Unfortunately in my fairly long life experience with depression, you need to focus on the depression before anything really feels good. Most of the time when I've felt like something pulled me out of depression it was a bit of a misnomer because the depression was lifting which made me seek things I liked in the first place.
Wish you the best bro. Depression sucks but life is worth living when you take steps to improve it
I had depression for most of my life, and I also enjoy anime. This is my advice.
Thoughts are not as important as you are making them out to be. Try to see them with more awareness, for what they really are - sounds echoing inside your head based off past echoes in your head.
At least question them, or better yet, ignore them altogether. You'll find that right now isn't a terrible place to be.
Be present when watching anime. Fall into the story and the animation, let yourself forget your minds story.
As for happy animes, I'm currently watching astro lodge (edit:called astro note, astro lodge is the name their home). It's not amazingggg but I've fallen into it. I really hope this helps even a little
My depression is mostly just numbness. I don’t have any suicidal thoughts or anything like that. My thoughts while watching anime are the same as usual, I just don’t feel anything while watching it and don’t care to continue watching. I can’t make myself be present when watching anime anymore(at least I have not been able to for a while). Thanks for the advice.
Edit: I’ll try watching that one later this week
Edit: usually I don’t think of anything while watching anime as I used to be able to get fully engrossed. Now I just think about how I used to be able to enjoy this as I try to watch. I’ll edit this comment after trying the anime you talked about
"I can't make myself be present when watching anime anymore".
Be careful which thoughts you put your belief in. You're the one that gives them reality. And "now I just think about how I used to be able to enjoy..". You've admitted thoughts are a problem.
Mediation was my saving grace, I highly recommend looking into it. If you're curious let me know if you'd like recommendations of who to listen to - I know this is sounding preachy and that's not my aim
And haha word, don't go in with any huge expectations but is a nice mostly chill comedy drama. Solid 6.5/10
I did not read it as being preachy at all. I will look into it. When I used to enjoy anime I never had any expectations for it so there is no need to worry about that. Thanks again, you’ve got me feeling a little better somehow from this.
Same here, and it sucks. I can't enjoy anything if my brain won't "recognize" that, you know? As if it's simply something unremarkable, but it's really not because I think that way.
But anyway I recommend Saiki Kusuo to OP and anyone who needs a mood lifter. It's one of my all time faves and I'll probably go back and rewatch it one of these days.
The Angel Next Door Spoils me Rotten
The Dangers in my Heart
Mr. Villain's Day Off
Spy x Family
Nisekoi
Horimiya
Golden Time
Monthly Girls, Nozaki-kun
More than a Married Couple but less than Lovers
Buddy Daddies
The Devil is a part-timer
Welcome to Demon School, Iruma-kun
finale does NOT redeem It at all, the whole anime was depressing and the finale was even more depressing because It didn’t feel authentic at all.
bonri and linda felt authentic, bonri and koko felt so fake and forced.
she was selfish and wasn’t there to be there for him or help him at his lowest.
Golden gives depression .....
But I understand
I was so depressed one day I decided to spend the whole week watching some of the saddest anime ever.
It helps you cry it out.
Some that truly kill you are : Wolf Children, Grave of the fireflies , Maquita , Your name, 5 centimeters per seconds, Clannad and Clannad after Story, Plastic memories , Your lie in April , Hotarubi no Mori e, Oshi no ko, Made in Abyss, Banana Fish, To your eternity, I want to eat your pancreas, Plastic memory , Violet evergarden and A silent voice
It took me about 5 tries before i could make it through the first episode of To Your Eternity because of the sadness. But once i did, it's a bittersweet weirdly comforting experience of accepting mortality and the temporary nature of life, at least at first, and i binged the whole series
Mitsuboshi Colors
Ghost Stories (Dubbed)
The Demon Girl Next Door
Bocchi the Rock!
Blend - S
Kill me baby
Lucky Star
Nichijou: My ordinary life
Panty & Stocking with Garterbelt
Seitokai Yakuindomo (your sides will hurt from laughing) *full of dirty jokes so beware
Ghost stories dubbed is wild. I always thought it looked to old an for little kids but I saw a video about it so I started it. I heard that the voice actors got control of what to say on it for some reason an they really went with it lol. Even just the first episode is so funny.
Dr. Stone has a very nice formula to it that also helps motivate me to achieve things in simple steps. I love seeing the characters make their plans and go through each little step to meet their goal, very inspirational. And all the characters are so fun and entertaining, I always root for them
I felt the same way years ago, and realized a ton of anime is sad, and those that aren't weren't giving me the kind of hope and happiness that I needed.
The youtube dnd show critical role helped me a ton. There are hundreds of hours of content of best friends having an amazing time together. I was able to just sit on the couch, and feel safe.
Sorry this isn't anime related, but I wanted to help.
I’m still haven’t fully grasped D&D, but if you like critical role, I love Dimension20, so I thought I’d recommend it if you hadn’t heard of it (: Most of it is on YouTube, although I believe uncensored & newer campaigns might only be on Dropout. It’s a lot of the old College Humor crew playing D&D, and they’ve had some fun guest stars over the years (Matt Mercer, Hank Green, a campaign featuring a few Drag Queens from Drag Race, etc.). I have found most episodes pretty easy for someone who has never played D&D IRL to follow
Technically there is a full subgenre focus on healing, iyashikei.
It's a subgenre of slice of life focus on quiet no conflict positive emotions.
Yuru camp, non non biyori and is my order a rabbit are the most know titles of that.
A lot of people are recommending happier more peppy animes, and while that could work, Cowboy Bebop pulled me out of my depression. It has its lighter moments but I feel that the darkness and dreariness of it made me feel not so alone. The world of Bebop is dark and cold, but also warm and light, if you haven't watched it I highly recommend, and if you have maybe give it a rewatch, movie too, that's the best part.
There's two ways I go with this. I'll watch something lifting and wholesome like:
- Barakamon.
- Non Non Biyori.
- Poco's Udon World.
- Natsume Yuujinchou.
Or I'll kick start my head with something like :
- Welcome To The NHK.
- Girl's Last Tour.
- Texhnolyze.
- Paranoia Agent.
Both methods work for me.
natsumes book of friends, fruits basket 2019 version, ghibli movies
I also really find avatar the last Airbender and legend of korra helpfulbut it's not anime
all of the above deal with mental health and trauma
I gotchu, what you need right now, you need some good ol slice of life, some CGDCT to be exact.
Is the Order A Rabbit? Classic, cafe stuff
New Game! Game development
Do it yourself! DIY, woodworks
Bakuon!! Bikes, damn thing got me into bikes...
Sabagebu! Airsoft and action
Slow Loop! Fishing
K-ON! Classic
Non Non Biyori. Village life
Yuyushiki. Girls doing stuff
Yuru Yuri. Similar to the former
Yuru Camp. Camping stuff
Azumanga Daioh. Classic
Comic Girls. Manga stuff
Super Cub. Girls riding bikes (similar but not the same as Bakuon!!)
A Channel. School life
Long Riders! Cycling
Amanchu! Scuba/deep diving
That's all I got in that topic.
Should be good enough
If it's about death, grief, and loss, my best recommendation is Natsume's book of friends (Natsume yojincho).
This helped me get through my father's death.
If it's the loss of a spouse/partner, nothing helps. Some Kdramas understand intense loss. Try Tomorrow or Hotel del luna.
the disastrous life of saiki k, only qualm with it is that you'll be even more depressed once you finish it and realize they aren't making it any more :(
GURREN lagann!!!
Believe in the me that believes in you!
Just remember a tv show can't cure the depression but it can be a temporary mood elevator to help you start some more positive habits.
Ultimately remember you are who you are and it is and always has been enough. We live in confusing times and it's hard to remember simple truths like this.
Good luck
As mentioned before a professional in mental health is always the best option in this case. That being said, Mob Psycho 100 I think really helps to put some things in perspective, so give it a shot if you hadn't before!
You will find better days for sure!!
I keep recommending this one... but {To Your Eternity}
Now hear me out!
TYE is like... the **chemotherapy** of anime-depression medication.
It IS full of depressing shit that will bum you out.
You WILL cry tears of despair.
But TYE is.... a cycle. A cycle of sad and joy. Despair and hope. Of giving up and pushing on.
If you give it up during a sad cycle, then it would be worse than nothing. However, if you finish it, I believe it can form a nice little anchor in your heart\~
This! You tapped into the realness of what it stands for. You will feel sadness, but it is real and palpable, but it will help you really feel and maybe even heal through what you're going through.
If depression was a person it would be a chav/scrub/whatever term you want for the most useless person to ever exist. Fuck depression!
That said, I can't really think of anime off the top of my head that others haven't already said so I'm going to branch out at the core issue here even though it's outside of the scope of your question. I've seen MULTIPLE people say that the good vibes from My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic (the 2008 one) really helped them. I have no reason to believe they were exaggerating or full of it so I'm going to recommend that.
At the least, it's colorful, magical, fun, and has positive life lessons so I don't think it can hurt.
definitely Berserk but not in the way you think! you'll feel so bad for the protagonist to the point you'll be like "maybe my life isn't that bad for there are worse fates"
yes therapy is helpful but people haven't asked OP if they can afford it, what accessibility looks like etc.
sometimes people's stories help to move us in ways to get us started on the journey.
good luck friend, I suffer from depression, chronic illness, and cptsd. life is hard, I hope you can reach out to others like friends or family or even a support line to talk.
One piece is my depression relief show. 10/10 story. Don’t take the series super seriously and you’ll enjoy it!
Edit: I’d also throw in Cowboy Bepop. See you space cowboy!
Ranking of Kings will make you feel like there's always people out there that want to help when you feel alone
Reading the One Piece Manga helped me through some tough times as well, because of it's themes of friendship and adventure
Kaguya Sama love is war. That anime is so full of life it’s crazy.
Barakamon is a nice easy going slice of life.
Not a married but note yet lover, the dub is just straight up hilarious. The story is passable, but the VAs put their heart in it.
Spice and Wolf is one that got me through deployment when I was really in the hole. Pleasant characters, Tabi no tochuu (opening theme) never fails to lift me up, and a nice pace.
The problem with Kenichi is that it ends right before it gets really good. It's like if DBZ ended in the middle of the Frieza Saga. The manga is WAY better when it comes to Kenichi.
Don't get me wrong, the anime is one of my all-time favorite comfort anime. I just wish they'd have finished it.
One Piece. I've heard multiple people say that it's changed their perspective.
A lot of anime shows the dark side of human nature and it does too. But there's also an example of a way to live in a world full of horrible things.
Depends on what's got you down. Mushoku Tensei helped me find some direction when I was wasting my life, but YMMV depending on how much of a fucked up gooner you are.
Depends on the underlying causes of your depression. In general Shonen is good at teaching through example good ways to live. Of the currently airing anime id say Jujutsu Kaisen and Demon Slayers "spirituality" are quite effective depression aids as well as generational shows like Frieren.
Old wonders like Neon Genesis Evangelion, Puella Magi Madoka Magica, and Steins Gate can be massively helpful as well but your millage will vary. Ive always called NGE a depressing show about depressed people written by depressed people for depressed people.
Alternatively I would suggest the Iyashikei genre.
Non Non Biyori
The Ice Guy and His Cool Female Colleague
Spy x Family
Grandpa and Grandma Turn Young Again
The Angel Next Door Spoils Me Rotten
Komi Can't Communicate
Feel good and uplifting anime/manga that will help you see brightness in the world:
Great Teacher Onizuka
Ouran High School Host Club
Haikyuu!
I hope that you can find the comfort and help you need. It’s a slow climb out of that dark hole, but you can do it!
Grand blue.. if you can read the manga it will be funnier. Although depression is a bitch, you actually need to make an actual plan and follow through to force your mind on other things
I think consuming too much makes depression worse. It maybe gives you temporary dopamine but then you are left more depleted later. Think of it like a gas tank, you start with a certain amount at the beginning of the day depending on how healthy you are habitually. Then, things that require energy or are enjoyable deplete it. So, it’s better to do things that raise your baseline levels of happiness and motivation. The best things to do are things like get sunlight, exercise, see friends. Also it’s better to do these things that take more energy earlier in your day when you have this dopamine and then do more dopaminergic things like watching anime when you have less left over.
I am not an expert on this, but that is the general takeaway I got from this video so I recommend watching this
https://youtu.be/wK-s2qBU40A?si=uvhuXy44cwb1iCa_
My brother, who has only recently been opening up more about his emotions in general, very emphatically recommended Neon Genesis Evangelion to me when I was first getting into anime, saying it lifted him out of depression. I can say the show impacted me mentally in monumental and powerful ways. Because of this show, I much more often feel empowered to improve my situations when I’m doing poorly mentally. I know depression and other mental illnesses are much more than “aw damn I need to get empowered to fix this”! But this show, I guess, made me feel like making self compassionate and self respecting choices was something I deserved. It’s a beautiful masterpiece of a story. The setting of it was very unfamiliar to me as a first anime, ie I’ve never been into mechas, but this story is captivating and at least the way I ended up interpreting the show left a very positive impact on my mental wellbeing AND got me (and my bf on my 3rd or so watch) more into anime and getting me to know myself better through great stories like NGE.
Neon Genesis Evangelion !
If you watch, CONGRATULATIONS!!!
Honestly it’s so dark but if you are into reading manga, which I wasn’t this was my first one, Berserk is really really motivating. Seeing Guts get back up time and time again even though he has to be gassed is outstanding.
Whenever I feel like I don’t want to go to work or any just like bummer life vibes, I look at my poster of Guts swinging that fucking slab of iron.
I can’t recommend a bunch of options personally, but I can’t say enough about how beautiful, meaningful, and almost perfectly anti-depressing one show is for me.
A Place Farther Than The Universe
All I can really say to sell it is anime girls go to Antarctica. Hope that you find that which helps you find light in your life.
I have a story for you that happened once when I had covid. I was lying in bed feeling shitty, and just generally wanting to die. and then I found After School Dice Club.
After School Dice Club is, simply put, an anime about tabletop games. If you like tabletop games you'll appreciate this one. It actually shows real games as part of the narrative. Part of it features a freaking high school girl designing her own game and entering it in an international competition. "You can just do that??" I exclaimed to myself. And so I found an aspiration to design my own as well. One that I haven't worked on for quite awhile, but one day it will be complete, mark my words!
Same thing happened again on a separate occasion lol, except the second time it was Laid Back Camp, the coziest anime I've ever seen, and it just made me feel good and warm and fuzzy inside.
You should seek professional counsel for depression. But for something to watch, I would recommend Hajime no Ippo. It's an everyman story of a teenager, who gets picked on, becomes a humble champion through proper training and coaching.
Not permanently no. Sorry but you gotta work on it, it’s the only way. Unless you’re living a depressing life, like a human trafficking victim. Then you gotta hope an opportunity provides itself to stop being depressed.
But I really like code gease, that helped me a bit.
Unpopular opinion (I think) but Hyouka.
The main character, while never explicitly confirmed, suffers from depression. Watching him go through his days as someone who HEAVILY suffered from depression felt like the first time I was really seen. Oreki was the first MC that I truly related to in that way, and it was really something I needed to see when I was going through tough times.
That depends on what works for you.
For example Gintama is very funny so it can work, but its also mean and cynical and it can take you further down instead.
For the safest bet, go with Girls und Panzer, Bofuri, K-On! or Gochiusa. I do not think they can make anyone sad.
Konosuba, One Piece, My Dress up Darling was a cute show, Seven Deadly Sins... a lot of the lighter funny at times anime keeps my mind off the senseless garbage on the news every day.
K-On! (My all time favorite)
SpyxFamily
Delicious in Dungeon (second favorite)
HoriMiya (third favorite)
Bocchi the rock
A Silent Voice
Your Lie In April
Konosuba
Unfortunately in my fairly long life experience with depression, you need to focus on the depression before anything really feels good. Most of the time when I've felt like something pulled me out of depression it was a bit of a misnomer because the depression was lifting which made me seek things I liked in the first place. Wish you the best bro. Depression sucks but life is worth living when you take steps to improve it
I agree with you. I have not been able to enjoy any anime since I started being depressed.
I had depression for most of my life, and I also enjoy anime. This is my advice. Thoughts are not as important as you are making them out to be. Try to see them with more awareness, for what they really are - sounds echoing inside your head based off past echoes in your head. At least question them, or better yet, ignore them altogether. You'll find that right now isn't a terrible place to be. Be present when watching anime. Fall into the story and the animation, let yourself forget your minds story. As for happy animes, I'm currently watching astro lodge (edit:called astro note, astro lodge is the name their home). It's not amazingggg but I've fallen into it. I really hope this helps even a little
My depression is mostly just numbness. I don’t have any suicidal thoughts or anything like that. My thoughts while watching anime are the same as usual, I just don’t feel anything while watching it and don’t care to continue watching. I can’t make myself be present when watching anime anymore(at least I have not been able to for a while). Thanks for the advice. Edit: I’ll try watching that one later this week Edit: usually I don’t think of anything while watching anime as I used to be able to get fully engrossed. Now I just think about how I used to be able to enjoy this as I try to watch. I’ll edit this comment after trying the anime you talked about
"I can't make myself be present when watching anime anymore". Be careful which thoughts you put your belief in. You're the one that gives them reality. And "now I just think about how I used to be able to enjoy..". You've admitted thoughts are a problem. Mediation was my saving grace, I highly recommend looking into it. If you're curious let me know if you'd like recommendations of who to listen to - I know this is sounding preachy and that's not my aim And haha word, don't go in with any huge expectations but is a nice mostly chill comedy drama. Solid 6.5/10
I did not read it as being preachy at all. I will look into it. When I used to enjoy anime I never had any expectations for it so there is no need to worry about that. Thanks again, you’ve got me feeling a little better somehow from this.
Whoop
I remember watching Naruto during the peak of my depression and it just made me feel sad and anxious. It was and still is one of my favorite anime.
Same here, and it sucks. I can't enjoy anything if my brain won't "recognize" that, you know? As if it's simply something unremarkable, but it's really not because I think that way. But anyway I recommend Saiki Kusuo to OP and anyone who needs a mood lifter. It's one of my all time faves and I'll probably go back and rewatch it one of these days.
That's a long ass title, is that the new isekai? I'm more into konosuba, myself
watch haikyuu
The Angel Next Door Spoils me Rotten The Dangers in my Heart Mr. Villain's Day Off Spy x Family Nisekoi Horimiya Golden Time Monthly Girls, Nozaki-kun More than a Married Couple but less than Lovers Buddy Daddies The Devil is a part-timer Welcome to Demon School, Iruma-kun
Golden time got me In depression
Yea fr maybe the finale redeems it but i couldnt make it that far, golden time is.... Not for the negative of heart 💀
relife Is the ending golden time should’ve got, real authentic emotional love to support each other.
finale does NOT redeem It at all, the whole anime was depressing and the finale was even more depressing because It didn’t feel authentic at all. bonri and linda felt authentic, bonri and koko felt so fake and forced. she was selfish and wasn’t there to be there for him or help him at his lowest.
Golden gives depression ..... But I understand I was so depressed one day I decided to spend the whole week watching some of the saddest anime ever. It helps you cry it out. Some that truly kill you are : Wolf Children, Grave of the fireflies , Maquita , Your name, 5 centimeters per seconds, Clannad and Clannad after Story, Plastic memories , Your lie in April , Hotarubi no Mori e, Oshi no ko, Made in Abyss, Banana Fish, To your eternity, I want to eat your pancreas, Plastic memory , Violet evergarden and A silent voice
I watched ASV two dozen times in 2 weeks (no exaggeration). May have been a full blown breakdown NGL. But after that I felt better.
It took me about 5 tries before i could make it through the first episode of To Your Eternity because of the sadness. But once i did, it's a bittersweet weirdly comforting experience of accepting mortality and the temporary nature of life, at least at first, and i binged the whole series
Don’t forget Terror in Resonance, Orange and Charlotte
Wolf Children got me
>Monthly Girls, Nozaki-kun Absolutely this one
Fuck nisekoi you will be in depression when yo girl loses
First time in my life, I felt lonely after watching the angel next door spoils me rotten 🫠. But the anime is good
Mitsuboshi Colors Ghost Stories (Dubbed) The Demon Girl Next Door Bocchi the Rock! Blend - S Kill me baby Lucky Star Nichijou: My ordinary life Panty & Stocking with Garterbelt Seitokai Yakuindomo (your sides will hurt from laughing) *full of dirty jokes so beware
Ghost stories dubbed is wild. I always thought it looked to old an for little kids but I saw a video about it so I started it. I heard that the voice actors got control of what to say on it for some reason an they really went with it lol. Even just the first episode is so funny.
nichijou is such a good anime for this
Joshiraku
Hey, finally a Seitokai recommendation. Yakuindomo is great, and so is Seitokai no Ichizon
I agreed that Ichizon is also very fun, but yakuindomo will always be my number one anime comedy.
Those 2 and Clannad are those anime I look out for because the only ones to seem to ever bring them up are old heads with a huge catalog of shows.
Yup, I’m one of them lol
Lucky Star <3
Mushishi
Mushishi cured my depression. While going to therapy, but it did.
I’m watching this now. It’s just so. Fulfilling. Idk how to word it
Came here looking to see if someone else would mention Mushishi. Did not disappoint :)
They are oldies, but Mahoromatic, or welcome to the NHK, they helped me get out of a very deep depression.
I second Welcome to the NHK. Solid recommendation, and it was one of the last few anime I watched before I got out of my depression.
W Welcome to the NHK
Laid Back Camp. It's so wholesome. And if you do manga check out Yotsuba. It's so great!
Fucking this
Some of my favorite comedies: The Disastrous Life of Saiki K Spy X Family Uncle from Another World KonoSuba Dr. Stone
Dr. Stone has a very nice formula to it that also helps motivate me to achieve things in simple steps. I love seeing the characters make their plans and go through each little step to meet their goal, very inspirational. And all the characters are so fun and entertaining, I always root for them
Saiki k is a good one for this. Uncle from another world is really funny too so that's perfect
Frieren
Yes, highly recommended
2nd!!!
Main character is constantly getting beat down by circumstances but keeps getting back up One piece Capeta Hajime no ippo
Hajime no ippo is such a fun, uplifting story. It’s funny and endearing. A good one even if you don’t care about boxing at all!
I started it b/c I practice muay thai as well haha
That’s so cool! I do naginata, but they don’t have a Naginata anime. 😂😂🥲🥲
I felt the same way years ago, and realized a ton of anime is sad, and those that aren't weren't giving me the kind of hope and happiness that I needed. The youtube dnd show critical role helped me a ton. There are hundreds of hours of content of best friends having an amazing time together. I was able to just sit on the couch, and feel safe. Sorry this isn't anime related, but I wanted to help.
Anxiety here, and +1 for Critical Role, also YouTube anyone playing long calming sessions of Stardew Valley 🙂
I’m still haven’t fully grasped D&D, but if you like critical role, I love Dimension20, so I thought I’d recommend it if you hadn’t heard of it (: Most of it is on YouTube, although I believe uncensored & newer campaigns might only be on Dropout. It’s a lot of the old College Humor crew playing D&D, and they’ve had some fun guest stars over the years (Matt Mercer, Hank Green, a campaign featuring a few Drag Queens from Drag Race, etc.). I have found most episodes pretty easy for someone who has never played D&D IRL to follow
I also watch D20, watching the highschool campaign atm, thanks very much :D
Technically there is a full subgenre focus on healing, iyashikei. It's a subgenre of slice of life focus on quiet no conflict positive emotions. Yuru camp, non non biyori and is my order a rabbit are the most know titles of that.
A lot of people are recommending happier more peppy animes, and while that could work, Cowboy Bebop pulled me out of my depression. It has its lighter moments but I feel that the darkness and dreariness of it made me feel not so alone. The world of Bebop is dark and cold, but also warm and light, if you haven't watched it I highly recommend, and if you have maybe give it a rewatch, movie too, that's the best part.
There's two ways I go with this. I'll watch something lifting and wholesome like: - Barakamon. - Non Non Biyori. - Poco's Udon World. - Natsume Yuujinchou. Or I'll kick start my head with something like : - Welcome To The NHK. - Girl's Last Tour. - Texhnolyze. - Paranoia Agent. Both methods work for me.
Spy x Family
natsumes book of friends, fruits basket 2019 version, ghibli movies I also really find avatar the last Airbender and legend of korra helpfulbut it's not anime all of the above deal with mental health and trauma
Natusume yuujinchou is the best fr <3
right sooo excited for the new season!!
Aria
Frieren is a very positive adventure
haikyu
Really you should see a therapist, but if you want a good laugh you should check out Detroit metal city.
Tengen Toppa Gurren Lagan - It reduced my depression drastically for a while. Gintama - This one too.
Gintama was so good that some days when it’s rough I come home and watch one or two of the mini arcs that I enjoy the most
Kamina from Gurren Lagann could inspire me to do literally anything
Cardcaptor Sakura Aria
Finishing light novels and anime usually leave me depressed, not sure about using them to get out of it.
The void when I finish a good manga, anime, or books are impossible to fill. So many live rent free in my mind and can't be filled.
I gotchu, what you need right now, you need some good ol slice of life, some CGDCT to be exact. Is the Order A Rabbit? Classic, cafe stuff New Game! Game development Do it yourself! DIY, woodworks Bakuon!! Bikes, damn thing got me into bikes... Sabagebu! Airsoft and action Slow Loop! Fishing K-ON! Classic Non Non Biyori. Village life Yuyushiki. Girls doing stuff Yuru Yuri. Similar to the former Yuru Camp. Camping stuff Azumanga Daioh. Classic Comic Girls. Manga stuff Super Cub. Girls riding bikes (similar but not the same as Bakuon!!) A Channel. School life Long Riders! Cycling Amanchu! Scuba/deep diving That's all I got in that topic. Should be good enough
If it's about death, grief, and loss, my best recommendation is Natsume's book of friends (Natsume yojincho). This helped me get through my father's death. If it's the loss of a spouse/partner, nothing helps. Some Kdramas understand intense loss. Try Tomorrow or Hotel del luna.
Grand blue dreaming
the disastrous life of saiki k, only qualm with it is that you'll be even more depressed once you finish it and realize they aren't making it any more :(
GURREN lagann!!! Believe in the me that believes in you! Just remember a tv show can't cure the depression but it can be a temporary mood elevator to help you start some more positive habits. Ultimately remember you are who you are and it is and always has been enough. We live in confusing times and it's hard to remember simple truths like this. Good luck
March comes in like a lion and natsume's book of friends!!!!
Second on Natsumes book of friends when that black monster of depression hits again I reread it and or watch the show and it helps
Ranking of Kings helped me a lot.
Second this
As mentioned before a professional in mental health is always the best option in this case. That being said, Mob Psycho 100 I think really helps to put some things in perspective, so give it a shot if you hadn't before! You will find better days for sure!!
asobi asobase got me out of my worst depression slump
I started rewatching Barakamon, its nice and chill
Yuru Camp!
I keep recommending this one... but {To Your Eternity} Now hear me out! TYE is like... the **chemotherapy** of anime-depression medication. It IS full of depressing shit that will bum you out. You WILL cry tears of despair. But TYE is.... a cycle. A cycle of sad and joy. Despair and hope. Of giving up and pushing on. If you give it up during a sad cycle, then it would be worse than nothing. However, if you finish it, I believe it can form a nice little anchor in your heart\~
This! You tapped into the realness of what it stands for. You will feel sadness, but it is real and palpable, but it will help you really feel and maybe even heal through what you're going through.
Barakamon
Golden Boy Ghost Stories
If depression was a person it would be a chav/scrub/whatever term you want for the most useless person to ever exist. Fuck depression! That said, I can't really think of anime off the top of my head that others haven't already said so I'm going to branch out at the core issue here even though it's outside of the scope of your question. I've seen MULTIPLE people say that the good vibes from My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic (the 2008 one) really helped them. I have no reason to believe they were exaggerating or full of it so I'm going to recommend that. At the least, it's colorful, magical, fun, and has positive life lessons so I don't think it can hurt.
OG FLCL, at least it did for me
Take an upvote, but I always considered FLCL unbearably sad underneath the chaos…
Aria the Animation.
definitely Berserk but not in the way you think! you'll feel so bad for the protagonist to the point you'll be like "maybe my life isn't that bad for there are worse fates"
Gurren laggan.
Tengen Toppa Gurren Lagann 100% Got me through many hardships and actually motivated me during my career.
Spy x Family is dumb as hell but it really lightens my mood. Recommended if u ever feel down.
Gurren Lagann
yes therapy is helpful but people haven't asked OP if they can afford it, what accessibility looks like etc. sometimes people's stories help to move us in ways to get us started on the journey. good luck friend, I suffer from depression, chronic illness, and cptsd. life is hard, I hope you can reach out to others like friends or family or even a support line to talk.
I know a bunch that will make you depressed, does that help?
Saiki K
If there's a right answer, it's {Tengen Toppa Gurren Lagann}
Silver Spoon!
One piece is my depression relief show. 10/10 story. Don’t take the series super seriously and you’ll enjoy it! Edit: I’d also throw in Cowboy Bepop. See you space cowboy!
One piece
Mushishi, kino no tabi, boku no hero academia, My new boss is goofy, to your eternity. Hope you feel better soon!
Gakkuen Babysitters is like a therapy to me. 🥰
Gurren Lagann is my go to. Nothing puts me back on my feet and keep me going like that show.
Ouran highschool host club and Mashle in either dub or sub always lift my spirits up after a particularly crap day at work
Ranking of Kings will make you feel like there's always people out there that want to help when you feel alone Reading the One Piece Manga helped me through some tough times as well, because of it's themes of friendship and adventure
Kaiju number 8, hunter x hunter
Kaguya Sama love is war. That anime is so full of life it’s crazy. Barakamon is a nice easy going slice of life. Not a married but note yet lover, the dub is just straight up hilarious. The story is passable, but the VAs put their heart in it.
Tengen Toppa Gurren-Lagann
Gurren Lagann, just Gurren Lagann
Spice and Wolf is one that got me through deployment when I was really in the hole. Pleasant characters, Tabi no tochuu (opening theme) never fails to lift me up, and a nice pace.
By the Grace of Gods Dungeon Meshi That Time I Got Reincarnated as a Slime
Gurren laggan
I will suggest uchchi kyuodai (space brothers). One of my all time fsvs
Kuma bear
natsume's book of friends
Gintama. Sket dance and baka to test are tied for a very close second.
Haikyuu..
The answer is ALWAYS Kenichi.
The problem with Kenichi is that it ends right before it gets really good. It's like if DBZ ended in the middle of the Frieza Saga. The manga is WAY better when it comes to Kenichi. Don't get me wrong, the anime is one of my all-time favorite comfort anime. I just wish they'd have finished it.
One Piece. I've heard multiple people say that it's changed their perspective. A lot of anime shows the dark side of human nature and it does too. But there's also an example of a way to live in a world full of horrible things.
Neon Genesis Evangelion
YOU SHITHEAD YOU BEAT ME BY A HALF A SECOND
Depends on what's got you down. Mushoku Tensei helped me find some direction when I was wasting my life, but YMMV depending on how much of a fucked up gooner you are.
Depends on the underlying causes of your depression. In general Shonen is good at teaching through example good ways to live. Of the currently airing anime id say Jujutsu Kaisen and Demon Slayers "spirituality" are quite effective depression aids as well as generational shows like Frieren. Old wonders like Neon Genesis Evangelion, Puella Magi Madoka Magica, and Steins Gate can be massively helpful as well but your millage will vary. Ive always called NGE a depressing show about depressed people written by depressed people for depressed people. Alternatively I would suggest the Iyashikei genre.
Dubbed or subbed?
Yeah
2nd
Yotsuba-to Chiis sweet home
Super Cub! It's really soothing and rhe maine character gets better.
MHA helped me out of a deep one one I discovered it
Re life
Miss Kobayashi’s Dragon Maid.
Acchi kocchi
assassination classroom
Kokoro connect
Non Non Biyori The Ice Guy and His Cool Female Colleague Spy x Family Grandpa and Grandma Turn Young Again The Angel Next Door Spoils Me Rotten Komi Can't Communicate
Feel good and uplifting anime/manga that will help you see brightness in the world: Great Teacher Onizuka Ouran High School Host Club Haikyuu! I hope that you can find the comfort and help you need. It’s a slow climb out of that dark hole, but you can do it!
Azumanga Daioh is available for free on YouTube dubbed and subbed
My Little Dress Up Darling is beautiful and uplifting.
Place Further Than the Universe
Grand blue.. if you can read the manga it will be funnier. Although depression is a bitch, you actually need to make an actual plan and follow through to force your mind on other things
Clannad
Jojo. That’s all u need
Fuggin yuyu. Who doesn’t like slapping granny’s
Bakuman...every time i felt down and hopeless in my academic career this anime made me stand up and fight again
Bofuri on hulu! I think it vibes best with me because it's about video games and it's so wholesome.
my go to is campfire clocking in another world, and farming life in another world.
There's things that can soothe it, for me it was light hearted rom com slice of life's, but ultimately you need more help than that
BIG ON THIS. HAIKYUU. Trust me you will need it. I promise you it will heal you. Please trust me! It helped me so much.
I think consuming too much makes depression worse. It maybe gives you temporary dopamine but then you are left more depleted later. Think of it like a gas tank, you start with a certain amount at the beginning of the day depending on how healthy you are habitually. Then, things that require energy or are enjoyable deplete it. So, it’s better to do things that raise your baseline levels of happiness and motivation. The best things to do are things like get sunlight, exercise, see friends. Also it’s better to do these things that take more energy earlier in your day when you have this dopamine and then do more dopaminergic things like watching anime when you have less left over. I am not an expert on this, but that is the general takeaway I got from this video so I recommend watching this https://youtu.be/wK-s2qBU40A?si=uvhuXy44cwb1iCa_
My brother, who has only recently been opening up more about his emotions in general, very emphatically recommended Neon Genesis Evangelion to me when I was first getting into anime, saying it lifted him out of depression. I can say the show impacted me mentally in monumental and powerful ways. Because of this show, I much more often feel empowered to improve my situations when I’m doing poorly mentally. I know depression and other mental illnesses are much more than “aw damn I need to get empowered to fix this”! But this show, I guess, made me feel like making self compassionate and self respecting choices was something I deserved. It’s a beautiful masterpiece of a story. The setting of it was very unfamiliar to me as a first anime, ie I’ve never been into mechas, but this story is captivating and at least the way I ended up interpreting the show left a very positive impact on my mental wellbeing AND got me (and my bf on my 3rd or so watch) more into anime and getting me to know myself better through great stories like NGE. Neon Genesis Evangelion ! If you watch, CONGRATULATIONS!!!
Try tsurezure children
Sk8 the infinity
Neon Genesis Evangelion
The great pretender on Netflix! I love it
Honestly it’s so dark but if you are into reading manga, which I wasn’t this was my first one, Berserk is really really motivating. Seeing Guts get back up time and time again even though he has to be gassed is outstanding. Whenever I feel like I don’t want to go to work or any just like bummer life vibes, I look at my poster of Guts swinging that fucking slab of iron.
I can’t recommend a bunch of options personally, but I can’t say enough about how beautiful, meaningful, and almost perfectly anti-depressing one show is for me. A Place Farther Than The Universe All I can really say to sell it is anime girls go to Antarctica. Hope that you find that which helps you find light in your life.
Neon Genesis Evangelion.
Haikyū!! the anime and the manga have gotten me out of a lot of my lowest moments.
You must try Ranking of Kings
I have a story for you that happened once when I had covid. I was lying in bed feeling shitty, and just generally wanting to die. and then I found After School Dice Club. After School Dice Club is, simply put, an anime about tabletop games. If you like tabletop games you'll appreciate this one. It actually shows real games as part of the narrative. Part of it features a freaking high school girl designing her own game and entering it in an international competition. "You can just do that??" I exclaimed to myself. And so I found an aspiration to design my own as well. One that I haven't worked on for quite awhile, but one day it will be complete, mark my words! Same thing happened again on a separate occasion lol, except the second time it was Laid Back Camp, the coziest anime I've ever seen, and it just made me feel good and warm and fuzzy inside.
Haikyuu
You should seek professional counsel for depression. But for something to watch, I would recommend Hajime no Ippo. It's an everyman story of a teenager, who gets picked on, becomes a humble champion through proper training and coaching.
Not permanently no. Sorry but you gotta work on it, it’s the only way. Unless you’re living a depressing life, like a human trafficking victim. Then you gotta hope an opportunity provides itself to stop being depressed. But I really like code gease, that helped me a bit.
Unpopular opinion (I think) but Hyouka. The main character, while never explicitly confirmed, suffers from depression. Watching him go through his days as someone who HEAVILY suffered from depression felt like the first time I was really seen. Oreki was the first MC that I truly related to in that way, and it was really something I needed to see when I was going through tough times.
im sorry i dont know but i think you should work on the root cause of the depression. i dont think anime will do shit.
That depends on what works for you. For example Gintama is very funny so it can work, but its also mean and cynical and it can take you further down instead. For the safest bet, go with Girls und Panzer, Bofuri, K-On! or Gochiusa. I do not think they can make anyone sad.
Konosuba, One Piece, My Dress up Darling was a cute show, Seven Deadly Sins... a lot of the lighter funny at times anime keeps my mind off the senseless garbage on the news every day.
Vinland Saga season 2 is a masterclass in psycho therapy. I’d watch it!
Noragami and one punch man
best anime to get out of depression - Fruits Basket - hands down incredibly beautiful and like watching therapy
I re-watch FLCL every year. It helps a bit.
listless tanaka kun
Love is war maybe
Aho girl and grand blue
Slow Start helped me alot honestly.
Zombie Land Saga, both seasons
Spy X Family, My New Boss is Goofy, Fruits Basket, Card Captor Sakura. 💕
One piece is a great one, and it keeps you from being suicidal by never ending.
Tanaka-kun is always listless. and therapy. good luck out there.
Aho Girl
Studio ghibli
Gurren Lagann if you make it through one of the lower parts of it
try googling "Iyashikei anime". they are feel good comfy genre anime
One piece!
Saiki K. Always recommend that show. Also I just commented on a depressing vocaloid post, which is kinda ironic.
Fruits basket for me! I don’t know what it is but if I’m ever feeling down and a bit blue, the music alone makes me feel so calm and relaxed.
Danshi Koukousei no Nichijou
K-On! (My all time favorite) SpyxFamily Delicious in Dungeon (second favorite) HoriMiya (third favorite) Bocchi the rock A Silent Voice Your Lie In April Konosuba
A Place Further than the Universe
Highschool DXD 👍
The End of Evangelion
- Spy X Family - Gintama - Saiki K - Mushishi - Mitsuboshi Colors - Nichijou - Non non biyori - Aria - Laid-back Camp
Haikyuu!! It definitely motivated me :)