20 heartbreaking anime that will leave you in tears – From Grave of the Fireflies to Cyberpunk: Edgerunners

Time of India

07-06-2025

On the hunt for an anime that will wreck you emotionally? So, whether you're just getting into anime or you've been watching for years, these stories are so heartwarming and heartbreaking, they'll both move you to tears and possibly forever shift your perception of the world around you.
Whether you're talking gut-wrenching war accounts or sob-inducing romance narratives, anime has a very particular approach to grief, recovery and the human experience. Over the weekend, Vulture posted their list of 'The 20 Anime Sure to Make You Cry,' and it's loaded with classic, can't-miss masterpieces that will give your heart a workout.
Below is a summary of their favorite selections, with some background on why each is so tear-jerking.
1. Grave of the Fireflies (1988)
This animated masterpiece from Studio Ghibli is a World war II classic as it offers a young boy and his sister's actions try to survive in war-torn Japan. The heartbreak here is palpable and haunting.
It's a true story that uses real footage to tell what war really costs, from the perspective of the most innocent victims.
2. Parenthood high
Clannad
About story (2008)
While the narrative begins as a tale of high school romance, it ultimately transforms into an emotional journey addressing themes such as mature life, loss, and the significance of familial bonds.
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It tackles experiences that many of us face in life—finding a partner, raising children, loss and death—from an incredibly honest and heartfelt angle.
3. Your Lie in April (2014)
A brilliant pianist, bedridden and mute after an accident, encounters an indomitable young violinist who reawakens his passion for music and life who herself is concealing a world-altering secret.
The juxtaposition of the immaculate production, ill-fated young love with The Great Gatsby connection, and sheer tragic loss is staggering in the prettiest way.
4. A Silent Voice (Koe no Katachi) (2016)
Having bullied a deaf classmate in high school, a teen's search for redemption many years later. A tale of remorse, absolution, and our shared humanity.
It addresses themes of bullying, mental health, and the power of empathy.
5. I Want to Eat Your Pancreas (2018)
Don't get duped by the name—it's a heartwarming, bittersweet romance between a misanthrope and the free-spirited girl enjoying life on borrowed time.
It's a reminder to enjoy the present and appreciate your loved one while they're still here.
6. Anohana: The Flower We Saw That Day (2011)
A much more original novel about a group of childhood friends and their reunion, brought about by the ghost of a girl who died all those years ago.
It's an honest take on grief, guilt, and the struggle to move on after a tragic loss.
7. Made in Abyss (2017)
Despite its adorable hand painted aesthetic, this is a grim, haunting tale that follows the journey of children venturing into a giant, magical chasm teeming with peril.
It juxtaposes filmic beauty with horror, innocence with tragedy.
8. 86 (Eighty-Six) (2021)
A military sci-fi series that takes the romanticization out of racism, loss, and the high price of war—instead showing it all through the eyes of young soldiers.
It's emotionally profound and politically astute.
9.
Devilman Crybaby
(2018)
A frenetic, no-holds-barred anime that becomes one of the most gut-wrenching end-of-the-world tales ever made.
It's the classic breakup novel — of love, fear, betrayal— and the apocalypse.
10.
Wolf Children
(2012)
A young mother tries to raise her two half-wolf kids in the wake of her husband's murder.
A tale of romance, parenting, and adolescence.
It's a moving love letter to solo parenting and growing up.
11. Cyberpunk: Edgerunners (2022)
Set against the neon underbelly of Cyberpunk 2077, this tale chronicles a young boy's ascent — and his catastrophic demise.
Love, ambition, sacrifice, the darker side of ambition—all wrapped up in a tragedy—this one shines like neon lights.
12.
Barefoot Gen
(1983)
A moving, creative, animated-collage documentary about the Hiroshima attack's impact, particularly on children.
There's no sugarcoating the horror of nuclear war, and this movie cuts straight to those elements.
13. Neon Genesis Evangelion (1995)
A dense, complicated, emotionally charged mecha series that pushes past the trauma, loneliness, and existential dread common to the genre.
It's not really about the huge fighting robots, but rather, it's about damaged people learning to mend.
14. Monster (2004)
A psychological thriller quickly evolves into an emotional rollercoaster about guilt, morality and redemption.
It is heavy as hell, sinister as all hell and even makes you wonder what it means to be evil.
15. Frieren: Beyond Journey's End (2023)
A reality-based fantasy of what occurs after the epic heroic quest has concluded—exalted immortality, the tragedy of the human race, intimations of mortality and the inner life.
It's all about the heart-wrenching loneliness that comes when you've outlived everyone you ever loved.
16. Digimon Adventure: Last
Evolution Kizuna
(2020)
A love letter and parting wishes to all the Digimon children who had to grow up and learn to deal with the risks and responsibilities of adulthood.
It's like death of your childhood
17. Clannad (2007)
The narrative leading up After Story—this is where the emotional groundwork is laid.
Even the joyous occasions are undercut by a profound sadness.
18. Violet Evergarden (2018)
A disabled war veteran begins to experience and articulate human emotion for the first time by writing letters on behalf of other people.
It's an emotional journey about healing from grief, paired with stunning animation and music.
19. Your Name (2016)
What starts as a body-swap romance quickly becomes a race against time and destiny.
It's a nostalgic, yearning, timeless ode to connection and love.
20. The Rose of Versailles (1979)
Emotional, sweeping historical drama Before the disastrous French Revolution—love, duty, and earth-shattering decisions come to a head.
It combines sweeping historical epic with tragic love story.
Why these anime hurt so good
Sad anime isn't simply about making you cry—it's about evoking authentic emotions. These tales are memoirs to all we've experienced and everyone we've lost, the love we've felt, and the power we bear through anguish.
So whether you're looking for a good tearjerker or simply a story that packs some emotional punch, these anime will entertain and inspire and perhaps help you to mend a broken heart.
So get your tissues ready and press play. Consider yourself duly warned.
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