10 Anime Series That Offer Insight into Mental Health Struggles

Mental health is a complex and often delicate topic that has historically been overlooked or stigmatized in mainstream media.

However, as society becomes more open to discussing mental wellness, anime has emerged as a powerful medium to explore these issues thoughtfully.

By including characters who experience mental health challenges like depression, anxiety, and PTSD, these shows offer meaningful stories that resonate with viewers, whether to raise awareness or connect with those who can relate.

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Even in anime with fantastical or otherworldly settings, the portrayal of mental health remains impactful.

These series often depict characters grappling with the weight of responsibility, isolation, or traumatic pasts, allowing them to explore the emotional depth and complexity of these struggles.

Through their stories, viewers witness the harsh realities of mental health issues, as well as the courage and resilience required to confront and overcome them.

Ultimately, anime serves as an effective platform for addressing mental health, offering both representation and understanding.

Whether through somber storylines or subtle messaging, these shows bring important conversations to the forefront, helping to reduce stigma and foster empathy.

In doing so, they not only entertain but also provide valuable insights into the varied experiences of mental wellness.

1) A Silent Voice

A Silent Voice is a deeply emotional film that explores the themes of bullying, cruelty, and the severe impact they can have on someone’s life, including leading some to consider suicide.

The story centers on Shoya, a middle school student who, along with others, bullied a deaf classmate named Shoko.

After being blamed and shunned for the bullying, Shoya faces a difficult journey of dealing with guilt, shame, and anxiety when he enters high school.

The film is especially significant because it tackles the serious issue of bullying, which is a widespread problem in Japan and globally.

It shows how young people can become entangled in social dynamics and judgment, leading to profound consequences.

10 Anime Series That Offer Insight into Mental Health Struggles — A Silent Voice (Kyoto Animation)

As Shoya deals with his past actions and their effects on others, his feelings of self-loathing and depression intensify.

Despite the heavy themes, A Silent Voice offers moments of apology, repentance, and forgiveness.

It demonstrates that while the consequences of bullying can be severe, there are opportunities for growth and change.

Through its careful treatment of these themes, the film provides hope that even the most challenging situations can lead to personal development and healing.

2) Neon Genesis Evangelion

Neon Genesis Evangelion attracts viewers with its mix of psychological themes and mecha sci-fi elements, but it also profoundly impacts them with its exploration of childhood trauma, self-loathing, and depression.

When the series first aired in 1995, it was groundbreaking because mental health issues were not as widely discussed or understood as they are today.

The main character, Shinji, faces immense emotional struggles while handles a dystopian world as a mecha pilot.

His journey highlights the heavy burden of balancing personal mental health with societal expectations, revealing how depression, anxiety, and feelings of inadequacy can deeply affect someone, especially at a young age.

The series provides a powerful look at depression, showing how it can take hold and affect one’s life.

Through Shinji’s experiences, viewers gain a better understanding of mental health issues and the importance of addressing them.

Neon Genesis Evangelion opens up conversations about these challenges and encourages greater awareness and empathy towards mental health.

3) Death Parade

Death Parade explores deep moral questions, focusing on the complex nature of human emotions and the quest to understand each other.

The anime explores these intense themes through striking visuals and an episodic structure, delving into concepts of judgment, redemption, and the more shadowy aspects of human nature.

Rather than offering simple or happy resolutions, it takes an honest approach to difficult emotions, making the viewer reflect on the burdens people carry.

Through the stories of different characters, Death Parade becomes a powerful exploration of pain and suffering.

Each episode reveals individual circumstances, showing how emotions like depression and despair can manifest in unique ways.

The series connects these experiences with universal feelings, making the characters’ struggles both relatable and deeply moving, despite their varied backgrounds and life choices.

The anime uses games and judgment to depict mental struggles, often leaning towards a cynical view of life’s challenges.

It doesn’t shy away from topics like suicide and death, but rather embraces them as central to its story.

Death Parade captures the complexity of mental health issues, offering a sincere portrayal of the battles people face and the emotional weight of their decisions.

4) Bocchi the Rock

Bocchi the Rock! centers on Hitori Bocchi Gotou, a high school student with severe social anxiety who dreams of becoming a rock musician.

Despite her shy and introverted nature, Bocchi joins a band called Kessoku Band and starts a journey of personal growth and building friendships.

The series highlights her struggle to overcome her anxiety while pursuing her dream of performing in front of others, set against the vibrant backdrop of the music scene.

The anime is heartwarming as it shows Bocchi’s efforts to face her fears and become more independent, even though she naturally tends to shy away from social situations.

It presents a realistic portrayal of anxiety, making it clear that isolation is not something to be celebrated, even though the show often uses humor.

This approach allows viewers to connect with Bocchi’s challenges and triumphs on a personal level.

Bocchi the Rock! has recently gained more attention through a series of compilation movies, which have helped boost its popularity.

The anime continues to resonate with audiences by addressing the common struggle of overcoming mental obstacles while striving to achieve one’s dreams, making it a relatable and endearing watch.

5) Fruits Basket

Fruits Basket is a touching and beautiful shojo anime that deals with various mental health issues like anxiety, OCD, PTSD, and depression.

The story follows several magical characters, each with their own complex backstories, showing how trauma and isolation impact their lives.

These struggles shape their future, illustrating how deeply personal experiences affect their well-being. Each character in the series carries their own unique past and emotional burdens, even though they share the same family name.

Their individual experiences with trauma and their personal relationships reveal how differently they cope with their challenges.

The anime blends moments of love and humor with its darker themes, such as suicidal thoughts, jealousy, and violence, creating a nuanced portrayal of mental health.

Fruits Basket uses its characters’ struggles to highlight the importance of compassion and understanding.

By addressing difficult topics and showing the impact of past traumas, the series encourages viewers to approach themselves and others with kindness, aiming for recovery and happiness despite life’s hardships.

6) Welcome to the NHK

Welcome to the N.H.K. mixes humor with a serious look at the life of a shut-in. The main character, Tatsuhiro, struggles with severe social anxiety, causing him to avoid leaving his house.

His agoraphobia, or fear of being in situations where he might panic or feel embarrassed, severely impacts his social life and daily routines.

The story takes a turn when Tatsuhiro meets Misaki Nakahara, who tries to help him break free from his unhealthy habits.

While the anime includes comedic moments and interactions, it also addresses the darker side of social anxiety, showing how it can become a serious and harmful issue if not addressed.

The anime reflects the reality of social anxiety, which many people experience to different extents.

By presenting Tatsuhiro’s challenges, Welcome to the N.H.K. resonates with viewers who deal with similar issues, offering both an engaging story and a insight into the struggles faced by those with social anxiety.

7) Perfect Blue

Perfect Blue is a gripping psychological thriller by Satoshi Kon that explores themes of instability and fear. The film follows Mima Kirigoe, a pop star who decides to switch her career to acting.

This major change is met with resistance from some fans, and when a series of murders starts happening around her, Mima’s stress and anxiety spiral out of control, making it hard for her to distinguish between reality and illusion.

The film skillfully mixes fantasy and reality, focusing on Mima’s struggle with a fan’s obsession and her own deteriorating mental state.

As she deals with increasing stress, fear, and trauma, her sense of identity becomes fragmented, leading to shocking and dramatic events.

This portrayal of dissociative identity disorder is both intense and compelling, reflecting her internal battle as her grip on reality weakens.

*Perfect Blue* also illustrates how mental health issues can become more severe under public scrutiny.

The film highlights how being in the spotlight can strip away privacy and individuality, amplifying personal struggles and making them more visible to the world.

It serves as a powerful example of how fame and pressure can impact mental well-being.

8) March Comes in Like a Lion

March Comes in Like a Lion is a touching drama about Kiriyama Rei, a high school student who is also a professional shogi player.

Living alone, Rei uses shogi to distance himself from others, interacting mainly with people from his shogi hall.

The series explores how depression can lead to isolation, showing how Rei’s avoidance and dissociation keep him from engaging with life fully.

Although the anime doesn’t explicitly discuss mental illness, it powerfully portrays the growing darkness that comes from feeling alone and insecure.

It shows how anxiety and depression can build up and become overwhelming without support or connections with caring individuals.

Rei’s struggle with perfectionism and self-criticism highlights the impact of these feelings on his mental well-being.

The series effectively illustrates the importance of self-compassion and finding support through unexpected encounters.

By showing Rei’s journey from isolation to self-acceptance, March Comes in Like a Lion offers a meaningful look at the challenges of mental health and the importance of reaching out and understanding oneself.

9) Orange

Orange is a realistic anime that explores themes of depression and suicidal thoughts, focusing on how these issues affect both individuals and those around them who might struggle to offer support.

The series examines the impact of actions and attitudes, the potential for change, and the hidden burdens people carry.

It uses a unique, time-twisting premise, but the emotional struggles it portrays are very real. In the story, the main characters receive letters from their future selves, urging them to prevent their friend Kakeru from ending his life.

The anime shows various perspectives, depicting the severe depression and internal battles that lead Kakeru to consider suicide.

It highlights the challenges of dealing with such deep emotional pain and the struggle to find hope and help.

Orange provides a raw and honest look at the effects of depression, illustrating the profound impact it can have on individuals and their relationships.

Despite its fantastical elements, the series offers a sincere exploration of mental health issues and the importance of support and understanding.

10) Banana Fish

Banana Fish is a powerful series that deals with heavy topics like childhood trauma, sexual assault, depression, and PTSD.

The story follows Eiji Okamura, a kind-hearted young man from Japan who travels to the U.S. and meets Ash Lynx, a gang member trying to escape from a life of abuse and crime.

Their relationship highlights how encouragement and support from others can help people find happiness and make positive changes, even when facing their toughest challenges.

Ash endures a series of terrible situations where he is exploited and mistreated, showing how some people are forced to prioritize survival over their well-being.

The series illustrates the harsh reality that not everyone has access to the resources needed to heal from mental illness and trauma, making their struggles even more severe.

Though Banana Fish contains dark and triggering content, it moves viewers with its portrayal of deep connections formed in dire circumstances.

The anime presents a raw and emotional look at the impact of trauma and the difficult journey toward recovery, leaving a lasting impression on those who watch it.