9 Sad Boy Themed Anime That Teach the Meaning of Loss and Self-Acceptance

HORIMIYA: Tooru Ishikawa is the loyal friend of Hori and Miyamura. However, behind the laughter and closeness, he harbors feelings for Hori that he cannot express. When Hori finally falls in love with Miyamura, Tooru chooses to suppress his feelings and remain a good friend.

HAIKYUU!!: Yuu Nishinoya is the energetic libero of the Karasuno volleyball team. But behind his cheerful demeanor, he carries sadness because his love for Kiyoko Shimizu is never reciprocated. Despite often being rejected, Nishinoya continues to respect Kiyoko's feelings and chooses to support her happiness with Tanaka.

A SILENT VOICE: Shoya Ishida is a teenager who used to bully a deaf girl, Shouko Nishimiya. After his actions are revealed, he becomes a victim of bullying himself and grows into a teenager filled with stress and regret. A SILENT VOICE shows Shoya's journey to atone for his past mistakes and learn to forgive himself.

PLASTIC MEMORIES: Tsukasa Mizugaki works at a company that handles androids called Giftia, artificial beings with a limited lifespan. He falls in love with his coworker, Isla, who turns out to be a Giftia with her life running out. Their story is the most painful form of love that cannot last forever.

NATSUME'S BOOK OF FRIENDS: Takashi Natsume was born with the ability to see spirits, which has caused him to be shunned since childhood. He lost the affection of his family and was often moved from one home to another. Although he still struggles to understand his spiritual gift, Natsume gradually finds the meaning of "home" and self-acceptance.

A SIGN OF AFFECTION: Oushi Ashioki grew up with Yuki Itose since childhood. He harbors genuine feelings for the deaf girl, even willing to learn sign language to communicate with her. However, his pride holds him back from expressing his feelings. Oushi can only watch as Yuki falls in love with Itsuomi, another man who can understand and complete her life.

ORANGE: Kakeru Naruse is a teenager engulfed in guilt over his mother's death. He carries regret for feeling absent when his mother needed him, leaving him trapped in a sense of emptiness. In the anime ORANGE, his friends try to change the past by writing letters to their past selves, hoping to save Kakeru.

YOUR LIE IN APRIL: Kousei Arima is a talented young pianist who lost his ability to play after his mother's death. Childhood trauma from harsh training made him hate the piano, to the point where he feels like he's drowning every time he tries to play. Meeting Kaori Miyazono becomes a turning point in his life. Through music and Kaori's zest for life, Kousei rediscovers the courage to play the piano and love again.

NEON GENESIS EVANGELION: Shinji Ikari not only has to fight against giant creatures, but also confront emotional trauma due to his cold and manipulative father. Every decision he makes is always overshadowed by fear, loneliness, and self-doubt, making him a classic sad boy symbol in anime history. Come on, read articles about other anime recommendations at Kapanlagi.com. If not now, when, KapanLagi?