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[Discussion] What tragic anime has the best storywriting?
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this post was submitted on 15 Jul 2026
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Since you mentioned YLIA, the ending really resonated on me on a personal level. Like your point, the writing isn't the best, though it's up there. The tragic-related subplot in A Place Further Than The Universe is written better. Clannad is too convoluted to qualify as the "best". I wouldn't consider Takopi's Original Sin either because of its ending disqualifies it as a tragedy for me. Steins;Gate? Yeah, sure, because I'm an OkaMayu shipper, but the multiple worldlines in that story makes the tragedy less clearcut.
That leaves a clear winner of "best tragic storytelling" after some thought: Maquia. All of the movie led up to its climax, and it paid off hard.
I've seen most of those. I didn't really consider Maquia because it's a film, though it is an anime.
My problem with Maquia is that you knew what it was going to do right from the start. Elves live forever and they avoid entanglements with the lesser races because losing generation after generation of them as you never age is heartbreaking. Lord of the Rings did it, D&D is based on that, and, like, everything with elves is about the tragedy of their longevity. So when Maquia sets itself as "exiled elf adopts human child," most of us knew exactly how that was going to play out. And it did.
But the ending still kicks your arse. And I love it. I felt like some of the writing in the middle was weaker, it kinda dragged on and I found it difficult to stay engaged with it. Then the ending happened and I had a feeling it was gonna be one thing, and it was actually a slightly different thing.
spoiler
When Maquia sees the child and you think it's her adoptive child's child, but no, it's his grandchild and you're like OH... she really stayed gone two full generations... and then that line at the end. I'm sorry, I'm gonna post it, if you clicked the spoiler, you bought the ticket. Now you've gotta take the ride. I had to remember it, so now you do, too. "I'm sorry. But your mom... is going to break her promise."spoiler
😭