When They Cry poster

When They Cry

★ 7.8 8K votes 2006–2006 1 season · 26 episodes Ended Kansai TV
Psychological horrorFear that comes from the mind: paranoia, sanity, perception.This show: 9/10DisturbingContent that lingers uncomfortably after the credits.This show: 9/10UnsettlingA creeping sense of unease and wrongness that gets under your skin.This show: 9/10AnimeJapanese animation traditions and grammar.This show: 9/10Mounting dreadThe pleasure is in the slowly mounting fear.This show: 8/10Graphic violenceExplicit, unflinching violence.This show: 8/10Mystery boxCentral riddles sustained across whole seasons.This show: 8/10Unreliable narratorThe telling itself can't be trusted.This show: 7/10
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Starring
Sôichirô HoshiMai NakaharaSatsuki YukinoYukari TamuraMela LeeGrant George
Written by
Toshifumi Kawase
Starring
Sôichirô HoshiMai NakaharaSatsuki YukinoYukari TamuraMela LeeGrant George
Written by
Toshifumi Kawase
Ratings per Episode
246810
Votes per Episode
075150225300

When They Cry Episode Ratings Heatmap

AvgE1E2E3E4E5E6E7E8E9E10E11E12E13E14E15E16E17E18E19E20E21E22E23E24E25E26
S17.56.77.47.78.36.67.17.37.76.87.07.77.77.77.27.47.27.67.78.28.38.57.07.87.47.77.8

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About

"Cute friendships curdle into paranoid, violent nightmare"

A teenage boy moves to a sleepy rural village and quickly bonds with a tight-knit group of friends, only to discover that every year someone connected to the local festival dies or disappears under mysterious circumstances. What starts as breezy, comedic slice-of-life anime curdles into paranoia, dread, and sudden graphic violence, then loops back to retell events from new angles. It's less about steady plot momentum than about atmosphere and shock, using cheerful character writing as a setup for genuinely unsettling horror beats that catch you off guard.

Watch it for

the jarring tonal whiplash between cozy friendship comedy and visceral psychological horror.

Maybe skip if

you dislike graphic violence or watching the same events retold from different angles.

Written by our AI editor to help you decide, spoiler-free by design.

All Seasons

▼
When They Cry2006
7.55K2613h
EpTitleRatingYoursVotesRuntime
▶1Hajimari6.7
27130 min
▶2Kakushigoto7.4
24430 min
▶3Gishin7.7
23730 min
▶4Hizumi8.3
27930 min
▶5Shitto6.6
21930 min
▶6Takano7.1
20330 min
▶7Uso7.3
20730 min
▶8Negai7.7
20830 min
▶9Ani6.8
19430 min
▶10Kizuna7.0
18730 min
▶11Kyokai7.7
18930 min
▶12Shishimono7.7
18930 min
▶13Shazai7.7
20330 min
▶14Hinamizawa7.2
17730 min
▶15Kizashi7.4
17930 min
▶16Hatsukoi7.2
17130 min
▶17Kejime7.6
17630 min
▶18Oni no Ketsumyaku7.7
17230 min
▶19Shikaeshi8.2
20730 min
▶20Tsumetai te8.3
21430 min
▶21Danzai8.5
23430 min
▶22Shiawase7.0
17530 min
▶23Kaeru tokoro7.8
19030 min
▶2434 gô bunsho7.4
17730 min
▶25Chikyû shinryaku7.7
18830 min
▶26Riteiku7.8
20530 min

Full Cast & Crew

Cast

Sôichirô Hoshi Keiichi Maebara
Mai Nakahara Rena Ryugu
Satsuki Yukino Mion Sonozaki, Shion Sonozaki
Yukari Tamura Rika Furude
Mela Lee Rena Ryugu
Grant George Keiichi Maebara
Megan Hollingshead Mion Sonozaki, Shion Sonozaki
Rebecca Forstadt Rika Furude
Mika Kanai Satoko Hojo
Jennie Kwan Satoko Hojo

Crew

Toshifumi Kawase

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