Top 10 Saddest Animated Movies

You might think animated movies are all about singing animals and happy endings, right? Well, think again. There's a subset of animated films that tug at your heartstrings in ways you'd never expect.

You'll find yourself reaching for tissues as you become deeply invested in characters and storylines that go well beyond child's play. So, brace yourself. These movies are an emotional rollercoaster you probably didn't see coming.

The Top Ten

Toy Story 3

When Andy had to give up his toys to go to college, no one was happy.
Up

Okay, to be honest, I don't love the movie Up. I mean, it's okay and everything, but I don't really think it deserves an Academy Award nomination for Best Picture. (Don't judge me. I just think Pixar has done better.) But I still enjoy it.
Anyway, WHAT IN THE WORLD!? THIS SHOULD BE NUMBER 1! Here are all the DEPRESSING scenes (SPOILERS):
1. In the first 10 minutes of the movie, Ellie has a miscarriage. After that, Ellie just sits in a rocking chair, depressed, and Carl can't do anything but watch. So sad!
2. After Carl makes Ellie feel better about the miscarriage, she and Carl plan to go to Paradise Falls together and save up their money but end up having to use the money for other things. After a while, Carl and Ellie's jar is used as a joke, but you can see that the two are a little hurt that they won't be able to go to Paradise Falls. Reality stinks...
3. Finally, Carl gets enough money for him and Ellie to go on a vacation together (I forgot where they were going to go), and he plans a lovely surprise for Ellie. But she gets sick, and the two can't go on the trip. Later, Ellie dies... And Carl is filled with grief as he sits in the church where the two got married and where Ellie's funeral was, ALONE. HEARTBREAKING!
4. Years later, Carl meets a kid named Russell (I think everyone who's seen the movie knows what happens after that), who helps Carl's grief heal. But one thing nobody even bothers to talk about is that Russell's dad never seems to have time for him, making Russell mainly dependent on Phyllis (who I think is Russell's stepmother?). She doesn't really like Russell all that much. And we never see Russell's mom or get any mention of Russell's mom, hinting that she doesn't have time for him either. Pretty heartbreaking...... read more
Grave of the Fireflies

This is not your regular sad kids movie. In Grave of the Fireflies, a 14-year-old boy is tasked with caring for his 4-year-old sister during the end of World War II. The movie's apathy to death and loss is deeply sad.
However, watching the children lose their innocence is even more devastating. It's a cruel and unfair ending for the young children, as they eventually succumb to starvation. It's even sadder when you learn it's based on a true story.

I get that people are entitled to their opinions, but I really think it is a FACT that this is not only the saddest animated movie of all time but possibly the saddest movie ever.
The Lion King

Mufasa died saving his son from a stampede caused by his brother, Scar, to take the throne.
Monsters Inc.

It's sad at the end when they say goodbye to Boo, but they see her again. They just don't show it.
The SpongeBob SquarePants Movie

It's sad that SpongeBob and Patrick dry out.
Spirit: Stallion of the Cimarron
Inside Out

This is the only movie I've ever cried at.

Bing Bong dying was heartbreaking.
Bambi
The Fox and the Hound

The scene where Todd got abandoned in the dark, moist forest by Widow Tweed, and that harmonica played with the strings, just killed me.

Yes, this is so sad! They don't live together, and everyone's mad at each other throughout the movie.

All Tod and Copper ever wanted was to be friends. In the end, they realize they can never be.

The Newcomers

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Padak
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An American Tail

The Contenders

The Prince of Egypt
Wall-E

My favorite film of all time. I can agree with this being here to an extent because I understand how emotional one can get just from watching this. Despite the fact that I usually never cry when watching it, I have loved it for 15 years, and it will never be dethroned as my favorite film of all time.
I will never care how high or low this is ranked as long as it is the number 1 Pixar movie of all time in my heart.
Rugrats In Paris: The Movie
The Iron Giant
How to Train Your Dragon 2

This isn't just a great sequel or a great animated movie. It's just a great movie, period, not to mention one of the most emotional movies I've ever seen.
The world-building and the character development are incredible, and you really care about the characters and what's happening to them. There is also a shocking development towards the end that will have fans of the film tagging it as the franchise's "Luke, I am your father" moment.
There are not many movies that can move your emotions in the way How to Train Your Dragon 2 can, and that is truly the mark of a great movie.

I've watched this movie recently and... OK, let's get to the point! This was absolutely one of the greatest movies in the world I've ever seen! I really didn't know that I would comment on this movie like this! I think you understand what I'm saying.
I thought that there was no animated movie sadder than Inside Out, but now I'm saying that How to Train Your Dragon 2 is the best of them all! But one thing: Stoick shouldn't have died. So sad!
Pokémon: The First Movie

The last scene of this heart-touching movie made me embrace the entire Pokémon series. Even at the age of 15, I still watch it.
Dumbo

Dumbo and his mother during the song "Baby Mine" get me every time.
The Plague Dogs
Watership Down
Ratatouille
The Land Before Time

One of the saddest animated movies I've seen. It makes me cry even today.

Should be number 1. Littlefoot's mom dying was depressing, and unlike Bambi, we had to see Littlefoot be depressed for half the film because he lost his mother and had nobody after his mother died until he met his friends in the movie.

Very good movie, but sad and creepy at times. Also, why isn't Felidae on here?
All Dogs Go to Heaven

It was so sad when Itchy got beaten up by Carface and his gang, but I think by far the saddest scene is the end. Charlie accepts his death and says goodbye and sorry to Anne-Marie, who almost got killed and has Itchy sleeping next to her. Charlie doesn't wake up Itchy to tell him goodbye due to Charlie not wanting to hurt Itchy anymore.
To make matters worse, Itchy looks as if he cried himself to sleep because he saw Charlie die a second time. PLUS, it was Charlie's fault that Itchy got beaten up by Carface in the first place, making Charlie and Itchy's last conversation a fight, and NOW that Charlie is dead, he and Itchy can't make amends. I do think Charlie did the right thing not to wake Itchy up (if Charlie did, Itchy's heart would probably be broken all over again), but it is still depressing.
Anyway, enough about Itchy (even though Itchy is a pretty depressing character who decides to stay in heaven in the sequel, meaning he never even wanted to be alive). Charlie saying goodbye to Anne-Marie is DEVASTATING. The tears in both of their eyes and Charlie's apology are just so sad. To make matters worse, Anne-Marie's voice actress died before the film's release due to being murdered by her father, and the song in the film "Love Survives" is dedicated to her memory. Dedicating a song in her memory is pretty sweet, but... Anne-Marie's voice actress getting KILLED... BY HER OWN FATHER!? This should be higher on this list. SO SAD!
Charlotte's Web

Cute but sad. The death of Charlotte is just so SAD! But it is "just part of life" Charlotte says to Wilbur, which is also sad because Wilbur is crying.

I'm so depressed when Charlotte dies and Wilbur takes care of her babies.
Wreck-It-Ralph
The Good Dinosaur