Summary

• Your Lie in April and Clannad After Story are often included on lists as some of the saddest anime ever made.
• Banana Fish and Cyberpunk: Edgerunners, the protagonists experience a series of hardships while working towards their goal, only to lose in the end.
• Grave of the Fireflies is based on a short story about the author's experiences during World War II and is a devastating film about two siblings trying to survive the last few months of the war.

This article contains mentions of sensitive topics, including death, mental health, and war.

Anime is no stranger to tragic stories, having released some stories whose endings are so depressing that viewers have a hard time moving on from them. With its growing popularity, anime has continued to demonstrate its unique ability to move people. The medium evokes emotion using intense visuals and storytelling methods that could never work in live action.

Some instances of this are found in anime like Cowboy Bebop and A Silent Voice, which employ their visuals in different ways to convey feelings of loneliness. The most powerful stories can transport people into fictional worlds and make them feel like they are part of the plot. They have the power to generate strong feelings, whether they are happiness, anger, or sadness. Tragedies, in particular, can stay with audiences for a long time.

10 Your Lie In April (2014)

Produced by A-1 Pictures, based on the manga by Naoshi Arakawa

Your Lie in April may look like a typical romantic comedy on the surface, but it's actually one of the biggest tearjerkers in anime. The story follows 14-year-old Kosei Arima, a music prodigy who stops playing piano after his mother's death. When a young violinist named Kaori enters his life, her spirit and ion inspire him to take up the instrument once more.

As the series progresses, Kaori's health deteriorates and her fate is confirmed in the last episode with a stunning musical sequence. The series does an excellent job of illustrating some of its heavier themes using bright colors and vivid imagery. It's also notable for its soundtrack, which includes "Hikaru Nara", the memorable and extremely catchy opening number by Goose House.

Watch on Crunchyroll

9 I Want To Eat Your Pancreas (2018)

Produced by Studio VOLN, based on the light novel by Yoru Sumino

Even though the film's title makes it sound like a horror movie, it's a deeply moving story about building relationships and forming connections with people. It tells the story of a teenager named Haruki who befriends Sakura, his classmate with a terminal pancreatic condition. According to the film, the phrase, "I want to eat your pancreas," is based on the belief that diseased organs can be cured by eating healthy ones.

The anime's premise is sad enough, but its unexpected ending is what makes it a tragedy. Sakura's fate is revealed in such a shocking way that viewers have a hard time processing it. While the film's post-credits scene is somewhat hopeful, it isn't enough to recover from the story's painful ending.

Buy on Google Play

8 Clannad: After Story (2008)

Produced by Kyoto Animation, based on the visual novel developed by Key

Clannad After Story is a sequel to the Clannad anime and is based on the visual novel's After Story arc. While the game has multiple routes, the anime follows Nagisa's story, which is considered the novel's "true" route. The original series begins with Tomoya Okazaki in his last year of high school, as he befriends five girls and falls in love with one of them. The second series follows Tomoya as he graduates, enters adulthood, and marries Nagisa.

The series is considered by fans to be one of the saddest anime ever made, particularly for its agonizing turn of events. After Nagisa gets pregnant, her illness becomes more severe and her health deteriorates. This leads to a series of misfortunes that build up and lead to one of the most gut-wrenching storylines in anime. However, the series finale involves a twist that will make viewers smile through their tears.

Watch on HIDIVE

7 Death Parade (2015)

Original anime created by Yuzuru Tachikawa, produced by Madhouse

Despite having only 12 episodes, Death Parade managed to make an impact on fans. Part of this is due to the anime's interesting concept, which follows a mysterious figure named Decim who serves as the bartender and arbiter of the Quindecim bar. When two people die at the same time, they are brought to the bar and subjected to a series of games that will determine whether they reincarnate, or fade into nothingness.

The unique series discusses morality and explores in depth what it means to be human. When an amnesiac woman appears at the bar, she acts as Decim's assistant and teaches him about the complexity of human nature. This makes the white-haired being question his judgment and re-evaluate his understanding of right and wrong. The final episode reveals the woman's tragic past and will leave viewers struggling to process their emotions. This is followed by a touching finale that is especially depressing – but in a hopeful way.

Watch on Crunchyroll

6 Banana Fish (2018)

Produced by MAPPA, based on the manga by Akimi Yoshida

While Banana Fish was originally released as a shojo manga, its dark subject matter attracted a more adult audience. The anime updates the manga's setting from the 1980s to the 2010s and focuses on an American gang leader named Ash, who becomes close with a young man named Eiji while investigating his brother's death. The series is known for its positive portrayal of the protagonists' relationship, and for its graphic depictions of violence.

Banana Fish builds tension by mercilessly throwing its characters into difficult situations. The ending is especially heartbreaking with the way it tricks viewers into believing the characters can finally have some peace. Ash, in particular, is subjected to endless trauma and suffering, but he is never given the chance to live a normal life or be truly happy.

Watch on Prime Video

5 Angel Beats! (2010)

Original anime directed by Seiji Kishi and produced by P.A. Works and Aniplex

Angel Beats! initially presents itself as a lighthearted series, but it quickly shows its true colors. It takes place in a purgatory for young people who died before they could live fulfilling lives. The protagonist, Yuzuru Otonashi, wakes up in a place that resembles a high school. He then s his fellow students in the resistance against an "Angel", whom they believe will force them to move on from the afterlife.

The heart-rending series reveals the characters' pasts and shows how dying young prevented them from experiencing some of life's greatest joys. Its heavy themes will make people reflect on their own lives and strive to live them to the fullest. Angel Beats! leaves some of its questions unanswered, but it has a tragically beautiful ending that's sure to make viewers tear up.

Watch on Crunchyroll

4 Cyberpunk: Edgerunners (2022)

Based on the Cyberpunk: 2077 Video Game by CD Projekt Red

Cyberpunk: Edgerunners is based on the video game Cyberpunk 2077 and serves as a stand-alone prequel. As expected from Studio Trigger, the anime has a visually striking art style and an atmospheric soundtrack, which makes it a treat for the senses. The story takes place in the dystopian Night City, and follows a teenager named David Martinez as he becomes a black market mercenary known as an "edgerunner".

Befitting its genre, Cyberpunk: Edgerunners is a melancholy tale set in a world where nobody can win against the system. As David becomes over-reliant on enhancing his body with cyberware, he loses touch with reality, and his mental health declines. A series of harrowing events ultimately lead to tragedy for the edgerunners. After the anime's bleak ending, fans will surely tear up when they hear Rosa Walton's iconic track, "I Really Want To Stay At Your House".

Watch on Netflix

3 Texhnolyze (2003)

Original anime series directed by Hiroshi Hamasaki, produced by Madhouse

Released as an experimental anime, Texhnolyze is known for its nihilistic outlook on the world. The underrated gem is set in the joyless dystopia of Lux, where it follows the misanthropic Ichise after a dangerous man severs his arm and leg. Through a process called "texhnolyzation," he is given prosthetics, but later becomes caught in a power struggle between the different factions of Lux.

The anime is known for its slow-paced storytelling and philosophical nature. It addresses many existential questions only to tell the viewer that humanity is ultimately doomed no matter what they do. It's an uncomfortable story where nothing good happens to any of the characters. The series maintains hopelessness throughout but still manages to end in an incredibly depressing manner.

Watch on Funimation

2 Devilman Crybaby (2018)

Based on the original manga by Go Nagai

Known for its disturbing imagery and complex themes, Devilman Crybaby quickly established itself as one of the most controversial anime of its time. The series tells the story of Akira, who merges with a devil to help his friend, Ryo, prove their existence to the world. Different from other human hosts, Akira maintains his humanity and "crybaby" nature after becoming the eponymous Devilman.

The series explores several philosophical concepts, including human corruption and existentialism, and is not for the faint of heart. Throughout the anime, there is an overwhelming sense of dread that continues to accumulate until it reaches a terrifying climax. Unlike most stories, which offer even the slightest beacon of hope, Devilman Crybaby's ending is nothing short of hopeless. The finale is the definition of the idea that no matter what happens, it is all pointless in the end.

Watch on Netflix

1 Grave of the Fireflies (1988)

Produced by Studio Ghibli, based on the short story by Akiyuki Nosaka

This early feature is known by fans for being one of the best Studio Ghibli films, but the only one they refuse to watch again. The story is notable for being a bleak and personal depiction of war, where characters are constantly given hope only to have it taken away in the end. The heartbreaking film tells the story of two siblings as they struggle to survive during the end of the Second World War. After losing their parents, the children face many hardships as they navigate through Kobe amidst the disaster.

The film was based on a short story about the author's own experiences during World War II, and was written as an apology to his sister, who ed away from malnutrition. Ghibli's masterpiece is a tragic tale from start to finish, with the opening scene showing the siblings' devastating fates, and the rest of the movie serving as a flashback until that point. Due to its heart-rending story about the consequences of war and its effect on children, Grave of the Fireflies' takes its rightful place as the anime with the most depressing ending.

Buy on Apple TV+