What anime made you actually cry? Be honest, no judgment zone

I'll go first since I made the thread.

Anohana. I was not prepared. I watched it during a study break at like 1am and completely fell apart. Didn't sleep until 4. Told my roommate I had allergies the next morning.

Also the last episode of Clannad After Story. That's not even crying, that's a breakdown. There's a difference.

What broke you?

Your Lie in April is the obvious answer but I'm going to be real with you — I cried at the ending of Angel Beats more than I cried at YLiA. Something about the way that ending is framed just destroyed me. Maybe because I wasn't expecting it from what seemed like a comedy.

I don't cry at anime.

...

Okay I cried at Violet Evergarden episode 10. The one with the kid writing letters to his mom. I paused it three times pretending I needed water. I did not need water.

Episode 10 of Violet Evergarden is a war crime. That episode should come with a warning label. My sister walked in during the last 5 minutes and thought someone had died in the house because of how I looked.

Grave of the Fireflies. Obviously. But the one that actually surprised me was Wolf Children. That ending where she runs through the forest and you realize what she's chosen and the mom just smiles because she understands... I was not okay.

Also the Holo and Lawrence farewell fake-out in Spice and Wolf. I knew it wasn't real and I still cried.

Wolf Children is underrated in the crying category because it sneaks up on you. You're watching this sweet movie about a mom raising kids and then it just... guts you. Mamoru Hosoda is genuinely dangerous.

kuo wrote:

I cried at Violet Evergarden episode 10. The one with the kid writing letters to his mom.

That episode was written with the specific intention of making every human being on earth cry. The director openly admitted they wanted it to be the most emotionally overwhelming episode of the series. Mission accomplished. My cat sat on my lap the entire time like she knew.

Okay embarrassing one: I cried at the ending of Assassination Classroom. I knew it was coming, the whole class knew it was coming, Koro-sensei knew it was coming. None of that helped. I had read the manga. I had processed it already. I still cried.

Also the episode of FMA Brotherhood where — you know the one. The dog episode. I won't say more.

The FMA dog episode is banned content in this house. We don't discuss it. We will never discuss it.

Hughes. I'm just going to say Hughes and anyone who's seen FMA:B knows what I mean and everyone else should go watch it immediately.

I was not ready for this thread to go this hard. Someone said Hughes and now I'm sad at 11pm.

Adding to my list: the ending of A Silent Voice. Not because it's the saddest anime ever but because it hits a very specific type of regret that is very human and very uncomfortable to sit with.

A Silent Voice is interesting because it makes you cry but you also feel kind of awful about yourself while watching it which is a different experience from most sad anime. Like Anohana you feel sad FOR the characters. A Silent Voice makes you feel sad WITH them, and also vaguely guilty about every time you ever excluded someone in school.

That's such a good point about A Silent Voice. The guilt angle is what makes it stick with you differently. It's not cathartic sadness, it's more like reflective sadness.

Also want to mention: the end of Made in Abyss season 1. Not because it's emotional in the traditional sense but because of what happens to Mitty. That's more horror than sadness but my eyes were definitely wet.

Made in Abyss is horror disguised as a cute adventure show and I will never forgive it for that. Looked up the manga after season 1 and had to put my phone down and go outside.

Coming back to add: I finally watched Banana Fish last week on recommendation from a friend who I no longer speak to.

Just kidding. But barely.

Banana Fish. That's a name I haven't seen in a while. How are you holding up.

I'm fine. Everything is fine. I'm going to go watch something funny now. Something with no death and no tragedy and no emotional weight whatsoever.

[4 hours later]

I watched Kaguya-sama. I'm okay. The comedy healed me. Thank you all.

This thread was a journey. We started with crying and ended with healing via Kaguya-sama. That's character development. I'm proud of all of us.

Final list of shows that have the most confirmed casualties in this thread:
1. VE Episode 10
2. FMA:B (Hughes + dog ep)
3. Anohana
4. Clannad After Story
5. Banana Fish

Watch responsibly.