The anime industry is just as diverse as any other medium. From terrifying horror to comedy that will make someone's sides hurt, this variety is what makes the medium so easy to get into. That said, some of the greatest sad anime of all time are melancholic dramas and tragedies that excel at making their audience full of tears.
From school-time tales like Clannad based on visual novels to more societal critiques, anime can often make viewers feel in a completely different way. In the end, however, despite the grand size of the genre, some tearjerker anime excel at making fans cry far better than others.
Updated on March 23, 2025 by Mark Sammut: The Winter 2025 season has had its share of sad anime episodes. Solo Leveling Season 2, episode 9 is surprisingly emotional, while Ameku M.D.: Doctor Detective episode 9 tells arguably the season's saddest story. Even Tasokare Hotel has a couple of moving moments. While those series mostly have standalone moments, Ave Mujica: The Die is Cast is consistently depressing; consequently, it is now part of the full discussion.
Best Winter 2025 Anime, Ranked
Solo Leveling, Sakamoto Days, and Apothecary Diaries aired as part of Winter 2025's anime lineup, and some series were better than others.
34 Battle Shonen Anime
Rare But Unforgettable
Battle shonen properties like One Piece, Naruto, Dragon Ball, Full Metal Alchemist, and JoJo's Bizarre Adventure contain some of the most iconic and devastating "sad" moments in anime; however, potentially dozens, if not hundreds of episodes could separate these scenes. If someone is specifically searching for an anime that will make them cry loud and frequently, these shows are not for them. Conversely, if someone's desired poison is a long-running action-adventure series that might periodically cause them to weep uncontrollably, battle shonen anime should not disappoint.
Naruto: Characters With The Saddest Backstories
Naruto is full of characters whose lives have been rife with misfortune. Sometimes it drives them to heroism; other times, to villainy.
One Piece is especially great at nailing its emotional moments, and the anime does not exclusively rely on deaths to inspire tears. Full Metal Alchemist also does not pull any punches when aiming for the audience's hearts.
33 Ave Mujica: The Die is Cast
The Psychological Breakdown Of A Rock Group
Ave Mujica: The Die is Cast
Display card tags widget Display card community and brand rating widget Display card main info widget- Release Date
- January 2, 2025
- Studio
- SANZIGEN
- Japanese Title
- BanG Dream! Ave Mujica
- Creator
- Bushiroad (BanG Dream!)
- Streaming Service(s)
- Crunchyroll
The sequel to 2023's surprisingly heavy BanG Dream! It's MyGO!!!!!, Ave Mujica: The Die is Cast takes things a billion times further, to the point that it can be downright uncomfortable to watch. Just to be clear, while part of the BanG Dream! Franchise, Ave Mujica is a far darker experience than It's MyGO!!!!!, and it can be a tough watch if viewers are craving an ultimately uplifting story. While occasionally touching upon challenging themes, girl band anime are generally drenched in positive energy. The group often helps the characters find purpose and place they belong, with the members bringing out the best in each other.
Ave Mujica goes in the opposite direction. The eponymous Gothic rock band consists of girls who need help, with pretty much all of them struggling with psychological nightmares without a safety net. More importantly, the band's existence has only exasperated everything, and they are arguably worse off for being in each other's lives. Ave Mujica can be relentlessly grim at times, but it tells an ambitious and often powerful story.
32 TsumaSho
The Pain Of Moving On
TsumaSho
Display card tags widget Display card community and brand rating widget Display card main info widget- Release Date
- 2024 - 2024-00-00
- MyAnimeList Score
- 7.51
- Japanese Title
- Tsuma, Shougakusei ni Naru.
- Studio
- Studio Signpost
- Number of Episodes
- 12
- Based On
- Manga
- Creator
- Yayū Murata
- Streaming Service(s)
- Crunchyroll
Some tearjerker anime sneak up on viewers, starting as relatively lighthearted before gradually throwing out one gut punch after another. Others make their intentions clear from their opening episode, and then just deliver what they promised. Finally, some shows appear tailor-made for heartache but avoid that route during their first couple of episodes, only to make a drastic turn during the second half of their stories. Fall 2024's TsumaSho falls in the third category, with the opening half of the series being kind of directionless and mostly OK. However, the anime really picks up during its final six episodes, introducing a few shocking twists while also really diving into the emotional potential of its premise.
TsumaSho is about dealing with loss, and the challenge of restarting after an incident seems to cause time to freeze in place. About a decade before the main story, Takae Niijima passed away in a tragic accident, leaving behind her husband, Keisuke, and her daughter, Mai. Since then, the latter two have not only struggled to move on but have also failed to preserve their relationship, creating a cold house stripped of love or warmth. One day, a young girl named Marika shows up claiming to be reincarnated Takae, a strange situation that proves to be true.
Reunited as a family, the three get to live out a dream they never imagined would be possible. However, TsumaSho is very much concerned with the future and real emotions, rather than just providing a supernatural solution to a tragedy.
31 Puella Magi Madoka Magica
Psychological Trauma
Puella Magi Madoka Magica
Display card tags widget Display card community and brand rating widget Display card main info widget- Release Date
- 2011 - 2011
WHERE TO WATCH
- Japanese Title
- Mahou Shoujo Madoka Magica
- Studio
- Shaft
- Creator
- Magica Quartet
- Number of Episodes
- 12
- Streaming Service(s)
- Crunchyroll, Hulu
Madoka Magica's popularity is a double-edged sword since, nowadays, most newcomers will go into the anime already knowing its fantastic twist. While overexposure has lessened the impact of a key early moment, it should not take anything away from the rest of the experience. The magical girl anime borders on psychological horror, testing its young characters' vulnerable and fragile mental states as they are put into situations that nobody should ever be forced to face.
Madoka Magic a has its share of horrific and gory moments that will stick with someone long after they finish the series and movie sequel. That said, the anime achieves peak sadness not through bloody deaths but by emphasizing the girls' hopelessness. These characters are broken.
30 Re:ZERO -Starting Life in Another World-
Desperation, Trauma, & Self-Reflection In Another World
Re:Zero -Starting Life in Another World-
Display card tags widget Display card community and brand rating widget Display card main info widget- Release Date
- 2016 - 2025-00-00
- MyAnimeList Score
- 8.77 (Season 3)
- Japanese Title
- Re:Zero kara Hajimeru Isekai Seikatsu
- Studio
- White Fox
- Number of Episodes
- 65
- Based On
- Light Novel
- Creator
- Tappei Nagatsuki
- Streaming Service(s)
- Crunchyroll
OK, this one might be a controversial recommendation since Re:ZERO -Starting Life in Another World- tends to be divisive, especially its protagonist (Subaru). Still, the anime has plenty of heavy moments that could inspire tears, particularly if a viewer is more likely to cry if the characters do the same. Like most isekai journeys, Re:ZERO starts by sending an average human to a fantasy world, and Subaru quickly embraces his new exciting life as the hero of his story...at least, until he dies. Fortunately, the protagonist's unique power allows him to revive early, essentially utilizing a checkpoint system.
Re:ZERO gets dark. Due to his power activating through death, Subaru's contributions specifically require going through tragedy, and he suffers many horrifying ends that unsurprisingly impact his mental health. More importantly, Subaru goes through a rude awakening throughout season 1, forcing him to analyze his behavior, arrogance, and desperation. In general, the anime constantly challenges its characters, demanding they reflect on their flaws and insecurities to grow.
29 Vinland Saga (Mainly Season 2)
The Scars Of The Past
Vinland Saga
Display card tags widget Display card community and brand rating widget Display card main info widget- Release Date
- 2019 - 2023
WHERE TO WATCH
- Studio
- Wit Studio, MAPPA
- Based On
- Manga
- Creator
- Makoto Yukimura
- Number of Episodes
- 48
- Streaming Service(s)
- Netflix, Crunchyroll, Amazon Prime Video
An epic in every sense of the word, Vinland Saga season 1 follows Yorfinn, a kid consumed by revenge after he witnesses his father's murder. Consumed by revenge, he ends up joining a Viking crew led by Askeladd, the person who killed his father. Covering years in length, the anime gradually transforms into a war story that pulls very few punches in depicting its cruelty, all the while still delivering more than a few exhilarating fighting sequences.
Season 1 has plenty of heavy moments and maintains a consistently mature tone; however, season 2 delivers far more gut-punches. Set years after its predecessor, Vinland Saga is a character study that explores Thorfinn's regrets stemming from his younger self's actions. He is a broken shell of himself who already has one foot in the grave, with the ghosts of his sins pulling him into the unknown. He is also not the only character defined by the past, and his story is arguably not even the saddest.
28 Girls Band Cry
Bullying & Well-Done Drama
Girls Band Cry
Display card tags widget Display card community and brand rating widget Display card main info widget- Release Date
- 2024 - 2024
- Network
- Tokyo MX, Sun TV, KBS Kyoto, BS11
- Directors
- Miho Hirayama, Kenji Imura, Masayuki Iimura, Yasushi Tomoda
- MyAnimeList Score
- 8.39
- Studio
- Toei Animation
- Number of Episodes
- 13
- Streaming Service(s)
- Crunchyroll, Hoopla
The Spring 2024 anime season had quite a few shows that could inspire tears. Mushoku Tensei: Jobless Reincarnation and Sound! Euphonium produced a couple of heavy moments that will stick with viewers.
Focusing exclusively on new shows, the quarter had two candidates that warrant mentions, and they happen to be very similar. Out of the two anime, Jellyfish Can't Swim in the Night attracted the most attention due to being more accessible and also benefitting from Doga Kobo's recent hype. The story follows a group of girls who start an artistic collective known as JELEE. The anime started very strong as it established four very likable characters with clear motives; however, it lost steam during its last couple of episodes, largely thanks to a rushed pacing that caused some of the drama to fall flat. Just to be clear, Jellyfish is still worth a watch.
Spring 2024 Anime Lineup: Where To Watch Every Series
The Spring 2024 anime schedule is packed with great shows, and here are the season's lineups for Crunchyroll, HIDIVE, Hulu, Netflix, and more.
Comparatively, Girls Band Cry flew somewhat under the radar, an unavoidable consequence of the show not airing on a Western streaming service. Similar to Jellyfish, this anime follows a group of girls as they start a band. While a slow starter, Toei's series gradually garnered momentum, receiving praise for its stellar CGI animation and deft coverage of challenging themes like bullying. Although slightly melodramatic at times, Girls Band Cry handles its drama extremely well, with most of the tension rising naturally from the characters' relationships and their passion.
27 To Your Eternity
Dealing With Loss
To Your Eternity
Display card tags widget Display card community and brand rating widget Display card main info widget- Release Date
- April 12, 2021
- MyAnimeList Score
- 8.34 (Season 1)
- Japanese Title
- Fumetsu no Anata e
- Studio
- Brain's Base, Drive
- Number of Episodes
- 40
- Creator
- Yoshitoki Ōima
- Streaming Service(s)
- Crunchyroll
Immortality comes at a steep price. Directed by a mysterious observer, a magical orb capable of changing shapes is sent to Earth, and it eventually finds itself taking the form of a wolf and then a boy. Along with sharing an emotional bond, the orb (called Fushi) can only assume somebody's form if that person is deceased. Consequently, death is an intrinsic part of To Your Eternity's premise, and the anime shows how Fushi's personality and journey are shaped by his relationships.
12 Anime Series To Watch If You Like To Your Eternity
Fans who couldn't get enough of this show from the Spring 2021 anime season will find there are many others like it.
Death goes hand-in-hand with life, but someone can live on through the people they leave behind. To Your Eternity encompasses every possible emotion, be it unbridled happiness or crushing sadness. The latter comes frequently, and each moment can inspire tears.
26 5 Centimeters Per Second
A Lifetime Of Longing
5 Centimeters per Second
Display card tags widget Display card community and brand rating widget Display card main info widget- Release Date
- March 3, 2007
WHERE TO WATCH
- Director
- Makoto Shinkai
- Studio
- CoMix Wave Films
- Streaming Service(s)
- Netflix
One regret can haunt someone's entire existence. Takaki Tono and Akari Shinohara met when they were kids, forming an instant bond. They seemed destined for each other, but life eventually got in the way, breaking them apart forever. 5 Centimeters per Second chronicles their short but sweet time together, along with their attempts to move on once they are forced to go their separate ways.
5 Centimeters per Second was directed by Makoto Shinkai, a filmmaker who loves to make audiences cry. Split into three episodes, the story gets progressively more heartbreaking and complex. The anime not only shows intensely sad moments but also explores the depression that can set in after these life-changing events.
25 Haibane Renmei
The Beauty & Sorrow Of (After)Life
Haibane Renmei
Display card tags widget Display card community and brand rating widget Display card main info widget- Release Date
- October 10, 2002
- MyAnimeList Score
- 7.98
- Studio
- Radix
- Number of Episodes
- 13
- Based On
- Manga
- Creator
- Yoshitoshi Abe
- Streaming Service(s)
- Crunchyroll
Many prominent fantasy series have become the icons of the sadder side of the anime industry. However, one fantasy series that flies under the radar has the potential to be one of the most heart-wrenching of them all — Haibane Renmei.
The premise of Haibane Renmei follows the story of Rakka, a haibane (a creature resembling an angel), and the mysterious-walled city of Glie. However, as mysterious as the circumstances are, the plot only becomes more suspenseful as viewers learn more about Glie and its inhabitants. As engaging as the central mystery is, Haibane Renmei's depth comes from its characterization of Rakka as the story chronicles her life and growth, which includes experiencing inescapable events like death.