Bleach/Tear Jerker

Everything About Fiction You Never Wanted to Know.


... * SOB*


For all its awesome, hilarious, comforting and creepy scenes, did you really think Bleach wouldn't have its gut-wrenching moments either?

Agents of Shinigami Arc

  • Rukia's goodbye as she's taken back to Soul Society. Ichigo lies on the ground bleeding to death but he grabs Byakuya's leg. As Byakuya threatens to cut off Ichigo's arm, Rukia runs up and kicks his arm away, scolding him for daring to touch her brother. Ichigo reacts with hurt and tries to get up to stop her. She shouts at him not to move and her facade cracks enough to reveal tears in her eyes. She demands he not follow her as she walks through the portal to Soul Society. Then, Ichigo realizes that she left to face execution in order to save him and screams.
    • It gets a little worse in the following chapter. Ichigo gets back to the school, only to discover that almost nobody remembers Rukia save for Chad and Orihime. A guy even is using her seat. When she got back to Soul Society, she was erased from everyone's memory.And she knew it would happen the moment she stepped out of the Human World, considering how Shinigamis are not supposed to be known by humans and yet her case was a special one. That makes her conversation with the girls some chapter before, when she realizes that she's going to have to leave everybody, even more painful.
    • Finally, take a look at the title page for this chapter after reading all this.It's depressing as hell.
  • Another one would be the always tough Karin breaking down completely during Chad's introductory mini arc, as she's overwhelmed by Shibata/the parakeet's memories and the strongest one happens to feature the * gruesome* murder of Shibata's mother.

Karin (to Ichigo): I'm begging you, Ichi-nii! Please save that kid! Tell him that he can meet his mother if he goes to the other side! Don't let him be alone anymore...!

  • The scene after Ichigo battles the Grand Fisher. Ichigo's mother appears to him, tells him how much he's grown...and then tells him never to lose that smile. The irony of this request makes what the audience had long taken for granted suddenly become very sad indeed.
  • This troper cannot listen to Memories in the rain (One thing, just one thing / that I couldn't protect / my fight still continues, for my pride / No time to cry / I can cry later / Right now I can only swear to the June rain) without tearing up. Oh, * Ichigo* ...
    • Ichigo was born June 15, his mother died June 17.
  • The episode that got This Troper hooked on bleach was the one where Orihime's brother Sora is purified. Not by a Zanpakutou (soul sword), as is normal when dealing with Hollow, but by his love for his little sister. She felt guilt over his death because she had been angry with him and did not send him off properly on the day of his accident. So when she wishes him a safe journey for the last time it really gets the tears flowing.
    • Ichigo's "Do you know why big brothers are born first..." speech in that episode had this troper bawling his eyes out.


Soul Society Arc

  • There's the one when Rukia had her flashback about Kaien Shiba and started crying and saying that she hated herself for killing him, not being able to save him from the Hollow and for her own weakness. Ah, and the story of Orihime and her brother Sora, and when she spoke to Matsumoto about her feelings for both Ichigo and Rukia.
  • This troper burst into tears when Yoruichi defeated Soifon, and we see Soifon practically bawling, asking why Yoruichi didn't take her as well when she ran away.
    • This troper felt that it would have been even better if we were shown Yoruichi's death mark fading. That would mean that she completely let go of the hatred she had for Yoruichi, and would make it more emotional.
  • Another sad Rukia scene was when she said/thought "thank you" to all her friends as she stared the big bird of death in the face, convincing herself that she was satisfied with her fate. "No sadness... No pain... No regrets. There is... nothing for my heart to linger in this world..." and then came a 1st Class Crowning Momement of BIG FREAKIN DAMN HEROES AWESOMENESS just to really get the tears flowing.
    • Orihime had a similar scene in the Hueco Mundo arc, where she tells Ulquiorra that she is not afraid to die because her friends came after her and her heart is with them. Meanwhile, her friends are fighting to get to her. It made This Troper bawl her eyes out.
  • Most of Hinamori's character arc in the Soul Society arc, the high points being when she saw Aizen dead, when she fought her adoptive brother Hitsugaya crying and claiming she didn't know what to believe in anymore and when Aizen stabbed her to almost death. It made her recent Big Damn Heroes return in the manga so damn sweet.
  • And there's also chapter 98 of the manga, with Renji and Rukia's backstory and Renji's reaction after losing to Ichigo, begging him to beat Byakuya and save Rukia's life.
    • This became anime ep 32. All of it. Poor Renji. It's also heartwarming, because even though he Can't Catch Up to Rukia, he loves her just the same.[1]
  • This Troper never liked Byakuya, but she went all wibbly when he told Rukia the true reason why she was adopted into the Kuchiki clan...
    • The performances of Byakuya and Hisana's (Japanese) VA's in the anime were what really made that scene so heartbreaking. Seeing Byakuya display that much emotion... just wow.
      • Considering that he's voiced by Ryotaro Okiayu and one of Okiayu's specialities is voicing Sugar And Ice Guys, technically it's still not THAT big of a surprise.
  • Even though it was small, This Troper thought it was heartbreaking in the manga when Mayuri blows up his three subordinates. What really made it upsetting wasn't so much the bombing, but the one or two page flashback with the new recruit in Squad twelve. All he wanted was to be a seated officer to impress Hinamori, but that was never Mayuri's plan in the first place... In his final moments you see him reaching out to his captain, then it changes shape and he blows up. Why, Mayuri? Why?

Hueco Mundo Arc

  • Orihime's goodbye to Ichigo before she went to Las Noches with the Arrancar. "You know, Kurosaki-kun, I wanted to do loads of things. I wanted to be a teacher, I wanted to be an astronaut. I wanted to go to an ice-cream shop and order everything. I wanted to go to a donut shop and do the same. Oh, if only I had five lives! Then I could be born in five different towns, eat five lifetimes of food, have five different careers... And each time... fall in love with the same person, five times."
    • This Troper spent the next few chapters after that crying as well. If Tatsuki's scream of "aren't we nakama?!" didn't get make you sob, then the expression on Ichigo's face as he looks up at the hand Orihime healed before she left will.
      • What about the scene when Tatsuki punched Ichigo and his head hit the window? All the emotions built up in this scene hit the roof at that part. Then we had the flashbacks where she protected him as a young kid...
      • And finally, we have Ichigo saying telling her, Keigo, and Mizuiro to stay away from him, and Tatsuki's scream of anguish while he's walking away.
      • Come to think of it, that whole scene was just one giant Tear Jerker.
  • This Troper was almost sobbing when Ulquiorra has stabbed Ichigo through the chest, then a little while after number four has left, we see Nel with an utterly broken look on her face, going over to Ichigo, all the while sobbing "Itsygo...". The fact that his eyes are open and unmoving, coupled with it being so much like Mufasa's death scene in The Lion King, is heartbreaking.
  • As of chapter 349 of the manga? Ishida has lost a hand, Ichigo is dead, Orihime is about to completely shut down in pain and horror and guilt since her powers don't seem to be enough to save him and she doesn't know what to do anymore since nothing works... and the one to blame for everything is Ulquiorra.
  • Chapter 353. Ichigo comes back from his Hollow state, recognizing Orihime and Ishida. Ulquiorra pulls out Ichigo's sword from Ishida's abdomen, tosses it to Ichigo and demands that they finish their fight. Ichigo offers to cut of his limbs for the sake of fairness since Ulquiorra is missing an arm and has a maimed leg. It's then revealed that Ulquiorra is actually dying and can't regenerate anymore because his interenal organs were damaged by Ichigo's cero perviously. In his last moments, Ulquiorra reaches out to Orihime and asks her if she finds him frightening, mirroring their conversation before Ichigo arrives in the tower. She replies with tears in her eyes that shes's not and reaches back for him. His body dissolves before they can touch. T-T
  • Chapter 354 Ulquiorra's last thoughts as he dies add to the Alas, Poor Villain vibe HUGELY: "Oh, I get it. This is it. This here in my hand. The heart..." This is all the more tragic since he never understood bonds like friendship and love previously and constantly questioned them. When he finally does understand, by recognizing that he shares such a bond with Orihime, despite all that he did, it's already too late. Also, Orihime is apparently distressed by being unable to reach him since she keeps trying to grasp his body even when his hand turns to ash.
  • Nnoitra's death in the anime, while it did not draw tears, made this troper sad. It doesn't make him any more likeable, but still...his inner monologue shows how much pain he really feels. Then, as he falls, he looks at child Nel right before dying. She can't remember him, but it seems like her subconscious does. When she says his name, it almost seems like she's lamenting over the fact that she couldn't save him from his violent ways.
  • Chapter 199, 'Ugly'. It lasts around five pages, but in those five it basically tells you up-front that, despite the powers and adventures; Orihime is just a fifteen year old girl. To this troper, this is the chapter that made her feel that Orihime is the most human character in Bleach.
  • Nel's anguished cries in the anime when Nnoitra is torturing Ichigo. This was the first episode This Troper had seen her in, and her screaming just made my heart break. And then she goes back to her adult form and has her Crowning Moment of Awesome fighting Nnoitra.
  • The only moment that really got me was the end of Nel's backstory, where she's wounded in child form, and goes to sleep as Pesche and Dondochakka swear to protect her from now on.
  • Okay, I may be the only one who feels this way, but I literally cannot read Grimmjow's backstory without crying. It's just so...lonely. He thinks the other Hollows are cowards for giving up because he's been through so much shit. And there's the kind of Jesus-sounding "Become my flesh and blood and see what lies ahead." It's even called Historia del Pantera y sus sombras, "History of the Panther and his shadows." Then he gets lowered, very softly, to the ground by Ichigo, who tries to convince him to give up so they can fight again, and Grimmjow KEEPS TRYING. And then Nnoitra comes and Ichigo looks extremely shocked, and then protects Grimmjow from dying, which all (again, in my head) seems like Ichigo wants Grimmjow and him to only be rivals, not enemies. I cry every DAMN TIME.


Turn Back The Pendulum Arc

  • The last chapter of the flashback arc was full of this. Urahara wakes up in his lab after an restless sleep and the very first thing he sees is one of his best friends, completely hollowfied. He then goes out to the lab where the rest of the Vizard are, sees them all hollowfied as well, and apologises to Tessai because his method didn't work. Then he goes outside to get some fresh air - only to be stopped by the Second Division, who proceed to put him on trial in front of the Central Fourty-Six, who blame Urahara for everything, banish him, place Tessai in jail, and plan on killing the Vizard. Thank God Yoruichi showed up when she did.
    • It's even more Heartbreaking in the anime, with the poignant music and Urahara actually making it outside before being captured. It was only after this episode that this troper realized that Urahara is probably one of the biggest Woobies in the series.
  • In the flashback, we see Nanao Ise as an oh-so-utterly-adorable child asking Shunsui about Lisa, who would read with her every month, holding a book about the size of her upper body. Lisa wasn't there, and Shunsui reassured Nanao that Lisa would come back safely from her mission. She didn't. To this day, Nanao frequently carries a very big book not unlike the one she carried as a child...


Fake Karakura Town Arc

  • Most recently, we have the deaths of Stark and Lilynette at the hands of the Vizard Kyoraku. The fact that his aspect of death was loneliness was never more apparent.

"I am not alone. I am not alone. I am not alone."

    • Additionally, his dying flashback...

Lilynette: What will we do now?
Starrk: We can do anything.
Lilynette: OK, then where shall we go?
Starrk: Wherever...but let's stick together. Forever.

    • His inner monologue while fighting Kyoraku is just as heart wrenching.

"Why do I have to fight with such a strong guy? I envied the weak ones. The souls of everyone in our group of friends wasted away and disappeared just from being around us. From loneliness we divided our soul in two. We don't know which was the original, or maybe it was neither of us. It's just that there was no other way to escape from the loneliness. I envied the weak ones. If you're weak, then you can gather in as large a group as you want. I want to become weak and if that's not possible, then I at least want to make friends that are as strong as me."

    • Seriously, if you didn't look like someone just shot your dog after hearing him scream Lilynette's name over and over in desperation, then you have either no heart, or a face made of stone.
  • Chapter 377. Aizen starts taunting the Vizard, trying to get them to attack, and Hiyori falls for it. The result? Hiyori ends up in two separate pieces, and in her last moments, apologizes to Shinji for disobeying him. Which in return dissolves Shinji into a screaming wreck, crying for Ichigo to bring Orihime back from Hueco Mundo already. If you didn't feel sorry for Shinji before this chapter, it's pretty hard to now.
  • In chapter 387, Tousen's death. Sure, he wasn't the most popular of characters, and he seemed like a jerk in the more recent chapters, but in this chapter, we get flashbacks of him begging Central 46 to punish the man who killed his friend, and a shot of her grave, with him thinking "Why is it..." If that weren't enough, we then get Komamura and Hisagi standing over him, and despite the fact he tried to kill them less than five minutes ago, they look more sad and hurt than angry. Komamura tells him he knew they would eventually have to fight each other, and says "I don't expect you to stop being angry. Nor will I tell you to stop hating. Just...don't focus only on revenge until you lose yourself...like when you lost your friend...my heart would be empty as well if I lost you." Tosen then thanks him, and tells Hisagi he wants to see more of his face, and "while I still can, I want to remember your face..." Then, he dies. Messily. He randomly explodes.
  • CHAPTER. 392. OH MY GOD, CHAPTER 392. It was pretty obvious that Aizen didn't die at the hands blades of Hitsugaya and co., but revealing that it was HINAMORI, of all people, that Toshiro Impaled with Extreme Prejudice was nothing short of absolutely unbearable for This Troper to witness. Combine that, with Momo barely managing to ask him, "Shiro... chan... why...?", seeing Hitsugaya's subsequent reaction of utmost horror and the maddening irony of Hitsugaya perhaps fatally harming the one person he has vowed to protect with his life... Go ahead and call this a moment of being too invested in fandom, but this troper is not ashamed to admit that she bawled like a baby upon reading that chapter.
    • Well, the whole irony deal was what Kubo was aiming for this entire chapter, so as shocking as it is, it makes sense in retrospect. Doesn't make it any less sad, and this is coming from someone who doesn't even like the two characters in question.
    • Now that was a Shocking Swerve, KT. And completely heartbreaking. Damn you KT, for writing/drawing that scene so damn well. And FUCK YOU, Aizen, FUCK YOU. There's a freaking reason why Momo is the one in the picture atop the page. SOB.
      • I agree with these comments. SO. HARD. Seriously, if this is the reaction we get from the manga, it's going to be about ten thousand times worse when we see this in the anime.
    • Hitsugaya's reaction is what really hits home. The fact that at first, he's horrified, but it doesn't quite compute. Like all that is running through his mind is "No way, no way, no way..." And then she asks WHY? And then snap, it finally registers and he screams. This horrible, heartbreaking scream, that of course you can't hear because it's manga, but his face tells it all. I was sobbing.
  • Not as close as the others, but still sad: Wonderweiss Margera's death at the bare hands of a depowered but still Badass Yamamoto. Who even expresses pity for the one he's just slain.

Yamamoto: Poor thing... Were your emotions taken away from you too? [ Stares at Aizen ] That was cruel from you.

Deicide Arc

Chizuru: "Tatsuki... RUN!"

  • Ch. 416: Gin’s apparent death, and Rangiku’s reaction. SNIFF. His dying flashback makes it even worse.
  • Chapter 420. Zangetsu's farewell to Ichigo. Zangetsu admits that he only ever wanted to protect Ichigo. They also know that once Ichigo uses the "Final Getsuga" he will be Brought Down to Normal and they won't see each other ever again.
    • And remember, this isn't just Zangetsu, this is Zangetsu merged with Ichigo's Hollow Side, who spent a lot of his screen time boasting about how he wanted to take over Ichigo's body. For him to admit that all he ever really wanted was to protect Ichigo, all the while starting to cry, makes it especially heartbreaking.
  • Just the look on Ichigo's face in Chapter 421 as his powers start to crumble away. His just looks so sad, because he knows that all his abilities, all his training, and Zangetsu are disappearing forever and he'll never get them back.
  • Ichigo's Cry for the Devil moment in chapter 422. Yeah, Aizen's the Complete Monster to end 'em all, but hearing Ichigo wonder whether he secretly wanted to be "just a shinigami" was just sad. "In his blade...there was only solitude."
    • From the same chapter Yammy's Arrancar puppy goes to his dying master's side, trying to comfort him. It doesn't matter how big a jerk you are, your dog will still love you.
      • And then we get to the third databook, showing why Kokapurro (the Arrancar puppy) loves Yammy so much. That makes him even more woobielicious than he already was... We love you, puppy. We really do.
        • Gets even worse in the anime, Where you can here his barks, whines, and his mournful howl at the passing of Yammy. GOD DAMN YOU STUDIO PIERROT.
  • As of chapter 423, it was revealed to us that Gin died, leaving nothing behind for Rangiku to remember him by. "You disappeared and didn't leave me a single memento. I've always hated that about you. But...if you had left something behind, then I probably would have never been able to move from that spot. You must have seen through that part of me. Thank you, Gin. I've always...liked that about you."
    • Would it be a bad time to mention that it's never outright stated that Gin died, just heavily implied?
    • Acutally, the last databook confirmed it. Link's up there. We won't firget you, oh lovable bastard.
  • Also from chapter 423, Ichigo has lost all of his Shinigami powers and can no longer sense Rukia's presence, let alone see her. They say goodbye to each other as she slowly disappears from his sight. Oh, god.....
    • THAT. Realizing that even after everything he's suffered through, all the pain and agony, and all the good times too... They may continue on... but Ichigo is permanently handicapped from ever taking part in them again. A Fate Worse Than Death, indeed. There is hope, however, as Kubo has said he has two more story arcs planned, but who knows what or who will be in them... Thanks, Kubo. Now we all get to feel horrible until then...


Lost Substitute Shinigami Arc

  • If the chapters in the manga are dark enough, the anime sets the mood perfectly with the opening theme, a kind of melancholy montage that shows that even though Ichigo's finally got a normal life, he's incredibly unhappy. It extends to the tone of the entire arc.
    • The (first) ending theme is even more depressing to listen to. Kon is sitting on Ichigo's shelf, lifeless. Like an ordinary doll. Over piano music. Note how even though this arc takes place entirely in the World of the Living, Kon has no role in it and no character mentions him, implying this where he's been the whole time! Somehow seeing a memory fade away makes you forget how annoying he used to be!
  • Chapter 424. There isn't any specific cause, but the aura of melancholy is palpable, and you can tell that while Ichigo is putting on a facade of being perfectly satisfied, he's really, really unhappy.
    • His facade breaks and the fact that he's probably crying inside the most when Keigo asks why Rukia hasn't come to visit. Ichigo's expression is just pained.
    • And that "Ever since then, Rukia hasn't come to Karakura town even once."
  • 425. Great news, everyone! It gets worse! Ichigo is now having recurring dreams about Rukia, Renji, and... one other, I can't tell who. It isn't specified, but I think it's reasonable to guess that this has been going on for a good while, as he treats it like a normal occurance. Kubo, you are a cruel author.
    • Going by the silhouette and the use of Full-Name Basis, this troper was under the impression it was Byakuya.
  • 427. When Karin decides she can't keep saying "I Just Want to Be Normal" and goes to Urahara's Shop to tell him she's willing to take up Ichigo's place. Not only it's quite the Character Development for her, but to see her telling the people there that she doesn't want Ichigo to fight anymore, since he's sacrificed so much already and so he deserves a normal life and she wants to protect him... SOB.
  • Riruka Dokugamine is a bossy, Hot-Blooded Tsundere. Except in this single panel. Which is so beautifully drawn that you can't help feeling bad for her even when you don't know why is she like that... =(
    • Ah, God! Why is that panel so depressing? I feel like just scooping her up a saying everything will be alright...
  • Chapter 453 is a mix of this and Nightmare Fuel, as we see Ichigo's horrified reactions to having his friends (Keigo, Mizuiro, and specially Tatsuki) and family (Karin, Yuzu) taken away from him. They're still there, but their minds have been totally messed by Tsukishima, so they're totally... not there, mentally speaking.
  • Chapter 456. For the first time since the series began, Ichigo actually questions why he wanted his powers.
    • If that isn't bad enough...Tsukishima has manipulated/brainwashed Orihime and Chad into fighting Ichigo. He's basically forced into either a) harming his friends or b) losing the battle. Not to mention, there's the look on Orihime's face as they all fight; she's clearly heartbroken and reluctant on the whole deal. And the reason for that is because she legitimately believes the man she loves has gone insane and is trying to kill one of their best friends.. Break the Cutie or What?
      • The same goes just as much for Chad. "I didn't get stronger for this... I didn't get stronger to hurt you!" BAWL.
  • 457. Ichigo's scream as Ginjo takes the sword for him.
    • 458. The look on Ichigo's face when Ginjo stabs him after revealing that he'd been working with Tsukishima the whole time. The poor kid's going to have trust issues for years, to say the least.
      • The scanlations sum it up quite nicely on the last page: "Despair" and "Zero Hope".
  • Chapter 459. For a moment, it looks like Ichigo's own father has just stabbed Ichigo. While it's quickly revealed to be Rukia restoring Ichigo's Shinigami powers, the look on Ichigo's face when he thinks his own father has also turned against him is just heart-wrenching.
    • It's worse when you think about all the times we've seen Ichigo burst into tears throughout the series. Aside from flashbacks to when his mother died (and a really ambigious scene at her graveside) this is the first time the audience has witnessed it, and the first time it's been explicitly stated. After all the horrible things he's been through, from having his friends kidnapped, failing at avenging his mothers' death, losing contact with all his Shinigami friends and having everybody important to him in the human realm (bar Ishida) brainwashed, he's finally just given up and broken down crying.
    • This page is a Tear Jerker of the happier variety.
      • Oh, GOD YES! Seriously, we needed that scene... the tears of utter despair and hopelessness stop falling, and the audience begins to openly weep tears of joy!
  • 462. Orihime starts having doubts and reacting against Tsukishima's More Than Mind Control. Made worse by this, with Tsukishima starting to re-brainwash her and Chad. Tsukishima, you (bleeeep)! Thank God for Urahara and Isshin stepping in before It Got Worse again.
    • Worse still is the exact details he starts replacing. He supplanted Orihime's brother and Chad's grandfather in their memories! That's just needlessly cruel.
  • 466 gives us Jackie's Alas, Poor Villain demise. Double since we get to see a glimpse of her past... as a crying teenage girl. That, and her Famous Last Words ("I wish the one who saved me... was like you") imply a serious Break the Cutie past and makes her a Broken Bird. Damn. Nevermind that she ultimately lived through. Thank God.
  • 468. When you look at it closely, Shishigawara declaring once and again his Undying Loyalty to Tsukishima after having lost to Ikkaku is freaking depressing. Whether it's sincere or Brainwashing induced, it's sad to see a Hot-Blooded guy who seems to be a good person display such faithfulness towards someone who doesn't seem to care and is almost sure to actually discard him sooner or later. Even more so when Ikkaku actually calls Shishi himself on it, telling him to not throw his life away for someone who doesn't deserve it; even when Ikkaku is doing that in a very tough guy way, he has very good points, and it's clear that his words are affecting Shishigawara as well.
  • 471. Fullbringers and their really fucked up backstories. The top moments are: Jackie finding her family dead and getting her boots dirty with her little brother's blood, Yukio being rejected by his dad since he has a speech impediment and later turning more and more bitter , and Riruka naively using her powers on her first love and screwing it up.
  • And now there's 477. Where both Ginjo and Tsukishima finally show some bits of humanity, Riruka attempts to speak with Tsukishima and make him listen to her, and we also see how a Shinigami!Ginjou and a teenager!Tsukishima met, long ago.
  • 478. There is a genuine tearjerker in the scene where Riruka wakes up in Urahara Shouten, is told by Ichigo and Rukia that the others Fullbringers are gone, and sees Orihime mourn for the Fullbringers. And then she starts crying too.
  • 479. Riruka leaves Karakura alone. Beautifully and heartbreakingly done.

Riruka: “Farewell, please forgive me. Because no matter how we say goodbye, I am sure that you will never… Never forget us.”


The Thousand-Year Blood War Arc


Filler

  • At Episode 262, Narunosuke's death may not be as depressing as some of the other examples above, but considering that virtually the entire episode was spent developing his relationship with Haineko and his slow descent into a rage-filled berserker, and that Haineko herself actually had a crush on the guy, it's pretty sad nonetheless. Here's the kicker: Haineko's a mischievous catgirl with a knack for teasing and a flirtatious streak, close enough to qualify as a Lovable Sex Maniac, so she's normally the one that makes other people blush. When it was her that blushed, over a much younger, blue-haired and shy Bishonen, no less, it was absolutely adorable. Following that, however, for her to be sad, it's as rare as it is alarming and depressing, and many viewers apparently cried along with her as Narunosuke died.
    • This troper bawled her eyes out, being a hopeless romantic, and seeing Haineko vulnerable like that... She was willing to DIE with him. Oh man.
    • This same troper also found the episode where Kazeshini, Hisagi's zanpaktou, developed the "fatherly love" for that abandoned baby, and then took a beating for him, and left him, and... that was another super sad one.
  • Yoshino and Goethe's deaths in the Bount arc. Predictable as hell, sure, but still tearjerking, especially Goethe's last moments ("Mother..."), Yoshino going out with a smile, and Uryu's reaction. And the next episode is comic relief...
  • Episode 342. Just....all of it. Especially the end.


Movies

  • In the third movie, Fade to Black, when Homura and Shizuku are freed of the hollow that was possessing them, named, and died. With Rukia breaking down in tears as she assists them in their last moments.
    • And don't forget Byakuya's flashbacks to his past with Hisana. SOB!
  • The end of the first movie, Memories of Nobody. Senna sacrifices herself to stop reality breaking, and then Ichigo carries her back to the graveyard where here family plot supposedly is. Sadly, both she and Ichigo know that that family isn't hers. Because she's the Memory Rosary, all her memories are simply those of all the people she's made up of. Even so, she asks Ichigo is her name is on the gravestone, and Ichigo tells her it is.
  • Fourth movie. Ichigo's Heroic BSOD after the death of Renji, Ishida, Rukia... and specially Yuzu. Made worse when Orihime attempts to heal Yuzu but she cannot do it, and Ichigo splinters badly.


General

  • Tousen's past. It's obvious from the start of it he's in love with his friend, who unintentionally abandons him when she gets married. Next thing he knows, she's dead simply for scolding her husband after he killed someone and is implied that he wasn't punished for it. so he takes up her sword and her cause though some would say to extremes. Read it here. Honestly, am I the only troper who still finds Tousen very sympathetic and having a possible chance of being redeemed?
    • This Troper doesn't even like Tousen, but damn - she understands what you mean. Very, very much.
  • It's a small one, but the omake for episode 303. You see Urahara and Yoruichi in a room set up for a birthday party, then they both bend down to the cake and blow out the candles, and then sadly lament that everyone forgot their birthdays. Considering their Big Damn Heroes moment in the Deicide arc, it's sad to see the two of them being forgotten, even if it's just an omake.
    • There's a LiveJournal community called CAPSLOCK_BLEACH. Members keep track of character's birthdays and celebrate each and every one. When Yoruichi's and Urahara's birthdays occured shortly before this episode aired (December 31 for Urahara, January 1 for Yoruichi) they did not forget. Whether this makes it better or worse is debatable.
    • Also, in the episode itself, Orihime watches her friends and it hits you that this is probably how she spent her New Years every year since Sora died: alone because she didn't want to intrude on her friends time with their families.
  • The Unfortunate Implications of episode 307's omake. Gin announces that Arrancar Encyclopedia will be discontinued. After that announcement, he tries to continue the segment but is rushed offstage by Ichigo, Chad and Orihime, the last of whom carts him off in a box. Considering what got animated in that episode...His fight with Aizen that ends with Gin's death.
  • The ending "Last Moment." Seriously, tell me that's not one.
  • To this troper, simply listening to the first season's ending theme, Life is Like a Boat by Rie Fu, is enough to make me shed a few tears just listening to it. As the first season progresses, its lyrics start to make more sense show much more depth to their meanings as they beautifully convey Rukia's emotions as the arc goes on.
  • Orihime saving Harribel and her Fraccion's lives in the databook's novel part is both this and a Crowning Moment of Heartwarming.
  • The fact that the anime will end at 366 episodes, only at the end of the Lost Shinigami Arc, and is being replaced by a Rock Lee spin-off. Not only does it further fuel the Broken Base of both shows (they're both shonens from the same magazine, animated by the same studio, and licensed by the same North American distributor), but this means the end of the 10-year story will not be animated, and we so far have no clear answer behind this move other than dwindling popularity, and poor quality of the story. Japan rarely makes a move like this, let alone releases news about it at almost the last minute. Now the broken bases will never be civil. Imagine those reading negative reactions to the show online for 10 straight years and bearing with it, only to face the inevitable time in two years when Adult Swim (and, by extention, Cartoon Network) will no longer have anime for the first time in about two decades.
    • Cheer up and stop complaining, kid. We still have a whole (and rather interesting-looking) manga arc to look forward to, and well... everything will have an end, and it's not like this is the first case ever. [ ... /pats the Bleach widows on the back anyway?]
    • That and Toonami is back and will be airing Bleach. We're saved, ladies and gentlemen.
    • Who's to say the anime is gone for good? The most reasonable rumor I've heard as to why the anime was cancelled is the budget just flat-out ran out. All they need is few more years to pile up the cash and it'll be back...the fan outcry is almost guaranteed to bring it back anyway.
  1. ↑ There is the Fridge Logic question of how people can die in Soul Society if they're already dead...Am I not far enough in that they explain that?
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