Grab your tissues and prepare for an emotional rollercoaster! We're counting down the most heart-wrenching scenes in anime since the year 2000. From tragic deaths to bittersweet farewells, these moments will tug at your heartstrings and leave you in tears. Which scene hit you the hardest? Let us know in the comments!
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00:00Welcome to WatchMojo, and today we're counting down our picks for the most sob-worthy scenes
00:11to come out of anime since 2000.
00:27Taking out a hijacked Spec Ops aircraft is hard enough, but Charles and Ray have to do
00:43it while their quasi-son, Ranson, is still inside.
00:46He left the two to rejoin the Gekko crew, and in a tragic turn of events, he never got
00:52to apologise.
00:53Charles dies in the initial siege, leaving a depressed Ray to absolutely snap in the
00:58ship they all called home.
01:12It's a noble effort, but it doesn't matter.
01:15She dies too, leaving Ranson grieving the only real parental figures he ever had.
01:20Still, what's even worse is knowing Charles and Ray gave their lives for this last mission,
01:25and have absolutely nothing to show for it.
01:48Of all the robots in disguise, Starscream is one of the very last you'd call noble.
01:54And yet, the approaching threat of Unicron forced the two-timer to make the ultimate
01:58judgement call.
02:00His epic slugfest with Galvatron convinces every bot, from Decepticon to Autobot, that
02:06Unicron is bigger than any of their petty grievances.
02:26Unfortunately, it also puts Starscream right in the World Eater's line of fire.
02:47He ejects Swindle to save him from the blast, and even fires off his own attack.
02:51But Starscream is scrap metal before it even hits its mark.
02:56The robots may not be able to cry, but Alexis grieves enough for all of them.
03:10In a job with as much turnover as devil hunting, bonds are the only currency Himeno gives a
03:15damn about.
03:16In fact, it matters so much to her, she gladly gives up her own life in order to save her
03:22partners.
03:27Seeing her literally vanish piece by piece is a powerful sight, especially since Himeno
03:33knows her death will destroy Aki.
03:35Then again, what else would you expect from a literal deal with a devil?
03:41It's almost ironic.
03:44Aki is usually a man of few words, but even he can't resist shedding a few tears over
03:50Himeno's sacrifice.
03:52And anyone with a beating heart is probably right there with him.
03:57Shinji and his father aren't exactly on what you'd call good terms.
04:12Actually, for a good chunk of the series, they couldn't be further apart.
04:16So on paper, Gendo finally hugging his son should be a happy breakthrough, right?
04:24Well in a vacuum, it is.
04:25The issue is that, by then, their conflict has already destroyed most of reality as we
04:31know it.
04:32The overdue display of affection is completely undercut by the realisation that it's just
04:37too late.
04:47For Shinji, for Gendo, and for humanity.
04:50And this is before we get to any self-sacrifices.
04:54Only Evangelion could make something as sweet as a hug feel absolutely heart-wrenching.
04:58After enduring both physical and emotional turmoil at home, the young Kaio is taken in
05:12by Satoru and his mother.
05:19They give her a warm bed, fresh breakfast, and honest care.
05:23To them, it's an innocent gesture, but to Kaio, it's a kindness enough to trigger
05:27some serious waterworks.
05:32If this is her reaction to something as standard as a hot meal, we can't even imagine the
05:36kind of suffering she went through with her mother.
05:39The implication behind Kaio's tears is truly devastating, in a way words can't describe.
05:45But if there's any silver lining, it's that she's crying for happy reasons now.
05:52Is there anything more soul-crushing on the face of the planet than watching a mother's
06:03dying words to her kids?
06:04If Ai's unfair death is factored in, the answer is a completely resounding no.
06:15The former pop star is nothing but kind, caring, and generous to everyone around her.
06:20Hell, Ai even apologises to the man who stabbed her.
06:32But instead of getting to raise Aqua and Ruby herself, she's forced to condense decades
06:37of parenting into a few parting words.
06:41Yes, Ai remains smiling to the end, but that doesn't change the fact that this scene
06:48is too sad to sit through more than once.
07:08If you think your love life is complicated, this is Shakespearean levels of miscommunication.
07:14To sum it up, Lakan and Fengshan's romance had epically bad timing.
07:19Almost immediately, Lakan is sent away for three long years, leaving Fengshan to carry
07:24and raise their child alone.
07:26Poor, depressed, and overworked, she turns to selling her body, which eventually gives
07:31her a life-threatening illness.
07:43The diagnosis evolves into rumour, and then a flat-out lie, and by the time Lakan returns,
07:48he's told Fengshan has passed.
07:51While the two eventually reunite again, it's a bittersweet union when you consider how
07:56much time they already spent grieving one another.
08:09The moment Himel, the hero, passes away is a thing of legends.
08:13Half a century after his fabled ten-year quest, his slow-ageing elf friend, Freiren, returns
08:19to show him the best view of the biannual meteor shower.
08:23None of them knew it would be Himel's last trip ever.
08:32Even though he's introduced in the same episode he's buried, the show's detailed
08:37character work ensures you feel the weight of his farewell.
08:40If not, Freiren's impassioned grief will definitely get the point across.
08:45It's not often you find an anime that handles the complexities of grief with so much care,
08:50let alone in one episode.
08:52But that's Freiren for you.
08:59Arnaid's story in Vinland Saga is defined by choice, or rather a lack thereof.
09:10As a slave, she was forced to bear children she never wanted, all the while being torn
09:14from the man she really loved.
09:19Even once she escapes and reunites with her beloved, Arnaid is powerless to stop his death,
09:24or her own beating that follows.
09:26Then, after all that pain and heartbreak, she can't hold on either.
09:35It's beyond grim for everyone, particularly Aina.
09:39He finally confesses his love to Arnaid's dead body, but as sad as it is to say, a happy
09:44ending just wasn't in the cards for her.
10:03All the way back in 1999, Tai and Matt fell into the digital world, and began a decade-spanning
10:09adventure alongside Digimon.
10:11They fought, they struggled, they cried, and they came out the other side, unbreakable
10:17friends.
10:18But after 20 years, the original DigiDestined had officially outgrown their partners.
10:27So, backed by a gorgeous sunset and decades of memories, Matt and Tai said goodbye to
10:35their partners once and for all.
10:46It's a sob-worthy gut-punch of a scene, not just because of the obvious farewell, but
10:51also since this is Digimon boldly deciding to grow up with its audience.
11:0520.
11:07The Death of Sasha
11:08Attack on Titan.
11:10The final season gave us no shortage of revelations, but none were more painful than watching our
11:15favourite meat-eater slip away.
11:18While escaping their fate from Marley aboard a blimp, the Survey Corps come under attack
11:23from a surprise passenger as Gabi sneaks on board, locked and loaded.
11:36It just so happens the one shot she fires finds its mark, right through Sasha.
11:44It's a brutal end to one of the purest members of the original cast, perfectly setting the
11:49stage for the savagery to come.
11:5819.
12:02The Death of Oda
12:03Bongo Stray Dogs.
12:05Before Dazai was the ultimate bro seeking atonement, he was a ruthless enforcer of the
12:11port mafia, willing to commit whatever atrocity was needed if it meant accomplishing his mission.
12:17So what changed him?
12:19His best friend perishing in front of his eyes, that's what.
12:23Seeking revenge for the murder of his adopted children, Oda waged a one-man army against
12:29those responsible, the encounter proving to be fatal for everyone involved.
12:41Even with his death wish, Oda still used his dying words to impart wisdom to Dazai.
12:47But at the end of the day, it's better to live as a good person.
13:0018.
13:03Hachikuji's Goodbye
13:05Monogatari series, second season.
13:08By now, we've gotten pretty used to Araragi trampling on the hearts of the many ladies
13:13in his life, though this little farewell still cuts the deepest.
13:18Originally a mischievous spirit incapable of moving on, Hachikuji became a somewhat
13:23vital member of Araragi's ever-expanding harem.
13:30At least until her business on the mortal plane was finished and was slowly being taken
13:35to the big upstairs, something the pseudo-vampire is none too pleased about.
13:44Knowing that this may be the last time they see each other, Hachikuji makes one last bid
13:49for best girl status before disappearing into the unknown.
13:5617.
13:59Gugu's Passing
14:00To your eternity.
14:02He suffered through the world alone for his early life, only to find family, grow up to
14:06become the ultimate chad, and was willing to die for love.
14:11Our dragon boy was one in a million.
14:19Following his death after protecting Rin from being buried alive by rubble, Fushi decides
14:24to lie to her, assuming Gugu's form to give her a false sense of happiness.
14:35It may have been a kind gesture, but she isn't so easily fooled.
14:40We later see her resting by the place where Gugu first saved her life, proclaiming that
14:45she will always love him, never be married to anyone else, and is aware he is no longer
14:50alive.
15:00Why does this anime keep torturing us?
15:0316.
15:04Eating and Growing Stronger
15:06Haikyuu!
15:08Nobody likes losing, but alas, that's the way of the game.
15:11Sadly for Karasuno, their bout against Aoba Jose resulted in them falling flat on their
15:17faces, and while they would eventually go on to soar again in the rematch, they first
15:23had to feel the sting of defeat.
15:31The saddest part isn't watching the game reach its conclusion, it's the aftermath
15:35where the coach treats everyone to a meal.
15:44Silently, all the members of the volleyball team eat, as well as weep over their loss.
15:59It's such a painfully human reaction, you can't help but be moved by it.
16:0415.
16:05The Death of Renkoku
16:06Demon Slayer Kimetsu no Yaiba the movie, Mugen Train.
16:10He set his heart ablaze, he fulfilled his duty, and the only thing that it cost him
16:15was his life.
16:16While his strength as the Flame Hashira is undeniable, Renkoku was put through his paces
16:22against the demon Akaza.
16:32Left horrifically wounded from the encounter, all the eternally optimistic swordsman can
16:37do is pass down his final will to Tanjiro, while also giving his blessing for Nezuko
16:43to join their ranks, despite her affliction.
16:49It's a beautiful send-off to such an inspired character, with the visions of his mother
16:54only adding to the heartbreak.
17:0114.
17:06Kaido's Memories, 86
17:09The robotic dog of Spearhead Squadron has been around since the beginning, though it
17:14mostly lingered in the background.
17:16As it turns out, that also allowed it to capture the small, yet meaningful moments of its new
17:21family throughout its tenure.
17:26As the remaining 86's venture out beyond their confinements, we're greeted to a montage
17:31of all the fun moments Shin and the rest have had as teammates.
17:43They may seem insignificant, but when weighed against the cruelty they have endured, it
17:47comes across as rather heartwarming.
17:50Then we discover that Fido is playing these during his last moments, on account of it
17:55and everyone else being overrun by the Legion.
17:58Good dog.
18:0313.
18:05The Death of Nighteye, My Hero Academia
18:09All Might's one and only sidekick, Sir Nighteye is a hard man to please, and even harder to
18:14measure up to.
18:16Capable of seeing into the future, his cold persona spawned following a wedge that was
18:21driven between himself and the world's greatest hero, due to the latter's reckless
18:25disregard for his own life.
18:28And yet his death still hit us like a truck, mainly due to him finally letting down his
18:33walls and showing his appreciation for his mentor as well as his students.
18:43Giving Mirio hope that he can continue on as a hero, even without his quirk, was absolutely
18:48precious.
18:5312.
18:58Hina's Trouble, March Comes In Like A Lion
19:01Bullying is always a subject that strikes deep, and when you combine it with someone
19:06as good-willed and lovable as Hina, you're just asking to choke up.
19:10While usually resilient, Hina can't help but confess to Rei that she's terrified
19:15about going to school on account of her knowing she's going to be the target of bullies.
19:20All because she defended her friend.
19:27Even so, she still refuses to change her way of thinking.
19:34It's such a profound moment of introspection that it not only moves Rei, but also has us
19:40blubbering.
19:41She's too pure a soul to have something like this happen.
19:4911.
19:53Letters For 50 Years, Violet Evergarden
19:56Violet's job as an auto-memory doll enabled her to encounter all manner of individuals,
20:02each with their own personal pains and stories to be typed out.
20:06Though, none packed quite as much of a punch as this.
20:10As a dying woman has Violet write out an increasingly large amount of letters, we see
20:15events unfold through the eyes of her daughter Anne, who grows increasingly frustrated over
20:20the whole affair.
20:26Then we find out that each letter was addressed to Anne, one to be delivered to her on her
20:31birthday for the next 50 years.
20:36It's an unfathomable example of love between mother and daughter, and we were not prepared
20:41for it.
20:4410.
20:45The Death Of Ace, One Piece
20:48Even amongst oceans filled with war and death, the death of Fire Fist Ace remains the event
20:53that still rocked us to our core.
20:56In spite of doing everything possible to free his brother from the executioner's block,
21:00Luffy can only watch in horror as Ace leaps in at the last second to save him from a kainu.
21:06And as a result is impaled by a burning fist.
21:16With no chance of escaping death, all Ace can do is give his final words of thanks to
21:20his younger sibling, before perishing on the battlefield, content that he had people who
21:33loved him, regardless of his heritage.
21:409.
21:43Ishigami's Backstory, Kaguya-sama Love Is War
21:47The most aloof member of the student council, the anime kept us guessing as to what his
21:52deal was.
21:53Did he have any skeletons in his closet, or was he just a naturally depressed teen?
22:01Turns out that he had every right to be cynical on account of having a nightmare past.
22:12After beating up a popular jerk who was threatening to blackmail his own girlfriend, the whole
22:17school turns against Ishigami due to malicious rumours, where he is shunned and looked down
22:23upon.
22:28It's a bleak example of how gossip can destroy a person's life.
22:32Thank goodness he had someone like Shirogane to bring him out of that dark place.
22:378.
22:38The Death of Jiraiya, Naruto Shippuden
22:41He may have been a perverted hermit, but when it came down to it, Jiraiya was the aged underdog
22:47we couldn't help but love, especially given the parental bond he shared with Naruto.
22:55While his sage mode and veteran shinobi experience made him the ideal match to take on the Akatsuki
23:01leader, he woefully underestimated what Pain and the Rinnegan were capable of.
23:13While it resulted in his death, instead of letting despair take over him, the old frog
23:17pulled out one final trump card, sowing the seeds for Pain's defeat and entrusting his
23:22will to Naruto.
23:297.
23:31Hughes' Funeral, Fullmetal Alchemist
23:37No matter how much Brotherhood excels in other areas, nothing can measure up to how broken
23:42this scene in the original outing left us.
23:50Going on from his murder at the hands of the homunculi, Hughes is given a soldier's
23:55burial with the highest honours.
23:57Not that it stops his confused daughter from wailing out as he's lowered into the ground.
24:10Between seeing Hughes' family break down and Mustang silently crying for his dear friend,
24:15everything seems hopeless, especially knowing those responsible for the killing stand among
24:20the grieving.
24:216.
24:22The Death of Yuki, Sword Art Online 2
24:25Alas, there's no such thing as a respawn when you receive a game over in the MMORPG
24:31that is life.
24:38Standing in as Asuna's newfound gaming companion throughout his solo adventure, it turns out
24:44that Yuki's real-life predicament was much more dire than any boss fight.
24:49With limited time left due to a terminal disease, all of her online friends decide
24:54to give her the best send-off possible.
25:05Moments away from death, Yuki is logged back into the gaming sphere, where she can be with
25:09Asuna and the gang right until she passes over.
25:245.
25:28The Death of Kamina, Gurren Lagann
25:31His existence may have been brief, but he outshone everyone else all the time.
25:36Originally nothing more than a shirtless wonder with no shortage of bravado, Kamina eventually
25:41grew to become a beacon for humanity in the wake of the Beastman incursion, kick-starting
25:46the rebellion with nothing more than a smile.
25:49While his demise ultimately allowed Simon to flourish as a main character, we still
25:54can't help but wonder what might have been if Episode 8 never came to pass.
26:01Possibly something involving Yoko?
26:09We still miss you, big man.
26:154.
26:16The Death of Lelouch, Tokiyos
26:19As both a masked liberator and a tyrant, Lelouch broke every shade of grey out there.
26:24To the point where you never knew how he planned to secure his dream of destroying Britannia
26:29and at what cost.
26:30Turns out, once again, he had the whole world fooled.
26:39Setting himself up as the ultimate baddie, Lelouch made himself the symbol of villainy
26:44– something all people could rally around in their unified disgust, only to then grant
26:49their wish by arranging his own assassination.
26:58It's an unimaginable act of self-sacrifice, proving that, underneath all the moral ambiguity,
27:03Lelouch was so much more than a monster.
27:123.
27:16The Death of Ushio, Clannad After Story
27:19Losing a wife at such a tender age was already brutal enough, surely the anime wouldn't
27:24be so vicious as to rob Tomoya of his child too, right?
27:29Wrong.
27:30Contracting the same disease as her mother, the adorable Ushio finds herself at death's
27:35door at only a few years old.
27:38All her father can do is clutch her as she fades away amidst the snowfall, handing us
27:43a double whammy of misery.
27:54No amount of magic lights and inexplicable resurrections can make us forget the pain
27:59of watching this.
28:032.
28:06Yui Disappears, Angel Beats
28:09You'd think leaving Limbo would be a cause for celebration, but not here.
28:13As Yui's past life is revealed, as a paralysed girl who never got to experience the joys
28:18of life, Otonashi endeavours to help her live out all the things she missed out on.
28:24At least, until it comes to marriage.
28:34That's when Hinata steps up to the plate, not only agreeing to marry her, but promising
28:38to find each other should they be reborn.
28:47It's a beautiful moment, one that bites deep when Yui's wishes are fulfilled and she finally
28:52passes on.
28:53The added montage that displays what could have been between the two will break your
28:58spirit.
29:081.
29:25The Death of Mitty, Maiden Abyss
29:28It may have been a mercy, but that doesn't make it any less traumatising.
29:32Reduced to a sentient, immortal blob due to being exposed to the curse of the abyss, Mitty
29:37faced a hopeless future filled with agony and loneliness, unless Nanachi finds a way
29:42to end her life.
29:50As it happened, Reg's incinerator proved to be the only thing capable of dealing death
29:55to the undying.
30:04Even though she's finally able to bring her friend peace, Nanachi can't help but
30:07break down over losing her beloved companion, Danny Bondrewd.