points
#5 Assassination Classroom
2015 | 49 episodes | IMDB: 8.0/10
The story here is quite an unusual one. It follows the daily life of a powerful octopus-like alien working as a junior high teacher. The creature’s students are tasked to assassinate him, as asked by their government, thus trying to prevent the planet’s obliteration. And who’s gonna teach them how to use weapons and strategy to kill him? The professor himself! This popular anime series can sound like it oversteps the “weirdness line”, but trust me here: there’s no way to stop binge-watching Assassination Classroom.
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51points
“Why would I watch anime? It’s for kids!”
How many times have you heard this? Probably plenty, but we can assure you that kid-friendly anime is a totally different breed than anime picks on this list. Sadness is complicated; you’d think we would do anything to avoid it. Yet, here we are, looking for the saddest anime out there. Animated shows and films for adults are just more realistic. Disguised under a harmless “childish” getaway, anime lets us return to childhood without alienating us from the current world.
#6 Your Name
2016 | 1h 47m | Directed by Makoto Shinkai | IMDB: 8.4/10 | Rotten Tomatoes: 96%
If you’re an active member of the anime community, there’s a 100% chance that you’ve heard about this movie. It depicts a high school student in Tokyo and a high school girl in the Japanese countryside who suddenly and inexplicably begin to swap bodies and live each others’ lives. This one has everything you can look for: outstanding graphics, a catchy soundtrack, a breathtaking plot, and of course, the tears.
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49points
#7 Clannad After Story
2008 | 25 episodes | IMDB: 8.6/10
Personally, I think Clannad After Story has some of the saddest anime episodes ever. As Clannad’s sequel, it follows the story of Tomoya and Nagisa right where it was left with the first season. After the end of their school years, they enter adulthood with all its challenges. But their future seems to be darker than they ever expected it to be. A lot of angst and little comfort, still, it deserves so much!
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47points
#8 I Want To Eat Your Pancreas
2018 | 1h 48m | Directed by Shin'ichirô Ushijima | IMDB: 8.0/10 | Rotten Tomatoes: 93%
I’ll be honest with you. The first time I read the title of this animated movie, I thought it was one of those zany comic movies full of stupid jokes. Like, c’mon, who came up with that name? Clearly, I didn’t know what I was getting myself into. The movie follows a student who discovers that a popular classmate suffers from a fatal pancreatic illness. This secret between them will get them to spend a lot of time together, both aware it won’t be for long.
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46points
#9 Plastic Memories
2015 | 13 episodes | IMDB: 7.3/10
In a near future, humans live alongside androids with human-like emotions and memory. SAI Corporation, the leading android production company, designs androids to live no more than about 9 years and to be dismissed before their “expiration date”. Otherwise, it could cause violent outbursts. Prepare your tissues; this anime series will make you cry so hard.
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46points
#10 Violet Evergarden
2018 | 14 episodes | IMDB: 8.4/10
The story follows Violet Evergarden’s journey of reintegration back into society after the war is over. Now that she’s no longer a soldier, she’s looking for a new life purpose. A brilliant storyline and an excellent presentation of human emotions that will not disappoint you.
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46points
What anime shows could make you cry?
Almost any anime can make you cry. Like any movie or TV series, anime can have some sad and melancholic moments, too. Then, there are personal attachments to specific anime characters. When something mentioned or shown resonates with you on a deeper level, you might just sit there all gloomy and relate to a character in a way no one else does. That’s when the sadness hits you!
#11 Angel Beats!
2010 | 15 episodes | IMDB: 7.6/10
Angel Beats follows Yuzuru Otonashi, a teenager who wakes up in the afterlife with no memory of his life or how he died. Here, he gets to attend a unique school, a sort of limbo for people whose lives were filled with tragedy and hardships. The students here must overcome these traumas before passing on and getting reincarnated. This preview has all the elements to make this one of the saddest anime you could watch!
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44points
#12 Banana Fish
2018 | 24 episodes | IMDB: 8.2/10 | Rotten Tomatoes: 95%
Here we are with a personal favorite. Banana Fish is one of those masterpieces that steal your heart and change it forever. The series follows the relationship between Ash Lynx, a young gang leader in New York City, and Eiji Okumura, a Japanese photographer’s assistant documenting the daily life of American gangs. Their meeting will change everything for both of them as they feel like they found the person they needed the most. Be aware of the heavy topics depicted throughout the series, including pedophilia, prostitution, mafia, rape, war, and graphic violence.
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44points
#13 Wolf Children
2012 | 1h 57m | Directed by Mamoru Hosoda | IMDB: 8.1/10 | Rotten Tomatoes: 95%
Best Animation Film at the Japanese Academy Awards of 2013. After her werewolf lover dies in an accident while hunting for food, a young woman is left alone to raise their werewolf children while keeping their real nature hidden from society. A heart-wrenching movie that shows how strong a parent can become for the sake of their own children.
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43points
#14 Clannad
2007 | 24 episodes | IMDB: 7.8/10 | Rotten Tomatoes: 76%
The rebel student Tomoya Okazaki and the shy girl Nagisa Furukawa couldn’t be more different. Feeling like there’s nothing better to do, he aids Nagisa in her quest, and Tomoya himself begins to open up, enjoying and appreciating life a lot more. Clannad is still considered one of the best anime series of the 2000s.
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39points
#15 Erased
2016 | 12 episodes | IMDB: 8.5/10 | Rotten Tomatoes: 100%
An anime treasure from the last few years. 29-year-old Satoru Fujinuma is sent back 18 years in the past to prevent the events leading to his mother’s death. Satoru realizes that what happened to his mother is related to a series of kidnappings and homicides in which the victims are all children from his old school. The series’ graphics look amazing, beautifully capturing the downbeat nature of the story.
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39points
What are some of the saddest anime movies?
As mentioned, this title can vary based on a person’s preferences. Grave of the Fireflies might be the strongest option, but as you can see on this list, the number of candidates is quite vast.
Some of the saddest anime movies include:
- The Wind Rises
- 5 Centimeters Per Second
- Into The Forest Of Fireflies’ Light
- I Want To Eat Your Pancreas
- Your Name
These are only the tip of the iceberg, but they are enough to make you crave more. After checking these out, we’re sure you’ll seek out more. And no one would blame you! Anime sure can be addicting.
#16 Charlotte
2015 | 14 episodes | IMDB: 7.5/10 |
In an alternate reality where a small percentage of children manifest superhuman abilities, Yuu Otosaka acquires the ability to temporarily possess others. This brings him to the attention of a school founded as a haven for children with such skills. Charlotte will surprise you with its unpredictability, evocative moments, and intriguing characters.
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38points
#17 Orange
2016 | 13 episodes | IMDB: 7.6/10
You just found an anime you’ll want to rewatch over and over again. Naho Takamiya’s life gets turned upside down when she starts receiving letters from herself in the future. At first, she thinks this is just a bad joke, but when the events told in the letters start happening for real, she has to change her mind. The future Naho ends her letters asking her to take care of a new student who will die soon.
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38points
#18 Akame Ga Kill!
2014 | 24 episodes | IMDB: 7.8/10 | Rotten Tomatoes: 86%
Akame Ga Kill centers around Tatsumi, a young country boy who moves to the Capital to raise money for his home. Upon arriving, he discovers that the system is rotten and corrupt beyond repair. Out of exasperation, Tatsumi becomes a recruit for an assassin group called Night Raid battling against the Empire. Plenty of chilling moments, near-death experiences, and thrilling adventures! But, besides that, this anime series is also a brutal commentary on corruption and various social issues.
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37points
#19 Into The Forest Of Fireflies’ Light
2011 | 45 minutes | IMDB: 7.8/10
Young Hotaru is rescued by a human-like spirit when she gets lost in a forest. The two immediately bond, despite the spirit revealing that, because of a curse, he will disappear forever if he’s ever touched by a human. If you’re in for an emotional journey, this short movie will let you in on an unforgettable love story.
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35points
#20 Elfen Lied
2004 | 14 episodes | IMDB: 7.9/10 | Rotten Tomatoes: 100%
Two university students come across a seemingly harmless girl named Lucy, unaware that she’s actually a Diclonius, a murderous creature developed by the government to be the ultimate mass murder weapon. Be aware this disturbing anime falls in the horror genre and is not for everyone. The brutal and gruesome scenes could be too much for some people.
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35points
What are some of the most underrated sad anime movies and shows?
Everyone has their taste and preferences, so it might be hard to distinguish what’s underrated and what’s not. For many reasons, an anime show can be the greatest but still hide in the shadows. But it doesn’t matter which are the most popular; this list will help you discover numerous recommendations that we suggest you check out.
Here are some of the more underrated emotional anime shows and movies that could be worth checking out:
- Berserk
- Children Who Chase Lost Voices
- Made In Abyss
- Mirai
- Puella Magi Madoka Magica
There are many to choose from, so we’ll leave it up to you to pick the best ones. Use this list as an inspiration to find the perfect anime for your next viewing, and we hope it’ll be a good one!