Anime Movies That Will Make You Cry

Key Takeaways:

• Besides going on adventures and having fun, many otaku love to watch anime movies to cry.
• Some of the best anime movies to cry to include Grave of the Fireflies, Your Name, and Ride Your Wave.
• The best way to watch sad anime movies is through trusted platforms that convey their depth and beauty.
• CCCI offers professional anime subtitling services, dubbing, and voice-overs.

Table of Contents:

• Anime Movies: To Make a Long Story Short
• Anime Movies To Cry To
• One Heartbreaking Anime Film After Another

Ask an otaku why they love anime, and they can go on forever about the brilliant plotlines, satisfying character development, and breathtaking animation. Some will say they watch for the funny moments, while others swear by the fight scenes. But did you know that many also watch anime movies to cry?

There are two questions you can ask:

1. There are anime movies?
2. They can make you cry?

Yes, and yes. You have probably heard about the earliest anime series like Astro Boy (1963) and Speed Racer (1967), as well as modern hits like Pokemon (1997), Naruto (2002), and Attack on Titan (2013). What you may have missed is the fact that anime films graced the world of entertainment first. 1917, to be exact.

Namakura Gatana was directed by Junichi Kouchi. It got lost after the Great Kantō earthquake in 1923, but a copy was found and digitally restored in 2008, along with Seitaro Kitayama’s 1918 film Urashima Taro.

Note: Other titles historians consider the oldest anime films include Sanae Yamamoto’s Kyoikuotogimanga Usagi to Kame (1924), Kyoikusenga Ubasuteyama, and Senga Tsubo (1925), Noburo Ofuji’s Kemurigusa Monogatari (1924 or 1926), and Yasuji Murata’s Sarukanigassen (1927).

The above films are unlike the anime we know today. They were short, without sound, and with limited animation. But they were the foundation of what would become the contemporary anime industry. Now, anime movies can run up to almost three hours and have intricate sound design and incredible animation. They can make you think about all sorts of profound topics and move you to tears.

Everybody needs a good cry sometimes. Now that you know anime can evoke such strong emotions, it’s time to add some titles to your “to-watch” list. Here are ten of the best anime movies to cry to when you need a cathartic release.

Year: 1988

Genre: Drama, War

Type “sad anime movies” anywhere, and Grave of the Fireflies will show up. The setting alone, the final days of World War II, is enough to break hearts. With two siblings, Seita and Setsuko, hoping for a better life after losing their parents and home, this film haunts every viewer with its depiction of a harsh reality. In a world where “happiness” is a “could’ve been,” this Studio Ghibli masterpiece will teach you what it means to be truly human in its tragedy and beauty.

Year: 2007

Genre: Melodrama, Romance

Growing up and growing apart is what 5 Centimeters Per Second is all about. Follow the story of Takaki and Akari, two childhood friends who try their best not to let life get in between them. What they must learn, however, is that some things just don’t have a future. You’ve already learned it yourself, right? And no matter how many times you’re reminded, it’ll still be just as harsh. After you watch this movie, you’ll never look at cherry blossoms the same way again.

Year: 2011

Genre: Supernatural, Romance

Anything with “forbidden love” hurts, and Into the Forest of Fireflies Light delves into that trope. Originally titled Hotarubi no Mori e, the film introduces Hotaru Takegawa, a little girl lost in the woods, and Gin, a friendly spirit who helps her find her way back. Hotaru grows up but never fails to visit Gin every year, and they eventually fall in love. How does romance between a human and a spirit work? We’ll give no spoilers! But don’t say we didn’t warn you…

Year: 2012

Genre: Family, Fantasy

We’re done with supernatural love. Would you like some supernatural kids? Wolf Children puts Hana, a 19-year-old single mother, and her two half-wolf children in the spotlight. There was a partner and a father involved until there was no longer one, and you won’t have a hard time feeling for who was left behind. Raising kids is tough; what more when they are also wolves? Wolf Children is one of the best anime movies to cry to and get inspired by.

Year: 2016

Genre: Fantasy, Romance

It’s impossible not to have heard about Your Name. With the same director as 5 Centimeters Per Second, Makoto Shinkai outdid (or, for others, simply proved again) himself with this blockbuster! Fate may not be a new concept in anime, but Your Name renders it fresh, ravishing, and heart-wrenching. Add time travel into the mix, and your eyes will have no chance of staying dry. Let the astounding visuals and soundtrack take you on a journey of love, longing, and loss.

Pro Tip: Watch Your Name only through trusted sources for correct subtitles to convey the film’s depth and beauty! It’s available on streaming platforms like Crunchyroll and Amazon Prime Video.

Year: 2016

Genre: Melodrama, Romance

2016 was indeed a year of tear-jerking anime films, with A Silent Voice following Your Name in cinemas in less than a month. Get to know Shoko Nishimiya and Shoya Ishida, and let them open your eyes to the struggles of bullying and redemption. Here’s a clue: Shoko is deaf, and Shoya used to be a not-so-kind guy. Trust us when we say the two will teach you so many things, and all of them come with some sobbing.

Year: 2018

Genre: Fantasy, Melodrama

Let’s round back to motherhood. In Maquia: When the Promised Flower Blooms, you meet an immortal mother and a mortal son, which is basically another way to define “pain.” We can only imagine the agony of knowing that you’ll outlive your child! Motherly love is one of the most enduring types of love, and this film captures that truth perfectly. You might want to give your mom a call after watching.

Year: 2018

Genre: Melodrama, Romance

The title sounds gory, but it’s not what you think. We promise nobody will eat anybody’s pancreas in this movie! But there is a terminally ill girl and an unconcerned boy who happens to read her diary. One doesn’t want to live a life limited by her (pancreatic) disease, and the other doesn’t care much about real life. Put them together, and you get a touching story about friendship, guaranteed to pinch your heart with the idea of being “too late.”

Year: 2019

Genre: Fantasy, Romance

If you want to understand what grief feels like after an unexpected tragedy, Ride Your Wave is the emotional rollercoaster ride. It revolves around Hinako Mukaimizu, a surfer, and Minato Hinageshi, a firefighter. They meet, fall in love, and then something happens. All the stages of grief, regardless of how long and unbearable they are, lead to self-discovery. We see Hinako grappling with every wave, but she eventually learns to ride them.

Year: 2020

Genre: Drama

Based on the sensational anime Violet Evergarden, the movie version is an award-winning one that compresses the entire essence of the series into a two-hour experience. The protagonist, Violet Evergarden, grows up as a weapon for war. After the war ends, she becomes an Auto Memory Doll and nurtures her desire to learn what love is. Inevitably, she also discovers what it’s like to “live,” which, as we all know, can bring so much despair.

Watch anime movies to cry and understand the medium’s power to bring out the saddest emotions in you! The ten films we shared are more than enough to jumpstart the highs and lows, but you can explore even more titles until you can’t anymore.

At CCCI, we proudly contribute to delivering great anime content to the world through our professional subtitling services. We also do dubbing and voice-overs; you can count on us to really express the nuances of the original languages.

Do you have some heartbreak you want to let people experience in a good way? Contact CCCI today, and let’s make it happen!