Squid Girl/Tear Jerker


 * Shinryaku! Ika Musume is a light-hearted comedy with seven-minute stories. Then there's the last story in episode 5, "Won't You Keep It?". You know it's going to end on a sad note, but the twist -- such a simple twist -- makes it so much sadder. (It's only seven minutes long, and this troper cried for much more than seven minutes afterwards.)
 * Ika discovers what an umbrella is, and she eventually comes to use it as a weapon. Then it gets run over by a car. During the end credits for this episode, Ika holds the innocent, brave, crippled remains of the umbrella by the handle. T___T
 * Ika and friends head to the amusement park that Eiko's family used to spend happy days at when they were little.... to find that the economic downturn chipped it into a single teacup ride in the middle of a small city block, with a single elderly employee handling all the duties of the park. ... and they just happen to head there on the park's final day before it officially closes! Eiko promises the employee that they shall spend the whole day there to send it off with pride! This sequence will be very emotional to those in similar situations.