The 8 Romance Anime Where The MC Is Depressed

Depression is a tough beast and anime are able to grasp this concept perfectly. Romance is the ideal genre to show the role this illness has on personal relationships.

But a few romance anime have a depressed main character and we are going to list to you what you can watch that respects this theme.

Some of the anime we will list feature social anxiety and personal issues too, even though they are not depression per se. These issues are strictly related to it and could even be the causes.

This ranking is highly subjective and based on what we know. This list will be updated or improved as soon as we can.

8. Real Girl – Tsutsui Hikari

Tsutsui Hikari is an otaku who tries hard to avoid a social life. He is constantly laughed at by most of his classmates for being creepy and weird, which leads him to have problems.

One day he finds himself having to clean the school pool with Igarashi Iroha. She is everything that Tsutsui hates in real girls but he will soon develop feelings for them.

A fairly classic school romance in its genre, but one that will see Tsutsui’s character have a huge development. This anime shows you how it’s possible to achieve change if you put some effort into it, no matter how grim your social life is.

7. Welcome to the NHK – Tatsuhiro Sato

You have all probably heard of the Hikikomori at least once. They are young boys who self-isolate themselves from society by totally locking themselves up at home, out of fear of going out caused by social prejudice or anxiety.

The protagonist of the events is Tatsuhiro Sato and is one of them, who spends his days playing videogames and watching animes, feeling very depressed.

One day like any other, to his surprise and unbeknownst to him there will be a knock on his door from a religious old woman and a girl.

What Sato won’t know is that the same girl will later get in touch with him, claiming that she can and will help him out of his condition. As Sato comes out of his condition under his guidance, feelings will also arise.

We must know how to take the right hand when it is extended to us.

6. ReLIFE – Arata Kaizaki

Multiple award-winning anime with a very mature and serious atmosphere.

The story follows Arata Kaizaki, an unemployed 27-year-old whose life is drifting apart.

His life changed after meeting Ryou Yoake, a member of the ReLife Research Institute. He offers him a drug that can return him to his 17-year-old self to become the subject of a year-long experiment.

An anime that hides a very serious message such as the desire to start over, and that it is never too late to do so.

5. Oregairu – Hachiman Hikigaya

A 13-episode anime based on the light novel series of the same name written by Wataru Watari. The story features Hachiman Hikigaya, an antisocial high school student with a distorted and pessimistic view of social life that leads him to be alone.

That is until his teacher forces him to join the institution’s volunteer club, which is attended and run by the prettiest girl in school, Yukino Yukinoshita.

The two will find that they have much in common, but joining the club with Yui, another attractive girl, will start a love triangle.

An excellent romance that combines in itself psychological elements of different natures, dealing with important themes such as loneliness and depression.

4. A SIlent Voice – Shouya Ishida

A romance movie telling the story of Shouya Ishida and Shouko Nishimiya, two high school students that had a tumultuous relationship in elementary school.

Shouya was indeed bullying Shouko due to her deafness, and he will apologize in high school to prove he’s very sorry about his past actions.

The two will soon become friends but this relationship will be threatened by their personal issues and the lingering depression of two for different reasons.

A very good movie, with mature themes such as depression and bullying.

3. Ao Haru Ride – Yoshioka Futaba

The main character Yoshioka Futaba decides that she wants to appear less and less attractive. She becomes as anonymous as possible to avoid attracting attention and envy from her classmates due to bullying trauma.

But with the chance meeting of the only boy she has ever loved in the past, will she be able to accomplish this goal of hers?

An anime that throws us into the psyche of the protagonist and her inner struggles as she decides whether to heed her sentimental side or not.

This anime can prove you how bullying can be extremely debilitating for people around you and the effect on Yoshioka is clearly visible.

2. Orange – Naho Takamiya

A Sci-Fi themed anime combined with romance and the usual psychological elements characteristic of this list, such as depression and social anxiety.

Naho Takamiya receives a letter from her 10-year-old self in the future. At first, Naho thinks it’s a joke, but changes her mind when the events in the letter happen, including the transfer of a new student Kakeru Naruse.

That person is the main theme of the letter where he is asked to treat him with as much love as possible because 10 years from now the boy will lose his life.

As you may have already well understood, this viewing is a real punch, both physical and psychological, that will know how to make you feel emotions.

1. Your Lie in April – Kousei Arima

Kousei Arima, the boy protagonist of the story, from an early age has always been an ace piano player, famous and recognized by many musicians even older than himself.

That was until he suffered the tragic loss of his mother, leading him to abandon music and start feeling depressed.

That is until he meets Kaori, a beautiful blond-haired violinist who plays by putting her whole soul into it.

She will indeed bring back Kousei’s passion for music, but in a more carefree and lighter way than he was used to from his mother.

The relationship between the two will grow into something else, but expect the worst. This anime is a real stab in the heart.