Anime Tear-Jerkers
 

So.. lately I've been looking up "tear jerker" animes, animes where you'll end up crying your eyes out, whether or not It's from joy or misery. For some reason I can't other than love these kinds of animes and I really would like to make a collection of these animes, where they should be easy to find for everyone with the same interest as me.

I'm not going to rank them, I'm simply going to write them down if i see them fit the description of the topic. I will update the thread once i finish an anime and if possible I will take recommendations I can find both here and all over the internet.

If you feel that you can recommend an anime that would fit this description please comment down below, and I'll add it to my list, watch it, and if I find it touching I'll update the list.

Most of these animes contain some kind of romance, and I think that's probably why I even tear up to these animes, because to me there can't be anything more painful than to lose someone you love. <3

It would be good if you could add a short description of the animes you recommend, but make sure to keep it spoiler free.


This is what I've seen so far, that has managed the list, I hope I will be able to add more and keep the list growing over time.

Feel free to listen to an amazing "atmosphere" song-->while browsing the thread.

• Clannad
• Clannad After Story - (almost tearing up just reading the title.. :/ )
• Kanon 2006
• Angel Beats - (Without a second of doubt, this is by far the best anime I've ever seen, it has everything. )
• Shuffle! - (The larger part of this is not a sad anime, rather the other way around, but it has some sad/dramatic event, even though some of them are slightly exaggerated)
• Ef- A Tale of Memories
• Ef- A Tale of Melodies
• Elfen Lied - (mature audience ONLY, seriously, the amount of blood and gore /nudity in this anime.. geeez.. Left me traumatized..)
• Air - (Story breaks my heart)
• Suzuka - (not the most perfect fit, but a fine candidate)
• True Tears
• Fairy Tail - (Very long anime, kind of *childish*. IMO great story, and it has it's moments with both sad and dramatic events but it also has many episodes that lack those moment, but usually has a really great build-up before each event.)
• Fruit Basket - (I Didn't really like it when I first started watching, but it really grew on me and I would go so far to say It's on my top 10.)
• Rumbling Hearts
• Sword Art Online - (Ongoing. Has some really emotional episodes, really enjoyed the anime so far!)
• Chobits
• 5 centimeters per second - (3EP which is really more of a movie than an anime, it was okay, not the best I've ever seen but worth watching i guess)
• Listen to Me, Girls. I Am Your Father - (Really loved this story, it was kind of sad and cute, I really recommend this one if you like Slice of life kind of stories. It seems like a Loli ecchi, but it's really not, it's a very cute/heartwarming anime)
• Aishiteruze Baby - (I was unwilling to watch this at first glance, but I'm oh so happy that I did, It's an amazing story, and it has some very emotional episodes in "Clannad" class.. Simply amazing)
• Hanbun no Tsuki ga Noboru Sora
• Chrno Crusade
• AnoHana
• Code Geass [season 1+2, 50EP] (Really enjoyed this anime, can't explain why in a reasonable amount of words so i'm not even going to try, if you like action and drama you'll love this one, especially season 2)
• Toradora
• natsuyuki rendezvous - (This one had its sad moments.. However I personally didn't really like it that much, I guess others may disagree with me, but I think the story was kind of.. bad.. and it felt like that girl was *cheating*. - personal opinion)
• Zero no Tsukaima - ( I really liked this anime, and shed quite a few tears, not so much the first season but the others were really good!)
• Tokyo Magnitude 8.0 - (Very sad story about a sister and brother trying to find their parents after an earthquake in Tokyo)
• Sukitte Iinayo - (A love story I'd describe as *cute*, sort of a *rough* version of Fruit Basket (-magic and stuff).
• 11eyes
• Mashiro-Iro Symphony - (This Is a really cute story! If I was to compare it with something, id say it's a lot like Shuffle! I didn't actually cry during this one, but there was some sad parts, but I think it worked out for the better!)
• Itazura na Kiss - ( I liked this one, It's pretty much just a love story with some minor setbacks, but It's rather cute, and suposedly aimed at more mature audience)
• Welcome To The NHK
• Myself ; Yourself
• Kurokami
• Kimikiss Pure Rouge
• H2O Footprints in the Sand
• Buso Renkin - (very.. well lets say predictable, but for whatever reason I can't help to love this one?)
• Bokura ga Ita -
• Steins;Gate - (This one was really awesome, I highly recommend it)
• Claymore - (This one is more action focused, monsters, blood and death. It was rather good, but the end left a lot of loose ends. It was good while it lasted and it had some sad/dramatic episodes!)
• Sola - (This one was a great tear-jerker, I thought it was really good and is well worth watching)
• mahoromatic - (This one was rather odd, I kind of liked it, you really feel for the guy while watching it, It has topless girls so I guess it's for matures only!)
• Line Barrels of Iron - (action focused with strong romance, I really loved the romance in this one, well worth watching. Side note, the first few episodes are kind of wierd, but it gets waay better after that. It's very cheesy. I love cheesy:P)
• Valkyria Chronicles - (It's a military/action/romance Lately I've just found animes that *I don't really enjoy* but this one breaks the streak, I found it highly enjoyable and it had some tragic parts (more towards the end) and fits the topic)
• Tales of the Abyss - (Honestly, I really disliked some of the characters when I started to watch this anime, after a few episodes the anime changed for the better and I found myself really enjoying the rest of it, it was a very good tear-jerker!)
• Kokoro Connect
• Dusk Maiden of Amnesia - (Ever fallen in love with a ghost? well here you go! It's kind of tragic but I really enjoyed the show!)
• Kotoura san - (Basically about a girl who can read minds and got in lots of trouble with class mates and her own family and what happens when she moved to a new school, I really enjoyed the show!)
• Kamisama Dolls - (Action/mecha/romance. It's about a guy with a complicated past which he's trying to run away from, but ofc that's not happening and stuff happens. Lots of emotional episodes here IMO.)
• Guilty Crown
• Zetsuen no Tempest
• Strawberry Panic - (This one was recommended to me, which i had previously turned down because It's yuri (girlxgirl). But as it turns out, this was a really good and cute romance and I really liked it! (quite sad mid end~))
• Golden Time
• Legend of the Legendary Heroes - (While watching this I just suddenly noticed tears on my chin, the ending was very confusing but in the end I really enjoyed watching this.)

Personally I found "Ano Hana" to be a real good one. Not usually my genre though...Still, it was well worth the watch.

It seems your list so far consists of a tear jerker that contains some kind of romance to it...well, you didn't specify exactly what genres but you should check out Usagi Drop. There is almost no romance. By almost no romance, I mean it (there is just a tad bit there but it is not part of the story really).

To keep myself from spoiling anything, you can check out ANN for the small description:
http://www.animenewsnetwork.com/ency...e.php?id=12398

Ahh it's hard to think of some when you list every KyoAni Key adaptation....

Idolm@ster - It starts as normal happy-go-lucky idol antics, but if you stick with this, then...

Tengen Toppa Gurren Lagann - MANLY TEARS, manly, manly tears

Puella Magi Madoka Magica - I'd talk about it, but anything I would say would be a spoiler.

Toradora! - Very well done romantic comedy

And for some movies:

5 centimeters per second, Voice of a Distant Star, and The Place Promised in Our Early Days - are all by the same person (Shinkai Makoto), and do a superb job illustrating the relationship between the male and female lead, and how precisely and skillfully their emotions are portrayed.

Grave of the Fireflies - Takes place during the WWII-era, where two orphaned children struggling to survive in the countryside. I'd like to add this was the first anime that brought me to the brink of tears.

I second Madoka Magica and AnoHana as well. Other shows that fit the list are SaiKano, Now and There, Here and There, the Mohiro Kitoh titles (like Narutaru and Bokurano) and H20 -Footprints in the Sand-.

I think that the already mentioned Saikano and Grave of the fireflies deserve a special mention. If anything for being the most tragic stories in the anime world.

Saikano revolves around a normal guy living in a world dominated by war. It's a bit surreal sometimes because there doesn't seem to be a reason for this war to exist, and people live their everyday lives used to that. In this scenario there is a girl, that, in spite of appearing extremely frail and helpless, is the "ultimate weapon". This story is not centered around action but the omance among the main character and this girl who bears the fate of this war ridden country on her shoulders so you rarely see her fighting.

Oh...

Trigun has some pretty heavy tearjerking episodes. Unless action anime are banned, this deserves a mention. Trigun is set in a sort of sci-fi/far west world where the main character strictly believes in "love and peace" and yet he finds himself constantly involved in a series of fights.

Watch Kemono no Sou-ja Erin. You won't be disappointed, though you will be really sad.

This.

The Kowarekake no Orgel OVA might be a good choice.

Will also third the Grave of the Fireflies movie.

I also find myself crying a lot during the Aria series....

This is pretty much the king of all tear-jerkers.

For TV series, nothing made me cry more than Bokurano. It's already been mentioned but I have to mention it again in more detail. This one is relentless and brutally realistic. It doesn't pull any punches and by the end you. Highly Recommended and IMO a must-see.

Another incredibly sad one is Chrono Crusade. This one isn't as unrelenting as Bokurano but the ending is just...wow. It's almost too much.

Seconds on Madoka, Toradora, Now and Then Here and There and Anohana

Some other sad ones:

Victory Gundam
Berserk
Gunslinger Girl
Fate/Zero
School Days
Uta Kata

My personal list is as follows:

• CLANNAD
• CLANNAD After Story
• Angel Beats

Current items on the list that I would tend to agree with include any of the Makoto Shinkai works (especially Five Centimetres per Second). Happy watching!

May I strongly recommend a little thirteen episode series called Ga-Rei Zero?

There's another series I really want to recommend as well, but unfortunately a lot of people feel it has a cop out ending.

Added 2 more animes to the list, and now I have quite a few to watch, I really appreciate all the good recommendations! Keep it up! :)

Though there were a lot of rage regarding Aquarion EVOL, the ending made me cry.... it's not drama, more of mecha and romance.

Grave of the Fireflies: will be the most sad anime that I've ever watched.
Clannad After: well, it was sad, but the "reset" at the end was stupid...
Angel Beats: Yui's story was indeed sad... so was Kanade's...
Kanon 2006: I agree, especially Makoto's story.
Shuffle!: Primula's story...
Air: if I just say "Goal...", everyone that watched will understand.

The ones that I don't find "tear-jerking":
School Days: ending was stupid, also, he deserved it...

Seconding Chrno Crusade, the 2nd half of the series is an emotional roller-coaster.
Throwing in another vote for Ano Hana

Also adding:
Rurouni Kenshin : Reminiscence - if you don't mind feudal romance.
Kimi ga Nozomu Eien - an intense love triangle

Tokyo Magnitude 8.0
It's not romance, it's about a calamity that hit Japan. The plot twist at the end was very shocking and sad

seconding AnoHana and ToraDora

Toki wo Kakeru Shoujo is a pretty depressing movie too

lastly, it isn't an anime but it's one of the saddest, most tear-jerking J-Dramas I've watched
1 Litre no Namida

+1 for Tokyo Magnitude 8.0. The whiny main girl, Mirai, will probably annoy the hell out of you at first. She's a sterling representative of the "moody middle-school girl" character, but she grows over the course of the show.

You may want to consider Rurouni Kenshin: Tsuiokuhen, the OAV prequel to the Rurouni Kenshin anime series. The four-part OAV was re-edited into a feature-length movie. It is far darker in tone than the series and, in my opinion, it's a much more mature work than both the anime and the original manga, which were too cartoonish and shounen for my tastes.

The story traces the origins of the wanderer Rurouni Kenshin, how he became a dreaded killer in a time of social and political upheaval, and how he eventually renounced his mission as an assassin, though at tremendous personal cost. The prologue of the movie itself seldom fails to reduce me to tears.

AnoHana was close to getting me teary.

Ga-Rei Zero is one of those rare animes that actually made few tears drop from my eyes.

Phantom: Requiem for the Phantom is another anime that was pulling on my heart strings.

Rainbow: Nisha Rokubou no Shichinin is full of sad and heartwarming moments, really strong anime.


I'll second Aria series. If you watch all 3 seasons then the final of season 3 might get to you. It defiantly left an impression on me.

In Idolm@ster case episode 20 does deserve a mention. One of the strongest episodes I've seen, didn't expect one like that in this type of show. Did not bring me to tears but final part always sends goosebumps down my spine. I know a lot of people admitted to cry. But for better effect I would recommend to watch whole show, just to get to know the characters better.

I'll also second Chrno Crusade. Even though I had some issues with the show, ending was sad.

It was not my type of show but ending did have a massive impact on emotional scale so you can try Wolf's Rain.

Updated with a few more animes, and working throught the next anime! <3