While animated films are often associated with bright colours and catchy tunes, they are also capable of eliciting profound emotions. Animated films are sometimes misunderstood as children’s films, however this is not the case. While this may be the case in some cases, it does reduce the film’s cinematic representation. People frequently dismiss the powerful stories underlying them, dismissing them as children’s movies.
This image has been progressively changing over the last few decades, with Pixar and Studio Ghibli’s incredible work demonstrating that animated films deserve to be treated as cinema. Some animated films have had a greater impact on viewers than live-action films, with many eliciting a viewer’s first weep at a movie.
There will always be that one film that grabs you, no matter how old you are. When it comes to certain animated flicks, no one can avoid their emotions, whether they make you unhappy or make you cry at a particular scene.
Here are some of the most emotional and saddest animated movies , have a look :-
10. Frankenweenie
Tim Burton‘s Frankenweenie is a stop motion film based on an animated short he produced in the mid-1980s. The film depicts a young child as he works relentlessly to bring his deceased dog back to life, with the youngster eventually succeeding.
While the picture is humorous in parts, the subject matter is tragic, especially for those who have lost pets as children.
9. Princess Mononoke
Princess Mononoke is the first entry in our list by Studio Ghibli, and it recounts the story of a struggle between mankind’s rising technological advancement and the immensity of nature and the Gods who created it.
While the film isn’t sad in the classic sense, it does have a bittersweet ending that is bound to elicit an emotional response from the audience.
8. When The Wind Blows
This British animated film follows an elderly couple as they strive to withstand the onslaught of a nuclear attack, portraying the couple as they eventually succumb to radiation poisoning.
Those who grew up in the United Kingdom may have been made to see this at school, with the sight of this loving old couple suffering from radiation sickness leaving mental wounds that would last far into adulthood.
7. The Land Before Time
The Land Before Time is another animated film, like The Lion King and Bambi, that concentrates on the emotional devastation experienced by the main character after losing a parent.
For many, this is the saddest film they’ve ever watched, with the main character’s anguish so palpable that it’s impossible not to cry.
6. Up
Pixar Animation’s Up established a trend toward emotional films. Up’s opening scene is virtually famous for its sorrowful nature, depicting a couple dealing with infertility and then growing old together before the wife died, leaving the husband alone and their greatest ambitions unfulfilled.
This opening scene not only deals with heartbreak, but it also contrasts it with what appears to be a wonderful and lovely relationship.
5. The Iron Giant
One of the most underappreciated films of all time is The Iron Giant. While it has a great reputation, it isn’t typically compared to other animated films released around the same time.
The film examines childhood and the concept of “obeying one’s nature” in a mature and emotional way. The Iron Giant’s lovely bond with a young boy unfortunately leads to one of animation’s most tragic endings.
4. Bambi
Bambi, the first inclusion on this list, has shattered the hearts of many generations of kids. The iconic scene depicts the titular Bambi escaping from some hunters, albeit Bambi’s mother would not be so fortunate.
This scene is one of the most sad in movie history, not just in animated film history, but in film history in general, thanks to the music and the expressive Bambi.
3. The Lion King
The Lion King is many people’s favourite Disney film, with its rendition of Shakespeare’s Hamlet and its catchy songs and excellent Elton John music. Mufasa’s death is the most memorable sequence in the film, with the wicked Scar assassinating Mufasa in order to seize control of Pride Rock.
Simba’s sequence of seeing his father’s body and then nuzzling up to it while crying is still a tearjerker today.
2. Coco
On De La Des Muertos, Coco relates the narrative of a young child who travels to the Land of the Dead. The film is one of Pixar’s best, and it not only provides a fantastic insight of Mexican culture, but it also contributes to one of Pixar’s most sad stories.
It’s nearly hard to watch the film’s closing without crying. Without giving anything away about the ending, Miguel’s contact with his grandmother is very sweet and perfectly conveys old age dementia.
1. Grave Of The Fireflies
The film begins with melancholy and ends with one of the most heartbreaking and emotional endings ever seen in an animated picture, depicting both the horror of war and a child’s desperate attempts to defend himself and his sister, despite a few happy parts.
It is praised for being open and honest about death and grief, earning it a place at the top of sad-movie rankings.
The Movie Culture Synopsis
Even the most powerful live-action dramedy can’t compare to the emotional impact of the best animated movies. These are sad cartoon movies that made you cry, admit it. Go ahead and do it. It’s quite acceptable to admit that a goofy cartoon made you cry. While watching movies about sentient toys and anthropomorphized animals, we’ve all sobbed our hearts out.
It’s easy to dismiss animation as children’s entertainment, yet who among us didn’t cry when Simba discovered Mufasa in that gorge or when a cold-hearted hunter shot Bambi’s mother? During the first ten minutes of the movie Up, who couldn’t help but cry like a toddler with a skinned knee?
Which of these animated films is the saddest animated film ever made? Go ahead and help yourself.
