Top 26 Emotional Anime Make You Cry And Misery
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Looking for the saddest and depressing anime to make you completely miserable at every single second?
One of the great things about anime is that it is capable of making us feel such incredible amounts of emotion, whether that be happiness or sadness.
In this list, we want to focus on the anime that makes you feel like your hearts have been ripped out of your chests by tragically heartbreaking scenes and emotional moments.
26. Air (2005)
Yukito Kunisaki is on a journey in search of the Winged Maiden who was bound to the sky centuries ago, after hearing an old childhood tale from his mother.
As Yukito shows his puppet show to people in an attempt to make some money, he finds himself in a small town in which he did not expect to stay very long. However, when he meets an unusual girl named Misuzu, things take a drastic turn as he is invited to stay with her.
By staying in the quaint town, Yukito soon becomes friends with the locals. As he gets to know them better, he learns of their problems and decides to help, putting his search for the Winged Maiden on hold. With his search on hold, and his growing attachment to Misuzu and the small town.
Comments From Fans
Air is an anime series, with a great batch of characters to go with a beautiful and heart-breaking story however it can be a difficult story for some to follow. – Master10K
Air was the first of the Key / Kyoto Animation series and in my opinion, it’s the one that has left the most indelible mark. Running on an ethereal kind of magical realism and raw human emotion, it is a roller coaster for the heart that, even three years later, I can’t bear to forget. – Splitter
25. March Comes in Like a Lion (2016)
A youth named Kiriama Rei, who lost his family as a child, endures loneliness to become a professional shogi player.
Then, through a chance meeting, he develops a relationship with the three Kawamoto sisters, who hail from a working-class district of the city, and little by little his frozen heart begins to thaw.
March Comes In Like A Lion teaches a wonderful lesson about how unhappiness is OK sometimes, being depressed, unsatisfied or stressed does not make you weak or unusual – it makes you human.
Every day is a challenge for Rei as he takes care of himself. Whether it’s in his day to day life or in the professional shogi, we can see how Rei develops as a person learning to just do the best he can.
Comments From Fans
There is no anime that I am more confident in calling a masterpiece than 3-gatsu no Lion. What it is able to do is so powerful and I find it unparalleled by any other show that I have watched. Every single aspect of the show is masterful and is able to shine and enhance the show even more. – Fircoal
A strong display of emotional resonance; the second season of 3-gatsu no Lion manages to go above and beyond expectations to provide something of overwhelming beauty. – RoryBurrows
24. Sen to Chihiro no Kamikakushi (2001)
It is an anime movie that tells of a 10-year-old girl named Chihiro Ogino who has just moved house with her parents.
Chihiro’s parents are greedy so they turn into pigs. Chihiro must do something to be able to return his parents.
In order for his parents to return to being human, Chihiro needs to work for spirits. Many sad things will happen while Chihiro tries to fulfill his duties.
Comments From Fans
This is like watching a dream. Sometimes when you have those moments where you picture something then you say to yourself that was not reality, the image that came to my mind must be from a different world that I saw somewhere, but not that I can recall when or where. This is like opening a door deep down in your mind and behind that door lies all your lucid dreams and imaginations. watch it for sure, you can never go wrong with this. – Jazoraa
23. Nana (2006)
Nana is a sad anime that highlights Humans imperfection and shows how everyone carries luggage of their own.
You’ll laugh, you’ll cry and explore a powerful friendship the two Nana’s share. It teaches a lot of lessons about life, it’s hardships and also the mistakes, that we shouldn’t make.
On the surface, Nana is a charming, funny show about two girls who are complete opposites, and rock music! And it is about these things, to some extent.
However, it soon becomes apparent that this show digs much deeper than exploring the powerful friendship the two Nana’s share and having an awesome soundtrack. Humans are imperfect, and everyone carries luggage of their own, and that’s what Nana highlights.
Comments From Fans
The background of NANA feels like an endless white night. Things seem to be continuously in motion; beginnings and endings wrapped up in an infinite wave of falling snowflakes waiting to melt into each other. – Fleure
22. To the Forest of Firefly Lights (2011)
Intrigued by the tale of a mountain god, six-year-old Hotaru Takegawa loses her way in the ancient forest while visiting her uncle. Exhausted and desperate for help, Hotaru is thrilled to find a masked forest spirit named Gin.
She learns the hard way that she should not touch the boy, or he would disappear. In spite of this, Gin leads Hotaru out of the forest and warns her never to return when she promises to come again with a gift.
Paying no heed to his cautionary words, and despite being separated by both distance and planes of existence, Hotaru and Gin become close friends as she visits him every summer.
However, their relationship and resolve are put to the test, when romantic feelings conflict with the one and only rule.
Based on Yuki Midorikawa’s manga of the same name, Hotarubi no Mori e is a tale of friendship and compromise of two people who should never have crossed paths, as their lives become hopelessly intertwined.
Comments From Fans
I love this movie with all my heart man, lets see if my nearest bookstore has the book. – Heroicbreado
21. Stand by me Doraemon (2014)
Nobita Nobi is an elementary student who hates studying, is bad at sports, and does everything half-heartedly. He is a pushover, unlucky, and fearful of many things.
His personality makes him a failure in life, even affecting his progeny. This causes his great-great-grandchild, Sewashi, to take control of the situation.
Sewashi travels back in time from the 22nd century to the 20th century to meet Nobita, who is shocked to see him appear out of his drawer alongside a blue robotic cat.
The robotic cat calls himself Doraemon, who claims to have been pressured by Sewashi to assist Nobita, with their ultimate goal being to provide Nobita happiness.
Frustrated after seeing Nobita’s hopeless state, Doraemon decides to go back to the future. However, Sewashi activates a program within Doraemon that prevents him from doing so.
Forced to stay, Doraemon helps Nobita using futuristic gadgets through his four-dimensional pocket—a bag containing anything inside it.
Comments From Fans
How can I not give perfect score to this masterpiece? I already heard from a lot of people saying that its gonna be really sad and this and that, but I never known that it is REALLY THAT sad. So grab your tissue before watching. At least a box. – toshihime
A perfect friendship story! If you aren’t crying, or at least getting affected, then I’m sure that you haven’t known what friendship really meant is, and I can say that you don’t have a heart.- thesailingship
20. Wolf children (2012)
A human girl falls in love with a werewolf, and has two kids. Unfortunately, she ends up having to raise her children alone.
Those with single parents or are single parents themselves will understand Hana’s plight, even if Hana’s troubles are part-canine.
Aside from showing how deep a mother’s love can go, this tearjerker is an emotional coming of age film, showing how the two half-wolf children change as they mature.
Comments From Fans
Ookami Kodomo no Ame to Yuki translates to “Wolf Children Ame and Yuki”. What the film’s title promises is accurate, but this is secondary to what the film is actually about. This is a movie entirely about the enduring and triumphant nature of maternal love. – technominator
Incredibly cute and touching drama of everyday life – dokokita
19. The Girl Who Leapt Through Time (2006)
Makoto Konno is in her last year of high school, but is having a hard time deciding what to do with her future. In between enduring the pressure of her teachers and killing time with her best friends, Makoto’s life suddenly changes when she accidentally discovers that she is capable of literally leaping through time.
Toki wo Kakeru Shoujo follows Makoto as she plays around with her newfound power. However, she soon learns the hard way that every choice has a consequence, and time is a lot more complicated than it may seem.
Comments From Fans
Whereas I had watched the movie because of its high recommendations, I was disappointed to find out that Toki wo Kakeru Shoujo is very lacking in many regards, in my opinion.-Alexius
Hands down the best movie (animated or otherwise) I’ve seen in at least five years. -daimira
18. Whisper of the heart (1995)
Shizuku Tsukishima is an energetic 14-year-old girl who enjoys reading and writing poetry in her free time.
Glancing at the checkout cards of her books one evening, she notices that her library books are frequently checked out by a boy named Seiji Amasawa. Curiosity strikes Shizuku, and she decides to search for the boy who shares her love for literature.
Meeting a peculiar cat on the train, Shizuku follows the animal and is eventually led to a quaint antique shop, where she learns about a cat statuette known as “The Baron.”
Taking an interest in the shop, she surprisingly finds Seiji, and the two quickly befriend one another.
Shizuku learns while acquainting herself with Seiji that he has a dream that he would like to fulfill, causing her dismay as she remains uncertain of her future and has yet to recognize her talents.
However, as her relationship with Seiji grows, Shizuku becomes determined to work toward a goal. Guided by the whispers of her heart and inspiration from The Baron, she resolves to carve out her own potential and dreams.
Comments From fans
Adolescence is among the most memorable phases in one’s life. During this time, we tend to make decisions based on adrenaline instincts, work as we wish to, while repudiating any advice. Some of us even develop endearing feelings of love for someone, while also chasing our own dream or even remoulding them for the sake of someone else, often out of inspiration and seldom out of desperation. – Aryaragi
The strength of Whisper of the Heart is the strength all films that have been touched by Miyazaki seem to have. That is, the details. In this film the things that have impressed me were the little extras that are contained in each characters movements. – Oolong
17. The wind rises (2013)
Although Jirou Horikoshi’s nearsightedness prevents him from ever becoming a pilot, he leaves his hometown to study aeronautical engineering at Tokyo Imperial University for one simple purpose: to design and build planes just like his hero, Italian aircraft pioneer Giovanni Battista Caproni.
His arrival in the capital coincides with the Great Kanto Earthquake of 1923, during which he saves a maid serving the family of a young girl named Naoko Satomi; this disastrous event marks the beginning of over two decades of social unrest and malaise leading up to Japan’s eventual surrender in World War II.
For Jirou, the years leading up to the production of his infamous Mitsubishi A6M Zero fighter aircraft will test every fiber of his being. His many travels and life experiences only urge him onward—even as he realizes both the role of his creations in the war and the harsh realities of his personal life.
As time marches on, he must confront an impossible question: at what cost does he chase his beautiful dream?
Comments From fans
The Wind Rises is director Hayao Miyazaki’s swan song; the final chapter of his illustrious film career which features such captivating tales as Spirited Away. Inevitably, his last motion picture is going to be filled with sentimentality and tearful scenes. -conformityrules
16. Your name (2016)
Mitsuha Miyamizu, a high school girl, yearns to live the life of a boy in the bustling city of Tokyo—a dream that stands in stark contrast to her present life in the countryside.
Meanwhile in the city, Taki Tachibana lives a busy life as a high school student while juggling his part-time job and hopes for a future in architecture.
One day, Mitsuha awakens in a room that is not her own and suddenly finds herself living the dream life in Tokyo—but in Taki’s body!
Elsewhere, Taki finds himself living Mitsuha’s life in the humble countryside. In pursuit of an answer to this strange phenomenon, they begin to search for one another.
Kimi no Na wa. revolves around Mitsuha and Taki’s actions, which begin to have a dramatic impact on each other’s lives, weaving them into a fabric held together by fate and circumstance.
Comments From fans
Makoto Shinkai’s latest work goes even further to support the theory that he’s fantastic at directing a visually brilliant movie, but lacks the writing ability to tell a good story.-Jex
15. Into the Forest of Fireflies’ Light (2011)
When tragedy is about to strike, Satoru Fujinuma finds himself sent back several minutes before the accident occurs.
The detached, 29-year-old manga artist has taken advantage of this powerful yet mysterious phenomenon, which he calls “Revival,” to save many lives.
However, when he is wrongfully accused of murdering someone close to him, Satoru is sent back to the past once again, but this time to 1988, 18 years in the past.
Soon, he realizes that the murder may be connected to the abduction and killing of one of his classmates, the solitary and mysterious Kayo Hinazuki, that took place when he was a child. This is his chance to make things right.
Boku dake ga Inai Machi follows Satoru in his mission to uncover what truly transpired 18 years ago and prevent the death of his classmate while protecting those he cares about in the present.
Comments From Fans
Really worth 45 mins of your time. The film may be short but by the end of it, you will definitely feel a variety mix of emotions. – peewee_catindig
14. Marnie Was There (2014)
Suffering from frequent asthma attacks, young Anna Sasaki is quiet, unsociable, and isolated from her peers, causing her foster parent endless worry.
Upon recommendation by the doctor, Anna is sent to the countryside, in hope that the cleaner air and more relaxing lifestyle will improve her health and help clear her mind. Engaging in her passion for sketching, Anna spends her summer days living with her aunt and uncle in a small town near the sea.
One day while wandering outside, Anna discovers an abandoned mansion known as the Marsh House.
However, she soon finds that the residence isn’t as vacant as it appears to be, running into a mysterious girl named Marnie. Marnie’s bubbly demeanor slowly begins to draw Anna out of her shell as she returns night after night to meet with her new friend.
But it seems there is more to the strange girl than meets the eye—as her time in the town nears its end, Anna begins to discover the truth behind the walls of the Marsh House.
Omoide no Marnie tells the touching story of a young girl’s journey through self-discovery and friendship, and the summer that she will remember for the rest of her life.
Comments From Fans
Out of the dark – k-sky123
13. Plastic Memories (2015)
Eighteen-year-old Tsukasa Mizugaki has failed his college entrance exams, but after pulling some strings, he manages to land a job at the Sion Artificial Intelligence Corporation. SAI Corp is responsible for the creation of “Giftias”—highly advanced androids which are almost indiscernible from normal humans.
However, unlike humans, Giftias have a maximum lifespan of 81,920 hours, or around nine years and four months. Terminal Service One, the station Tsukasa was assigned to, is responsible for collecting Giftias that have met their expiration date, before they lose their memories and become hostile.
Promptly after joining Terminal Service One, Tsukasa is partnered with a beautiful Giftia named Isla. She is a Terminal Service veteran and considered the best in Giftia retrievals, contrary to her petite figure and placid nature.
Time is fleeting though, and Tsukasa must come to terms with his feelings for Isla before her time is up. No matter how much someone desires it, nothing lasts forever.
Comments From Fans
I’m a grown ass man crying my eyes out for Tsukasa and Isla! LMAO… It’s a great show. Just watch it! -ZakkuZenpai
im crying my eyes out… -skassim123
This series shook me so much that I removed it from queue. This anime is just amazing like that. – NoregianTobz
12. Rascal Does Not Dream Of A Dreaming Girl (2019)
A movie follow-up to the 2018 TV series Rascal Does Not Dream Of Bunny Girl Senpai, Rascal Does Not Dream Of A Dreaming Girl comes in with a very different tone than its predecessor.
The movie involves difficult choices, time paradoxes, and no small amount of lost love. The unexpected shift in tone is only part of what makes Rascal Does Not Dream Of A Dreaming Girl such a tear-jerker.
Comments From Fans
Everything was awesome. Truths about Shouko are told with comfortable speed, with absorbing mood,with beautiful musics. And those truths are so touching… I could’t help shedding tears over and over again. Most of audience was looked moved and weeping like me. – YuukiTanaka2019
This movie is just as good as the first two arcs of the show. The show did get weaker in the later arcs, but this one didn’t follow that. It has a lot of good moments and reveals, although it does get confusing. Very strong film, but the ending feels weak.- Krispier
11. NHK ni Youkoso! (2006)
Twenty-two-year-old college dropout Tatsuhiro Satou has been a hikikomori for almost four years now.
In his isolation, he has come to believe in many obscure conspiracy theories, but there is one in particular which he holds unshakable faith in the theory that the evil conspirator behind his shut-in NEET (Not in Employment, Education or Training) status is the Nihon Hikikomori Kyokai (NHK)—an evil and secret organization dedicated to fostering the spread of hikikomori culture.
NHK ni Youkoso! is a psychological dramedy that follows Tatsuhiro as he strives to escape from the NHK’s wicked machinations and the disease of self-wrought isolation, while struggling to even just leave his apartment and find a job.
His unexpected encounter with the mysterious Misaki Nakahara might signal a reversal of fortune for Tatsuhiro, but with this meeting comes the inevitable cost of having to face his greatest fear—society.
Comments From Fans
Welcome to NHK is an inspirational and relatable anime.-akaiame_yume
10. I Want To Eat You Pancreas (2018)
I Want To Eat Your Pancreas is a tear-jerker but not in the way audiences would expect. There are some twists that help the movie subvert its genre.
What makes I Want To Eat Your Pancreas remarkable is how it deals with the idea of chance and the choices we make when we no longer have a say in our fate.
Comments From Fans
‘I Want to Eat Your Pancreas’ is a common drama production to this industry. It offers generic school settings with rather superficial teenage characters. The only thing it tries to accomplish is toy with its viewers’ emotions to the point of some cheap tearjerking. Those who are okay with this will most definitely see how the movie accomplishes exactly all the thing it wants to. Those who want something more from anime, should look elsewhere.-Karhu
Say what you want about this movie being generic or being acclaimed only because it is a “tearjerker”, but I don’t care. I loved this movie, and I cried my eyes out. The reason people love tearjerkers is because people want to be moved. We want to experience something that will truly take us away from our lives and make us feel something so strong that we are moved to tears. This movie did just that. In an effort to avoid spoiling anything for anyone, I won’t write about the climax and ending, but it was unexpected. That said, I couldn’t imagine it ending any other way. This was a beautiful portrayal of a genuinely unique and special relationship between two people. I highly recommend it! -Eizeral
9. Erased (2016)
You will feel a mix of nervousness, hopelessness, and at times bittersweet emotion as you watch the tale unfold.
Erased is a seinen, supernatural, and psychological mystery anime.
Satoru Fujinuma, 29-year-old manga artist, finds himself bestowed with the ability to move backwards in time, though he does not have full control over it yet. While he wishes to do only good with his ability, things change drastically as he finds himself framed for a murder he did not commit. While in chase, he is transported back to 1988 when he was child and is left to uncover what may be the truth behind the tragedy surrounding a classmate and perhaps the murder in his future.
Comments From Fans
Erased is a psychological mystery anime that portrays human drama, yet sadly was very disappointing, being the characters and numerous plot holes the main culprits. However, it must be mentioned that it has a great direction in animation and a good buildup in the first few episodes, which arguably was enthralling, pulling viewers into the show. – Nervin
8. Orange (2016)
Orange was an emotional roller coastal ride for me. Emotions are things that move us and decide the decisions we take and those decisions decide how our lives end up. Orange is a series that looks at how emotions can change our path.
Comments From Fans
This anime will hit me right in the feels. – hide-is-just-asleep
Bring a box of tissues because you’re gonna cry. – SainAerelos
7. Tokyo Magnitude 8.0 (2009)
Tokyo Magnitude 8.0 centers around a rare anime topic – the pain and destruction of natural disaster. The story explores the aftermath of an 8.0 earthquake and how it would affect innocent individuals.
This is a depressing portrayal of real-life tragedies; a heartbreaking story about the pain and grief caused by a force entirely outside the characters’ control.
Comments From Fans
Tokyo Magnitude 8.0 is a breath of fresh air amidst all the crazy ridiculous shows filled with giant mecha, deadly monsters, hot chicks, and moe guitar plucking girls. It takes a seemingly normal life of a bratty teenager and literally shakes up her world as she confronts the very face of humanity. – Wasabi
6. A silent voice (2016)
This anime deals with the effects of bullying.
Many early scenes involve a young boy, Shoya, bullying his deaf classmate, a girl named Shouko. Eventually, Shouko changes schools, and Shoya’s remaining classmates quickly turn on him.
Years later, Shoya begins a challenging journey to make amends.
Comments From Fans
Koe no Katachi is dangerous because it is exploitative. I’m not going to pretend to know anything about deaf people. I don’t. This movie certainly does not allow any greater understanding into the mind of deaf people is the point I want to iterate. It uses a serious problem as a plot device constantly and reduces Nishimiya to one-dimension. She is the textbook definition of a mary-sue as well as a damsel in distress. This is clearly troublesome when trying to explain deafness to an able-bodied audience. – Detective
5. Angel Beats! (2010)
Angel Beats takes place in a limbo-type afterlife, and the characters are all deceased teenagers who passed away with unfinished business.
Initially masquerading as a comedic slice-of-(after)life anime with supernatural elements, in time, the show dives into the trauma various characters faced in life.
It explores what is preventing them from being able to move on and how they let go. That’s when the tears start to flow.
Many anime fans can cite Angel Beats as their first “sad anime.”
Comments From Fans
I have to admit that I first started watching Angel Beats because of two main reasons: the pretty visuals, and the presence of guitars. But once I began watching the show in earnest, I found a lot more here than I expected. Angel Beats is a show that keeps me guessing, and consistently tugs at strings I didn’t know existed until they were pulled. – cildcocal
this show left a deep mark inside me or us I just wish they can make a special episode for a glimpse of menma’s reincernation or time skip to heaven where they can all meet up again making the mark inside of us completely positive and good. -jover88
i just finished it yesterday and the ending was heartbreaking…- animegirlsami
4. Your Lie In April (2014)
A teenage piano prodigy who can no longer play after the death of his abusive mother. One day though, he meets a free spirited violinist named Kaori, who encourages him to come out of his shell and experience life again.
Unfortunately while she’s encouraging him, she’s hiding a big secret of her own.
Comments From Fans
Few episodes in will get you hooked to binge watch. This is great story writing. Will have you on the edge of your seat to the end. Hope we see more of these great storylines. – Ash_tro
I clicked a video discussing the show and started to cry, 30y man btw. This show has something special, unlike others of its kind. I will write a review just because of how beautiful it is. seriously, nearly 1k 5 star ratings isnt enough -mx1289
I honestly wish they would make a 2nd season, this is a show when I truly need a good cry, I believe this has been and forever will be my most favorite anime!!!!!!! -Star_Lilly_
3. Anohana The Flower We Saw That Day (2011)
AnoHana is about a group of teenagers who were super close friends when they were young but after one of their friends dies in an accident, they drift apart and go their separate ways.
One of these kids, Jintan, has become a recluse who refuses to go to school or leave the house until he starts seeing the ghost of his childhood friend, Menma.
Armed with a new purpose in life, Jintan seeks to gather his friends together again, so that they can grant the wish of Menma and help send her to the afterlife.
Comments From Fans
Dealing with the death of a friend or loved one isn’t easy, no matter how old you are, and everyone comes to terms with their loss in different ways. Adults can drink themselves into a stupor in an effort to dull the pain, take off on a journey of self-discovery, bury themselves in their work, or find some other coping mechanism. Unfortunately, the same isn’t true for children, and all too often they are unable to truly deal with the emotional turmoil that occurs. – Archaeon
“Oh no, here come the tears!”
Anohana was a fantastic, emotional story of loss that struck all the right heart chords. Anyone who has abruptly lost someone premature in their lives can relate to this series. What it does, it does very good in fact… And I really started empathizing with the characters like I knew exactly what tragedy they had gone through. All of the characters and their motives were believable, and it made for one enjoyable experience. – themegamancave
2. Clannad: After Story (2008)
Clannad After Story asks, “It is really better to have loved and lost than to never love at all?” Whatever the answer, audiences will always cry.
If the first season of Clannad wasn’t enough to get the tears flowing, the second season will certainly push you over the edge.
In the second season of the story picks up as Tomoya and Nagisa graduate from high school and get married. Tomoya gets a job to support his now pregnant wife but Nagisa’s poor health comes into play in a very real and dramatic way.
The anime is full of heartbreak, and the ending manages to be tragic, wonderful, and confusing all at once.
Comments From Fans
In a nutshell, Clannad ~After Story~ influenced the way I will live for the rest of my life and not just in some half-assed way like any other show would. It legitimately moved me to make certain decisions, for better or for worse. In that sense, no other anime can compare, as no other anime has provided an equivalent reaction on my part. – LemonLyme
Couple of facts for you. I’m 25 years old. I weigh about 80kgs. I work 12 hours a day as a truck driver. I cried like a little bitch watching this series. – PorkBun-kun
Episode 18 of after story had me crying myself to sleep last night. I don’t think I’ve ever cried this much since I was a kid. – ReckonerJoel
1. Grave of The Fireflies (1988)
One of the most tragic movies to ever be made, this feature takes place in Japan during WWII, and follows two children who have no parents to watch over them.
Having to survive on their own, they do their best, but sadly their best proves to not be good enough to save them from the horrors of the war.
This is a brutal movie that many people say they can only watch once and never again. Death, destruction, abuse, neglect, starvation… these are all sad truths about war and things that these children do their best to survive through.
Comments From Fans
A Beautiful Unforgettable Masterpiece that shows the true cost of war. – The_Fifth_Echo
The best movie you’ll never want to see again – Nogami
One of the finest films ever made. – Theoron
Brutally honest and heartbreaking – Dark0
