20 Best Anime Quotes That Cut In Deep [Updated 2023]

Human lives can not survive without hardships and suffering, which in return gives many life lessons. In the anime universe, there are plenty of anime characters who go through many sufferings, difficulties, and traumas that lead them to be critical of life and give valuable lessons. They deliver dialogues that might pierce your heart with their witty and harsh response to life’s struggles.

Anime characters never fall short of giving importance to dedication, hard work, friendship, and life goals. Whether they are protagonists or antagonists, these characters remain in our lives. We are indebted to their memorable quotes that cut in deep.

These quotes will undoubtedly motivate you to be humble and empathetic. This article has a compilation of anime quotes that you should definitely see.

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Here is the List of Anime Quotes That Cut in Deep—

Isla: Plastic Memories

Having happy and beautiful memories won’t always bring you salvation. The more beautiful a memory is, the more painful it can become. It can even become terrifying. Both for the one who’s leaving…and for the one left behind.”

Plastic Memory is set in the future where humans and androids live side by side. SAI Corp, a leading company, has developed Giftia androids, which are complete lookalikes of humans and have human-like emotions and intelligence. However, their lifespan is very short, leading to their personality disintegration and memory loss. 

As a result, a few teams of terminal services were created where humans and Giftias worked together to retrieve the near-expired Giftias.

Likewise, there is a team where a human named Tsukasa Mizugaki and a Giftia named Isla work together. However, they both slowly fall in love with each other. As the story progresses, it comes out that Isla is nearing the loss of her lifespan.

Plastic Memory is one of the tear-jerkers of an anime series. You can already tell by the quote it has a sad ending. However, they both enjoyed the time that was left to her.

A happy memory doesn’t always have to be beautiful, but sometimes it can be painful, too. Yet, throughout the series, it taught us that life is precious and we should live every moment like it is the last.

• Studio: Doga Kobo
• Genre: Drama, Romance, Sci-Fi
• Release Year: 2015
• Where to Watch: Crunchyroll

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Jellal Fernandes: Fairy Tail

The loneliest people are the kindest. The saddest people shine the brightest. The most damaged people are the wisest. All because they don’t wish to see anyone else suffer the way they did.“

This is probably one of the honest quotes that fans might have already heard. The childhood friend of Erza Scarlet, Jellal Fernandez, was a kind and caring boy. He was always cheerful and cared deeply about his friend. 

Later, when he was manipulated, his attitude changed drastically. He became dark and twisted and got himself to do conspiracies, which even led him to the brink of death. Furthermore, he lost his memories and wanted to atone for his sins. Although Jellal returned to his previous self, he still laments for his crime.

Jellal had one of the hardest times in the series Fairy Tail, who has gone through bad times and then salvation. Hence, the quote clarifies why he doesn’t want anyone to suffer like him.

• Studio: Satelight, A-1 Pictures
• Release Year: 2009
• Genre: Shounen, Action, Adventure, Fantasy
• Where to watch: Netflix

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Shouya Ishida: A Silent Voice

Back then if we could have heard each other’s voices, everything would have been so much better.”

An anime movie that deals with the bully, traumas, disability, friendship, and salvation, A Silent Voice movie has a lot to offer. It is about a boy named Shouya Ishida. He befriended the deaf girl, Shoko Nishimiya, whom he used to bully back in elementary school. 

Shouya regrets everything in his life after the incident, where he became the sole perpetrator of the bully incident. He alienates himself from everything and becomes a depressed social outcast. However, life gave him a road towards salvation.

Shouya and Shoko met once again, and they became friends. This time, Shouya reflects on his regrets. He said if she had a voice, everything would have been better. About the time when she tried to say in sign language, “Can we two become friends?”

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Pain: Naruto Shippuden

Religion, ideology, resources, land, spite, love, or just because… No matter how pathetic the reason, it’s enough to start a war. War will never cease to exist… reason can be thought up after the fact… Human nature pursues strife.”

Pain is one of the most complex characters in the whole Naruto series. Although initially, he was an antagonist, his motives were never wrong. He wanted to bring peace through pain and struggle.

When Yahiko died, Nagato changed his name to Pain. He determined himself to inflict pain and suffering in the shinobi world to bring peace. Whether it may bring death or destruction, his deep philosophies make sense.

Throughout the show, he delivers speeches on humans, society, suffering, failure, and war that prove his deep understanding. Fans appreciate this character and his ideologies. 

He justified that no matter how small or pathetic the reason is, people will fight. Whether religion, ideologies, or love, people will find a reason to start a war. Because that’s human nature, it is precisely one of the best quotes of Pain, and it reflects his original goal.

• Studio: Pierrot
• Release Year: 2002
• Genre: Shounen, Action, Adventure, Fantasy
• Where to watch: Crunchyroll

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Armin Arlert: Attack on Titan

People who can’t throw something important away can never hope to change anything.”

Armin Arlert is the smartest character who might not be a good fighter, but his intelligence and quick thinking always save his comrades. Armin was weak from his childhood. He was bullied for that and, of course, for stating the intellectual reality. Nevertheless, he still spoke the truth even though he was beaten up.  

Before choosing to go for an important fight against the Titans, he lets everyone know that without sacrifice, nothing will result in success. Unfortunately, in the Attack on Titan universe, constant battling is the only way to bring peace and freedom. 

Some people are reluctant towards sacrifice. If you look at the real world, change always comes with big sacrifices. If you can’t take the big step, you can not bring peace. In the Attack on Titan series, Armin is ready to sacrifice, which means he is ready to get killed. This is why Armin is one of the most loved Attack on Titan characters.

• Studio: Wit Studio, Mappa
• Release Year: 2013
• Genre: Seinen, Shounen, Drama, Suspense, Military
• Where to watch: Crunchyroll

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Roy Mustang: Fullmetal Alchemist Brotherhood

I am fine, except… It’s a terrible day for rain.”

Roy Mustang is undoubtedly one of the likable side characters in the Fullmetal Alchemist series. He is Edward Elric’s superior and officer in the State military of Amestrian. Mustang is also known as Flame Alchemist. He is a responsible and tough leader who occasionally took part in comic relief in the series.

When his closest friend and ally Hughes died, Mustang was deeply affected by it. He conveyed this line at Hughes’s funeral. For a man who is affected by his comrade’s death, he is rather unwilling to show his emotion. He refused to accept the tears of his own and let it go off with rain. 

Mustang here is regretting not being able to protect his friend. It is a very crucial scene in the series that pierces fans’ hearts, too.

• Studio: Bones
• Release Year: 2009
• Genre: Shounen, Action, Adventure, Drama, Fantasy
• Where to Watch: Crunchyroll

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Hikigaya Hachiman: Oregairu

If to be truthful is to be cruel, then lying must surely be an act of kindness. And so, kindness is a lie.”

Hikigaya Hachiman is a high school student who is an introvert and highly cynical of life. He may look gloomy, but he is intelligent and does everything all by himself.

His middle school incident and his accident on the first day of school made him a loner. Hikigaya is keen on self-loathing, and contrary to this, he refuses to accept pity and sympathy.

Hikigaya is extremely straightforward and never shies away from telling the truth, which hurts others. In this quote, he says kindness is a lie. He proved that the truth is always bitter to consume. Nevertheless, throughout the show, he slowly showed his sensitive and respectful side, which made him a likable person.

• Studio: Brain’s Base
• Release Year: 2013
• Genre: Comedy, Romance
• where to Watch: Crunchyroll

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Suguru Geto: Jujutsu Kaisen 0 The Movie

I just couldn’t wear a heartfelt smile, living in this world.”

Geto Suguru is just another simple character who got twisted by the dark realities of this world. Contrary to his best friend of the past, Gojo Satoru, Geto afflicted himself into believing in a world where only people with cursed energy should live. The person who would only save innocent people is now killing people without any worry.

At the end of the movie, Geto tries to prove his motif to Gojo. In their last moment together, Geto shares this line where he tries to tell how he is different from Gojo and why he resorts to violence.

He had no grudge against Jujutsu Academy. He even insists Gojo curse him. Unfortunately, Gojo had to lose him, his best friend, his one and only.

• Studio: Mappa
• Release Year: 2021
• Genre: Shounen, Action, Fantasy
• Where to Watch: Crunchyroll

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Kakashi Hatake: Naruto Shippuden

Those who break the rules are scum, but those who abandon their friends are worse than scum.”

It is the classic Kakashi Hatake quote. Kakashi is one of the best characters who is perfect from every angle in the shinobi world. The Copy Ninja and a reputable Hokage, Kakashi, was also a great mentor. No one could have polished Team 7 other than Kakashi Sensei.

However, a past mistake always haunted him, and he lost his friends because of his faith in rules. If one breaks the rule of the shinobi world, he is scum, and if he leaves his comrades on the battleground, he is the worst. It became Kakashi’s faith and morals after the unfortunate incident. He never forgets to share this quote with his students. 

The quote originally belongs to his friend Obito, whom he lost.

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Monkey D. Luffy: One Piece

Forgetting is like a wound, the wound may heal, but it has already left a scar.”

For more than a decade or two, Monkey D. Luffy from One Piece is still conquering the sea in the Shonen universe. He is the goofy main protagonist, yet at certain times he inspires everyone. In his journey to become the Pirate King, he faced many challenges, which led to many exceptionally powerful and emotional moments.

Luffy had gone through many scars and damages in his long journey. It’s a fact that wounds and damages go away, but the scars are permanent. It is not only a physical wound but an emotional scar that we live with forever.

• Studio: Toei Animation
• Release Year: 1999
• Genre: Shounen, Action, Adventure, Fantasy 
• Where to Watch: Crunchyroll

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Mikasa Ackerman: Attack on Titan

This world is cruel. It is also very beautiful.”

Mikasa is no doubt one of the strongest characters in the Attack on Titan series. Her fighting skills and dedication made her one of the most powerful comrades in the military.

Losing her family and everyone, she only had Eren, who saved her during her tragic time. She has devoted her whole life to Eren and could go any further to protect him.

Honestly, Eren is her only motivation and driving force on the battleground, but when Mikasa learns about Eren’s death, she says this depressing line. It was the only time she wanted to sacrifice and die on the battlefield to join Eren in the afterlife. However, Eren’s Titan form saved her from a Titan’s attack. Sigh of relief.

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Kyojuro Rengoku: Demon Slayer

If you are feeling disheartened, that you are somehow not enough, set your heart ablaze.”

This line came from the Flame Hashira, Kyojuro Rengoku, one of the kindest Hashira in the Demon Slayer series. It was so tragic to see him die, and even fans shed tears during his death scene in the Demon Slayer: Mugen Train Movie.

As he was lying on his deathbed after a fierce fight with a strong demon, Tanjiro was deeply moved by seeing his fatal injury. His tears wouldn’t stop. Rengoku, in his dying moment, encouraged Tanjiro and his friend to be strong and set their heart ablaze. That is a witty remark, indeed. They only met for a few days, but that advice will remain with him forever.

• Studio: Ufotable
• Release Year: 2019
• Genre: Shounen, Action, Fantasy, Historical
• Where to Watch: Netflix

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Levi Ackerman: Attack on Titan

No casualties, don’t you dare die”. 

In the Attack on Titan universe, Levi Ackerman is humanity’s strongest soldier you could ask for. He is straightforward and knows how to deal with people. He may seem harsh, but he supports every soldier in the war against the Titans. 

In the battle against Beast Titan in Wall Maria, when the battle was unfavorable, Levi ordered this not to die. Everyone has seen their fair share of death and devastation. Nobody wants their soldiers to die. He may sound harsh, but when the stakes are high, he knows what to order.

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Gaara: Naruto

It doesn’t bleed, but I have been having a lot of pain around here.”

Gaara from the Naruto series has got a lot of appreciation from fans. Gaara’s sad past can make any grown man cry. Initially, he was a very chaotic character. It is what people around him made. However, he got away from the past and had a major character development after meeting Naruto. 

As a jinchuriki, he had the power to defend himself, which had a reverse effect on his family. So everyone in the village stays away from him, even his own family members. It was a nightmare for a child who only wanted love and affection. The tragic quote came from a child who was going through a lot of pain.

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Kaori Miyazono: Your Lie in April

Was I able to live inside someone’s heart? Was I able to live inside your heart? Do you think you’ll remember me at least a little? You’d better not hit ‘reset!’ Don’t forget me okay? That’s a promise okay? I am glad it’s you, after all. Will I reach you? I hope I can reach you.”

Kaori was finally able to reveal the lie that she said in April. In the final episode of Your Lie in April, after Kaori’s death, Kousei reads the letter where she confesses her feelings that he is the only one and reveals the little white lie. Kaori hopes he will never forget her. Kousei responds and promises to continue playing piano. It is such a tragic and beautiful ending it had. 

Kaori was able to bring color to Kousei’s life when he lost music after his mom’s death. He begins to see things in a new light because of Kaori. Not only did she bring music back into his life, but also the spontaneity in life. These lines show how influential she was in his life, even with her short lifespan. 

• Studio: A-1 Pictures
• Release Year: 2014
• Genre: Shounen, Music, Drama, Romance
• Where to Watch: Crunchyroll

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Ichigo Kurosaki: Bleach

Revenge is just the path you took to escape your suffering”

Ichigo Kurosaki is a hot-tempered and stubborn guy who is also a substitute shinigami. He can easily outsmart his enemy with a witty remark. Most of the antagonists in this series resort to violence because of revenge, whether they have a sad past or not.

Ichigo had this outspoken trait by which he put straight blows into the enemy’s head. He instills the reasons and morals into his foe’s head to give them light in the right direction. This quote proves his personality and his insane mind games. 

• Studio: Pierrot
• Release Year: 2004
• Genre: Shounen, Action, Adventure, Fantasy
• Where to Watch: Netflix

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Koro Sensei: Assassination Classroom

The difference between the novice and the master is that the master has failed more times than the novice has tried.”

Koro Sensei, no doubt, gives extremely valuable lessons in the whole anime universe. Assassination Classroom follows the junior high school teacher’s everyday life, where he dedicates his students to lessons and gives the task of assassinating him to save the planet. The students are called ‘misfits’ who never try, and they are taught in a separate class, 3-E.

However, the student always fails to assassinate him, and it becomes a major focus in the series. Targeting the weaknesses of students, this anime teaches that no matter how much you fail or stumble, this failure and experience will be the pillar of success. The anime showed how their defeats became a success and how the weak became the strongest.

• Studio: Lerche
• Release Year: 2015
• Genre: Shounen, Action, Comedy
• Where to Watch: Netflix

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Itachi Uchiha: Naruto

Knowledge and awareness are vague, and perhaps better-called illusions.”

Fans worldwide will easily acknowledge the fact that Itachi Uchiha is the anti-hero of the Naruto series. With his complicated personality, brilliant genjutsu, and wisdom, he has captivated all the attention of fans. Moreover, Itachi has deep insight into this world and, throughout Naruto, delivers a great number of inspiring moments.

Here, he is trying to say that knowledge and awareness are objective, not subjective. It might not work on everyone because it’s based on someone else’s perception. Instead, everyone should evaluate their knowledge and gain experience on their own.

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Kirito: Sword Art Online

All this time I seriously thought that it’s better to die than to live your life alone.”

Kirito, or Kirigaya Kazuto, is a calm and unemotional character in real life who is not very good with words. But his gaming skill and loyalty towards people made him a strong character and, of course, one of the fan favorites. He can go any further to save others.

Kirito’s life changed when he met Asuna. His whole personality changed, and together, they became stronger than ever. His love for Asuna was so strong that he felt like he would end his life if he lost her.

Not only Asuna, he loved and protected everyone he thought was his friend. In the virtual world, Kirito did whatever he could to protect Asuna and never thought of living alone.

• Studio: A-1 Pictures
• Release Year: 2012
• Genre: Action, Adventure, Fantasy, Romance, Video Game
• Where to Watch: Netflix

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Kaneki Ken: Tokyo Ghoul

Why is it that beautiful things entwine more deeply with death than with life?” 

Kaneki Ken is a kind-hearted human, a college student who is the protagonist of the anime Tokyo Ghoul. His life went upside down when he met a girl named Rize, originally a ghoul. After that, he becomes a one-eyed ghoul, and his struggle begins to plague him.

During the Anteiku raid, when he saw Arima for the first time, he said this line. Beauty is not permanent in life, and it will perish someday. Beautiful things are bound to cease when faced with death. One must accept the fact that death is inevitable. This quote also indicates everyone should appreciate life while it lasts.

• Studio: Pierrot
• Release Year: 2014
• Genre: Seinen, action, supernatural, fantasy, horror. 
• Where to watch: Netflix 

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