If you’re looking for a list of sad anime girls, then this article is perfect for you! All these characters have some kind of difficult past or life circumstance they had to live through – without further ado, let’s see what they’ve been through and why they’re so miserable.
1. Mamimi Samejima – FLCL
Mamimi is one of the leads from an odd Japanese cartoon, FLCL. She happens to be Tasuku’s girlfriend and a pyromaniacal girl with low self-esteem; this causes her trouble in befriending others at school. Not having many familial ties who will take care of her, Mamimi often found herself being bullied by classmates at school but overcomes it later in the story where she becomes a photographer (hence why she goes away).
2. Victorique de Blois – Gosick
This is the first tsundere girl on this list, and hopefully not the last one. Victorique has an abrasive personality but makes up for it with her charismatic aura which she constantly uses to bend others to her will. However much power she possesses though, there are two things that never change about her: She doesn’t want anything to do with you, ever; and no matter what you say or what you do, it won’t make a difference because deep down inside of herself…
3. Seras Victoria – Hellsing
Seras Victoria is the heroine of my favorite anime series, Hellsing. Born with a tragic past filled with unspeakable hardships, she was saved from death by Alucard when he made her one of his own. A sensible girl but also headstrong, Seras possesses a lot of bravery and determination which she channels towards fighting for what she believes in – no matter how hard it gets. Though at times pampered or even childish, these traits are coupled with intelligence and sarcasm that add to an all-around multifaceted individual.
4. Moeka Kiryu – Steins;Gate
Moeka was one of the most introverted girls in school, but when it came down to it, she held her head up high and did what needed to be done. Moeka’s story resonated with many girls all around the world who had suffered from emotional abuse or bullying because they felt lonely and misunderstood at home. Yet somehow, they found comfort and acceptance when they met other people just like them at school.
5. LaLa-Ru – Now and Then, Here and There
This is an intense anime to watch because of its haunting and distressing history that depicts the more darkly themed side of warfare. Lala-Ru is a girl who becomes one with her power due to it being what she was born with – water abilities – which has left her feeling depressed. Meeting Shu changes this though, making her feel better about herself and saying that even still, her favourite thing is sitting out on the veranda every evening watching the sun set alone.
6. Annie Leonhart – Attack on Titan
Annie had been living the life of an orphan for a good five years before she was taken in by Rod Reiss. As Rod Reiss’ daughter, Annie was born with immense power – power that would later be exploited against her. Her moody attitude only further cements her status as being one of the most difficult people to deal with due to her troubled past and bleak outlook on life. In spite of this, Annie is capable of great kindness when it comes to others who show even a modicum of understanding for what she has gone through such as Mikasa Ackerman.
7. Tsubaki – Future Diary
Tsubaki is an integral part of the Battle Royale created by Deus and possesses the Clairvoyance Diary. One might say she was gifted this diary for a reason- because it grants her followers, who are named The Sacred Eye, the ability to read what Tsubaki sees just as if they were right beside her. This blessing has led them to call her The Sacred Maiden. Tsubaki is both the head priestess and leader of Omekata cult; but she suffers from many different types of abuse – this is why she carries around such a vengeful personality.
8. Tomoko Kuroki – No Matter How I Look at It, It’s You Guys’ Fault I’m Not Popular!
This is the ultimate cringe protagonist. Tomoko may be the most pathetic anime girl ever but it’s so funny watching her make a fool of herself. Her socially awkward personality and inability to speak with those she doesn’t know are just too good. And even though it seems like there isn’t anything positive about her, in reality, Tomoko has an unusually high intelligence quotient (IQ) as well as being smart enough to graduate from college at sixteen years old.
9. Yukari Yukino – The Garden of Words
This is the female protagonist of the critically acclaimed Garden of Words. Yukari is a depressed teacher who takes no comfort in her beauty because one boy from school asked her out, which she turned down and now gets teased by her classmates for his advances.
10. Violet – Violet Evergarden
Violet is a quiet girl, introverted and often forgotten. Though she looks just like everyone else, Violet feels empty inside. When her brother Gilbert dies in battle and his body goes missing, she begins to question why living beings can die while objects can’t. Suddenly aware of her own mortality, she wishes for immortality so no one will forget Gilbert or leave him behind like they did with her after the death of their parents when they were still children.
11. Yuuko Kanoe – Dusk Maiden of Amnesia
Dusk Maiden of Amnesia is one of the best anime I have ever watched. This is mainly because of how well written it is – its female protagonist, Yuuko, was a girl who died inside the school and now haunts the old building. It’s such an emotional story but there are plenty moments where you can’t hold back tears either! Before she met Teiichi though, she was such a depressed and pessimistic ghost girl.
12. Erza Scarlet – Fairy Tail
Erza is one of the most popular and beautiful girls in Fairy Tail and is sometimes referred to as the strongest female character in the series. She has a strong sense for justice but hides a dark secret from her past, which haunts her throughout life until she finally accepts it.
13. Hanabi Sakuraoka – Scum’s Wish
Of course, the protagonist of one of the saddest animes is also a despondent teen. Hanabi attends high school and falls for her piano instructor. However, this teacher will not return her affections because he has a job to protect, he’s old enough that she might be too young for him, and since he loves someone else – these are the harsh realities facing them both in Scum’s Wish; it is an anime centered on unfulfilled desires.
14. Iwakura Lain – Serial Experiments Lain
Iwakura Lain is a young woman with mystique – so much so that it would be difficult to pinpoint her exact character. She is often characterized as being emotionless, timid, and lonely; but this does not do justice to the significance of her narrative. As Serial Experiments Lain unfolds, we see Lain explore questions of existence and eventually come into her own when she accepts herself for who she is.
15. Rei Ayanami – Neon Genesis Evangelion
Rei Ayanami is perhaps the single most beloved protagonist in all of Neon Genesis Evangelion and she has quickly become one of the most well-known anime characters. It is no surprise that she was chosen as the pilot for Evangelion Unit 00, designated as the first child. Her face may at first appear cold and unreadable but it does eventually betray her emotions – a rare feat for an anime character.
16. Sakura Matou – Fate/Stay Night
Sakura is a lovely woman with an exceedingly dark background, whose life was never easy. However, she found solace in her adoptive father’s arms and the all-consuming passion for art he instilled within her. With this newfound love she became unstoppable, to the point where she developed a skill so great it was said that she could take over if Rider ever abandoned her post again. Yet Sakura would never forget who made her what she was; even though they had passed away long ago.
17. Haruka Kotoura – Kotoura San
Haruka is a girl born with the ability to read minds – or so she thought. Her life has been riddled with countless difficulties as nobody can keep secrets from her, not even her own parents who refuse to acknowledge Haruka’s existence. Bullied at school and struggling through difficult living conditions at home, Haruka becomes an introverted loner hell-bent on isolating herself. It takes until she meets one special boy for Haruka to finally find some happiness in her life.
18. Misuzu Kamio – Air
You know it will be an emotional anime when a producer from Key creates it – the same people behind such titles as ‘Clannad’. In this story, Misuzu is the reincarnation of one of Japan’s Gods, Kanna-bime-no Mikoto. Having been born into her present form again, she remembers all of Kana’s happy and heartwarming memories; even if they do nothing but make her smile.
19. Enma Ai – Hell Girl
Enma is the female protagonist of the chilling Hell Girl series. With long black hair and red faces, she is a spiritual entity who has lost her memories from centuries ago. Her main task is to take revenge for people on behalf of them, with minimal words and an emotionless attitude at all times. So it was strange when we saw her so emotional about something – only talking briefly about what had happened before going back to being cold-hearted as per usual.
20. Hayami Kohinata – H2O: Footprints in the Sand
This town loathes this girl because of her family’s greed. Hayami is a girl who belonged to a wealthy family, and when they lost everything, she had nowhere to go but an abandoned bus in the valley. After being maltreated for so long, the old her died and was replaced by someone else entirely – though still possessing some hard edges – after meeting Takuma; someone who lit up her life again with hope. Despite having such a horrific past, there’s nothing about this girl that says hopelessness.
21. Nico Robin – One Piece
Out of all the people Luffy met on his journey, it was only a woman named Robin that stuck out enough for him to invite her onto his crew. It wasn’t just because she had vast knowledge and could read things written in the mysterious language known as Poneglyphs- no, he knew she was different than those before her.
As if this weren’t enough hardship for someone so young, she also suffered from severe depression after losing everything during the tragedy at Ohara Island; but meeting new friends put an end to this sadness and sparked joy back into life once again.
22. Rukia Kuchiki – Bleach
Rukia is one of the most admired characters in the Bleach series. She displays a stoic and aloof demeanor due to wanting to conceal her lonely yet selfless personality beneath that mask. Having been abandoned at birth, she was left in the care of Renji until Byakuya eventually took pity on her. Unable to form connections with others due to her reserved nature, Rukia finds solace only in her beloved rabbits.
23. Shouko Nishimiya – A Silent Voice
Shouko leads a relatively normal life without any friends. With no one around to hear her, she lives in silence until she starts attending elementary school and begins learning how to read lips. After being picked on for her disability, Shouko loses all hope until miraculously getting along with some of the very people who pushed away before. Able to finally talk again, even if it’s just through sign language- Shouko finds that there is nothing more fulfilling than connecting with others.
24. Kikyo – Inuyasha
Kikyo has been a major character in the anime series, Inuyasha. She was once-upon-a-time Inuyasha’s first love and also played a role in his initial death and resurrection. Once a happy woman who had gone through her share of hardships, Kikyo changed after being resurrected from the dead – becoming an unhappy shell of herself haunted by a past she couldn’t seem to forget about no matter what she tried.
25. Hotaru Tomoe – Sailor Room
Sailor Saturn is the alter ego of Hotaru Tomoe, who was reborn as a baby taken by the Guardians. With her moods being more difficult to decipher than most, Hotaru is a very shy and kind hearted girl with an internal struggle that often goes unnoticed. When she meets Rini – one person who will always remain at her side – Hotarus outlook becomes brighter day by day.
26. Shirahoshi – One Piece
Better known as the Mermaid Princess, Shirahoshi is a benevolent and well-mannered young woman. She possesses a compassionate heart for others and can be quite knowledgeable when it comes to her favorite topics. However, though she may appear sweet and innocent at times, sometimes she acts childishly ignorant about anything other than what interests her most.
27. Yuki Nagato – The Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya
Nagato Yuki is one of the main protagonists of Haruhi but she may be different than what you would expect. She dresses up like a school girl and occasionally acts childish at times – not because she wants to, but because she doesn’t know how to behave otherwise since she’s an alien. Though timid, her interests range from eroge games and manga all the way up to dressing up as other popular anime characters.
28. Mizore Shirayuki – Rosario + Vampire
Rosario+Vampire was the first anime I ever watched, which led me to discover my love for Mizore. She is a Yuki-onna (Snow Woman) who spends her time stalking Tsukune and his friends from afar because she craves friendship but can’t seem to make them last long enough before they move onto something else or find someone else. Mizore also had an awkward personality throughout most of the show which made it difficult for her to form bonds. Slowly though she begins showing her feelings much more openly in this series.
29. Mei Misaki – Another
Another changed everything when it was released, and Mei is one of the most best characters in it. Misaki is a girl who is totally ignored in school. Almost everybody there pretends that she doesn’t exist – but nobody knows how hard this makes her feel inside. Quietly, she sits at her desk doing her work because this is all she feels like she can do. Even if someone does talk to her for a moment or two, they usually forget about her quickly enough and never come back for more conversation later on in the day.
30. Touka Kirishima – Tokyo Ghoul
Touka was the main female protagonist in the Tokyo Ghoul series. At first glance she may appear cold and distant but she has always felt alive with Kaneki by her side; he brings out emotions she never knew existed. In reality, she is an emotionless girl who prefers solitude as it frees her from social obligations that make her feel vulnerable.
31. Lucy – Elfen Lied
It was hard to think about someone like Lucy without feeling any empathy. Born with horns and telekinetic powers, it was no surprise that she had a very rough upbringing – which led her to develop two separate personalities. You see, there is this side of her which is too scared to be around others (which comes from being experimented on) but then there’s another side which craves attention and company…thus explaining why she kills people when they are near. It takes all I have not to hate her at first because of what she does but you can’t blame a person for being hurtful after all the pain they’ve been through.
32. Izumi Takanashi – Working!!
Imagine someone who only needs to grip a pen in order to experience pain shooting up their arm. Well, this would be Izumi for you. A girl with depression and anxiety so severe that even the slightest activity seems unbearable. Yet deep inside her desires are brewing – she dreams of writing romance novels one day, but it may never happen because of her crippling weakness. Sickly, emotionally drained from every aspect of life – izumi doesn’t know where else to turn other than herself.
33. Miku Nakano – The Quintessential Quintuplets
Despite her personality, Miku is by no means unattractive. Shy and modest, she finds it hard to show off any of her talents for fear of failing in front of others. Yet despite all this self-doubt, she never fails to keep a good heart. Despite having such low self-esteem, she would still help anyone at anytime without even so much as blinking an eye. One thing did change for her after Fuutarou came into the picture – she became happier!
34. Furude Rika – Higurashi When They Cry
Rika is the true protagonist of the Higurashi series and the one who endured the most pain. Behind her innocent facade that makes others feel at ease, she carries an adult-sized burden for all those lost lives. Trapped in time loop after time loop, it’s only natural for someone as young as Rika to be traumatized by what they’ve seen happen over and over again – even when they themselves were dead every single time.
35. Homura Akemi – Puella Magi Madoka Magica
Originally seen as the antagonist to the anime, it turns out that Homura is actually one of two protagonists alongside Madoka. She has the power to time travel and has witnessed how her world crumbled around her many times before. Originally shy, timid, and fragile – she then became cold-blooded, tough and fierce after stepping up to face obstacles head-on in order to save those she cares about most; even if it means making some tough decisions along the way.
Sad Anime Girls: Conclusion
In this article, we explored the sad and depressing side of anime. Hopefully it gave you some enjoyable moments with these characters who could use a little encouragement in life. We included plenty of original artwork for your enjoyment too! If you think we missed out on one of your favorite characters from this genre, let us know in the comments below and maybe we’ll add them to our next list (along with some new illustrations).
