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Time of India
2 days ago
- Entertainment
- Time of India
20 heartbreaking anime that will leave you in tears – From Grave of the Fireflies to Cyberpunk: Edgerunners
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. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Dermatologist: This Household Item Is Like Bleach On Dark Spots Dark Spot Corrector Undo 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. Check out our list of the latest Hindi , English , Tamil , Telugu , Malayalam , and Kannada movies . Don't miss our picks for the best Hindi movies , best Tamil movies, and best Telugu films .
Otago Daily Times
07-05-2025
- General
- Otago Daily Times
100-year-old veteran:‘ I felt it was my duty'
Arthur Driver is among the last of his generation. The 100-year-old Palmerston man is one of an estimated 81 New Zealand World War 2 veterans still alive. As Mr Driver heads steadily towards his 101st birthday, he still remembers being "the young chicken" serving with the Royal New Zealand Air Force in Fiji during WW2. "I can't say I enjoyed it. Far from it — I'm still suffering from it." As the country marks Anzac Day today, University of Otago professor of history Dr Angela Wanhalla (Kāi Tahu), said with the passing of time and the loss of a generation, sharing family histories and the lives of one's relatives was a way to keep alive the lessons learned in war. "We don't have those first-hand accounts as such any more — the more that we can do to record those histories and the stories of those men, I think the better we will be as a country. "I think that's a really significant loss when that generation passes away," Prof Wanhalla said. Anzac Day allowed people to pause and reflect on the meaning of war, its impacts and how it shaped our country, she said. "But we need to do more than that; we also need to make sure that those histories and experiences are remembered — we all have a part to play in that. "Families are torn asunder by war because you lose people and they are buried overseas ... you never get to mourn them properly." Mr Driver was 15 when war was declared. World war II vet, Arthur Driver, 101. Photo: Stephen Jaquiery After convincing his parents to allow him to enlist, a 17-year-old Mr Driver was shipped north to a camp in Rongotai, near Wellington, where he trained. "[My parents] didn't want to let me go, but I talked them into it ... I felt it was my duty." He linked with the air force marine section, where he worked on sea planes. "They only let me into the [marine section] because my grandparents had a crib out in Purakaunui where I used to row the boat around." Soon after he found himself serving in Fiji, where he stayed for the rest of the war. Injuries and illness kept him from seeing live action — first, he was supposed to to be shipped out to Pitcairn Island, but he became ill with diphtheria and could not go. He then dislocated his knee when kicking a football, so his chance of heading to the fighting in the Pacific vanished. Later, he was due to be shipped out to Japan; however a Jeep accident halted those plans. Mr Driver dislocated his knees and a hip, a bone in his arm was protruding from his skin, two vertebrae in his back shifted, and he sustained a head injury. "Other than that I was quite well." That was the end of the war for him. After arriving back in Auckland on Labour Day in 1945, he spent months in hospital, in a cast from his ankles to his neck, before returning to Dunedin in February, 1946. A week later, he was making his way down the aisle to marry Joyce Wieck at First Church. For Mr Driver, Anzac Day means remembering the fun he had with the boys that did not return. "It just brings back those memories — I don't know of anyone I served with who is still living. "I was a young chicken to most of them back then," he said. A Veterans Affairs spokesman said they had 81 living World War 2 veterans registered who served in New Zealand or abroad. Seventy-three live in New Zealand and eight are overseas. There are two remaining WW2 veterans from Otago and Southland they know of. "There are likely to be other New Zealand veterans who arestill alive and served in the Second World War but aren't clients of Veterans' Affairs." "There will also be some living New Zealanders who served in the Second World War, but for another nation," the spokesman said. About 200,000 New Zealanders served in WW2, and about 12,000 people died.
