According to WHO Globally, an estimated 5% of adults suffer from depression. & anime could be a medium to get over depression by observing uplifting stories of the most relatively depressed anime characters.
As we know anime is renowned for creating complex characters that take viewers on emotional journeys. Such characters sometimes deeply inspire us adults on how we can find hope and healing in even the darkest of circumstances.
So let’s analyze some saddest anime characters grappling with depression. As this is the latest list, I bet you’ll be seeing some new renowned names.
21: Satoru Fujinuma
Anime: Erased
Let’s begin our list with the introverted and shy Satoru Fujinuma from Erased Anime. Depicting the struggles of Japan’s young artists, Satoru Fujinuma is a struggling manga artist who works as a part-time food delivery boy to make a living.
It’s always in Fujinuma’s personality to not understand others’ emotions and it becomes worse with the murder of his mother. Just picture the situation; A man nearly in his 30s, struggling with his career, and suddenly lost his only family member. The situation makes sense to his depressed personality.
20: Kou Yamori
Anime: Call Of The Night
In the artistic lights of the night, Kou Yamori is our lonely MC who wanders the streets of the Night City to run away from his depression. He used to be an idol child at school who excelled in everything until he lost all his motivation due to his struggles to understand the concept of love.
Now he lurks in the vibrant lights of the night with freedom until his life intertwined with a mysterious quirky vampire “Nazuna.” Kou’s journey of self-discovery beautifully highlights why watching anime characters with depression is the most beloved anime trope.
19: Tomozaki
Anime: The Bottom Tier Character; Tomozaki
According to the title of this anime, Tomozaki is your gaming prodigy who has lost the spirit of socialization as a bottom-tier loner in life. The worst part about his depression is he never makes an effort to change his personality.
This was his usual life until he crossed paths with the school’s most popular girl Aoi. Feeling ashamed of the remarks of this girl, Tomozaki makes up his mind to play the real game of life with ambition to conquer his depression.
18: Kou Tanaka
Anime: Blue Haru Ride
Kou Tanaka is a practical example of family support and the importance of friends in life. Once known as a very kind and outgoing boy turns into a soul of depression due to his mother’s death and other family issues.
What make Kou one of the watch-worthy anime characters with depression are his relatively common issues which can be a cause of any normal human’s depression. His journey from a hard-to-talk boy to again normie is absolutely lovely so make sure you don’t miss it.
17: Ganta Nakami
Anime: Insomniacs After School
It really sucks when you’re the only abnormal amidst all the normals. Ganta is a young middle school boy suffering from a rare disease known as difficulty at sleeping night. This rare situation affects not only his daily life but also his overall personality.
Fatefully he ran into a quirky girl Isaki Magari who also struggled with sleepless evenings. This little event sparks a ray of hope between both abnormies.
16: Rikuo Uzumi
Anime: Sing Yesterday For Me
Imagine when youth choose different career paths for themselves to fulfill their dreams and one that is stuck in the first gear in a struggle to identify his career goal. You can estimate how depressive it is and our Uzumi is such a character.
The real pain is not only his career fuzziness but the cult love of college. Anime storyline is quite harsh on Rikuo Uzumi as he’s struggling to find a suitable carrier amidst a love triangle between two other girls.
15: Hachiman Hikigaya
Anime: My Teen Romantic Snafu
Depression and loneliness are recoverable with little effort and motivation but it becomes super bad when you become addicted to loneliness and wish to be alone all the time. This description reflects our lonely but cocky mc Hachiman Hikigaya from my teen romantic snafu.
This depressed lad is the epitome of pridefulness and has claimed to have never relied on anyone. He always describes himself as a pathetic loser undeserving of human companionship. However, his stoic personality began to change with the entrance of Yukino and Yui in his life.
14: Ryota Sakamoto
Anime: Btooom!
Consistent taunting from family and society can also lead adults towards more depression and anxiety. This is the same scenario as Btooom! Mc Ryota Sakamoto always fails to do a job and instead runs away from reality by always sticking to one game Btooom.
Being a NEET, he usually stayed inside his room ignoring the fact that his mother alone is making the living by herself. When suddenly transported to an unknown Island to play the game of life and death, he began realizing the importance of family and friends.
Btooom! beautifully portrays how people can change their personalities by being inspired by depressed anime characters returning to life like Ryota.
13: Levi
Anime: Attack On Titan
One question! Just tell me one scene where you have seen Levi smiling like he truly meant. Because this badass anime character with hardships all over him could never smile amidst the chaos.
As the son of a prostitute, Levi has lived in the Underground until Kenny takes him under his wing and makes Levi a living weapon also known as “Humanity’s strongest soldier.” Honestly, Levi is one of the few anime characters who teach us to be strong with their ability to counter depression.
12: Tamaki Amajiki
Anime: My Hero Academia
Tamaki hates bringing attention to himself as a shy and depressed lad. Large groups leave him trembling, and simple conversations induce panic in him. Tamaki is a living example of how some talented adults bury their quirks in the weight of insecurities.
Where others see opportunities, Tamaki sees traps, and where they find joy, he finds judgment. Honestly speaking, Tamaki is one of the funniest anime characters with depression and talent all along.
11: Giyu Tomioka
Anime: Demon Slayer
Giyu Tomioka is the only anime character in Demon Slayer with almost one stoic expression all the time. I bet his depressively stoic character design would have saved a lot of animation costs for the studio.
Jokes aside, the reason behind his few words personality is the loss of his dearest friend amidst demon slayer training sessions.
Despite being hated by other demon slayer characters, this long black hair anime character never tries to show any emotions for their harsh remarks. Instead, he’s such a shut-in character who never knew he was disliked by many before being told by Shinobu Kocho.
10: Ai Ohto
Anime: Wonder Egg Priority
Imagine an introverted soft-spoken girl who has lost her dear friend in a suicide and always finds herself the main target of bullies. Ai Ohto is surely one of the most depressed anime girls of all time.
Being a victim of bullying and blaming herself for the reason of her close friend demise is a strong reason why she is a withdrawn girl who spends most of her time alone. Amidst the saddest storyline of Wonder Egg Priority, you’ll be forced to pity little Ai Ohto for sure.
9: Kousei Arima
Anime: Your Lie In April
Music was everything to Kousei until losing his mom tore it all away. The piano that used to bring him such joy now only echoed with heartache. Once known as a kind-hearted child prodigy is now a suffering anime character with depression and sorrow.
Everything seemed gray until loud, bubbly Kaori burst in. She loved her violin with her whole self. Spending time with her and creating new pieces slowly pulled Kousei out of his funk. Kousei’s life is a prime example of how someone lovely at your side can pull you out of the darkness with compassion.
8: Yuu Ishigami
Anime: Kaguya Sama Love Is War
Yuu Ishigami from Kaguya Sama Love is War is the only anime character in this list of anime characters with depression whose depressed persona will make you laugh out loud instead of pitying him.
Yu is quite a reserved anime character who loves to do work from home because he’s socially awkward. As a lonely shut-in gamer who envies other normies at school makes you smile with his depressed expressions and odd statements about youth.
7: Kakeru
Anime: Orange
Kakeru from Orange Anime is arguably the epitome of sadness who has lost his mother and considers himself the reason for this loss. Just imagine how hard a boy can be on himself who usually talks about taking his own life just because of some regrets.
Kakeru’s journey is not something fans have liked throughout the series because of its ending. It’s ending is that makes Kakeru one of the most tormented souls in this list of anime characters with depression.
6: Shinji Ikari
Anime: Neon Genesis Evangelion
Shinji Ikari is the main protagonist in the complex anime Neon Genesis Evangelion who has lost his mum to the Unit-01 Contact Experiment. Despite being abandoned by his father for eleven years, Shinji still longs for his father’s love.
Shinji reflects on a major societal issue where children’s depression caused by parental issues makes them gloomy, unable to move on, and yearning for praise souls.
5: Ken Kaneki
Anime: Tokyo Ghoul
Tokyo Ghoul season 1 was damn hard on our wholesome protagonist Ken Kaneki. He was living his happy youth life until his life intertwined with the Ghoul tragedy which resulted in Ken Kaneki becoming a Ghoul himself.
After this tragedy, Ken Kaneki has suffered an insane amount of depression as a boy who hates bloodshed but has to make a living by killing. From wholesome to being tormented, ridiculed, and then tortured to death Ken has definitely suffered a lot. Ken’s story is damn horrible but inspiring as he becomes a zero to hero character in storyline.
4: Shoya Ishida
Anime: A Silent Voice
“Karma never loses an address” fully fits Shoya Ishida from the famous romance and self-discovery anime movie “A Silent Voice”. Shoya Ishida who once used to bully the sweet deaf girl Nishimiya is now living a depressing life full of regrets.
Once in anime he was determined to take his own life after apologizing to Nishimiya “The deaf girl he used to bully”. Shouya Ishida’s tale from a bully to a depressing adult and depressing adult to again wholesome lively boy is truly remarkable.
3: Tatsuhiro Satou
Anime: Welcome To N.H.K
Tatsuhiro Satou is a shut-in who has isolated himself from society for years. Due to past trauma and pressure, he dropped out of college and now lives alone in a gloomy apartment, barely leaving or taking care of himself.
Honestly, his just looks will tell you enough about how depressed he is. He possesses below-average life skills and a negative self-image. He used to sleep 16 hours day as a lazy freak.
Through the unusual friendship he develops with Misaki, Satou starts confronting his problematic behaviors and addiction to escapism as a coping mechanism. This whole anime is about how even anime characters with depression can lead toward happy responsible life.
2: Rei Kiriyama
Anime: March Comes In Lika A Lion
Rei Kiriyama is your 17-year-old orphan protagonist struggling with adulthood problems like financial difficulties and depression. He became a shogi pro at the young age of 12, but the immense pressure and responsibility took a toll on his mental health.
Rei suffers from long-standing depression as a result of traumatic events in his childhood that left him living alone. Through befriending the Akari family, Rei gradually starts to open up and deal with his depression, social anxiety and deep-seated loneliness.
1: Guts
Anime: Berserk
Guts should be counted at the top in the list of anime characters with depression and you’ll agree if you have witnessed the struggles of his character. Growing Up Surrounded By Death And Cruelty, being abused at a younger age, getting betrayed by his dearest friend, watching his allies dying, and watching his love of life being tormented may be enough reasons to count him as the most sadistic depressed anime soul.
Fighting both physically and mentally each day under the immense weight of his emotional demons makes this vengeful prodigy a worth-watching character of all time.
Conclusion:
The anime world is rich with anime characters suffering from depression and other social issues, which actually makes us otakus love these characters. So make sure you enjoy reading this little piece of content and explore other anime ingredients within Anime Auditor.
