Top 10 Anime Series and Movies that Made You Cry
Ever find yourself totally caught up in an anime movie or series? Sometimes the stories are so moving, the characters so relatable, that even a hardened anime fan can't help but get a little misty-eyed (No judgment here!). Those heartfelt moments can stick with you long after the credits roll.Have you ever watched an anime that brought on the waterworks? Don't worry, you're definitely not alone. Here's your chance to share those titles with other fans. We're building a list of the most emotionally resonant, tear-jerking anime series and movies.
Angel Beats! is a 13-episode Japanese anime television series produced by P.A.Works and Aniplex and directed by Seiji Kishi. This anime should be a lot higher than it is. The first few episodes will have you laughing, then you'll start crying. Like Anohana, it gets you connected to the characters. SPOILER FOLLOWS. It rips them away from you or builds relationships then destroys them, like when Angel graduated.
In Anohana, it's really just the last episode where everything hits you all at once, but with Angel Beats, there are tears throughout.
With 5 Centimeters Per Second, I read the manga, and it was really sad all around, but no tears from me. With Naruto and Code Geass, you just have to be emotionally involved to cry. I cried at every important character death in Naruto. I was devastated when Asuma, Neji, Gai, Pain, Itachi, Gaara, Deidara, and Konan died. I cried during Naruto only because I'm really emotionally connected, but it isn't a sad anime. Hell, I cried in KnB and Free!
I'm not a big crier, but I cried like a baby while watching this. This is the only anime, and I have watched a lot, that has ever made me cry. I really think that the reason I cried was because of how well I got to know the characters and their stories throughout the anime.
Because of that, you really get to share their pain of losing a loved one. You get to experience the joy and happiness of their carefree high school life and suffer with them through the trials of being an adult.
I wasn't surprised that this anime is #1. It definitely deserves to be. However, it isn't just the sad tears that made this anime #1, but the happy tears as well.
Your Lie in April, known in Japan as Shigatsu wa Kimi no Uso or just simply Kimiuso, is a Japanese manga series written and illustrated by Naoshi Arakawa. This anime left me emotionally devastated for a solid three days after I finished it. I can't even begin to tell you how hard I sobbed. I know the overall message is supposed to be happy and hopeful, but oh my goodness. Even though you know exactly what's coming, it hits you SO HARD. It's a beautiful story and one of my favorites, despite how much I cry every time. Haha.
This should be number one. When I watched the last two episodes, I finished a whole tissue box from crying. The scriptwriters and the animation are amazing. At first, I thought it would be a romantic comedy anime. Heh. I was wrong. This has changed my life forever. It's beautiful. Who knew a lie could cause such a wonderful story?
Clannad is based off a visual novel. It follows the story of a high school senior named Tomoya Okazaki, a delinquent who floats through life caring about very little. He hates the town he lives in and his alcoholic father... read more I'd rather pick Clannad After Story to be #1 than Clannad. I don't particularly find Clannad the saddest anime ever, since I don't cry a lot. Well, I did waste my tears on Clannad After Story. I think it has a beautiful storyline, even though I got a little bit disappointed with the ending.
For me, Clannad After Story reminds me of my father, with whom I often had arguments and sometimes we fought. Tomoya and his father reflect my relationship with my father. My father passed away before I watched this, so it brings regrets to me that I hated him. That's my #1 reason to love this anime. I think Clannad After Story will "crush" your heart more when you remember how much you hate your parent, especially your father, and how deeply you regret that.
If you have ever lost a friend, this show will hit you hard. Watching how Menma's friends deal with her death in different ways was heartbreaking. Throughout the show, I laughed and cried a little. The end, though, is like a truck full of tears hitting you on the freeway and smacking you into Crybabyville. Believe me, it's that intense. The last episode is so heartbreaking. I had to pause it just so I could wipe the tears from my eyes to see. If you haven't watched it, WATCH IT.
This seriously made me cry the most. I cried for 45 minutes after that 11th episode, and I still have a tough time telling my friends what it is about. It was very heartwarming and pretty funny too. I recommend this show to everyone. Be sure to keep a box of tissues near you when you watch this anime.
Code Geass: Lelouch of the Rebellion, often referred to as simply Code Geass, is a Japanese anime series created by Sunrise, directed by Gorō Taniguchi, and written by Ichirō Ōkouchi, with original character designs by manga authors Clamp. When you watch an anime like Code Geass, one would expect death, right? I mean, the anime's basis is war, and in war, people die. But I never thought it would be as heart-wrenching as it ended up being, especially in R2. I'll be honest, I didn't sob because very few things make me sob, but there were many parts that seriously gripped my heart and wouldn't let go.
This is so sad. I have several theories about the end.
Theory 1: I have it in my mind that it was all of Lelouch's plan to die so all world problems would be blamed on him and the world would be better.
Theory 2: The stranger in the mask is actually Lelouch, and the other Lelouch is an imposter who was very loyal to Lelouch.
Saddest theory: the ending is real.
Fullmetal Alchemist is an anime series adapted from the manga of the same name by Hiromu Arakawa. It is about two brothers, Edward Elric and Alphonse Elric, trying to restore their bodies after failing at bringing their mother back to life. It aired in 2003 and was remade as Full Metal Alchemist Brotherhood... read more I have spent hours watching and re-watching episodes from this utter masterpiece. This anime has made me cry literal tears every time I reach the end. Never have I watched something so enjoyable and so interesting. The soundtrack will paralyze you with emotion, and the characters' mood affects your own.
The storyline and deep plot might just ruin you for all other anime. After watching this pure, well-written, and perfectly executed anime, I knew I would never enjoy something as much as I did watching this show.
This old Army Ranger retiree bawled like a 3-year-old. One of the most heartrending stories ever.
You'll never know what hit you until it's too late.
You watch it and you tell me if you cried or not.
Elfen Lied is a Japanese manga series written and illustrated by Lynn Okamoto. It was originally serialized in Shueisha's Weekly Young Jump from June 2002 to August 2005, with the 107 chapters collected into twelve tankōbon volumes. Very disappointed that this is fifteenth. I have watched Naruto, Your Lie in April, Fairy Tail, and One Piece, and I gotta say, Elfen Lied beats them by a long distance.
Naruto, Fairy Tail, and One Piece were sad at some parts, but not really tear-jerking. The reason they're above Elfen Lied is probably because they have huge fan bases.
Your Lie in April... that was sadder than Naruto, Fairy Tail, and One Piece, but not as sad as Elfen Lied. It was tear-jerking for sure, but actual tears never came out for me. I just really wanted to cry.
Elfen Lied, on the other hand, actually made me cry. Tears were actually falling down my cheeks. I never thought two hours of manga could leave me like this.
Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood is an anime series adapted from the Fullmetal Alchemist manga by Hiromu Arakawa. Most "emotional" anime are normally romance, which is not really wrong, but come on!
This anime was by far really heart-breaking. Not because of a couple, but because you get to see the effects of war, social discrimination, and deaths. Yet, despite all these adversities, humankind still refuses to give up and fight through them.
We also get to see friendships, family ties, and most of all, which I think not a lot of anime go in-depth on, the pure love of siblinghood. It was so heart-warming to witness two brothers having each other's backs through all their sufferings and being willing to sacrifice for each other.
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Violet Evergarden (Japanese: ヴァイオレット・エヴァーガーデン, Hepburn: Vaioretto Evāgāden) is a Japanese light novel series. It was written by Kana Akatsuki and illustrated by Akiko Takase. The series won the grand prize in the fifth Kyoto Animation Award's novel category in 2014... read more Actually, the only one that made me cry.
Naruto is so sad! I cried at every character's death, and Naruto's will is the strongest thing in the world. The art is fantastic and beautiful, while the story and plot are sad and emotional. But even when something is sad, there is a happy, funny, or heartwarming event as well.
When you watch the first episode of the first series, be ready to cry. When that first episode is over, you will have to go watch the very last episode of the second series. You will want to watch every movie too. This show will take you along on an emotional roller coaster. Plus, if you pay attention to the actual plot and specific words, you will be in a wonderland of thought that will change your world.
You will see friendship, bonds breaking, characters dying, characters crying, protection, darkness, light, love, and fights. You will even see how you can save someone with words. I recommend Naruto to anyone, and if you do watch it, the tissues are on the counter.
This is such an underrated movie! It stands only about one millimeter below Elfen Lied, Angel Beats, Anohana, and Clannad. It's very realistic.
The first sentence is:
September 28, 1997. That was the date I died.
Have you heard any sadder intro?
This is seriously such a beautiful and heartwarming story. Even thinking about the story makes me depressed. The characters were so human and lovable, and they will really make you feel awful. This anime will always be my favorite movie. It's truly a masterpiece that will make you cry your eyes out 100%.
This is the anime for me because it has, over time, made me feel all the types of emotions there are. This anime has both light-hearted and intense stories. Over the many years as an anime viewer, I have never found another anime like this. Well, except maybe Fairy Tail, but One Piece is the best at making anyone cry without regretting those tears. Hats off to the greatest anime ever!
It should be placed higher. Unlike most short anime, One Piece has HUGE plot development, and the sheer time you spend watching makes the emotions more intense. You can relate to the characters more and spend more time with them. Whenever a character's past is revealed or a character dies, I cry waterfalls. I have seen most of the anime on these lists, and One Piece made me cry the most. The others only made me teary-eyed (I'm a pretty cold person, lol).
Feels. So many of them. The anime can be hard to understand since the plot is sort of squished compared to the visual novel, but it is still very sad, especially the end.
I just can't explain how I feel about this anime. I cried so hard since chapter 7! And every time I watch this, I just cry over and over again! But I love it!
Air made me cry so much that I was angry with myself.
Future Diary is a Japanese manga series written and illustrated by Sakae Esuno. The plot surrounds a battle royale in which each combatant has a diary with entries from the future. The manga was serialized in the Kadokawa Shoten's Shōnen Ace between January 2006 and December 2010. This was the first anime that actually emotionally destroyed me. I have never cried so much in my life.
I cried when any character died, even if I hated them. This destroyed me, but it was one of the best animes I've seen in a long time.
This is the only anime, except for One Piece, that made me cry, and I didn't even cry when I watched Angel Beats!
Fairy Tail is a manga franchise created by Hiro Mashima. The manga has been adapted into an anime series produced by A-1 Pictures and Satelight, which began broadcasting in Japan on October 12, 2009. Additionally, A-1 Pictures and Satelight have developed seven original video animations and an animated... read more Fairy Tail! So, Fairy Tail is my favorite show in the whole world. Is it as sad as Ano Hana or Clannad? No, nowhere near it, but this show does have its moments of tears and times where their words move you. This show makes you respect friendship and the people you have. If you like to laugh, watch people fight with supernatural powers, and cry a little, then watch this show. There's a reason it's one of the most popular anime out there.
Fairy Tail teaches you important life lessons while hitting you with emotions. The characters' will is the strongest thing you'll ever see. This was the only show that made me cry. It's a show about wizards. Fairy Tail will definitely make you cry.
Attack on Titan, also known as Shingeki no Kyojin in Japanese, created by Hajime Isayama, is one of the most popular Japanese anime series to be released. It was first watched in Japan during 2013 and was dubbed in English to be watched in America in 2014. It is best known for its emotional moments,... read more I believe there is no anime that can compare to the intensity of this story. The people there were almost wiped out by the Giants but still strive to survive. This anime is sure to be one of the best stories and plots, but like every anime, it still has its flaws. But it is very unique to me.
Amazing. The most emotional anime I've ever watched. I don't understand why Fairy Tail is placed above it because Fairy Tail has a horrible plot compared to Attack on Titan. I cried like a baby when Eren's mother died, and I only knew her for one episode!
L and Light are both my favorite characters in Death Note. Seeing the two battle it out to find who could catch the other first was so amazing. I didn't want either to die.
When L died, I couldn't believe it. I thought it was some elaborate trick. And when the feeling sunk in, I started to cry. L was such an interesting character, and the part when his eyes turned from their large, removed state to normal eyes made me cry even harder.
Once L was dead, I was fully Team Kira. When Light died, I felt like I lost a part of me. I really can't tell you how devastated I felt when Light died.
Wolf's Rain is an anime series created by writer and story editor Keiko Nobumoto and produced by Bones Studio. If you haven't seen it, watch it from beginning to end, and I dare you not to choke towards the end. I rank this in my top 5, probably 2-3, beside Neon Genesis Evangelion and Naruto Shippuden. I think One Piece had a good story with Luffy and Ace as well.
I don't know why this is not on the top. I think most people haven't watched it, but you just can't stop crying in the last two episodes.
After the accident in which she lost her mother, 16-year-old Tooru moves in with her grandfather, but due to his home being renovated, is unable to continue living with him. Claiming she will find someone to stay with but also fearing the criticism of her family and not wanting to burden any of her... read more Fruits Basket was the perfect mix of depressing drama and hilarious comedy. It had me crying so much. The Sohmas had a tragic past, and Tohru's ability to make others around her feel good is really inspiring. Although both of her parents are gone, she's still the happiest character in the show. It really made me cry at the ordeals that everyone had to go through.
This is an amazing anime and manga. It is so well set out. How is it in 33rd place? It should be in the top five AT LEAST! This was the first anime that ever made me cry, and the second was Assassination Classroom (for obvious reasons). I am a person who doesn't cry unless something is super sad, so for me to cry in this anime tells me it is an awesome one.
Cowboy Bebop is a 1998 anime television series animated by Sunrise featuring a production team led by director Shinichirō Watanabe, screenwriter Keiko Nobumoto, character designer Toshihiro Kawamoto, mechanical designer Kimitoshi Yamane, and composer Yoko Kanno. I've seen some allegedly tear-jerking anime, but none have seemed to live up to the expectation. I've never cried at an anime before, but this has brought me very close. I say this not in reference to the ending because, to me, the ending is not all that sad. However, there are a number of scenes throughout this episodic anime that bring emotion to the lonely and empty existence each character lives.
Plastic Memories, abbreviated as Pla-Memo, is a Japanese anime television series produced by Doga Kobo and directed by Yoshiyuki Fujiwara. This anime is one of two out of all the ones on the list that actually got me to cry. I could tell from the beginning that it was going to end how it did. I tried not to get involved in it, but somewhere along the line, it just got so good. Then the end came, with tears, lots of tears.
If you're wondering, the only other anime I have seen that made me cry was Angel Beats in the end credits as they all fade away in the order they disappeared in. Not even that matched the emotional train wreck of this one, though.
This anime just came out. After watching lots of sad anime, I knew how it was going to end when I started watching it. Still, almost every episode got to me somehow. There were some scenes where I was laughing while crying hard. It is one of those shows you simply sit back, watch, and try not to cry. But you end up crying anyway because of the story and the dialogues. The emotions get to you!
Ai Yori Aoshi is a Japanese seinen manga written and illustrated by Kou Fumizuki and serialized from 1998 to 2005 in Hakusensha's Young Animal.