Top 80 Best Sad Anime To Watch In 2023

 

We won't be talking about "happily ever after" today because that's not always the case.

 

I know people like happy endings. Do you know what the reason is? It is because most of us do not get what we intend to, in our real lives.

 

Therefore, we satisfy our wants by looking at some fantasy series where the protagonist accomplishes those goals and lives the life of our dreams.

 

But, what about the characters who suffer insanely even in an anime? What about those who do not get a moment of relief throughout the journey of their life?

 

What about separated lovers, cursed lives, tragic endings? Can we not for once (at least) get out of our fantasy bubbles and empathize with them?

 

Life is mostly cruel and we need to live with that in mind.

 

Without further ado, Let's begin with our list of the 'Top 80 saddest anime of all time'.

 

 

80. Banana Fish 

 

 

 

Banana Fish is a thriller, a drama, and a really sad story. 

 

It starts with a mafioso adopting a boy named Aslan, who is a runaway, trying to survive in the rough streets of New York. 

 

But things take a turn when Aslan tries to find more about the 'banana fish' reference given by his elder brother, who returned from the war.

 

This story is bound to make its viewers get overwhelmed with heavy emotions and feel for the characters involved. 

 

 

79. Nana 

 

 

The power of friendship and companionship is often shown in anime and is a very common theme in many stories.

 

But this story, has a very deep meaning.

 

It is a story about two young girls, both named Nana, who are completely different from each other, yet they form a connection.

 

This story is full of laughs, emotions, and sadness and will leave the viewers asking for more. 

 

 

 

78. One Week Friends

 

 

 

The anime showcases how difficult it can be to get some real friends or someone to love, especially when you cannot form long-lasting memories with them. 

 

The main character named Kaori is dealing with amnesia and cannot form proper memories of their loved ones. 

 

This shows how difficult life can be sometimes and even though you have people to love, how lonely it can get and create distance between people. 

 

One Week Friends will make the viewers sad as one can easily relate to the difficulties faced during making new friends. 

 

 

 

77. Wolf Children 

 

 

 

A really heartwarming and captivating story of a single mother, who has to raise her supernatural children, after the death of her werewolf husband. 

 

The big city failed her and her children, so she moves into a peaceful and small village.

 

But the real challenge comes when the children start to grow and realize their true selves.

 

The movie provides a great experience and fills the heart with tons of emotions and heavy feelings. 

 

 

 

76. Your Name

 

 

 

It is a story of a countryside girl who always wanted to be a boy in Tokyo and a city boy and the magical connection between them.

 

Due to some miracle, they swap bodies and now have to live like this for a while. 

 

As the story goes by, things start getting more and more interesting.

 

And things take a drastic turn when the two decide to meet in person. The story is full of emotions and heartwarming feelings. 

 

It is a must for people who want to enjoy a magical love story but with such intense emotions that it brings tears. 

 

 

 

75. Steins;Gate

 

 

This is an anime that will make its viewers laugh, sad and confused.

 

The main character in the anime has figured out a way to change the past.

 

And now is trying to save his childhood friend, who has died in the past. 

 

But it is not as easy as it sounds. Okabe, the main character has to see his friend die again and again, as he could not save her.

 

It is one of the most heartbreaking scenes, and will surely make the viewers cry. 

 

 

 

74. I Want To Eat Your Pancreas

 

 

The name might confuse some people, but it is not a zombie anime, it is a love story, in fact a very sad love story. 

 

It is about a girl named Sakura, who doesn't have many days left to live due to her lethal pancreatic disease. 

 

One of her classmates finds out about her condition from her secret journal and now the tale between two young passionate individuals begins.

 

They want to do so much but have so little time.

 

The boy tries everything he could to make Sakura's last few days the best days of her life and wants to make her every wish come true.  

 

The story is touching and teaches the importance of time and makes one appreciate the time we have with our loved ones.  

 

 

 

73. Elfen Lied 

 

 

It is one of the most depressing anime of all time. It has some horrifying scenes of animal abuse.

 

The anime shows how inhuman some humans can become for their greed. 

 

It is a story of a girl, who is of a special breed called Diclonius. Which makes her a target for brutal torture and experimenting for very long time.

 

She manages to escape by killing everyone around her but now due to the injury caused by it, she has to deal with split personality. 

 

It is a very controversial anime among the fans, and a sad and depressing one for sure.

 

 

 

72. Naruto 

 

 

Naruto is one of the most heartwarming and touching anime out there. 

 

It is a story of a lovable child named Naruto, who just wants to be recognized and cherished in his village.

 

And to him, the only way to do so is by becoming the Hokage of his village. 

 

But the beast inside him makes everyone hate him, but that doesn't stop him.

 

He becomes a Ninja alongside his friends and now they are on a journey to protect their village and each other from upcoming dangers. 

 

This story does a great job of showcasing the importance and power of friendship and close bonds. 

 

Although not primarily focused to be a sad anime, Naruto is filled with various emotions throughout the entire series.

 

It is a rollercoaster of mixed feelings and is highly suggested by all Naruto fans worldwide. 

 

 

 

71. True Tears

 

 

It is a story of a young man named Shinichirou Nakagami, who gets a chance to live in the same building as his crush.

 

But there is something strange, the girl he loves acts differently at home and different in other places.

 

It is a lovely story of these two individuals trying to figure out life and help each other. 

 

It is a must-watch and people with an interest in romance and drama genres are in for a treat. 

 

 

 

70. Lament of the Lamb

 

 

 

"And then there were none" is by far the best summary of the anime. All know what vampires are right?

 

Always thirsty for blood! That's what the protagonists of the anime were, Vampires.

 

Kazuna and Chizuna belong to the Takashira family and inherited dithe sease, or rather a curse from their mother, of blood craving.

 

Chizuna had this disease from a very young age. Initially, it seemed that Kazuna hadn't inherited it and therefore their grandmother told Shizuna to take him away.

 

But things changed and soon Kazuna too started feeling the difference in his behavior.

 

He couldn't control himself when he saw blood or anything that was blood red!

 

He started staying away from his crush Yaegashi because, in a dream, he saw himself killing her for her blood.

 

Can one imagine how horrifying that might have been?

 

All this pain, craving for blood, killing your loved ones in your nightmares, is horrifying.

 

Kazuna and Chizuna had suffered it all. Later in the series, when Kazuna's health will worsen, he'll start living with his sister.

 

Her condition is even worse. They go through hell together and fall in love with each other.

 

This is incest which is not very common.

 

But in a world where nobody, literally nobody can feel or understand what one is going through except only one person, won't the heart be inclined towards that one human?

 

They lost their mother to this disease, and their father committed suicide later.

 

They can't share this with anybody else and are waiting to die, all alone. And that's what happens in the end.

 

Chizuna dies, and Kazuna kills himself. There's nothing more to say about it. 

 

 

 

69. Once upon a time

 

 

 

Lovers turned enemies? Not really! Kingdoms turned battlefields?

 

That's it! Paro and Itha are the two kingdoms that have always maintained a very good bonding, and the people of the two kingdoms two were very close to each other.

 

So much so that the Prince of Paro and the Princess of Itha fell in love with each other.

 

It all seems like a fairy tale doesn't it? 

 

But fate had other plans for the royal children, as well as the two kingdoms.

 

Driven by ambition and greed, the king of Paro invaded Itha and soon the long-living friendship died.

 

All the happiness was drained from the kingdoms and the life of the common people.

 

Greed turned Friendship to ashes. And what the lovers?

 

Caught between duty and emotions, they were forced to fight a war against each other which led to nothing but bitterness.

 

 

68. Hell Girl: Fourth Twilight

 

 

 

How far can you go for revenge? I have no idea about you all, but in this anime, people cross all the limits of taking revenge.

 

It isn't humane anymore. The whole notion of going to "hell" is fictional and therefore we might not be able to imagine how painful it can be.

 

But think for a second, what if all the rumors regarding "hell" are actually true?

 

What if people are truly tormented intensely there? If it's all true, would you ever like to send somebody there to take revenge?

 

One who sends a living person to hell is the one who agrees to go to hell after death.

 

What now? It affects your decision, right? Yet, there are people who don't mind suffering after death, if that can fetch them the opportunity to torment others.

 

In this anime, we have Ai Enma, the Hell Girl who helps others do the same.

 

But something strange happens. A mysterious girl has been following them lately. Who might this be?

 

A savior of mankind? What is her fate?.

 

 

67. Le Portrait de Petit Cossette

 

 

 

Marcello, Cossette's lover, first kills her and then traps her soul in a glass frame.

 

Curse him! But why does he take such a drastic step? Apparently, Cossette was so pretty that he did not want her to grow old.

 

He wanted her to live as a beautiful woman and die the same way.

 

Well, well, we have people deciding how a beautiful woman should die as well! But that's just the backstory.

 

Eri, a young artist, falls in love with the portrait of Cossette, which was, in reality, her trapped soul.

 

Later, we come to know that Eri is in fact the reincarnation of Marcello. Sometimes, History does repeat itself.

 

This time, it was Cossette who tortured Eri because that was the only way to free herself.

 

Eventually, story follows with her falling in love with him. Will Cossette ever be free? Will that be a happy ending?

 

How is that possible? After all, she has already been killed, and Eri is the reincarnation of the same person who did that to her.

 

If given a chance, he would probably do that in this life as well.

 

 

66. Binbou Shimai Monogatari

 

 

 

This is real life. This isn't fantasy. What happens in this anime is the life story of millions and millions of people all around the world.

 

Kyo and Asu are sisters who live together all alone. That doesn't sound scary, does it?

 

They lost their mother, the year Asu was born. And their father? Oh, he was a gambler.

 

He was faced with a large gambling debt. Unable to pay them back, he ran away, abandoning his two young children.

 

Children suffer at the hands of their parents, so did You and Asu.

 

He abandoned them and never looked back. Both the sisters work for their living and try hard to get educated.

 

That's the only way they can change lives, right? It gets difficult you know, two little girls all alone out there, facing the challenges without any helping hand.

 

 

65. The Promised Neverland

 

 

 

A farm that breeds humans? Grace field is the name.

 

It is one of the many farms which breed humans. Alright, but what happens next?

 

Isn't that common sense? What happens to the vegetables and fruits that are yielded on a farm?

 

They are bought, then cut, cooked, and eaten. That's the fate of the orphans living in those human breeding farms.

 

Their beloved "mama" Isabella looks after them and makes sure they grow up to be intelligent.

 

But what's the use of intelligence here? That's because the more intelligent you are, the tastier you will be.

 

Their beloved "mama" loves them all and sends one every three months, to live with their new family.

 

New family? That's a family of demons, who buys those children to feast upon. Will things ever change for them?

 

The eldest siblings of the Grace field have some suspicions regarding the "new family".

 

They will definitely try to know more. But they can't fight demons.

 

 

64. Nobody's Boy Remi

 

 

 

Nobody's Boy? So in the title itself, one can get an idea of the plot right?

 

In the world, there are so many kids being adopted every day. They live happily with their parents.

 

So what if they aren't biologically related. Nothing matters more than love to a kid.

 

Remi lives with his mother in a French village. When his father goes through difficulties and becomes hard-hearted, he decides to sell that little boy.

 

From having parents to becoming an orphan and then somebody's property, Remi goes through a lot.

 

When he discovers that his real parents are still alive, he sets out on a journey full of difficulties and hardships towards London to find them.

 

Let's hope he gets reunited with them. At least, they won't sell him to somebody because of a change in their financial or emotional condition.

 

Or, will they? Who knows?

 

 

63. Vampire Princess Miyu

 

 

 

Even though our list is filled with Sadness, we have a lot of great methods to explore that emotion.

 

And Vampire just so happens to be one of them. So let's see what this anime has to offer!

 

A daughter of a human and a Shinma, Miyu is stuck between the two.

 

Even after yearning to return to the Dark (the land of origin of Shinmas), she can't really go there.

 

Not now at least. But why? From the moment she was awakened, a huge responsibility was given to her.

 

Miyu is the one who has to send all the stray and murderous Shinmas back to the Dark.

 

She can't leave her responsibilities unfulfilled and go live in her own land.

 

Miyu is also a vampire who sucks blood from human beings.

 

 

62. Requiem from the Darkness

 

 

 

One hundred takes by Yamaoka. That's where it all began.

 

Tired of writing stories and riddles for children, Yamaoka decided to try his hands on ghost stories.

 

While researching materials for his book, he comes across a trio called Ongyou.

 

What is the role of the trio in the anime?

 

They are a group of detectives who have been hunting out for legends and myths and fact-checking them, to know the truths.

 

They are the ones who hunted out whether a story is real or a falsification of the original one.

 

But the question is, were these truths made for Yamaoka's eyes? Was it not dangerous for him to experience this?

 

This anime is not "sad" in the sense we take the word "sad" as.

 

Rather, it deserves a position here because of its darkness and gloominess.

 

 

61. Magical Girl Raising Project

 

 

 

It's not a competition anymore, it's a desperate survival battle!

 

Yes, that's the case in Magical Girl Raising Project.

 

Although the name of the anime sounds too good to be a tragic story, the reality is different.

 

In N-City, the Magical Girl was a popular game. 1 in 10,000 girls was given the powers of a magical girl and each time they helped somebody, they were given a magical candy.

 

So far so good, but people don't like good things it seems.

 

The girls are notified that 16 magical girls are a bit too much in one city and therefore they need to win a competition to keep their powers.

 

Little did they know how frightening the results of losing the competition would be.

 

When they did, the competition wasn't a competition anymore.

 

It turned into a life or death battle. Who will live? And, who will die?

 

Is it necessary to take things to the extreme level even in a game? What is this fascination with death and war?

 

 

60. Ringing Bell

 

 

 

Chirin is a lamb who loses his mother when the Wolf King raids the farm.

 

How would a child feel if he sees his mother being torn apart in front of him?

 

The fire of revenge forces Chirin to leave the comfort of his old life and go to the forest.

 

If he wants revenge, he must change himself.

 

In his present state, he cannot fight the Wolf King and he knows that.

 

He knows what it feels like to lose a loved one.

 

It's about a lamb fighting a Wolf. There are certain laws of nature that can hardly be changed.

 

What will Chirin's fate be? Will he end up becoming an easy supper for the invader King?

 

 

59. She, The Ultimate Weapon

 

 

 

Isn't the title weird? She sounds like a living being, and therefore how can "she" be the ultimate weapon?

 

Chise is the "she" here who gets chosen involuntarily to save Japan. But why? No one knows that.

 

Who knows what we don't know? Chise an ordinary schoolgirl, in love with her childhood friend Shuuji, is given a huge responsibility.

 

While trying to fulfill it she starts doubting whether she is a human anymore.

 

With metal wings and superpowers she fights for the country, but her heart knows she never wanted this to happen.

 

All she wanted was a normal life with her love Shuuji. Throughout the anime one can see both of them growing apart.

 

Chise's new position affects their lives and relationship. They struggle to find themselves. Where will they end up?

 

Will they ever live happily together?

 

 

58. Kowarekake No Orgel

 

 

 

It's about a girl named Flower, who is a service android, and Keiichiro a normal boy.

 

Keiichiro has suffered immensely in his life. His whole family died in a car crash on the way to his live show.

 

Yes, he is a very good guitarist. This incident traumatized Keiichiro and left him all alone in the world.

 

He gave up playing guitar because that reminded him of his parents.

 

One can understand if someone gives up his passion, means he had lost all his hope.

 

When Keiichiro meets Flower, his life starts changing.

 

She is the one who triggers feelings in his heart, which was long dead.

 

Although he doesn't open up about his past with people, he does share things indirectly with Flower.

 

Will there be a happy ending to the tragic life of Keiichiro? Let's hope for the best.

 

 

57. Oseam

 

 

 

It follows two orphan siblings, Gami and Gilson. Due to a fire accident at home, they lose their mother and Gami loses her sight.

 

Gilson is a hyperactive boy who doesn't know about the death of his mother.

 

Gami has hidden this truth from him, knowing he would be devastated and she didn't want that.

 

She didn't want to lose her brother. Some people are targeted by fate and are made to suffer insanely.

 

Gami and Gilson are one of those. Gilson, trying to get his sister's sight back, ends up sacrificing his own life.

 

Imagine Gami's situation. He was the only one she had and now he is gone.

 

What's the use of such sight which will never allow her to see the faces of her loved ones?

 

This anime will surely make the viewer feel the devastation if one has to lose his entire family.

 

 

56. Anne of Green Gables

 

 

 

Anne is an orphan girl whom nobody has adopted yet and her life is full of misery.

 

But something magical happens one day. Supernatural? Nah! Something natural but magical.

 

A mistake! Yes, a mistake by the people of the orphanage, who sent Anne (a girl) to Mr & Mrs. Cuthbert, who instead "ordered a boy".

 

Didn't they return her back to the orphanage? Anne's luck favored her this time, after 11 long years, and she was accepted as a member of the Cuthbert family.

 

Her lively nature made her new parents fall in love with her and within a few days, they couldn't imagine life without Anne.

 

Tragedies, loneliness, and all possible feelings of a depressed heart were already experienced by Anne.

 

Now, it was time for her to experience happiness with her parents. 

 

Imagine how difficult life is for those who have nobody to rely upon, no home to return to, no shoulder to cry on!

 

 

55. Princess Sara

 

 

 

Sarah Crewe, the daughter of a wealthy British Ralph Crewe.

 

While studying in London boarding school, a tragedy shook hands with fate and she lost her father.

 

Her family became bankrupt. And of course, there were so-called "human beings" who were ready to take advantage of her helplessness.

 

Miss Minchin, tries every possible way to make her life miserable. Sarah was doing the job of a maid.

 

Why do people tend to be so cruel to weakness? 

 

This little girl lost her father. What happens then?

 

Does she remain a maid? A friend of her father found out about her and decided to adopt her.

 

That's how she escaped from a miserable life. 

 

 

54. Rain Town

 

 

 

Memories - do they ever get old? No one knows what is the strange connection between things long lost and things being born in this new world, but both feel nostalgic.

 

Rain Town is an anime short film depicting a forgotten town in Japan where the rain doesn't stop.

 

Almost symbolizing the sorrow of being forgotten. How would one feel if their reared children don't even remember them as their parents?

 

In the anime, a little girl meets a robot in the long-forgotten Rain Town.

 

Strangers right? Apparently not. The reunion reminded them of memories dug deep within our minds (hearts maybe).

 

The robot, he never really forgot her, the girl might have.

 

Things are so temporary, and this 10-minute short story expressed it all so well.

 

 

53. Mizuko No Bouya

 

 

How painful can it be to bestow love that will never be recognized?

 

Well, that's what one can learn in this anime.

 

Mizuki No Bouya is a heartwarming story about unconditional love and its depiction.

 

A family he will never have. A boy who died before being born tries hard to protect the family he will never be a part of.

 

His soul keeps an eye on his mother and sister.

 

This is loving someone unconditionally, doing all you can to make sure that the person is safe and happy.

 

It might hurt him so much right? He is there, and yet he isn't. He's a part of their family and yet no one ever realizes that.

 

Just by reading the synopsis, one can be certain that this piece has some very grasping story to offer.

 

 

52. Run Melos!

 

 

 

No crimes committed and yet accused of conspiracy? That's what happens if the King becomes a Mad King.

 

Obsessed by the idea of getting assassinated, the King of Syracuse sentences Melos to death for conspiracy.

 

Out of all the men in the town why him? Well, that's all because he was walking in the Castle's garden with a sword in hand, which was bought for his sister's marriage ritual.

 

He gets the King to leave him for three days to at least attend his sister's wedding and give her the sword.

 

That's how much he loves her. His request is granted.

 

But will he die just because the King wants to satisfy his obsession?

 

Won't there be justice in the world? The man who gives justice is the one who sentenced him to death.

 

So, there's no way out of it rather than dying.

 

 

51. Sunday Without God

 

 

 

Although the anime is full of deaths and despair, the title of the anime manages to sound like a holiday to most of the fans.

 

God has decided to abandon the world. If that happens, there will be no deaths or birth anymore.

 

Things will come to a standstill. The world is full of the "Dead" walking restlessly amongst the living humans.

 

The duty of giving a proper burial to the Dead, so that they do not return to haunt us, is given to a group of people, known as "grave keepers".

 

Ai, a sweet and cheerful girl is one of them. Her life takes a turn when Hampnie Hambart, Ai's father returns from nowhere and kills all the people in her village.

 

All alone, without any plans, she decides to accompany the killer. Will the journey be a good one?

 

Is it a good decision to accompany a killer?

 

Without thinking about these she went ahead, continuing to do her duties, and learning more about the world that God left.

 

 

50. Rumbling Hearts

 

 

 

For three long years, Haruka has been in a coma. Takayuki, her boyfriend, was disheartened to hear the news.

 

The accident affected his life far too much. While trying to calm him down and support him in these difficult times, Mitsuki, a mutual friend of both, develops feelings for Takayuki.

 

As times pass by, her feelings are reciprocated and it develops into a relationship.

 

Then, complexities arise when Haruka wakes up and is willing to see Takayuki.

 

Due to her mental condition, she isn't aware of the 3 years gap.

 

Things are still the same for her, but not for the others.

 

What will happen now? Will Takayuki leave Mitsuki and return to Haruka? That would be unfair.

 

Will Mitsuki give up on him for her friend? Life isn't easy, and the moment you think all's well, something unexpected happens.

 

The bonds of friendship and love will be tested. Relationships will become sour and things will take a turn for everyone involved.

 

 

49. Clannad

 

 

 

Tomoya, a hopeless high school boy, lost his mother long ago, and his father didn't treat him well.

 

Life had been very hard on him. He was mostly alone and didn't seem to like anything until he met Nagisa.

 

Tomoya falls for her and tries to help her achieve her dream of reviving the high school's drama club.

 

They support each other in every situation and soon we see both of them deeply in love with each other.

 

Nagisa's health deteriorated again during the years they started living together.

 

Her condition was such that she could have died in childbirth.

 

Knowing the risk she insisted on having one. Ushio was born and Nagisa was dead.

 

Losing Nagisa was too much for Tomoya to withstand and he goes into acute depression.

 

Their daughter stayed with Nagisa's parents.

 

His father and his friends try their best to get him out of the situation.

 

Although they fail, a smile from Ushio does the job.

 

Nagisa won't return, but Ushio does not deserve to suffer due to this.

 

Tomoya's life won't be the same again, but with time we all need to move on with life.

 

A large part of him has gone with his wife, yet it's important to cherish the life of his little daughter.

 

After all, a mother won't like her child to be abandoned, will she?

 

 

48. Voices of a Distant Star

 

 

 

This is about relationships, long-distance relationships to be exact!

 

And the "Relatability" factor in this anime is amazing, to say the least.

 

No matter how strong a relationship is, sometimes distance succeeds in killing or destroying it.

 

Noboru and Mikako are very close friends.

 

They get separated from each other when Mikako gets selected for a military space expedition.

 

As the distance increases, their communication decreases.

 

They try hard to maintain a connection but it gets more and more difficult with every passing day.

 

Will they be able to beat the distance and maintain their bond?

 

If they do, it will probably be an inspiration for us and hope for all the friends and couples out there, missing their beloved ones.

 

 

47. Who's left behind

 

 

 

The World War was a horrible event. However, this anime gives us a perspective to follow that will teach us how messed up, the world war was.

 

Who' left behind is an anime based on real-life experiences of people during the bleak and desolate years of World War II.

 

The story follows the life of a young girl named Kayoko, who gave her favorite doll to help create explosives for the War.

 

Through her perspective, we will see the world change and take a horrifying look instead.

 

It isn't a happy and cheerful world anymore. All one can see around is fear of death and smiling becomes a dream.

 

 

46. She and her cat

 

 

The struggles of a human to survive in this face-paced world is underrated.

 

In the anime we see Kanojo and her cat Daru staying together in an apartment.

 

When Kanojo's roommate leaves the apartment, the burden of paying the rent alone falls upon her.

 

She struggles hard to make her ends meet and sees this all through the perspective of her cat Daru.

 

Going out, coming in, working, earning, things might seem strange to the cat.

 

And alas, when Kanojo returns back from work, there's nobody else in the house apart from the both of them, 'She and her cat'.

 

 

45. Hal

 

 

 

When Kurumi's love Hal died in a plane crash, it traumatized Kurumi to an extent that she isolated herself from the world.

 

She couldn't bear the loss of his life. This present state of Kurumi was disturbing her grandfather and he sent a robot Q01, in the form of Hal, to help her get out of the depression.

 

What we see is the formation of an unimaginable relationship between a human and an Android.

 

But how far will this go? Will a robot satisfy the love of a human being?

 

Or will it end up in a disaster?  How will Kurumi feel when she will realize that it's not the same?

 

Things are uncertain and difficult for her, as well as the robot.

 

 

44. Now and Then, Here and There

 

 

 

Sufferings do not inform before hitting us hard. That's what happened with Shuu.

 

Trying to save his new friend Lala-Ru, Shuu gets himself into danger.

 

Little did he know what was awaiting him on the smokestack before actually facing it.

 

He gets transferred to a different world, a kind which he has never seen before.

 

Suspected of stealing Lala-Ru's pendant which has superpowers, he gets tortured and goes without food for several days.

 

What will his fate be? Will it be possible for Shuu to return to normal life?

 

Maybe he will, or maybe, he won't. There are people who lose their lives while trying to save others.

 

His name will be added to the list of those legends, maybe.

 

 

43. Planetarian

 

 

 

This anime also follows somewhat of the same route as Who's Left Behind.

 

However, it explores some different places using that route.

 

The world has already been destroyed and devastated as a result of biological and nuclear warfare.

 

There is nothing more remaining in the abandoned city, except a service robot faithfully waiting for customers.

 

When a young scavenger, exploring the debris of the city, meets the robot, he helps it by repairing a projector.

 

Unaware how this incident will change their fate forever. But for good or bad?

 

An interesting concept isn't it.

 

 

42. The Girl from the Other Side: Siuil, a Run

 

 

 

The World is divided into two: in one part lives the Insiders and in the other the Outsiders.

 

This has somehow become a characteristic feature of a living World.

 

It is all about a human, and a beast. When Shiva, a little human girl, meets 'Teacher' a beastly Outsider, they somehow connect and share a quiet coexistence on the same side of the forest.

 

Being on the same side is forbidden because the Outsiders are said to have the power to curse those whom he touches.

 

And yet, here we are, looking at two beings - one human, and one inhuman, existing together without any conflict.

 

 

41. Bokurano: Ours

 

 

 

Bokurano starts as a very simple series. However, as the show goes on, tragedy summons over and over.

 

Soon enough, we are left with nothing but sadness and horror left for us. 

 

Even in a fictitious World, signing a contract without considering the consequences, proves to be a dangerous move.

 

Out of the 15 children, 14 of them agree to help Kolkopelli in testing his game which would apparently protect the Earth from multiple alien invasions.

 

But things take a darker turn as soon as the treaty is signed. What will happen to the fate of the children?

 

Will they be able to find out the source of energy of the robot Zearth and win the game?

 

Or will they die trying? Seeing a bunch of kids coming close to death every now and then will send terror to the viewers.

 

 

40. Yuki Yuna is a Hero: The Hero Chapter

 

 

 

The title may seem very motivating and enlightening at first. However, one will soon dive deep and get to know the unsaid truth.

 

This story of a hero is nothing but emotional. Mimori Touga, a very precious member of the Hero Club goes missing.

 

Unable to get any information about their friend, the girls start searching for her desperately.

 

Throughout the anime,one can see how all trades of Touga are erased except in the memories of the girls.

 

While searching for Touga, they experience some very shocking things which change their lives forever.

 

Will the changes be for good reasons? Will they ever get Touga again? But by far the most question is, where and who took her away?

 

And boys, this search is going to be a one-of-a-kind that would deal with human relations and sentiments.

 

 

39. Looking up at the half-moon

 

 

 

What can be the most challenging incident to face in our love life? Falling in love, and losing our love to a deadly disease.

 

We feel defeated, and heartbroken. So many feelings rush through our veins.

 

We probably don't have any idea of what to do, where to go, how to go on living without the other half?

 

Ezaki and Rika are two young lovers, who met at the hospital. Ezaki was suffering from Hepatitis A and Rika from a disease that won't let her love for long.

 

But heart doesn't listen to facts while falling in love.

 

Ezaki, unaware of Rika's situation, grows a very close bond, and eventually, they both fall in love.

 

We all know what awaits Ezaki in the near future. The pain of lost love can take you very far from the world.

 

Let's hope Ezaki gains enough strength to cope up with this.

 

 

38. Hell Girl: Three Vessels

 

 

 

The worst punishment in the world is that of a crime that you never committed or were forced to commit.

 

Yuzuki Mikage, a normal schoolgirl is dragged to a similar crime of sending people to hell to torture them.

 

Ai, the Hell Girl possesses Yuzuki's body and makes her perform all the duties of Ai.

 

Later, when the Hell Girl and her team resume their work, Yuzuki has dragged towards Hell herself.

 

Although this is fictional, oftentimes similar things happen in our lives.

 

The powerful commits a crime and the innocent people are made to suffer instead.

 

 

37. School-Live!

 

 

 

Yuki Takeya is in love with her school, which apparently is a lively and cheerful place.

 

But the truth seems to be very different from what they perceive.

 

The world is in the midst of a Zombie apocalypse, and Yuki and the other girls in the school are the only survivors.

 

They have been barricaded in the school for protection. What will happen when the Zombies will come for them?

 

Is the protection strong enough to fight them? Yuki and the girls lived in a fantasy bubble till the day they discovered the truth.

 

It's useless to hide to be safe and therefore they should prepare themselves for a battle.

 

A battle between the last survivors and Zombies.

 

 

36. Barefoot Gen

 

 

 

It has been three years since the war between the USA and Japan began.

 

In the midst of these, Gen's family has been struggling hard to make their ends meet and survive these difficult times.

 

All the other cities have already been bombed but Hiroshima has been spared, but for how long?

 

Unaware of what the USA had in mind, Gen, along with his little brother and parents struggles to keep themselves alive.

 

The 6th of August, 1945, would probably be the end of it all.

 

All the hard work, memories, and life will leave their bodies. 

 

6th of August, 1945, will be the date for the death of Hiroshima in the hands of the USA.

 

 

35. Cells at Work! Code Black

 

 

 

Now THIS, this is some Dr. Stone type anime here, ladies and gentlemen. Cells At Work is a very fun anime to watch and enjoy.

 

However, the Code Black version is a bit more on the sad side of things.

 

Let's see more about it. It isn't about us, and yet, it is about us!

 

The story portrays the difficulties our body cells go through in order to protect us.

 

Wrong lifestyle choices and a bad diet make their job increasingly difficult.

 

It's about their plight, whose sole reason or cause is our carelessness towards our body.

 

They try hard to fulfill their responsibilities even after seeing their fellow cells lose their lives.

 

With the lives of human beings, the lives of many other organisms are connected.

 

Of course, we tend to ignore everything but ourselves.

 

This anime makes us realize how wrong that is.

 

This anime gained popularity very quickly and you can understand why it happened.

 

It is shows like these that add emotions and sentiments to science and make them such incredible pieces.

 

 

34. Re: Zero Starting Life in Another World - The Frozen Bonds

 

 

 

It's the story of Emilia, a half-born elf, with features similar to the evil Witch who destroyed the World.

 

She was one of the frozen elves of Elior Forest, awakened by Pack.

 

Due to her physical features, she becomes an outcast and her rights to survive in the world are questioned.

 

The guilt of a crime that she doesn't remember committing, disturbs her a lot. What will her fate be?

 

Will she suffer due to the sins committed by someone she does not even know?

 

Or worse, is she anyhow related to the Witch?

 

If yes, it will put her in a very difficult and complex position.

 

 

33. The Dog of Flanders

 

 

 

We dream, but oftentimes unexpected and unwanted incidents snatch away those beloved dreams from us.

 

Leaving us hopeless in this world. Something happens with the protagonist of the anime.

 

A little boy based out of a village in Belgium loses his grandfather.

 

As if this loss was not enough to torment him, he realizes that after this he will never be able to become a painter.

 

This was his lifelong dream which got crushed due to a sudden change in his financial circumstances.

 

After this, he is left alone in the world, with nobody to support or help him, except his dog.

 

The anime is not a happy one, and yet it'll make one smile when one see the bonding between the two.

 

 

32. Orange

 

 

 

On the first day of her sophomore year of high school, Naho Takamiya receives a strange letter from her own 26-year-old self.

 

It sights some events that would be taking place in the course of her life until she turns 26.

 

The letter says that her life will be full of regrets and also tells her to keep a close eye on one of her classmates, Kakeru.

 

But why particularly him? Because he isn't there in the future.

 

Something bad might happen to him, and now as she is aware of all this, will she be able to protect him?

 

If not, I can't imagine how guilty she will be for knowing all this beforehand and failing to do her job.

 

More so, of losing a friend. Things will definitely take a turn from the moment she will finish reading the letter.

 

Will it help her in any way?

 

 

31. Kino's Journey: Life goes on

 

 

Kino ran away from her home country to avoid the grim life that would have been her future there.

 

Helped by a man, who died while saving her, Kino gets inspired to live her life away from her home country, using her savior's identity.

 

Accompanied by her talking motorcycle, she roams around and does not stay more than 3 days and 2 nights in one place.

 

Mainly because, if she stays for a longer period of time, she might settle down, which might lead to a plethora of problems.

 

This shows how much she is willing to settle, but the situation is not allowing her to do so.

 

We see her carrying no less than 5 weapons for protection.

 

Wherever she goes, whatever she does, the guilt of her savior's death haunts her always.

 

She feels guilty of it and also, for using somebody else's identity.

 

This made her as if she does not exist, she does not have an identity, and that she has been leading a parallel life.

 

Will this guilt destroy her future once again? Will it lead her back to her home country, from where her savior helped her out and in the process died?

 

 

30. Girls last tour

 

 

 

A once-thriving city has now turned into debris. Nothing remains of it, except two girls, Chiro and Yuuri, the last survivors and the only survivors in the desolate city.

 

Can you imagine yourself in their place?

 

You and a friend of yours, being the only survivors of a whole city?

 

No other faces to see, no new voices to hear.

 

Amidst all this dreariness, the only thing that helps them to survive is the fact that they have each other's shoulders at least.

 

The burden of being the only one is shared by both and they lead their life fantasizing about the good old days.

 

This anime has a good rating and if you plan to watch it, you will not regret it once.

 

 

29. 5 Centimeters per second

 

 

 

You might have come across people saying "we aren't meant to be together" a lot of times.

 

Probably, it is true sometimes. Takaki and Akari are childhood friends turned lovers. They find themselves unable to be with each other.

 

As time grows, the distance between them increases and keeps them apart.

 

Unable to make any new memories with each other, they take refuge in the past and the time they've spent together.

 

Craving for the touch of their lover and dying to see each other's faces, they wake up each morning, hoping.

 

Will this hope ever yield them anything? This half-heartedness affects their behavior and the people around them and the two continue to suffer.

 

 

28. Chrono Crusade

 

 

 

In the 1920s America was attacked by demons and monsters.

 

To fight these demonic powers, a holy organization known as the Order of Magdalene was established, which was home to Sister Christopher Rosette and her partner Chrno.

 

They are young and reckless. Despite causing extreme collateral damages, they are very skilled at combating demons.

 

They are praised for their job, but no one knows what they have been looking for constantly while performing their duties.

 

Rosette continues to search for her brother Joshua, who was taken by the demon Aion.

 

On the other hand, Chrno has a bloody history.

 

The reason behind Joshua's disappearance is not yet known, and Rosette is trying every possible way to hunt for it.

 

 

27. Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood

 

 

 

This is one of the most heartbreaking animes out there. The story revolves around two brothers, who try to revive their dead mother through the process of Alchemy.

 

Alchemy follows the Law of Equivalent Exchange, which that means, if one want to gain something, one should sacrifice something of equal value.

 

In the process of bringing back their mother, Edward loses his left leg and Alphonse loses his entire physical body.

 

Devastated and alone, Edward does a lot of Alchemy to fix his brother's soul in an armor suit in exchange for his left arm.

 

He struggles hard to find ways for fixing their bodies and bringing them back to their normal state.

 

Edward works specifically hard to fix Alphonse's soul.

 

That's what happens when two young boys, out of love, try to get their mother back.

 

Instead, they lose their own parts in the process. 

 

 

26. Blood C

 

 

A cheerful school girl in the morning, and a monster slayer at night, Saya Kisaragi leads a split life.

 

She has the power to vanquish every monster who threatens her village. Suddenly, things started changing in her life.

 

She had unexplainable visions. Saya's whole existence, as well as her identity, was questioned.

 

She struggles to find what is the truth and what isn't because apparently, whatever we see is proven to be false.

 

 

25. Penguindrum

 

 

 

What is destiny? Who decides it? Is there any way we could change our destiny according to our wishes?

 

Suppose the answer to the third question is a yes, wouldn't the whole world be running behind it?

 

That's pretty obvious. The Takakura family has had its own share of joy, as well as sorrow.

 

Having lost their parents, the twin brothers, and their beloved sister Himari, live together happily.

 

But Himari's health cannot be worse, and therefore most of the time she is seen in the hospital.

 

The day she collapsed and was almost dead, a miracle happened.

 

She was revived using a penguin hat.

 

After this incident, Himari's brothers saw a ray of hope to save her life and went on a quest to find the PenguinDrum which, apparently, can save her from dying.

 

The journey for sure, won't be an easy one. They will have their own share of thorns.

 

On their way to the PenguinDrum, they will meet others who have set out from their homes with the same goal to change their rates.

 

What will happen till the end? Will Himari die even before her brothers return?

 

 

24. Fate/Zero

 

 

 

As if three devastating Holy Grail wars were not enough for mankind to suffer, that the wealthy Eizbern Family is all set to trigger another one.

 

For such reasons, the family gets their only daughter married to the most hated killer Emiya, in order to have a lifelong pact with him.

 

Oh, what an idea! Daughters have always been a good "commodity" to trade with, isn't it?

 

Want peace? Get them married to the enemy. Want money? Sell her to a wealthy merchant.

 

Want a killer? Get her married to him. Wonderful isn't it?

 

The way the world gets back to us daughters when in need, is absolutely amazing and ironic. (To those who didn't get it.

 

Sarcasm was intended). What will happen by the end? Will the Einzbern Family succeed?

 

Whatever the results are, we can rest assured that people will die on the battlefield for no fault of theirs, fighting battles for someone else.

 

 

23. Attack on Titan

 

 

 

Here, just have a quick synopsis. The title pretty much sums up what the anime is about.

 

The only remaining cities in the World are protected by high walls to safeguard the people from the Titans.

 

Who are "Titans". Gigantic humanoid monsters who wouldn't you know it, supper on humans!

 

And these humans are met with an excruciatingly painful death whenever they come across a Titan.

 

One day, we see Eren and Mikasa's hometown, getting breached by a Colossal titan and destroying everything.

 

The fire of revenge burns inside and they decide to pursue the Titans and reclaim their land back from them.

 

However, in the process, they are going to experience some of the most brutal physical and mental tortures that we humans can face.

 

 

22. Angel Beats!

 

 

 

Otonashi wakes up from a deep sleep and realizes that he isn't alive anymore. He is dead!

 

How would we react in such a condition? Can you even imagine waking up in such a situation?

 

It seems horrifying. Otonashi is said to be a part of the Afterlife Battlefront led by Yuri, who wages war against one girl Tenshi.

 

He was told that she is evil, but something draws Otonashi toward her, desperately.

 

Is she someone he knew when he was alive?

 

Maybe the love of his life! Unfortunately, he does not remember anything except her name.

 

He needs to discover who she is and find out a way to save her.

 

One girl against an army, won't stand for a longer time, will she?

 

If she is someone close to him, imagine how he'll feel fighting against her!

 

 

21. Plastic Memories

 

 

 

No matters how badly we love something or someone, nothing lasts forever and we need to keep that in mind.

 

After failing his entrance exams, Tsukasa gets himself a job in an Artificial Intelligence company.

 

He is responsible to collect 'Giftias', advanced human Android's, who are near their expiry date.

 

Should I call it fortunate, or unfortunate, that he gets paired up with a beautiful Giftia Isla?

 

He falls in love and now, it's time for him to say goodbye to her.

 

Things will take a different turn from here. The anime is centered on the theme that nothing is permanent.

 

No matter what you do, things will change soon and you need to adapt to the changes, in order to survive.

 

 

20. Guilty Crown

 

 

 

Oftentimes, the truth is not what it seems and the roots of a problem are far deeper than we can perceive.

 

When a high school student named Shuu gets dragged into the war between Funeral Parlor, the guerilla group, and the military resistance force GHQ, he gets devastated.

 

This is not what he wanted, but unknowingly he gets a power that can help him to know the secrets of both groups.

 

As a teenage boy, will he be mature enough to use those powers wisely?

 

Things can take a different and very ugly turn in an otherwise scenario.

 

Shuu will also realize that the truth is far from what it seems to be.

 

In order to solve the problem, the consequences can be very dangerous.

 

 

19. Another

 

 

 

It's not always a great idea to get involved in mysterious incidents. That might cost you the ultimate price.

 

Something similar happened with Kouichi, a boy from Yomiyama and a student of Yomiyama North Middle School.

 

He tries to unravel the mystery surrounding Misaki's death.

 

What happens is, he gets involved in the horrifying mysteries of the place, which might cost him and the others their life.

 

The gloomy past of Yomiyama seems to hang over all the people who live there.

 

Will Kouichi ever discover why and how Misaki died?

 

And why on Earth do the students ignore Mei Misaki, a classmate of Kouichi, as if she does not exist!

 

 

18. Rurouni Kenshin: Tsuiokuhen

 

 

 

If you are in for some fights and combats, then this anime is for you, my friend.

 

Allow me to introduce you to one of the best fighting anime of all time, Rurouni Kenshin.

 

And the reason why it is one of the best is that it carries some heavy emotions and sentiments.

 

This essentially makes it so much more sad and memorable. So let's quickly go through the synopsis.

 

The fate of the nation depends on Kenshin. A strong warrior whose skills are incredible as ever.

 

While shouldering such a huge responsibility, his heart is divided between justice and corruption.

 

Kenshin was destined to become a swordsman, but his heart was too soft for such a role.

 

A kind man who wouldn't have the strength to raise his arm against someone.

 

However, destiny has something else in store for him.

 

And that is going to change him forever. Moreover, this change is going to mark a beginning.

 

The beginning of a completely new era. What will be his ultimate fate? This anime is filled with high-octane action and drama.

 

 

17. The Garden of Words

 

 

 

Takaro meets Yukari, a beautiful yet mysterious woman, while he was sketching some new designs.

 

He offers to make new shoes for her, and they continue to meet throughout the rainy season, in the garden.

 

With each passing day, they get closer to one another, and unsurprisingly love, happens.

 

But things won't remain the same for long.

 

When the rainy season ends, their life will change, and their love will be put to test.

 

Will they overcome the difficulties and stick to each other? Or, will fate, flick its wand and separate them forever?

 

 

16. Tokyo Magnitude 8.0

 

 

 

We all know how helpless we are when it comes to natural phenomena.

 

Mother Nature, though rarely, does remind us that we are ants in front of her power.

 

Mirai and Yuuki, were in the robot exhibition when an earthquake of 8.0 magnitude hit the city and everything turned into ruins within minutes.

 

Trying to find their way back to their family, Mirai and Yuuki meet a single mother, who decides to help them out.

 

Who knows what destiny will bring to them? In this World, nothing seems certain.

 

Let us hope that they, and the others who are lost in the ruins, are able to reunite with their families.

 

 

15. Rurouni Kenshin : Seisouhen

 

 

 

Kenshin was leading a happy life with his wife Kouro and son Kenji. But as they say, happiness doesn't last for long.

 

Kenshin starts feeling guilty of being happy, even after having had such a destructive past.

 

This leads him to leave his family and become a wanderer.

 

Although his wife supported him and said she would be waiting for his return, but they felt abandoned and started hating him.

 

We see how Kenshin, guilt-stricken, afflicted by a deadly disease, returns back to Kouro, only to die in her arms.

 

Can you imagine the situation of Kouro? She got her husband back after several years, only to lose him forever.

 

Life isn't easy. Love isn't easy. And we all have our own tragedies to deal with.

 

Sometimes, we overcome them, and sometimes they consume us.

 

 

14. Violet Evergarden

 

 

 

When the Great War comes to an end, Violet Evergarden finds herself caught up in bloodshed.

 

She was raised for the purpose of decimating the enemy lines.

 

Recovering from the wounds that the war afflicted on her, she starts a new life and a new job.

 

Things go on well, but Violet is on the path of self-discovery. she gets a job at a postal service of Auto Memory Doll.

 

Through letters, she tries to understand feelings of love and loss. Maybe she is trying to understand Major Gilbert's last words?

 

Things might take a bad turn, or maybe a good turn. But certainly, nothing is certain.

 

 

13. The house of small cubes

 

 

 

Time consumes everything, and with time we forget everything.

 

In the midst of a flooded town, an old man constantly battles for his survival.

 

The water is ever rising, and he continues building floors to stay above the level.

 

His favorite smoking pipe falls into the abyss of water, and he sets out to get it back.

 

While searching for it in the depths of his house, he gets drowned in memories of the past.

 

The years lived in the floors and how time consumes it all. Will we ever get back, what is lost?

 

Our lives are almost never in our control, and it is time that plays the main role.

 

The pipe symbolizes so many things. His life, his youth, togetherness, and a list of never-ending memories.

 

What is dead, never returns. What is lost, remains lost. What is alive, suffers it all!

 

 

12. Your lie in April

 

 

 

After the death of his mother, Kousei's life changes and becomes colorless and gloomy.

 

He was fascinated with music and playing Piano, but lately, he finds himself unable to hear the music of his own piano.

 

Depressed and heartbroken, he stayed detached from the world of music and his fans miss him dearly.

 

Things remain the same until he meets a violinist who stirs the chords of his heart and makes him feel again.

 

Slowly, Kousei recovers and realizes that music is much more than just playing a perfect note.

 

 

11. Made in Abyss

 

 

 

Riko is an orphan girl, who befriends the humanoid robot Reg and descends with him into the depths of Earth, hoping to find her mother.

 

She goes inside the giant hole which leads to the titular world "Abyss". Many have gone inside it to hunt for relics and remains of a lost civilization.

 

They are known as Cave Raiders. But returning from the Abyss has never been easy because of a fatal malady known as the "Curse of the Abyss".

 

The deeper you go, the stronger the effects of the curse will be. Very few who have gone to the lower regions of the Abyss have lived to share their experiences.

 

One of them is Lyza, Riko's mother. Inspired by her, and to meet her mother again, who is waiting for her at the bottom of Abyss, Riko leaves with Reg on her journey.

 

 

10. Grave of the fireflies

 

 

 

No one cares for the life of other human beings. All they care about is Power and Wealth.

 

Grave of the fireflies is a heart-wrenching anime, set up in a post-war period. Suffering, starvation, poverty, death, is all we get to see.

 

Seita and Setsuko struggled hard to live in this disgusting world.

 

After all, who wants to leave their bodies for the vultures to feed upon! But they failed.

 

The World failed them. They were promised life, but what is the meaning of the word "life"?

 

Does it mean just to stay alive and keep breathing? Life means so much more.

 

They were denied all the comforts, the dreams, the laughter, the happiness, everything. Death was a blessing in disguise.

 

Setsuko dies even before Seita, and her spirit gets trapped in a tin box. Only to be free, after Seita's death, and they get reunited.

 

The brother and sister then climb up to the hilltop, overlooking the city of Kobe, where they once lived with their mother and father.

 

 

9. Anohana: The flower we saw that day

 

 

 

The importance of a close friend is often underrated in our lives.

 

People think friends are nothing but the ones with whom we hang out.

 

And that's very far from the truth. Instead, they are the ones who help us overcome a lot of difficult situations, which sometimes cannot be shared with our parents.

 

The death of a close friend can cut you into pieces, and sometimes you never really recover from the loss.

 

Jinta and his group of friends grow apart from each other, following the death of Meiko.

 

Meiko was very close to all of them, and this incident haunts them forever.

 

Whenever they see one other, it's Meiko whom they miss.

 

One hot summer, Meika pesters Jinta to keep one of his promises made years ago.

 

The fact that she is dead, convinces Jinta that he is hallucinating.

 

When he discovers that in reality, it was Meika's ghost, the group of friends reunites to put her soul to rest.

 

While trying to help her, will they be able to reignite the lost friendship?

 

Will they be able to overcome the guilt that still remains, deep inside their hearts?

 

 

8. Violet Evergarden: Eternity and the Auto Memory Doll

 

 

 

However, this one episode specifically stands as a remarkable one for every Violet Evergarden fan out there.

 

And this was mainly because of how emotional and sad it was.

 

Violet Evergarden was hired as a private tutor for Isabella, a girl belonging to the noble family of York.

 

Being perfect in almost everything, Violet is despised by Isabella.

 

Soon Isabella realizes she has had her own struggles to cope with and therefore starts opening up to her.

 

When Violet gets to know that Isabella is craving to meet her long-lost sister, she decides to reunite them via letters.

 

Violet knows the power of words, but will they be powerful enough to express Isabella's love for her sister?

 

Will Isabella ever reunite with her? This episode will show one the true strength of letters while also bringing tears to ones eyes in the process.

 

 

7. Erased

 

 

 

Satoru Fujinuma finds himself wrongly accused of murdering someone very close to him.

 

He was sent back 18 years in the past when he was a child.

 

Somehow he finds out, that the mysterious abduction of one of his classmates was connected to the murder he was accused of.

 

While trying to unravel the mystery and find out the truth, he also has to protect his loved ones.

 

Will he be able to recover the lost truths and prove himself to be innocent?

 

Satoru tries his best to use the method that he calls 'revival' and save the lives of many people.

 

 

6. Hotarubi no Morie

 

 

 

How would you feel if you fall in love with a person who tends to vanish in thin air, the moment you touch him?

 

I've said it before, and I'll continue doing that again and again, that human touch is very important to any relationship.

 

Nothing much, just holding hands can do wonders. But Hotaru does not realize this when she is falling in love with Gin.

 

Although Gin warned her to never return to the forest, she does not pay heed to it and continues visiting him every summer.

 

With time, romantic feelings start arising and conflict with the one the only rule of not touching the boy.

 

How will they deal with this? A little boy and a little girl, together, and yet away from each other.

 

Isn't that painful? How would you react, if something similar happened between you and your lover?

 

 

5. Neon Genesis Evangelion

 

 

 

A 14-year old boy suddenly finds himself responsible for saving mankind. How would he react to this?

 

Won't it freak him out? Probably, yes! Shinji Ikari, finds himself whisked away into the depths of NERV, a special agency under the United Nations.

 

The members of NERV are Evangelion pilots who can fight the Angels who herald the ruins of Earth.

 

Shinji's fate is to become the pilot of Evangelion Unit 01 and save the human race from extinction.

 

We will see him taking up the responsibilities and striving hard to fulfill them.

 

As the story unfolds, the secrets beneath the war unfold.

 

Everything seems mysterious and dangerous. What will be the fate of mankind? Will we survive this battle?

 

 

4. March Comes in Like a Lion

 

 

 

It's the story of Rei Kiriyama, a professional player, who struggles hard to maintain his position in the world of Shogi.

 

The higher he reaches, the more difficult it becomes.

 

As a professional, many of us might have experienced the difficulty of maintaining our personal relationships as well.

 

When you are in a higher rank, your job becomes too demanding and lets you very little time to spend with your loved ones.

 

Although Rei can manage both his personal and professional relationships pretty well, he is facing many other problems.

 

He sometimes finds himself quite overwhelmed and is unaware of the reason he is playing this game.

 

Rei tries to hunt for the reason and this leads to a lot of mental complexities.

 

 

3. Puella Magi Madoka Magica

 

 

 

A magic girl! Sounds fantastical, doesn't it? Ever wondered about the hardships that one needs to go through, when in such a wonderful position?

 

When Madoka and Sayaka meet the magic cat, who offers to fulfill one wish of theirs if they agree to become magic girls, they get excited.

 

It seems to be a wonderful opportunity. But Homura, who is already a magic girl, sings a different song.

 

She warns them about the scenario being very difficult and hence not becoming one. 

 

The anime follows their journey of friendship, hope, despair, and a lot more than that!

 

 

2. Rainbow: Nisha Rokubou no Shichinin

 

 

 

The anime follows the lives of seven teenagers, living in the same cell, waiting for their sentences to be over.

 

In the meantime, there are people who are interested in torturing them as much as they can.

 

The doctor in the cell likes to violate boys, and the sadistic guard takes pleasure in torturing Rokurouta and Giseke especially.

 

While suffering physically and emotionally, the seven teenagers try to survive the difficult times. The hope that keeps them alive is the life outside the cell.

 

The life that awaits them after they get released. But will that be a very pleasant one?

 

What awaits these teens outside of the cell, is unknown.

 

The world might not welcome them as they are expecting to be.

 

Meanwhile, they stick to each other, helping and motivating the others to stay strong.

 

No one knows whether they will ever be able to return to normal life or not.

 

They might just succumb to the torcher and give up on their dreams, in the cell itself!

 

 

1. A silent voice

 

 

 

A Silent Voice tops our list of being the saddest animes of all time. Redemption and guilt are the main themes.

 

Shouya, a wild youth is shown to bully Shouko, a new transfer student in his class.

 

Shouko is deaf and Shouya along with his friends makes her life miserable.

 

When notified to the principal, he was singled out and punished.

 

The guilt of his wrongdoings continues haunting him and all he wants is to meet Shouko and make amends for his behavior.

 

Although the shadows of his past never let him stay in peace, he will overcome them and try hard to get closer to Shouko.

 

We will see how the two fall in Love. Shouko helps Shouya overcome his guilt and makes him realize that he is not alone, that his friends still care for him.

 

Although the anime does not have a sad ending, it deserves first place on the list because of the storyline being one of the saddest throughout.

 

It is only in the end, that things take a turn to the positive side.

 

And with this, we come to the end of our list. We will meet again to discuss some other interesting and entertaining series.

 

Till then, stay safe!