72% of people in the United States watch anime and it’s the third most-watched entertainment genre globally. They come just after crime dramas and sitcoms. Given this massive fan base, it’s hard to say that they are just for “kids”. Animes often have rich stories, themes, and characters. They leave a personal impact on viewers, especially in genres like slice-of-life and fantasy.
People quote anime lines daily for inspiration or fun. We see them on keychains as well as on phone wallpapers. Even if you don’t watch anime, some lines just hit right. We have given a section on why people relate to animes so well. Read and see if you can relate! First, here are some unforgettable quotes from anime shows and movies.
Anime has a special way of showing deep emotions, life lessons, and big ideas through its dialogue. These quotes aren’t just random words on the screen, they give us a “real” look into the characters’ inner worlds and the creators’ thoughts. This way anyone can relate to anime, no matter where they are from. Here are the best 95 anime quotes for you:
About Life and Dreams
Here are deep anime quotes that hit hard when they’re about life and dreams. These quotes are a reminder that even when the world isn’t perfect, there’s always something worth living for.
- “Nothing’s perfect, the world’s not perfect, but it’s there for us, trying the best it can. That’s what makes it so damn beautiful.”—Roy Mustang, Fullmetal Alchemist
- “Life is short, so it will be appreciated. We live to our fullest due to that.”—Heiji Hattori, Detective Conan
- “Learn to treasure your life because unfortunately, it can be taken away from you anytime.” –L Lawliet, Death Note
- “We need to stop living for others. From now on…Let’s live for ourselves!” –Historia Reiss, Attack on Titan
- “All we can do is live until the day we die. Control what we can…and fly free.” –Deneil Young, Space Brothers
- “Sometimes, we have to look beyond what we want and do what’s best.”—Piccolo, Dragon Ball Z
- “I'm not sure if I'm searching for a person or a place, or if I'm just searching for a job.” — Taki Tachibana, Your Name (2016)
- “What are you so hesitant about? It’s your dream, isn’t it? It’s right in front of you, and you’re wavering? You gotta be reckless and take whatever you can!”—Tomoya Okazaki, Clannad
- “Don't you think dreams and the internet are similar? They're both areas where the repressed conscious mind vents.” — Paprika, Paprika (2006)
- “If you never listen to anyone, you can't give proper advice.” — Monk Momoaki, The Boy and the Beast (2015)
- “The future is not a straight line. It is filled with many crossroads. There must be a future that we can choose for ourselves.” — Kiyoko, Akira (1988)
- “There’s no future for people who worship the future, yet forget the past.” — Shun Kazama, From Up on Poppy Hill (2011)
- “The nice thing about being old is you’ve got nothing much to lose.” — Old Sophie, Howl’s Moving Castle (2004)
- “The important thing is not how long you live. It’s what you accomplish with your life.”—Grovyle, Pokémon
- “Whether a fish lives in a clear stream or a water ditch, so long as it continues swimming forward, it will grow up beautifully.” –Koro-sensei, Assassination Classroom
About Pain and Grief
Anime doesn’t sugarcoat pain. These quotes dig into loss and suffering. Here are some sad anime quotes you can reflect on to keep moving forward:
- “There’s no such thing as a painless lesson. They just don’t exist. Sacrifices are necessary. You can’t gain anything without losing something first.” –Edward Elric, Fullmetal Alchemist
- “The loneliest people are the kindest. The saddest people smile the brightest. The most damaged people are the wisest. All because they don’t wish to see anyone else suffer the way they did.” — Jellal Fernandes, Fairy Tail (2009 – 2019)
- “I guess, as long as I have life, all I can do is fight with all my might.”—Subaru Natsuki, Re: Zero
- Wake up to reality! Nothing ever goes as planned in this world. The longer you live, the more you realize that in this reality only pain, suffering, and futility exist.” – Madara Uchiha
- “People cannot win against their loneliness.” –Gaara, Naruto
- “As the living, it is our responsibility to carry out the wishes of the ones who are gone.” –Akame, Akame Ga Kill
- “Forgetting is like a wound. The wound may heal, but it has already left a scar.” –Monkey D. Luffy, One Piece
- “Everything has a beginning and an end. Life is just a cycle of starts and stops. There are ends we don’t desire, but they’re inevitable, we have to face them. It’s what being human is all about.” –Jet Black, Cowboy Bebop
- “If you don’t share someone’s pain, you can never understand them.” – Nagato, Naruto
- “Dead people receive more flowers than living ones because regret is stronger than gratitude.”—Violet Evergarden, Violet Evergarden
- “Fear is not evil. It tells you what weakness is. And once you know your weakness, you can become stronger as well as kinder.” –Gildarts Clive, Fairy Tail
- “The past is the past. We cannot indulge ourselves in memories and destroy the present.” –Murata Ken, Kyou Kara Maou!
About Love and Friendship
Love and friendship in anime aren’t just feelings. They’re battles, growth, and messy emotions. These quotes show the raw side of caring for someone:
- “Love is like a mirror that reflects your bad side. Especially when it’s unrequited, you get envious, jealous, prejudiced, and resentful. You have to face all sorts of emotions, but there’s no reason to find that shameful.” — Margery Daw, Shakugan No Shana II (2007 – 2008)
- “To act is not necessarily compassion. True compassion sometimes comes from inaction.” Hinata Miyake (A Place Further Than the Universe)
- “You see, sometimes friends have to go away, but a part of them stays behind with you.”—Ash Ketchum, Pokémon
- “You will never be able to love anybody else until you love yourself.”—Lelouch Lamperouge, Code Geass
- “No matter how many weapons you have, no matter how great your technology might be, the world cannot live without love.”—Sheeta, Castle In The Sky
- “Helping other people is the best way to make up for your mistakes”—Kenshin Himura, Rurouni Kenshin
- “The moment you find the courage to give up your life for someone… would be the moment you understand love.” –Kenshin Himura, Samurai X
- “When you fall in love with someone, you start wanting to know lots of things about that person.” –Ninako Kinoshita, Strobe Edge
- “Even if I searched the world over, no one could compare to you.” –Hikaru Hitachiin, Ouran Highschool Host Club
- “Love is simply an electrical bug in the human neural circuit.” –Akasaka Ryuunosuke, My Pet Girl Sakurasou
Inspirational
When anime characters face impossible odds, their words inspire us to keep going too. Here are some anime quotes that can motivate you:
- “Searching for someone to blame is such a pain.”—Satoru Gojo, Jujutsu Kaisen
- “To know sorrow is not terrifying. What is terrifying is to know you can’t go back to happiness you could have.” –Matsumoto Rangiku, Bleach
- “No matter how deep the night, it always turns to day, eventually.” –Brook, One Piece
- “You should enjoy the little detours. To the fullest. Because that's where you'll find the things more important than what you want.” — “Hunter x Hunter: Phantom Rouge”, 2013.
- “The moment you think of giving up, think of the reason why you held on so long.” –Natsu Dragneel, Fairy Tail
- “It’s just pathetic to give up on something before you even give it a shot.” –Reiko Mikami, Another
- “A life that lives without doing anything is the same as a slow death.” –Lelouch, Code Geass: Lelouch of the Rebellion
- “Mistakes are not shackles that halt one from stepping forward. Rather, they are that which sustain and grow one's heart.” –Mavis Vermillion, Fairy Tail
- “There’s no shame in falling down! The true shame is to not stand up again!” – Shintaro Midorima, Kuroko’s Basketball
- “Human strength lies in the ability to change yourself.” –Saitama, One Punch Man
- “It’s not dying that frightens us. It’s living without ever having done our best.” – The Elder, Castlevania (2017 – 2021)
- “You're gonna care what other people think and be someone you're not your whole life? You’re fine as you are. So, talk in your own words.”—Ymir, Attack on Titan
- “When you hit the point of no return, that’s the moment it truly becomes a journey. If you can still turn back, it’s not really a journey.” — Hinata Miyake, A Place Further than the Universe (2018)
- “If you don’t take risks, you can’t create a future.”—Monkey D. Luffy, One Piece
- “Hard work is worthless for those that don’t believe in themselves.”—Naruto Uzumaki, Naruto
- “Sometimes you need a little wishful thinking to keep on living”—Misato Katsuragi, Neon Genesis Evangelion
- “When you give up, that’s when the game ends.”—Mitsuyoshi Anzai, Slam Dunk
- “All things change in a dynamic environment. Your effort to remain what you are is what limits you.”—Puppet Master, Ghost in the Shell
- “People who can’t throw something important away can never hope to change anything.” –Armin Arlert, Attack on Titan
On Power and War
For your essay. /Powerful anime quotes
Anime isn’t just for kids, if you need to pass that college essay, here are some powerful anime quotes you can use.
- “Those who stand at the top determine what’s wrong and what’s right. Whoever wins this war becomes justice!” — Donquixote Doflamingo, One Piece (1999 – Present)
- “War will never cease to exist. Reasons can be thought up after the fact. Human nature pursues strife. Religion, ideology, resources, land, spite, love, or just because. No matter how pathetic the reason, it’s enough to start a war.” — Pain, Naruto: Shippuden (2007 – 2017)
- “The government that makes the people suffer is no longer a government. It's a hell.” — “Code Geass”, 2006.
- “The strong should aid and protect the weak. Then, the weak will become strong, and they in turn will aid and protect those weaker than them. That is the law of nature.”—Tanjiro Kamado, Demon Slayer
- “It's quiet, but can you hear it? Little by little, the tides are changing, and the world with them.”—Shakuyaku, One Piece
- “Destiny. Fate. Dreams. These unstoppable ideas are held deep in the heart of man. As long as there are people who seek freedom in this life, these things shall not vanish from the Earth.” –Gol D. Roger, One Piece
- “Nothing can suppress a human's curiosity.”
- “War Does Not Determine Who Is Right — Only Who Is Left.”
On Teenage Angst
Being a teenager is harder than it looks. These anime quotes reflect the confusion, rebellion, and need to break free that define growing up.
- “Simplicity is the easiest path to true beauty.” –Seishuu Handa, Barakamon
- “It's not about how hard you hit. It's about how hard you can get hit and keep moving forward.” — “One Punch Man”, 2015.
- “You can't always hold on to the things that are important. By letting them go we gain something else.” — “Tamako Market”, 2013.
- “Friends are nothing more than the people whom you spend fun, yet meaningless times with. When those times get rough, they aren't there to support you.” — Rena Ryuugu, Higurashi: When They Cry (2006)
- “There are angry ghosts all around us – dead from wars, sickness, starvation – and nobody cares. So, you say you're under a curse? So what? So is the whole damn world.” — Jigo, Princess Mononoke (1997)
- “To rise above monsters, we have to abandon our humanity. What we fight, we become.” — Armin Arlert, Attack on Titan (2013 – 2023)
- “You can die anytime, but living takes true courage.” –Kenshin Himura, Rurouni Kenshin
- “You need to accept the fact that you’re not the best and have all the will to strive to be better than anyone you face.” –Roronoa Zoro, One Piece
- “I want you to be happy. I want you to laugh a lot. I don't know what exactly I'll be able to do for you, but I'll always be by your side.” — “Inuyasha”, 2000.
- Why should I apologize for being a monster? Has anyone ever apologized for turning me into one?” Juuzou Suzuya (Tokyo Ghoul)
Funny Quotes
Anime humor can be random and wild. These quotes capture that mix of sarcasm and absurdity. Here are the funniest quotes from animes.
- “Life is like a tube of toothpaste. When you've used all the toothpaste down to the last squeeze, that's when you've really lived.” — “Gintama”, 2006.
- “If you only face forward, there is something you will miss seeing.” — “Kiki's Delivery Service”, 1989.
- “I’m not stupid. I’m just too lazy to show how smart I am.” — “The Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya”, 2006.
- “I’ll take a potato chip…and eat it!” — “Death Note”, 2006.
- “If you’re gonna insist on gambling and then complain when you lose, you had better work on your game.” Hatsu Kominato (Selector Infected Wixoss)
- “Only I Can Call My Dream Stupid!”
- “Laziness is such an ugly word, I prefer selective participation.” – Lucifer from “Devil Is A Part-Timer!”
- “An apple a day keeps anyone away if you throw it hard enough!” – Marie Mjolnir from “Soul Eater”
- “I have two rules. Rule one: I’m always right. Rule two: If I’m wrong, refer to rule one…” – L from “Death Note”
- “People die when they are killed.” – Shirō Emiya from “Fate/Stay Night”
- “I don’t wanna brag or anything, but when it comes to being the worst – I’m at the top.” – Rider Astolfo from “Fate Apocrypha”
For Instagram
Looking for something short that hits home? These anime quotes pack deep thoughts into a few words. Here are some short anime quotes for Instagram and bio:
- “The world is cruel but also very beautiful.” — “Attack on Titan”
- “Dreams can become a reality when we possess a vision to achieve them.” — “The Garden of Words”, 2013.
- “We are not defined by our past, but by the choices we make in the present.” — “Sword Art Online”
- “I am free. Whatever I do. Whatever I choose. I do it out of my own free will.” — “Attack on Titan”, 2013.
- “The only way to truly escape the mundane is for you to constantly be evolving.” — “Paprika”, 2006.
- “Sometimes it’s necessary to do unnecessary things.” Kanade Jinguuji (Best Student Council)
- “No matter how deep the night, it always turns to day, eventually.” — “One Piece”, 1999.
- “The world isn't as cruel as you take it to be.” — “Fairy Tail”, 2009.
- “If you're not remembered, then you never existed.” — “Serial Experiments Lain”, 1998.
- “Life is not a game of luck. If you wanna win, work hard.” — “No Game No Life”, 2014.
How Anime Quotes Help With Self-Awareness and Growth
Anime quotes aren’t just “dialogues” spoken by some cartoon character. They carry messages about life, relationships, and challenges. The strength of anime lies in its ability to reflect real-world struggles, and its quotes often inspire self-awareness and personal development. Here’s how anime quotes can change your psyche:
- Emotional Connection
Our life is a constant cycle of being average while having some high and low movements. The reason anime quotes resonate is because the characters deal with experiences that reflect our own lives. At the end of the day, aren’t we all chasing something? Or coping with loss? Being persistent is what these lines tell and that’s exactly what we need to do. Watch Watamote if you have anxiety and see how it helps!
- Finding Hope
Where society is hell-bent on removing hope and seeing hope as a “naive” trait, anime quotes showcase an opposite opinion. They often center on hope and perseverance. Characters push through their darkest moments, and their words remind us to keep going. A quote like, “It’s not your looks that make you a monster, but your choices,” shows the power of our actions. It encourages us to stay true to ourselves, even in difficult times.
- The Art and Impact of Anime Quotes
The power of anime quotes isn’t just in the words but in how they’re delivered. The art and design of anime characters add an extra layer of emotion to these quotes.
For example, when an anime character stands tall after a battle and delivers a quote about resilience, the combination of their body language, the music, and the animation creates a moment that sticks with you. It becomes more than just a line, it’s a feeling you carry with you.
- Healing Through Anime Quotes
Some anime, like Iyashikei, Watamote, Given, and many others, are designed to soothe and heal. The quotes from these series often focus on peace, self-reflection, and finding happiness in the small things. They remind us to slow down and reflect, offering comfort during stressful moments. A line like, “Sometimes we must let go of what we love, even if it hurts,” can help us understand that growth often comes from tough choices and moving forward.
- Personal Growth
At their core, anime quotes are about growth. They inspire us to face our fears, learn from our mistakes, and continue our journey of self-improvement. Quotes like, “Even the longest night ends with dawn,” reassure us that brighter days are ahead, pushing us to keep moving forward.
- Seeing Ourselves Within Characters
What makes anime quotes so powerful is how relatable they are. Characters face challenges, doubt themselves, and make mistakes, just like us. When a character says, “I’m not strong because I want to be, but because I have to be,” it reflects the reality of pushing through hardship. Whether it’s friendship issues, job burdens, the loss of a lover, or anything else, an anime quote can help you get relief.
- Impact on Self-Awareness
Anime quotes often explore themes like identity, self-acceptance, and purpose. When a character in an anime talks about discovering who they are, it encourages us to do the same. It sparks a conversation within ourselves about what we want, who we are, and what we value most. Quotes like, “The world is not perfect, but it’s there for us, doing the best it can,” remind us that life is full of imperfections, but that’s what makes it beautiful. These types of characters change our mindset and perspective on life!
Final words
In the end, anime quotes sometimes work better than lines from books. They have a special way of touching on life, love, sadness, and inspiration. They can connect with us, spark our imagination, and stir up deep emotions. We hope the above lines resonate with you! And remember, “Manga endings might always be the same. However, when it comes to life, neither you nor I are mere readers. We’re the writers. We can change the ending.” –Gintoki Sakata
FAQ's
1. What is the most famous word in anime?
The most famous words in all anime combined would be Kawaii (cute), Baka (stupid), and Sugoi (amazing).
2. What is the anime quote about getting stronger?
“My Motto Is To Be Stronger Than Yesterday. If I Have To, I'll Be Stronger Than Half a Day Ago, Even a Minute Ago!” ~ Rock Lee, Naruto.
3. What are the Big 3 Anime of Today?
For Gen Z, the Big 3 of all time will always be Naruto, Bleach, and One Piece. But for Gen Alpha, the new big 3 are My Hero Academia, Attack on Titan, and Demon Slayer.