The story is painful because of how grief is reflected in each character, whether it's by attempting to change who they are, hardening themselves to prevent being hurt again or carrying sadness around for years without knowing how to let go.
However, the reason Anohana has and will continue to hold up is not because of Menma's initial death. RELATED: Five Unmistakable Signs of a Yandere Anime Character Steins GateĪnohana cemented a spot among the saddest anime of all time for a reason, and Menma's return as a ghost to help heal the wounds her death caused for her friends is certainly tear-jerking. So while Future Diary has failed to retain its impact over the last decade, pieces of it are still scattered in modern day works. The anime itself has not held up as well as the death game concept, however, with male lead Yukiteru Amano often accused of being boring while his relationship with Yuno is an abusive and codependent mess. Not only is Future Diary a template for the death game, its female lead Yuno Gasai has been hailed as the 'Yandere Queen,' a perfect example of the character archetype that flips between sweet and psychotic due to an obsessive love. The structure of many other death games to come can be found in Future Diary, making it very influential in its kind. The casualties are heavy, the morals are nonexistent and the bloodshed is plentiful.
Future Diary is the quintessential death game, where 12 participants battle it out for the right to become a god. Death games are all the rage right now, and many anime have used them as a way to kick off a story.