Anime with powerful emotional scenes

[Alen]

Hello everyone.

I'm looking for anime that pulls off emotional scenes realistically. For this to work it needs to have well developed characters and a good/mature story. It may be sadness or it may be anger, fear, etc. Of course, this doesn't need to be throughout the anime but it needs to have powerful moments that move you.

Some words that describe the kind of shows I like -

Dark, Sci fi, Post apocalypse, tragedy (if its done well), serious, etc

I can't think of all the anime I've seen that would fit this description but a few would be Elfen Lied, Gunslinger Girl, etc (I don't know what else....maybe Ergo Proxy.)
Remember though, it doesn't have to be all out depressing like the 3 I listed, but it can be


Throw out as many as you can possibly think of!

Thanks in advance

PS - I'm interested in watching Canaan...would it fit this description somewhat? Just a bonus, will be watching it either way...

[SeijiSensei]

I'd suggest Dennou Coil and Noein in the sci-fi genre. Perhaps Planetes as well.

Tokyo Magnitude 8.0 might also qualify as might Toshokan Sensou.

Every episode of Bartender probably qualifies, though it's not a science-fiction show. Whether it's realistic or a fantasy I leave up to you.

[kitten320]

I wouldn't call Canaan very emotional... Phantom: Requiem for the Phantom would suit much better and it is also a shooting anime just like Canaan. It is one of my favorites so I really recommend it. It is based on character development and characters are well developed there. It starts with a guy who had lost his memory and was forced to become an assasin. The one who trained him is the famouse assasin known as Phantom.

The most obviouse suggestions would be the standard ones and the famouse ones aka Clannad, Kanon 2006, Air and Angel Beats. Those series have a well developed characters and tragedies that surround them are touching. Angel Beats might be less touching out of all though...

Another series would be Ga-Rei Zero, also my faves and are also based on character developmnet. The main theme of the series is "Will you kill the one you love because of love?". It will be more similar to Elfen Lied since it is a bit gore, but not too such extend as Elfen Lied. The only warning I have to give is that series kinda start somewhere from the end in first 2 episodes and then starting from episode 3 we see how that situation had happened and then the conclusion to it.

Mai HiME - it starts with comedy but then slowly takes a dramatic turn of events, also because of characters.

Suzuka - if you like love triangles that is.

Valkyria Chronicles - not really a dramatic anime... it is based on war but it had an emotional character death, at least I liked the way it was handled.

[SeijiSensei]

Originally Posted by kitten320

The most obviouse suggestions would be the standard ones and the famouse ones aka Clannad, Kanon 2006, Air and Angel Beats. Those series have a well developed characters and tragedies that surround them are touching.

I guess I'm just an old fogy, kitten, but most of the Key/KyoAni shows like Air don't do it for me. Perhaps they're "standard" and "famouse," but to me they lack depth. I'd rather watch Kemono no Sou-ja Erin if I'm looking for a well-developed character who must face a variety of tragedies.

To me, the scenes around episode 20 or so of Moribito when we see Balsa's back story and her conflicts with Chagum are much more touching.

[kitten320]

Well they are the most famouse I know, so yeh the most standrd ones

But I think that Clannad had quiet a well developed characters out of all 4. Angel Beats lacked there.

[Alen]

I may take a look at Clannad and Noein, thanks.

What about Gilgamesh..? Looks like the kind of anime I might like but I'm not sure....

[straferd]

Canaan does not fit into that description. However it is really good so you should watch it anyway

I also like emotional anime, and these are what I recommend:

1. Ga-Rei Zero. Watch it now. Are you watching it yet?
2. Mai Hime. First half sucks, second half is some of the best I have ever seen.
3. Elfen Lied. You have already listed it, however it deserves to be mentioned again.
4. Mai Otome. When you have watched and enjoyed Mai Hime (which you will), then watch Mai Otome.
5. Fate/stay night. Emotional ending.

[-Antares-]

Maybe Casshern Sins? That was the first thing that popped into my head when I saw the list of the types of shows you like. It's post-apocalyptic, fairly dark, sci-fi (though, the sci-fi element doesn't matter much), and has a number of emotional scenes, most of them of the depressing variety.

I'll also third Ga-Rei Zero. Really well-done emotional scenes in that, and they all make so much sense because of how well all the characters are fleshed out and developed. It's also quite dark.

Other than that, I have to recommend Evangelion just in case you haven't seen it. I'm fairly certain you'll like that as long as you can sympathize with at least one of the main characters.

What about Gilgamesh..? Looks like the kind of anime I might like but I'm not sure....

I wouldn't really recommend Gilgamesh. It certainly fits with a lot of the stuff you like, but I didn't really feel that the story was done well, and I definitely don't think the characters are well-developed. I guess it's a pretty interesting watch if just because of how weird things start to get near the end, but don't go into it expecting what you asked for.

[JRendell]

I highly second Phantom ~Requiem for the Phantom~; it has some extremely moving scenes.

[Haak]

The poster is looking for something much darker than the three Key titles.

I think Kara no Kyoukai, Now and Then, Here and There, Tehxnolyze (only the ending, though) and Casshern Sins are what you're looking for.

[Guardian Enzo]

For me, no series pulls off serious emotional scenes as well as Seirei no Moribito - and it isn't even close. They're more real than reality.

I would add Ghost Hound to the list, and second Noein.

[SuzushinaYuriko]

The poster is looking for something much darker than the three Key titles.

But the three Key titles DO invoke powerful emotions. They might not be dark but they have the ability to break your heart. CLANNAD made me into a sobbing mess multiple times.

Other than that, I definitely agree with Tokyo Magnitude 8.0 and Ga Rei Zero. If you can stand a LOT of blood then go with Higurashi, especially the second season.

For dramatic romance, I'd go with both seasons of ef, as Chihiro's and Yuuko's stories were really heartbreaking.

Canaan is a pretty good series with great animation and it would have been a better story if the ending wasn't so weak...

[devildog23]

Saikano - one of the most depressing anime out there. It has pretty much everything you're looking for.

Blue Gender - A man wakes up to find the world is one the brink of the apocalypse and is forced to fight the monsters the world is overrun with. The emotional scenes revolve around romance. (Scifi, Post-Apocalyptic, drama, dark)


More Romance orientated anime

I thought the back stories of each character in Angel Beats! was emotionally gripping. Give it a few episodes and trust me, you'll enjoy the drama. (I just saw that it was already mentioned, but I don't think enough word was put in for it)

Seconding Kanon 2006 - superb anime, I'd say its better than Clannad by far, but give Clannad a shot too, it is also a great anime.

Try - Great Teacher Onizuka - Although it is mainly a comedy, the backdrop of the problemific class and their great teacher trying to solve all their problems is a great premise for emotional scenes.

Tell me what you think

[Alen]

I think I'll start picking up these (in this order)

Phantom
Noein
Ga Rai Zero
Now and then, Here and There
Saikano

and then I might come back to some of the other ones that don't seem that interesting (to me) and so how they feel

I've seen the first 4 eps of Texhnolyze and could not continue watching it.
Most of the other shows I'm not too interested in at first glance but you never know until you watch an episode or two, so I'll see.

Thanks for the help

[kitten320]

Good start
Let us know what you think later, if something it might help us to give better list later on

[Samurai dono]

May I suggest Fullmetal Alchemist. Maybe not Gunslinger Girl-dark throughout the series, but when it gets to its darker scenes, it beats it (I'm GSG's biggest fan by the way). I also second Phantom~Reuiem for the Phantom. And finally, I suggest Basilisk.

Originally Posted by SeijiSensei

To me, the scenes around episode 20 or so of Moribito when we see Balsa's back story and her conflicts with Chagum are much more touching.

Good man.

[kitten320]

FMA first season or second? Because if talk about darkness, 1st season would suit more. I think emotionally (more depression) also was in 1st season... though brotherhood is also good.

[Samurai dono]

^ First season .. An all time favourite. "Dark" doesn't get any better

[Guardian Enzo]

I can't believe no one has suggested it yet (including me) but not many series do emotion as well as Natsume Yuujinchou.

[Archon_Wing]

Paranoia Agent for its character study and tackling of very mature themes. That certainly generated a "holy crap" reaction for me. There's a incredible amount of emotion in the character breakdowns and so believable it makes me cringe.

Evangelion, though I doubt that really needs any introduction-- delivers some serious emotional bombshells with what is probaly the most complex character psychoanalysis ever. Perhaps even a bit too excessive, lol.

The real payoff is in the movie, which while is one of the most fucked up things I've seen (though it's more psychological than graphic) certainly does have what you'd call impact.

And of course, I'd recommend Higurashi-- though that will take a bit of patience, do not be put off by the seemingly mindless violence that occurs. It takes two seasons to build up to that conclusion and the emotional payoff is worth it.