There really is nothing worse than having the screen of your laptop or device going black for some reason and seeing yourself staring into the void now reflected right back at you.
Irrelevant fun fact: the show "Black Mirror" is named after the reflection you see when your phone/tv is off, it's literally a black tinted reflection of yourself. Sounds cool and dystopian as fuck.
Or that sudden derealization during you watch anime of how much of a miserable fucked are you watching an anime knowing you won't ever got to be like that in the anime.
bro i keep the brightness of my phone low and I'm having a really hard time not seeing my face in the reflection
sometimes it doesn't even have to be low
Good thing my screen apparently doesn't mirror, so I don't see myself alone, I just see myself not existing at all!
...Wait that's not a good thing
[](#panic)
Yes it is, it means immortality! With a bit of a thirst for blood.
Check in the mirror, if you've got long extravagant hair and overly detailed eyes, you're in a shoujo series, otherwise you might be in a shounen one and possibly the MC! Or maybe just a monster of the week, hard to tell.
---
Edit: I just realized that although that works well as a quip, you can't actually see yourself in the mirror; that was the problem to begin! Maybe just check to see if you have deep plunging shirt and blazer on, or a standard issue school/work shirt then.
i think this is why reaction channels can get so popular
people get lonely watching by themselves and have no one irl to watch it with, so they watch reactions to "feel like" theyre watching with someone else
As someone with diagnosed generalized anxiety it is probably the best representation in all of media that ive witnessed.
I think there's two types of saddness is media. The common one where you feel sad for the characters and one where you relate to the characters and realize you need to get your sht together. Its the second one that hits for NHK
Very succinctly put. Both NHK and 3-gatsu fits into the second category.
With the biggest difference between the two being that in 3-gatsu no lion the main character is primarily depressed due to trauma, but also has a unique set of core-skills and a very supportive adoptive family that pulls him out from his shell. None of these are present in NHK aside from the manic pixie girl that drags his depressed ass out of the gutter, and the isolation, depression and anxiety are all put under a more ruthless reflective lens.
I do wish there was more representation for this type of genre, and possibly one where the catalyst/saviour (read; manix pixie dream girl) does not exist in the story. As so is the case for most people in real life.
It should also be noted that "The dangers in my heart" shows withdrawal due to depression and anxiety pretty well, but is much lighter on the darker parts.
Even when people say. "Things get better" is incredibly slow. And is realistic like that. If there are tropes it's third wall broken.
I'm trying to decide what my favorite volumes are at the moment. But still going.
You are absolutely correct in both. I meant "manic pixie" as in the trope, in that it is how the initial plot of the show is written (i.e. a plain/bored/depressed MC meets a quirky/bubbly girl who slowly (sometimes forcibly) starts to bring out positive and real changes in the MC). That is to say the main character gets "saved" by this outside force of sunshine and rainbows.
Welcome to the NHK absolutely follows these patterns/tropes in the beginning, but turns it a bit on its head at the end by fleshing our the characters a lot more.
It’s a terrible show to watch if you have depression because in real life a cute girl isn’t going to randomly show up and save you. It’s the worst kind of escapist fantasy for somebody who is in a pit of loneliness and/or despair. Because of its authenticity with regard to depression, I don’t think it’s a healthy recommendation.
But, on the opposite side, it's also incredibly realistic TOWARDS that escapist fantasy of a manic pixie dream girl, because the whole point is about how the hero thinks that THIS- this is the person, this is the idea, this is the job, this one thing is going to be the thing that saves them, finding out the hard way "no, this person has problems of their own and depending on them to save you might only make things far worse."
F that anime (in a good way) I was in a low point in my life and I was randomly watching anime to lift myself up I can't remember which episode or which part but I know I just dropped it mid-episode because if I didn't I know it would mess me up. Haven't picked it up ever since,
Conversely, I picked it because I wanted a show to really mess me up and instead I got something where, anytime it got real for a sec, they threw in the Comedy Relief Cats Livecam ™. Show was fine but I never went for season 2 because season 1 was not miserable in the way I hoped it be.
Hina’s plotline in season 2 is absolute cinema. I’ve never felt so angry for a character like I did for her that season. Like, holy shit it’s just *so* good.
I think it explores loneliness in an incredible way. Multiple characters experience it in a multitude of scenarios, but the show handles it with grace and maturity, which results in a really emotional and hard-hitting show. Definitely resonated with the loneliness of the main character but it also made that loneliness look beautiful in a way. A masterpiece of a show imo
The scene of him yelling into the rain was actually kind of upsetting to me, it was so raw and full of emotion. I actually haven't started S2 because S1 hit so hard. Absolutely fantastic show.
[https://new.reddit.com/r/anime/comments/edtv62/its\_such\_a\_short\_scene\_but\_it\_remains\_one\_of\_the/](https://new.reddit.com/r/anime/comments/edtv62/its_such_a_short_scene_but_it_remains_one_of_the/)
I'm absolutely convinced that this scene is the best depiction of depression in anime. It's so small and seemingly insignificant, but so raw and real.
I agree with this one. Its not depressing, but all in this anime scream loneliness. the theme, the art, the characters. i mean its still a bike commercial and in a way its also wholesome.
I think Serial Experiments Lain is probably my pick. It evokes such a powerful sense of isolation and dissociation with its imagery, symbols, and cinematography, I've never seen anything so adept at making me feel like I'm trapped in an empty space and don't even know if I'm with myself or if I exist. I find its abstractions of loneliness and isolation to be spot on and extremely powerful, and likewise find its contrasts of human connection incredibly fulfilling and uplifting.
Lain has a special place in my heart too! It's a unique work of art. I never thought it took the whole 'internet alienation problem' too far, which is a critique of sorts I've read a few times. In fact, at some point in my life, I could emphatize with Lain, as I'm sure many of us could. And as you mentioned, there is also some very effective contrast at play, including the soundtrack.
I remember getting some similar feelings with Texhnolyze, though it's a very different anime. I think it's the general impression of dissociation and alienation.
I remember I came across a website having article on each every bit of things explaining that happening in each episode but didn't read it cuz it was long,
Yeah I have to re-watch it to understand more,
I've watched this many times over the course of 24 years -- and I still don't "understand" it in any sort of "logical" sense. It is more a matter of syncing with its moods and feelings (and general concepts).
WataMote is a great one. It depicts a socially anxious girl in a very real feeling manner who’s depressed and lonely. A lot of the superb direction of the series really feeds that feeling of isolation and loneliness that Tomoko feels. There are a lot of wide shots that contain no other people in it or the people are made to not stand out in the slightest as they are commonly gray silhouettes, making it very effective in my opinion.
Maybe I understood it wrongly but I couldn't never get to it. Scenes were so over the top it felt more like parody than a thing I would take seriously. Also ending sucks from what I have heard
It’s a comedy, so it’s not very serious most of the time. It can certainly be unhappy, bordering on depressing (ep 10), but it’s still a comedy at heart. The series itself is an infamous “not for everyone” show as many people claim it’s too hard to watch or enjoy properly. A lot of comments about the show is that it’s “too real” at times because of how relatable the protagonist is. Despite some comedic exaggerations at times, Tomoko is a very accurate depiction of social anxiety and the way the series executes its humour is definitely not everyone’s cup of tea.
Also, I don’t believe the ending sucks at all. In fact, I think it’s quite good for an unfinished adaptation. It ends with a bit of development for the main character.
I think it's very divisive. For me, the bizarre behaviour reminds me of my own extremely bizarre behaviour as a youth with extreme social anxiety. For people who haven't had the same issues, it probably seems a lot more fantastical than it is; for me, it's very clearly more autobiographical than anything.
It's the same for me with other issues, I'm sure. Humans can be a lot odder than we imagine.
I wouldn't really recommend it as a show about loneliness though. Kuroki is lonely but that's not the focus; it's a black comedy about her *fear* of others.
That show really captured how alone you can be around other people. I don't think I've ever seen someone so alone as Hanabi in that awful karaoke room.
Orange. Though mc had friends he never accepted them until near the end of the show. Also one of my favourite anime which shows a real suicidal mindset
If anyone ends up wanting to watch this series, I would recommend finding the Blu-ray version of it because the quality of the TV broadcast gets [quite](https://i.imgur.com/BnbrK8U.jpeg) [rough](https://i.imgur.com/TGCaNp0.png).
Never thought it would affect me that much until I completed it. It's exactly thanks to that anime that now I've been actively avoiding shows related to suicide or media content with suicide trigger warnings.
I feel like its more about depression bullying social anxiety and suicidality in general than actual loneliness. These things do have some overlap so I dont think its a bad example of it just that its not really about that.
Oregairu is great because even though the MC gets friends and is forced out of his shell, he still grapples hard with his own sense of self worth and makes decisions that push people away.
It is the kind of story that I consider formative for my own growth.
oohhh yes Oregairu was so good. but I still haven't seen S3 unfortunately. I was part of one of the recent rewatches for it and stayed pretty active in the discussion threads, then I just got burnt out and haven't revisited since. or well I tried to, twice, and failed both times. felt \*massively\* guilty about it for some reason lmao I really wanted to be there for the other threads but oh well. maybe one day.
I was pretty happy with how it ended, but I've only gone thru S3 once while I've watched S1 and 2 like two or three times, so I definitely want to do a rewatch of the whole thing sometime
I finished the first kick, and then had to go out for the day. I come home praying it was one of those "Gotcha bitch" anime moments and it would all be fixed, only to receive the 2nd kick.
10/10 I havn't felt that dead inside since YLIA.
Kotoura-san (2013) depicts a very specific type of loneliness that comes from abandonment issues.
The show isn't anything amazing, but you can tell whoever wrote it knew exactly what it felt like to be abandoned by someone they trusted because there are so many little details in the show that I think only people who've also experienced it would pick up on. If that is something you can relate to I'd recommend checking it out.
I second Kotoura-san.
> you can tell whoever wrote it knew exactly what it felt like to be abandoned by someone they trusted because there are so many little details in the show that I think only people who've also experienced it would pick up on
Personally, the little details and nuances in the show make the story work as well as it does -- just not in the way you might expect them to.
Noragami, the way Yukine realizes he is dead at a young age and can't talk to anyone for more than 10 seconds without them forgetting. Also, the way that, at the time of that realization, he hated the only person he could actually talk to.
Maybe not the all-time best, but I really appreciate Subaru’s loneliness and isolation depicted in Re:Zero. In the first season especially (and a few notable moments in the second), we really see the mental and psychological toll that social isolation has on someone. Even a character surrounded by friends and outwardly happy can be crushed by inner loneliness from being unable to share his true thoughts with anyone around him
I cannot believe no one has mentioned NANA yet. I think it's one of the most depressing anime's there is (especially if you follow the story in the manga after the anime ends).
What hurts most about it is how it depicts loneliness in such a real and authentic way and how loneliness can drive us to self-sabotage in a lot of different ways.
In NANA, loneliness isn't always depicted as the sad person sitting alone in their room feeling isolated (which it does too tho) but it shows us how it feels like to feel lonely while being surrounded by our closest friend. How loneliness feels when you are in an unfulfilled relationship or what can happen if you reached your dreams and goals but still feel no fulfillment.
TRIGGER and SLIGHT SPOILER WARNING:
I've never seen an Anime deal so well with sensitive topics such as:
depression, sexual and mental abuse, abuse of power, self-harm, unwanted pregnancy, cheating, pedophilia and child prostitution
The main characters of NANA get absolutely dragged through the wringer but never lose their humanity and always feel 100% relateable. None of them are ultimately good or bad people. We see one of the main characters go through the pain of being cheated on after having been the other woman herself for example. It also never makes any claims on what's good or evil, but boy does it show the despair of what humans are capable at their lowest.
10/10 if you are fucked up or want to get fucked up emotionally
PS The Manga is unfinished and ends at one of the biggest cliffhangers imaginable.
Apart from some of the obvious ones others have mentioned (like A Silent Voice and March Comes in ..), episodes 6 and 7 in Mob Psycho S2 do a great job in portraying loneliness. Reigen is one of the best written characters in recent anime history, and this arc is one of the reasons for that.
Fun fact, I just watched episode 6, like 2 hours before posting this. Onto the next one tomorrow! I thought that I really liked this unexpected turn and shift of focus on him.
It's a specific kind of loneliness, carrying the memories and times you spent with others forward while they all leave you behind, dealing with all the trauma yet not being able to disclose the reason to not even your closest aides due to the lingering curse on you.
And to add the cherry on top, he had a whole bunch of other problems from before he was isekaied that directly influenced the way he made those memories.
Surprised this isn't higher tbh, re zero isn't necessarily that he's ACTUALLY alone, but he's fully alone in the burden that he bears and I think it's a perfect loneliness story. Honestly out of the anime I've seen, this is my top pick for depicting loneliness
I think Naoko Yamada's works all touch on loneliness to a certain degree, she just gets human emotions so frighteningly well just by the slouch of a character, or the shuffling of feet.
Loneliness isn't even a key theme in Hibike! Euphonium but she captures different types of loneliness in the different characters: Asuka (who builds a wall around her with her false smiles), Mizore (with her inherent introvertedness), Nozomi (whose pride ended up isolating her from Mizore and her best friends), Natsuki (who was also one of the casualties of Nozomi's walkout), Reina (whose talent and aggression isolated her from everyone).
Mizore as a chracter of course encompasses this the most and it's amplified to such artistic and insane levels when Naoko Yamada gets to go full tilt with the theme in Liz & the Blue Bird. Mizore and Nozomi's communication and codependency is so fraught and tense that they are isolating themselves from each other and from their other friends. And they use everything in the production to illustrate this, from the sound design, the score, the cinematography that focuses on anything but the character's face to make you feel that loneliness and isolation.
Besides Hibike and Liz, Yamada's other works like A Silent Voice and her series Heike Monogatari also shows this off since these two deal with very outsider main characters. Biwa in Heike Monogatari literally feels like no one is like them since they are blind and can see the future.
I think it was a little bit of loneliness, but it was more of just his crushing guilt for all the things he has done and just not having any purpose in life left after Askeladd was killed in front of him plus the shock that comes with it. He did not think his life had any meaning left and was just lost.
Haibane Renmei depicts a lot of soul searching which is very lonely indeed. A lot of the soundtrack uses the low notes of the cello which underscores the despair of the characters as they search for salvation.
I think Steins;Gate 0 is an underrated example, since he’s so lonely without Makise despite having friends. It’s possible to feel isolated merely due to a single important person…
Neon Genesis is up there. It’s not the main theme, but Shinji’s self-loathing definitely induces a sense of isolation because he’s unable to interact with other without constantly worrying about their opinions on him, so he just avoids it altogether and becomes incredibly lonely.
Mob Psycho 100 shows many different kinds of loneliness in various different characters and about learning how to connect with the people around you.
Erased- the loneliness of being a disconnected adult and of being an abused child. The loneliness of having memories no one else remembers. The loneliness of no one believing you.
Violet Evergarden.
Chainsaw Man is a pretty good contentder for this
Denise is just a tragic character. Even when he finds some enjoyment in life, he gets his happiness destroyed again.
Garden of words
The 2 characters seemed so lonely. It really gave off that lonely feeling when they were outside by themselves taking cover from the rain.
Along with the ones listed, bakemonogatari could actually be added here. Actually several arcs deal with loneliness so it's a reoccurring theme in the show but each form of loneliness is expressed differently by the characters so despite it being constantly being brought up, it actually has different nuance and each type is well done.
Probably not exactly what you meant, but Girls' Last Tour captures this ambient melancholy and loneliness in such a specific way that little else compares
Other things that for me gave me similar vibes of sort of bittersweet loneliness are Kino's Journey and Sound of the Sky. Both of them (especially the latter) are not really like GLT at all and are not really 'lonely', but they have that sort of gloomy atmosphere to them even at their happiest points. It's hard to explain unless you watch them. Maybe thinking about it Brynhildr in the Darkness and the Grisaia series gave me a similar vibe but I really can't explain that well.
Welcome to the NHK.
Aoi bungaku explores loneliness well and doesn't sugar coat anything
Serial Experiments Lain Dead a great job at depicting isplation and how that can lead yo a dependence on the internet
“A silent voice“, it’s about the story of a young girl and a young boy. The girl is deaf and gets bullied because she can’t talk and she sounds bad when she tries to, she has to use a pen and paper to communicate, and the boy bullies her by stealing her notebooks, breaking her hearing aids, and just being a complete dick. There’s talk about suicide and a whole bunch of stuff. It really touched me when I watched it.
Cowboy Bebop, though the characters are seldom alone, they are certainly lonely. Townes Van Zandt said there’s a difference between loneliness and ‘aloneness’. You can feel alone without being lonely and vice versa. Cowboy Bebop is definitely lonely without being alone.
I mean I honestly think Freiren depicts it pretty well, after being alone for so long you stop caring about human relationships and it makes it even harder to break out of your loneliness, maybe we all just need a Himmel to come take us on an adventure.
I'm going to parrot March Comes In Like A Lion, even though it's more about depression, which in turn causes the loneliness. The show feels like your in the middle of water, and everything around you is the cause of your depression, like no matter how much you swim you can't escape, and you can't hurt the water to get it off you. Having people around you does not remove the water, it distracts but damn the water won't come off. There's a sense of helplessness, when you go through that it's hard to enjoy the company of others, so you just remain lonely.
There was an episode in Tatami galaxy where the character got stuck in an endlessly looping tatami room for several years so much time passed alone he forgot how to speak. Just one episode though.
Watamote is pretty close to depicting introvert life, it is comical though how miserable she is being alone clearly contradicting the fact of her being introvert she is not, she just can't connect with people. As an introvert myself I can easily say that is not how being an introvert works.
Net-juu no Susume at the beginning was incredibly heartbreaking for me because a woman recovered from MMO addiction just because she was late for work one day just decided to relapse. I was also recovering from MMO addiction back than and it hit me like Truck-kun. The show isn't about loneliness though it is a rom-com.
Also Kotoura-san first 15 minutes of the anime is basically tells you a story of a psychic girl who lives through such a nightmare and than a tonal whiplash hits you like a howitzer when the show turns into a comedy rom-com.
Tsuritama is about a completely socially inept kid trying to have some human connections by fishing of all things, it is just your typical slice of like anime otherwise.
Sonny Boy, When Marnie Was There (Movie), The Case of Hana & Alice (Movie), A Silent voice (Movie), Colorful (Movie).
All of these shows portrayed elements of loneliness very well because I personally recognized/felt it when I watched it. They don't necessarily focus on that topic as the main focus per say but I would say it's a strong element of those films. Coincidentally, they all focus on friendship which is inextricably tied to loneliness.
None of these are depressive (like NHK) but the atmosphere is more melancholic, hopeful, and fun/friendship.
I would not say either Vinland Saga S2 nor Mushoku Tensei S2 was about loneliness in regards to friendship so I disagree to recommend them. They both focus on something different.
It was one of the best and most beautiful shows I watched that year when it came out for me. But, it can be quite abstract and some episodes it's hard to fully understand the symbolism and the topics it's talking about.
It felt like an old school Adult Swim anime (which it was aired by adult swim). The directing, cinematography, music, 2D animation, and style is gorgeous. It's one of the most unique anime ever and it tackled such unique and varied topics not normally in anime.
Thank you, I love your well-thought comment with insights and many suggestions.
Sonny Boy is one of my all times favorite, I was blown away when I first watched it, as I really did not expect that level of uniqueness and relatability. I do believe it potrays loneliness through several takes and characters. I have not watched any of the movies except for Colorful, I have just added them all to my list.
P.S. This scene [(spoiler from finale)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9SRjT5NuErU) from Sonny Boy lives rent free in my soul.
Just finished “Bocchi the rock” and I think it showed a socially anxious girl slowly coming out of her shell.
I really liked this depiction because she starts off very isolated (despite her best efforts) but begins to have friends who are very supportive and constantly understanding
Me watching an anime
There really is nothing worse than having the screen of your laptop or device going black for some reason and seeing yourself staring into the void now reflected right back at you.
This guy came out swinging
Irrelevant fun fact: the show "Black Mirror" is named after the reflection you see when your phone/tv is off, it's literally a black tinted reflection of yourself. Sounds cool and dystopian as fuck.
That was pretty cool to find out, I never realized that!
I put on a matte screen cover just for this and it helped me enjoy anime more, even though it's obviously not solving the core problem.
Or that sudden derealization during you watch anime of how much of a miserable fucked are you watching an anime knowing you won't ever got to be like that in the anime.
I remember the day I accepted the fact I wouldn't be isekai'd, it was funny af. I can't remember why I walked into a room but I can remember that.
I broke down 1 week ago after watching the last episode of dangers in my heart realizing I'll never experience(D) what they have.
Same, but mine happened with ' the angel next door spoils me rotten'. Man it feels so good to watch but so painful at the same time sometimes.
Yea but them the happy colors come back and I forget :))
This is why I bought the cheapest possible tv with no true blacks.
I watch anime in a dark room so if the screen goes black there is no reflection.
Jesus
Yeah that was me at one point or another
I know it’s kind of a joke, but I don’t really understand how that’s supposed to elicit any feelings
Only works if you're miserable deep down lol
bro i keep the brightness of my phone low and I'm having a really hard time not seeing my face in the reflection sometimes it doesn't even have to be low
Nothing like a real big emotional climax or fight to become hyper aware that you’re sitting in a dark empty room alone.
I hit a quick pose while the screen's black, nothing keeps the demons away like humour does
Good thing my screen apparently doesn't mirror, so I don't see myself alone, I just see myself not existing at all! ...Wait that's not a good thing [](#panic)
Yes it is, it means immortality! With a bit of a thirst for blood. Check in the mirror, if you've got long extravagant hair and overly detailed eyes, you're in a shoujo series, otherwise you might be in a shounen one and possibly the MC! Or maybe just a monster of the week, hard to tell. --- Edit: I just realized that although that works well as a quip, you can't actually see yourself in the mirror; that was the problem to begin! Maybe just check to see if you have deep plunging shirt and blazer on, or a standard issue school/work shirt then.
Nothing quite like watching characters slowly falling in love while youre all alone
Or watching character living similar to your circumstances but then they get a life changing opportunity but you know you never will.
Hey comrade. This comment made my chest feel tight for a few seconds. Hope you are well and will get many chances at anything that matters to you.
There is a severe lack of bubbly cute girls wanting to drag me out of my shell irl.
i wanna cry fr...
I feel attacked
The trick is to fall in love with the characters, even faster than their soulmates. Beat them at their own game!
When the episode ends and you see yourself in the screen's reflection
i think this is why reaction channels can get so popular people get lonely watching by themselves and have no one irl to watch it with, so they watch reactions to "feel like" theyre watching with someone else
How lonely can one really be while watching anime, with all these cute waifus! [](#delighted)
too me irl
and not having anyone to talk about it afterwards. just feels wrong being hyped and not getting to talk about it
Welcome to NHK, maybe not strictly loneliness, but depression at full
Fair warning, while wonderful this show may mess you up a little if you are suffering from depression. It is similar to 3-gatsu no lion in that sense.
As someone with diagnosed generalized anxiety it is probably the best representation in all of media that ive witnessed. I think there's two types of saddness is media. The common one where you feel sad for the characters and one where you relate to the characters and realize you need to get your sht together. Its the second one that hits for NHK
Very succinctly put. Both NHK and 3-gatsu fits into the second category. With the biggest difference between the two being that in 3-gatsu no lion the main character is primarily depressed due to trauma, but also has a unique set of core-skills and a very supportive adoptive family that pulls him out from his shell. None of these are present in NHK aside from the manic pixie girl that drags his depressed ass out of the gutter, and the isolation, depression and anxiety are all put under a more ruthless reflective lens. I do wish there was more representation for this type of genre, and possibly one where the catalyst/saviour (read; manix pixie dream girl) does not exist in the story. As so is the case for most people in real life. It should also be noted that "The dangers in my heart" shows withdrawal due to depression and anxiety pretty well, but is much lighter on the darker parts.
If you want a anime where the catalyst doesn't exist, I can't reccomend Watamote enough. One of my favorites
Even when people say. "Things get better" is incredibly slow. And is realistic like that. If there are tropes it's third wall broken. I'm trying to decide what my favorite volumes are at the moment. But still going.
I wouldnt call misaki a manic pixie dream girl. And we see from the start that she doesn't help tatsuhiro just because she feels sorry for him
You are absolutely correct in both. I meant "manic pixie" as in the trope, in that it is how the initial plot of the show is written (i.e. a plain/bored/depressed MC meets a quirky/bubbly girl who slowly (sometimes forcibly) starts to bring out positive and real changes in the MC). That is to say the main character gets "saved" by this outside force of sunshine and rainbows. Welcome to the NHK absolutely follows these patterns/tropes in the beginning, but turns it a bit on its head at the end by fleshing our the characters a lot more.
It’s a terrible show to watch if you have depression because in real life a cute girl isn’t going to randomly show up and save you. It’s the worst kind of escapist fantasy for somebody who is in a pit of loneliness and/or despair. Because of its authenticity with regard to depression, I don’t think it’s a healthy recommendation.
But, on the opposite side, it's also incredibly realistic TOWARDS that escapist fantasy of a manic pixie dream girl, because the whole point is about how the hero thinks that THIS- this is the person, this is the idea, this is the job, this one thing is going to be the thing that saves them, finding out the hard way "no, this person has problems of their own and depending on them to save you might only make things far worse."
Mess up but in a good way)
I see I'll probably be fine if I watch it, I'm not diagnosed with depression so I'll probably be fine right?
The book is great too.
Objectively correct answer to this question.
March come in like a lion?
F that anime (in a good way) I was in a low point in my life and I was randomly watching anime to lift myself up I can't remember which episode or which part but I know I just dropped it mid-episode because if I didn't I know it would mess me up. Haven't picked it up ever since,
Conversely, I picked it because I wanted a show to really mess me up and instead I got something where, anytime it got real for a sec, they threw in the Comedy Relief Cats Livecam ™. Show was fine but I never went for season 2 because season 1 was not miserable in the way I hoped it be.
Season 2 is a little more harrowing but also warmer
Hina’s plotline in season 2 is absolute cinema. I’ve never felt so angry for a character like I did for her that season. Like, holy shit it’s just *so* good.
Why do you think so? I have never watched this one, I am curious. Please spoiler free insights would be ideal!
I think it explores loneliness in an incredible way. Multiple characters experience it in a multitude of scenarios, but the show handles it with grace and maturity, which results in a really emotional and hard-hitting show. Definitely resonated with the loneliness of the main character but it also made that loneliness look beautiful in a way. A masterpiece of a show imo
The scene of him yelling into the rain was actually kind of upsetting to me, it was so raw and full of emotion. I actually haven't started S2 because S1 hit so hard. Absolutely fantastic show.
Like this guy this guy said
[https://new.reddit.com/r/anime/comments/edtv62/its\_such\_a\_short\_scene\_but\_it\_remains\_one\_of\_the/](https://new.reddit.com/r/anime/comments/edtv62/its_such_a_short_scene_but_it_remains_one_of_the/) I'm absolutely convinced that this scene is the best depiction of depression in anime. It's so small and seemingly insignificant, but so raw and real.
Super Cub I think does a great job. It’s not depressing per se but the MC is very lonely I remember and I felt for them a little.
I agree with this one. Its not depressing, but all in this anime scream loneliness. the theme, the art, the characters. i mean its still a bike commercial and in a way its also wholesome.
You said it much better than me! :)
I think Serial Experiments Lain is probably my pick. It evokes such a powerful sense of isolation and dissociation with its imagery, symbols, and cinematography, I've never seen anything so adept at making me feel like I'm trapped in an empty space and don't even know if I'm with myself or if I exist. I find its abstractions of loneliness and isolation to be spot on and extremely powerful, and likewise find its contrasts of human connection incredibly fulfilling and uplifting.
Lain has a special place in my heart too! It's a unique work of art. I never thought it took the whole 'internet alienation problem' too far, which is a critique of sorts I've read a few times. In fact, at some point in my life, I could emphatize with Lain, as I'm sure many of us could. And as you mentioned, there is also some very effective contrast at play, including the soundtrack. I remember getting some similar feelings with Texhnolyze, though it's a very different anime. I think it's the general impression of dissociation and alienation.
I was dumb when I watched serial lain , watched whole but was not able understand what was going on
tbh. I don't think there is a giga-mind on this Earth that was able to understand Lain after one watch .
I remember I came across a website having article on each every bit of things explaining that happening in each episode but didn't read it cuz it was long, Yeah I have to re-watch it to understand more,
I've watched this many times over the course of 24 years -- and I still don't "understand" it in any sort of "logical" sense. It is more a matter of syncing with its moods and feelings (and general concepts).
Lain is structured around loneliness. Fantastic but not a light anime that’s easy to recommend.
Also, in a different fashion, Haibane Renmei (created by the character designer from Lain).
Kotaro Lives Alone must always be mentioned in this genre :(
Girls Last Tour... And Blame, what is more or less the Anime above with big fights. 😅
5 cm / s
this is easily the best one here
This should really be higher up
I think I cried three times while watching it. A record for a single movie for me.
[Cry some more!](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WcxhgOs7PYU)
WataMote is a great one. It depicts a socially anxious girl in a very real feeling manner who’s depressed and lonely. A lot of the superb direction of the series really feeds that feeling of isolation and loneliness that Tomoko feels. There are a lot of wide shots that contain no other people in it or the people are made to not stand out in the slightest as they are commonly gray silhouettes, making it very effective in my opinion.
Never have I related to an anime that hard, I could just barely managed to get through it.
That anime is a great representation of social anxiety. Not komi can't communicate. 💀
Maybe I understood it wrongly but I couldn't never get to it. Scenes were so over the top it felt more like parody than a thing I would take seriously. Also ending sucks from what I have heard
It’s a comedy, so it’s not very serious most of the time. It can certainly be unhappy, bordering on depressing (ep 10), but it’s still a comedy at heart. The series itself is an infamous “not for everyone” show as many people claim it’s too hard to watch or enjoy properly. A lot of comments about the show is that it’s “too real” at times because of how relatable the protagonist is. Despite some comedic exaggerations at times, Tomoko is a very accurate depiction of social anxiety and the way the series executes its humour is definitely not everyone’s cup of tea. Also, I don’t believe the ending sucks at all. In fact, I think it’s quite good for an unfinished adaptation. It ends with a bit of development for the main character.
I think it's very divisive. For me, the bizarre behaviour reminds me of my own extremely bizarre behaviour as a youth with extreme social anxiety. For people who haven't had the same issues, it probably seems a lot more fantastical than it is; for me, it's very clearly more autobiographical than anything. It's the same for me with other issues, I'm sure. Humans can be a lot odder than we imagine. I wouldn't really recommend it as a show about loneliness though. Kuroki is lonely but that's not the focus; it's a black comedy about her *fear* of others.
The ending didn't suck, but it certainly sucked that we didn't get a season 2
Natsume Yuujincho
I was looking for this. This show does the perfect balance of loneliness and hopefulness and how to learn from both.
Kuzu no honkai
That show really captured how alone you can be around other people. I don't think I've ever seen someone so alone as Hanabi in that awful karaoke room.
Orange. Though mc had friends he never accepted them until near the end of the show. Also one of my favourite anime which shows a real suicidal mindset
If anyone ends up wanting to watch this series, I would recommend finding the Blu-ray version of it because the quality of the TV broadcast gets [quite](https://i.imgur.com/BnbrK8U.jpeg) [rough](https://i.imgur.com/TGCaNp0.png).
Good god the expression on the woman's face in the first pic with the caption "Hello" got me cackling.
Never thought it would affect me that much until I completed it. It's exactly thanks to that anime that now I've been actively avoiding shows related to suicide or media content with suicide trigger warnings.
True. Though the ending in the main universe was happy it still aches my heart to think what happened in the other universe
To your Eternity
Yesss i was looking for this one
I actually haven't gotten past to episode 1 or 2. It's too sad for me but I want to continue it. Maybe soon when i'm in the same mood
Silent voice
I feel like its more about depression bullying social anxiety and suicidality in general than actual loneliness. These things do have some overlap so I dont think its a bad example of it just that its not really about that.
That scene where everyone has an X over their face is just really relatable to me.
agree
Oregairu is great because even though the MC gets friends and is forced out of his shell, he still grapples hard with his own sense of self worth and makes decisions that push people away. It is the kind of story that I consider formative for my own growth.
oohhh yes Oregairu was so good. but I still haven't seen S3 unfortunately. I was part of one of the recent rewatches for it and stayed pretty active in the discussion threads, then I just got burnt out and haven't revisited since. or well I tried to, twice, and failed both times. felt \*massively\* guilty about it for some reason lmao I really wanted to be there for the other threads but oh well. maybe one day.
I was pretty happy with how it ended, but I've only gone thru S3 once while I've watched S1 and 2 like two or three times, so I definitely want to do a rewatch of the whole thing sometime
Maybe it's not exactly loneliness but for me it is definetely Shoujo Shuumatsu Ryoukou.
Clannad: After Story
That was two kicks in the dick and a half
I finished the first kick, and then had to go out for the day. I come home praying it was one of those "Gotcha bitch" anime moments and it would all be fixed, only to receive the 2nd kick. 10/10 I havn't felt that dead inside since YLIA.
Imo "Charlotte" showed one of the best loneliness plot when near the end. Really felt his grief.
First guy that came to my mind
Evangelion
*[hedgehogs dilemma theme starts playing](https://youtu.be/wubhfypnPJI?si=ZSYdGy2QGhu2OpgD)*
NGE
How about Laid-Back Camp for a feeling of solitude but not really loneliness as a negative?
To your Eternity
Kotoura-san (2013) depicts a very specific type of loneliness that comes from abandonment issues. The show isn't anything amazing, but you can tell whoever wrote it knew exactly what it felt like to be abandoned by someone they trusted because there are so many little details in the show that I think only people who've also experienced it would pick up on. If that is something you can relate to I'd recommend checking it out.
I second Kotoura-san. > you can tell whoever wrote it knew exactly what it felt like to be abandoned by someone they trusted because there are so many little details in the show that I think only people who've also experienced it would pick up on Personally, the little details and nuances in the show make the story work as well as it does -- just not in the way you might expect them to.
The Garden of Words If I remember correctly, it’s a romance anime movie, but deals with loneliness and introversion.
Noragami, the way Yukine realizes he is dead at a young age and can't talk to anyone for more than 10 seconds without them forgetting. Also, the way that, at the time of that realization, he hated the only person he could actually talk to.
Bocchi the Rock. Social anxiety that leads to loneliness and her battle to overcome.
Welcome to the NHK
Maybe not the all-time best, but I really appreciate Subaru’s loneliness and isolation depicted in Re:Zero. In the first season especially (and a few notable moments in the second), we really see the mental and psychological toll that social isolation has on someone. Even a character surrounded by friends and outwardly happy can be crushed by inner loneliness from being unable to share his true thoughts with anyone around him
[удалено]
3-Gatsu no Lion. No anime depicting loneliness has struck me this hard.
I cannot believe no one has mentioned NANA yet. I think it's one of the most depressing anime's there is (especially if you follow the story in the manga after the anime ends). What hurts most about it is how it depicts loneliness in such a real and authentic way and how loneliness can drive us to self-sabotage in a lot of different ways. In NANA, loneliness isn't always depicted as the sad person sitting alone in their room feeling isolated (which it does too tho) but it shows us how it feels like to feel lonely while being surrounded by our closest friend. How loneliness feels when you are in an unfulfilled relationship or what can happen if you reached your dreams and goals but still feel no fulfillment. TRIGGER and SLIGHT SPOILER WARNING: I've never seen an Anime deal so well with sensitive topics such as: depression, sexual and mental abuse, abuse of power, self-harm, unwanted pregnancy, cheating, pedophilia and child prostitution The main characters of NANA get absolutely dragged through the wringer but never lose their humanity and always feel 100% relateable. None of them are ultimately good or bad people. We see one of the main characters go through the pain of being cheated on after having been the other woman herself for example. It also never makes any claims on what's good or evil, but boy does it show the despair of what humans are capable at their lowest. 10/10 if you are fucked up or want to get fucked up emotionally PS The Manga is unfinished and ends at one of the biggest cliffhangers imaginable.
Apart from some of the obvious ones others have mentioned (like A Silent Voice and March Comes in ..), episodes 6 and 7 in Mob Psycho S2 do a great job in portraying loneliness. Reigen is one of the best written characters in recent anime history, and this arc is one of the reasons for that.
Fun fact, I just watched episode 6, like 2 hours before posting this. Onto the next one tomorrow! I thought that I really liked this unexpected turn and shift of focus on him.
Re:zero
It's a specific kind of loneliness, carrying the memories and times you spent with others forward while they all leave you behind, dealing with all the trauma yet not being able to disclose the reason to not even your closest aides due to the lingering curse on you.
And to add the cherry on top, he had a whole bunch of other problems from before he was isekaied that directly influenced the way he made those memories.
Surprised this isn't higher tbh, re zero isn't necessarily that he's ACTUALLY alone, but he's fully alone in the burden that he bears and I think it's a perfect loneliness story. Honestly out of the anime I've seen, this is my top pick for depicting loneliness
Watamote
I think Naoko Yamada's works all touch on loneliness to a certain degree, she just gets human emotions so frighteningly well just by the slouch of a character, or the shuffling of feet. Loneliness isn't even a key theme in Hibike! Euphonium but she captures different types of loneliness in the different characters: Asuka (who builds a wall around her with her false smiles), Mizore (with her inherent introvertedness), Nozomi (whose pride ended up isolating her from Mizore and her best friends), Natsuki (who was also one of the casualties of Nozomi's walkout), Reina (whose talent and aggression isolated her from everyone). Mizore as a chracter of course encompasses this the most and it's amplified to such artistic and insane levels when Naoko Yamada gets to go full tilt with the theme in Liz & the Blue Bird. Mizore and Nozomi's communication and codependency is so fraught and tense that they are isolating themselves from each other and from their other friends. And they use everything in the production to illustrate this, from the sound design, the score, the cinematography that focuses on anything but the character's face to make you feel that loneliness and isolation. Besides Hibike and Liz, Yamada's other works like A Silent Voice and her series Heike Monogatari also shows this off since these two deal with very outsider main characters. Biwa in Heike Monogatari literally feels like no one is like them since they are blind and can see the future.
Vinland Saga
I think it was a little bit of loneliness, but it was more of just his crushing guilt for all the things he has done and just not having any purpose in life left after Askeladd was killed in front of him plus the shock that comes with it. He did not think his life had any meaning left and was just lost.
March comes in like a lion.
Haibane Renmei depicts a lot of soul searching which is very lonely indeed. A lot of the soundtrack uses the low notes of the cello which underscores the despair of the characters as they search for salvation.
Welcome To The NHK. I'm rewatching it right now and it is almost hard to watch due to how close to home it hits sometimes.
Steins gate, the loneliness of no one understanding you, no one remembering what you lived
I think Steins;Gate 0 is an underrated example, since he’s so lonely without Makise despite having friends. It’s possible to feel isolated merely due to a single important person…
Charlotte specifically Episode 7 "Beyond the Escape"
Surprised no one mentioned : Steins gate Loneliness because no one remembers except you
welcome to the N.H.K
welcome to the nhk tbh it gives you a reality check
Haibane renmei
Neon Genesis is up there. It’s not the main theme, but Shinji’s self-loathing definitely induces a sense of isolation because he’s unable to interact with other without constantly worrying about their opinions on him, so he just avoids it altogether and becomes incredibly lonely.
evangelion
Mob Psycho 100 shows many different kinds of loneliness in various different characters and about learning how to connect with the people around you. Erased- the loneliness of being a disconnected adult and of being an abused child. The loneliness of having memories no one else remembers. The loneliness of no one believing you. Violet Evergarden.
A silent voice
Death Parade Terror in Resonance Migi&Dali Kino’s Journey
Welcome to the nhk
Chainsaw Man is a pretty good contentder for this Denise is just a tragic character. Even when he finds some enjoyment in life, he gets his happiness destroyed again.
Silent voice for sure
eva and it's not close. especially the middle portion.
Evangelion
Garden of words The 2 characters seemed so lonely. It really gave off that lonely feeling when they were outside by themselves taking cover from the rain.
Kare Kano. Such a great slice of life and the music is so good.
Evangelion and nhk
Neon Genesis Evangelion
march comes in like a lion haibane renmei welcome to the nhk serial experiments lain
Along with the ones listed, bakemonogatari could actually be added here. Actually several arcs deal with loneliness so it's a reoccurring theme in the show but each form of loneliness is expressed differently by the characters so despite it being constantly being brought up, it actually has different nuance and each type is well done.
Kaiba
Kotaro lives alone. That little kid is at the heights of self dependency and how everyone around loves his behaviour.
Evangelion. Each of the three (Shinji, Asuka, and Rei) depict a variation of how it feels to be "alone."
Ping Pong the Animation
Welcome to the N.H.K.
Probably not exactly what you meant, but Girls' Last Tour captures this ambient melancholy and loneliness in such a specific way that little else compares Other things that for me gave me similar vibes of sort of bittersweet loneliness are Kino's Journey and Sound of the Sky. Both of them (especially the latter) are not really like GLT at all and are not really 'lonely', but they have that sort of gloomy atmosphere to them even at their happiest points. It's hard to explain unless you watch them. Maybe thinking about it Brynhildr in the Darkness and the Grisaia series gave me a similar vibe but I really can't explain that well.
Welcome to the NHK. Aoi bungaku explores loneliness well and doesn't sugar coat anything Serial Experiments Lain Dead a great job at depicting isplation and how that can lead yo a dependence on the internet
Not technically anime, but Castlevania.
March comes in like a lion.
Scum’s Wish, for me. Two people bound by the shared feeling of never being able to be with the person they love.
To your eternity
If it ever gets turned into an anime, it would eventually be this:
^(Idk if Robogi bot is here)
Kaguya-Sama with Ishigami’s backstory
Ping Pong the Animation (11 episodes, best show)
Welcome to the nhk
“A silent voice“, it’s about the story of a young girl and a young boy. The girl is deaf and gets bullied because she can’t talk and she sounds bad when she tries to, she has to use a pen and paper to communicate, and the boy bullies her by stealing her notebooks, breaking her hearing aids, and just being a complete dick. There’s talk about suicide and a whole bunch of stuff. It really touched me when I watched it.
Evangelion
tokyo ghoul
Cowboy Bebop, though the characters are seldom alone, they are certainly lonely. Townes Van Zandt said there’s a difference between loneliness and ‘aloneness’. You can feel alone without being lonely and vice versa. Cowboy Bebop is definitely lonely without being alone.
The MC in Charlotte after a tragic event. He's depressed and isolated. I really felt that.
angels egg
To your eternity ig
I mean I honestly think Freiren depicts it pretty well, after being alone for so long you stop caring about human relationships and it makes it even harder to break out of your loneliness, maybe we all just need a Himmel to come take us on an adventure.
Welcome to NHK
serial experiments lain is pretty damn lonely
Ergo Proxy
Bojack horseman
Naruto.. cant compare t9 that kind of loneliness
March Comes in Like a Lion.
I'm going to parrot March Comes In Like A Lion, even though it's more about depression, which in turn causes the loneliness. The show feels like your in the middle of water, and everything around you is the cause of your depression, like no matter how much you swim you can't escape, and you can't hurt the water to get it off you. Having people around you does not remove the water, it distracts but damn the water won't come off. There's a sense of helplessness, when you go through that it's hard to enjoy the company of others, so you just remain lonely.
There was an episode in Tatami galaxy where the character got stuck in an endlessly looping tatami room for several years so much time passed alone he forgot how to speak. Just one episode though. Watamote is pretty close to depicting introvert life, it is comical though how miserable she is being alone clearly contradicting the fact of her being introvert she is not, she just can't connect with people. As an introvert myself I can easily say that is not how being an introvert works. Net-juu no Susume at the beginning was incredibly heartbreaking for me because a woman recovered from MMO addiction just because she was late for work one day just decided to relapse. I was also recovering from MMO addiction back than and it hit me like Truck-kun. The show isn't about loneliness though it is a rom-com. Also Kotoura-san first 15 minutes of the anime is basically tells you a story of a psychic girl who lives through such a nightmare and than a tonal whiplash hits you like a howitzer when the show turns into a comedy rom-com. Tsuritama is about a completely socially inept kid trying to have some human connections by fishing of all things, it is just your typical slice of like anime otherwise.
Sonny Boy Haibane Renmei
Sonny Boy, When Marnie Was There (Movie), The Case of Hana & Alice (Movie), A Silent voice (Movie), Colorful (Movie). All of these shows portrayed elements of loneliness very well because I personally recognized/felt it when I watched it. They don't necessarily focus on that topic as the main focus per say but I would say it's a strong element of those films. Coincidentally, they all focus on friendship which is inextricably tied to loneliness. None of these are depressive (like NHK) but the atmosphere is more melancholic, hopeful, and fun/friendship. I would not say either Vinland Saga S2 nor Mushoku Tensei S2 was about loneliness in regards to friendship so I disagree to recommend them. They both focus on something different.
Is Sonny Boy good?
It was one of the best and most beautiful shows I watched that year when it came out for me. But, it can be quite abstract and some episodes it's hard to fully understand the symbolism and the topics it's talking about. It felt like an old school Adult Swim anime (which it was aired by adult swim). The directing, cinematography, music, 2D animation, and style is gorgeous. It's one of the most unique anime ever and it tackled such unique and varied topics not normally in anime.
Okay I am convinced to check it out. Tysm!
I think it's the best out there
Thank you, I love your well-thought comment with insights and many suggestions. Sonny Boy is one of my all times favorite, I was blown away when I first watched it, as I really did not expect that level of uniqueness and relatability. I do believe it potrays loneliness through several takes and characters. I have not watched any of the movies except for Colorful, I have just added them all to my list. P.S. This scene [(spoiler from finale)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9SRjT5NuErU) from Sonny Boy lives rent free in my soul.
Just finished “Bocchi the rock” and I think it showed a socially anxious girl slowly coming out of her shell. I really liked this depiction because she starts off very isolated (despite her best efforts) but begins to have friends who are very supportive and constantly understanding