Zatch Bell!/Tear Jerker

• Gash Bell has several such scenes, notably Gem's final words to Yopopo in episode 22 and Kid saying good-bye to Dr. Riddles before going out in a blaze of glory in episode 73.
• Oddly enough, it was Byonko that did it for this troper. Particularly, Demoruto burning Byonko's toy clock, and the implication that Alvin would be all alone again.
  • Penny's departure as well, especially when, as she's disappearing, she tearfully tells Zatch and the others that regardless if they forgive her or not, to please be friends with Byonko when they all return to the Mamodo World, since he was always so lonely. It really cements how Penny has completely grown past her selfish ways and become a truly good person. It's a heartwarming moment too, as Zatch responds that they'll be friends with Byonko AND Penny when they return to the Mamodo World, as Penny is a friend too.
• There are two other moments that always hit this troper: Danny's goodbye to Mr. Gold, in volume 7/episode 27, and Albert bringing Leila back from the stone illusion, in volume 16/episode 78.
• Kiyomaro's apparent death at the hands of Leo. Full stop.
  • His final thoughts being a wish for Zatch to find a good partner who will help him become king. This series runs on tearjerking and heartwarming.
• One name. Kolulu. Damn.
• The burning of Nya's book in an anime filler arc. Sadder in the original than in the english dub, which had more dialogue that bordered on melodrama.
• The end of the Zophise arc, seriously. First, there's Sherry and Koko's reunion with the latter thanking the former from the bottom of her heart. When Sherry leaves the room, even her butler is bawling like a baby. And, as if that moment alone wasn't enough to make us cry, we have Sherry, in tears, pledging her loyailty to Brago, swearing to make him the king while we see shots of how he developed through the story and become someone who genuinely cares about Sherry and other people, not just himself and his desire to be king. I mean, seriously. Even thinking about it makes my throat go dry....
  • Speaking of Koko, there's all of episode 85. Koko gives Sherry a drawn-out, cruel Mind Rape by revealing the Broken Pedestal Sherry has put her on; that she is NOT mind-controlled by Zophise and has actually always been a cruel person who hates and resents Sherry and even stole from her when they were kids. Sherry loses the will to fight, and Brago fights on anyway, getting absolutely trashed by Zophise, and Sherry can only watch helplessly while breaking down crying. And then Sherry notices the sun and moon rings she's wearing, that Koko made for her when they were kids. She realizes that Koko is still wearing the matching sun and moon earings, and that Koko, in the midst of her sadistic taunting, had been subtly telling Sherry to notice this. As clear as day, Sherry realizes that it all has been a trick of Zophise's all along, and that the real Koko who is her friend is still buried beneath the mind-controlled personality, begging to be saved. Sherry finally regains her Heroic Resolve and helps Brago recover, the two of them going on to defeat Zophise and save Koko.
• While carrying Zatch and Kiyo to the final battle, Ponygon looks back at his memories in the demon world: his parents explaining to him the meaning of their clan’s pride; he and Zatch saving his father from dying of poison; and his mother telling him how he can find happiness in life. In that moment, just before his book is burned, the entire meaning of his character is established to that of a loyal and best friend to Zatch, just like he was since the beginning.
• Towards the end of the manga Papipurio, one of the closest characters you'll find to a scrappy in the series, gets a surprisingly touching moment when his partner nearly sacrifices her life to ensure his safety, acknowledging that she always treated him like her own son who had died years ago. They get a temporary reprieve, but end up getting bumped off shortly afterwards along with one of the manga's major characters. (Which is one hell of a Tear Jerker on it's own)
• This troper was starting to tear up when Danny and Gash's other friends showed up to help him against Clear Note, and completely burst into tears when Koruru showed up.
• The second to last chapter. After finally winning the kings battle Gash and Kiyomaro have to say goodbye forever. It gets worse when you realise that they knew this was coming for months and they still can't keep straight faces. Just to round it off in the background there's Sherry bawling her eyes out after she's lost Brago too. It was the most emotional thing this troper has ever read in his life.
  • The last attack of the fight as well is a massive one for the rivals. Zatch and Brago fire off their ultimate attacks, and Bao Zakeruga wins the clash. Sherry's desperate to the point of hysterics over her inability to keep her promise to make Brago king, and then... he reaches out, grasps her hand, and makes her drop the book, saying that he would never have made it this far without her and that he was proud to have her for a partner. Then the book is incinerated. That is how you make an entire series' worth of character development pay off.