Anime About Depression (5 great shows)



In this article, we will discuss anime about depression. We will mention and describe some anime about depression. Some anime that can help with depression will be delineated. The questions related to anime about depression shall also be addressed.


What Is Anime About Depression


Anime about depression are Japanese film and television animation about depression. The content of anime is such that both the children and adults can feel affiliation with it. The anime about depression includes aesthetic appeal. People who are experiencing dark and depressed moods can associate with it. It captures the pain of lonely people.



A Dozen Anime about Depression

  • Kara no Kyoukai
  • Paranoia Agent
  • Narutaru
  • Sayonara, Zetsubou-Sensei
  • Aoi Bungaku
  • Black Rock Shooter (TV series)
  • The Tatami Galaxy
  • Neon Genesis Evangelion
  • Serial Experiments Lain
  • Aku no Hana
  • Colorful
  • Welcome to the NHK


Anime About Depression:Some Descriptions


Kara no Kyoukai


Kara no Kyoukai inculcates depression and related things. In addition, it also includes stages of depression. It is based in a novel. There are two psychics who can predict the future. The theme of being fed up with an uninteresting life is touched. Furthermore, a character takes advantage of his supernatural power.

Paranoia Agent


It revolves around Yuichi who experiences isolation from his classmates for no fault of his own.  It is the mental journey into his experience of despair and depression. A school kid is wanted by the detectives and the case they pursue turns out to be more complicated than they expected. Yuichi bears the brunt.


Narutaru


At first, Narutaru seems like a kids friendly anime about depression but it does not take long before it turns dark. The main character is a victim of bullying and as a consequence falls for self harm. 
Sayonara, Zetsubou-Sensei
It is a dark comedy anime about depression which looks sarcastically at Japan’s attitude towards mental health. While it is specific to Japanese culture and requires some understanding of Japanese culture, still, it is such that many people can relate to it without adequate knowledge of Japan and its culture.

A distinct element of Sayonara, Zetsubou-Sensei is the combination of opposite characters in the plot. One character is thoroughly hopeless, negative, and an epitome of despair. Another character is the opposite of that. The relationship between the two is that of a teacher and student.

Aoi Bungaku

It is a collection of stories which are psychological in nature. It is argued that the stories in it are excellent. One anime about depression in the series is – “No Longer Human”, that is about a high school student who experiences depression, self harm and uses drugs to deal with the suffering.

Black Rock Shooter


It is about two characters at a high school who easily become friends, their friendship bond grows despite apparent contrast – one is mature and the other is naive. The mature character starts to feel isolated as the other character makes new friends and leaves the old friend behind. 

Anime That Can Help With Depression


People may associate anime about depression with depression but anime can actually help with depression as anime deals with many themes and can even bring a smile to the people watching it. Let us go through some of the examples.

3-gatsu no Lion (March comes in like a lion)


It is divided into seasons. It is about life, family, and ultimately about survival. Sometimes, survival is funny. The characters in it have experienced suffering to a significant degree but they have found a way to find joy in the little delights and have found their ways of escape from what they went through.

NHK ni Youkoso! (Welcome to the N.H.K.)


It is considered a classic by some. One character in it tries to reintegrate another character in the anime who is struggling despite apparent good circumstances such as hailing from a rich family. Another argument is that this anime does justice to showcase multiple points of view about depression. At the same time, it is also considered a psychological thriller. 

ReLIFE


It takes a person into an imaginary world where one can do what is impossible in real life – one is able to relive school years and compensate for the shortcomings. A character in it is given an anti-aging drug, hence there is a modern technological side to it. There is a theme of love too. A complex array of emotions are captured in it. In worst case scenarios, it offers a glimmer of hope. 

Koe no Katachi (A Silent Voice)

It was released in a year which is deemed very good for anime. This anime is considered a crowd puller, at the same time, it is not easy to watch because it is heartbreaking. A differently abled child is treated very badly. There is a feeling of grief in the character who did the wrong and subsequent goal to say sorry for the wrong that was done. It satisfies aesthetics. It shows one can make up for any wrongdoing.

Kara no Kyoukai Movie 1: Fukan Fuukei


Given this anime series is divided into eight films, it is hard to summarize. Few characters are specialists in the paranormal. It is largely based in the 1990s. A number of suicides by schoolgirls are investigated. It is argued that it has no hero or heroine, moreover, it presents a very realistic depiction of the medical condition of depression.


Watashi ga Motenai no wa Dou Kangaetemo Omaera ga Warui!


It is about a young girl for whom things do not go as they were planned or expected. For some, there is an element of fun in this anime, there are others who think the smiles are brought at the expense of the main character’s unfortunate embarrassments. While the main character is largely responsible for her falls, at the same time, she is unflinching and copes with the suffering.

Colorful (2010) (Colorful The Motion Picture)


It explores the concept of reincarnation which is found in the religions of Buddhism and Hinduism. That concept offers people to make an amendment for their past life in their current life now. A teenager who has passed away, the spirit from his body is borrowed to assess humans.

No matter how adverse the circumstances are for one, there would be others who also go through the same. It compares that to colours. It argues we all have colours and their shades can be found in others. So we are not truly alone even if we feel so. It offers hope. To sum up, humans have colours which are constantly changing as they live their life moment to moment. 

Kimi no Na wa. (Your Name.)


In essence, it is a love story between two teenagers who have completely different backgrounds. They do not know why they ended up trading bodies in the days when they did that but to avoid ruining each other’s life, they leave brief records for each other to help each other out. One of the themes that runs through it is that you can change your destiny, you may just need help from a few friends. 


It is about two calligraphers. When a veteran calligrapher criticises the work of a new young calligrapher, the young calligrapher punches the veteran calligrapher. Young calligrapher’s father sends him to the rural area to teach him humility, far from his comfortable life in Tokyo.

The young calligrapher faces an uneasy situation as opposed to his initial expectation of seeing his relocation to the rural area as an opportunity and learns to cope with it. It is intertwined with depression, narcissism, introspection, and closeness. There is an element of comic to it, it is argued.


Anime About Depression: An Opinion


Different people answered the question on a popular question and answer site Quora – What are the best anime to watch about depression? One person mentioned an anime about depression – “Neon Genesis Evangelion” terming it psychological drama, among other things.

Protective Biorobots are part of the plot of the  anime about depression – “Neon Genesis Evangelion” which attests to the art and versatility of anime about depression. 


FAQS: Anime About Depression

What anime characters are depressed?

There are many anime characters which are depressed, some of which are as following:
Teresa Of The Faint Smile (Claymore)
Lucy (Elfen Lied)
Stark (Bleach)
Inuyasha ( Inuyasha )

What is the most tragic anime?

Who is the most depressed anime character?

To conclusively answer this question like a mathematical answer is hard. However, a list of possible and potential eleven most depressed anime characters is provided by an online website devoted to anime – 11 Miserable Anime Characters With Depressing Back Stories. One is Homura Akemi in the anime Madoka Magica. Another is Crona in the anime Soul Eater. The list goes on.

Why is Anime so comforting?

Anime like any other art is close to the feelings, thoughts, imagination and even the reality of people’s lives. It does not matter whether someone is a boy or a girl, a child or an adult, anime offers something to connect with, for many. Moreover, one feels that one is not alone and there are others in the world out there who go through the same suffering as we do.

Is it OK to like anime?

Different people have varied tastes. Some people like anime and there are others who do not. There are lessons to be learned from anime. People get to spend their time well. There are many who find consolation in the plot and characters of anime. It is okay to like anime. Culturally appropriate anime can also be made at places where there is an issue with an original anime.

Why should anime be banned?

For freedom of expression, access to information and so on, a case can be made for it. Likewise, there are people who think anime should be banned because it is harmful and time wasting. However, that needs to be backed up by research. Age appropriate content can be and is made. Parents or guardians can control the TV content for children. There is no need to ban anime.



Conclusion


In this article, we discussed anime about depression. We mentioned some anime about depression. Furthermore, some anime that can possibly help with depression were portrayed. The questions related to anime about depression were also addressed.

(Please feel free to comment on the content or ask any questions in the comments section below).

Citations
https://myotakuworld.com/12-anime-about-depression/

https://www.quora.com/What-are-the-best-anime-to-watch-about-depression

https://honeysanime.com/top-10-anime-that-can-help-with-depression-best-recommendations/

This blog is written by Muhammad Talha. Talha is currently a graduate student of MS Clinical Psychology. He has versatile interests and is fascinated by psychology, philosophy, literature, etc. Through his knowledge and writing, he wants to spread awareness and reduce suffering. In leisure time, he likes to hike, walk, read, listen to music, watch documentaries, cook, etc. Learning is his constant.

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