The Japanese are masters at making people cry with tragic endings, dramatic stories, and other absurdities. In this article, we will see the saddest animes of all time, but a complete list of sad animes.
These sad animes can come from a wide variety of genres; some are movies, while others are even action animes. Some have only one dramatic scene, but it marks you for the rest of your life.
Table of Contents
Plastic Memories
I intend to start the list with lesser-known animes because you probably have already watched the more popular ones. Plastic Memories is one of the saddest animes that goes unnoticed by fans.
The anime tells the story of a young man who goes to work in the recovery of robots that provide companionship for people who are generally alone, who need love and have already formed various bonds.
Recovering these robots is like a funeral. All the memories of the robots are erased to prevent them from causing problems in society. In the anime, we see mothers losing children, marriages falling apart, etc.
The protagonist also falls in love with a coworker who is also a robot that needs to be reset. It is truly a very sad and depressing anime, but it has an emotional ending.
Clannad – The troll anime
Clannad takes place in a Japanese high school and tells the story of a “delinquent” named Tomoya and a beautiful girl named Nagisa; they study at the same school and start getting closer and closer.
The anime focuses on themes such as the bonds between people, mixing this boy’s friendship with the girls at his school as a trump card. Clannad is one of the few animes that can make you cry with every episode.
The story starts simply but reveals an incredible narrative. The best part is the bonds that form naturally, without anything forced.
The first season is not about romance, but rather a drama/comedy that revolves more around the past and events surrounding the characters. There isn’t much to say about Clannad.
But it is safe to say that the strong points of the story are the captivating characters, well-crafted drama, and the characters’ somewhat “intriguing” pasts; overall, a 10/10 anime!
Angel Beats – One of the saddest
The drama takes place in a place after death. Where angels fight to fulfill destiny and the future. Yuri, nicknamed Yurippe, is the leader of the Shinda Sekai Sensen (SSS, Afterlife World Front), which is on the opposite side of God, who gave her the fate of a life without purpose.
Angel (Tenshi) is the president of the student council of this world, and she fights against the members of the SSS. The members of the SSS use battle weapons to confront the angels, taking advantage of their supernatural powers.
Angel Beats was one of the first sad animes I watched, and it is truly fantastic. An anime that has an engaging drama that keeps the viewer wanting to know more. The entire anime is somewhat sentimental, also featuring the most beloved love declarations by the anime-watching audience.
Shigatsu wa Kimi no Uso – The cruel anime
Synopsis: Kousei Arima is a child prodigy on the piano and quite well-known by others in this field. One day, his mother passes away, and the boy, very shaken, suffers some consequences from this trauma.
He starts to see the world entirely in a melancholic tone and also cannot hear the sound of the piano, despite his hearing being in perfect condition. Another twist happens in his life when Kousei meets Kaori Miyazono, an energetic violinist who brings color to his life and helps him move forward.
The anime, despite having a musical theme, does not focus on it. Instead, it focuses on the romance and growth of the character Kousei. The romance and psychological drama were very well crafted, along with the exuberant story.
A drama can be qualified as something that could happen in real life, meaning we have everything for one! Romance, comedy, tragedy, “philosophy,” and most importantly, the evolution of each character.
And Shigatsu deserves to be on this list simply for having an engaging plot that brings great emotion. In this anime, you will encounter “Fear and insecurity, past traumas, tragedies, and tragedies.”
Ano Hana
Synopsis: The story revolves around a group of childhood friends who had separated after one of them dies in a tragic accident. Ten years later, the group reunites because of Menma’s ghost.
Menma’s ghost appears with a slightly older appearance to the group leader who had distanced himself from society, asking for his help to rest in peace.
The entire anime has a more youthful air, where you feel like being a child again and recreating everything that has been done. The anime deals with themes such as drama, friendship, and unity.
The character Menma has an unmatched charisma. After her death, none of her childhood friends wanted to accept it, but in the end, her only wish was to see everyone happy.
I myself do not understand what it is like to have a loss, but I think I would feel the same way they do. This is one of the few animes that made me cry a lot and still want more. That cheerful atmosphere combines with a bit of depression, which is what makes Ano Hana what it is.
Ano Hana is the type of anime that leaves you with memories and reminders that are exemplary! It may be one of the saddest you will see. “The flower of the garden that goes with the wind…”. This is the phrase that represents this beautiful anime!
Steins;Gate
Although the anime focuses on mystery, suspense, adventure, comedy, and romance, this anime was one of the ones that made me cry the most. Both the first and the second season, Zero. Steins;Gate is undoubtedly the best anime in the world.
The beginning seems a bit silly, confusing, and purposeless, but after you survive the first 13 episodes, the anime takes a completely unexpected turn, full of despair and emotion, making any grown man cry.
Everything in the anime is perfect, from the soundtrack, the unfolding of the story, and the epic ending. The anime has 25 episodes, a movie, and then a Spin-Off that tells an alternative timeline that caused the results of the anime’s ending. A must-watch anime!
Violet Evergarden
Violet Evergarden is a beautiful and emotional story that will stay with you long after you finish watching.
The story follows the life of Violet Evergarden, a young girl who bears physical and emotional scars after a devastating war. Despite her injuries, Violet is determined to find her place in the world and help others who have been affected by the war.
Throughout her journey, Violet understands the importance of love and friendship and learns to heal her own wounds. All of this while working on writing letters at the request of people.
Other Sad Animes
Most animes tend to present more than one genre. Many of them are action, adventure, romance, comedy, but there are moments that make the anime quite sad.
Below, we will share some other animes that do not focus on sadness but end up being an anime with a very sad story:
Wolf’s Rain
Wolf’s Rain is a dark and atmospheric anime about love, loss, and what it means to be human. It follows the story of four wolves searching for a legendary paradise.
Fullmetal Alchemist Brotherhood
Fullmetal Alchemist is an anime about brotherhood, sacrifice, and the power of science. It follows the story of Edward and Alphonse Elric, two brothers trying to find a way to restore their bodies after a failed alchemical experiment.
Hotaru no Haka
Hotaru no Haka is often known by another Western name. The heartbreaking anime film tells the horrors of war. It follows the story of two siblings, Seita and Setsuko, who are trying to survive in Japan during World War II.
Golden Time
This anime tells the story of Tada Banri who, due to a tragic accident, lost the memories of his hometown and past. Despite this, after making friends with Yanagisawa Mitsuo, he decides to move on and start a new life at law school in Tokyo.
List of Sad Animes
Below we will leave some more animes considered sad for you to research:
- Afters;
- Akame ga Kill;
- Code Geass;
- Toradora;
- Fullmetal Alchemist;
- 5 Centimeters per second;
- Kimi no na wa;
- Koe no Katachi;
- Garden of Words;
- Steins;Gate;
- Hotarubi no Mori e;
- Golden Time;
- Death Parade;
- Kanon;
- Erased;
- Air;
- Guilty Crown;
- Orange;
- Violet Evergarden;
- Spirited Away;
- Fruits Basket;
- Little Busters;
- Nana;
- One Week Friends;
- Nagi no Asukara;
- Sakurasou no pet na kanojo;
- Bokura ga ita;
- Black Bullet;
- Chobits;
- Chrono Crusade;
- Zankyou no Terror;
- Kotoura-san;
- Re:Zero;
- White Album 2;
- Lost Song;
- Grimgar of Fantasy and Ash;
Products and Manga of the Sad Animes
Let’s finish by recommending some manga and products of the sad animes that we mentioned in this article. If you liked the article, share it and leave your comments. Thank you and see you next time!
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