1y ago

Looking for something that takes me on an emotional ride

Hi, I’m looking for a show that will make me sad, angry or something like that. Some picks from shows that I have already seen:

• Angel Beats! - Didn’t care for it • Clannad • Anohana • Death Parade - Still get goosebumps • Kimi no Na wa • Shigatsu no Lion - I got so incredibly pissed off during that bullying arc (in a good way) • Koe no Katachi - Emotional rollercoaster

There’s probably a few more, but those come to mind. Do you have any more suggestions?

38 comments

As many suggested: Violet Evergarden. Other suggestions:
Hibike! Euphonium and Liz and the Blue Bird (spin off of the former) are very much an emotional anime to me
Steins;Gate
Madoka Magica
Maybe not typically what you'd call an emotional ride, but Land of the Lustrous
Shinsekai Yori

Couple of people beat me to Violet Evergarden, which I maintain is my #1 pick for "you will NOT be okay" shows.
BUT
In a thread about "anime that will mess me up," how has nobody beaten me to Grave of the Fireflies? HO-LY SHIT. If you don't feel like your soul has been torn out and stomped on watching this movie, you straight up don't have one.
- Can I interest you in ::: spoiler spoiler some birthday letters :::

Made in abyss

Tokyo magnitude 8.0 That anime hit me pretty hard.

I'm gonna second both Violet Evergarden and Your Lie in April.
Violet Evergarden, hands down, is the most I've cried watching something.
Plastic Memories is also really good for that at the end, but the overall show imo isn't quite as good. Still, I rated it a 9.2/10
- Came here for Violet Evergarden. My wife could always tell when I was watching it because I straight up sobbed like a child every single episode. Bring tissues; you will not be okay.
- Both sound very promising, I’ll look into them

Your lie in April hits really hard and very unexpectedly
- I messed up and deleted that one during formatting. It absolutely did hit hard!
  
  When you put "Shigatsu no Lion", I thought you also referred to YLIA.

Violet Evergarden
A Place Further Than The Universe (here, the ride is also literal)
Spirited Away
Steins;Gate
The Garden of Words
Nagi no Asukara
- I think I’ll check out Violet Evergarden ASAP as it seems the most popular answer! Also, thank you for the rest, I have heard of most of them but haven’t seen them yet.

Grave of the Fireflies
- Good one, thank you!

Idk if despair is what youre looking for but "Shiki" messed me up pretty good.
- I didn’t think to add that one - I have seen that one about a decade ago, but that is a good suggestion! Thank you
  
  It's one of my faves but too traumatic for me to watch more than once lol. I recently finished happy sugar life which was also pretty crazy. Idk if you've seen that one.

MAQUIA
Little Busters

Wait, Angel Beats! was sad? I mean, it had some moments but it wasn't really something I would consider incredibly emotional.
I guess if you're looking for something with similarly sad moments, I'd recommend (if you haven't already seen them):
AKIRA
Chobits
Charlotte
DNA^2
Heaven's Lost Property (including the movies, though Eternal My Master is pretty different from the source material, unlike the other movie and both seasons)
Jin-Roh (the original, not the 2019 Korean live action adaptation)
Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya (don't skip the Endless Eight Arc, coward)
- Yeah it’s more like you said, it has its sad moments. I’ve read that it made people cry, so that’s why I included it. Thanks for the list, I haven’t seen most of those

A Place Further Than The Universe is technically a slice of life...
But damn does it have some moments that hit hard. Especially towards the end.
- The plot sounds interesting enough, I’ll check it out, thanks!

Darling in the Franxx. It's a bit fanservicey, but left me all emotional, which is not an easy task.

Damn, am I the only one who didn't like Violet Evergarden? Maybe I didn't give it enough time to get going. I try to give every show at least 3 episodes to grab me and it just didn't land.
- I didn't finish it. I gave it more than 3 episodes, but still just wasn't interested...

To Your Eternity made me cry repeatedly.

Idk if these are but I mostly know romance animes:
Clannad Fruits Basket Violet Evergarden (?) Oregairu Plastic Memories Golden Time

Zankyou No Terror
- Was great, but it got a little weird towards the end like it wanted to do more with its world and new characters but didn't.

The Day I Became a God pretty much pissed me off, plastic memories & a silent voice made me cry like a little girl, school live I cant really describe the feeling. If i think of anymore i'll edit some in
- I’ll definitely look into The Day I Became a God, I’m a bit unsure about School Live, is it that good?
  
  Might be pink tinted glasses but I remember liking it but might not be that big of a rollar coaster in hindsight if im going to be honest. Give it a shot
  
  School Live! is good, I liked it a lot. If anything, go watch it without reading any review or summary.