7 Most Emotional Anime of the 2020s, Ranked

When it comes to emotional storytelling, anime always has some of the best to offer. And this decade has so far been no exception. Whether you’re looking for an ugly cry or want to experience stories that can deeply affect you as a person, the 2020s have brought plenty of anime to suit your cravings.

Still, among them all, we’ve picked the 7 anime released over the past six years that are guaranteed to take you on an emotional rollercoaster. So, without further ado, let’s dive right in.

7 Josee, the Tiger and the Fish Delivers a Tragic Tale of Love

This is not the feel-good kind of love story we usually see in anime. Josee, the Tiger and the Fish takes a darker approach to the genre, where the female lead, Kumiko, is physically disabled. Frankly, she cannot walk and has to rely on a wheelchair, as well as her grandmother, who takes care of her.

Despite that, a chance meeting between her and Tsuneo (who is a diver) sparks an unexpected friendship. Kumiko’s dream has always been to dive into the deep sea, and fortunately, Tsuneo could help her fulfill that dream. However, their journey ahead is unfathomably tragic, which earned it a spot on the list.

6 Journal With Witch Nails Introspective Character Writing

Hardly in anime do we come across character writing that feels so oddly human. But somehow, Journal With Witch nails that aspect. The story essentially follows a teenage girl named Asa, whose parents died in a car accident. As a result, her grandmother calls in her mother’s sister to take care of her.

Although Makio is Asa’s aunt by relation, it turns out that she harbors strong resentment toward Asa’s mother. Despite that, she agrees to take Asa in. From there, an unprecedented chemistry forms between the two. The emotional turmoil Asa and Makio face living together earns the anime 6th place.

5 Look Back Feels Deeply Personal in Its Pursuit of Ambition

Whether you can relate to being a manga artist or not, Look Back‘s way of delivering its narrative will make it feel deeply personal. It portrays creativity not just as a glamorous dream, but rather as a pursuit filled with many ups and downs. Needless to say, the storyline becomes quite emotional at times.

Although the movie is only one hour long, the narrative weight it carries is enough to bring tears to your eyes. Tatsuki Fujimoto truly crafted one of the best coming-of-age stories of the modern era. On top of that, the soundtrack and animation help elevate the film’s emotional undertone.

4 Cyberpunk: Edgerunners Offers an Unbearably Sad Ending

Who could’ve thought the Cyberpunk 2077 world could be presented in such a painfully beautiful way if Edgerunners never came to exist? Of course, there’s plenty of action, gore, and insane adrenaline throughout the story, but the anime’s ending simply left the fandom in pieces.

David’s entire journey in the anime comes to a heart-wrenching conclusion where he does achieve his goal, but at what cost? Rightfully so, Cyberpunk: Edgerunners even earned the Anime of the Year award in 2023. So, if you want to watch something truly epic with a sad ending, then definitely give this a go.

3 To Your Eternity Provides Consistent Emotional Story Arcs

Right from the get-go, To Your Eternity establishes itself as an emotionally saturated story. You can immediately tell that the show knows exactly what it’s trying to do. Divided into multiple story arcs from Season 1, every part will make you reflect on life and dive deeper into its meaning.

Essentially, it tells the story from the perspective of a magical orb that can take the shape of anything. It is sent to Earth and left to wander, but through this journey, the orb learns a lot about the human mind and how twisted life can be. Thus, To Your Eternity rightfully deserves the 3rd spot on the list.

2 Frieren Makes Every Episode Feel Emotionally Impactful

On the surface, Frieren: Beyond Journey’s End may not seem like a sad story, and technically, it isn’t. However, the way Frieren’s journey unfolds in the anime makes it one of the most emotionally impactful series. From Himmel’s passing to Frieren slowly learning about humans, it’s simply beautiful.

There’s another thing fans may overlook: Frieren has great rewatchability. That means, rewatching the series after finishing it once is hugely rewarding because, after knowing some of the future events, the earlier parts of the anime, especially Episode 1, become several times more emotional.

1 Takopi’s Original Sin Portrays Human Trauma at Its Rawest

No other anime released in the 2020s has delivered unfiltered trauma and unforgiving realism quite like Takopi’s Original Sin. It brutally shows how bad life experiences can negatively affect a child’s growth. From parental abuse and social bullying to constant neglect, it explores all.

Now, while the anime deals with all of that, it approaches those themes most unexpectedly. Here, you follow an alien named Takopi, who comes to Earth with the goal of spreading happiness. However, during his time on the planet, he slowly realises just how derailed humans can actually be.

Here’s a quick look at some of the key details of every anime listed above:

TITLE	RELEASE DATE	IMDb RATING (as of May 24, 2026)	WHERE TO WATCH
Josee, the Tiger and the Fish	December 25, 2020	7.7/10	Netflix
Journal With Witch	January 4, 2026	8.5/10	Crunchyroll
Look Back	June 28, 2024	7.8/10	Prime Video
Cyberpunk: Edgerunners	September 13, 2022	8.3/10	Netflix
To Your Eternity	April 12, 2021	8.3/10	Crunchyroll, Netflix
Frieren: Beyond Journey’s End	September 29, 2023	8.9/10	Crunchyroll, Netflix
Takopi’s Original Sin	June 28, 2025	8.7/10	Crunchyroll, Netflix

The list presents the 7 most emotionally devastating anime from the 2020s. Each is capable of moving your heart in one way or another, so you should definitely give them a try. However, the decade still has four more years left, meaning we can expect even more such anime to come out later on. Let’s hope so.

Let us know your thoughts on these 7 listed anime in case you do manage to watch them. Or if you have your own recommendations, then feel free to share them with us in the comments.