The best anime to make you depressed

Recently, members of a popular forum on Reddit have started an impassioned debate about the most depressing anime. These are the anime that, according to users, have the ability to plunge the viewer into a state of melancholy and deep sadness, often intensified by heartbreaking romantic plots.

The discussion focused on the ability of certain anime to provoke strong emotions and lead the viewer to a deep reflection on themes such as loss, hopelessness and emotional pain. Users shared their personal experiences with various series, describing how these anime not only tell heartwarming stories but also explore the complexities of human relationships and the characters' internal struggles.

A key point of the debate was the effectiveness of the narrative in these anime. Participants highlighted how creators manage to construct plots that, while initially seemingly simple, develop a significant emotional impact through the evolution of characters and their interactions. Love stories that do not have happy endings, personal sacrifices and unexpected tragedies are common elements in these series, and they are the ones that, according to users, intensify the feeling of sadness.

Another aspect discussed was the importance of the soundtrack and animation in these anime. Forum members noted that music plays a crucial role in setting the melancholy tone and accentuating key emotional moments. Similarly, the quality of the animation and character design contribute to conveying emotions more effectively, making the viewer feel more connected to the story and its protagonists.

"Nana, I think anime that move away from the school environment are rare and I appreciate seeing people facing adult problems."
"Paradise Kiss too, I think it's a great recommendation."
«WorldEnd: What do you do at the end of the world? Are you busy? Will you save us? It completely ruined me, it's an anime to break your soul. I really recommend it if you're feeling masochistic."
"Angel Beats!, 2006's KANO, and Shigatsu wa Kimi no Uso, each has an emotional twist, but different each time, so you can go blind with these series without knowing what to expect from each one."
"CLANNAD, Plastic Memories, and Hotarubi no Mori e are all a fitting way to get you depressed."
"Byousoku 5 Centimeters is a film about how love fades as time goes by and the distance increases."
"White Album 2, a love triangle. I don't really remember much because it's been more than ten years, but I remember it was very depressive."
"Kimi ga Nozomu Eien, very depressive with a good melodrama included."
"Scum's Wish, disturbing in many ways and left me deeply depressed."
"2019's Fruits Basket is the epitome of depressive stories with a sad romance."
"I Want to Eat Your Pancreas, Your Lie in April, Plastic Memories, A Silent Voice, and Violet Evergarden are my recommendations."
"It's not an anime but a manga, Goodnight Punpun has very important romantic aspects and will kill your soul and throw it in the trash."
"Saishuu Heiki Kanojo is a story where things go wrong at the end of the first episode, they get worse, they hit rock bottom and then they grab a shovel, then a backhoe, then a jackhammer and then a tunnel boring machine. It's an anime that I thought was very good, but I refuse to watch it again because it was so miserable and disturbing that I went from being sad, angry, and upset to just being burned out at the end."
"Orange, without a doubt."
"Kimi ga Nozomu Eien, a story where everything goes wrong".
"Saikano. You won't find any romance anime that's more consistently depressing than that anime."
"Full Moon Wo Sagashite, without a doubt."
"Aoi Hana (Sweet Blue Flowers)".
"Well, I would recommend To Your Eternity. Although the first episode alone might be a short story, the entire series is a journey of ups and downs. Loss and hope in constant conflict."
"Violet Evergarden is perhaps the only anime that really made me cry with sadness, especially Violet Evergarden: Eternity and the Auto Memory Doll. If you are very close to your brothers, then you will understand."
"Ef: A Tale of Melodies.- Beautiful and sad. Melodies: what the hell did I just see. Although the phone booth scene in Memories is one of my favorite anime scenes of all time."