Anime is known for provoking the most intense emotions through its excellent storytelling. The audience loves to be gripped by a captivating narrative and tends to enjoy shows that can elicit strong emotional responses. These anime can ensnare viewers' sentiments. From anime that play with the kids' dynamic long game to those that seize the senses from the start, there is no shortage of emotionally manipulative anime series.
1. Ouran HighSchool Host Club
This is a slice-of-life anime that gives its all when it comes to luring the fans into feeling food in just one go. It is a light-hearted, endearing, and silly drama. It centers around Haruhi who is a poor kid, who gains a scholarship at an elite school for the privileged. Tamaki Suo, the president of the resident Host Club, becomes fond of her story and brings her into the club to repay a debt. It takes one episode to ingratiate the viewers to all the six members. It also blindsides the viewers, who find out that Haruhi is a woman.
2. My Hero Academia
It shows the audience the best kind of emotional whiplash, where the fans from the very first speedos are captivated. Each season brings viewers deeper into the lives and motivations of both secondary and primary characters. One gripping moment is when Bakugo is kidnapped in Season 3 by the League of Villains. During this episode, Kirishima moves to a central focus. Before this, he experienced minimal screen time, and the solidity and depth of his relationship with Bakugo weren't observed.
3. Jujutsu Kaisen
This anime regularly seems to pull on its fans' emotions, and one of its most notable measles is Junpei Yoshino’s short arc. Even though Albeit is a minor character in the series, Junpei’s story has more power; his death and importance are widely discussed among the fans. Not only is his death’s nature jarring, but fans are left blindsided after being led to believe that his arc might be much longer.
4. Fullmetal Alchemist
The anime has no shortage of emotional landmines, but one can compare the swift introduction and departure of Nina Tucker, a four-year-old, and Alexander, her dog. The viewers meet her in the 5th episode and quickly take to the wholesome relationship she develops with the Elric brothers. They empathize with her loneliness and during their study breaks prioritize playing with her. The following episodes reveal her father's experiment on her and the dog, creating a malformed creature. Her death is regarded as a collective core memory.
5. Attack On Titan
It takes the first place for sudden emotional hijacking. From the very first episode, human-like, titanic, naked giants consume any human that is in sight. Eren, a young boy, helplessly watches his mothers being maimed by Titan before devouring her. In just the first twenty minutes, he loses his entire town and family. The portrayal of how they kill and consume human beings is gruesome and violent.
6. The Legend Of Korra
As the characters in the anime were older than those in the original Gang, it made sense that the romantic elements were present more than in the original series. However, the forcefulness of the dating element left the fans feeling emotionally drained. The fans thought that the cast’s romance overtook the plot too much while also feeling to care for the love triangle at play. The romance element felt inorganic and was criticized.
7. Spy x Family
This anime series makes the audience feel good. This is expected from a story revolving around one of the most powerful connections in the Uni version of a father and his young daughter. Even though Twilight only adopted Anya because his mission required it. The viewers see her quickly expand his emotional landscape. At the start, he doesn’t know how to behave with a young child but starts to develop a fatherly nature and protective instincts. It hooks the viewers with fast but well-paced emotional handouts.
8. Erased
It is a murder-mystery anime, but it doesn't prepare the viewers for the on-screen murder in the first episode. The story introduces us to Satoru and his humdrum. During a time-hoping event, he is injured, so Sachiko, his mother, comes to stay with him. He is a likeable character, but not before his antagonist enters the house and enters a knife into her side. The up-close shot entering her body is very harsh.
9. Tokyo Revengers
It holds a particular spot for its ability to put the viewers through emotional turmoil over a character numerous times. Takemichi is determined to save as many of his loved ones as possible through his ability of time hopping. However, it sometimes results in their demise coming to fruition at various periods and in different manners. This means that they not only get to see his best friend betray him but also take his life not once but twice.
10. Demon Slayer
This anime lulls the viewers in with the introduction of Tanjiro Kamado, who is the eldest of six siblings. He is a humble and hardworking boy who loves and provides for his family. Unfortunately, after returning from a trip, he finds that his entire family has been slaughtered. This brutal attack wasn’t shown, saving viewers from watching the murder. However, the discovery and his grief are profound and set a tone for the series.
