10 Shoujo Anime With Sad Endings

Summary

• Some shoujo anime deliver tragic, tear-jerking endings, proving not all are happily ever after.
• Plastic Memories showcases a love story between humans and androids, tackling the challenge of limited lifespan.
• Your Lie in April surprises with a deeper, heartbreaking tale beyond a light-hearted romance setup.

More often than not, shoujo anime leave viewers with butterflies in their stomachs and feeling giddy. While there are some tear-jerker scenes, the ending usually features a happy ending between the main characters. However, this is not always the case.

8 Shows That Popularized Anime In The West

These anime are classic staples that helped the genre permeate outside of Japan.

Some shoujo anime can leave fans excited about the future of the main characters, only to be met with a tragic, sad ending. Just like real life, not every ending is happy, and these shoujo anime series take you on an emotional rollercoaster to prove this point.

10 We Were There

Love Ruined By Insecurities

Romance anime usually follow the high school love story of two main characters, and the ending alludes to a happy ending after they graduate. However, We Were There does not take that approach.

The series follows the love story between Motoharu Yano and Nanami Takahashi. Throughout the anime, their love is constantly put to the test due to Yano's insecurities. The couple do not have a happy relationship, and in the end, they are forced to walk their own paths in life and enter a long-distance relationship.

9 Plastic Memories

Can They Beat The Time Limit?

Plastic Memories is a shoujo science-fiction anime set in a future where androids with human-like qualities, such as emotions and memory, co-exist with humans. SAI Corp has produced the most human-like android, the Giftia, but their existence comes with a catch. They can only live for a maximum of 81,920 hours (roughly nine years). If they live for any longer, they can become violent, thus causing them to become wanderers.

A system was set in place to retire Giftias who are close to the end of their lifespan, which requires a human to work with a Giftia. The story follows Tsukasa Mizugaki, an employee tasked to retrieve the Giftias, and Isla, his android partner. While the two work together, they slowly fall in love. However, they discover Isla is nearing the end of her lifespan.

8 Into The Forest Of Fireflies' Light

Love Without Touch

Into The Forest of Fireflies' Light, also known as Hotarubi no Mori e, is a supernatural romance anime film. The film features a simple premise but manages to hook people with its tender storytelling and heartbreaking ending.

9 Best Anime Characters With Pink Hair

Pink hair is common in anime, especially among main characters. Here, you can check out the best anime characters with pink hair.

The story follows a young girl named Hotaru and her friendship with Gin, a young man in a mask. They first met when she was six years old in a mountain near her grandfather's home. Hotaru learns that Gin is a supernatural being and that being touched can cause him to disappear forever. As they spend every summer together, their relationship deepens. They fall in love, but can they withstand the limitation of not being able to touch?

7 Ride Your Wave

Letting Your Love Cross Over

Ride Your Wave is a romantic fantasy anime film that tells the love story of Hinako Mukaimizu and Minato Hinaegshi. Hinako is a 19-year-old student who moves to a town by the ocean to study and surf. She meets Minato, who rescues her after a fireworks display sets her apartment on fire. The two become close as Minato learns to surf. However, their love story meets a tragic end when Minato goes surfing one day without Hinako, and he dies while saving a jetskiier.

Minato's passing sends Hinako into a depression. That is, until she realizes that singing her favorite song summons Minato's spirit. With his spirit with her, the two can go on dates and act as if life is normal. However, Minato realizes that he must cross over to the afterlife, leaving Hinako alone once more.

6 Anohana: The Flower We Saw That Day

Confronting Grief And Learning Forgiveness

While most shoujo anime revolve around themes of love and growing up, Anohana: The Flower We Saw That Day centers around themes of grief, guilt, and forgiveness. It's heavier than most shoujo anime, but is a must-watch as it teaches about friendship and communication.

A group of fifth-graders drift apart following the death of one of them, Meiko 'Menma' Honma, following a tragic accident. Five years after Menma's death, the leader of the group, Jinta Yadomi, becomes a loner and stops attending school. One day, he's visited by Menma's spirit, who claims she can't pass on to the afterlife until her wish is granted, though she doesn't remember what it is. Jinta tries to get their friendship group together again, causing them to confront their feelings of guilt and issues stemming from Menma's death.

5 Clannad: After Story

A Tale Of Love And Loss

Clannad: After Story follows the events after Clannad. While the first season followed Tomoya Okazaki and Nagisa Furukawa's relationship and their goal of re-establishing the drama club, After Story follows Tomoya and Nagisa's marriage and the birth of their daughter, Ushio.

10 Anime To Watch If You Like Jujutsu Kaisen

Whether you're into the curses, the characters, or just the shonen action, there's something out there to scratch that JJK-like itch.

Without spoiling too much, Clannad: After Story explores themes of love, loss, and grief. Through the concept of an Illusionary World, Tomoya experiences a world where he and Nagisa are able to raise Ushio together, just as they dreamed. However, this is not real life.

4 I Want To Eat Your Pancreas

A Lesson To Cherish Your Loved Ones

Don't let the name throw you off. I Want To Eat Your Pancreas is a gut-wrenching, tear-jerker coming-of-age anime film. The film follows a male high school student (who remains unnamed until the latter part of the film) and his friendship with Sakura Yamauchi, who is suffering a fatal illness in her pancreas but tries to keep her sickness a secret.

As the two become closer, they begin doing activities from her bucket list. However, she is suddenly hospitalized. After she is discharged, the two make plans for lunch, but Sakura fails to show up at their meeting place. Did Sakura's illness catch up to her, or did she meet a worse fate?

3 The Girl Who Leapt Through Time

The Consequences Of Playing With Time

At first, The Girl Who Leapt Through Time seems like a fun anime film. The film centers on Makoto Konno, a teenager who learns how to time travel thanks to her aunt, Kazuko Yoshiyama, who also has the power to do so. She uses her time travel to avoid uncomfortable events, but soon learns her actions have consequences and hurt others.

When one of Makoto's friends gets hit by a train, Makoto's best friend Chiaki Mamiya freezes time. He reveals that he is from the future. As Makoto's feelings for Chiaki turn romantic, it is revealed that he will disappear once Makoto's timeline is restored. Will Makoto and Chiaki be able to beat the odds and fall in love?

2 Banana Fish

The Hurt In Protecting The Person You Love

Banana Fish is unique in the world of shoujo. While most shoujo series talk about growing up and embracing youth, Banana Fish is a dramatic thriller. The series follows Ash Lynx, a street gang leader who discovers a criminal conspiracy involving a drug called 'banana fish,' which allegedly brainwashes whoever takes it.

Amid his investigation, Ash meets Eiji Okumura, who works as a Japanese photographer's assistant. As they work together to look into banana fish, Ash realizes that his actions have put Eiji in danger. Despite the budding feelings between the two, Ash makes the decision to cut contact with Eiji. As he meets his end, he reminisces on the relationship they shared.

1 Your Lie In April

Fate Can Be Cruel

Your Lie In April reels you in with a false sense of security, posing itself as a light-hearted romance. Do not be fooled; this anime will have you uncontrollably sobbing. Kosei Arima was once a piano child prodigy, but he quit following the death of his mother. This changes when he meets talented violinist Kaori Miyazono, who convinces him to be her accompanist.

Soon, Kosei falls in love with Kaori. However, things take a turn when Kaori's health deteriorates due to her anemia. In the hopes of continuing to play with Kosei, Kaori decides to undergo risky surgery. Does she make it? Will the two be able to continue playing together? You'll have to watch to see.

Best Fashion Anime

These fashion anime have style.