10 Anime Movies with Sad & Heartwarming Endings

Set against the backdrop of World War II in Japan, amidst an emergency situation, the story follows the lives of the Japanese people as they strive for survival. Central to this tale is Seita, a 14-year-old boy, who lives with his three-year-old sister, Setsuko, and their mother.

Their father, a soldier in the Japanese Navy, has fallen in battle, leaving Seita with the responsibility of caring for Setsuko and ensuring their mother's safety. Tragically, one day their mother is fatally injured in a bombing, suffering severe burns. Following this tragedy, Seita and Setsuko are taken in by their aunt.

While their aunt initially welcomes them, her family gradually starts to resent the presence of Seita and Setsuko. Not wanting to be a burden, Seita decides to leave his aunt's house with Setsuko.

Now on their own, Seita and Setsuko struggle to survive as the war continues to rage around them, showing no signs of improvement. Can these two siblings endure until the end of the war? "Grave of the Fireflies" invites you to discover their fate.

Despite its complex premise and intricate conclusion, A Silent Voice earned several prestigious awards, including Best Animation Feature Film at the 2016 Japanese Movie Critics Awards. The anime attracted a wide audience, particularly anime fans, with its stunning artwork and moving story.

The story revolves around Ishida Shoya, a high school student struggling with suicidal thoughts due to his reputation as a bully, a label he earned during elementary school.

At that time, Shoko Nishimiya, a new student, joins their class and shares that she is deaf. Despite her disability, Shoko tries to engage with her classmates, but she becomes the target of bullying, mainly by Shoya. This leads to Shoya's classmates eventually distancing themselves from him.

In a bid for redemption, Shoya learns sign language and seeks out Shoko to apologize, hoping to forge a friendship and make amends for his past actions.

Hana, a college student, falls for a mysterious man from one of her classes, only to discover he's not entirely human – he's a werewolf. Despite this revelation, Hana's love doesn't waver, and the couple decides to marry.

From their union, Hana has two children, Ame and Yuki, who inherit their father's unique ability to transform into wolves.

Tragedy strikes when Hana's husband passes away unexpectedly, leaving her to raise her extraordinary family alone. Struggling with the challenges of keeping her children's secret in a bustling city, Hana moves to the countryside. She hopes that in this new environment, Ame and Yuki can live freely, away from societal judgment.

The movie beautifully portrays the struggles of a single mother in a tough world, highlighting the emotional journey of raising a family under unique circumstances.

This anime movie, known for its emotional depth despite a seemingly clichéd plot, is certain to tug at the heartstrings. Originally a novel titled "I Want To Eat Your Pancreas," it first saw adaptation as a live-action film in 2017, followed by Aniplex's anime version a year later.

The story centers on Haruki Shiga, who stumbles upon a diary in a hospital. This diary belongs to his classmate, Sakura, who is battling a severe pancreatic illness. Sakura, with only a few months left to live, reveals that her condition is known only to Haruki and her family.

Committing to keeping her secret, Haruki, whose life is vastly different from Sakura's, decides to spend time with her in her final months. The anime beautifully explores this poignant journey shared between the two classmates.

Mitsuha Miyamizu, a high school girl from the countryside, unexpectedly finds her soul swapped with Taki Tachibana, a city boy from Tokyo. This strange twist of fate happens just as a comet is falling to Earth.

Both Mitsuha and Taki are bewildered by this sudden change. They scramble to locate each other while trying to fit into their new lives without raising any suspicion among those around them. The big question is, what exactly happened to Mitsuha and Taki?

"Kimi no Na wa." isn't just visually stunning; it also tells an incredible story in the distinctive style of Makoto Shinkai. This anime movie is even hailed as one of the best of all time, thanks to its exceptional graphics and captivating storyline.

Several years after the Great War, the world starts building radio towers, changing how people communicate with the introduction of cell phones. This shift means there's less need for Auto Memory Dolls, but Violet Evergarden keeps doing her job as a letter writer.

In "Violet Evergarden The Movie," Violet's journey to understand human emotions and love continues. She still believes that Gilbert, the man she loves, might be alive, even though a lot of time has passed since they were separated.

One day, Violet gets a letter from a distant island. It turns out the letter is from Gilbert. Shocked and curious, Violet heads to the island to find out more about who sent the letter.

Takao Akizuki dreams of becoming a shoemaker. As Tokyo's rainy season begins, he skips his first high school class to visit a park in Shinjuku, intent on drawing sketches of shoes.

It's in this serene setting that he meets Yukari, a 27-year-old woman enjoying a break from work. From that day on, they often meet each other in the same park whenever it rains. Their conversations flow effortlessly, and Takao is even inspired to create a pair of shoes specifically for Yukari.

Gradually and unknowingly, they begin to ease each other's worries about their personal lives. Yet, as the rainy season comes to an end, so do their chance meetings. They both return to their personal lives, with no further interaction. The twist comes when Takao returns to school and finds that Yukari is actually one of his teachers.

The story leaves us with questions: What does the future hold for Takao and Yukari? Will they ever reveal their feelings to each other?

In her directorial debut, Mari Okada, previously known for her scriptwriting, presents the anime movie "SayoAsa." The film revolves around Maquia, a member of the mystical Iorph race. Iorphs are unique creatures that cease aging in their teenage years and live lives distinct from humans.

The narrative takes a dramatic turn when the Mezarte empire from the human world invades the Iorph homeland. They capture the last giant dragon, Renato, aiming to integrate Iorph immortality into their royal bloodline. This invasion leads to the destruction of the Iorph's land and the loss of many lives.

Amidst this turmoil, Maquia encounters a Renato. The encounter results in the dragon's death, leaving Maquia stranded alone in a distant forest. It is here that she hears a baby's cries from a nearby devastated village.

Upon discovering the human infant among the ruins, Maquia makes a life-altering decision to take in and raise the child, naming him Ariel. The film explores the challenges she faces: Can Maquia successfully raise Ariel with her limited understanding of human life?

In "Summer Ghost," an animated short film by illustrator and animator Loundraw, audiences are captivated by a poignant narrative that imparts valuable life lessons, all within a compact 40-minute runtime.

The film's story unfolds with the introduction of three characters: Tomoya Sugisaki, Aoi Harukawa, and Ryou Kobayashi.

Tomoya, a high school student, faces immense pressure to gain admission into a top university, despite his artistic inclinations. Aoi, in contrast, struggles with bullying at her school. Ryou's life takes a turn when a diagnosis forces him to abandon his aspirations as a basketball player. United by a shared belief that fireworks can summon the souls of the departed, these three individuals embark on a unique journey.

Their attempt to ignite the fireworks miraculously leads to the appearance of the Summer Ghost. Intriguingly, this spectral figure is only visible to those who have lost their zest for life. The trio, seeking insights and perspectives, turns to the Ghost of Summer with questions about life.

During a summer stay at her grandfather's house, six-year-old Hotaru gets lost in a forest rumored to be haunted. Frightened and alone, she calls out for help, and that's when she meets Gin, a mysterious masked boy.

Hotaru is so relieved she tries to hug him, but Gin quickly stops her. He explains that he's under a curse, and if anyone touches him, he'll vanish forever. Gin even tells Hotaru not to come looking for him in the forest again.

But Hotaru doesn't listen. She keeps sneaking back to the forest to meet Gin, and as time goes by, they grow into close friends.

Their bond deepens, particularly as Hotaru becomes a teenager. Sadly, Gin faces a huge problem: it seems fate won't let him and Hotaru be together.