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 likeClannadbased 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, sometearjerker animeexcel at making fans cry far better than others.
Updated on August 06, 2025 by Mark Sammut:TheWinter 2025 seasonhas had its share ofsad animeepisodes. 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.
34Battle Shonen Anime
Rare But Unforgettable
Battle shonen properties likeOne Piece,Naruto,Dragon Ball,Full Metal Alchemist, andJoJo’s Bizarre Adventurecontain 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.
One Pieceis especially great at nailing its emotional moments, and the anime does not exclusively rely on deaths to inspire tears.Full Metal Alchemistalso does not pull any punches when aiming for the audience’s hearts.
The sequel to 2023’s surprisingly heavyBanG Dream! It’s MyGO!!!!!,Ave Mujica: The Die is Casttakes things a billion times further, to the point that it can be downright uncomfortable to watch. Just to be clear, while part of theBanG Dream!franchise,Ave Mujicais a far darker experience thanIt’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 animeare 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 Mujicagoes 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 Mujicacan be relentlessly grim at times, but it tells an ambitious and often powerful story.
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’sTsumaShofalls 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.
TsumaShois 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,TsumaShois very much concerned with the future and real emotions, rather than just providing a supernatural solution to a tragedy.
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 Magica 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.
OK, this one might be a controversial recommendation sinceRe: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:ZEROstarts 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:ZEROgets dark. Due to his power activating through death, Subaru’s contributions specifically require going through tragedy, andhe suffers many horrifying endsthat 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.
An epic in every sense of the word,Vinland Sagaseason 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 Sagais a character study that exploresThorfinn’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.
TheSpring 2024 anime seasonhad quite a few shows that could inspire tears.Mushoku Tensei: Jobless ReincarnationandSound! Euphoniumproduced 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 Nightattracted 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,Jellyfishis still worth a watch.
Comparatively,Girls Band Cryflew somewhat under the radar, an unavoidable consequence of the show not airing on a Western streaming service. Similar toJellyfish, 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 Cryhandles its drama extremely well, with most of the tension rising naturally from the characters' relationships and their passion.
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 ofTo Your Eternity’s premise, and the anime shows how Fushi’s personality and journey are shaped by his relationships.
Death goes hand-in-hand with life, but someone can live on through the people they leave behind.To Your Eternityencompasses every possible emotion, be it unbridled happiness or crushing sadness. The latter comes frequently, and each moment can inspire tears.
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 Secondchronicles 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 Secondwas 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.
Many prominent fantasy serieshave 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 ofHaibane Renmeifollows 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.
