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.
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.
Lots of good contenders in this thread. I’ll just add
Made in Abyss
for the scene where...
Nanachi tries to gather the strength to end Mitty’s suffering.
I have never cried so hard during any other piece of media, ever. My GF had to hold and comfort me because I just couldn’t stop sobbing. That scene just… struck a nerve, I guess.
Japan Sinks 2020
Wolfs Rain
Bible Black.
Some might disagree, but I thought “Your Name” was sad.
Controversial
Madoka was pretty bleak at times.
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.
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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.
I haven’t been able too either, ~17 years later. I honestly feel like it gave me PTSD.
It’s been more than 25 years for me. That movie is like a punch to the gut. And I don’t even like kids.
Fun fact: originally a double feature with My Neighbor Totoro.
My Neighbor Totoro is really sad also (or can be).
That sounds like a roller coaster of a ride.
Which one played first?
Apparently it was Totoro (or so I recall from a really old Usenet post). Makes you wonder about the thought process involved.
Trigun. Vash is just getting shit on for almost 2 centuries and all he’s doing is trying to help humans, but his brother is just out to make him miserable.
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
Your Lie in April and Angel Beats! both crushed me 😭
What’s the deal with angel beats? I watched it and I just don’t get it
spoiler
It pretty much takes place in a limbo/purgatory. Children who die without finding peace or have unresolved emotions end up there. The story slowly reveals this and explores each characters’ reasons for ending up there - often confronting their death and untangling the things which kept them from moving on. Time itself is kind of nebulous there; two of the main characters, one who starts as a sort of antagonist and the protagonist, are kind of tied together by fate with the protag being a heart donor to the antagonist. The protagonist died before and his heart was given to her, but somehow she ended up there before him even though she lived a full life (if I’m remembering right) l. It’s honestly a super beautiful story, and I think one of my favorite parts is the ending song/mv which plays at the end up each episode- it features every character, and as they move on during the series their spot in the ED is just blank with the final episode ending without any of them.
Tap for spoiler
I absolutely agree 😭 But didn’t the post credits scene after the last episode suggest at least some hope for all of them? (Or am I seriously misremembering this because my brain tried really hard not to think it was over?)
spoiler
You’re remembering right (or we’re both remembering wrong 🤭)! The final after credits scene implied that the two main characters were reincarnated, and as they were passing each other in a crowd on the street, something compelled the MC to reach out and stop Angel, reuniting them in their new lives 🩷 I think it was unclear if he fully remembered everything that happened, but it was the bittersweet, made me cry even harder, scene that we needed 😭
LA Blue Girl
-_-
(👁 ͜ʖ👁)
Your lie in april
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.
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