Clannad is notoriously sad. Also Your Lie in April! Edit: also Anohana

Take me back to the first time I watched these

It’s got a 25 or 30 episode build up. Been awhile since I watched it so don’t quite remember l. I still enjoyed it but think it’s important to include when recommending.

I like a silent voice, I want to eat your pancreas, and garden of words, all these are movies so can easily be done in like 4 hours or so

I want to eat your Pancreas is heartbreaking. Had me and my group of dudes in their mid 20s crying together

I’ve seen two of three of these and loved them so much

Garden of words and a silent voice is a 10/10

[удалено]

Sorry, your comment has been removed. - Your comment looks like it might include untagged or wrongly-tagged spoilers. When spoiler-tagging comments, you'll have to use [] before the spoiler tag to indicate the context of the spoiler, for example `[Work title here] >!tagged text goes here!<` to tag specific parts of your text. [Find more information here.](https://www.reddit.com/r/anime/wiki/rules#wiki_tagging_comments) --- ^(Questions? Reply to this message, )[**^(send a modmail)**](http://www.reddit.com/message/compose?to=%2Fr%2Fanime)^(, or leave a comment in the )[**^(meta thread)**](https://reddit.com/r/anime/search?q=subreddit%3Aanime+author%3AAnimeMod+title%3A%22Meta+Thread%22&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=year)^(. Don't know the rules? Read them )[**^(here)**](/r/anime/wiki/rules)^.

Grave of the Fireflies.

Bro said big sad, he doesn't want "slit wrists and end it all" sad

you just wished everlasting pain upon them

Shh don’t tell em 😭

Choose absolute destruction today. (A friend and I watched that the first time as teens on some mushrooms, one of the worst ideas ever)

Imma just say not many movies/anime made me cry like a baby…

💀

**In order of destructiveness;** Clannad: After Story Made in abyss Your lie in april Violet Evergarden Anohana To your eternity Angel beats A silent voice Wolf children

Finally binging season 2 of Made in Abyss rn and jesus christ is it deeply upsetting. Ive just been crying for like the last 2 hours as the episodes go on Update: just finished season 2. I feel pretty fucking empty, i have a headache, my eyes hurt, i feel like i could puke, and i think i need a shower. Ive watched a lot of sad anime but that was different

did you watch the movie before s2, if not, there is a movie that tell an important story before s2 start.

What is happening is quite upsetting, but the tone of the series to me personally does not make me cry.

*The Golden City of the Scorching Sun* is quite possibly the most emotionally draining anime series that I have ever watched, more so even than something like *Texhnolyze*. Both are among my favourite anime series of all time. I think that there may be something wrong with me.

Made in Abyss didn't make me feel anything, am I missing something here?

Made in abyss Anime 10/10. Torture 100/10

Violet Evergarden is pretty melancholy but probably doesn't try to crush your soul at the end, unlike others. Could possibly even argue that the overall thrust `[Violet Evergarden]>!of the series is somewhat optimistic.!<`

Agreed but I was crying my eyes out almost every arc so I would say it’s sad throughout the whole time 

Grave of the fireflies Katanagatari WorldEnd: What are you doing at the end of the world? Are you busy? Will you save us? Plastic memory (maybe I'm wrong, not remember) Guilty crown Darling in the franxx Japanese are really good at making ppl sad. 🥲

Grave of the fireflies.. had me crying so hard 😭😭😭

Double the anohana rec.

Assassination Classroom

It was such a fun anime but the ending 😭.

WHY ISNT ANYONE MENTIONING Kotaro lives alone Orange Like personally, I was bawling after every episode during Kotaro lives alone

Fascinatingly, *Orange* shares a director with both *Texhnolyze* and *Shigurui*. Hiroshi Hamasaki with the despair sweep. :P

Monster. Not Monster Musume. Just Monster. It's on Netflix right now. That's profound, hopeful, inspirational... But overall, it's very sad.

Kid said big sad not clinically depressed. /s

I didn't think about the difference. "Big sad" is momentary. And Monster IS a pretty long story.

Angel beats...

Also anything else by Key: Clannad, Kanon, Little Busters etc.

Plastic memories, Iroduku: The World in Colors

*throws a glass bottle at your head*

*promptly drinks remaining liquid* that..... wasn't apple juice....

One of the few shows I don't want to go back and watch(along with other sad shows like Clannad and Anohana). I didn't really cry then if I remember right but I can't handle them now. I sure as shit know that much. Sad shows seem to hit me more the more I grow up which I think is natural Edit: and it's still my top anime in terms of music. Both singers for the in universe band(one of which is lisa) absilutely kill it and bring the emotion

The second anime I ever watched, regrets that till this day. It has engraved into my soul.

Couldn't agree more

I would have met you anyways and we would have gotten married.

Your lie in April!!

Banana fish

I’m not strong enough to rewatch banana fish. Everything about it is so raw and each episode is utter pain, yet it still feels like an old friend. There were still such wholesome parts that are so bittersweet.

War in the Pocket. Grave of the Fireflies Saikano Fafner Now and Then, Here and There Toward the Terra Bokurano Not anime but manga: Oyasumi Punpun Shadow Star Narutaru (the anime stops short, the manga goes all out)

We don't talk about Grave of the Fireflies. We don't.

A perfect fit for this thread if there was one.

Bokurano is an excellent shout out!

[Bokurano]>!Imagine how bad it would be if the director for the anime hadn't taken one look at the manga and said 'wait, that's WAY too hopeless/depressing' and thrown the audience a bone.!<

Toward the Terra is a personal classic. Glad to see others still remember it!

How did I forget *War in the Pocket*? God. Funny you mention *Narutaru* going way darker as the manga goes on, because that’s the sole reason I didn’t mention *Alien Nine* despite being one of its most rabid stans: The parts that most feel like a shotgun to the chest are past the point where the anime leaves off. (Also kind of kicking myself for not mentioning *Bokurano*, speaking of Mohiro Kitoh manga.)

I watch WitP every Christmas and it gets sadder each time, somehow. The first time around, you don’t know what will happen but once you…you’ll find yourself tearing up at the happiest of scenes. Can’t you see, that you are sweet… Kitoh-sensei is known as “merchant of misery” for a reason. Narutaru’s OP has to be seen to be believed, too. It is as deceptive as Gundam Victory’s “Stand Up to the Victory.”

Now and Then, Here and There is fantastic. It's not just some over the top, gory violence. It's genuinely sad and the protagonist is still that peppy type of character that tries to see the best in everyone which just makes it all so much more sad.

Saikano broke me so bad when I was younger.

WorldEnd (SukaSuka) is a soul crusher for sure.

Are you going to scarbourough fair

A Silent Voice.

this is wholesome sadness. i think he's looking for your lie in april sadness.

Plastic Memories, sad romance

plastic memories

Shigatsu wa Kimo no Uso Basilisk Chrono Crusade many of Makoto Shinkai's movies before Your Name

Akame ga kill World end Love flops Charlotte Brynhildr in the darkness

You want the ultimate sad? Grave of the Fireflies. It will leave an emptiness in your heart that is honestly indescribable 😅 I would never watch it again, I found it extremely depressing.

Grave of the Fireflies

Grave of the fireflies

Grave of the Fireflies, not for the fainthearted. Very adult and very traumatic. Very amazing.

Devilman Crybaby, starts off wild af but the end is just pure torture, like "break you" type torture. Violet Evergarden is more on the emotional side, as it's just a beautiful anime with the purest characters. People mention Akame Ga Kill but it's just a bad version of Cyberpunk in a fantasy world, with mostly forgettable characters, so wouldn't recommend.

A Place Further than the Universe

I mean, it's sad in some parts, but it's also incredible uplifting. I cried, but also felt happy in the end.

made in abyss

Plastic Memories, I Want to eat Your Pancreas, Akame ga Kill

+1 for Plastic Memories. It delivers a whole lot despite only being 13 episodes long.

And you know how it's going to end, but it hurts anyway.

how tf is akame ga kill sad

How isn't it sad?

Surprised nobody said fate/zero others are darker than black, abunai sisters, code geass, akame ga kill, blood-c, gankutsuou oh ya HAKUoki

angel beats, anohana, rezero, guilt crown

Clannad After Story Fantastic Children Violet Evergarden Angel Beats To Your Eternity Link Click Anohana:The Flower We Saw That Day These are the ones that actually moved me to physical tears, and in some cases (like Clannad and To Your Eternity) I might have ugly cried.

The day I became a god. Devilman crybaby

I don't think I saw it in any of the previous comments but... Maquia: When the Promised Flower Blooms was some wild stuff

Violet Evergarden episode 10

Serial Experiments Lain Key the Metal Idol

I actually really respect these picks, because they’re both crushingly sad in really weird, specific ways that nobody really talks about.

Cowboy bebop: Jupiter Jazz episodes Hell girl

Now and then, here and there. This anime is defenition of "starts off amazing then breaks every ounce of my being", but it has some flaws. I'll start with the pros: this anime has a pretty clear philosophy and meaning, lots of sad scenes, cool antagonist (I think the antagonist is the most well-described character here) and some interesting characters. Also it's an isekai, but very unique isekai because it came out in 90's. Cons: - it's old, so animation is mid. - 12 episodes is too short for such anime, so characters didn't have time for a proper backstory. - Overall the ending came out pretty good, but there is one problem. Let's just say that one character got a disgusting ending, completely undeserved. - It's ironic that this anime deals with the topic of propaganda, but the writers themselves shoved an agenda into this anime. In short, the writers are “pro-life”. "Now and then, here and there" is basicaly Grave of the Fireflies, but in fantasy setting and with torture of children.

I honestly think *Now and Then, Here and There* looks better than most modern shows, but that aside, I do think it’s an excellent pick. Perhaps unsurprisingly, the series composition lead would go on to adapt *Made in Abyss* to animation, which is in many ways its spiritual successor.

Suka suka is incredibly sad. Edge runner is pretty bright and positive by comparison.

I don't know about the "starts out amazing" (mainly because I think this show breaks you from the start), but Made in Abyss will haunt you. It's great.

Bro watch MADE IN ABYSS. U wil fall in into foever depression

Clannad, your lie in April, violet Eve garden, angel beats

Anohana wrecked me

its not the same genre as Edgerunners but Your Lie in April will literally make you cry

Clannad and Grave of the Fireflies.

Clannad + Clannad After Story, Tsubasa Chronicles and Nana. They left wounds that'll never heal.

Some classics would be Clannad(quite long don't remember how good it was anymore to be honest I just know that you will cry once reach the after story). angel beats, Your lie in April are also a classic which are shorter only 12 episodes or so I think. I think rainbow had some sad moment but I don't remember it anymore enough, so not sure about that one.

your lie in April

I have: Sad Anime [flair_name: "What to Watch?" sad](https://new.reddit.com/r/anime/search/?q=sad&restrict_sr=1) * ["I'm looking for sad animes"](https://www.reddit.com/r/anime/comments/wonnt0/im_looking_for_sad_animes/) (r/anime; 14 August 2022)—longish * ["recommend me some utterly depressing animes"](https://www.reddit.com/r/anime/comments/15aripd/recommend_me_some_utterly_depressing_animes/) (r/anime; 27 July 2023)—huge * ["What is the saddest anime u have watched?"](https://www.reddit.com/r/anime/comments/1bp5if9/what_is_the_saddest_anime_u_have_watched/) (r/anime; 17 March 2024)—huge * ["Running out of gut wrenching anime to watch. Any recommendations?"](https://www.reddit.com/r/anime/comments/1bu5422/running_out_of_gut_wrenching_anime_to_watch_any/) (r/anime; 2 April 2024)—very long * ["What is a anime that makes you cry alot"](https://www.reddit.com/r/anime/comments/1bylm07/what_is_a_anime_that_makes_you_cry_alot/) (r/anime; 7 April 2024)—huge * ["Give me some anime, let me cry my eyes out"](https://www.reddit.com/r/anime/comments/1c1mo6w/give_me_some_anime_let_me_cry_my_eyes_out/) (r/anime; 11 April 2024)—long * ["What is One Anime You Could Never Forget?"](https://new.reddit.com/r/anime/comments/1cdo1vu/what_is_one_anime_you_could_never_forget/) (r/anime; 26 April 2024)—very long * ["Can you guys recommend some very dark/tragic anime to me?"](https://new.reddit.com/r/anime/comments/1csdjf7/can_you_guys_recommend_some_very_darktragic_anime/) (r/anime; 15 May 2024) Related: * ["Most depressing anime known to human history."](https://new.reddit.com/r/anime/comments/1992u72/most_depressing_anime_known_to_human_history/) (r/anime; 17 January 2024)—huge * ["'Recommend me a sad anime' r/anime's 50 most common answers to a popular request (according to 50 random posts)"](https://new.reddit.com/r/anime/comments/113u2ax/recommend_me_a_sad_anime_ranimes_50_most_common/)—huge; discussion

Clannad School Days

Angel beats, clannad, Kanon, Charlotte, anohana, your lie in April, to your eternity, blackcat (I remember it was really sad in the begging but kinda fell off as the story went.)

Well, Clannad is basically known for this, but everyone and their mother had already seen it. But on the off-chance you haven't, there you go.

Clannad is a tear jerker for sure.

Orange

If you honest to goodness watch all of Neon Genesis Evangelion, proceed to watch End of Evangelion, and aren't wrenched in the gut, I don't know what to say

Charlotte I think fits this type of big sad, starts of cool then you end up asking why by the end.

A Silent Voice. Your Lie in April. Cyberpunk Edgerunners. Clannad: Afterstory. If you aren’t emotionally tortured after watching these then you’re a robot.

Going by personal experience and those of people I trust: *Texhnolyze* (maybe one of the most nihilistic anime ever made but in a good way), *Made in Abyss* (especially the second season), *Night on the Galactic Railroad* (much less brutal but bone-deep sorrowful), *Now and Then, Here and There*, *Kaiba* (more similar to *Edgerunners* than you’d think), *She, the Ultimate Weapon*, *Haibane Renmei*, *Simoun*, *Grave of the Fireflies*, *Cat Soup*, the last episode of the original *Kino’s Journey* adaptation (although it gets plenty bleak earlier), the nineteenth episode of *RahXephon* (it’s not an especially grim series but that episode hits like a truck), pretty much any Key nakige adaptation but especially *Planetarian* and *Clannad After Story*, and finally, the absolute killer: Literally any of Hiroshi Harada’s films. Soul-scouring. (Also, bonus shoutout to *Natsume’s Book of Friends* for not seeming like the kind of show which would make me cry but leaving me a sobbing mess four episodes in.)

Devilman crybaby

How is no one mentioning Maquia: when the promised flower blooms. Forcefully breaks your heart into tiny pieces and welds them surgically back into one afterwards.

Charlotte. It's not just sadness, but a literal rollercoaster.

I will NEVER watch your lie in april again. That show emotionally obliterated me. Masterpiece 10/10.

Ok IMO a silent voice is a beautiful story but not sad at all. The big sad anime IMO is your lie in April Clannad After Story Assassination classroom and Angel Beats. Have not seen I want to eat your pancreas so I can't speak on that one

that's Clannad, for sure

Clannad. No explanation needed

Texhnolyze. I've rarely watched anything so thoroughly depressing. Some slightly less depressing but still sad Anime, that I can recommend: Neon Genesis Evangelion Clannad: After Story 86 Tengen Toppa Gurren Lagann Anohana Wolf Children A Silent Voice White Album 2 School Days Renai Flops

A lie in april.

Clannad

Violet Evergarden

Was it ep 10 with the birthday letters? That one broke me

Madoka Magica made me really sad

You're gonna need therapy after you're done with this: Violet Evergarden (episode 10 is *infamous* as a tearjerker) Erased Clannad (especially After Story) A Place Further Than the Universe Anohana Welcome to the NHK (more depressing than a tear jerker) Angel Beats To Your Eternity Hinamatsuri (it's mostly a comedy, but still hits surprisingly hard at times) Death Parade Tokyo Magnitude 8.0 Neon Genesis Evangelion (veers more into depressing than sad, but still) Re: Starting Life in Another World from Zero (I think it gets sadder on a rewatch, when you have more context for the characters and their actions) Not quite as sad, but might do the trick for you: The Aquatope on White Sand, Sound! Euphonium

Hinamatsuri and A place further than the universe are such rare recommendations. both of them definitely a must watch tho

Death Parade ❤️ I'm still in love with it

Graveyard of the Fireflies To the forest of fireflies light Clanned Plastic Memories Charlotte Neon Genesis Evangelion Terror in Resonance

[86 Eighty-Six](https://myanimelist.net/anime/41457/86)

Ive read the LN, its great but the anime definitely an upgrade. Must watch imo.

Hi Short_Bus_Kid000, it seems like you might be looking for new anime to watch! The users of this subreddit came up with [a chart of anime recommendations for newcomers and veterans](https://i.redd.it/0w1v880jtq661.png) and [an awesome longer flowchart](https://i.redd.it/vdzlkodz19c71.png). Maybe you can find something there that you'll like \^.\^ [](#bot-chan "Urban s-s-s-senpai made me do it!") You might also find our [Recommendation Wiki](https://www.reddit.com/r/anime/wiki/recommendations) or [daily thread](/r/anime/search?q=flair%3Adaily&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=week) helpful. The following may be of interest: * [List of legal streams and downloads](https://www.reddit.com/r/anime/wiki/legal_streams) * [A useful website where you can enter an anime and see where it's legally streaming](https://www.livechart.me/search) * [List of currently airing anime](https://www.livechart.me) * [A useful wiki page with watch orders for many anime.](https://www.reddit.com/r/anime/wiki/watch_order) * [A list of tracking sites so others can more easily recommend shows you haven't watched.](https://www.reddit.com/r/anime/wiki/related_sites#wiki_tracking_sites) *I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/anime) if you have any questions or concerns.*

Violet Ever garden had my crying almost every episode.

JJK and 7seeds made me tear up and I'm a hard nut to crack 😭

Violet evergarden I cried and sobbed at majority of the episodes, still haven’t watched the movie

Violet Evergarden. Specifically episodes 7 and episode 10

My go to sad anime is old but it's a favorite of mine Fushigi Yugi. It's available on Crunchyroll.

I'm not sure if I would call it sad really per se, but Run with the Wind sure gets me close to tears every time.

Might catch flak for these but: Darling in the franxx even though it is a shit plot has a great romantic narrative Future diary for being such a good show but having a romantic twist in the last couple episodes + ova These two did it for me despite not being golden globe worthy because there is a dramatic, romantic tension between our characters. The your name movie was also super good for tears. I’m just a bitch for emotion

*Darling in the FRANXX* falls apart in the back half and its gender and sexual politics were pretty weird well before that, but I will admit, the show has some transcendent highs. The theme song is also achingly beautiful in large part because it so embodies 02 as a character, and she’s easily the best part of that show by a country mile.

Exactly. I loved the show when I watched it and very quickly realized how bizarre it was and how much it needed to be complete, not to mention all of the strange sexual themes. There’s just something about the underlying themes of young love finding itself in the purest capacity that had me hooked. However, I’ve come to learn that it’s not a show you watch for the plot, but just for the romance.

[Rainbow: Nisha Rokubou no Shichinin](https://myanimelist.net/anime/6114/Rainbow__Nisha_Rokubou_no_Shichinin) [Tengen Toppa Gurren Lagann](https://myanimelist.net/anime/2001/Tengen_Toppa_Gurren_Lagann)

Your lie in april

Golden Time

Violet evergarden. Every episode is designed to make you cry like a little bitch.

Darling in the Franxx, Guilty Crown

Sukasuka It was voted number one in saddest final episodes in some poll a while back.

Honey and Clover

Call me dahdee

K-On

Berserk: Golden Age Arc (1997)

Your lie in April

Violet Evergarden

Overtake! You wouldn’t think it from an anime about car racing but wow do they really get in there on certain aspects.

Gurren Laggan.....

Land of the Lustrous

Texhnolyze, a bit slow paced but big sad ending.

Class assasination

Assassination classroom's ending is surprisingly sad

Throwing out one I haven't seen mentioned yet, but Maquia. Big bittersweet sad

Your lie in april.

Darling In The Franxx

I want to eat your pancreas punched me in the guts because of the sudden, unexpected turns of event that occured. White album 2 is a great choice too but its more towards angst that builds up mid story rather than sudden gut punch Maquia when the flower blooms, this one really destroyed my soul inside out. The movie flows naturally, bringing you sadder and sadder as the story goes and giving you straight giant hammer to your heart at the climax. I highly suggest this one

To your eternity is my top 1 sad

I want to eat your pancreas. Im a huge fan of cyberpunk and you should really try this its a movie so it wont take that long. Ps: comment back after watching it Il be waiting for your opinion

Re zero, steins gate

Papa no iukoto wo kikinasai

Rainbow, the best anime about the power of friendship.

I only saw one other person mention this but Death Parade made me sad. I just finished it and man, I was in tears (only 12 episodes)

Saikano was beautiful

Violet Evergarden and Evangelion. if you watch both in their entirety in the proper order, they destroy you and then build you back up again after, best of both worlds

Angel Beats but I feel like the nostalgia goggles might be heavy on that. I cried in a silent voice and Your Name

Gunslinger Girl. I don‘t think there is a single happy character here. Certainly not by the end of it.

I just wanna know why or maybe I missed it if I did I’m sorry. How has no one mentioned Deadman Wonderland?! The who show was hitting you with haymakers to the face and the manga gets even deeper.

Ghibli always make me cry. But Grave of the Fireflies made me question all the shit happening in our world and how it's the innocent paying for it.

Damn I haven’t seen a single person mention Maquia: when the promised flower blooms. Such a beautiful yet sad movie. Perfectly depicts a mothers love and the harsh reality and sad truths of humans and their greed

Try reading look back. Same author as Chainsaw man.  Only like 200 ish pages. Anime movie coming out pretty soon

Not in any particular order : Violet Evergarden Anohana Angel beats Plastic Memories Iroduku: The World in Colors

just go with "your lie in april" nothing else needed tbh

Death Parade. It has an interesting concept and good animation, it made me cry. Overall 10/10 for me.

Gurren Lagann. If you want REAL SAD watch Your Lie in April.

Devilman crybaby something I personally don't wanna watch again

Wolf's Rain, Bokurano.

made in abyss

Ano hana Your lie in April Angel beats Grave of fireflies Death parade Banana fish

Is cyberpunk really sad don't think so

I love how many people are saying **Your Lie in April**, but it’s still not enough

I'm gonna throw death parade in there. Its all "PUT YOUR HANDS UP" and then the last episode hits and I'm bitchcrying my eyes out

Re:Zero kind of wrecks you in a way

Violet evergarden

Wonder egg priority

Angel beats

Dororo

If you ever want to take off the training wheels and skip the initially amazing part for immediate depression only for things to get even worse later then grave of the fireflies is your anime.

Nabari no ou

Sad? Hmm. “Kids on the slope”. But that’s bittersweet sad. If we are talking SAD - “Grave of the fireflies”

Evangelion(old one), Sonny Boy