Sad anime series tell some of the stories that stick with fans the longest, as few emotions are felt as intensely as sadness. It is easy to laugh at a brief joke or feel joy over a character's achievements and victories, but such feelings are often short-lived. On the other hand, bringing viewers to tears requires a genuine connection to be formed, as the characters need to feel real and relatable.

There are plenty of series that make their viewers cry on occasion. Especially when it comes to longer-running ones, certain moments are bound to be especially sad, such as One Piece's Going Merry's tragic ending. However, few shows go out of their way to attempt to build up a real connection with viewers, focusing on their emotions above all and leading to some of the greatest sad anime series.

The Promised Neverland Animated By Cloverworks, Based on the...