What do you consider the saddest anime?
I have several, but if I must pick one, it's A Place Further Than The Universe. Interestingly, it's simultaneously the happiest, too.
It wasn't the case at first, but when I rewatched it, I was purely, emotionally devastated.
My kneejerk reaction to the question is "Grave of the Fireflies".
Ditto. I like a lot of sad stuff and that is just another level.
It really is in a class all its own. I don't think I could ever watch it again.
I haven't been able too either, ~17 years later. I honestly feel like it gave me PTSD.
It's been more than 25 years for me. That movie is like a punch to the gut. And I don't even like kids.
Your Lie in April and Angel Beats! both crushed me 😭
What's the deal with angel beats? I watched it and I just don't get it
::: spoiler spoiler
It pretty much takes place in a limbo/purgatory. Children who die without finding peace or have unresolved emotions end up there. The story slowly reveals this and explores each characters' reasons for ending up there - often confronting their death and untangling the things which kept them from moving on. Time itself is kind of nebulous there; two of the main characters, one who starts as a sort of antagonist and the protagonist, are kind of tied together by fate with the protag being a heart donor to the antagonist. The protagonist died before and his heart was given to her, but somehow she ended up there before him even though she lived a full life (if I'm remembering right) l. It's honestly a super beautiful story, and I think one of my favorite parts is the ending song/mv which plays at the end up each episode- it features every character, and as they move on during the series their spot in the ED is just blank with the final episode ending without any of them.
:::
::: spoiler Tap for spoiler I absolutely agree 😭 But didn't the post credits scene after the last episode suggest at least some hope for all of them? (Or am I seriously misremembering this because my brain tried really hard not to think it was over?) :::
::: spoiler spoiler
You're remembering right (or we're both remembering wrong 🤭)! The final after credits scene implied that the two main characters were reincarnated, and as they were passing each other in a crowd on the street, something compelled the MC to reach out and stop Angel, reuniting them in their new lives 🩷 I think it was unclear if he fully remembered everything that happened, but it was the bittersweet, made me cry even harder, scene that we needed 😭
:::
Oh mate, clannad was sad
Clannad, after story, and then your lie in april.
Came here to find After Story, wasn’t disappointed.
Your lie in april
I don't usually watch sad stuff so Welcome to the NHK is probably the saddest I've seen.
Your Lie in April. Easiest choice I've ever had to make.
this one made me really sad for a long time
Next Stop Anime Postpartum Depression
All of the anime mentioned above are honestly great🤌 please consider giving any of them a watch if you're bored🤗
Man I didn’t think anyone else watched C
There are three of us!
Four, but I remember almost nothing about it beyond the fact I watched it.
When you've got a chance I'd highly recommend giving it a rewatch as the animation quality and high emotional stakes makes this enjoyable still to this day!
C - The Money of Soul and Possibility OP
Heck yeah!🎉
It's soo good🤌
I really enjoy watching and rewatching it
I think it's one of the main reasons why I obsessed over learning systems analysis
Well, I can think of only Clannad: AF atm.
If you mean most tears, definitely Clannad. Probably others that would be more sad in a depressing kinda way though.
It would be incredibly depressing if you excluded the last episode lol
Voices of a Distant Star. It tops Your Lie in April for me.
I came to say this. Holy hell it's brutal.
A silent voice
I Want to Eat Your Pancreas. The only anime that made me cry.
Not overall sad but had moments that absolutely wrecked me.
Elfen Lied
Listen to Me Girls, I'm Your Father
A Silent Voice
Your Name
Cowboy BeBop
Bang...
See you, Space Cowboy
*cries
Is this like Higehiro, where it starts out really suggestive but turns into a kind of decent story? Because I'm getting nothing but red flags from the first episode.
Yes.
Clannad After Story, Liz and the Blue Bird, Phantom: Requiem for a Phantom, Violet Evergarden, A Silent Voice.
Lot's of anime are sad but most of them end on a positive or hopeful note. That's why I consider anime that end on a bleak note to be sadder. Stuff like Grave of the Fireflies or the recent Look Back.
LA Blue Girl
-_-
(👁 ͜ʖ👁)
It's been 20ish years but the name that sprang up to mind was Now and Then, Here and There. I don't remember much except it was pretty bleak and sad.
Distant-future apocalypse with child soldiers and a scenery-chewing madman (not of the fun type) in charge. The adjective that comes to mind for me is "grim", but "sad" works too—no one escapes the story unscathed. I have the original DVDs around here somewhere.
I couldn't finish that one. Still have the box set. But it was just too much.
Some might disagree, but I thought "Your Name" was sad.
To your eternity
I loved the first half of the first season, but I feel like it got a bit stale by the end of the first season. I haven't watched the second.
Would absolutely recommend, though.
Grave of the Fireflies
Bible Black.
LOOK BACK was pretty dang sad, but it's one of the only 10/10 anime I've ever seen.
Dororo (2019) is also up there.
Orange was pretty sad iirc.
Ninja Scroll. I will never forgive that evil dude for permanently cock blocking the protagonist.
Other than Grave of the Fireflies, some others I never see mentioned are Saikano and In This Corner of the World.
Damn I can't figure spoilers. Sora yori tooi was unexpectedly good
Yeah agreed. The character building in that was good.
AntiCommercial-AIlicense(CCBY-NC-SA4.0)Trigun. Vash is just getting shit on for almost 2 centuries and all he's doing is trying to help humans, but his brother is just out to make him miserable.
Something that had sad moments and I think is often overlooked is Gene of AI. It is more of a philosophical anthology series though rather than a show that builds up characters to hit you with emotional baggage.
AntiCommercial-AIlicense(CCBY-NC-SA4.0)Madoka was pretty bleak at times.
Japan Sinks 2020
Wolfs Rain
Lots of good contenders in this thread. I'll just add
Made in Abyss
::: spoiler for the scene where... Nanachi tries to gather the strength to end Mitty's suffering. :::
I have never cried so hard during any other piece of media, ever. My GF had to hold and comfort me because I just couldn't stop sobbing. That scene just... struck a nerve, I guess.
Saikano is an underrated sad anime!