Anime is renowned for its ability to weave complex narratives that evoke a spectrum of emotions, often leading to conclusions that are as thought-provoking as they are heartrending. Some of the most memorable series leave audiences with a profound sense of loss, unresolved tension, or moral ambiguity, with endings that stay with viewers long after the credits roll.
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These stories challenge expectations, often forgoing traditional happy endings for something far more impactful. As we delve into the most upsetting anime endings, we prepare to revisit those final moments that stirred our emotions deeply, leaving us sometimes with a glimmer of hope amidst the sadness.
Abrupt Ending
Gantz Sad Moments
Gantz, asurvival anime, concludes its anime adaptation with an ending that diverges from the manga, leaving many questions unresolved and viewers seeking closure. The final episodes depict the protagonists, Kei Kurono and Masaru Kato, taking part in yet another brutal mission assigned by the enigmatic black sphere, Gantz.
After a series of violent and harrowing battles against aliens, the last mission ends with Kato’s death. The series concludes without resolving the characters' fates or explaining the underlying purpose of Gantz’s games. The abrupt ending leaves the audience hanging with a dark and unsettling feeling, reflecting the show’s overarching themes of nihilism and the arbitrary nature of life and death.
Release Date
Episode Count
Where To Watch
August 22, 2025
Crunchyroll
9Tokyo Magnitude 8.0
Shocking Revelation
Tokyo Magnitude 8.0
Tokyo Magnitude 8.0 Sad Moments
In Tokyo Magnitude 8.0, the upsetting nature of the ending comes from the heart-wrenching twist concerning the fate of one of the main characters, Yuuki. Throughout the series, siblings Mirai and Yuuki navigate the chaos of Tokyo, devastated by a massive earthquake. As they journey home with the help of a motorcycle courier, Mari, they grow closer.
However, in a shocking revelation, it’s disclosed that Yuuki died from his injuries sustained during an aftershock, and his subsequent appearances were manifestations of Mirai’s denial and grief. The realization of Yuuki’s death comes as a profound shock to the audience. The series concludes on a sad note, emphasizing the emotional trauma of the disaster’s aftermath.
July 10, 2025
8Anohana: The Flower We Saw That Day
Anohana: The Flower We Saw That Day
Anohana Sad Moments
Anohana: The Flower We Saw That Day concludes its poignant narrative with a deeply emotional and bittersweet ending. The group of childhood friends, broken by the death of their friend Menma, finally come together to grant her last wish, not realizing that doing so would cause her to pass on.
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As they all see Menma’s spirit in a rare moment of shared perception, they confront the pain of their loss head-on. The climax is set during a ritual meant to send Menma to heaven. In a tearful farewell, each friend expresses their unspoken guilt, grief, and love, ultimately finding closure.
Jun 26, 2025
7Guilty Crown
Tragic Sacrifice
Guilty Crown
Guilty Crown Sad Moments
Guilty Crown concludes with a profoundly tragic yet redemptive ending. The series' protagonist, Shu Ouma, faces a conflict that could result in the apocalypse. In the final act, Shu confronts the antagonist, Gai, who has orchestrated events to trigger a mass extinction event to evolve humanity.
Amidst their climactic battle, Shu’s love interest, Inori Yuzuriha, sacrifices herself to save Shu and stop the spread of the Apocalypse Virus. She absorbs both the virus and Gai’s life, effectively becoming a vessel to contain it. The series ends with Shu blind and alone, with a bittersweet victory, rendering the ending deeply upsetting.
June 09, 2025
6Charlotte
Complete Memory Loss
Charlotte Sad Moments
Charlotte ends on a bittersweet and somewhat unsettling note, with its protagonist, Yuu Otosaka, embarking on a self-sacrificing mission to strip all the ability users of their powers to prevent future calamities. During this harrowing quest, Yuu absorbs countless abilities, causing immense psychological and physical strain.
In the final scenes, Yuu becomes a shell of his former self, with his identity nearly obliterated due to the burden of the powers he has accumulated. The series concludes with him returning home, but he cannot remember, particularly Nao Tomori, the girl who loves him. The audience is left with a sense of melancholy as Yuu saved countless lives at the cost of his memories.
July 29, 2025
5Your Lie In April
Tragic Love Story
Your Lie in April
Your Lie in April Sad Moments
Your Lie in April is atragic animethat ends in an emotionally charged finale where the prodigious pianist Kousei Arima confronts his trauma and performs a soul-stirring rendition at a piano competition, unknowingly for the last time with the spectral presence of his muse, Kaori Miyazono.
As he plays, the truth unravels through Kaori’s posthumous letter: her lie about loving Kousei’s friend was a facade, as she was terminally ill. The revelation of her death and her concealed feelings for Kousei is a poignant twist that leaves the audience grappling with the heartbreak of unfulfilled young love and the cruel brevity of life, marking an ending that is both beautiful and deeply upsetting.
August 12, 2025
A Supernatural Twist
Clannad: After Story
Clannad: After Story Sad Moments
Clannad: After Story delivers an emotionally taxing ending that sees Tomoya Okazaki grappling with profound loss. After building a life with Nagisa, tragedy strikes when she dies during childbirth. Tomoya’s descent into despair is further compounded when his daughter Ushio also suddenly falls ill and dies in his arms.
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This culmination of loss and heartache leaves viewers devastated. However, in a sudden twist, the story leverages its supernatural elements, granting Tomoya a chance to rectify his past, ultimately leading to an alternative reality where Nagisa and Ushio survive. The initial despair followed by this redemptive conclusion creates a rollercoaster of emotions, making the ending both upsetting and uplifting.
July 26, 2025
3Grave Of The Fireflies
Two War Orphans
Grave of the Fireflies
Grave of the Fireflies Sad Moments
Grave of the Fireflies is aStudio Ghibliharrowing tale of survival that ends in profound tragedy. Set in the waning days of World War II in Japan, it follows the lives of Seita and his younger sister Setsuko, who become war orphans. Despite Seita’s desperate efforts to care for Setsuko, the scarcity of food leads to Setsuko’s death from malnutrition.
In the film’s final moments, Seita cremates Setsuko’s small, lifeless body, placing her ashes in a fruit tin, a symbol of their struggle and his failure to protect her. The story concludes with the spirit of Seita, who also dies of starvation, joining Setsuko, leaving the audience in a state of grief and reflection on the senseless devastation of war.
June 04, 2025
2Angel Beats!
Love In The Afterlife
Angel Beats!
Angel Beats! Sad Moments
Angel Beats! concludes with an emotionally charged finale. The series follows a group of deceased students in the afterlife who form the Afterlife Battlefront, fighting against what they believe is an unjust fate. As they resolve their lingering earthly attachments, they disappear one by one, moving on from the purgatory-like existence.
The most touching departure is that of Kanade and Otonashi, who fall in love with each other. In a twist, it’s revealed that Kanade received Otonashi’s heart in a transplant when she was alive, and her only wish was to thank her donor. Kanade disappears, having fulfilled her lingering wish, leaving Otonashi in tears and viewers in a state of heartache over their brief, unfulfilled love.
August 16, 2025
1Plastic Memories
Plastic Memories
Plastic Memories Sad Moments
Plastic Memories is #1 on this list as it delivers a heart-rending finale focused on the inevitable parting between the protagonist, Tsukasa Mizugaki and Isla, an android with human emotions. Throughout the series, they develop a deep romantic relationship despite knowing Isla’s operational lifespan is nearing its end. In the final episode, as Isla’s expiration date arrives, the two spend her last moments at a carnival, cherishing their time together.
The most poignant scene unfolds as Isla’s system shuts down, with her in Tsukasa’s arms, expressing her love and gratitude for the memories they shared. This farewell is particularly harrowing as the audience is left to grapple with the pain of saying goodbye, making the ending upsetting.
