But my real favourite tragic anime is Your Lie in April. Does it have the best writing though? I mean, they signpost the ending in the OP of the first cour. That’s not very good. Love it to death though. A close second is Angel Beats!, but the ending kinda confused me a bit. That’s gonna be the honourable mention.

Since you mentioned YLIA, the ending really resonated on me on a personal better? Like yours, 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. I wouldn’t consider Takopi’s Original Sin either because of its ending. 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.