What are some good sad animes?
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Saikano.
A high school boy starts going out with a girl who is also a warmachine. She's often away because of a war that's currently going on and their relationship gets affected by it more and more.
It has plot holes but the anime is about emotions more than about logic and it is very emotionally powerful.
I highly recommend it.
A high school boy starts going out with a girl who is also a warmachine. She's often away because of a war that's currently going on and their relationship gets affected by it more and more.
It has plot holes but the anime is about emotions more than about logic and it is very emotionally powerful.
I highly recommend it.
Well the Anime Gods must be unalerted because I jumped ship at episode 14 before I killed myself out of the sheer depression oh so obviously foreshadowed (more like telegraphed actually) things coming in the next episodes. So that must loophole me off their smite list.Moderated said:
It even gets worse from what my friend tells me.
I'm still waiting for the legion of angry fans beating down my doors and forcing me to watch both seasons with them in my living room at gunpoint though.
Basically, the way Clannad styles itself as a comedy/sad slice of life drama is cool but the way they transition it from comedy/drama to full on angst drama 24/7 in Afterstory is going too far. Comedy and lightheartedness is dead in the water and my interest goes with it. Y'know that Jimquistion episode about sad things only being effective with parallels to happiness? That. Afterstory goes full "lol unnecessary feels mode" and basically ruins everyone's life just for drama. Maybe that's the point, illustrating that life after school is immediately shit but it stopped being worth watching.
Higurashi counts under sad anime? I have to agree with Moderated, that shit was hilarious. The later half of the second season would count though but it gets much happier very quickly.
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Berserk is pretty fucking depressing.
I mean, it's also totally badass, with great action and great art/animation, but god damn is it depressing (especially if you only watch the anime, which is WAY behind the manga, and ends on a pretty devastating note).
I mean, it's also totally badass, with great action and great art/animation, but god damn is it depressing (especially if you only watch the anime, which is WAY behind the manga, and ends on a pretty devastating note).
Darker Than Black can get pretty depressing, especially the 4 OVA's that take place between season 1 and 2.
Casshern Sins is also a pretty freaking morose anime though I have to warn that the five episodes before the last feel like... it's like the original writer of the anime took a vacation without telling anyone how the story was supposed to go and they threw someone else into the writing role for those five episodes and threw the plot into a different direction from what it was supposed to until the original writer came back in time for the last episode and made a last minute attempt at getting the story to end how it was supposed to. Seriously, one of those episodes is just some sort of surreal inner mind crap with most of it involving looking at the scenery for long periods with nothing being said, it is so weird.
There's also Blue Sun No.6, though it's more somber than outright sad.
And my last suggestion is Phoenix, an anime based on work by Osamu Tezuka. It's made up of a couple vignettes but they like to drive the knife in hard and then kick you when you're down.
Casshern Sins is also a pretty freaking morose anime though I have to warn that the five episodes before the last feel like... it's like the original writer of the anime took a vacation without telling anyone how the story was supposed to go and they threw someone else into the writing role for those five episodes and threw the plot into a different direction from what it was supposed to until the original writer came back in time for the last episode and made a last minute attempt at getting the story to end how it was supposed to. Seriously, one of those episodes is just some sort of surreal inner mind crap with most of it involving looking at the scenery for long periods with nothing being said, it is so weird.
There's also Blue Sun No.6, though it's more somber than outright sad.
And my last suggestion is Phoenix, an anime based on work by Osamu Tezuka. It's made up of a couple vignettes but they like to drive the knife in hard and then kick you when you're down.
Are you sure you aren't just immune to crying when watching sad shows?
I've watched quite a few emotion jerking animes myself and while I have never drop any physical tears, mentally though, Niagara falls were being made. xP
Anyway, here are my recommendations ~
* Hotarubi no Mori e [http://myanimelist.net/anime/10408/Hotarubi_no_Mori_e]: A 40 minute long movie about a girl meeting a spirit named Gin. I'm not saying anymore in cause I might spoil something.
* Natsume Yuujinchou [http://myanimelist.net/anime/4081/Natsume_Yuujinchou]: I wouldn't exactly call this a tear-jerking series at heart, but it hits you right in the feels so many times. I think it does a really splendid job in making you sympathise with the characters and understand where they're coming from regarding their situation.
Hopefully all of us here have provide hours of enjoyment for you to watch.
I've watched quite a few emotion jerking animes myself and while I have never drop any physical tears, mentally though, Niagara falls were being made. xP
Anyway, here are my recommendations ~
* Hotarubi no Mori e [http://myanimelist.net/anime/10408/Hotarubi_no_Mori_e]: A 40 minute long movie about a girl meeting a spirit named Gin. I'm not saying anymore in cause I might spoil something.
* Natsume Yuujinchou [http://myanimelist.net/anime/4081/Natsume_Yuujinchou]: I wouldn't exactly call this a tear-jerking series at heart, but it hits you right in the feels so many times. I think it does a really splendid job in making you sympathise with the characters and understand where they're coming from regarding their situation.
Hopefully all of us here have provide hours of enjoyment for you to watch.
Myself; Yourself was pretty damn depressing. This is the only anime that has made me cry properly.
Also Welcome To The NHK was a series I thought was really fun the first time around and quite depressing the second time. Dark comedy where comedy borders tragedy.
Also Welcome To The NHK was a series I thought was really fun the first time around and quite depressing the second time. Dark comedy where comedy borders tragedy.
Oh man. Oh man, oh man, oh man, oh man. Saikano is probably one of the greatest "tragic" anime's I've ever seen, and most people don't even know about it. I can't recommend it enough. It's basically about this huge world war that breaks out, and Japan gets involved. It's interesting though, because there's not much action, and we're given almost no details about the actual war. Instead it focuses on the impact war has on the population. One of the best war stories/romances I've seen in anime. It's a tad bit melodramatic towards the middle, but man, the ending really delivers. It reminded me a lot of Grave of the Fireflies and Elfen Lied, although it's nowhere near as violent. Watch it.Moderated said:
I have to recommend Berserk, assuming you haven't seen it. It's a medieval fantasy epic, and probably the best one ever written. I consider it my favorite anime/manga. It's a great tragedy as well, and reminds me a lot of the great Greek tragedies I had to read in school, like Oedipus Rex. Berserk is a very "traditional" tragedy in that sense. It's similar to Game of Thrones, but far better. If you watch one anime in your life, this is the one. It's pretty brutal, but if you can stand Elfen Lied then you can watch/read this. The Manga is far more violent, but I felt like the anime had better pacing.
I have to assume you've seen Neon Genesis, but since you didn't list it, I'll go ahead and mention it. The post modernist philosophy is terrible, but this show has some of the best character development I've ever seen in any anime. Period. The only anime that may surpass it in terms of character development is, maybe, the before mentioned Berserk. I still feel my chest seize up whenever I see the characters. It's a basic must watch for every anime fan, so if you haven't seen it, go and see it. And sooner rather than later.
Well, you asked for it....Moderated said:
If you can find it watch Who's Left Behind. I watched it with a group of people who had all seen Grave of the Fireflies and we all agreed that it was much much sadder.
Also give Voices of a Distant Star a try. But don't watch it alone. And remove all sharp objects from the room before watching it. Heck, remove all blunt objects from the room before you watch it...
Since no-one else has mentioned it I'll also point out The Cockpit another one set in WWII, several short stories including one about an Ooka pilot.
Aaand, there are parts of Fushigi Yugi that rank up there. The worst parts are at the middle, not the end.
Already been recommended, but the one that gets to *me* the most is Air....I can't even think about it without tearing up....
Also already mentioned Haibane Renmei which I didn't find as sad as the others mentioned here, but is a lovely anime, one of my very favorites and well worth watching even if you aren't looking for sad...
If you cannot sob at Bokurano then you have no heart
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=05p646nlYS0
Manga is worse by the way
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=05p646nlYS0
Manga is worse by the way
I wouldnt recommend 'Welcome to the NHK' to everyone, someone who watches anime and is anti-social however will either love it or hate that a TV show portrays them so well. It takes a very blunt approach to the otaku lifestyle as well as hermetic antisocial behaviour. Not a very happy show, but it is meant to be realistically plausible. Not all the episodes are great, however the comedy and story were enough to pull me trough, even though sometimes the show really made me feel depressed. I hate to use the term 'must see', just give it a go, one of the few TV shows I have seen with an honest true and powerful message that isn't a crock of shit.
Also 'Psycho Pass', slightly futuristic setting were all citizens have emotion chips. Anyone who becomes too emotionally unstable is imprisoned or killed. The story follows a young woman who recently joined the police force, and the small squad she is a part of. It's a blend of dark police drama, psychology and has something to say on restrictions and control of society not only pointing out flaws but necessity and dependence, all presented with a strong unique aesthetic.
If you somehow have not seen 'Deathnote' it is a piece of art. The first episode was slow, however the shows premise, character development and struggle with morals was perfectly executed. Well atleast the first season was, after that it fell on its face pretty hard.
Also 'Psycho Pass', slightly futuristic setting were all citizens have emotion chips. Anyone who becomes too emotionally unstable is imprisoned or killed. The story follows a young woman who recently joined the police force, and the small squad she is a part of. It's a blend of dark police drama, psychology and has something to say on restrictions and control of society not only pointing out flaws but necessity and dependence, all presented with a strong unique aesthetic.
If you somehow have not seen 'Deathnote' it is a piece of art. The first episode was slow, however the shows premise, character development and struggle with morals was perfectly executed. Well atleast the first season was, after that it fell on its face pretty hard.
Kanon... Just Kanon
I am a 30+ yr old army infantry vet and that music still makes me want to curl up and cry.
I am a 30+ yr old army infantry vet and that music still makes me want to curl up and cry.
Also if you have somehow not seen Hayao Miyazaki's movies you are missing out.
Princess Mononoke and Nausicaa may satisfy your itch for tragedy and sadness. If that doesn't work Ponyo will atleast get giggles and smiles out of anyone capable of giggles and smiles.
Princess Mononoke and Nausicaa may satisfy your itch for tragedy and sadness. If that doesn't work Ponyo will atleast get giggles and smiles out of anyone capable of giggles and smiles.
If there's any way you haven't seen Cowboy Bebop...
1. How dare you call yourself an anime fan
2. It's got a surprisingly tragic ending you sort of see coming, but still caught me off guard.
Saikano is sad, but it's not really that good. There's really not much substance to it. Is the ending even really that sad? It's been awhile since I saw it, but I thought it had a happy ending?
Attack on Titan is new and relatively tragic for an actiony war anime.
Tokyo Godfathers is also pretty good and tragic
1. How dare you call yourself an anime fan
2. It's got a surprisingly tragic ending you sort of see coming, but still caught me off guard.
Saikano is sad, but it's not really that good. There's really not much substance to it. Is the ending even really that sad? It's been awhile since I saw it, but I thought it had a happy ending?
Attack on Titan is new and relatively tragic for an actiony war anime.
Tokyo Godfathers is also pretty good and tragic
Sad anime are generally not very good, because they're so set at being sad no matter what. This includes anime like Grave of the Fireflies and Now and Then, Here and There, where I'm like 'Okay, I get it... It's sad. Show me what else you got.' Just relentlessly piling on the sadness and the tragedy creates a numbing effect. As opposed to stories that dish out the sadness in smaller packages inbetween other events.