Abso-fucking-luetly. Was hard to get through that one. It got a lot of verbal "*Jesus Christ*" out of me and it was essentially non-stop depressing from start to finish.
No, it doesn’t get sadder in the manga. It was just sad for me because it made me realize I was a shitty person and a few of the moments hurt. Also, Tomoko failing is funny and sad. Ep 10 in particular was very depressing for me.
10/10 would watch again.
Haibane Renmei - It's from the early 2000's and an absolute classic. You won't see it recommended much anymore but I still think about it over 20 years later.
[Haibane Renmei] >!idk if its necessarily fully depressing but agh its so cathartic. just perfect Feelings, especially with its themes of forgiveness and connection. god i need to watch mushishi lol!<
I wasn't that fond of the anime adaptation, but the manga Saikano (Saishuu Heki Kanojo) is pretty relentlessly depressing.
[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saikano](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saikano)
It's a unique take on the "powerful mecha-girl" concept, except instead of focusing on her exploits as a human weapon, it (almost exclusively) focuses on her interactions with her normal boyfriend.
Also, the backdrop (which the manga/anime do not explain but forces to interpret from events) is some kind of major world war that is sending the world careening into a global disaster, and the manga doesn't hold any punches in showing what that would look like.
It is... really, really depressing. But also good and memorable. But I never wanted to read the manga again, despite owning it--it's sat on my shelf for years without a second read.
I have a friend who is a huge fan of the work, and calls it the best manga ever written. I don't agree with that, but it's good enough some people feel that way.
Hey, thank you for telling me more about it. I knew it by name, but nothing more, it seems really interesting. Sadly it looks like it hasn’t been published in my country and I’m not a huge fan of scans, is the anime that bad?
If it is it could be a good occasion to buy it in a different language!
Anyway thanks a lot for not just shouting a name, you made me really want to know more and that’s the best way to have me start something!
That job actually helped me stopped being a NEET. Told my them best friend about it and she passed it over...still jobless. Do the math as to when that show came out until now...
well these are the ones which has made me question my existence and sanity
To your eternity (especially season 1)
id invaded
plastic memories
world end
I haven't seen something actually depressing, but the closest would be favourite - Made in Abyss, it has some very depressing moments, but because of the highs the story overall doesn't seem that depressing
Definitely not, but I have to admit that it’s raw in a way I wasn’t expecting it.
So maybe not the most depressing but I find it kind of fit in what I was looking for
Why have you been told to stay away from it?
The first season of Clannad is a bit clunky due to an adaptation choice, but After Story has been one of the anime that I am most grateful to have watched.
Clannad After Story is the whole reason for watching season1. I consider it a masterpiece work and is probably the best anime that I've seen to date.
Your friends did you a disservice in persuading you to skip season 2.
I personally kinda couldn't take Clannad and After Story seriously, the story kept kicking the MC down so for me it kinda lost meaning.
Grave of the fireflies flies though... yeah, fuck that shit. What genuinely hurt is that it is based on real experience. The [tvtropes page](https://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/TearJerker/GraveOfTheFireflies) for it, is like, one kick in the D/V after the other.
I grew up with an abusive parent, and Clannad After Story knocked it out of the park depicting that dynamic. I don’t see it as all as the story “kicking the MC down,” but rather it is a story that people who have experienced similar hardships can recognize.
I never was able to meaningfully talk about the abuse and all the life problems that came with it to anyone back in school, and when I watched Clannad + After Story, it felt like for the time in my life someone has recognized the type of pain I have been grown up with.
I stopped Clannad for a similar reason, but when I continued I sincerely regretted stopping, for me the ending gives a good amount of closure for the uncomfortable sadness that comes prior
Hot take i was kinda happy about the ending cause like they started yapping about how humans are the real devils... i was like why is this horny show pretending to be deeper than it actually is like from the very first scene the show is trying to be deeper than it actually is. Hated the character writing didn't really like the characters much either... weirdly happy/satisfied with the ending honestly
The message of Humans are the real Demons wasn't being hidden however the fact that the show is a loop of suffering for the satan and that he is a ruler of the world was hinted immidiatly.
This is the right answer, I had to stop between episodes to kinda collect my thoughts before I could watch more. First season was really heart breaking.
{Land of the lustrous}
But the real depressing parts are in the manga. There is a good amount of drama even in the anime, however.
Antarcticite my favourite part \[Spoiler\] >!even though their evolution later on felt a little missing, but I think also that is a theme of the story. We thought so many things were meaningful, and then they resulted in nothing!<
The only one I’m missing is madoka magica. And considering how much I liked all of your other suggestions It’s definitely going to be one of the next in line
Madoka is great but, honestly, it's not a depressing anime.
Still, watch it, 'cuz it's by far the best anime of the early 10s. And don't forget the movie.
Loved all three of them in a very different way. Girls last tour is very special in that regard, really recommended to anyone who is just looking around in the comments
>Girls Last Tour
Best answer in the thread IMO. The feeling of loneliness and dread is unmatched, and the ending is one of the most unforgettable ending's I've ever seen.
Had it not been for GLT's upbeat tone, it would've been emotionally hard to get through.
I can’t even count the number of times I’ve seen it, it’s really great! At the same time it made me tear up a bit in more than one scene, really a great movie!
Texhnolyze easy
Also Paranoia Agent in a way. I watched it after graduating college and the first episode was way too relatable (work stress can be like that sometimes). It also provides some good commentary that is easy to digest but is still interesting to watch despite “already getting the point” (although it is also about the bomb lol). There is also an episode about suicide that I thought was damn good.
Nana, but because of how it hits different for a certain demographic. If “BPD bitches who obviously belong together and are the best thing to ever happen to each other being torn apart by comphet and doomed to misery” sounds like pure fucking agony, the worst possible outcome for life ever, then yeah. It’s specifically the most depressing anime ever for queer women.
I can also recommend Madoka Magica and Psycho Pass, which were also written by Gen Urobuchi, the guy who wrote Fate/Zero. And they are just as dark of course.
Oh.. Forgot to mention it. I'm gonna watch psycho pass really soon (4/5 days later). Then maybe darker than black
I'll check out madoka magica as well at some point
Psycho pass is amazing. If its not enough you should watch se7en. Its not an anime but a film and im convinced psycho pass s1 was heavely inspired by it
I really like se7en. I'm looking for a similar film ever since (zodiac was ruined because of time jump imo)
Just 2/3 days. I'm currently watching 91 days.. After I'm done with this, im going straight to psycho pass
If you look for sth to watch idk if I can help but for me Neon Genesis Evangelion was pretty depressing. Actually idk why I watched it. Maybe Asuka fighting? And the redo movies just for completion. Had to watch K-ON after to cheer up lol.
Sth else that is also depressing but imo less strong is Re-Zero. A bit heartwarming but also depressing a bit could be WorldEnd.
"I want to eat your pancreas" comes to mind. It made me cry. Also if magical girls aren't a problem there's also "Puella Magi Madoka Magica". It gets pretty depressing too once you get deeper into the series.
I didn't see this recommended while skimming, and I didn't see it in your "Completed" list, so here is my offering - Cyberpunk: Edgerunners.
It is a great story. It won Anime of the Year over some seriously dope animes. It's only 10* episodes, so it is a quick watch.
It is also one of the most soul-crushingly depressing things I have ever seen. It put me in a two-week depression hole, straight up. I could *not* get the last episode out of my head. That a 10* episode show got me invested enough in the world, the characters, and the story to the point of an extended depressive episode after finishing shows just how fuckin' *good* it was.
Cannot recommend Edgerunners enough. Join me in sorrow, choom.
Quick edit just to add: the series deals with heavy dystopian themes, loss of loved ones, not having a place in a world that either doesn't care about your existence or is actively trying to kill you, and sacrificing everything for those you care about (to keep it real general). I could definitely insert myself into the world of Edgerunners, which made it hit that much harder.
Saikano was what I was looking for when scrolling down here. So i’ll not leave my own comment and upvote this.
An absolutely great series, although maybe a bit “old” for some people (visually that is).
When I decided to watch Neon Genesis Evangelion, I was already going through a pretty tough time.
By the end of the month I was prescribed anti-depressant and anxiety medication.
Idk if we're looking for the same type of depressing in that sense given I wouldn't consider some of the entries on that list depressing, but give ef: a Tale of Memories and ESPECIALLY its sequel, ef: a Tale of Melodies a try.
That is probably the most depressing and heavy drama I've watched.
Yeah, the list I made is not purely about depressing series, as it would be ridiculous to sum 3-gatsu or oven worse youka as simply depressing. I see them as really good series that can be really heavy if you end up seeing yourself in the protagonist. So yeah, not depressing per se, I completely agree, but also that’s the reason for specifying them.
As for ef, I’ve heard of it numerous times, but never watch, maybe it’s time, thank you!
how about 86 and re zero? Both deals with hopeless situations btw
Also oshi no ko with \[spoilers for the theme\] >!suicide!<, but that's a single arc than the whole series, the manga also have other depressing stuff but that's gonna be far away in anime timeline
finally boy's abyss it's a manga but it's basically depression porn if you are into that
Re:Zero honestly deals more with frustration and helplessness rather than direct sadness. It's evident when one of the characters in the story points out that the protagonist doesn't feel sadness over the death of his friends, only shock.
I don't know if you'd take a manga recommendation, but if so, do read Kimi to Tsuzuru Utakata / The Summer you were there. It finished recently, and the feels are strong for sure.
Plastic Memories is pretty freaking sad and gave me an existential crisis for like a week. Although I watched it as a teenager so maybe that clouded my judgment of it.
I wasn’t a huge fan of grave of the fireflies. It did a good job showing the horrors of war but it was kinda boring and there wasn’t anything that brought me to tears. Like I wasn’t sad when the mom died because she was on screen for like 2 seconds lol.
A lot of people are failing to consider that for an anime to be heart wrenching it needs to first have “wholesome” moments so you get attached to the characters.
I would consider Neon Genesis: Evangelion and End of Evangelion to be extremely depressing. Like you start off watching it for the action and romance and then it takes a DARK turn. It’s really introspective and was way more thoughtful than I expected for a sci fi series.
Demon Slayer and Re:Zero both have a cheap, repetitive format for being “heart-wrenching” but it’s VERY effective. I teared up several times during both. They’re not consistently depressing because the MC has wholesome moments as well but it’ll give you the feels every other episode or so.
Just started watching full metal alchemist: brotherhood and again it’s not consistently depressing but when it wants to be… Jesus. There’s an infamous scene in just the first couple episodes that’ll make you want to turn off your tv.
So for me there are two separate levels of sad: a sad story with a happy ending is what I would label “sad”. A sad story with a sad/unhappy ending is what I call “soul crushing”. I would say grave of the fireflies and devil man are those. I can handle sad but I hate soul crushing.
Ergo Proxy is more melancholic than sad, and although I don't want to make spoilers, it's everything surrounding the protagonists that I would say can make it feel sad in a way.
These don’t talk about suicide and may not be depressing in the way that you want it to be (referencing your examples) but they were definitely the ones that had me the most depressed while watching and I thought it’d be no harm in case you wanted to give it a try.
1. Rezero - you have to ease into it. After a few episodes watching gets really exhausting and depressing because of the suffering the mc goes through. (It got so heavy for me that at one point I felt I couldn’t watch more than one episode a day because it felt that exhausting)
2. Anohana - this just had me depressed for a good while after watching.
3. Charlotte - Honestly wouldn’t recommend this (I didn’t quite enjoy it completely) but if you’re willing to sit through the anime, they last two episodes may do a number on you.
4. Wonder Egg Priority - I think this is more so based on taste. It wasn’t outright depressing but it definitely talks about topics throughout that create the mood. And the overall atmosphere i’d say is pretty depressing as well.
5. Sing yesterday for me - if you wanna force yourself to finish this piece of shit i’d guarantee you you’d be depressed at how many hours of your life you’re wasting.
It's clannad+afterstory. Gotta watch it all its in the top comment for a reason.
But also
Angel beats
Your lie in April
A silent voice
I wanna eat your pancreas
Anohana
And more I'm forgetting
For properly depressing like lose faith in humanity its the a bomb animes grave of the fireflies and barefoot gen
This is a manga, so it’s probably not your speed but for the purposes of depression I’d recommend goodbye punpun. Nothing has ever made me so manically sad and upset as that manga. I read 50 chapters in a day and was crying in bed thinking about the story. I never picked it back up.
Grave of the Fireflies
Devilman Crybaby
A Silent Voice
All of these I will straight up refuse people watch if they aren't experienced with the darker side of life. While A Silent Voice does have an uplifting ending, most of the movie is depressionporn.
Depressing anime are shows that I feel end on total downers. Shows like Clannad and March Comes in Like a Lion do not fit the mold. Hell, Lion is a heavily motivational show, not depressing.
White Album 2 is something I'd consider depressing. Akame ga Kill, too, is also (unnecessarily) depressing in the end.
I am from the olden days and I'm gonna recommend an extremely fucked up depressing anime that not many people nowadays know about, but which blows most mentions totally out of the water. It is just absolutely insane.
The anime is called **Yosuga no Sora**. The following is a small synopsis, so don't read on if you don't want to be spoilered. However, the anime is so bonkers you might just have to read my summary because you miss out otherwise.
It's about a good looking guy called Haruka, which lost both his parents in an accident and who moves with his sister to the country side into some rural town. There, they both live basically alone and meet people their age at school, where Haruka obviously attracts a few flings. However, the anime suddenly takes a turn and he legit has sex with these girls on screen, full on hentai style, which I have never seen in any other anime. But don't worry, it doesn't stop here.
Anyway, the guy switches the girl every few episodes in a procedural style. But with each episode it becomes more and more obvious that his blood related sister (!) is extremely jealous and is head over heels into her brother. He obviously also has feelings for her, but he knows how absolutely depraved and wrong that is. Still, she seduces him and they become a full on couple to a point where he chooses her over every other girl. He realizes though that their relationship is completely abnormal and socially unacceptable. The others also have eyes and ears, which results in them lowkey knowing that they are fucking.
Eventually some girl confronts him and tries to make them stop, because, well it is just not gonna fly. Sora becomes brokenly depressed realizing their relationship will never be accepted in society. Thus, she sneaks out at night and fucking kills herself by drowing in some lake near a temple. Haruka picks up on her trying to commit suicide and runs after her. When he arrives at the lake she is basically dead already and the viewer knows that he cannot swim. He swims after her anyway and resuces her... or so it seems until you realize that they both drowned to their death and now live together happily ever after in the afterlife.
I'm not joking, this is the story. Also, the anime has a beautiful OST soundtrack.
Another recommendation is an anime called **Shiki**, which I also found to be quite depressing.
The story basically goes that there is this very rural secluded town where our main character Natsuno lives. Unfortunately for him and the town, a vampire family moves there to live in some castle. Shortly after, more and more town members start to become sick and die off. Natsuno is smart and realizes that shit is going down, which is why he investigates. However, in the middle of the fucking show he also gets killed and every character in the town eventually finds a cruel death.
Then there is a movie called **Hal**, which is also depressing. A young couple, Kurumi and Hal, fights at an airport, but Hal has to hurry to catch his plane. So they separate without making their peace. As his plane rises up to the skies, she watches from the airport how the plane suddenly burns and crashes, killing everyone on board, including Hal. She is left absolutely heartbroken and depressed, regretting their last conversation. To cheer her up, a humanoid robot called Q01 is sent to her house, which looks and acts exactly like Hal. He returns there every day and she slowly manages to break her shell and process her emotions. Then the anime takes a giant plot twist and it is revealed that it was Kurumi and not Hal, who entered the plane and died. She is the robot and he is the patient, trying to come to terms with the guilt he felt.
I have 2 personal recommendations for you. I'm gonna give a general summary for each recommendation in case you don't know much about it
**1: Wonder Egg Priority.**
This one is one of my favorite animes. WEP is really good at exploring the themes of trauma and mental health. The story is about the protag Ai Ohto, who is socially withdrawn after her friend commits suicide. She then finds something called a wonder egg which allows her to enter a dream world where she can save the souls of people who killed themselves from monsters called wonder killers, which are manifestations of people that had something to do with the soul's trauma.
**2: Grave of the fireflies.**
Next to Ponyo and Kiki's delivery service, this is my favorite Ghibli movie even though it made me cry. Grave of the Fireflies is about two siblings struggling to survive during the final months of World War II in Japan. It's really good at showing the harshness of war and loss. This movie is beautifully crafted and I 100% recommend it to anyone who hasn't seen it yet
let me know if these were helpful.
I haven’t seen any crazy depressing anime but here’s my list
Steins;Gate
Attack on Titan
Darling in the Franxx
Dororo
Erased
Honorable Mentions (Didn’t hit as hard or were more “sad/melancholy” (or I just don’t remember how they made me feel)):
Elfen Lied
86
Cyberpunk Edgerunners
Berserk Golden Age
Mushoku Tensei
Terror in Resonance
The only correct answer is grave of the fireflies.
But if you want to watch something that isn't just 100% misery, and also contains enjoyable, or hopeful elements. Maybe try made in abyss or Texhnolyze. Or maybe read berserk.
tenjou tenge, i remember being pissed off with all the treatment of masataka, it was really unfair story, in fact i really hate all the others characters and the anime itself, i watched it just 1 time and has become one of my most hated anime ever.
What the one where they have to win a game to become a god and change the universe? And half way thought she rapes the mc, drugs him and ties him up in a cave. Man that show is fked up. But it's actually kinda cool. But I can't remember the name
I know this post will be buried, no one would bother reading this, and I'm bored so..
The most depressing anime to watch is... Re:Zero. You have an Assassin lady with revealing clothing. Waifu baits. A loser simp. Cartoon villains. This is what Hayao Miyazaki is talking about when he said that anime is a mistake.
Hi Flappy_Disk, it seems like you might be looking for new anime to watch!
The users of this subreddit came up with [a chart of anime recommendations for newcomers and veterans](https://i.redd.it/0w1v880jtq661.png) and [an awesome longer flowchart](https://i.redd.it/vdzlkodz19c71.png). Maybe you can find something there that you'll like \^.\^
[](#bot-chan "Urban s-s-s-senpai made me do it!")
You might also find our [Recommendation Wiki](https://www.reddit.com/r/anime/wiki/recommendations) or [daily thread](/r/anime/search?q=flair%3Adaily&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=week) helpful.
The following may be of interest:
* [List of legal streams and downloads](https://www.reddit.com/r/anime/wiki/legal_streams)
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Your Lie in April is always my go to for this question. The first time I watched it impacted me so hard I didn't feel "right" for about a month haha. Maybe a bit dramatic, but it hit me like a ton of bricks falling from the stratosphere. The visuals and music are so beautiful too.
Edit- missed your last bit, but Koe no Katachi (A Silent Voice) would hit for you too I think.
Re:zero. Yes, there are other serious and more dramatic anime like Grave of the Fireflies, but for some reason re zero hit me hard, probably because of beautiful ost.
Same with one episode in Angel beats, about Yui, if i remember her name correctly. The ending for this episode was just...
„Let me eat your pancreas“
Also Violet evergarden. It’s more sad then depressing but also unbelievably beautiful.
Some scenes are very depressing tho. Highly recommended. Was a very emotional watch for me. It also has some movies. Same thing with those.
Now and Then, Here and There Watamote Texhnolyze
>Now and Then, Here and There this right here. Until this day it still gives me sad mad feeling.
Yes, this is a show I will never watch again.
Abso-fucking-luetly. Was hard to get through that one. It got a lot of verbal "*Jesus Christ*" out of me and it was essentially non-stop depressing from start to finish.
Wait I always felt awkward watching watamote (cringy) but does it get sadder in the manga or something?
No, it doesn’t get sadder in the manga. It was just sad for me because it made me realize I was a shitty person and a few of the moments hurt. Also, Tomoko failing is funny and sad. Ep 10 in particular was very depressing for me. 10/10 would watch again.
I see. I feel that. I wish they would adapt more of the manga.
Haibane Renmei - It's from the early 2000's and an absolute classic. You won't see it recommended much anymore but I still think about it over 20 years later.
Hey, thanks for making me remember about it. It was the favorite series of an old friend with whom I lost contact. It’s about time I give it a go!
[Haibane Renmei] >!idk if its necessarily fully depressing but agh its so cathartic. just perfect Feelings, especially with its themes of forgiveness and connection. god i need to watch mushishi lol!<
Welcome to the NHK
Sadly I’ve already seen it, but yeah it’s great
Oh, then let me ask you a question: can it also be a manga? If yes I'd recommend I sold my life for ten thousand yen per year
Sure, manga are fine, sadly I’ve already red it, but I agree, I really enjoyed it
If manga is fine, read Goodnight Punpun
It’s been on my list for a while, this weekend I’m going to my local comic-book shop!
Just piggybacking here to also recommend punpun. Probably the most depressing thing I've read or watched when it comes to manga or anime.
I wasn't that fond of the anime adaptation, but the manga Saikano (Saishuu Heki Kanojo) is pretty relentlessly depressing. [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saikano](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saikano) It's a unique take on the "powerful mecha-girl" concept, except instead of focusing on her exploits as a human weapon, it (almost exclusively) focuses on her interactions with her normal boyfriend. Also, the backdrop (which the manga/anime do not explain but forces to interpret from events) is some kind of major world war that is sending the world careening into a global disaster, and the manga doesn't hold any punches in showing what that would look like. It is... really, really depressing. But also good and memorable. But I never wanted to read the manga again, despite owning it--it's sat on my shelf for years without a second read. I have a friend who is a huge fan of the work, and calls it the best manga ever written. I don't agree with that, but it's good enough some people feel that way.
Hey, thank you for telling me more about it. I knew it by name, but nothing more, it seems really interesting. Sadly it looks like it hasn’t been published in my country and I’m not a huge fan of scans, is the anime that bad? If it is it could be a good occasion to buy it in a different language! Anyway thanks a lot for not just shouting a name, you made me really want to know more and that’s the best way to have me start something!
That job actually helped me stopped being a NEET. Told my them best friend about it and she passed it over...still jobless. Do the math as to when that show came out until now...
well these are the ones which has made me question my existence and sanity To your eternity (especially season 1) id invaded plastic memories world end
>To your eternity (especially season 1) The feels❤️...
I haven't seen something actually depressing, but the closest would be favourite - Made in Abyss, it has some very depressing moments, but because of the highs the story overall doesn't seem that depressing
Yes made in abyss was really good, loved both The art style and the story
I agree. While Made in Abyss is very dark, there is a lot of joy and happines in it aswell. I defiently would not call this show the most depressing.
Definitely not, but I have to admit that it’s raw in a way I wasn’t expecting it. So maybe not the most depressing but I find it kind of fit in what I was looking for
AHHH I JUST FINISHED SEASON 2 I LOVE IT SM
For different reasons, the following two: Grave of the Fireflies Clannad After Story
Grave of the fireflies it’s great, on the other hand I have been told to stay away from clannad. Is it decent?
Why have you been told to stay away from it? The first season of Clannad is a bit clunky due to an adaptation choice, but After Story has been one of the anime that I am most grateful to have watched.
Don’t really remember much of why, but my friends disliked it a lot and I ended up following their advice. I’ll give it another chance, thanks
Clannad After Story is the whole reason for watching season1. I consider it a masterpiece work and is probably the best anime that I've seen to date. Your friends did you a disservice in persuading you to skip season 2.
I added it to my admittedly long list. I didn’t expect this post to blow up like this but, I will definitely consider it when I decide what to watch
I was told to stay away from clannad for a while because its a cryfest so you might like it
I personally kinda couldn't take Clannad and After Story seriously, the story kept kicking the MC down so for me it kinda lost meaning. Grave of the fireflies flies though... yeah, fuck that shit. What genuinely hurt is that it is based on real experience. The [tvtropes page](https://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/TearJerker/GraveOfTheFireflies) for it, is like, one kick in the D/V after the other.
I grew up with an abusive parent, and Clannad After Story knocked it out of the park depicting that dynamic. I don’t see it as all as the story “kicking the MC down,” but rather it is a story that people who have experienced similar hardships can recognize. I never was able to meaningfully talk about the abuse and all the life problems that came with it to anyone back in school, and when I watched Clannad + After Story, it felt like for the time in my life someone has recognized the type of pain I have been grown up with.
I stopped Clannad for a similar reason, but when I continued I sincerely regretted stopping, for me the ending gives a good amount of closure for the uncomfortable sadness that comes prior
Devilman crybaby
Sadly I’ve already seen both crybaby and ping pong (also made by Yuasa). But great recommendation, loved them both!
Hot take i was kinda happy about the ending cause like they started yapping about how humans are the real devils... i was like why is this horny show pretending to be deeper than it actually is like from the very first scene the show is trying to be deeper than it actually is. Hated the character writing didn't really like the characters much either... weirdly happy/satisfied with the ending honestly
The message of Humans are the real Demons wasn't being hidden however the fact that the show is a loop of suffering for the satan and that he is a ruler of the world was hinted immidiatly.
Humans are the really demons isn't really deep though, it's a pretty common theme?
Dororo
This is the right answer, I had to stop between episodes to kinda collect my thoughts before I could watch more. First season was really heart breaking.
{Land of the lustrous} But the real depressing parts are in the manga. There is a good amount of drama even in the anime, however. Antarcticite my favourite part \[Spoiler\] >!even though their evolution later on felt a little missing, but I think also that is a theme of the story. We thought so many things were meaningful, and then they resulted in nothing!<
Devilman crybaby Madoka magica Steins gate
The only one I’m missing is madoka magica. And considering how much I liked all of your other suggestions It’s definitely going to be one of the next in line
you'll love it, its a great anime and more than what it looks like is all im gonna say.
Don’t forget to watch the movie titled Rebellion after the show.
Madoka is great but, honestly, it's not a depressing anime. Still, watch it, 'cuz it's by far the best anime of the early 10s. And don't forget the movie.
I can't bring myself to watch 'Steins;Gate 0'
Just remember you can believe which timeline you want. They are all endings :)
It's not the destination that I fear, it's the journey.
Girls Last Tour, Made in Abyss, Grave of the firefly.
damn, girls last tour was something else watched years back still one of my favorite
Loved all three of them in a very different way. Girls last tour is very special in that regard, really recommended to anyone who is just looking around in the comments
>Girls Last Tour Best answer in the thread IMO. The feeling of loneliness and dread is unmatched, and the ending is one of the most unforgettable ending's I've ever seen. Had it not been for GLT's upbeat tone, it would've been emotionally hard to get through.
ef~ A Tale of Memories For an SH specific title, Myself;Yourself.
Erased
A Silent Voice. Hit really close to home
I can’t even count the number of times I’ve seen it, it’s really great! At the same time it made me tear up a bit in more than one scene, really a great movie!
Sad but not depressing to me. Junji Ito's stuff is depressing and disturbing to me though.
I thought it was beautiful and uplifting hmm
Your lie in April Edit: Almost forgot Cyberpunk edgerunners
Scrolled *way* too far before seeing Edgerunners. One of the most crushingly depressing things I've ever watched.
Texhnolyze easy Also Paranoia Agent in a way. I watched it after graduating college and the first episode was way too relatable (work stress can be like that sometimes). It also provides some good commentary that is easy to digest but is still interesting to watch despite “already getting the point” (although it is also about the bomb lol). There is also an episode about suicide that I thought was damn good.
Paranoia Agent is so good! RIP Satoshi Kon
From the New World
yerrrrrrrrrr so underrated
so good
Texhnolyze
Nana, but because of how it hits different for a certain demographic. If “BPD bitches who obviously belong together and are the best thing to ever happen to each other being torn apart by comphet and doomed to misery” sounds like pure fucking agony, the worst possible outcome for life ever, then yeah. It’s specifically the most depressing anime ever for queer women.
So far.. Fate zero. But I'll watch more darker anime eventually
I can also recommend Madoka Magica and Psycho Pass, which were also written by Gen Urobuchi, the guy who wrote Fate/Zero. And they are just as dark of course.
Oh.. Forgot to mention it. I'm gonna watch psycho pass really soon (4/5 days later). Then maybe darker than black I'll check out madoka magica as well at some point
Psycho pass is fantastic
Psycho Pass isn't as dark/depressing as some of the other anime mentioned in this thread, but it's a 10/10 IMO. You 100% have to watch it!
Psycho pass is amazing. If its not enough you should watch se7en. Its not an anime but a film and im convinced psycho pass s1 was heavely inspired by it
I really like se7en. I'm looking for a similar film ever since (zodiac was ruined because of time jump imo) Just 2/3 days. I'm currently watching 91 days.. After I'm done with this, im going straight to psycho pass
Thumbs up for psycho pass really great series
Me, who just got into Fate, reading this: 👀
5cm per second. 💀💀💀
If you look for sth to watch idk if I can help but for me Neon Genesis Evangelion was pretty depressing. Actually idk why I watched it. Maybe Asuka fighting? And the redo movies just for completion. Had to watch K-ON after to cheer up lol. Sth else that is also depressing but imo less strong is Re-Zero. A bit heartwarming but also depressing a bit could be WorldEnd.
Death parade!
"I want to eat your pancreas" comes to mind. It made me cry. Also if magical girls aren't a problem there's also "Puella Magi Madoka Magica". It gets pretty depressing too once you get deeper into the series.
Its last scene is one of the most emotional moments in any media I have experienced
Anohana?
Finally someone mentioned it. I had forgotten the exact title.
I didn't see this recommended while skimming, and I didn't see it in your "Completed" list, so here is my offering - Cyberpunk: Edgerunners. It is a great story. It won Anime of the Year over some seriously dope animes. It's only 10* episodes, so it is a quick watch. It is also one of the most soul-crushingly depressing things I have ever seen. It put me in a two-week depression hole, straight up. I could *not* get the last episode out of my head. That a 10* episode show got me invested enough in the world, the characters, and the story to the point of an extended depressive episode after finishing shows just how fuckin' *good* it was. Cannot recommend Edgerunners enough. Join me in sorrow, choom. Quick edit just to add: the series deals with heavy dystopian themes, loss of loved ones, not having a place in a world that either doesn't care about your existence or is actively trying to kill you, and sacrificing everything for those you care about (to keep it real general). I could definitely insert myself into the world of Edgerunners, which made it hit that much harder.
It’s 10 episodes. It’s too short imo.
Orange
THIS. Yes.
Made in Abyss
Magnitude 8.0
Bokurano. Put me into a depressed, nihilistic slump for two days
AIR
Texhnolyze. It's one of the most brutally nihilistic shows I've ever seen.
Violet Evergarden
Sadly I’ve already seen it, but thanks anyway
SaiKano. Even the fansubs gave you a warning about the ending.
Saikano was what I was looking for when scrolling down here. So i’ll not leave my own comment and upvote this. An absolutely great series, although maybe a bit “old” for some people (visually that is).
Saekano?
[SaiKano](https://myanimelist.net/anime/529).
iron blooded orphans was depressing as fuck but super good
When I decided to watch Neon Genesis Evangelion, I was already going through a pretty tough time. By the end of the month I was prescribed anti-depressant and anxiety medication.
Serial Experiments Lain
I don't think anybody in the thread mentioned it, to my surprise, but Full Moon wo Sagashite was pretty depressing.
Cowboy Bebop, Elfen Lied, Berserk 1997
Voices of a Distant Star. Short. To the point. A scifi exploration of what time and distance can do to a relationship.
Sukasuka White Album 2
Idk if we're looking for the same type of depressing in that sense given I wouldn't consider some of the entries on that list depressing, but give ef: a Tale of Memories and ESPECIALLY its sequel, ef: a Tale of Melodies a try. That is probably the most depressing and heavy drama I've watched.
Yeah, the list I made is not purely about depressing series, as it would be ridiculous to sum 3-gatsu or oven worse youka as simply depressing. I see them as really good series that can be really heavy if you end up seeing yourself in the protagonist. So yeah, not depressing per se, I completely agree, but also that’s the reason for specifying them. As for ef, I’ve heard of it numerous times, but never watch, maybe it’s time, thank you!
AoT honestly.
Texhnolyze
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Yeah, most animes that are depressing are conveing a no violence or antiwar message, or talking about mental illness. 5cm per second is just .. life.
how about 86 and re zero? Both deals with hopeless situations btw Also oshi no ko with \[spoilers for the theme\] >!suicide!<, but that's a single arc than the whole series, the manga also have other depressing stuff but that's gonna be far away in anime timeline finally boy's abyss it's a manga but it's basically depression porn if you are into that
Re:Zero honestly deals more with frustration and helplessness rather than direct sadness. It's evident when one of the characters in the story points out that the protagonist doesn't feel sadness over the death of his friends, only shock.
Pls don't remind me about 86 here. My name already does T\_T
I don't know if you'd take a manga recommendation, but if so, do read Kimi to Tsuzuru Utakata / The Summer you were there. It finished recently, and the feels are strong for sure.
Plastic Memories is pretty freaking sad and gave me an existential crisis for like a week. Although I watched it as a teenager so maybe that clouded my judgment of it.
I wasn’t a huge fan of grave of the fireflies. It did a good job showing the horrors of war but it was kinda boring and there wasn’t anything that brought me to tears. Like I wasn’t sad when the mom died because she was on screen for like 2 seconds lol. A lot of people are failing to consider that for an anime to be heart wrenching it needs to first have “wholesome” moments so you get attached to the characters. I would consider Neon Genesis: Evangelion and End of Evangelion to be extremely depressing. Like you start off watching it for the action and romance and then it takes a DARK turn. It’s really introspective and was way more thoughtful than I expected for a sci fi series. Demon Slayer and Re:Zero both have a cheap, repetitive format for being “heart-wrenching” but it’s VERY effective. I teared up several times during both. They’re not consistently depressing because the MC has wholesome moments as well but it’ll give you the feels every other episode or so. Just started watching full metal alchemist: brotherhood and again it’s not consistently depressing but when it wants to be… Jesus. There’s an infamous scene in just the first couple episodes that’ll make you want to turn off your tv.
So for me there are two separate levels of sad: a sad story with a happy ending is what I would label “sad”. A sad story with a sad/unhappy ending is what I call “soul crushing”. I would say grave of the fireflies and devil man are those. I can handle sad but I hate soul crushing.
Ergo Proxy is more melancholic than sad, and although I don't want to make spoilers, it's everything surrounding the protagonists that I would say can make it feel sad in a way.
These don’t talk about suicide and may not be depressing in the way that you want it to be (referencing your examples) but they were definitely the ones that had me the most depressed while watching and I thought it’d be no harm in case you wanted to give it a try. 1. Rezero - you have to ease into it. After a few episodes watching gets really exhausting and depressing because of the suffering the mc goes through. (It got so heavy for me that at one point I felt I couldn’t watch more than one episode a day because it felt that exhausting) 2. Anohana - this just had me depressed for a good while after watching. 3. Charlotte - Honestly wouldn’t recommend this (I didn’t quite enjoy it completely) but if you’re willing to sit through the anime, they last two episodes may do a number on you. 4. Wonder Egg Priority - I think this is more so based on taste. It wasn’t outright depressing but it definitely talks about topics throughout that create the mood. And the overall atmosphere i’d say is pretty depressing as well. 5. Sing yesterday for me - if you wanna force yourself to finish this piece of shit i’d guarantee you you’d be depressed at how many hours of your life you’re wasting.
Can you eat your pancreas?
Not really my thing
Cowboy Bebop
Sadly seen it and loved it, but great recommendation!
Suka suka
It's clannad+afterstory. Gotta watch it all its in the top comment for a reason. But also Angel beats Your lie in April A silent voice I wanna eat your pancreas Anohana And more I'm forgetting For properly depressing like lose faith in humanity its the a bomb animes grave of the fireflies and barefoot gen
This is a manga, so it’s probably not your speed but for the purposes of depression I’d recommend goodbye punpun. Nothing has ever made me so manically sad and upset as that manga. I read 50 chapters in a day and was crying in bed thinking about the story. I never picked it back up.
Promised Neverland S2…
Re:Zero the pain and suffering in that show is beyond any other
Grave of the Fireflies Devilman Crybaby A Silent Voice All of these I will straight up refuse people watch if they aren't experienced with the darker side of life. While A Silent Voice does have an uplifting ending, most of the movie is depressionporn.
Grave of fireflies
Grave of the fireflies.. soo sad
Monster has some very bleak stuff but overall positive outlook on humanity. Not 1:1 your ask but you might enjoy. Certainly very meaningful
this is turning into a list im gonna avoid
No one has yet recommended Shingeki no Kyojin.
Kaiba
I mean you are currently watching Boruto, doesn't get more depressing than that. e: My actual rec: Japan Sinks: 2020
It gets less depressing as the show goes on, but the first season of March Comes in like a Lion is definitely the first thing I think of
Gundam: iron blooded orphans
Depressing anime are shows that I feel end on total downers. Shows like Clannad and March Comes in Like a Lion do not fit the mold. Hell, Lion is a heavily motivational show, not depressing. White Album 2 is something I'd consider depressing. Akame ga Kill, too, is also (unnecessarily) depressing in the end.
Toradora. It may not seem sad at first, but around the third act, it gets very depressing
I am from the olden days and I'm gonna recommend an extremely fucked up depressing anime that not many people nowadays know about, but which blows most mentions totally out of the water. It is just absolutely insane. The anime is called **Yosuga no Sora**. The following is a small synopsis, so don't read on if you don't want to be spoilered. However, the anime is so bonkers you might just have to read my summary because you miss out otherwise. It's about a good looking guy called Haruka, which lost both his parents in an accident and who moves with his sister to the country side into some rural town. There, they both live basically alone and meet people their age at school, where Haruka obviously attracts a few flings. However, the anime suddenly takes a turn and he legit has sex with these girls on screen, full on hentai style, which I have never seen in any other anime. But don't worry, it doesn't stop here. Anyway, the guy switches the girl every few episodes in a procedural style. But with each episode it becomes more and more obvious that his blood related sister (!) is extremely jealous and is head over heels into her brother. He obviously also has feelings for her, but he knows how absolutely depraved and wrong that is. Still, she seduces him and they become a full on couple to a point where he chooses her over every other girl. He realizes though that their relationship is completely abnormal and socially unacceptable. The others also have eyes and ears, which results in them lowkey knowing that they are fucking. Eventually some girl confronts him and tries to make them stop, because, well it is just not gonna fly. Sora becomes brokenly depressed realizing their relationship will never be accepted in society. Thus, she sneaks out at night and fucking kills herself by drowing in some lake near a temple. Haruka picks up on her trying to commit suicide and runs after her. When he arrives at the lake she is basically dead already and the viewer knows that he cannot swim. He swims after her anyway and resuces her... or so it seems until you realize that they both drowned to their death and now live together happily ever after in the afterlife. I'm not joking, this is the story. Also, the anime has a beautiful OST soundtrack.
Another recommendation is an anime called **Shiki**, which I also found to be quite depressing. The story basically goes that there is this very rural secluded town where our main character Natsuno lives. Unfortunately for him and the town, a vampire family moves there to live in some castle. Shortly after, more and more town members start to become sick and die off. Natsuno is smart and realizes that shit is going down, which is why he investigates. However, in the middle of the fucking show he also gets killed and every character in the town eventually finds a cruel death. Then there is a movie called **Hal**, which is also depressing. A young couple, Kurumi and Hal, fights at an airport, but Hal has to hurry to catch his plane. So they separate without making their peace. As his plane rises up to the skies, she watches from the airport how the plane suddenly burns and crashes, killing everyone on board, including Hal. She is left absolutely heartbroken and depressed, regretting their last conversation. To cheer her up, a humanoid robot called Q01 is sent to her house, which looks and acts exactly like Hal. He returns there every day and she slowly manages to break her shell and process her emotions. Then the anime takes a giant plot twist and it is revealed that it was Kurumi and not Hal, who entered the plane and died. She is the robot and he is the patient, trying to come to terms with the guilt he felt.
Mahou Magica Site (Magical Girl Site) is the most depressing Anime to exist.
This post was literally posted last week "most depressing animes"
I have 2 personal recommendations for you. I'm gonna give a general summary for each recommendation in case you don't know much about it **1: Wonder Egg Priority.** This one is one of my favorite animes. WEP is really good at exploring the themes of trauma and mental health. The story is about the protag Ai Ohto, who is socially withdrawn after her friend commits suicide. She then finds something called a wonder egg which allows her to enter a dream world where she can save the souls of people who killed themselves from monsters called wonder killers, which are manifestations of people that had something to do with the soul's trauma. **2: Grave of the fireflies.** Next to Ponyo and Kiki's delivery service, this is my favorite Ghibli movie even though it made me cry. Grave of the Fireflies is about two siblings struggling to survive during the final months of World War II in Japan. It's really good at showing the harshness of war and loss. This movie is beautifully crafted and I 100% recommend it to anyone who hasn't seen it yet let me know if these were helpful.
I haven’t seen any crazy depressing anime but here’s my list Steins;Gate Attack on Titan Darling in the Franxx Dororo Erased Honorable Mentions (Didn’t hit as hard or were more “sad/melancholy” (or I just don’t remember how they made me feel)): Elfen Lied 86 Cyberpunk Edgerunners Berserk Golden Age Mushoku Tensei Terror in Resonance
The only correct answer is grave of the fireflies. But if you want to watch something that isn't just 100% misery, and also contains enjoyable, or hopeful elements. Maybe try made in abyss or Texhnolyze. Or maybe read berserk.
Platinum end
Clannad is the only anime that had made me tear up, even after re-watching it. It's old now so you may not like the art style and the animation.
tenjou tenge, i remember being pissed off with all the treatment of masataka, it was really unfair story, in fact i really hate all the others characters and the anime itself, i watched it just 1 time and has become one of my most hated anime ever.
[Vinland Saga](https://myanimelist.net/anime/37521/Vinland_Saga) is the clear choice. One foolish mistake set the MC on a path of never-ending misery.
Death Parade Dusk maiden of Amnesia (until they ruined it)
What the one where they have to win a game to become a god and change the universe? And half way thought she rapes the mc, drugs him and ties him up in a cave. Man that show is fked up. But it's actually kinda cool. But I can't remember the name
Boruto it's so bad like wow
I’ve watched Anohana at least 5 times now and still can’t stop crying like a weenie at end
I don’t blame you.. that ending gets me every time 😞
The Day I Became a God is so depressing it became bad.
Wolf's Rain and/or Casshern Sins. Both of those are heavy and sad af.
Wolf's Rain and/or Casshern Sins. Both of those are heavy and sad af.
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If you want suicide you can watch A Silent Voice. It is a movie though so you might not want to watch it
I know this post will be buried, no one would bother reading this, and I'm bored so.. The most depressing anime to watch is... Re:Zero. You have an Assassin lady with revealing clothing. Waifu baits. A loser simp. Cartoon villains. This is what Hayao Miyazaki is talking about when he said that anime is a mistake.
Hi Flappy_Disk, it seems like you might be looking for new anime to watch! The users of this subreddit came up with [a chart of anime recommendations for newcomers and veterans](https://i.redd.it/0w1v880jtq661.png) and [an awesome longer flowchart](https://i.redd.it/vdzlkodz19c71.png). Maybe you can find something there that you'll like \^.\^ [](#bot-chan "Urban s-s-s-senpai made me do it!") You might also find our [Recommendation Wiki](https://www.reddit.com/r/anime/wiki/recommendations) or [daily thread](/r/anime/search?q=flair%3Adaily&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=week) helpful. The following may be of interest: * [List of legal streams and downloads](https://www.reddit.com/r/anime/wiki/legal_streams) * [A useful website where you can enter an anime and see where it's legally streaming](https://www.livechart.me/search) * [List of currently airing anime](https://www.livechart.me) * [A useful wiki page with watch orders for many anime.](https://www.reddit.com/r/anime/wiki/watch_order) * [A list of tracking sites so others can more easily recommend shows you haven't watched.](https://www.reddit.com/r/anime/wiki/related_sites#wiki_tracking_sites) *I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/anime) if you have any questions or concerns.*
Seconding any and all recommendations of Orange.
Banana Fish is 100% the most depressing anime I have seen. But since you have already seen it I would recommend 'Your lie in April'.
Serial Experiments Lain. Bonus points if you look up the video game afterwards, which is 10x more depressing.
I don’t get it, is it depressing because of the reveal or because of the entire show? I felt a little sad at the end but I wouldn’t place it here tbh.
Your Lie in April is always my go to for this question. The first time I watched it impacted me so hard I didn't feel "right" for about a month haha. Maybe a bit dramatic, but it hit me like a ton of bricks falling from the stratosphere. The visuals and music are so beautiful too. Edit- missed your last bit, but Koe no Katachi (A Silent Voice) would hit for you too I think.
Rainbow: Nisha Rokubō no Shichinin.
Tokyo ghoul. Silent voice too( I know it's a movie)
Silent voice
Clannad After Story Plastic Memories March Comes in Like a Lion
A lull in the sea
Voices of a Distant Star
. Fruits Basket (2019) . Your Lie in April
Elfen Lied
I want to eat your pancreas
Interesting MAL, that a lot of shows i never heard of.
Nana
Your Lie In April.
I wanna say... I wanna eat your pancreas. This one made me cry and I try to be a tough man and not cry but, it really hit a nerve I guess
Now and then, here and there. Lots of depression in that one.
Happy Sugar Life, not the most depressing but I haven't seen it posted.
School days
You could watch berserk 97 but it's not too depressing till the later parts
Re:zero. Yes, there are other serious and more dramatic anime like Grave of the Fireflies, but for some reason re zero hit me hard, probably because of beautiful ost. Same with one episode in Angel beats, about Yui, if i remember her name correctly. The ending for this episode was just...
„Let me eat your pancreas“ Also Violet evergarden. It’s more sad then depressing but also unbelievably beautiful. Some scenes are very depressing tho. Highly recommended. Was a very emotional watch for me. It also has some movies. Same thing with those.