Tear Jerker/Anime
Some scenes in anime just know the right way to tug at your heartstrings. Yes, Sacchin... we know. It is sad, isn't it?
The following series/franchises have their own pages:
- .hack//SIGN
- Zero Zero Nine One
- Zero Seven Ghost
- Twentieth Century Boys
- Abenobashi Mahou Shoutengai
- Afro Samurai
- Ah My Goddess
- Ai no Kusabi
- Ai-Ren
- AIR
- Airmaster
- Ai Yori Aoshi
- Akira
- Alien Nine
- Alive the Final Evolution
- Angel Beats
- Angelic Layer
- Angel Sanctuary
- Angels Egg
- Animatrix
- AnoHana
- Arashi no Yoru Ni
- Aria
- Ashita no Nadja
- Axis Powers Hetalia
- Azumanga Daioh
- Baki the Grappler
- Barefoot Gen
- Basilisk
- Battle Angel Alita
- Battle Royale
- Beelzebub
- Berserk
- Binbou Shimai Monogatari
- Bitter Virgin
- Black Butler
- Black Cat
- Black Lagoon
- Bleach
- Blue Gender
- Blue Seed
- Blue Submarine No. 6
- Bokurano
- Busou Renkin
- Captain Tsubasa
- Cardcaptor Sakura
- Cardfight Vanguard
- The Castleof Cagliostro
- Chi's Sweet Home
- Chobits
- Chrono Crusade
- Clannad
- Claymore
- C the Money And Soul of Possibility
- Code Geass
- Count Cain
- Cowboy Bebop
- Cross Game
- Cyber Team in Akihabara
- Cyborg 009
- D Gray Man
- Darker Than Black
- Death Note
- The Demon Ororon
- Detective Conan
- Devilman
- Digimon
- Dragon Ball
- ef: A Tale Of Memories
- El Cazador De La Bruja
- Elfen Lied
- Eureka Seven
- Eureka Seven AO
- Excel Saga
- Eyeshield 21
- Fairy Tail
- Figure 17
- Fist of the North Star
- Five Centimeters Per Second
- FLCL
- Flint the Time Detective
- Fractale
- Freezing
- Fruits Basket
- Fullmetal Alchemist
- Full Moon O Sagashite
- Fushigi Yuugi
- Future Lovers
- Future War 198 X
- Gakuen Alice
- Galaxy Express 999
- Gankutsuou
- Gantz
- Ga Rei Zero
- Geneshaft
- Genshiken
- Ghost In The Shell: Stand Alone Complex
- Gilgamesh
- Ginga Densetsu Weed
- Gintama
- The Girl Who Leapt Through Time
- Grave of the Fireflies
- Guilty Crown
- Gunbuster
- Gundam
- Gungrave
- Gunparade March
- Gunslinger Girl
- Gun X Sword
- H2O Footprints in the Sand
- Haibane Renmei
- Haruhi Suzumiya
- Hayate the Combat Butler
- Hell Girl
- Hellsing
- Hell Teacher Nube
- High School DXD
- High School of the Dead
- Higurashi no Naku Koro Ni
- Hikaru no Go
- Honoo no Alpen Rose
- Hunter X Hunter
- The Idolmaster
- Ikki Tousen
- Innocent Venus
- Inubaka
- Inuyasha
- Jin-Roh: The Wolf Brigade
- Jo Jos Bizarre Adventure
- Jungle wa Itsumo Hale Nochi Guu
- K-On!
- Kaiba
- Kaiji
- Kaiketsu Zorori
- Kaleido Star
- Kannazuki no Miko
- Kanon
- Karano Kyoukai
- Karin
- Kashimashi Girl Meets Girl
- Katekyo Hitman Reborn
- Kaze no Stigma
- Kaze to Ki no Uta
- Kekkaishi
- Kenichi the Mightiest Disciple
- Kiddy Grade
- Kimagure Orange Road
- Kimi Ni Todoke
- Kinnikuman
- Kirby
- Kodomo No Omocha
- Koihime Musou
- Koi Kaze
- Koko Ni Iru Yo
- Kuroshitsuji
- Last Exile
- A Little Snow Fairy Sugar
- Lone Wolf and Cub
- Love Hina
- Lucky Star
- Lupin III
- Macross Frontier
- Madlax
- Magic Users Club
- Magical Girl Lyrical Nanoha
- Magic Knight Rayearth
- Magico
- Mahoromatic
- Mahou Sensei Negima
- Mahou Tsukai ni Taisetsu na Koto ~Natsu no Sora~
- Mai-HiME
- Mai-Otome
- Maison Ikkoku
- Maji De Watashi Ni Koi Shinasai
- Majin Tantei Nougami Neuro
- Martian Successor Nadesico
- Mawaru Penguindrum
- Mazinger Z
- Mega Man Star Force
- Metropolis
- Michiko to Hatchin
- Midori no Hibi
- Millennium Actress
- Mirai Nikki
- Monster
- Monster Rancher
- Mushishi
- My Neighbor Totoro
- Mythical Detective Loki Ragnarok
- Nabari no Ou
- Nadia: The Secret of Blue Water
- Nana
- Nanatsuiro Drops
- Narutaru
- Naruto
- Natsume Yuujinchou
- Nausicaa of the Valley of The Wind
- Neon Genesis Evangelion
- Noblesse
- Noein
- Noir
- Not Simple
- Now and Then Here And There
- Ojamajo Doremi
- Ooku
- One Piece
- Oniisama e...
- Otogi Juushi Akazukin
- Ouran High School Host Club
- Outlaw Star
- Pandora Hearts
- Panty and Stocking With Garterbelt
- Paradise Kiss
- Paranoia Agent
- Peacemaker Kurogane
- Perfect Blue
- Petite Princess Yucie
- Pet Shop of Horrors
- Planetes
- Pluto
- Tear Jerker
- Ponyo On a Cliff By The Sea
- Popotan
- Potemayo
- Tear Jerker
- Pretty Cure
- The Prince of Tennis
- Princess Mononoke
- Princess Tutu
- Puella Magi Madoka Magica
- Queen Millennia
- Ragnarok the Animation
- Rah Xephon
- Ranma One Half
- Rave Master
- Read or Die
- Revolutionary Girl Utena
- Robotech the Shadow Chronicles
- Romeo X Juliet
- Rose of Versailles
- Rozen Maiden
- Rumbling Hearts
- Rurouni Kenshin
- S-Cry-ed
- Saber Rider and The Star Sheriffs
- Saikano
- Sailor Moon
- Saint Seiya
- Saint Seiya the Lost Canvas
- Saiunkoku Monogatari
- Saiyuki
- Sakura Gari
- Sakura Taisen
- Samurai Champloo
- Samurai Shodown
- Sasameki Koto
- Sayonara Zetsubou Sensei
- Science Ninja Team Gatchaman
- Scrapped Princess
- The Secret Garden (Himitsu no Hanazono)
- Sentou Yousei Yukikaze
- Serial Experiments Lain
- Shakugan no Shana
- Shinkon Gattai Godannar
- Shinryaku Ika Musume
- Shokojo Sera
- Shuffle
- Shugo Chara
- Simoun
- Sister Princess
- Sket Dance
- Slam Dunk
- Slayers
- Sola
- Solanin
- Solty Rei
- Sonic X
- Sorcerer Stabber Orphen
- Soul Eater
- Space Runaway Ideon
- Speed Grapher
- Spirited Away
- Star Driver
- Steins Gate
- Stellvia of the Universe
- Strawberry Panic
- Super Dimension Fortress Macross
- Tekkaman Blade
- Tenchi Muyo
- Tengen Toppa Gurren Lagann
- Tiger and Bunny
- To Aru Majutsu no Index
- Tokyo Babylon
- Tokyo Magnitude 8.0
- Tokyo Mew Mew
- Toradora
- Toward the Terra
- Tower of God
- Transformers Cybertron
- Trigun
- Tsubasa Reservoir Chronicle
- The Twelve Kingdoms
- Tear Jerker
- The Tyrant Falls in Love
- Uchuu Senkan Yamato
- Umineko no Naku Koro Ni
- Utawarerumono
- Vampire Hunter D
- Vampire Knight
- Vampire Princess Miyu
- Vandread
- Video Girl Ai
- Vinland Saga
- Violinist of Hameln
- The Vision of Escaflowne
- Voices of a Distant Star
- Wandering Son
- Wedding Peach
- Weiss Kreuz
- Wild Ones
- With the Light
- Wolf Guy Wolfen Crest
- Wolfs Rain
- The World God Only Knows
- X 1999
- Xxx Holic
- Yami no Matsuei
- Yu-Gi-Oh!
- Yu Yu Hakusho
- Zatch Bell
- Zero no Tsukaima
- Zone of the Enders
Other examples
Note: If a series has a Main page, create a new subpage for Tear Jerkers rather than listing it here.
A-H
- The otherwise Squickful yaoi manga Boys Next Door pulls out all the stops angsty past-wise, hearing one of the main characters talk about being abandoned by his mother at a carnival. ("The jester's giving away balloons!"... "Mom, is there no balloon for me because I'm a child nobody wants?") It's supposed to be his Start of Darkness more or less but comes across as perfectly horrible.
- The final episode of Dog Days: Shinku has to return to his world, much to the sadness of some of the people of Biscotti, especially Princess Millhi, who shares a tearful goodbye with him. But, there's a condition where Shinku can return anytime everyone wishes.
- The ending of the various incarnations of A Dog of Flanders is usually considered one of anime's top Tear-Jerkingest moments. Other World Masterpiece Theater series tend to be loaded with these as well.
- Tatsunoko's Hakushon Daimao, despite being a slapstick gag-comedy series, had a tear jerker in the final episode, where Daimao and Akubi-chan are forced to leave Earth for 100 years.
- The ending of the Girls Love manga Honey Crush by Asu Tsubaki. Mitsu and Kyouko finally admit their feelings for each other and immediately afterwards, Mitsu finally goes to heaven, leaving Kyouko alone.
- Even the short-lived "Ane Doki" managed to deliver some of these when in it's final lap. after knowing that he and his father are going to move to Hokkaido, which would mean his separation from the Hajiwara siblings, Kouta ends his dinner the most normal way possible, then go upstairs alone, shuts himself in his room, and completely breaks down.Even though Natsuki would annoy him quite often for being spoiled, aloof and nonsensical, he finally is accepting that he really loves her. Sound extreme Narm at first, but in fact is really relatable. Kouta is just thirteen years-old, and Natsuki is his first love, and this is going to be his first heartbreak.Everybody went through this one day.
- Blue Exorcist starts out with the protagonist's adoptive father, Fujimoto, committing suicide to prevent Satan from taking him away. Later on, he and his brother find Fujimoto's familiar, a cait sith named Kuro, who has gone beserk upon hearing about his death. He refuses to accept it until the protagonist head butts him and offers friendship. Kuro breaks down into tears as he realizes his friend is truly dead.
I-L
- Remi (Ie Naki Ko), which became popularized in Latin American countries in the 80s, was an unending sobfest, but standing out was the scene in which the performing monkey dies on the the snowy streets. See it here. (Audio in Spanish)
- Remi's enormous Heroic BSOD once he learns of the death of Vitalis. Seeing Remi cry and scream "My master! He's dead! My master's dead, dead, dead!". Watch it here (it's in Spanish too)
M-P
- Mahoutsukai Sally. After spending the entire series making friends in her school, Sally is forced in the end to reveal her powers to put out a fire. Day saved... except, because people now know she's a witch, she has to wipe everyone's memory and never return.
- Osamu Tezuka's short films, despite usually not having any dialogue, frequently become this. M Mermaid is about a boy who falls in love with a mermaid that everyone says doesn't exist.
- Korean Web Toon My Young Cat And My Old Dog is made of tearjerk moments, especially considering it's at least partially true: the author does indeed have a young cat that she spared from euthanasia at the shelter she works at by pretending it was put down, then paying for its vet bills and a very, very old dog she's had since childhood ("if you were a human, you'd be my younger teenage sister, not an old grandma").
Q-T
- Ten, the series to which Akagi is a prequel, proves that author Fukumoto Nobuyuki loves bringing his characters down (see also: Kaiji). In the end volumes, Akagi (who, by this point in his life, is quite the mentor to the main characters), a terrifyingly skilled mahjong player armed with his considerable wits, unstoppable will to win, and preposterous luck develops Alzheimer's. In his early fifties. Akagi decides that this is a Fate Worse Than Death and that it's Better to Die Than Be Killed by a disease that will eventually make him into an empty shell of the man he is. So Akagi calls upon his closest friends to talk with them about his death, his life philosophies, and so on...hooked up to assisted suicide machine. The very last page of Ten is a shot of Akagi's headstone, which is covered with tributes to the legend himself and considerably damaged due to aspiring gamblers wanting a little bit of his talents.
U-Z
- Witchblade. Oh God, Witchblade. Anything involving the Child Welfare Agency taking Rihoko away after finding her real mother or Masane's body slowly breaking down due to overuse of the upgraded Witchblade qualifies.
- Probably one of the most heartbreaking moments is in the penultimate episode where Masane eats a meal Rihoko made for her before heading off to her final battle (and almost certain death,) only to discover that she's lost her sense of taste.
- Hisae Iwaoka's One Shot "White Clouds" does it in an unusual way. Told from a dog's point of view, it narrates the life of an old couple and their dog. The grandma has passed away time ago and the old man and his dog realize that the same fate is coming closer to them. If by the end of the 16th page you haven't felt moved at least, you seriously need to start looking for your soul.