Japan’s history and destiny were irrevocably changed after the bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki. In a matter of seconds thousands of people perished in a hellish fireball, and those who survived had to live with the life lasting consequences of radiation. This catastrophic event left a deep trauma in the psyche of this country and countless disciplines have tried to bridge this gap and heal this gaping wound.
Anime has formed part of this endeavor, and it serves as a useful tool to educate, divulge, and express the dangers of human violence and the terrible consequences that continue to be felt to this day.
Anime began as a new model of visual entertainment, and little by little it became a universal genre that touches deep themes as any film or TV program. People normally associate cartoons with children or teenagers, but this belief simply shows a complete lack of knowledge on the subject. Anime is an incredible and visual journey to the furthest reaches of human emotions.
Given that these are digital creations, the author has complete control over the story, characters, and themes. This is why anime can become a product of intense insight that can overshadow any Hollywood production. A clear example of this is the works of Studio Ghibli, eight of which are box office successes across the world. Spirited Away is the highest grossing film of all time in Japan.
Even though all of Studio Ghibli’s works are incredible because of the melancholy and significance, there is much more to be discovered. We offer you 20 of the saddest animes of all time, because if Hayao Miyazaki taught us anything is that this Japanese style is focused on introspection, feeling, and the exorcism of inner demons we all carry within. Ultimately, anime will tear you apart and put you back together.
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Clannad
Tomoya Okazaki is a melancholy senior high school student who lives in desperation and confusion after the death of his mother. His father is also undone by the loss and loses himself to drinking and gambling. As the relationship father-son disintegrates, Tomoya feels hopeless, until he meets Nagisa Furukawa, an enigmatic girl who will change his life in unpredictable ways.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P-zhIImKP5k
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Wolf Children
Wolf Children is an animated film directed and co-written by Mamoru Hosoda. This is the story about a woman named Hana as she raises her half-human half-wolf children after their father, a werewolf, dies.
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Angel Beats!
Searching for the Full Moon
Full Moon (Sagashite) is based on a manga by Arina Tanemura, which was later on adapted into a 52 episode anime in 2002 by Nihon Ad Systems.
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Your Lie in April
Arima Kousei spent his childhood on the piano, following the orders of his mother, a frustrated pianist who never achieved fame. When his mother sickens, Arima leaves the piano behind and enters a strange depression. When his mother passes away, he enters a severe emotional crisis that spots him from playing the piano, even if it is the only way he can honor her memory. When everything seems lost, Kousei meets an extroverted violinist, Kaori, who will bring back Kousei’s passion through her love of music.
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Steins; Gate
This anime has surprising origins, having started out as a visual novel and released for Xbox 360 in 2009. An anime adaptation by White Fox aired in Japan in 2011, and has been licensed in the US by Funimation. It deals with time travel, friendship and unimaginable plot twists that will both leave you at the edge of your seat and break your heart into pieces.
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Puella Magi Madoka Magica
One day, Madoka Kaname dreams of a young mysterious girl who fights against strange creatures. The following day she encounters this young girl in school, who is a transfer student from a place far away. The following series of events culminate with the arrival of a mystical creature called Kyubey, who offers to grant her any wish in exchange for her soul. What Madoka doesn’t know is that she will have to become a magical being that will fight against a fearsome enemy group called “The Witches.”
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Air
Air is based on the visual novel of the same name. It was directed by Tatsuya Ishihra and written by Fumihiko Shimo.
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Anohana: The Flower We Saw That Day
A group of friends drift apart after the death of the cute and innocent girl, Mieko. Years after her death, the leader of the group, Jinta has a spiritual encounter with Mieko who pleads for his help, so she can have her wish granted. Jinta gathers his estranged friends and must convince them that he can see Mieko and so fulfill her last wish. As the group struggles to help Mieko move on, they must also help each other move on as well.
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True Tears
The anime True Tears is a departure from the visual novel of the same name. It was directed by Junji Nishimura and aired in Japan in 2008, containing 13 episodes.
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Tokyo Magnitude 8.0
This anime is set in Tokyo after a destructive earthquake of a magnitude of 8.0 on the Richter scale. In this apocalyptic setting, the brothers Mirai and Yuuki must overcome obstacles in order to reach home and find their parents. On the way back, they meet a motorcyclist called Mari who must also return home. From that moment onwards, the three of them must mature and become stronger so they can endure the journey of death they are about to embark.
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Charcoal Feather Federation
Haibane Renmei, also known as Charcoal Feather Federation is a 13-episode anime series based on the work of Yoshitoshi Abe.
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5 Centimeters Per Second
Takaki Tono and his friend Akari Shinohara have to part ways after the end of school year because their parents will start working in different cities. Both of them keep in touch through letters, but as time goes by the promise becomes weaker. Their separation heightened their love and need, and when they finally meet, they declare their love for each other, but unfortunately they understand that the relationship will not work given the distance. As time goes by, both mature, but the illusion remains. Will destiny put them back together?
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Chrono Crusade
Based on a Japanese manga by Daisuke Moriyama, in 2003 it was made into a 24-episode anime with the same name. This fantasy story, set in the nineteen twenties’ New York, tells the adventures of young exorcist Rosette Christopher and her partner, the demon Chrono, while searching for her brother, Joshua.
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One Week Friends
Yuuki Hase is in his second year of high school and has a crush on Kaori. She kindly rejects him because each week her mind restarts and she forgets everyone. Despite the warning, Yuuki is set on getting to know her and conquer her heart. So, each Monday he sets out to woo her and with time Kaori’s memory begins to improve, but gaps continue to remain. Hase is adamant to remain by her side, because in his eyes, feelings remain forever etched in the heart, even if they fade from the mind.
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Kanon
This anime encompasses two series produced by two different studies. It is based on the visual novel by Key.
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Grave of the Fireflies
This anime film tells the story of two children who struggle to survive in times of war. These series of tragedies begin when the city of Kobe is bombed by American planes. Seita, who is fourteen, and Setsuko, who is only five, escape the attack, but their mother passes away. From that moment onward, these two siblings will have to survive a series of events that leave them deep mental scars. This film unfolds into an unspeakable tragedy that denounces the horrors of war and how the innocent are the ones who suffer the most.
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Plastic Memories
This series aired in 2015 and was produced by Doga Kobo and directed by Yoshiyuki Fujiwara.
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Now and Then, Here and Now
On his way home, Shu finds an innocent girl called Lala-Ru being attacked by a group of kidnappers. In the skirmish, both are captured and taken to a strange and far away land. In this new place there is a lack of food and water, and women are captured and used for reproduction purposes only. The anime centers on the plight of these two teenagers who struggle to escape this terrifying land.
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Elfen Lied
Based on a manga by Lyn Okamoto, Elfen Lied is portrayed as a tragic love story, and its director, Mamoru Kanbe wanted to “bring viewers to tears.”
