I have several, but if I must pick one, it’s A Place Further Than The Universe. Interestingly, it’s simultaneously the happiest, too.
It wasn’t the case at first, but when I rewatched it, I was purely, emotionally devastated.
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Grave of the Fireflies
Oh mate, clannad was sad
Clannad, after story, and then your lie in april.
Came here to find After Story, wasn’t disappointed.
Clannad after story is so sad that even the stupid Twitch plays Pokémon edit of it makes me cry.
Voices of a Distant Star. It tops Your Lie in April for me.
I came to say this. Holy hell it’s brutal.
A Place Further Than The Universe was so gorgeous oh lord. I was watching it on the exercise bike - big mistake - and was just openly sobbing at gym.
For my picks:
Shigatsu Wa Kimi No Uso or Your Lie In April is an absolutely heartbreaking story but its so beautiful. Strong contender.
Also Kimi No Na Wa or Your Name if movies count - I still cry like a baby every time I watch it, but it has a few of the story tropes that I’m an absolute sucker for so I’m biased. Its still incredibly moving even with that in mind.
Your Lie in April. Easiest choice I’ve ever had to make.
this one made me really sad for a long time
Me too. I was absolutely shattered for a few days, base-level sad for a few weeks, and bleak undertones for months. It was jaw droopingly beautiful as a story but fuck, ow.
Lot’s of anime are sad but most of them end on a positive or hopeful note. That’s why I consider anime that end on a bleak note to be sadder. Stuff like Grave of the Fireflies or the recent Look Back.
Trigun. Vash is just getting shit on for almost 2 centuries and all he’s doing is trying to help humans, but his brother is just out to make him miserable.
I haven’t seen a TON like I assume most on this comm have, but for me Grave of the Fireflies. It was too real for an animated film. Not in the sense that kids can’t handle reality, but just in the fact that it’s NON-STOP misery for the characters. There’s literally never a high moment in the movie, just tragedy after tragedy happening to children.
And it even continues after the movie ends when you look it up. First you see that the lights on the movie poster are not fireflies but incendiary bombs and then you read further and learn that it’s based on the real-life experiences of the author and was written as an apology to his dead sister. I mean it was his pride that led to her very slow and miserable death, so I can see him having problems coming to terms with that. It’s a movie that just keeps on giving. I always say it’s the best movie I only watch once.
Without knowing it was directly a true story about specific people, I knew it was more or less the truth for loads of unfortunate souls throughout history. Agreed on never watching it again.
Clannad After Story, Liz and the Blue Bird, Phantom: Requiem for a Phantom, Violet Evergarden, A Silent Voice.
I Want to Eat Your Pancreas. The only anime that made me cry.
Not overall sad but had moments that absolutely wrecked me.
Elfen Lied
Listen to Me Girls, I’m Your Father
A Silent Voice
Your Name
Cowboy BeBop
Bang…
See you, Space Cowboy
*cries
Listen to Me Girls, I’m Your Father
Is this like Higehiro, where it starts out really suggestive but turns into a kind of decent story? Because I’m getting nothing but red flags from the first episode.
Yes.
Some might disagree, but I thought “Your Name” was sad.
Controversial
Bible Black.
It’s been 20ish years but the name that sprang up to mind was Now and Then, Here and There. I don’t remember much except it was pretty bleak and sad.
I couldn’t finish that one. Still have the box set. But it was just too much.
Distant-future apocalypse with child soldiers and a scenery-chewing madman (not of the fun type) in charge. The adjective that comes to mind for me is “grim”, but “sad” works too—no one escapes the story unscathed. I have the original DVDs around here somewhere.
Japan Sinks 2020
Wolfs Rain
