< Naruto

Naruto/Tear Jerker


BEFORE THE TIME-SKIP

  • Inari's backstory (specially, the horrible death of his adopted father) is a punch to the gut. Simple. The manga makes it even worse.
  • Haku throwing himself between Kakashi and Zabuza near the beginning of the series is also especially gut-wrenching, especially when a dying Zabuza asks to be laid down next to him. In the manga it was even worse, as Haku was killed much more graphically.
    • Followed by an angry, tear-filled speech by Naruto to a seemingly impassive Zabuza, screaming about how Haku was so devoted to Zabuza, loved him so purely, that he gave his life and dreams up to help him. And it drives Zabuza to tears.
      • This Troper had to walk out and wait several minutes before the tears subsided and finish watching the episode (I taped it). Haku was very tragic and the episode was the most emotional I had seen for some time. Every time I watch it, I start crying again.
        • This troper had never been that much of a Naruto fan, but at that point,it made me cry.
    • For this troper, the Tear Jerker in that arc was when Sakura discovered Sasuke, lying (apparently) dead on the ground, and, clutching his body and with tears running down her face, recites shinobi saying #25: "A shinobi never shows his feelings no matter what the circumstances. Feelings are a weakness that only cloud his judgment and weaken his sense of duty." Then she begins to wail.
      • Naruto is clutching his chest and standing there heartbroken at this part of the manga, making it even more heartwrenching. The look of pain and emptiness on his face is a Tear Jerker in itself.
  • Zabuza's final speech to Haku's corpse while he dies beside it?
    • And it's set amidst an unexplainable sudden snow, like it would be in Haku's home village.

Zabuza: "Is it you, Haku? Are you weeping? You were always at my side. The least I can do is to be beside you at the end. I know I cannot be, but I wish I could go to where you have gone...How I wish I could join you there...Haku..."

    • And then a single snowflake lands on Haku's face, melting and rolling down his cheek like a tear. sob.
  • And when Sakura gets her Important Haircut. Because boy, the circumstances and her inner monologues...
    • This troper, who never cries at sad scenes in anime/manga, was on the verge of tears upon reading this scene for the first time.
  • Same goes to Hinata's fight with Neji. When Neji warned her that she could end up dead and asked her why did she keep on fighting against fate, and she told him that he was the one who truly fought against his own destiny.
    • This troper read the outcome of the fight in advance on The Other Wiki and still kept hoping that somehow she could pull through and win.
  • Rock Lee's sheer will to win during his fight with Gaara, which kept him standing even after being crippled and knocked unconscious, makes this troper cry tears of inspiration and admiration. Guy hugging him brings a few more tears.
    • And more than this, the chapter/episode when Tsunade breaks to him what his chances are of ever being a shinobi again, and Guy's subsequent speech on the balcony. "And on the one in one thousand, no, one in a million chance something should happen to go wrong, I will die right along with you." Tears welling up just typing that one line.
      • Cue Lee jumping into Guy's arms and crying uncontrollably while the audience does the same.
  • When Neji and Naruto were fighting and Neji explains that destiny tells everyone who to be. The reason for this is because he thought is father (who is the twin of Hinata's father, only born 2 seconds later) was killed by the Hyuga clan to give to the cloud village (since the cloud village did not believe the shinobi representative tried to kidnap Hinata and steal the Byakugan's secrets). The truth was that Hinata's father was supposed to be killed because he killed the cloud shinobi to protect Hinata, but Neji's father offered to die in his brother's place (since they're identical twins). He didn't want to do it for the clan or the village, but simply because they're brothers. Even Hinata's dad pointed out how crazy that was, but to no avail. Neji's dad did it of his own free will and it wasn't revealed to Neji until after the Chuunin Exams.
  • Any time the Sandaime Hokage talks about Konoha. Naruto and every other potential Hokage have big shoes to fill. *sniff, sniff*

Third Hokage: "They are all... my family!"

  • The entire episode devoted to Gaara's backstory. Along with the scene comparing Gaara's lonely life to Naruto's (eventually) friend-filled one, there's also Gaara being openly treated as a monster and not even able to ask for small favors from his neighbors; even when he is at the peak of misery, his sand-shield prevents him from being able to end it himself; top this all off with the key scenes being accentuated by Sadness and Sorrow, possibly one of the saddest pieces of music this troper has ever heard....I cried for almost that entire episode. And of course, after he meets, fights, and is defeated by Naruto, he finally see's that it's possible for people like him to have friends. Cue his Heel Face Turn to the side of good....and my Heel Face Turn from absolutely hating Gaara to having Gaara as my favorite character.
    • Oh God, when Yashamaru tells Gaara how he REALLY feels about him and that he's a monster and how no one will ever love him...and then he tries to blow him up. Gaara's own uncle tried to kill him for something that wasn't his fault in the first place, after years of tricking him into thinking he was the only person who loved him. Brought back some very bad memories for this troper, as well as a virtual flood of tears.
      • And then it turns out his uncle didn't hate him after all, but was forced to do this by Gaara's father. Ouch!
  • Book 15 of the manga, where Naruto has an epiphany in the middle of the fight with Gaara. Possibly the most heartbreaking thing I have ever seen is Naruto, as a small boy, looking into the mirror and trying to see what makes everyone hate him so much.
    • That was the saddest scene in the whole series for me. When Naruto, bloodied and wrecked, is crawling by using his head, eating dirt, still tries fight Gaara who is also lying on the ground. When Gaara starts calling out trying to understand what drives this guy. When they both understand that finally there is someone else out there who is like them, someone who lived a horrible life, excluded from everything because of something they can't control...
      • This troper doesn't cry, but he got close when, after his fight with Naruto, Gaara says to his brother and sister, "Kankuro...Temari...I'm sorry..." Note that his siblings spent most of their lives terrified that Gaara would kill them, and that now Gaara is trying to make amends. Add to this the lullaby-ish piece of music being played at the time, signifying his rebirth into an actual, caring person.
  • Episode 80 ( the Third Hokage's funeral); this troper cried 3 times during that 1 episode. That whole episode is one huge Tear Jerker from beginning to end, and if that doesn't fit on this page, nothing does.
  • Kakashi's final conversation with Sasuke before the time-skip as a final attempt to stop Sasuke's revenge from destroying himself. These words come to mind:

Sasuke: Maybe if I was to kill the most important people in your life... everyone who's ever meant anything... maybe then I'd listen to you, because maybe then you'd have some idea how I feel!
Kakashi: Hmm... that's an interesting theory, but I'm afraid you're a little late to put it to the test. Everyone you're talking about has already been killed.

  • Also when Sakura tried to persuade Sasuke to stay. What makes it even worse is that Sasuke doesn't stay, even after she truly and completely pours her heart to him. He leaves... not before calling her annoying, then thanking her for everything and knocking her out so she doesn't join him in his betrayal of Konoha.
  • No one mentions about Chouji's speech about having finally found his friends in Sasuke Retrieval arc? Maybe I am a sucker for these, I was bawling at that moment.
    • "Dad...You were right. I made some really great friends." I cried too.
    • This Troper hated Chouji up until that arc, thinking him as nothing but an unfunny, annoying joke character. But his fight in that arc made me gain a lot more respect for him. The thing that got me the most was the sad music that plays in the anime during Shikamaru's speech when They had to leave Chouji behind, knowing he would probably die.
    • And the message scratched into the tree?
  • Kiba and Akamaru's fight against Sakon and Ukon was Tear-Jerker-ish as well: Akamaru is getting severely beaten, and Kiba isn't far from Death. Kiba, just watching and getting sadder and more frustrated as Sakon and Ukon beat on him and his dog. It was sad for this troper. The fact Kiba and Akamaru are this troper's favorite characters doesn't help at all.
  • Kimimaro's Death in the Limelight reveals that he went through more or less the same as Haku, and as a result displays the same level of devotion to Orochimaru that Haku demonstrated to Zabuza. The first (and last) time he shows signs of emotions is when Gaara states that he has been brainwashed and is nothing but a pawn, which he denies, saying that Orochimaru was the only one ever to understand him. It gets sadder than Haku's case by the fact that Orochimaru ultimately doesn't care about his death.

Kimimaro: I am not his pawn! He is the one, the only one who ever gave my life meaning! But how could the likes of you ever understand that!?

  • Regardless of what he's like now, the flashbacks to the Uchiha massacre are pretty horrible. Especially the one with Sasuke mistaking a noise in another room for his mother, running in... and it's only a cat. -sniff- Also, the death of Obito in Kakashi's past.
  • The bit after the final attack of the Naruto vs. Sasuke when we see both of them as children holding hands and smiling.
    • Made even sadder with the revelation in chapter 538 that the way they shook hands is an old Konoha tradition of showing that two ninjas are still comrades after a battle *sniff*
    • That entire fight, really. "When I'm with you... I wonder if this is what it feels like to have a brother..."
    • The part of that fight that had this troper tearing up is when Sasuke impales Naruto with his Chidori, and Naruto starts crying at the realisation that his best friend really would kill him. Naruto goes ninetails and heals himself, causing Sasuke to ask, "What the hell are you?" to which Naruto replies, tears streaming down his face, "Your friend."
  • The aftermath of the Sasuke Retrieval Arc. Shikamaru's first mission as a team leader is a dismal failure. Every member of his team (including his best friend) was hospitalized, some uncertain to survive, some (including himself) probably would have died if the Sand siblings hadn't come to their rescue, and on top of that, the objective was failed. Sitting outside the room where his team mates are being operated on, he resolves to quit being a ninja. His father chews him out for giving up so easily, especially in front of a girl, but he shrugs it off. Just then, the doors burst open; everyone's going to be okay. Shikamaru, lazy, lazy Shikamaru, breaks down into tears, swearing to become a better ninja and leader so he can keep his friends alive in front of his father and Temari.
    • Just reading that, my eyes became damp with tears (that phrase sounds like something from a translation of an anime theme song...). Not even the memory of it, it's been too long since I've read it, just the concept of that sort of sequence. It's not easy to make me cry, so that's something like the equivalent of continuous sobbing from another.
  • The ending to Kakashi Gaiden. Especially in the animated version. Just as you stop crying for Obito, that damn narration come on and you start crying all over again.
  • Keep going through Shippuden, read all of the TearJerkers listed below... and then re-read the first seven volumes. The ones where Team 7 was learning to be a team, having fun... just read chapter 35. While doing so, keep in mind what that team will become, and what they can never be again.

Sasuke: "Naruto? Sakura? Let's go!"

  • Just before Sasuke leaves, the scene with Sakura is heart breaking. When he says "Thank you for everything." I burst into tears.
  • Tsunade's Past anyone?! Dead Little Brother and boyfriend within a month?! Her screaming for him to hang on...oh dear god...that was sad. And Orochimaru mocks her for it.
    • Made worse in that Kabuto has resurrected her boyfriend Dan as an Edo Tensei zombie soldier, who will be forced to fight the good guys' army while having no control of his body.
  • The entire Valley Of The End battle between Naruto and Sasuke former teammates and friends, Sasuke doing everything in his power to kill Naruto, and Naruto crying Berserker Tears while stating that he's willing to break the bones in Sasuke's arms and legs in order to keep him from going to Orochimaru.
  • Kabuto usually presents himself as this harmless, bumbling oaf with Nerd Glasses, but is in fact in league with the Big Bad Orochimaru, and...well...poor Naruto's look of betrayal when he realizes this is just too much.

AFTER THE TIME-SKIP

  • The flashbacks to Sasori and Chiyo's backstories in Shippuuden, as well as their death scenes, can be pretty emotional. The sad version of Chiyo/Sasori's theme that plays adds to the effect.
    • Note: The Akatsuki are all (including the Uchihas, I don't care what you say) wonderfully psychopathic bloodthirsty killers. This troper knows this and revels in it. This did not stop her from getting a lump in her throat at any of their deaths. Except for maybe one. Hidan. But only because she finds him too amusing to mourn.
  • Gaara and Naruto are shown, each standing by themselves in the middle of a dry, barren field to represent the way jinchuuriki are treated by others. Gradually, people begin to join Naruto, until the barren field becomes grassy and he is surrounded by friends and allies... while Gaara remains totally alone.
  • And no one mentions the scene in Naruto Shippuden when Sakura can't revive Gaara, and Naruto freaks out? Probably the only scene which brought this troper to tears.
    • Perhaps I'm just soppy, but for me it was the scene afterwards, when Gaara wakes up in a field completely surrounded by Sand shinobi. The stunned look on his face, successive Crowning Moments of Heartwarming followed by the fade to grey as Naruto discovers that Granny Chiyo is dead-- *SOB*
  • Oh, God, This Troper is watching the Naruto vs Orochimaru fight, and Sakura's reaction at the four-tailed fox version of Naruto is just heartbreaking, especially when she starts running towards him screaming "Naruto, stop! It's okay; I can rescue Sasuke! I'm begging you to stop this right now! Please... Naruto, please stop!" Oh, god, it's painful, and it really shows how the hero having a Super-Powered Evil Side can affect those around him.
    • What made that scene even worse was that Naruto tries to kill her right after she says that.
  • Sai finally completing his picture book made this troper tear up.
  • In Naruto, when Sakura stared at the picture of Team 7 taken before Sasuke's Face Heel Turn on them and started to cry softly.
  • Lest we forget the death of Asuma. It came way out of left field, and seeing Kurenai's reaction was even sadder. In this editor's opinion, there was no greater moment in Shippuden than watching Shikamaru kick Hidan's ass.
    • The death itself was awful enough, but worse was Shikamaru immediately thereafter taking Asuma's lighter, putting a lit cigarette in his mouth, and then lamenting that he always hated Asuma's smoking because it stung his eyes. He was so stricken that he felt the need to do this when it was already raining.
    • Episode 82 of the anime manages to make this hit home solidly: Shikamaru and his father Shikaku are playing Shogi in the middle of the night after Asuma's funeral. During a long unbroken camera shot of them moving pieces, Shikamaru's father attempts to praise his son's efforts, but when he brings up Asuma's death, Shikamaru knocks over the Shogi board, scattering the pieces across the room, screaming that he is a useless coward. Shikaku looks at him, tells him to "let it out" and walks away. He closes the door behind him just as Shikamaru lets out the most heartwrenching cries of grief ever heard in anime, saying quietly, "I'll pick up the pieces".
      • This very scene was the first time that this troper cried over the death of a fictional character.
    • The fourth Shippuden opening itself. If you know that Asuma dies it becomes one of the saddest songs ever made. Especially the part when the singer sings "You know the closer you get to something, the tougher it is to see it, and I'll never take it for granted..." in English
  • Jiraiya's death. This troper tears up at the very mention of Jiraiya's death. It was even sadder after seeing Naruto's reaction.

"Now, I suppose it's about time I put down my pen."

    • Naruto Shippuden episode 133, Jiraiya's death scene, and his flashback to Kushina and Minato. The significance of that event, and the music playing in the background as Minato spoke to Jiraiya, drove me to tears.
    • The part that always gets this troper is the one right before that, Jiraiya's lament.

"In the shinobi world, it's not how you live; it's how you die. A shinobi's life is not measured by how they lived, but rather it's measured by what they managed to accomplish before their death. Looking back, my life has really been full of nothing but failure. Continually rejected by Tsunade, unable to stop my friend, and unable to protect either my student or my mentor. Compared to the great and celebrated deeds of the Hokage, my actions are trifling, insignificant things indeed. I wish that I could have died like each of the Hokage. A tale is only as good as its final turn of events, the plot twist, and mistakes are an important part of the plot, too! I've lived my life always believing that the lessons I've learned are what honed me. I swore I would accomplish a deed so great that it would obliterate all my failures; I'd die a splendid shinobi. At least, that's how it was supposed to go. But this... my plot twist... my tale ending like this... The Great Lord Elder prophesied that I would be the one to guide a revolution: A person who will make a great choice that will bring either peace or destruction to the world of the shinobi. I thought I would defeat Pain, stop the Akatsuki and save the world from destruction, but in the end, I failed that, too. How pitiful, how sad that this will be the ending twist to 'The Tale of Jiraiya the Gallant.' What a worthless story it turned out to be."

      • It will only get worse when Naruto and Tsunade find out. Jiraiya's death was inherently badass, but the reaction of the two people who cared for him most wasn't. It was heartwrenching in the manga, I can't imagine how bad the anime will make me feel.
      • The worst part of all is Tsunade's reaction. Throughout the entire deal, she seems to be keeping a rather level head. Then, in Chapter 405, she blows off Shikamaru and steps out of her office, seeming to simply need some air after a trying few days. She doesn't even make it down the hallway before collapsing against a wall, her mind swarming with memories of her oldest living acquaintance, from their last meeting all the way back to their very first. The last panel of the chapter is of tears flowing down Tsunade's face, while she silently curses him for going off against Pain alone, showing that Jiraiya's death has left her absolutely heartbroken.
      • This video takes it to a whole other level of tearjerking. It perfectly sums up Jiraiyas life.
      • This Troper personally believes that Jiraiya's death was taken to a whole level in badass in Naruto Shippuden: Ultimate Ninja Storm 2, where it's less of a Heroic Sacrifice and more a Last Stand. Instead of being impaled with multiple rods and left to die on the ground before eventually getting done in by a "Fist Missile", He says screw it and stands up after remembering how Naruto never gave up, no matter what. When Pain notices this and tells him to give up, Jiraiya's answer is firing off arguably the biggest Rasengan of the whole Naruto-verse, which seems to engulf everything, using the very last of his energy and blasting him backward into the lake, where he finally succumbs to his wounds. What really did it was that he got the chance to do what both of his students managed, but he was denied: quote his book.

Jiraiya: You should give up....TRYING TO MAKE ME GIVE UP! * Uber!Rasengan*

  • In Naruto, I'm not much of a romantic - but the Jiraiya-Tsunade relationship was something I so wanted to succeed - so it broke my heart when Jiraiya died, especially after the bet he placed with Tsunade. Ironic in more ways than one. His line "The pursuit of happiness isn't for men" really brought a tear to my eye. What made it even more crushing was that the only reason he lost was that he didn't know about the other bodies of Pain
  • Please tell this troper that he isn't the only one overwhelmed by the 12th Shippuden ending. Seeing all of the Sannin and Team 7 as children, including Orochimaru and Sasuke, just seems to show how much they changed. And then we're shown each one's personal tragedies and the results...
  • Orochimaru's death got to me, in a way that some of the much more heroic characters' haven't, especially in the anime, as we see how he got to be that way, and that all his claims of never having been friends with Tsunade and Jiriya were bullshit. It's not so much the death itself that got to me, but all that wasted potential. Those flashbacks really show that he could have been a hero with just a few different life choices.
  • The death of Itachi in the manga, when he seems about to take Sasuke's eyes, but instead performs one last act of brotherly affection before succumbing to his wounds.
    • I'm sorry, Sasuke... This is the last time..." and with a smile, too. Waah!
    • This editor, who still thinks that Itachi as a good guy was a stupid idea, admits that he cried at that.
    • This Troper personally believes that it would've been even more emotional if the line was "Sorry, Sasuke...There won't be a next time...". Your Mileage May Vary of course...
      • Especially after all those flashbacks in which, when Sasuke asked Itachi to help him train, he would say "I'm sorry, Sasuke. Some other time, okay?" And now... there won't be a next time. *Sniff*...
    • This quote should also be mentioned, for some reason this editor can't explain:

Itachi: I'm always going to be there for you even if it's only as an obstacle for you to overcome. Even if you do hate me, that's what big brothers are for.

  • I don't care what you say about Itachi being a good guy, but seeing him FREAKING CRY in the flashback Sasuke had... my god. This is ITACHI we're talking about. EMOTIONLESS FREAKING ITACHI. Add that to him SMILING as he DIED, and you have yourself whole new depths. I mean, just the revelation that it gives you... because just imagining everything up until then, knowing that it actually affected him... and then SASUKE CRIES TOO. Sand. In. My. EYE. I don't even live anywhere where there's significant amounts of sand. BUT IT IS IN MY EYE.
    • in retrospect, Sasuke's flashbacks before facing Itachiwere strong foreshadowing of his true affiliation
  • Kakashi's death, as well. Especially when he meets up with his dad around the campfire in the afterlife, confirming that it wasn't Only a Flesh Wound and that he really was dead. But he recovered.
    • In the anime, it was even worse, it had this troper crying even when she knew he survived.
      • Kakashi's death, which has already been mentioned, was heartbreaking, especially as the poor guy knows only too well that he's flawed and failed to save both his team mates, but Chouji's reaction, and what he went through in Episode 450, was the icing on the cake. First, he, his father and Kakashi team up, and it goes horribly wrong, and Chouza jumps in front of Chouji, screaming, "Make it in time!" as Pain's collision with Kakashi sets off an explosion. Chouji comes to and is later seen weeping over his father's body, believing him to be dead. Then Kakashi pulls a Heroic Sacrifice to save Chouji as he runs to Tsunade. Things get better briefly for Chouji when Tsunade tells him his father is alive, albeit seriously injured, but then he sobers up and asks about Kakashi...and Tsunade simply says, "Hurry, Chouji" and leaves, and Chouji slowly collapses to the ground in grief. I can't be the only one who found the whole episode really, really depressing.
        • Yeah. Seeing a man who has spent his life trying to protect those who are precious to him think "I'm sorry, I couldn't protect you" as his last living thoughts is a terribly tragic thing.
    • Shizune's death was -just- ambiguous enough that this troper managed to convince himself it was actually something that Ino's clan could do to fix it. Finding out she's definitely dead in 435? Yeah.
      • Though such is nothing compared to having Pain pointlessly executing a KO-d Hinata, who had admitted her love to Naruto mere seconds before.
      • Well, there was sort of a point - he wanted to prove to Naruto that his way of thinking was flawed. Of course, murdering someone to prove a point of philosophy is still pretty twisted.
  • Chapter 429, when Pain destroys Konoha, was like a punch to the gut. It still makes this troper tear up thinking about it.
  • Hinata finally telling Naruto she loves him and that she wants to protect him from Pain. And then, presumably being killed.. That. Is. ALL.
    • And that fact is made worse if you think of it this way. That may of been the first time someone has told that to Naruto or the first time he can remember it being said to him, depending on when Kushina died.
      • Oh...my...god....this troper is gonna go be sad now, because he never even thought about that.
    • ...It's taken Up to Eleven in the anime...Hinata actually lands a hit on Pain, and breaks some of the rods holding Naruto down. Pain just keeps beating her...and she continues to get up and fight...even crawling over to Naruto to try to yank the rod out after all the punishment she had already taken. I...began to tear up. And then that final Shinra Tensei...
      • Oh god, that scene... Naruto screaming Hinata's name, the absolute silence as she slowly, agonisingly tries to force herself to her feet, slipping and falling with a pained gasp, then rising again... one arm hanging limp at her side, the other gripping her stomach, limping and stumbling across the space that separates her from Naruto, then falling to the ground again... rising again, blood trickling down her face, as Naruto begs her to stop... and then that music as the flashbacks begin... collapsing again only a few feet away from Naruto, forcing herself to crawl on her hands and knees to reach him, Pain watching, unable to comprehend why she's fighting so hard, even knowing she'll die... Hinata wrapping her hands around the stake pinning Naruto's hands to the ground... and then, that line:

Hinata: I stand by what I say... Because... that's my Ninja Way...

      • Line delivered while Naruto, who had his face buried in his arms, looks up slowly, realizing Hinata is uttering his very own creed. The look on his face when they look at each other is PRICELESS!
      • And then all sound vanishes as Pain drags her into the air, smashes her to the ground and impales her with one of his stakes...
      • At that moment, Naruto became shocked and emotionless to the point where he can't even blink. All the tragedy he witnessed since he learned of Jiraiya's and Sakura's injuries, courtesy of Naruto's 4-tailed form has been bottling up inside him up to this point...
    • Subverted! Hinata's still alive. Sakura arrived in time and healed her wounds.
  • An Angst Nuke, Chibaku Tensei, and a few tails later, the Darkest Hour has arrived. The seal has weakened to the point where Naruto is being manipulated by the Kyuubi, and Naruto himself has given up all hope and put his trust into the very being he hates to save him from his suffering. As a result, the transformation has gone the further than ever before: an 8-tailed muscular monstrosity breaks out of the Chibaku Tensei. Then, as Naruto puts his hand on the seal, Yamato's hand reads "9"...
  • Chapter 439: The Fourth Hokage's trapped soul finally, finally making his appearance within Naruto's mind, to prevent his pushed-to-the-limit son from breaking the seal... and to declare that although he never wanted to see the Kyuubi again, being able to meet Naruto more than makes up for that.
    • The following chapter of The Fourth telling Naruto that he believes in him, since "parents always believe in their children" had this troper bawling. Damn you Kishimoto, damn you...
  • This may just be me, but the chapter art that shows all of the Jinchuriki standing together kind of made me sad, considering how happy they look together and the fact that, by that point, all of them but Gaara, Kirabi and Naruto are dead...
    • We're having more heart-wrenching Jinchuriki tragedies courtesy of the anime: Utakata's (the jinchuriki of the Six-Tailed Slug) death right after he promises to help train Hotaru, the only person who trusted him in the last episode of the Anime Filler Arc. To have been deprived of your life at just about the moment it begins to take a turn for the better... *SOB*
  • Pain's backstory. It kind of explains all of his action... albeit not justified it.
    • And then after hearing Pain's backstory, Naruto's decision.

Naruto: That may be true... I think you're right.
Pain: ...Really?
Naruto: I understand you. But I stll can't forgive you. I still hate you.
Pain: Then let's finish this.
Naruto: But... That pervy sage believed in me... so I... will believe in what he believed in. That's my answer. So... I... won't kill you.

    • Does it count as a tearjerker if you're muttering 'thankyou thankyou thankyou' at the same time? See chapter 449 for details.
  • what about Nagato's bond with Chibi? both felt lost, abandoned and hungry until they met Konan and Yahiko but in the end cut short when he was was caught in the crossfire of war?
  • This troper was reduced to helpless sobs when Nagato is forced to kill his best friend Yahiko to save Konan. Not only that, he understandably hesitates, only for Yahiko to push himself onto the Kunai in Nagato's hand. This is a guy who genuinely wanted to help end war with his friends, to ensure no-one had to endure the pain they did; yet those warmongering fools robbed him of sympathy with their cold power lust and were about to murder them both having forced him to kill his other. The way Naruto was brutally treated in his youth, he could well have ended up just the same. You can certainly understand why he had no faith in humanity after witnessing such barbarity; this troper cannot find it in his heart to blame him, even dislike him, poor guy. In similar circumstances, I know I'd want revenge on such heartless murderers.
  • While it's more Crowning Moment of Awesome, Crowning Moment of Heartwarming and Tear Jerker rolled into one, Episode 175 has Naruto returning on Kakashi's back to a newly-resurrected, cheering Konoha, and it should definitely count. That everyone's bawling out of joy, praise and jubilation at Naruto's heroics (especially his mentors Iruka and Ebisu) while remembering Naruto's Character Development over the past years to the tune of "Departure to the Front Lines" simply beats any Real Life hero's welcome I've seen in my entire life.
  • The recent events in chapter 457 in which Naruto practically begs the Raikage to spare Sasuke's life and then says "I know it's a lot to ask...but I have to try! Sasuke is my friend! I can't sit back and watch him be killed! I don't want either of us to get caught up in revenge." And when he sees that the Raikage is ignoring him Naruto drops down to his knees begins to cry, and screams at the top of his lungs, "I'M BEGGING YOU!! I DON'T WANT ANYONE ELSE GETTING KILLED FOR REVENGE!!! All Sasuke ever thought about was revenge! It consumed him and changed him! He was driven mad by revenge! He's not the same guy I knew anymore! I don't want that to happen to anyone else! I don't people from Konoha and Kumo to be killing each other! PLEASE!" However the Raikage flat out refuses with "I will kill Sasuke! It's up to you to make sure it stops there!" He then reprimands Naruto with "a ninja should not be so quick to bow to another! You beg for mercy for a criminal, for the safety of your friends, in the ninja world we do not call that friendship!" and spells out the harsh truth "The history of the human race is a history of war! The weak will be crushed!" Finally, the Raikage and his group leave with "You won't get far in the ninja world if you keep acting so stupidly!" and Naruto just remains there curled up on the ground in a sobbing wreck.
  • When Gaara confronts Sasuke, Gaara is crying. Just crying wouldn't do it... except this is Gaara we're talking about.
  • If you didn't feel like hugging Naruto when the picture of Team Seven broke in Chapter 474, then you have NO SOUL.
    • This troper also cried when Sai revealed to Naruto that all of his teammates are planning to join together in the hopes of getting rid of Sasuke and how Sakura means to kill Sasuke herself because she loves him and wants to prevent him from living a life of evil. The picture breaking held significance in that sense because Naruto had tried so hard to get Sasuke back and keep team seven together, and he's steadily losing hope because it's becoming clearer to him, as much as he tries to deny it, that it's not possible. More than Sasuke and Naruto's fight at the Valley of the End and Itachi's death, this chapter has become one of the most heartbreaking moments in Naruto for this troper, because of how everything seems to have gone to hell and how its seems that Naruto is the only person in Konoha or most of the ninja world for that matter who doesn't want Sasuke dead. So, in that sense, it really is him against the world now because Naruto will not kill anyone, he still considers Sasuke to be his best friend, and even though Sakura tried to get Naruto to forget about the promise, we all know that Naruto does NOT go back on his word EVER. Plus, he said it himself to Sakura that he was hoping to bring Sasuke back not just for her sake but for his sake as well.
      • It Got Worse in chapter 476. Seeing the Determinator Naruto who has overcome so many hardships collapse due to all of the above--well, it got to this troper. At this point, Naruto is probably one of the only people in the entire world that still gives a damn about Sasuke and wants to save him.
  • Even though he was seen as a giant bastard throughout much of his time in the series, Danzou's death (topped with the revelation that he really did care for the village and truly respected the 3rd) tugged at quite a few heart strings. Especially his final words:

"Hiruzen... It looks like its my turn next. But I never did become hokage. No matter how far I went, I could never catch up with you... You are the leaves bathing in the sun. I... Am the roots that grow in the dark. What do you think of me...? Hey Hiruzen... What am I to you?"

  • Chapter 483: Alright I may not agree with Sasuke's actions in the manga as of recently but I can't deny it tugged at my heartstrings to see him making a serious attempt to kill Sakura and tell Kakashi right to his face that he's been itching to kill him for a long time. Just to see them going from being a team who looked out for each other and put their lives on the line for one another to actively trying to kill each other is the most heartbreaking thing this troper's witnessed in the series thus far.
    • Even worse is if you try to imagine exactly what Kakashi must be going through. His heart's gotta be breaking at all this.
      • Your Mileage May Vary on this one. I personally found Sasuke challenging Kakashi to a deathmatch in the state he was in to be hilariously absurd. What dragged this scene into Tear Jerker territory was, as the above note mentioned, the sense of what Kakashi's going through. Point: As he comes to the tragic realization that Sasuke has fallen irredeemably low and prepares to take him out, he laments that he now knows how the Third Hokage felt, in that no matter how low Orochimaru fell, he still loved him. Excuse me, there's Sand in My Eyes...
  • Chapter 484: Sakura. Her face was just heartwrentching while she was healing Karin. The tears. And when Karin starts to cry after seeing this. What tops it off was when Sakura almost got Sasuke with the poisoned kunai. She goes in ready to attack, but then has the flashbacks, and the very last thing she remembers is that "Thank you." before he leaves. She's visibly trembling and oh man, her tears when she says "I thought I could do this." Sasuke means too much to her for her to go through with it.
    • The most tragic thing of all is that they both don't know. Sasuke didn't know about this hesitation, and Sakura didn't know about the situation with Itachi. As far as both are concerned, one wants to kill him and the other is killing without reason. And then he goes and chokes her, never knowing that despite it all, her feelings for him...
  • In chapter 486, Naruto tells Sasuke that he'll bear the burden of his hatred and they'll die together the next time they fight. Sasuke asks Naruto why he cares about him so much and Naruto responds by smiling and saying "Because I'm your friend." Sasuke's reaction to this line makes it all the more heartwarming and teardrop-inducing.
  • Chapter 488: Shizune crying when Tsunade wakes up from her coma, but in a good way.

"Shizune... You're squeezing too hard..."

  • The end of chapter 497 brought forth tears of the happy kind. Kushina appears as Naruto's fighting and losing himself to Kyuubi's darkness and says "No...you need to stay here, Naruto." In the following chapter Naruto realizes Kushina is actually his mother, cries as he hugs her, and has a chat with her about things, which includes them laughing together and Kushina telling Naruto about how she came to fall in love with Minato. At the end of the chapter she tells Naruto she loves him and Naruto gives an adorable smile in response.
    • And then it goes to sad when, after finally meeting her and defeating the Kyuubi, he turns to her, seemingly about to ask what now, she cuts him off and basically happily tells him that she can now go be with Minato. In other words, she is going to die. The shocked look immediately followed by the downcast eyes get to This Troper.
  • Tears somewhere between the sad variety and the enraged variety have the potential to be shed at chapter 500. As it is, it has revealed that Tobi/Madara is entirely, purposefully responsible for literally every bad thing that happened to Naruto in his life. Not just his father's Heroic Sacrifice, not just Jiraiya's death due to Pain, and not even stopping at causing the entire conflict with Sasuke, Tobi has been revealed as being the person responsible for Kushina's death and Naruto ever being a jinchuuriki in the first place because he threatened Naruto's life mere moments after birth as an ultimatum to Minato and Kushina. Just thinking about the fear and heartbreak that Minato and Kushina must have felt as their first and only son's life was in danger right after they had looked forward to the event for nearly a year is sad enough.
  • Chapter 501: The panels of Kushina laying next to baby Naruto after Madara took the Kyuubi out of her, and cuddling him while crying and muttering "Naruto..." Just look.
    • What's worse is that she's slowly dying at this point. This is the only time she'll be able to do this.
    • Seeing baby Naruto and baby Sasuke in this chapter being cradled by their loved ones (mom and dad in Naruto's case and a child Itachi in Sasuke's case) is pretty sad since we know just how utterly awful things are going to get for both of them.
      • Seeing young Itachi holding Sasuke made me realize that I'll never be able to look at Itachi again without nearly tearing up.
  • Chapter 503 is quite sad as well. Between the cover and everything from page 14 to the end. In order:
    • The cover is a picture of the life and family that Naruto could have had, and was robbed of by Madara's machinations.
    • Kushina tells Minato that she will reseal the Kyuubi inside of herself and die along with it.
    • Minato tells her that he will seal part of the Kyuubi in Naruto, and part into himself.
    • Minato and Kushina resign themselves to death.
    • Minato activates the Death God Seal.
    • What Kushina says to Minato is utterly heartwrenching: " If I try to imagine surviving and the three of us...living together...I can't think of anything...beyond "I'd be so happy.""
      • Damn it. This Troper was fine reading the chapter, if a little sad, but all in order like that really gets to me. The cover and the bit under the last spoiler are especially bad.
    • The deaths of Iruka's parents, particularly when Iruka watches his mother get wounded, apparently fatally, while protecting him
    • It's not the event itself of Kakashi and the rest of his age group (note that Rin is absent) haplessly being told to stand down, but if you think about it in hindsight how Kakashi is, and how this is likely the night he lost not only his sensei but his last teammate, and he didn't even take part in the battle... Time to visit the Memorial Stone.
  • Chapter 504 isn't much better, and is arguably worse finishing off everything from 503. The biggest tearjerker, though, is Kushina's last words to Naruto before she dies and the Kyuubi gets sealed into him, as she tells him the entire list of things a mother usually says to her child over the course of his life... all at once.
    • This troper cried at the ending of Chapter 504 when Kushina goes to hug Naruto but disappeared before she could
    • In fact, most of the chapter is Minato and Kushina discussing how they won't be there for Naruto, and angsting over whether its morally justified.
    • And its anime counterpart : Episode 249 - I'm not gonna cry. I'm not gonna cry.
    • It's not just Episode 249, Episode 248 had it's moments as well. For example, seeing that look of love that Kushina gives to the infant Naruto the first time she sees him, and knowing that she will be dead within two hours was enough to make me shed tears. But, this troper has to agree about 249. I didn't shed a couple of tears, I was crying! And that's not something that happens often!
  • I can't be the only one who found Kisame's death in chapter 508 to be somewhat tragic, can I?
    • No you aren't brother, no you aren't...
    • The sad part here is the fact that it turned Kisame from Affably Evil to Well-Intentioned Extremist. If any, knowing his background as one of consistent murder and betrayal makes us understand why he would want the "world of truth" promised by Madara's Eye of the Moon Plan. The fact that he remembers learning about life from his dear partner Itachi doubles the impact.
      • I think the part that got me was that Samehada began crying after Kisame's death.
    • Additionally, even Naruto notes that Kisame, while a ruthless enemy, truly did care for his comrades, and wasn't just in pursuit of his own ambitions.

Kisame: It seems, in the end, I'm not so terrible after all.

    • The above quote was what really struck home to me.
  • Lets just say anytime Man of the World starts playing, you know your gonna start bawling.
  • While it is probably too minor to add at this point, I suppose Konan's last battle with Madara should also count due to Character Development that came too late. Knowing the circumstances behind why she would be willing to stay in the background while Nagato and Yahiko were doing the Badass stuff (simply because she sees herself as the pillar supporting their dreams to peace - aside from being obviously already falling for Yahiko). That she finally learned how to stand and rationalize for herself in a hopeless last stand against the psychopathic Big Bad amplifies the impact of what was supposedly a Satellite Character's demise.

"We'll all come home. And the three of us will celebrate a job well done! We'll have to call Jiraiya-sensei, too..." *SOB*

    • Minor? That's the only time I felt sad at all for those three, it was the only emotional part of that story that actually worked.
  • 517: Sai seems... distressed when he sees Shin. This troper is sure she isn't the only one who sympathizes with him.
    • We can only imagine what will happen when Shikamaru encounters Zombie!Asuma...
      • However, Shin's soul is released from the jutsu after seeing the picture Sai drew that he never go to see. Which makes it more sad yet beautiful.
  • 519: Sasori's death is this as well, if only because of his dying flashback and his request to Kankuro.
  • 522: The return of zombie Haku and Zabuza. It starts with Haku expressing regret that if Zabuza was also summoned, then clearly he was a failure as a tool. If Kakashi's line "he didn't just view you as a tool" superimposed over the image of Zabuza's final moment, followed by a completely shocked Haku didn't get you, then Zabuza - still unable to admit emotion even in death - telling Kakashi to shut up probably will. And more! Haku's tearful "Thank you" followed by the complete stripping of consciousness.
  • 530: After meeting again Kakuzu, The Ino-Shika-Chou trio is stunned to see their master Asuma on the enemy side. Shikaku decides that it will be their task to deal with him. Shikaku's advice ? "Don't get emotional. This is war. Failure is not an option".
  • 535: Iruka's letter to Naruto. Especially "Come back alive, Naruto!"
  • Episode 211 of Shippuden had Danzo's death. This troper choked back a sob watching one of her favorite characters die. His last words and the way in which they had been spoken were absolutely heartbreaking to me.
  • 547: Karura's death scene, and the revelation that she really did love her son, enough that death itself couldn't stop her from protecting him, just like she'd promised. This doubles as a Crowning Moment because it is known that the One-Tail can control sand, but it's Karura's love that's protecting Gaara. To put it simply, her love for her son was so strong that she could force the One-Tail's chakra to protect him, and when the One-Tail was removed, that bit of it's power never left. Just as bad is when we're told that Yashamaru never truly hated Gaara, because it takes Gaara's crappy/non-existent childhood and makes it ten times worse. That absolutely devastated expression Gaara's wearing in the last few pages is completely justified.
    • Revealing that he was also born prematurely just made it even worse; seriously, he's so small he can fit in the palms of human hands! Coupled with the knowledge Shukaku was sealed in that tiny body and it's virtually impossible to not feel bad for Gaara this chapter.
  • Gaara's flashback to the time when Yashamaru taught him about love and talked to him about Karura, the Kazekage admitting that he was a shitty father and explaining what we know already about his wife and brother-in-law to Gaara, and later the Kazekage crying as he's defeated and sealed away, his last thoughts being of the Sand Village and asking Gaara to protect it.
    • Made all the more effective because Gaara isn't normally given to displaying his emotions, unlike Naruto. That it shows on his face is fairly telling. This also doubles as a Crowning Moment of Heartwarming, when Gaara shows that he truly learned from Naruto's example, ignoring all the absolute shit his father put him through his whole life and thanking him instead for the one good thing he ever did for Gaara. Consider all that you've seen over the past two chapters and during the Chuunin Exam and ask yourself if you could have done that.
  • Kabuto's Edo Tensei is already Nightmare Fuel considering how it renders those revived, then doubles as a Tear Jerker when you realize that although unable to control their own actions, they are able to inform the opponents of what move they're about to make.
  • 568: No one ever bothered to ask the Kyuubi its name.
    • Or treat him with anything even approaching kindness. Think about how old the Kyuubi must be, and how Naruto was apparently the first human he'd ever met who didn't want to control him.
  • 571: Kakashi sees Naruto's new Tailed Beast form and thinks for a moment that his sensei, Minato, might have returned.
  • 572: We see a flashback with the Sage of Six Paths and the nine Tailed Beasts. He tells them he's dying soon and that they all have their own names and must find what real strength is. We see a younger Kurama cry over this, and then find out that Kurama called the Sage "old man" like Naruto did the 3rd Hokage.... It was a very moving moment.
  • All of chapter 576. Sasuke crossing paths with the resurrected Itachi, who won't talk to him because he has "more important things to do". Ouch. And Itachi, unable to talk to his brother because he feels he's messed up so badly with Sasuke already and he needs to go stop Kabuto's resurrection technique as fast as he can.
  • 581: "I'm still the leaf's Itachi Uchiha."
  • Ending 21 in the anime Very tragic... YMMMV because it's basically also a pairing ending, but this is a filler arc that replays the past events and gives more thought and insight on Naruto and Sasuke's thoughts on the other. So that's why this ending made such an impact.
  • Shippuden 261. There's a flashback to a younger Deidara blowing up Iwa, and Kurotsuchi standing watching. The expression on her face is sad enough, but remember that it's not just because her village is being destroyed- it's because Deidara is the one doing it and leaving the village, the guy she addressed as her nii-san.
  • 583: Kabuto's mother not knowing who Kabuto is even with her glasses on.
    • That doesn't even begin to do it justice. He was spying on Iwagakure when he was attacked by the woman who had taken him in, as she was undercover and failed to recognize him. He inflicted lethal injuries on her before he realized who she was, and he tried to heal her but failed, and she did not remember him even as she died. This caused Kabuto to feel as if his life had been meaningless, as the reason he had decided to become a ninja was to repay her for her kindness.
    • As well as the end of the chapter where he looks into a body of water at his reflection and states that he doesn't recognize himself and that it isn't him staring back at himself.
    • Or how Kabuto's mother was brainwashed to see Kabuto as a stranger to assassinate and another boy as Kabuto.
  • Chapter 585: This image of young Kabuto in the rain looking terrified, hugging himself, and crying.
  • Chapter 586: Despite everything and Kabuto's resolve, He falls under Izanami regardless and is trapped in an endless loop. It was sad that despite his efforts he still lost.
  • Chapter 587: Kabuto thinking that all he wanted was for someone to notice him. He just wanted to be acknowledged.
    • In a way, a random conversation between a Shinobi Alliance soldier and the medic at the end of the chapter becomes one when it's revealed that the medic was one of Kabuto's "brothers" at the orphanage, who is still hopeful he'll return one day after the war ends, completely oblivious to how far has "brother" has fallen since he left, and is in fact, one of the reasons why the war is taking place. It gets worse when you consider Kabuto's perspective that all of what he's done since that day is to be noticed by someone. It seems the orphanage still remembers him as he was, but as far as Kabuto knows, he'll probably never know he is acknowledged and loved, and the medic has no idea what a monster he became because of it.
  • Sasuke is not happy that technically winning against Kabuto will mean that Itachi dies again. And Itachi seems to have decided not to try and convince Sasuke to change himself, but just trust Naruto...
    • Even sadder since this just makes Sasuke hate Konoha even more.
  • In chapter 589 Sasuke tells Itachi "When I'm with you I remember the past. The feelings from my childhood spent together with the brother I loved."
    • The last few pages show a crumbling Itachi reaching out for Sasuke to give him one last poke to the forehead.
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