Anime as a medium has a broad history of emotionally-resonant serial storytelling, with no shortage of sad stories. It’s always been a special sauce of this particularly expressive art-form, its writing geared toward tugging at the heartstrings, with its moving parts, from characterization to music, creating powerful experiences that linger far beyond the final episode.

But what’s great about anime is how often it’s emotionally mature enough not to fetishize or cheapen grief. The best sad anime can be absolutely devastating by the end, yet others can use emotion to bring its characters to catharsis, in turn giving closure to the viewers. If they achieve this, audiences are presented with some truly essential anime experiences.

10

Death Parade

Original Anime Series By Studio Madhouse

With one of the flashiest and catchiest opening themes ever produced, Death Parade offers much more than an infectious soundtrack. The anime original takes place in a purgatory-esque bar situated between Heaven and Hell. Here, those who have passed away compete in “Death Games” to determine if their soul will be reincarnated, or if they’ll be sent to the void.

The way Death Parade handles its characters, their backstories, and how their lives led them to being the people they became up until the moment of their death adds an even heavier weight and consequence for their ultimate fates once their future is decided for them. Some of the stories are so impactful that they’re certifiable tear-jerkers.

9

Given

Animated By Lerche, Based on the Original Manga by Natsuki Kizu

The BL drama Given is a wholesome experience throughout, depicting the lives and loves of the band “The Seasons,” whose lives and names are changed forever by one key new member. The band’s lead guitarist, Ritsuka Uenoyama, discovers the forlorn Mafuyu Sato clutching his guitar, pitifully sad about its broken strings.

However, as the two connect and Ritsuka introduces Mafuyu to his bandmates Haruki and Akihiko, they discover Mafuyu’s angelic singing voice and a tragic past. When Mafuyu finally unleashes the music in his heart, there is no single dry eye in the house for the Given anime.

Music and anime are inherently linked, but with Given, that connection extends well beyond a fun soundtrack. The music in Given is integral to the plot and a major factor in what makes the series such a memorable experience.

8

Tokyo Magnitude 8.0

An Original Anime Series Co-Produced by Studio Bones & Kinema Citrus

Tokyo Magnitude 8.0

Release Date

2009 – 2009-00-00

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  Satomi Hanamura

  Mirai Onozawa

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  Yumiko Kobayashi

  Yuuki Onozawa

One of Tokyo Magnitude 8.0‘s main strengths is just how true to life it is, seeking to realistically depict an earthquake powerful enough to change the landscape of Tokyo in an instant, and the severe consequences thereof.

No one could ever be prepared for such an event, much less Mirai Onozawa and Yuuki Onozawa, two children away on vacation by themselves. Yet, far from their family, they have no choice but to face this new situation, together with Mari Kusakabe, a motorcyclist and single mother.

Japan, more so than many other nations, has been hit hard by a handful of natural disasters. Tokyo Magnitude 8.0 makes all that hit close to home, even for anime fans who have never been personally hurt by a disaster themselves.

The sheer scale of the damage after something like a big earthquake is difficult to grasp, and that’s something Tokyo Magnitude 8.0 captures quite well. The sadness comes from the effects of the disaster, which causes plenty of loss and grief in the city.

7

WorldEnd: What do you do at the end of the world? Are you busy? Will you save us?

Animated By Statelight & C2C, Based on the Light Novel By Akira Kareno and Ue

WorldEnd follows Willem Kmetsch, a former warrior who was frozen in ice 500 years ago. He then awakens to find that he’s the only remaining human, as humanity was wiped out by mysterious creatures known as “Beasts”.

In fear of these monsters, Willem and the surviving races must now live on floating islands in the sky. This is where he encounters the Leprechauns, young girls used as weapons against the Beasts.

From its post-apocalyptic setting to the tragic backstories of the Leprechauns, as well as their purpose of sacrifice and disregard for their own lives, this series is full of emotional moments.

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6

Plastic Memories

Original Anime Series Produced By Doga Kobo

Plastic Memories

Release Date

2015 – 2015

Directors

Yoshiyuki Fujiwara

Writers

Naotaka Hayashi

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Plastic Memories is a story of forbidden love, limited by time. The story takes place in a world where a company known as SAI Corp produces lifelike androids who resemble humans in every way, besides the fact that they have a significantly shorter lifespan.

After landing a job at this company, Tsukasa Mizugaki meets up with Isla, a veteran android, and together they must retrieve other androids before they lose their memories. Not only is it heartbreaking to see humans and androids who grew close be separated, but the relationship of Tsukasa and Isla, which develops throughout the show, is fated to end tragically.

5

Banana Fish

Animated By MAPPA, Based on the Manga By Akimi Yoshida

Banana Fish

Release Date

2018 – 2018

Directors

Hiroko Utsumi

Writers

Hiroshi Seko

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The story of Banana Fish is fraught with sad moments and reasons to cry, as it boldly features themes that few other stories have the courage to cover. From drug abuse and gang violence to corruption and PTSD, no phenomenon is too dark to be explored.

The story follows Ash Lynx, a complex character who has proven himself to be incredibly strong in spite of his traumatic past, and Eiji Okumura, who gets drawn into Ash’s world with the apparent desire to save him. Unfortunately, their journey together does not end on the happy note that fans may have wished for.

Banana Fish is a classic 80s manga, and studio MAPPA’s adaptation absolutely does the story justice. So much of Banana Fish’s story is contained in little moments, and that’s something that MAPPA nailed with their anime. Banana Fish might be heartbreaking, but it still stands among MAPPA’s best anime series of all time.

4

5 Centimeters Per Second

Animated By CoMix Wave Films, Directed By Makoto Shinkai

5 Centimeters per Second

Release Date

March 3, 2007

Runtime

63 minutes

Director

Makoto Shinkai

Writers

Makoto Shinkai

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  Kenji Mizuhashi

  Takaki Tohno (voice)

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  Yoshimi Kondou

  Young Akari Shinohara (voice)

CoMix Wave Films’ 5 Centimeters per Second is centered around the growing relationship between Takaki Tono and Akari Shinohara. At first, Takaki and Akari’s romance appears to be a simple one, if a little melodramatic, but as life forces the two apart, it slowly evolves into a bittersweet and tragic story that would set the tone for Makoto Shinkai’s future career.

Not only does 5 Centimeters per Second have all the same emotional drama of Makoto Shinkai’s more modern stories like Your Name, Weathering With You, and Suzume, but 5 Centimeters per Second is even more dramatic than Makoto Shinkai’s modern works by having the main couple simply not get together and drift apart.

It’s a surprisingly realistic conclusion, and that’s a big part of why it’s such a sad story to watch play out.

3

Takopi’s Original Sin

Animated by Enishiya, Based on the Manga by Taizan 5

Takopi’s Original Sin is not just a sad story; it’s outright depressing in its depiction of children’s mental health and how they handle the trauma of day-to-day life, when there is so much out of their control at such a young age. This anime is not for the light-hearted, as it shines a light on the worst of humanity’s flaws.

Having descended the stars from Happy Planet, Nueinukf (or Takopi as it’s later called) comes across Shizuka Kuze, a young girl who helps out the alien after finding it somewhat starving on the playground. To repay her kindness, Takopi goes out of its way to try and make Shizuka’s life better and make her happy.

Yet despite its attempts, Shizuka’s life gets worse and her personality darker, setting off a chain of consequences even Takopi can’t fix. Despite being a short series, each episode packs a punch, paying no mind to the audience’s feelings.

2

Devilman Crybaby

Animated By Science Saru, Based On The Manga By Go Nagai

In Science Saru’s Devilman Crybaby, when habitual crybaby Akira Fudo is dragged by his best friend Ryo Asuka onto a mission to expose the existence of demons, he’s possessed by the demon Amon and gains the power to transform into the bloodthirsty Devilman.

What follows is Akira’s transformation into a more assertive and aggressive person as he struggles to protect his loved ones from demons under the growing threat of the apocalypse.

Devilman Crybaby is a modern take on the iconic anime series by Go Nagai, and just like the original, Devilman Crybaby only gets more horrific with every passing episode before ending with the entire cast dead and no one being happier for the experience.

There was no better way to modernize such a classic anime, and the visual style of Devilman Crybaby ultimately makes things even worse than the original.

1

Wolf’s Rain

Animated by Bones, Directed by Tensai Okamura, and Written by Keiko Nobumoto

Having initially aired on Adult Swim, not much was expected of Wolf’s Rain, save for another mashup of adventure as it gathered some of the old crew members from Cowboy Bebop. But what would greet new viewers was a somber, harsh story of a post-apocalyptic world featuring a small group of wolves who conceal themselves as humans.

The narrative almost punishes its audience for displaying an ounce of empathy for these characters as they not only struggle to survive amongst humans, but seek out Paradise due to an ancient legend, hoping to restore some part of the world and their dying species. Each fight, whether mental, spiritual, or physical, bestows hope, only to brutally rip it away.

From cinematic quality in its animation to the sound design that’s meant to invoke the same emotions the characters are feeling in this desolate, empty world, Wolf’s Rain is as dismal as it is depressing. But it’s a worthwhile anime for both its history and influence that continue to resonate with those who have experienced the journey.

Release Date

2003 – 2004-00-00

Directors

Tensai Okamura

Writers

Keiko Nobumoto

Franchise(s)

Wolf’s Rain

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