We Are Aliens
This Japanese animated drama follows two elementary-school boys whose close friendship unravels over years into bullying, guilt, depression, and suicidal thoughts. Despite its gorgeous hand-drawn visuals, the story is firmly aimed at older teens and adults, exploring decades of psychological damage caused by a childhood betrayal.
Best suited for mature teens and adults who enjoy emotionally challenging animated drama; not designed for children.
If you’d rather skip
Surreal animated sequences visualize one boy's growing paranoid belief that his friend is an alien; imagery is eerie and psychologically stylized.
The bullied character is progressively isolated, shunned, and mocked by his former best friend and the broader class group; this depiction is sustained and not played for laughs.
One character's arc includes depression and suicidal thoughts following years of being ostracized; depicted with emotional weight rather than briefly mentioned.