You should be fine with Anohana. Sure, Grave of the Fireflies is more on the psychological side, but since you know what’s gonna happen from minute one (because it’s very evident), the effect isn’t as big.
Studio Ghibli wise, although I haven’t watched it, Spirited Away, seems to be the best one according to the people I know who’ve seen all of the Ghibli ones. I’ll definitely watch it sometime soon. You could maybe go for that one, it doesn’t seem to harsh on the psychological side.
Only Ghibli film I’d really recommend besides Grave of the Fireflies is Ocean Waves. It isn’t anything revolutionary, but for an anime film it is nice. One nice cohesive package. Yamadas is pretty fun and relaxing too.
Generally if it isn’t Hayao it is pretty good. If you like Ponyo and Arrietty however, you should enjoy: Kiki’s, Totoro, and The Cat Returns. The rest are a toss up.
I do find it funny that Grave is being compared to horror. Don’t think I’ve heard that before.
Uuuh, very very light spoiler for the sake of clarification. Anohana has a happy (bittersweet at worst) ending.
I’m not comparing it to horror - I just have no idea what it is actually about, outside of non-spoiler reviews, and that it was highly recommended that I don’t watch it. I’m just saying that certain things are really not a match for me, and it is quite logical to assume that it deals with something in that area.
However, there’s a saying about assumptions I suppose, but I am going to respectfully leave it as this since that part of the discussion is personal and feels like it is helping nobody.
If anything, it is interesting that the responses are so mixed. It’s great that they are honestly.
Umm guys, I’m looking for some recommendations on tearjerker animes or one that has a philosophical theme to it, anyone’s got some? I’ve watched (or at least have downloaded, but haven’t finished watching yet) these:
(Actually, there are quite some others as well, but listing all of them would make this post unnecessarily long. Just give me some recommendations you have and I’ll tell you if I have watched it or not. If it’s made by Key or on top 100 most popular animes on MAL I probably have known about it already but just tell me anyway.)
Thanks in advance!
The recent Grimgar might be up your street. SukaSuka too. I’d recommend Kiznaiver under the assumption some people will find it sad or philosophical, but personally it was a weak show.
Not a tearjerker, but Eve no Jikan also sounds like something you’d like. Similarly, Pale Cocoon might appeal to you.
If you liked Mushishi, you’ll probably like Kino no Tabi, Haibane Renmei, Kaiba, and Mononoke.
Anohana is an easy recommendation for tearjerker.
On my list now, thanks! I’ve downloaded SukaSuka though; it’s just sitting in my folder waiting to be watched. I hear it’s got a sequel in the manga. I’ve also heard about Eve no Jikan and Kino no Tabi, I’m probably gonna have a look at them soon. By the way, is Kokoro ga Sakebitagatterunda any good? I’m also planning to watch it but I just like to have your opinion on it.
And as for @cjlim2007, indeed it is. This other day I came across this poll and it said the majority of the voters found Anohana to be the saddest anime ever, but I can’t remember exactly. I do agree, though. I’ve never cried to anything for the past 4-5 years or so but I do sometimes get very emotional.
Nothing made me depressed as much as Planetarian did, so far.
On that topic, the SukaSuka anime is a weird type of adaptation. It isn’t the entire original story, only the story of two of the characters. It’s like if the Clannad anime was only the Nagisa route. So the anime is a complete story, but you wouldn’t be able to jump into the sequel without reading the original.
I haven’t actually seen it yet. I tend to forget about anime movies until years after they release. From what I’ve heard from friends, you either accept the melodrama and enjoy it, or you get frustrated at the story. It’s probably safe to say if you like Anohana or Clannad, you’ll likely enjoy Sakebitagatterunda.
The majority are dumb =w= Anohana has some rare sad moments, but I wouldn’t say it’s a sad show. It’s like Plamemo and Kowarekake. They have sad bits, but they are ultimately bittersweet nuggets of happiness.
If you go into the movie without any expectations, you’ll be totally fine. Just sit back and enjoy. It’s not going to introduce anything brand new or change the world, but it’s quite entertaining.
Explanation: Certain scenes in AnoHana are the saddest thing you’ll ever encounter in non-Key anime. Taka here seems to suggest that there are anime out there that are 100% sad from the first to the last episode. I can’t explain any further since I didn’t know such a thing existed (sounds kinda scary, actually. Kinda hard to imagine such a concept to work out).
I’d like to throw in my own concise view on Anohana: while there are surely sad scenes, the sadness that they may evoke on you strongly depends on whether you feel like the characters’ behaviours are realistic or not. With this, it can become a very sad anime or an extremely cringy and, at times, incoherent one depending on how much you want to believe in the show.
I’d argue that there are tearjerker moments, but it isn’t a sad show. Nothing bad actually happens outside of some dramatic conversations between teens, and the crying moments aren’t all that sad, they’re just emotional. I don’t believe Anohana aims to be a sad show, and if it did, it’d be at odds with the entire moral of the story. It’s a cheerfully bittersweet story. The movie exemplifies this. I imagine a prequel to Anohana (set after the flashbacks) would be far sadder.
That’s an extreme. Not 100%, as sadness exists as a contrast, but some of the shows I previously mentioned are drenched with melancholy at every moment, to different degrees of severity. Grimgar, Pale Cocoon, Kaiba, Grave. There’s also stuff like Cat soup, NaTHaT and Angels Egg, but they are less sad than they are downright depressing.
The talk about sad and depressing reminded me of Kotoura-san. iirc, It was sad and depressing for the first 4 episodes and then it basically turned into a completely different anime, but the characters looked exactly the same o.O
Whahaaha why do I get into anime virtually nobody cares about? :'D
Well, recently I’ve gotten into this anime called ClassicaLoid. At first, it was just its soundtracks, J-pop rendition of well-known classical music. I’m a tad bit of a classical music enthusiast myself so it’s interesting to hear these kind of arrangements (sometimes taking them to weird directions, like the remixes for Bach’s Air in G String and especially Chopin’s Fantasie-Impromptu). They’re also really catchy and I’ve been listening to them on repeat these past few days.
Eventually, I got into the show and iTS WEIRD AND ABSURD AND I LOVE IT. The first season follows the story of a young landlady and some reincarnations of sorts of famous classical composers and they have weird powers where things take a psychedelic turn when they play their pop rendition of their compositions after turning to magical composers. It’s kind of hard to explain, so I’ll just show the trailer instead:
The show is definitely aimed at children, and some characters can be pretty obnoxious to some, but the show is so shamelessly fun it gives me a stupid smile on my face every time I watch it. Also anime Mozart is too bishie like
AHEM
If anyone is looking for some zany comedy, I really recommend this one! :'D It doesn’t really require prior knowledge of classical music (the show is meant to be educational apparently (also most of the music featured are widely known pieces anyway like WHO IN THE WORLD DOESN’T KNOW FUR ELISE)).
(Oh and as for the 2nd season, I’m not quite sure what to feel about it since they just introduced a new character I actively dislike at the moment, but I do have high hopes that it will turn out good anyway.)
Well, I pretty much finished JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure, the anime, and it was pretty much a fun ride all the way though. I plan on watching Aria the Avvenire’s end after I finish the manga’s. What anime should I watch? I’m planning to watch My Hero Academia and Amanchu along with Kakegurui, maybe even Flip Flappers. I’m currently watching this. https://i.pinimg.com/474x/7d/19/18/7d1918960ea03a9202f4b2fc8be23e4c--i-love-anime-manga-anime.jpg Omae Wa Mou, Shinderu. 
I’ve watched a lot of anime based on light novels such as Noukome, Sakurasou, and Inou Battle. Problem is, I want to know how they finished, but I can’t read the light novels. Frustrating.
Another reason why I want to become fluent in reading Japanese.
So far, in terms of Autumn 2017 anime, I’m watching Land of the Lustrous. The aesthetic is lovely and I’m really interested in where the plot is taking itself. I love the whole reincarnation/rebirth theme, with the gems shattering in battle and being fixed back together again at the risk of their memories being affected. Lots of Buddhist imagery in there. The Lunarians are also some really hauntingly beautiful antagonists.
The use of CGI animation is actually super good, and the fact that some folks are hesitant to watch it because of this sucks.
I need to pick up the manga at some point!
(Also, will people STOP comparing it to Steven Universe? As far as I’ve heard, LotL came out a good half year before it.)
The last thing I watched before this was Kaiba. Which was…a year ago?! I loved it a whole lot. And the Tezuka inspired art style. Need to watch more of Masaaki Yuasa’s stuff when I’ve got time. 
I picked it up because of one of my favourite webcomics, Space Boy. The creator is a huge fan of Kaiba and Astro Boy, and you can really see how both have influenced his story.
(Next up…Baccano! 
WHICH I WAS SUPPOSED TO START TWO WEEKS AGO)
I’ve seen it get insanely hyped up on Twitter. I’m not too sure about it myself, but hopefully I’ll enjoy it. I’m kinda torn on the character designs because they are simultaneously attractive and uninspired.
Nothing will get the show away from Steven Universe when it took over the traditional definition of “gem” in many people’s minds. I know a bunch of 13 year old girls who love SU, and they learned what gems were by watching the show… Still, it can’t be hard to upstage the SU comparisons; If the LotL team move the camera once they’ve pretty much risen above the heights of SU.
Oh, I’ve been writing about Masaaki Yuasa related stuff recently. It’s the year of Yuasa right now, so it’s hard to not think about his work. With Walk on Girl, Over the Wall, and the new Devilman coming out, there’s lots to be excited for.
Yeaaah, that looks very Kaiba. Surprised I haven’t heard of this before, might give it a read.
My friend and I just re watched Wolf Children. It was her 1st time watching. I still enjoy it to this day. We are also watching other anime series but the list could go on and on.
Wolf Children is awesome. Probably my favorite standalone anime movie. It’s pretty much exactly my kind of story.
All marked spoilers are Kaminai spoilers.
So I recently watched an anime called Kami-sama no inai Nichiyoubi (A Sunday without God). And all I can say is, I never expected something other than Key to make me that emotional.
It has a unique setting and an interesting character development.
Setting explained in a simple way : God has abandoned this world on a Sunday 15 years ago due to which people can’t die properly without being given a proper burial by gravekeepers. At the same time, children stopped being born too.
Main character :
Ai Astin - A blonde loli who is the gravekeeper at a village. Her late mother was a gravekeeper too giving her the role automatically. Her life changes drastically when a man who calls himself Hampnie Hambart visits her village.
Other interesting/important characters :
Hampnie Hambart : Ai’s father by blood. His real name is Kizuna Astin.
Julie Sakuma Dmitriyevich : Hampnie’s friend, he travels the world with Ai after Hampnie dies.
Alice Color : A teenager whom Ai meets later on in the story. His ability Buzzer Beater allows him to hit any target. He actually died trying to save Dee 14 years ago. This incident caused his class to be caught ina temporal loop.
Dee Ensy Stramitos : Literally my favourite character in the series. A girl who is Alice’s companion. She is in love with Alice. She mistook herself to be dead due to not having a physical body in the outside world.
Ulla Eulesse Hecmatika : The Princess of Ortus, the city of the dead. She can grant peaceful death to anyone by gazing at their eyes or speaking to them despite the fact she is alive.
Apart from this, the anime has a really nice opening song. Here’s a link :
And lastly, bless you @Naoki_Saten for suggesting this to me.
