Saddest Scenes In Anime

Summary

• Anime genres evoke intense emotions like sadness, with scenes like Ash bidding farewell to Butterfree.
• Shows like Stardust Crusaders and Attack on Titan feature heartbreaking deaths like Kakyoin and Eren’s final moments.
• Series like Fullmetal Alchemist and Your Lie in April have emotionally impactful scenes, like Nina’s transformation and Kaori’s death.

Many people love anime with a passion. The emotions this medium can elicit can be quite intense, with everything from anger to joy by viewers who get immersed in these shows. Of course, the range of emotions that viewers can experience extends to sadness as well, with some shows featuring heartbreaking moments that will make any viewer shed a tear, regardless of how hardy they might be.

Anime is such a broad medium that almost every show features tearjerkers of their own. Given the sheer number of sad scenes in anime, it can be hard to choose the most emotional of the bunch. Most anime resonate differently with other people, but some of the saddest anime moments hit a common emotional ground with viewers and leave them reaching for the tissue box as they weep openly at these sad scenes that hit people hard with the sheer emotions at play here.

Updated on December 24, 2024, by Ahmed Rehan Nasir: Eliciting emotions of grief and sorrow in viewers is an art in itself, and anime series have nailed it to a tee. From compelling deaths to simply a scene of pure sorrow, anime shows have managed to create memorable scenes that have left a lasting impression on viewers. With newer series being released each season, it’s becoming hard to keep track of the saddest scenes in anime. Still, some scenes stand out more than others, evident from the emotional intensity and profundity. This list has been updated with a few more scenes that are some of the saddest in all of anime.

Warning: Spoilers Ahead

29

Ash Bidding A Tearful Farewell To Butterfree

Original Series, Episode 21: Bye Bye Butterfree

The magic of Pokemon during its original run is something that is hard to talk about with words alone. An entire generation of children were hooked by the adventures of Ash Ketchum as he got his starter Pokemon and explored the world, gathering a group of loyal friends in the process and trying his hardest to become the Pokemon Master after numerous failures.

After capturing a Metapod, Ash is glad to see this protective Pokemon finally evolve to become Butterfree. It’s a powerful Pokemon that serves Ash well during his adventures until he meets a female Butterfree. Realizing that he needs to let his beloved Pokemon go, Ash bids a tearful farewell to Butterfree as the duo moves on in one of the saddest anime moments where kids couldn’t help but bawl their eyes out.

28

The Deaths At The End Of Stardust Crusaders

Stardust Crusaders: Battle In Egypt, Episodes 44 (The Miasma of the Void, Vanilla Ice, Part 3) & 46 (Dio’s World, Part 2)

Throughout the epic adventure of Stardust Crusaders, the heroes face a ton of threats but persevere against all the odds. It’s easy for fans to label this as a form of plot armor, only for things to take a turn for the unexpected once the group infiltrates Dio’s mansion. The first test here is Vanilla Ice, whose ridiculously powerful Stand power causes Avdol’s death almost instantly. Iggy joins the list of casualties, and Polnareff manages to emerge victorious after exploiting his enemy’s vampiric weakness to the sun.

Meanwhile, Kakyoin engages in a battle with Kakyoin without any knowledge of how this diabolical villain’s stand works. This turns out to be a fatal mistake, with Dio using his time-stop abilities to punch a hole in everyone’s favorite Emerald Splash user. It’s a brutal end for such a lovable character, but Kakyoin figures out the mystery behind Dio’s powers and uses his final act to give the Joestar duo a hint on how to tackle this foe. These may be two of the saddest moments in anime, but there’s a silver lining at the end of each confrontation.

27

Eren’s Final Moments With His Close Friends

The Final Chapters (Part 2)

The final season of Attack on Titan features some of the craziest plot twists that leave fans wanting more. At the end of the tale, the heroes stop the Rumbling, and Armin gets to engage in one final heart-to-heart with Eren that makes for one of the most satisfying moments in the series. Eren finally reveals the true extent of his plan and how the visions of the past and future caused him to go down such a drastic route.

While the Rumbling may still not be justified, Armin understands Eren’s intentions, with the two interacting like long-lost friends for the first time in a while. It’s an emotional moment that gives the Eldians and fans the closure they want, contextualizing Eren’s actions in one of the saddest anime moments that proves once again why Attack on Titan is a piece of cinema that more fans should enjoy.

26

Ai Hoshino’s Death

Oshi no Ko, Season 1: Episode 1 “Mother and Children”

While the odd beginning of Oshi no Ko might have hinted towards a lighter-themed show, the anime flips the script on its head and presents a dark and intense narrative that delves into the cutthroat showbiz industry. Arguably the saddest moment in the entire anime is Ai Hoshino’s death, an event that serves as a precursor for much of the anime’s premise.

While viewers had barely been acquainted with Ai Hoshino, her death was still quite shocking and compelling. Moreover, the sight of Aqua and Ruby holding onto their dying, bleeding mother further sets the stage for an extremely sorrowful scene.

25

Caesar’s Emotional Death

Season 1, Episode 20: Caesar: A Lonely Youth

If there’s one thing viewers can curse the internet for, it’s ruining one of the most emotional moments in JoJo history. Battle Tendency features one of the best JoJo protagonists of all time, and the bond he forms with Caesar makes Joseph even more engaging as a protagonist. Both characters start out as rivals who push each other to their very limits, eventually becoming friends in the face of adversity as they strive to hunt down and defeat the Pillar Men as a solid duo.

So, when Caesar dies at the hands of Wamuu, fans can’t help but shed a tear as the loss of their companion hits both Joseph and Lisa Lisa hard. Many people shed a tear at this moment, and it’s a shame that countless memes and jokes have made it harder for people to keep a straight face at the scene where Joseph yells out Caesar’s name in anguish on a rewatch.

24

The Ending Of Assassination Classroom

Episode 46: Graduation Time

Throughout Assassination Classroom, viewers are led to believe that Koro-sensei is responsible for Earth’s doomed fate. It’s easy to develop a sense of hatred towards this character, only for the show to reveal what’s going on as this octopus-like being slowly becomes one of the most endearing characters on the show.

Watching the students having to take him down before one last emotional roll-call is heartbreaking and makes it clear why fans love Assassination Classroom to bits. The series is well-paced and features some great action sequences, with the bonds that everyone forms with Koro-sensei making this farewell tough to watch.

23

Nanami’s Demise

Season 2, Episode 18: Right And Wrong

Jujutsu Kaisen went off the rails in the latest season, with the Shibuya Incident serving as a spectacle for the ages. The sheer scale of the battles on display in this arc was amazing, but the high stakes present in this all-out war also meant that some beloved characters were going to come out with serious injuries, if at all.

After wowing viewers with his cool demeanor, watching Nanami bite the dust with a single touch from Mahito is hard to bear. Many lives were lost in the Shibuya Incident, but this one hurt the most by a country mile. The series has moved on to bigger and better fights, but the hole left behind by Nanami’s death will be hard to replace for quite some time.

22

The Infamous Puppy Scene

Episode 8: The Beginning ~ Beginn (lit. Beginning)

Elfen Lied has attained somewhat of a misleading reputation courtesy of a gory first episode that many people associate with being representative of the final product. Sure, violence plays a central role in Elfen Lied, but there are also many emotional narratives taking place in a short 13-episode that will thrill viewers to no end.

Elfen Lied doesn’t shy away from showing some truly grotesque scenes, but the worst is when the brutality of the anime coincides with its emotional narrative. The scene where Lucy’s puppy is tortured and killed by her bullies is one of the most horrifying scenes in anime, and it says something when some people find her murderous personality to be justified given what she’s been through.

21

Rengoku’s Final Stand

Episode 7 Of The Mugen Train Arc: Set Your Heart Ablaze

After defeating Enmu and saving everyone from his diabolical plans, most people felt like things had finally ended in a rather tense arc in Demon Slayer. However, once Akaza made his surprise appearance, viewers knew they were in for something shocking.

Despite fighting with all his might, Rengoku loses his life after a fatal punch through his stomach. Until his dying breath, he stopped Akaza in his tracks until sunrise to try and kill him, with his death having a resounding impact on Tanjiro, the Hashira, and the rest of the Demon Slayers in the series.

20

Sasha Getting Fatally Shot

Season 4, Episode 8: Assassin’s Bullet

The fourth season of Attack on Titan has gone through a major shift, with Eren transforming from a fairly generic shonen protagonist into one of the most compelling villains ever written. His actions have left viewers in shock and awe, with his plan of genocide being horrifying to witness firsthand.

His assault on Liberio was horrible, sparking a chain of events that eventually led to an enraged Gabi embarking on the zeppelin that housed the Survey Corps. She aimed at the first person who came into her view and shot Sasha in cold blood, with everyone’s favorite potato girl breathing her last soon after.

19

The Revelation Of Itachi’s Sacrifice

Episode 140 Of Naruto Shippuden: Fate

Itachi is one of the greatest characters in anime history, serving as a major villain on the show for the longest time before the truth of his intentions came to light. While everyone second-guessed this man to be nothing more than a heinous villain who had it out for Sasuke, the truth was that Itachi was a hidden agent of the Leaf who culled the Uchiha Clan before they could revolt and wreak havoc on the village.

It’s a heartbreaking moment, made even worse by the fact that Itachi hid this secret from his beloved brother till his dying breath. Even after his demise, Itachi didn’t want Sasuke to know the truth, but Obito managed to circumvent the safeguards this man had set in place to give Sasuke the whole truth, which finally made the surviving Uchiha realize just how strongly his brother loved him!

18

The Demise Of Maes Hughes

Episode 10 Of Fullmetal Alchemist Brotherhood: Separate Destinations

Fullmetal Alchemist is considered by many to be one of the greatest shonen manga of all time, with the story of Edward and Alphonse as they try to get their bodies back making for a great time that led to many fans falling in love with the duo. The system of Alchemy is easily one of the best forms of magic in any series ever, having a well-defined set of rules that are rarely broken in the series.

Maes Hughes is one of the best characters in the series… but he also ends up fighting against enemies whom he underestimated when he tried to confirm his suspicions about a grand conspiracy that threatened the very world itself. However, before word of this could reach his best friend’s ears, Hughes was hunted down and killed by the Homunculi.

17

The Revelation Of Valkyrie’s Demise

Edens Zero, Season 1: Episode 23 “My Mother, the Machine”

Produced by the creator of Fairy Tail, Edens Zero takes on many of its predecessor’s themes, whether it’s the never-ending adventure or the power of friendship in every fight. However, Edens Zero differs from Fairy Tail in one aspect — nuanced storytelling. This becomes even more apparent from the revelation of Valkyrie’s death. Initially believed to be alive somewhere in the galaxy, Shiki and the rest set out to find Valkyrie in the latter half of Edens Zero’s first season.

However, things take a grave turn when the truth about Valkyrie and her noble sacrifice is revealed. Her death might not hold enough emotional weight, but Homura’s reaction to finding the remains of her android “mother” can make even the toughest of people shed a tear. The cinematic effect of the scene shifting from the backstory of Valkyrie’s demise to the present moment of Homura discovering the site of her master further added a layer of depth to the scene.

16

Setsuko’s Demise

Near The End Of A Harrowing Movie

Grave of the Fireflies is one of the saddest anime movies and another great chapter in the illustrious history of Studio Ghibli. The movie takes a harrowing look at the effect of war on civilians, with the movie focusing on the lives of Seita and Setsuko.

They try to roam around the harsh countryside during this time, but a lack of nutrition leads to Setsuko meeting her demise, right when Seito had managed to secure some food. It’s hard not to shed tears the moment Seito realizes her younger sister has passed away. To make matters even worse, Seito himself dies of malnutrition at the end of the movie as well.

15

The Revelation At The End

Episode 22: Spring Wind

Your Lie in April is one of the most magical and heartrending anime ever made. The story focuses on the life of a boy who has lost all happiness in life after his mother’s death before a peppy violinist called Kaori Miyazono decides to cheer him up.

Unfortunately, Kaori is suffering from a life-threatening disease that ultimately takes her life when she undergoes a rather risky surgery. It’s a sad event made even worse by a letter describing that Kaori always had feelings for Kousei, but never really got to express them.

14

Kanade Moves On to the Afterlife

Angel Beats!: Episode 13 “Graduation”

Angel Beats is a beloved anime that walks between the lines of romance, action, and fantasy, all at the same time. At the core of this show, however, is a rather grim theme, as each character in this limbo world had a depressing backstory that led to their dreams being unfulfilled. While the anime is laced with several gloomy scenes, arguably the saddest one is Kanade moving on to the afterlife and leaving Otonashi behind.

Despite being a somewhat positive moment for Kanade, since she could finally move on to the afterlife without any regrets, the scene was truly tear-jerking as Otonashi decided to live in that limbo-like world to be able to see Kanade once more. The backstory of Otonashi’s own death is a close second, though Kanade’s departure left a more profound impact on viewers.

13

Ushio’s Death

Episode 21: The End Of The World

Clannad is an anime full to the brim with devastating and sad stories. One such story revolves around Ushio, a child who is distanced from a father who is a complete mess.

Unfortunately, Ushio develops the same disease that took her mother’s life and isn’t able to fulfill her dream of exploring the world with her father. The scene where she passes away in Tomoya’s arms is hard to watch and is sure to result in more than a few tears.

12

Gin’s Disappearance

Hotarubi No Mori E

• English Name: Into the Forest of Fireflies Light
• Released: September 17, 2011
• Studio: Brain’s Base

The idea of loving someone you can never touch is hard to digest, but this is precisely what happens in Hotarubi no Mori e. A human girl named Hotaru and a forest spirit fall in love, even though Hotaru knows that she won’t be able to touch Gin since he will disappear.

While attending a festival for spirits, Gin accidentally touches a human boy who had entered the premises. It’s a small mistake that leads to Gin disappearing, although he did manage to hold Hotaru for the first time before he did.

11

Kayo Finally Getting The Treatment She Deserves

Episode 8: Spiral

This scene is a tearjerker for slightly different reasons. Kayo is a young girl who has lived with an abusive family for the longest time. However, she finally managed to escape their clutches and started living in another household with parents who cared about her.

Watching this child after enjoying the warmth of a mother for the first time is simply heartbreaking, knowing the pain Kayo had gone through up until that point. It’s one of the most powerful moments in Erased, a brilliant anime worth anyone’s time.

10

Jiraiya’s Demise At The Hands Of Pain

Episode 133 Of Naruto Shippuden: The Tale Of Jiraiya The Gallant

Jiraiya is one of the best characters in Naruto. The fact that people adore this character despite him being a pervert is a testament to just how amazing his other qualities are.

Watching him trying to scout out Pain’s abilities only to meet a grisly end at the hand of his student is a heartbreaking sight. Pervy Sage was one of Naruto’s closest father figures and watching him suffer such an untimely demise was hard to digest.