Gurren Lagann is one of my favorites, and the ending always tears me to shreds. Also the space portions during the big battles against the Anti-spirals (should be fairly obvious why). Strangely, the mid-season-1 drop (just before Nia was introduced) never got to me.
I’ve yet to see Grave of the Fireflies (when I was younger I was scared of what I’d heard, nowadays I’m just overworked and probably depressed) but I will cry every fucking time I watch Kiki’s Delivery Service. Moreso at the people being nice than anything else. I’ve become such a softie as I’ve aged.
Ditto for Trigun, I assume I know the episode you’re talking about offhand. Look up Trigun Hallelujah AMV sometime if you want a nice feels trip.
I once had a friend say much the same about Angel Beats and maybe that, like, ruined what should have been emotional turns for me but I did not end up feeling anything during Angel Beats. It felt like it was trying way too hard to actually affect me.
the early episodes were difficult to watch because they showed a true world where the characters tried their best and it just wasn’t enough and they ultimately paid with their lives.
I was going through a pretty hard emotional time when I watched it and it struck a nerve. I cried for like two hours. It made me realize that something was very broken in my life and unfortunately there wasn’t anything I could do to resolve it. but, the show made me feel “seen” somehow and that was enough.
Maybe hot take, but the only bit that actually got me in the heart was starfish girl in the first season (sadly, I cannot recall any of the characters names anymore). The second season felt too drawn out and trying too hard.
That said I have the ending theme burned into my brain.
🎶 Dango, dango, dango, dango, dango daikazoku 🎶
But my most recent was Moshoku Tensei and its current “future timeline (of the MC)” stuff. (I hope it’s just a “vision”).
I’m a middle aged dude and watching what happens to his 2 wives and then his lost love, Eris. I’m not ashamed to admit that I cried (and am now, typing this) and lost actual sleep over it. You’re (probably) laughing, and I’m amazed at how much I didn’t know I cared about the characters.
Storytelling, when done well, is powerful. Seriously. 🤯
Gurren Lagann – but not the dramatic moment in the first season that’s supposed to have that impact
Kiki’s Delivery Service – everyone is so nice (╥﹏╥)
Trigun (original) – Hallelujah
As for my own:
Haibane Renmei – everyone is so nice ( ˃̣̣̥⌓˂̣̣̥)
WorldEnd (AKA SukaSuka AKA What Are You Doing at the End of the World? Are You Busy? Will You Save Us?) – a tragic romance but it still got to me as it was meant to
Cowboy Bebop – the ending of Ed & Faye’s stories always get me bawling
Millennium Actress – just destroys me more than any other of Kon’s works
Mushoku Tensei, couldn’t watch the diary episode fully. Watchers do know what has been through from the previous episode but fucking hell man that was too sad.
Of course Grave of the Fireflies. Kiki’s Delivery Service gets to me in a very different way.
As for series, Trigun (old one), end of episode 23.
Grave of the Fireflies is kind of the wrecking-ball version of this. Powerful, not subtle, and leaves you utterly devastated.
(Runner-up for me might be Gurren Lagann.)
Gurren Lagann is one of my favorites, and the ending always tears me to shreds. Also the space portions during the big battles against the Anti-spirals (should be fairly obvious why). Strangely, the mid-season-1 drop (just before Nia was introduced) never got to me.
I’ve yet to see Grave of the Fireflies (when I was younger I was scared of what I’d heard, nowadays I’m just overworked and probably depressed) but I will cry every fucking time I watch Kiki’s Delivery Service. Moreso at the people being nice than anything else. I’ve become such a softie as I’ve aged.
Ditto for Trigun, I assume I know the episode you’re talking about offhand. Look up Trigun Hallelujah AMV sometime if you want a nice feels trip.
Violet Evergarden, episode 10.
Same. That episode destroys me. I rewatched it recently and it got me as much as the first time.
My best single anime episode 😭
Angel Beats
I barely remember anything about it because I watched it like 15 years ago. But I remember sobbing
I once had a friend say much the same about Angel Beats and maybe that, like, ruined what should have been emotional turns for me but I did not end up feeling anything during Angel Beats. It felt like it was trying way too hard to actually affect me.
A place further than the universe
For me it has to be LOOK BACK. What a great movie.
most recently–Love Unseen, halfway through the season (no spoilers)
They started the season saying it was going to be a tragedy but it still got me when it happened.
first season of “To Your Eternity”.
the early episodes were difficult to watch because they showed a true world where the characters tried their best and it just wasn’t enough and they ultimately paid with their lives.
I was going through a pretty hard emotional time when I watched it and it struck a nerve. I cried for like two hours. It made me realize that something was very broken in my life and unfortunately there wasn’t anything I could do to resolve it. but, the show made me feel “seen” somehow and that was enough.
Definitely not Clannad. You can go ahead and watch that, it’s just a happy-go-lucky slice of life comedy!
Maybe hot take, but the only bit that actually got me in the heart was starfish girl in the first season (sadly, I cannot recall any of the characters names anymore). The second season felt too drawn out and trying too hard.
That said I have the ending theme burned into my brain. 🎶 Dango, dango, dango, dango, dango daikazoku 🎶
To Your Eternity and Ranking of Kings immediately come to mind but I think the hardest I’ve been gut-punched in the feels is Dan Da Dan
There have been lots.
But my most recent was Moshoku Tensei and its current “future timeline (of the MC)” stuff. (I hope it’s just a “vision”).
I’m a middle aged dude and watching what happens to his 2 wives and then his lost love, Eris. I’m not ashamed to admit that I cried (and am now, typing this) and lost actual sleep over it. You’re (probably) laughing, and I’m amazed at how much I didn’t know I cared about the characters.
Storytelling, when done well, is powerful. Seriously. 🤯
After one of my several rewatches of A Place Further Than The Universe, I earnestly prayed that I can write stories like it.
Gurren Lagann. “So, this is the power of the spiral? Not bad”
I cry at the drop of a hat these days.
First, the ones others have mentioned:
As for my own:
Mushoku Tensei, couldn’t watch the diary episode fully. Watchers do know what has been through from the previous episode but fucking hell man that was too sad.
Yeah I felt nauseous afterwards
Tokyo Magnitude 8.0. After one of the last episodes I was just left staring at the wall blankly for a little, tears running down my face.