What do you consider the saddest anime?
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.
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.
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.
Your lie in april
I don't usually watch sad stuff so Welcome to the NHK is probably the saddest I've seen.
Next Stop Anime Postpartum Depression
All of the anime mentioned above are honestly great🤌 please consider giving any of them a watch if you're bored🤗
I didn't know what to do with my life when I finished steins;gate (which only has one season. Anyone who tells you otherwise is a liar)
LA Blue Girl
-_-
(👁 ͜ʖ👁)
Well, I can think of only Clannad: AF atm.
If you mean most tears, definitely Clannad. Probably others that would be more sad in a depressing kinda way though.
It would be incredibly depressing if you excluded the last episode lol
A silent voice
Clannad After Story, Liz and the Blue Bird, Phantom: Requiem for a Phantom, Violet Evergarden, A Silent Voice.
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.
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.
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.
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.
I couldn't finish that one. Still have the box set. But it was just too much.
Some might disagree, but I thought "Your Name" was sad.
Controversial
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
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.
Grave of the Fireflies
I Want to Eat Your Pancreas. The only anime that made me cry.
To your eternity
I loved the first half of the first season, but I feel like it got a bit stale by the end of the first season. I haven't watched the second.
Would absolutely recommend, though.
Bible Black.
Yeah agreed. The character building in that was good.
Orange was pretty sad iirc.
LOOK BACK was pretty dang sad, but it's one of the only 10/10 anime I've ever seen.
Dororo (2019) is also up there.
Other than Grave of the Fireflies, some others I never see mentioned are Saikano and In This Corner of the World.
Ninja Scroll. I will never forgive that evil dude for permanently cock blocking the protagonist.
Damn I can't figure spoilers. Sora yori tooi was unexpectedly good
Madoka was pretty bleak at times.
Trigun. Vash is just getting shit on for almost 2 centuries.
Something that had sad moments and I think is often overlooked is Gene of AI. It is more of a philosophical anthology series though rather than a show that builds up characters to hit you with emotional baggage.
Japan Sinks 2020
Wolfs Rain
Saikano is an underrated sad anime!
My kneejerk reaction to the question is "Grave of the Fireflies".
Ditto. I like a lot of sad stuff and that is just another level.
It really is in a class all its own. I don't think I could ever watch it again.
Fun fact: originally a double feature with My Neighbor Totoro.
Which one played first?
My Neighbor Totoro is really sad also (or can be).
That sounds like a roller coaster of a ride.