On a Reddit forum, a user recently made a request that quickly caught the community's attention: “Are there any anime that deal with suicide or depression? I'm looking for a sad anime, something like what the title mentions, being alone, depression and one that doesn't have a happy ending. Yes I'm fine. I'm just wondering if there is a series that deals with this topic.“. The petition, which addresses sensitive and difficult topics, generated a variety of responses and recommendations from other forum members.

Despite the sensitive nature of the topic, many users decided to participate in the conversation, suggesting series that explore the dark corners of the human mind and portray the internal struggle of characters facing loneliness, despair, and emotional pain. Although these works of fiction rarely focus exclusively on suicide, they touch on themes such as depression, social isolation, and lack of hope, resonating with viewers seeking a raw representation of these experiences.
Interest in anime with sad or melancholic themes is not new, but the Reddit petition has revived an important question: Why do some people search for this type of content? For many, these animes provide a way to emotionally connect with characters going through similar hardships, which can offer a type of emotional catharsis. By watching characters struggle with issues like depression, some viewers may feel less alone in their own internal battles.
- «Welcome to NHK».
- «A Silent Voice».
- «Orange. Particularly that of adolescents. March comes in like a lion».
- «March Comes In like a Lion».
- «It's not entirely what you're asking for because it doesn't have an ending yet, but March Comes in Like a Lion tackles depression much better than most anime. There is always a heavy atmosphere around the main character and his thoughts, an atmosphere that doesn't stop small happy moments from happening, but those moments don't stop depression from clinging to him either. Listening to his internal monologue is like being in a swamp, I really want the best for the protagonist after everything he's been through».
- «Haibane Renmei. Although it has a good ending, it gets quite heavy».
- «Evangelion doesn't exactly have a happy ending. It's pretty terrible, actually. It's also about depression.».
- «Death Parade».
- «Sayonara Zetsubo Sensei».
- «Re:ZERO, but probably not in the way you're asking for».
- «Clannad and Violet Evergarden also fit this role».
- «Mushoku Tensei».
- «How about Your Lie in April? Deal more with crippling anxiety».
- «Kizumonogatari (in a way). It is not something evident or visible on screen, but there are fragments about the protagonist's life and whether it is worth living, and suicide. It doesn't end well. Although there are constant moments of comedy, it is more of a mystery than a drama or action».
- «Charlotte. Not the whole series, but one or two episodes do».
- «No Longer Allowed in Another World. Although it is mostly an isekai adventure comedy, it also handles common themes of depression, guilt, and how the problems they had in the previous world follow them into the new world. The protagonist is also quite suicidal, but mainly for comedic reasons».
- «Try The Ancient Magus Bride. Personally I recommend it to you. The story is beautiful and full of emotions, it also touches on mental health issues. The characters, of course, are very easy to identify.».
- «Wonder Egg Priority is good, although it ends on a cliffhanger and they are doing more, so you could count it not having a good ending».
- «Devilman Crybaby».
- «Berserk has a lot of depression/trauma. Wonder Egg Priority is great until it's not».
- «My favorite anime on this topic is Orange, if you haven't seen it yet».
- «I Want to Eat Your Pancreas was a hard hit to swallow, it doesn't address suicide, but the plot is based on a student discovering that one of his classmates has a terminal illness, and it doesn't have a happy ending. A Silent Voice is also really good and addresses both suicide and depression».
- «Kotaro Lives Alone».
- «As far as recent anime go, Oshi No Ko is a good option».
- «Platinum End».
- «Persona 3. I know it's a game, but all four Persona 3 movies are SO good! It addresses more themes of “death” than depression, but when it touches on the protagonist's depression, it does it very well.».
- «Mushoku Tensei, although the anime is not over yet, the final season ends on a bittersweet note».
- «Uramichi Oniisan. Also, it's not an anime, but Keiko Suenobu's Life explores both themes. The live-action adaptation was as good as the manga».
- «Eighty-Six 86. Best music. Best storyboard. Better character development. Best light novel adaptation. Best voice actors. Better representation of suicide and depression. Best girl, Lena. Best CGI in anime».
Fountain: reddit