Anime? Pfft. That’s the reaction most people have to hearing the word “anime.” Most people think “anime is for kids.” So I’ve brewed together a list of sad anime to make even them cry. We don’t usually do posts on anime, but recently I’ve started to watch more anime, and I couldn’t think of anything better to share with you all! This won’t be our last anime post. More coming soon—get excited 😉
Many people tend to look for a light-hearted and fun anime to watch, but–oh wait. Wrong one. Are you looking for a sad anime to make you cry? Don’t forget to get a box of tissues. Here are the Top 5 Saddest Anime That Will Definitely Make You Cry:
5. Spirited Away
Chihiro and her parents stumble upon what seems to be an abandoned theme park. Her parents start eating fresh food they find in the park, while Chihiro stays wary of the theme park. To her horror, her parents start turning into pigs and Chihiro learns that the theme park is not abandoned, but filled with spirits. She finds herself stuck in a new world with no clue how to save her parents before they get killed and eaten. In the spirit world, Chihiro learns the magic of friendship and determination and befriends the most unlikely spirits.
Whether you’ve watched anime before or not, you’ve definitely heard of Spirited Away before. It was one of the two anime to ever win an Oscar! The animations are, in my opinion, one of the best in anime history. The expressions on each character’s face always seem to hold emotion. And fun fact: the animations of this film were hand-drawn! You can watch Spirited Away on HBO Max.
4. A Silent Voice
In middle school, Shoya Ishida bullies a deaf girl named Nishimiya. After the girl leaves the school, Ishida’s friends and classmates turn against him, leaving him guilty and alone. The guilt stays with him all the way to high school, and he starts learning sign language, hoping to apologize to Nishimiya. A Silent Voice is a heartfelt story of reconciliation, the meaning of friends, living, and love.
A Silent Voice, also known as Koe no Katachi, is one of the few good anime that portrays characters with disabilities. Though the animations are unique, the soundtrack is sweet, and the plot is heartbreaking, the thing I love most about the film is how well it uses symbols. In the anime, big blue crosses are put on the people Shoya can’t face after being cast out. Not only that, the name of the film itself holds a deeper meaning. Try watching A Silent Voice on Netflix.
3. Your Name.
In Your Name., a girl and a boy find themselves switching bodies. Mitsuha is a normal teenage girl living in the small and peaceful town of Itomori. Taki lives in the city of Tokyo and runs shifts at a restaurant. Though the two are separated by miles, they share a deep connection. One day, Taki’s connection with Mitsuha is suddenly severed, and as he investigates, he comes to a shocking conclusion: Mitsuha is dead. Though his memories of the girl whom he once shared bodies with slowly fade away, Taki desperately searches for a way to turn back time and save Mitsuha from her terrible fate.
It’s one of those anime where you could screenshot any scene and make it your wallpaper. It’s not surprising that it was one of the highest grossing films, earning $281M, making it surpass even Spirited Away. Watch Your Name. on Amazon Prime or Vudu.
2. Your Lie in April
Kousei Arima, a piano prodigy, lives his life in the dark. He’s haunted by his mother’s death, and whenever he attempts to play the piano, he finds himself stuck at the bottom of a sea, unable to hear the notes he’s playing. He soon meets a girl named Kaori, a violinist. Kousei finds his world lit up with color. He finds that being unable to hear the notes he plays is a gift, and, most of all, he learns to be his own person. But when Kousei finds out Kaori’s secret, he must learn to keep moving forward past his struggles.
Your Lie in April is a beautiful anime with vivid imagery, colorful landscapes, and a melancholy soundtrack. Like Your Name., you could take a screenshot of any scene and make it your background. The anime is definitely not for the soft-hearted. Not me here vibing to the awesome OST.
1. Assassination Classroom
Class 3-E at Kunugigaoka High School stands for the End Class. They’re taught at an old, dilapidated campus set apart from the other classes, but when a new teacher comes in, their lives are changed forever. The teacher is a superhuman octopus named Korosensei. The government tells the students to assassinate the teacher before he blows up the earth. In a jam-packed year filled with school trips, exams, and assassination attempts, Korosensei teaches the students to have pride in themselves and the confidence to take down any obstacle in life.
At this point, I’m pretty sure you’re thinking this anime is completely crazy. And it is. The majority of this anime is pure comedy, but this anime will definitely have you crying at the end. You can watch Assassination Classroom on Youtube. I hope you have a good time crying your eyes out!
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