I couldn’t cut it down to 5. That’s How much of a crybaby I am!
I guess I should preface this by letting you all know that I don’t necessarily cry when most people would. In general I am much more likely to cry at sappy or even happy moments then at sad ones. I’m a happy crier which I guess is a good thing considering how often I get all teary and stuff.
I sound like such a delicate flower. I like it! By the way these are in no particular order.
6. To be Hero(ine)
Both seasons of this weird series…Calling them seasons is actually very misleading, they don’t have much at all to do with each other. The second season is more like a spiritual successor than a continuation. In any case, these shows are weird, inappropriate in some ways and full of very crass schoolyard humour and both just sneak up with the feels and serious themes on their audience.
It worked on my big time. The touching and deeply moving ode to father daughter relationships in the first and the desperate ultimately doomed struggle to keep friendships forever in a specific state in the second, had me weeping in my living room. Both series are ultimately hopeful in that way that tells you sometimes life is sad and that’s o.k.
5. Kyousougiga
Where do I even begin with Kyousougiga. That might be how I started my review as well. I feel like every conversation I ever have about this show will start this way. I can,t quite explain why Kyousougiga left me in tears. And it really left me in tears. I didn’t start sniffling until after the closing credits of the final episode and I still don’t know why.
I think it might have been a built up of so many intense yet ineffable emotions. I called Kyousougiga a show about the disappointment of love. Not as in unrequited love but as in the fact that love is actually very much limited and flawed and sometimes not that fun. Not just romantic love at that. And for some reason I found the sentiment sort of beautiful. I warned you I couldn’t explain it but I did cry so it’s on the list.
4. Gurren Lagann
Man I love Gurren Lagann. The more time passes the more fondly I remember it. To be honest, I love all the shows on this list. I guess I have a thing for anime that make me cry..
Whereas the previous entries made me cry out of vague general concepts and truths of existence, Gurren Lagann was much more personal in it’s visceral impact on me. I cried for the characters. I cried directly for those lost in combat as one would but I also cried for Yuko’s pain and loss and growth. I cried for the fact that she found peace. I cried for Simon’s discovery of himself and gentle acceptance of how unfair the world can be. I cried for the workers under ground and those whose city was under siege. I cried along with Viral’s frustration at his ultimate helplessness and I cried for Rossiu’s misguided honour and diligence.
I cried because I made lots of friends in that show and I saw them grow up. It was pretty.
3. Penguindrum
Full disclosure, I am currently watching Penguindrum and I haven’t finished it yet. I almost never speak of anime I haven’t finished unless it’s to do episode reviews. It’s a very dense show so I’m not even sure I’ll finish it before this post gets published like a month from now.
This said, I can safely say it belongs on this list. Penguindrum has already made me cry a few times over these difficult to explain situations. Basically it sort of embraces and almost tenderly focuses on a lot of very painful themes in a colourful, hopeful way. I’m pretty sure many more tears will be shed before the series is over.
2. My Roommate is a Cat
My Roommate is a Cat trades on easy sentiment. It takes a likeable guy and puts him in a super sad situation then adds in a very likeable kitten with a tragic past and makes them both help each other get past their respective traumas through understanding and love.
Well duh I’m gonna cry at that. I’m not made of stone! I was going to make a joke about having great abs and ruin the moment but I managed to refrain myself. That was a close one! This one falls squarely in the sappy category but what can I say, it was such sweet sap, I just had to cry.
1. Natsume’s Book of Friends
I reviewed all 6 seasons of this show and I mention coming to tears in each of these reviews. Without exaggeration. I also read the manga in the bus and often got all sniffly in front of a whole bunch of strangers.
Natsume is an anime that makes me cry every time. It’s sort of a mix of relief and care and love that comes out of my eyes. It’s a show that simultaneously instills in me a deep gratefulness for how wonderful and magical the world is and how precious life can be while stirring me up at how ruthless and unkind faith is. I know the series is specifically designed to do that so my reaction isn’t special or anything. Still it has definitely earned a spot on this page and the top spot at that.
Well these are 6 series that have made me cry. There are in fact more. A lot more cause you know…I’m a crybaby… But these are the 6 that first come to my mind. Do you have a show that always gets the waterworks going? And why?
