Is there an issue? Send a MessageReason:
Trope was renamed to Prone To Tears
Changed line(s) 1,178 (click to see context) from:
%% Image selected per Image Pickin' thread: https://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/posts.php?discussion=1352816015076200100
%% Please do not replace or remove without starting a new thread.
%%
[[quoteright:350:[[Manga/HidamariSketch https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/hidamarisketch303nazuna_5727.png]]]]
[[caption-width-right:350:Handle with care.]]
->''"She's an injured bird and you just want to be her sexy veterinarian."''
-->-- '''Brett Ehrlich''' on Creator/ZooeyDeschanel, ''The Rotten Tomatoes Show''
Ah, everyone loves sweet little Alice. She's so beautiful, but she looks as if she's always just one sharp word away from bursting into tears.
A fragile flower is that one character who always looks like she (or he) is just about ready to cry. In fact, they probably are. Sometimes, they will [[TryingNotToCry try to keep their emotions inside]], but ultimately fail. One small incident and they are crying. It is possible for anything to cause them to cry, but it is most often a harsh insult directed at them.
There may be a few reasons for a fragile flower's behavior. They might just be super sensitive by nature. There might have been [[FreudianExcuse something in their past]] such as emotional abuse from peers or some other form of BreakTheCutie that caused them to be this way. Most characters who know the fragile flower are careful not to upset them when talking. Other more JerkAss characters will most likely try to make them cry, in which case the fragile flower may eventually force themselves to become desensitized towards insults.
Pretty popular in Japanese media since it's often played as [[{{moe}} cute]].
Also known as the "Sad Girl In Snow".
Most often female, though it can be a male in order to be PlayedForLaughs.
Compare TheIngenue and ShrinkingViolet. Expect TenderTears to play along with this trope.
----
!!Examples:
[[foldercontrol]]
[[folder:Anime and Manga]]
* Mikuru in ''LightNovel/HaruhiSuzumiya'' takes this to satirical lengths.
* Nazuna in ''Manga/HidamariSketch'', pictured above. She has a heck lack of confidence.
* Sumire in ''Manga/KimiWaPetto'' is outwardly a [[SugarAndIcePersonality Sugar and Ice Girl]], but she is often seen hiding in the bathroom, crying.
* Matsuri in ''Manga/StrawberryMarshmallow''.
* Aya Hoshino in ''Manga/SuperGals'', to the point where Ran assumes (in Volume 6) that "Her entire head must be full of tears...!"
* Vanilla in ''Manga/SugarSugarRune''.
* Sakuno Ryuzaki in ''Manga/ThePrinceOfTennis'' is a more or less normal ShrinkingViolet, but the anime makes her more like this.
* Mitsuru, Ritsu Sohma, [[GenerationXerox and his mom]] in ''Manga/FruitsBasket''.
* Mihashi from ''Manga/BigWindup'' acts like this due to the bullying he received while in middle school.
--> '''Abe''': And stop sniveling, it looks like I'm bullying you.
* Princess Shirahoshi from ''Manga/OnePiece'' doesn't just ''look'' like she would burst into tears from something trivial like being awakened from a nap -- she actually does. She has an excuse though, having watched her mother die and then forced to spend 10 years locked up in a tower due to death threats in the form of giant flying axes that can home in on her. She gets a little better after making some friends, though.
* ''LightNovel/{{Baccano}}'''s Jacuzzi Splot (the show's primary source of man-{{moe}}) is prone to crying at the slightest misstep outside of his comfort zone. This, surprisingly enough, ''doesn't'' stop him from being a [[CrouchingMoronHiddenBadass crazily heroic badass]] when the cards are down. Meanwhile, Lua Klein could be considered a subversion. She ''looks'' a lot like this type of character, but is in reality an {{emotionless|Girl}} DeathSeeker.
* Kanae Ohtori from ''Anime/RevolutionaryGirlUtena''. [[spoiler:Until Mikage puts the whammy on her and she goes CuteAndPsycho.]]
* Shuuichi Nitori from ''Manga/WanderingSon''. In early volumes she tends to cry a lot, but with age and CharacterDevelopment she has gotten past that stage. She still lets things go to her head but doesn't cry as easily as she did in early chapters.
* Hinako from ''Manga/BitterVirgin''. [[ParentalIncest With]] [[TeenPregnancy good]] [[TheWoobie reason.]]
* ''[[Anime/TheIdolmaster THE iDOLM@STER]]'' - Yukiho.
* Yayoi in ''Anime/SmilePrettyCure'' is described in the first episode as a crybaby whose tears start flowing with even the smallest nudge. She's also seen crying when she uses her Cure powers during the opening.
* ''Anime/FutariWaPrettyCure'' gives us a rare villainous example in Regine, who seems to be in a perpetual state of about-to-cry when in her civilian form. She's very soft-spoken, and when repeatedly asked to repeat what she said because they couldn't hear her, she'll suddenly yell and cause everyone in the room to jump. All of these traits melt away whenever she assumes her true form, however.
* From ''Webcomic/AxisPowersHetalia'':
** All of the [[TheChewToy Baltic States]] can qualify when Russia's around, but Latvia in particular is this way ''all the time''; all three are rare male examples that ''aren't'' PlayedForLaughs (at least not more so than anything else in [[SadistShow this show]]);
** [[TeamMom Ukraine]] is this, too (also note that both she and the Baltics are this [[TruthInTelevision for good reason]]);
** Finland also quotes this trope:
--> '''Finland''': I'm a frightened, fragile flower, so I decided I should go with him!
* In a filler episode in the ''Manga/RanmaOneHalf'' anime, Ranma himself becomes [[CharacterExaggeration a caricature/parody]] when he hits his head and becomes extremely frail and sensitive. [[LossOfIdentity "She" squeals in disgust at having to wash his boxers]] and faints when Akane accidentally cuts her finger.
* Chihiro in ''Anime/{{Tamayura}}''. What makes it particularly cute is that she's actually crying out of ''compassion'' for her friend Fuu (the protagonist) whose father died some time ago. Chihiro starts crying whenever she ''thinks'' she ''might'' have said something that reminded Fuu of her late father, even after Fuu actually starts to get over her father's death.
* Sota's sister Izu[[MostWritersAreWriters mi]] from ''Manga/{{Working}}'' fits this trope quite well.
* Mamoru is this in ''Literature/FromTheNewWorld''. Very emotionally sensitive, he doesn't react at all well to all the conspiracies the group uncovers.
* Hiren in ''Manga/UndertakerRiddle''. Hayato even says that calming Hiren down is like calming down a kid.
* Haruka in ''Manga/KotouraSan'' has no constitution for sudden pressure, and she caves like a house of cards when threatened. It's often PlayedForLaughs, at which point it's kind of cute. As the series goes on, she tries to address this and grow some backbone, but it seems a part of it will always be ingrained into her nature. ''That said'', it is unclear whether this is the cause, or the effect of her previous decade-long BreakTheCutie that just started to heal.
* Fumi from ''Manga/SweetBlueFlowers'', a trait that stuck with her since childhood.
--> '''Akira:''' You're always so quick to cry, Fumi.
* Vivio during ''Anime/MagicalGirlLyricalNanohaStrikers'', what with being a six-year old orphan. [[CharacterDevelopment She eventually grows out of it]] after the events of the season.
* Shinji from ''Anime/NeonGenesisEvangelion'' could be considered a rare ''serious'' male example. While he may not fit into [[TestosteronePoisoning American standards of male attractiveness]], he is stated to be attractive in-universe, and, thanks to deeply-rooted self-esteem issues and having the pleasure of witnessing his mother turn to goo at an early age, rather insecure, delicate, and all too easy to upset with just a few words, particularly in the prologue arc, where he rarely made it through an episode without a SparklingStreamOfTears.
* The titular character of ''LightNovel/NogizakaHarukaNoHimitsu'' is a [[JustifiedTrope Justified]] case because she's an {{Otaku}} [[ClosetGeek in secret]] (hence the title) and is constantly afraid of being discovered and shamed for a hobby that society in general [[DoubleStandard thinks is just perverted and disgusting]]. She actually did get found out while she was in elementary school and has carried those insecurities since then.
* Madoka of ''Anime/PuellaMagiMadokaMagica'' appears to be this, but she defies it by continuing to help out despite her very legitimate trauma, even after [[spoiler:almost everyone else dies. She eventually becomes ''immune'' to despair]].
* Enju Aihara from ''LightNovel/BlackBullet'' is a sweet, [[NiceGirl kind-hearted]] 10-year-old girl and a cursed child who, [[AllOfTheOtherReindeer despite being treated like trash for being born with the Gastrea virus in her body like most cursed children]], [[ThePollyanna always maintains a]] [[CheerfulChild sunny disposition]]. Despite this, one flaw of her character is she's a very sensitive person who is [[TenderTears prone to breaking down in tears easily]]. [[spoiler: It's highly implied that if Enju were to find out that she'll eventually die or turn into a Gastrea monster, this would be enough [[BreakTheCutie to completely break her forever]].]] At least only in the anime and manga adaptations. The light novels portrayed Enju more as the WiseBeyondTheirYears emotionally independent young girl.
* [[http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-DIrNEiChB8E/UJXnXltOkoI/AAAAAAAAAVk/sdbUuqxYuMQ/s1600/vlcsnap-2012-11-04-10h42m25s69.jpg Mallow]] from Creator/TatsuyamaSayuri's ''Manga/HappyHappyClover'' Anime/Manga series is [[http://livedoor.blogimg.jp/assas/imgs/3/b/3b24d247.jpg Clover's best friend.]] But when she first moved to Crescent Forest and was a new student in Clover's school taught by Professor Hoot, she was first seen hiding behind Professor Hoot and was mostly very quiet. [[http://i47.photobucket.com/albums/f156/hazelhamster/2.jpg Kale's first impression of Mallow is that she has "weird ears"]] which causes Clover to scold him for that comment. Later Clover's parents see Mallow's mom and dad enter their house saying that Mallow's missing. They decide to go and start a search-party around the forest; however, after her parents leave her home, Clover decides to go and search for Mallow herself. While she starts searching for her, Kale sees Clover run right past his home and notices something suspicious going on. Finally, Clover finds Mallow after she falls down a hill, and the two become friends. Suddenly, Kale and Shallot find the two and use a rope to rescue them from the pit. In the end, they get scolded by their parents. In later stories and volumes, she's still shy but starts to interact with others and becomes a nurse in the last volume.
* ''Anime/SteinsGate'': Ruka Urushibara is a fairly standard - albeit male - example who appears ready to cry all the time, and it becomes even more prevalent after [[spoiler:he becomes a she via D-Mail, and Okabe insists that she's a boy]], driving Ruka to tears every time it comes up. Of course, [[spoiler:if your crush started (unintentionally) calling you the opposite gender, insisting you're an IncompatibleOrientation all the time,]] it would be somewhat upsetting.
* This trope is PlayedForLaughs in ''Manga/CastleTownDandelion''. In Chapter 12/Episode 4A, Karen had an ImagineSpot about what would happen if she told Akane about the latter's WardrobeMalfunction, and DeathByDespair always become the result. While Akane [[ShrinkingViolet has crippling social anxiety]], she is ''not'' an example of this trope.
* Rare male example from ''Anime/HeatGuyJ'' in the form of Clair Leonelli, when he was young. (Probably because as OverlordJr, he [[FriendlessBackground didn't have any friends]] to play with, and [[AbusiveParents his dad was abusing him]].) This endears him to then-12-year-old Giovanni, who [[DeclarationOfProtection promises to protect him forever]].
* Shiemi from ''Manga/BlueExorcist''. She even grows plants! [[ReconstructedTrope Reconstructed]] as it's more to do with how empathic she is and she quickly toughens up and gets [[TookALevelInBadass badass]], to the point her connection with plants is of a GreenThumb nature that lets her ''[[CurbStompBattle curb-stomp]]'' her enemies.
* Despite being the oldest and most mature out of her 6 friends, Alice from the ''Anime/BakuganBattleBrawlers'' fills this role to a T.
* Kaoruko in ''Manga/ComicGirls'' is very sensitive and prone to negative thoughts (suicidal ones included). It has been pointed out being "too emotionally fragile" is the main barrier preventing her from becoming a successful SequentialArtist. She frequently cries in this series, on the magnitude of [[OnceAnEpisode Once a Chapter]].
* Kazuma Mamizuka from ''Manga/GakuenBabysitters'' is constantly teary-eyed and can be prone to crying at the drop of a hat, though this can be justified since he's only a toddler. This is [[PolarOppositeTwins in stark contrast to his twin brother Takuma]], who's an outgoing PerpetualSmiler.
* Reiko Osumi from ''Manga/HiganbanaNoSakuYoruNi'' cries TenderTears [[PerpetualSmiler even while smiling]], befitting her {{Pollyanna}} nature, and is as gentle as can be, which unfortunately makes [[ButtMonkey the poor girl]] an easy target for all the [[KidsAreCruel bullies]] around her. [[spoiler:Subverted, however, as it’s [[BitchInSheepsClothing a cover]]; she is, in actuality, TheCorrupter, AlphaBitch, and BigBad of the series- [[WoundedGazelleGambit her tears]] are TheCorruption turning kids into bullies.]]
[[/folder]]
[[folder:Film -- Animation]]
* Mater from ''WesternAnimation/{{Cars}}'' and ''WesternAnimation/{{Cars 2}}''. He gets very upset over every little thing. He's a very sensitive person and there were signs that he got upset in the first film but he showed more emotions in the second film. He literally got very depressed after [=McQueen=] fired him from being a pit crew chief and felt guilty about and decided to go home. When others make Mater cry or upset, it’s considered an extreme act of cruelty because he is super sweet and he has special needs. He’s like a child. He’s a very caring helpful person whose purpose in life is to serve others out of kindness and love and to see him upset about any little thing is just extremely devastating. Even though we are supposed to laugh with Mater, he is definitely a person who is emotional enough to not be PlayedForLaughs.
[[/folder]]
[[folder:Film -- Live-Action]]
* Quoth Stuntman Mike from ''Film/DeathProof'':
-->''"There are few things more fetching than a bruised ego on a beautiful lady."''
* Sarah Packard from ''Film/TheHustler'', who has been rejected and scorned so many times that she needs to [[DrowningMySorrows drown her sorrows]] to get through the day. Needless to say, she's prone to this trope whether drunk or sober.
* Marquis from ''Film/TheLegendOfFrenchieKing'' cries easily. This is played for irony as he's subservient to very masculine women.
* ''Film/XMenDaysOfFuturePast'': Past Charles Xavier's psychological health is so poor that the slightest thing can upset him, and he's regularly seen with wet, reddened eyes or tears streaming down his face.
* ''Film/Bedazzled2000'': When he makes a DealWithTheDevil in order to woo his love interest, one of Elliot's wishes is to become the most emotionally sensitive man in the world. He becomes an annoying wimp who's moved to tears over almost everything, good or bad, and gets promptly dumped.
[[/folder]]
[[folder:Literature]]
* Little Miss Shy of Literature/MrMen fame is such a ShrinkingViolet that if anyone upsets her, she'll burst into tears. Notable examples are in the TV episode "Mr. Impossible's Lesson" [[note]] In which she broke down in tears after [[RichBitch Mr. Uppity]] yelled at her. [[/note]] and in Little Miss Magic's story [[note]] Where she wept about being tickled by Mr. Tickle. [[/note]]
* Beth Ellen Hanson of ''Literature/HarrietTheSpy'' is described as "Always look[ing] like she might cry". In a subversion, Harriet writes that this just makes her want to kick her and get it over with. In Beth Ellen's own book, ''The Long Secret'', we learn that Beth Ellen cries in private because her grandmother has taught her that's what a ProperLady does. But she has a crying fit during a sleepover after her RichBitch mother returns -- and Harriet gently takes her hand and holds it until she's through.
* Every single darn character in ''Literature/TheTaleOfGenji'', male or female. The Shining Prince himself is incredibly lachrymose. Of course [[ValuesDissonance this was considered an attractive characteristic in Heian Japan]].
* Enid Blyton's ''Literature/MaloryTowers'' school stories feature Mary-Lou, who is this trope to a T. She gets a lot better.
* Mary Anne Spier, secretary of ''Literature/TheBabySittersClub'', is described as being so sensitive she'll cry at long-distance telephone commercials.
* In ''Literature/ThoseThatWake'''s sequel, Rose is this, mainly stemming from childhood trauma.
* In ''Literature/TheZombieKnight'', the [[TheGrimReaper reaper]] Iziol is a strange example; he [[http://thezombieknight.blogspot.com/2014/10/page-850.html seems to think]] ''everyone else'' is a Fragile Flower, with perhaps the [[GoodIsNotNice demonstrated exception]] of his servant Dimas. He [[{{Bowdlerise}} can't think of any insults stronger than "turkey"]] (and worries that even this might be too-strong language) and calls Dimas [[YouMonster a monster]] when he attacks Horatio without bothering to [[IShallTauntYou provoke a first attack]]. Funnily enough, Iziol doesn't seem to consider ''[[GravityMaster hurling destructive gravitic energies]] at people'' to be unacceptably rude as long as they attack first--and taunting them into attacking first counts, albeit only with the aforementioned mild language.
* In Zilpha Keatley Snyder's "The Changeling", it is abundantly clear early on that fearful, shy, clumsy Martha Abbott cannot fit in with the rest of her Perfect Suburban Family and has ''no way to make them take her seriously''. She's treated almost like a pet (she's even called "Mouse"), and her only defense, indeed her only means of self-expression, is to cry. The author herself admitted later she didn't realize a lot of the subtleties she was creating with this book.
* Petra bint Minden in ''Literature/{{Caliphate}}'' is an shy and emotionally vulnerable girl that is easily spooked and cries a lot. Considering she was raised as a second-class citizen in an Taliban-like state due to being a female Christian and [[BreakTheCutie what happens to her over the course of the story]], she has plenty of valid reasons to.
[[/folder]]
[[folder:Live-Action TV]]
* ''Series/TheBradyBunch'': Marcia is by far the biggest crybaby of the Brady siblings. She cries when she doesn't get to go on a family ski trip, gets kicked out of a play, is rejected by a potential date to a school dance (and then several years later, after another date rejects ''her''), is treated rudely by her siblings while reading her campaign speech for student body president, when she wilts under pressure during her driving test... she just has frail nerves. As an adult, Marcia wells up when she is unable to find work as an adult and after realizing she's humiliated her family at a ribbon cutting for one of Mike's office complex projects.
* ''Series/LittleHouseOnThePrairie'': Virtually every one of the Ingalls, especially Charles(!) and Laura, who often cried at the drop of a hat. Except for possibly Nels Olesen and his son, Willie, most of the other people of Walnut Grove were more than willing to share their feelings, from big, hulking men like Jonathan Garvey and the uncouth Mr. Edwards to the spoiled tantrums of Harriet Olesen and her daughters, Nellie (in her spoiled, wild years) and especially Nancy. This ironically is vastly different from the books, where despite numerous hardships the Ingalls were incredibly stoic and discouraged showing emotions or complaining when they were struggling.
* Marisol Delko in ''Series/CSIMiami''.
* Nikki Alexander in ''Series/SilentWitness''.
* ''Series/TheCloser'': Despite being a tough ActionGirl, our heroine is always one blink away from tearing up.
* Tess in Creator/TheBBC's 2008 adaptation of ''Literature/TessOfTheDUrbervilles'', as played by Gemma Arterton.
* ''Series/{{Seinfeld}}''
** In the episode "The Understudy," Jerry's [[GirlOfTheWeek girlfriend]] cries at almost anything from dropping a hot dog to her untied shoelace. However, she [[AngstWhatAngst doesn't cry when her grandmother dies]].
** Both George and Elaine regularly bust into tears whenever something upsets them. One example with the former, George drives himself to tears when he tries to take the nickname "T-Bone" away from a co-worker who was given the same nickname, while with the latter, Elaine is banned from a nail salon and actually wanders the streets in the rain bawling her eyes out about it.
* Sophie in ''Series/PeepShow'', though she's also a ManipulativeBastard.
* A TakeOurWordForIt male example in ''Series/{{Wings}}'', when Helen dates a man who cries when she mentions her dead dog; she becomes disillusioned when she realizes he cries at everything. "We went to a Marx Brothers film and he was crying because Harpo couldn't talk."
* Guinevere in ''Series/{{Merlin|2008}}'', mainly because the writers do a lot of horrible things to her, {{lampshade|Hanging}}d by [[Creator/AngelCoulby the actress herself]]: "they like making me cry." Of course, she's also a perfect example of SilkHidingSteel: expect her to cry whilst simultaneously demonstrating great strength of character.
* In one episode of ''Series/TheMonkees'' Mike describes Peter as "Kinda sensitive. Cries at card tricks."
* ''Series/{{Oz}}'' provides a non-comedic ([[DownerEnding REALLY non-comedic]]) male example in one-shot character Guillaume Tarrant. He's an [[FelonyMisdemeanor art vandal]] who has the incredible misfortune of being locked up in a maximum security prison with the show's standard roster of killers and rapists. He's in tears at the harassment he suffers from other inmates on his first day, and repeatedly thereafter. Things... do not improve for him.
[[/folder]]
[[folder:Theatre]]
* Mélisande in Maurice Maeterlinck's play ''Pelléas and Mélisande''.
[[/folder]]
[[folder:Video Games]]
* According to one of his less-effectual titles in ''VideoGame/YggdraUnison'', Nessiah, despite his status as the local MagnificentBastard, cries very easily when hurt or frustrated. If the player's performance is substandard, this happens often enough that his enemies start to mock him for being childish, and his subordinates have to devote a lot of time to taking care of him. As Nessiah's social skills are strange at best, he never really becomes cognizant of the burden he's putting on them.
* Evanine in the ''VideoGame/NeverwinterNights'' mod Tales of Arterra.
* Neimi of ''VideoGame/FireEmblemTheSacredStones'' is pegged as a crybaby right from the start. Being childhood friends with [[JerkWithAHeartOfGold Colm]] doesn't help much. [[spoiler: Amusingly subverted in their final support conversation, where he hears her howling and asks why, rattling off a long list of reasons. Neimi tells him she's in a good mood and just had something in her eye this time, much to his consternation.]]
* Gokotai from ''VideoGame/ToukenRanbu'', who almost constantly sounds like he's about to cry. Ironically, this doesn't change after his Kiwame training, despite [[TookALevelInBadass Taking A Level In Badass]] — the first thing he says when he returns is a tearful apology for "only" defeating Uesugi Kenshin three times instead of five.
* Tiger I from ''Panzermadels'', especially when it comes to the time when she ran over Erwin. We find out earlier that it's because she "breaks down a lot" which is a design flaw.
* Ganryu from the ''VideoGame/{{Tekken}}'' series is a rare male example, but it's usually PlayedForLaughs. Examples include when he cries after defeating Jinpachi in ''Tekken 5,'' and also is the only male to cry in his lose pose when paired up with Jaycee.
** Josie Rizal is probably an even better example. She cries in her intro/outro poses, and being a crybaby is pretty much a large part of her character. She does show moments of confidence and being upbeat, though.[[/folder]]
[[folder:Visual Novels]]
* Yoriko in ''VisualNovel/DaCapo'' at first has great trouble interacting with people and, of course, always seems close to tears. Oddly enough, having ''rocks'' thrown at her apparently didn't bother her in the slightest.
* Kotomi in ''VisualNovel/{{Clannad}}'' is more or less exempt from Tomoya's normal [[TheGadfly teasing]] due to her reaction of starting to tear up and ask if someone is a bully when feeling at all threatened. Naturally, learning to deal with Kyou takes her a little while.
* Hanako Ikezawa from ''VisualNovel/KatawaShoujo''. Having burn scars that cover the entire right half of your body will do that to you. [[spoiler: [[SubvertedTrope Or not.]] Treating her like one ends ''[[PlayerPunch very badly]]''.]]
* ''VisualNovel/SuperDanganRonpa2'' has [[ShrinkingViolet Mikan]] [[TheMedic Tsumiki]], who is so timid and insecure she can barely hold a conversation without bursting into tears or having a meltdown. This is PlayedForDrama, as Mikan has been so heavily bullied throughout her life that she instantly suspects anyone she talks to wants to abuse her and will willingly degrade herself so someone will pay her attention, even if it's negative. [[spoiler:[[BewareTheQuietOnes This makes it all the more shocking when]] [[BitchInSheepsClothing she's the killer of Chapter Three]], and a double-murderer who's [[{{Yandere}} in love with]] [[BigBad Monokuma/Junko]] at that.]]
[[/folder]]
[[folder:Webcomics]]
* ''Webcomic/{{Blindsprings}}'' has Imogen, albeit she's [[DownplayedTrope Downplayed.]] She does more panicking than crying.
--> '''AltText:''' [[http://web.archive.org/web/20140702052245/http://blindsprings.com/comic/040 Imogen neither]] [[DamselFightAndFlightResponse fights not flights,]] [[TakeAThirdOption but rather]] [[FreakOut panics in place.]]
* The ''[[FountainOfYouth Kids Arc]]'' revealed that James, the resident {{woobie}} of ''{{Webcomic/Roommates}}'', was a fragile flower as a child. It was played sympathetically either as ''[[{{moe}} adorable]]'' or to {{lampshade|Hanging}} the other's [[KickTheDog puppy torturing]] tendencies.
* ''Webcomic/ZebraGirl'': Poor Mad Mabel. She manages to survive in the Subfusc despite being a normal surrounded by mysterious and magical creatures, but she is the subject of mockery and even cruelty from others (including Sandra, though she stops halfway), and got pressured by Incubus to do his bidding [[spoiler:(and when that fails, he kidnaps her)]]. She seems lost and slightly depressed, despite trying to keep a smile on her face, and nearly cried when Sandra took her thimble away from her.
* PlayedForLaughs in ''{{Webcomic/Whomp}}'', as Ronnie will burst into tears at the smallest conflict, including [[RuleOfThree three times]] [[http://www.whompcomic.com/comic/within-earshock in a single conversation]].
[[/folder]]
[[folder:Web Original]]
* Hanami in ''Literature/{{Tasakeru}}'', as part of her general [[FlowerMotifs flower motif]], can be overly sensitive at times.
* Parodied mercilessly with Lucy and Patrick of ''WebOriginal/TheWarComms''. Played [[TheWoobie heartbreakingly]] straight with Syrius, however, and to a slightly lesser extent Molly. Heather is about halfway between Patrick-Lucy and Syrius-Molly.
[[/folder]]
[[folder:Western Animation]]
* PlayedForLaughs male example: Jimmy from ''WesternAnimation/EdEddNEddy''. He's quite sensitive, which clashes with his headstrong and protective friend Sarah.
* Fluttershy in ''WesternAnimation/MyLittlePonyFriendshipIsMagic'' started out as one. Note that, however, she is [[CharacterDevelopment growing]] out of this big aspect of her, as [[GrewASpine she has become noticeably more assertive in season 2 and on]]. There was, in fact, [[Recap/MyLittlePonyFriendshipIsMagicS2E19PuttingYourHoofDown a whole episode]] based on it and, while it hasn't gotten as extreme as the events in it, she has repeatedly shown herself able to break out of this attitude in emergencies.
* Amy Wong and Dr. Zoidberg in ''WesternAnimation/{{Futurama}}'' temporarily turn into Fragile Flowers in a [[PlayedForLaughs one-shot joke]] when Bender is trying to get Fry to [[ItMakesSenseInContext cry out a liquid alien emperor trapped in his body]]:
-->'''Bender:''' Man, I guess it's harder than I thought to make someone cry.\\
'''Amy:''' You did your best, Bender.\\
'''Bender:''' Up yours, bimbo!\\
''(Amy runs away crying)''\\
'''Zoidberg:''' Let's face it, we're in hot butter here. We should call Leela for help.\\
'''Bender:''' Cram it, lobster!\\
''(Zoidberg runs away crying)''\\
'''Bender:''' That is a good idea. I'll go call her.
* WesternAnimation/{{SpongeBob SquarePants}} is a male example that isn't always PlayedForLaughs. In fact, making [[NiceGuy SpongeBob]] cry is considered a gross act of cruelty, and whoever is responsible for hurting his feelings almost immediately gets [[YouMonster scolded]] by whoever happens to witness it, or just feels [[MyGodWhatHaveIDone guilty]]. It really doesn't take very much to make him cry, either - in one of the earliest episodes of the show,“Pizza Delivery”, a particularly mean customer yelled at him and threw a pizza box in his face, causing him to flop over on the ground, sob ''deeply'' for a while, and not stop until Squidward “cheered him up”.
* [[KindheartedSimpleton Pops]] from ''WesternAnimation/RegularShow'' is another rare male example that isn't always played for laughs - in fact, seeing Pops cry is absolutely heartbreaking sometimes. Pops is very sensitive and it doesn't take much to make him cry. When someone does greatly upset him, his friends immediately come to his aid and stick up for him.
* Stacy Rowe in ''WesternAnimation/{{Daria}}'' collapses in tears over the slightest thing. Luckily, she starts to grow out of it in the fifth season, and in one episode her reputation as this even works to her ''advantage'' when she's trying to trick an audience.
* Bubbles in ''WesternAnimation/ThePowerpuffGirls'' is normally this (especially in the first season episode "Octi-Evil") but once in a while she's not afraid to kick it up a notch.
* Penny Ling in ''WesternAnimation/LittlestPetShop2012'' is shy and prone to tearing up.
* Lockette in ''WesternAnimation/WinxClub'' is prone to crying when in trouble and freaks out a lot, especially if Darkar is involved. She manages to grow out of this eventually.
* ''WesternAnimation/StevenUniverse'':
** The titular character apparently can't cry [[CentipedesDilemma on command]], but tears up easily:
--> '''Steven:''' I guess I'm just too tough to cry.\\
'''Pearl:''' Just this morning you were crying about snakes.\\
'''Steven:''' ''(in tears, whimpering)'' They don't have any arms!
** Blue Diamond is quite emotionally unstable, unintentionally harmful to those she loves (mainly Yellow Diamond), and extremely self-observed. Grieving certainly only highlighted these features in her, and at this point, the only Gem who could've opened her eyes to it (Yellow) doesn't do so because she's afraid of breaking Blue even further.
* [[EmotionalBruiser Eugly]] the rabbit from ''WesternAnimation/{{Kaeloo}}''. She will burst into tears (with OcularGushers) at the slightest insult. Sadly, the rest of the cast don't care, and they're always being mean to her.
* ''WesternAnimation/{{Caillou}}'': The eponymous character and his baby sister are infamous for crying at the drop of a hat. [[http://caillou.wikia.com/wiki/Crying_Clips The wikia even has a list of the amount of times they cried.]]
[[/folder]]
----
%% Please do not replace or remove without starting a new thread.
%%
[[quoteright:350:[[Manga/HidamariSketch https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/hidamarisketch303nazuna_5727.png]]]]
[[caption-width-right:350:Handle with care.]]
->''"She's an injured bird and you just want to be her sexy veterinarian."''
-->-- '''Brett Ehrlich''' on Creator/ZooeyDeschanel, ''The Rotten Tomatoes Show''
Ah, everyone loves sweet little Alice. She's so beautiful, but she looks as if she's always just one sharp word away from bursting into tears.
A fragile flower is that one character who always looks like she (or he) is just about ready to cry. In fact, they probably are. Sometimes, they will [[TryingNotToCry try to keep their emotions inside]], but ultimately fail. One small incident and they are crying. It is possible for anything to cause them to cry, but it is most often a harsh insult directed at them.
There may be a few reasons for a fragile flower's behavior. They might just be super sensitive by nature. There might have been [[FreudianExcuse something in their past]] such as emotional abuse from peers or some other form of BreakTheCutie that caused them to be this way. Most characters who know the fragile flower are careful not to upset them when talking. Other more JerkAss characters will most likely try to make them cry, in which case the fragile flower may eventually force themselves to become desensitized towards insults.
Pretty popular in Japanese media since it's often played as [[{{moe}} cute]].
Also known as the "Sad Girl In Snow".
Most often female, though it can be a male in order to be PlayedForLaughs.
Compare TheIngenue and ShrinkingViolet. Expect TenderTears to play along with this trope.
----
!!Examples:
[[foldercontrol]]
[[folder:Anime and Manga]]
* Mikuru in ''LightNovel/HaruhiSuzumiya'' takes this to satirical lengths.
* Nazuna in ''Manga/HidamariSketch'', pictured above. She has a heck lack of confidence.
* Sumire in ''Manga/KimiWaPetto'' is outwardly a [[SugarAndIcePersonality Sugar and Ice Girl]], but she is often seen hiding in the bathroom, crying.
* Matsuri in ''Manga/StrawberryMarshmallow''.
* Aya Hoshino in ''Manga/SuperGals'', to the point where Ran assumes (in Volume 6) that "Her entire head must be full of tears...!"
* Vanilla in ''Manga/SugarSugarRune''.
* Sakuno Ryuzaki in ''Manga/ThePrinceOfTennis'' is a more or less normal ShrinkingViolet, but the anime makes her more like this.
* Mitsuru, Ritsu Sohma, [[GenerationXerox and his mom]] in ''Manga/FruitsBasket''.
* Mihashi from ''Manga/BigWindup'' acts like this due to the bullying he received while in middle school.
--> '''Abe''': And stop sniveling, it looks like I'm bullying you.
* Princess Shirahoshi from ''Manga/OnePiece'' doesn't just ''look'' like she would burst into tears from something trivial like being awakened from a nap -- she actually does. She has an excuse though, having watched her mother die and then forced to spend 10 years locked up in a tower due to death threats in the form of giant flying axes that can home in on her. She gets a little better after making some friends, though.
* ''LightNovel/{{Baccano}}'''s Jacuzzi Splot (the show's primary source of man-{{moe}}) is prone to crying at the slightest misstep outside of his comfort zone. This, surprisingly enough, ''doesn't'' stop him from being a [[CrouchingMoronHiddenBadass crazily heroic badass]] when the cards are down. Meanwhile, Lua Klein could be considered a subversion. She ''looks'' a lot like this type of character, but is in reality an {{emotionless|Girl}} DeathSeeker.
* Kanae Ohtori from ''Anime/RevolutionaryGirlUtena''. [[spoiler:Until Mikage puts the whammy on her and she goes CuteAndPsycho.]]
* Shuuichi Nitori from ''Manga/WanderingSon''. In early volumes she tends to cry a lot, but with age and CharacterDevelopment she has gotten past that stage. She still lets things go to her head but doesn't cry as easily as she did in early chapters.
* Hinako from ''Manga/BitterVirgin''. [[ParentalIncest With]] [[TeenPregnancy good]] [[TheWoobie reason.]]
* ''[[Anime/TheIdolmaster THE iDOLM@STER]]'' - Yukiho.
* Yayoi in ''Anime/SmilePrettyCure'' is described in the first episode as a crybaby whose tears start flowing with even the smallest nudge. She's also seen crying when she uses her Cure powers during the opening.
* ''Anime/FutariWaPrettyCure'' gives us a rare villainous example in Regine, who seems to be in a perpetual state of about-to-cry when in her civilian form. She's very soft-spoken, and when repeatedly asked to repeat what she said because they couldn't hear her, she'll suddenly yell and cause everyone in the room to jump. All of these traits melt away whenever she assumes her true form, however.
* From ''Webcomic/AxisPowersHetalia'':
** All of the [[TheChewToy Baltic States]] can qualify when Russia's around, but Latvia in particular is this way ''all the time''; all three are rare male examples that ''aren't'' PlayedForLaughs (at least not more so than anything else in [[SadistShow this show]]);
** [[TeamMom Ukraine]] is this, too (also note that both she and the Baltics are this [[TruthInTelevision for good reason]]);
** Finland also quotes this trope:
--> '''Finland''': I'm a frightened, fragile flower, so I decided I should go with him!
* In a filler episode in the ''Manga/RanmaOneHalf'' anime, Ranma himself becomes [[CharacterExaggeration a caricature/parody]] when he hits his head and becomes extremely frail and sensitive. [[LossOfIdentity "She" squeals in disgust at having to wash his boxers]] and faints when Akane accidentally cuts her finger.
* Chihiro in ''Anime/{{Tamayura}}''. What makes it particularly cute is that she's actually crying out of ''compassion'' for her friend Fuu (the protagonist) whose father died some time ago. Chihiro starts crying whenever she ''thinks'' she ''might'' have said something that reminded Fuu of her late father, even after Fuu actually starts to get over her father's death.
* Sota's sister Izu[[MostWritersAreWriters mi]] from ''Manga/{{Working}}'' fits this trope quite well.
* Mamoru is this in ''Literature/FromTheNewWorld''. Very emotionally sensitive, he doesn't react at all well to all the conspiracies the group uncovers.
* Hiren in ''Manga/UndertakerRiddle''. Hayato even says that calming Hiren down is like calming down a kid.
* Haruka in ''Manga/KotouraSan'' has no constitution for sudden pressure, and she caves like a house of cards when threatened. It's often PlayedForLaughs, at which point it's kind of cute. As the series goes on, she tries to address this and grow some backbone, but it seems a part of it will always be ingrained into her nature. ''That said'', it is unclear whether this is the cause, or the effect of her previous decade-long BreakTheCutie that just started to heal.
* Fumi from ''Manga/SweetBlueFlowers'', a trait that stuck with her since childhood.
--> '''Akira:''' You're always so quick to cry, Fumi.
* Vivio during ''Anime/MagicalGirlLyricalNanohaStrikers'', what with being a six-year old orphan. [[CharacterDevelopment She eventually grows out of it]] after the events of the season.
* Shinji from ''Anime/NeonGenesisEvangelion'' could be considered a rare ''serious'' male example. While he may not fit into [[TestosteronePoisoning American standards of male attractiveness]], he is stated to be attractive in-universe, and, thanks to deeply-rooted self-esteem issues and having the pleasure of witnessing his mother turn to goo at an early age, rather insecure, delicate, and all too easy to upset with just a few words, particularly in the prologue arc, where he rarely made it through an episode without a SparklingStreamOfTears.
* The titular character of ''LightNovel/NogizakaHarukaNoHimitsu'' is a [[JustifiedTrope Justified]] case because she's an {{Otaku}} [[ClosetGeek in secret]] (hence the title) and is constantly afraid of being discovered and shamed for a hobby that society in general [[DoubleStandard thinks is just perverted and disgusting]]. She actually did get found out while she was in elementary school and has carried those insecurities since then.
* Madoka of ''Anime/PuellaMagiMadokaMagica'' appears to be this, but she defies it by continuing to help out despite her very legitimate trauma, even after [[spoiler:almost everyone else dies. She eventually becomes ''immune'' to despair]].
* Enju Aihara from ''LightNovel/BlackBullet'' is a sweet, [[NiceGirl kind-hearted]] 10-year-old girl and a cursed child who, [[AllOfTheOtherReindeer despite being treated like trash for being born with the Gastrea virus in her body like most cursed children]], [[ThePollyanna always maintains a]] [[CheerfulChild sunny disposition]]. Despite this, one flaw of her character is she's a very sensitive person who is [[TenderTears prone to breaking down in tears easily]]. [[spoiler: It's highly implied that if Enju were to find out that she'll eventually die or turn into a Gastrea monster, this would be enough [[BreakTheCutie to completely break her forever]].]] At least only in the anime and manga adaptations. The light novels portrayed Enju more as the WiseBeyondTheirYears emotionally independent young girl.
* [[http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-DIrNEiChB8E/UJXnXltOkoI/AAAAAAAAAVk/sdbUuqxYuMQ/s1600/vlcsnap-2012-11-04-10h42m25s69.jpg Mallow]] from Creator/TatsuyamaSayuri's ''Manga/HappyHappyClover'' Anime/Manga series is [[http://livedoor.blogimg.jp/assas/imgs/3/b/3b24d247.jpg Clover's best friend.]] But when she first moved to Crescent Forest and was a new student in Clover's school taught by Professor Hoot, she was first seen hiding behind Professor Hoot and was mostly very quiet. [[http://i47.photobucket.com/albums/f156/hazelhamster/2.jpg Kale's first impression of Mallow is that she has "weird ears"]] which causes Clover to scold him for that comment. Later Clover's parents see Mallow's mom and dad enter their house saying that Mallow's missing. They decide to go and start a search-party around the forest; however, after her parents leave her home, Clover decides to go and search for Mallow herself. While she starts searching for her, Kale sees Clover run right past his home and notices something suspicious going on. Finally, Clover finds Mallow after she falls down a hill, and the two become friends. Suddenly, Kale and Shallot find the two and use a rope to rescue them from the pit. In the end, they get scolded by their parents. In later stories and volumes, she's still shy but starts to interact with others and becomes a nurse in the last volume.
* ''Anime/SteinsGate'': Ruka Urushibara is a fairly standard - albeit male - example who appears ready to cry all the time, and it becomes even more prevalent after [[spoiler:he becomes a she via D-Mail, and Okabe insists that she's a boy]], driving Ruka to tears every time it comes up. Of course, [[spoiler:if your crush started (unintentionally) calling you the opposite gender, insisting you're an IncompatibleOrientation all the time,]] it would be somewhat upsetting.
* This trope is PlayedForLaughs in ''Manga/CastleTownDandelion''. In Chapter 12/Episode 4A, Karen had an ImagineSpot about what would happen if she told Akane about the latter's WardrobeMalfunction, and DeathByDespair always become the result. While Akane [[ShrinkingViolet has crippling social anxiety]], she is ''not'' an example of this trope.
* Rare male example from ''Anime/HeatGuyJ'' in the form of Clair Leonelli, when he was young. (Probably because as OverlordJr, he [[FriendlessBackground didn't have any friends]] to play with, and [[AbusiveParents his dad was abusing him]].) This endears him to then-12-year-old Giovanni, who [[DeclarationOfProtection promises to protect him forever]].
* Shiemi from ''Manga/BlueExorcist''. She even grows plants! [[ReconstructedTrope Reconstructed]] as it's more to do with how empathic she is and she quickly toughens up and gets [[TookALevelInBadass badass]], to the point her connection with plants is of a GreenThumb nature that lets her ''[[CurbStompBattle curb-stomp]]'' her enemies.
* Despite being the oldest and most mature out of her 6 friends, Alice from the ''Anime/BakuganBattleBrawlers'' fills this role to a T.
* Kaoruko in ''Manga/ComicGirls'' is very sensitive and prone to negative thoughts (suicidal ones included). It has been pointed out being "too emotionally fragile" is the main barrier preventing her from becoming a successful SequentialArtist. She frequently cries in this series, on the magnitude of [[OnceAnEpisode Once a Chapter]].
* Kazuma Mamizuka from ''Manga/GakuenBabysitters'' is constantly teary-eyed and can be prone to crying at the drop of a hat, though this can be justified since he's only a toddler. This is [[PolarOppositeTwins in stark contrast to his twin brother Takuma]], who's an outgoing PerpetualSmiler.
* Reiko Osumi from ''Manga/HiganbanaNoSakuYoruNi'' cries TenderTears [[PerpetualSmiler even while smiling]], befitting her {{Pollyanna}} nature, and is as gentle as can be, which unfortunately makes [[ButtMonkey the poor girl]] an easy target for all the [[KidsAreCruel bullies]] around her. [[spoiler:Subverted, however, as it’s [[BitchInSheepsClothing a cover]]; she is, in actuality, TheCorrupter, AlphaBitch, and BigBad of the series- [[WoundedGazelleGambit her tears]] are TheCorruption turning kids into bullies.]]
[[/folder]]
[[folder:Film -- Animation]]
* Mater from ''WesternAnimation/{{Cars}}'' and ''WesternAnimation/{{Cars 2}}''. He gets very upset over every little thing. He's a very sensitive person and there were signs that he got upset in the first film but he showed more emotions in the second film. He literally got very depressed after [=McQueen=] fired him from being a pit crew chief and felt guilty about and decided to go home. When others make Mater cry or upset, it’s considered an extreme act of cruelty because he is super sweet and he has special needs. He’s like a child. He’s a very caring helpful person whose purpose in life is to serve others out of kindness and love and to see him upset about any little thing is just extremely devastating. Even though we are supposed to laugh with Mater, he is definitely a person who is emotional enough to not be PlayedForLaughs.
[[/folder]]
[[folder:Film -- Live-Action]]
* Quoth Stuntman Mike from ''Film/DeathProof'':
-->''"There are few things more fetching than a bruised ego on a beautiful lady."''
* Sarah Packard from ''Film/TheHustler'', who has been rejected and scorned so many times that she needs to [[DrowningMySorrows drown her sorrows]] to get through the day. Needless to say, she's prone to this trope whether drunk or sober.
* Marquis from ''Film/TheLegendOfFrenchieKing'' cries easily. This is played for irony as he's subservient to very masculine women.
* ''Film/XMenDaysOfFuturePast'': Past Charles Xavier's psychological health is so poor that the slightest thing can upset him, and he's regularly seen with wet, reddened eyes or tears streaming down his face.
* ''Film/Bedazzled2000'': When he makes a DealWithTheDevil in order to woo his love interest, one of Elliot's wishes is to become the most emotionally sensitive man in the world. He becomes an annoying wimp who's moved to tears over almost everything, good or bad, and gets promptly dumped.
[[/folder]]
[[folder:Literature]]
* Little Miss Shy of Literature/MrMen fame is such a ShrinkingViolet that if anyone upsets her, she'll burst into tears. Notable examples are in the TV episode "Mr. Impossible's Lesson" [[note]] In which she broke down in tears after [[RichBitch Mr. Uppity]] yelled at her. [[/note]] and in Little Miss Magic's story [[note]] Where she wept about being tickled by Mr. Tickle. [[/note]]
* Beth Ellen Hanson of ''Literature/HarrietTheSpy'' is described as "Always look[ing] like she might cry". In a subversion, Harriet writes that this just makes her want to kick her and get it over with. In Beth Ellen's own book, ''The Long Secret'', we learn that Beth Ellen cries in private because her grandmother has taught her that's what a ProperLady does. But she has a crying fit during a sleepover after her RichBitch mother returns -- and Harriet gently takes her hand and holds it until she's through.
* Every single darn character in ''Literature/TheTaleOfGenji'', male or female. The Shining Prince himself is incredibly lachrymose. Of course [[ValuesDissonance this was considered an attractive characteristic in Heian Japan]].
* Enid Blyton's ''Literature/MaloryTowers'' school stories feature Mary-Lou, who is this trope to a T. She gets a lot better.
* Mary Anne Spier, secretary of ''Literature/TheBabySittersClub'', is described as being so sensitive she'll cry at long-distance telephone commercials.
* In ''Literature/ThoseThatWake'''s sequel, Rose is this, mainly stemming from childhood trauma.
* In ''Literature/TheZombieKnight'', the [[TheGrimReaper reaper]] Iziol is a strange example; he [[http://thezombieknight.blogspot.com/2014/10/page-850.html seems to think]] ''everyone else'' is a Fragile Flower, with perhaps the [[GoodIsNotNice demonstrated exception]] of his servant Dimas. He [[{{Bowdlerise}} can't think of any insults stronger than "turkey"]] (and worries that even this might be too-strong language) and calls Dimas [[YouMonster a monster]] when he attacks Horatio without bothering to [[IShallTauntYou provoke a first attack]]. Funnily enough, Iziol doesn't seem to consider ''[[GravityMaster hurling destructive gravitic energies]] at people'' to be unacceptably rude as long as they attack first--and taunting them into attacking first counts, albeit only with the aforementioned mild language.
* In Zilpha Keatley Snyder's "The Changeling", it is abundantly clear early on that fearful, shy, clumsy Martha Abbott cannot fit in with the rest of her Perfect Suburban Family and has ''no way to make them take her seriously''. She's treated almost like a pet (she's even called "Mouse"), and her only defense, indeed her only means of self-expression, is to cry. The author herself admitted later she didn't realize a lot of the subtleties she was creating with this book.
* Petra bint Minden in ''Literature/{{Caliphate}}'' is an shy and emotionally vulnerable girl that is easily spooked and cries a lot. Considering she was raised as a second-class citizen in an Taliban-like state due to being a female Christian and [[BreakTheCutie what happens to her over the course of the story]], she has plenty of valid reasons to.
[[/folder]]
[[folder:Live-Action TV]]
* ''Series/TheBradyBunch'': Marcia is by far the biggest crybaby of the Brady siblings. She cries when she doesn't get to go on a family ski trip, gets kicked out of a play, is rejected by a potential date to a school dance (and then several years later, after another date rejects ''her''), is treated rudely by her siblings while reading her campaign speech for student body president, when she wilts under pressure during her driving test... she just has frail nerves. As an adult, Marcia wells up when she is unable to find work as an adult and after realizing she's humiliated her family at a ribbon cutting for one of Mike's office complex projects.
* ''Series/LittleHouseOnThePrairie'': Virtually every one of the Ingalls, especially Charles(!) and Laura, who often cried at the drop of a hat. Except for possibly Nels Olesen and his son, Willie, most of the other people of Walnut Grove were more than willing to share their feelings, from big, hulking men like Jonathan Garvey and the uncouth Mr. Edwards to the spoiled tantrums of Harriet Olesen and her daughters, Nellie (in her spoiled, wild years) and especially Nancy. This ironically is vastly different from the books, where despite numerous hardships the Ingalls were incredibly stoic and discouraged showing emotions or complaining when they were struggling.
* Marisol Delko in ''Series/CSIMiami''.
* Nikki Alexander in ''Series/SilentWitness''.
* ''Series/TheCloser'': Despite being a tough ActionGirl, our heroine is always one blink away from tearing up.
* Tess in Creator/TheBBC's 2008 adaptation of ''Literature/TessOfTheDUrbervilles'', as played by Gemma Arterton.
* ''Series/{{Seinfeld}}''
** In the episode "The Understudy," Jerry's [[GirlOfTheWeek girlfriend]] cries at almost anything from dropping a hot dog to her untied shoelace. However, she [[AngstWhatAngst doesn't cry when her grandmother dies]].
** Both George and Elaine regularly bust into tears whenever something upsets them. One example with the former, George drives himself to tears when he tries to take the nickname "T-Bone" away from a co-worker who was given the same nickname, while with the latter, Elaine is banned from a nail salon and actually wanders the streets in the rain bawling her eyes out about it.
* Sophie in ''Series/PeepShow'', though she's also a ManipulativeBastard.
* A TakeOurWordForIt male example in ''Series/{{Wings}}'', when Helen dates a man who cries when she mentions her dead dog; she becomes disillusioned when she realizes he cries at everything. "We went to a Marx Brothers film and he was crying because Harpo couldn't talk."
* Guinevere in ''Series/{{Merlin|2008}}'', mainly because the writers do a lot of horrible things to her, {{lampshade|Hanging}}d by [[Creator/AngelCoulby the actress herself]]: "they like making me cry." Of course, she's also a perfect example of SilkHidingSteel: expect her to cry whilst simultaneously demonstrating great strength of character.
* In one episode of ''Series/TheMonkees'' Mike describes Peter as "Kinda sensitive. Cries at card tricks."
* ''Series/{{Oz}}'' provides a non-comedic ([[DownerEnding REALLY non-comedic]]) male example in one-shot character Guillaume Tarrant. He's an [[FelonyMisdemeanor art vandal]] who has the incredible misfortune of being locked up in a maximum security prison with the show's standard roster of killers and rapists. He's in tears at the harassment he suffers from other inmates on his first day, and repeatedly thereafter. Things... do not improve for him.
[[/folder]]
[[folder:Theatre]]
* Mélisande in Maurice Maeterlinck's play ''Pelléas and Mélisande''.
[[/folder]]
[[folder:Video Games]]
* According to one of his less-effectual titles in ''VideoGame/YggdraUnison'', Nessiah, despite his status as the local MagnificentBastard, cries very easily when hurt or frustrated. If the player's performance is substandard, this happens often enough that his enemies start to mock him for being childish, and his subordinates have to devote a lot of time to taking care of him. As Nessiah's social skills are strange at best, he never really becomes cognizant of the burden he's putting on them.
* Evanine in the ''VideoGame/NeverwinterNights'' mod Tales of Arterra.
* Neimi of ''VideoGame/FireEmblemTheSacredStones'' is pegged as a crybaby right from the start. Being childhood friends with [[JerkWithAHeartOfGold Colm]] doesn't help much. [[spoiler: Amusingly subverted in their final support conversation, where he hears her howling and asks why, rattling off a long list of reasons. Neimi tells him she's in a good mood and just had something in her eye this time, much to his consternation.]]
* Gokotai from ''VideoGame/ToukenRanbu'', who almost constantly sounds like he's about to cry. Ironically, this doesn't change after his Kiwame training, despite [[TookALevelInBadass Taking A Level In Badass]] — the first thing he says when he returns is a tearful apology for "only" defeating Uesugi Kenshin three times instead of five.
* Tiger I from ''Panzermadels'', especially when it comes to the time when she ran over Erwin. We find out earlier that it's because she "breaks down a lot" which is a design flaw.
* Ganryu from the ''VideoGame/{{Tekken}}'' series is a rare male example, but it's usually PlayedForLaughs. Examples include when he cries after defeating Jinpachi in ''Tekken 5,'' and also is the only male to cry in his lose pose when paired up with Jaycee.
** Josie Rizal is probably an even better example. She cries in her intro/outro poses, and being a crybaby is pretty much a large part of her character. She does show moments of confidence and being upbeat, though.[[/folder]]
[[folder:Visual Novels]]
* Yoriko in ''VisualNovel/DaCapo'' at first has great trouble interacting with people and, of course, always seems close to tears. Oddly enough, having ''rocks'' thrown at her apparently didn't bother her in the slightest.
* Kotomi in ''VisualNovel/{{Clannad}}'' is more or less exempt from Tomoya's normal [[TheGadfly teasing]] due to her reaction of starting to tear up and ask if someone is a bully when feeling at all threatened. Naturally, learning to deal with Kyou takes her a little while.
* Hanako Ikezawa from ''VisualNovel/KatawaShoujo''. Having burn scars that cover the entire right half of your body will do that to you. [[spoiler: [[SubvertedTrope Or not.]] Treating her like one ends ''[[PlayerPunch very badly]]''.]]
* ''VisualNovel/SuperDanganRonpa2'' has [[ShrinkingViolet Mikan]] [[TheMedic Tsumiki]], who is so timid and insecure she can barely hold a conversation without bursting into tears or having a meltdown. This is PlayedForDrama, as Mikan has been so heavily bullied throughout her life that she instantly suspects anyone she talks to wants to abuse her and will willingly degrade herself so someone will pay her attention, even if it's negative. [[spoiler:[[BewareTheQuietOnes This makes it all the more shocking when]] [[BitchInSheepsClothing she's the killer of Chapter Three]], and a double-murderer who's [[{{Yandere}} in love with]] [[BigBad Monokuma/Junko]] at that.]]
[[/folder]]
[[folder:Webcomics]]
* ''Webcomic/{{Blindsprings}}'' has Imogen, albeit she's [[DownplayedTrope Downplayed.]] She does more panicking than crying.
--> '''AltText:''' [[http://web.archive.org/web/20140702052245/http://blindsprings.com/comic/040 Imogen neither]] [[DamselFightAndFlightResponse fights not flights,]] [[TakeAThirdOption but rather]] [[FreakOut panics in place.]]
* The ''[[FountainOfYouth Kids Arc]]'' revealed that James, the resident {{woobie}} of ''{{Webcomic/Roommates}}'', was a fragile flower as a child. It was played sympathetically either as ''[[{{moe}} adorable]]'' or to {{lampshade|Hanging}} the other's [[KickTheDog puppy torturing]] tendencies.
* ''Webcomic/ZebraGirl'': Poor Mad Mabel. She manages to survive in the Subfusc despite being a normal surrounded by mysterious and magical creatures, but she is the subject of mockery and even cruelty from others (including Sandra, though she stops halfway), and got pressured by Incubus to do his bidding [[spoiler:(and when that fails, he kidnaps her)]]. She seems lost and slightly depressed, despite trying to keep a smile on her face, and nearly cried when Sandra took her thimble away from her.
* PlayedForLaughs in ''{{Webcomic/Whomp}}'', as Ronnie will burst into tears at the smallest conflict, including [[RuleOfThree three times]] [[http://www.whompcomic.com/comic/within-earshock in a single conversation]].
[[/folder]]
[[folder:Web Original]]
* Hanami in ''Literature/{{Tasakeru}}'', as part of her general [[FlowerMotifs flower motif]], can be overly sensitive at times.
* Parodied mercilessly with Lucy and Patrick of ''WebOriginal/TheWarComms''. Played [[TheWoobie heartbreakingly]] straight with Syrius, however, and to a slightly lesser extent Molly. Heather is about halfway between Patrick-Lucy and Syrius-Molly.
[[/folder]]
[[folder:Western Animation]]
* PlayedForLaughs male example: Jimmy from ''WesternAnimation/EdEddNEddy''. He's quite sensitive, which clashes with his headstrong and protective friend Sarah.
* Fluttershy in ''WesternAnimation/MyLittlePonyFriendshipIsMagic'' started out as one. Note that, however, she is [[CharacterDevelopment growing]] out of this big aspect of her, as [[GrewASpine she has become noticeably more assertive in season 2 and on]]. There was, in fact, [[Recap/MyLittlePonyFriendshipIsMagicS2E19PuttingYourHoofDown a whole episode]] based on it and, while it hasn't gotten as extreme as the events in it, she has repeatedly shown herself able to break out of this attitude in emergencies.
* Amy Wong and Dr. Zoidberg in ''WesternAnimation/{{Futurama}}'' temporarily turn into Fragile Flowers in a [[PlayedForLaughs one-shot joke]] when Bender is trying to get Fry to [[ItMakesSenseInContext cry out a liquid alien emperor trapped in his body]]:
-->'''Bender:''' Man, I guess it's harder than I thought to make someone cry.\\
'''Amy:''' You did your best, Bender.\\
'''Bender:''' Up yours, bimbo!\\
''(Amy runs away crying)''\\
'''Zoidberg:''' Let's face it, we're in hot butter here. We should call Leela for help.\\
'''Bender:''' Cram it, lobster!\\
''(Zoidberg runs away crying)''\\
'''Bender:''' That is a good idea. I'll go call her.
* WesternAnimation/{{SpongeBob SquarePants}} is a male example that isn't always PlayedForLaughs. In fact, making [[NiceGuy SpongeBob]] cry is considered a gross act of cruelty, and whoever is responsible for hurting his feelings almost immediately gets [[YouMonster scolded]] by whoever happens to witness it, or just feels [[MyGodWhatHaveIDone guilty]]. It really doesn't take very much to make him cry, either - in one of the earliest episodes of the show,“Pizza Delivery”, a particularly mean customer yelled at him and threw a pizza box in his face, causing him to flop over on the ground, sob ''deeply'' for a while, and not stop until Squidward “cheered him up”.
* [[KindheartedSimpleton Pops]] from ''WesternAnimation/RegularShow'' is another rare male example that isn't always played for laughs - in fact, seeing Pops cry is absolutely heartbreaking sometimes. Pops is very sensitive and it doesn't take much to make him cry. When someone does greatly upset him, his friends immediately come to his aid and stick up for him.
* Stacy Rowe in ''WesternAnimation/{{Daria}}'' collapses in tears over the slightest thing. Luckily, she starts to grow out of it in the fifth season, and in one episode her reputation as this even works to her ''advantage'' when she's trying to trick an audience.
* Bubbles in ''WesternAnimation/ThePowerpuffGirls'' is normally this (especially in the first season episode "Octi-Evil") but once in a while she's not afraid to kick it up a notch.
* Penny Ling in ''WesternAnimation/LittlestPetShop2012'' is shy and prone to tearing up.
* Lockette in ''WesternAnimation/WinxClub'' is prone to crying when in trouble and freaks out a lot, especially if Darkar is involved. She manages to grow out of this eventually.
* ''WesternAnimation/StevenUniverse'':
** The titular character apparently can't cry [[CentipedesDilemma on command]], but tears up easily:
--> '''Steven:''' I guess I'm just too tough to cry.\\
'''Pearl:''' Just this morning you were crying about snakes.\\
'''Steven:''' ''(in tears, whimpering)'' They don't have any arms!
** Blue Diamond is quite emotionally unstable, unintentionally harmful to those she loves (mainly Yellow Diamond), and extremely self-observed. Grieving certainly only highlighted these features in her, and at this point, the only Gem who could've opened her eyes to it (Yellow) doesn't do so because she's afraid of breaking Blue even further.
* [[EmotionalBruiser Eugly]] the rabbit from ''WesternAnimation/{{Kaeloo}}''. She will burst into tears (with OcularGushers) at the slightest insult. Sadly, the rest of the cast don't care, and they're always being mean to her.
* ''WesternAnimation/{{Caillou}}'': The eponymous character and his baby sister are infamous for crying at the drop of a hat. [[http://caillou.wikia.com/wiki/Crying_Clips The wikia even has a list of the amount of times they cried.]]
[[/folder]]
----
to:
%% Please do not replace or remove without starting a new thread.
%%
[[quoteright:350:[[Manga/HidamariSketch https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/hidamarisketch303nazuna_5727.png]]]]
[[caption-width-right:350:Handle with care.]]
->''"She's an injured bird and you just want to be her sexy veterinarian."''
-->-- '''Brett Ehrlich''' on Creator/ZooeyDeschanel, ''The Rotten Tomatoes Show''
Ah, everyone loves sweet little Alice. She's so beautiful, but she looks as if she's always just one sharp word away from bursting into tears.
A fragile flower is that one character who always looks like she (or he) is just about ready to cry. In fact, they probably are. Sometimes, they will [[TryingNotToCry try to keep their emotions inside]], but ultimately fail. One small incident and they are crying. It is possible for anything to cause them to cry, but it is most often a harsh insult directed at them.
There may be a few reasons for a fragile flower's behavior. They might just be super sensitive by nature. There might have been [[FreudianExcuse something in their past]] such as emotional abuse from peers or some other form of BreakTheCutie that caused them to be this way. Most characters who know the fragile flower are careful not to upset them when talking. Other more JerkAss characters will most likely try to make them cry, in which case the fragile flower may eventually force themselves to become desensitized towards insults.
Pretty popular in Japanese media since it's often played as [[{{moe}} cute]].
Also known as the "Sad Girl In Snow".
Most often female, though it can be a male in order to be PlayedForLaughs.
Compare TheIngenue and ShrinkingViolet. Expect TenderTears to play along with this trope.
----
!!Examples:
[[foldercontrol]]
[[folder:Anime and Manga]]
* Mikuru in ''LightNovel/HaruhiSuzumiya'' takes this to satirical lengths.
* Nazuna in ''Manga/HidamariSketch'', pictured above. She has a heck lack of confidence.
* Sumire in ''Manga/KimiWaPetto'' is outwardly a [[SugarAndIcePersonality Sugar and Ice Girl]], but she is often seen hiding in the bathroom, crying.
* Matsuri in ''Manga/StrawberryMarshmallow''.
* Aya Hoshino in ''Manga/SuperGals'', to the point where Ran assumes (in Volume 6) that "Her entire head must be full of tears...!"
* Vanilla in ''Manga/SugarSugarRune''.
* Sakuno Ryuzaki in ''Manga/ThePrinceOfTennis'' is a more or less normal ShrinkingViolet, but the anime makes her more like this.
* Mitsuru, Ritsu Sohma, [[GenerationXerox and his mom]] in ''Manga/FruitsBasket''.
* Mihashi from ''Manga/BigWindup'' acts like this due to the bullying he received while in middle school.
--> '''Abe''': And stop sniveling, it looks like I'm bullying you.
* Princess Shirahoshi from ''Manga/OnePiece'' doesn't just ''look'' like she would burst into tears from something trivial like being awakened from a nap -- she actually does. She has an excuse though, having watched her mother die and then forced to spend 10 years locked up in a tower due to death threats in the form of giant flying axes that can home in on her. She gets a little better after making some friends, though.
* ''LightNovel/{{Baccano}}'''s Jacuzzi Splot (the show's primary source of man-{{moe}}) is prone to crying at the slightest misstep outside of his comfort zone. This, surprisingly enough, ''doesn't'' stop him from being a [[CrouchingMoronHiddenBadass crazily heroic badass]] when the cards are down. Meanwhile, Lua Klein could be considered a subversion. She ''looks'' a lot like this type of character, but is in reality an {{emotionless|Girl}} DeathSeeker.
* Kanae Ohtori from ''Anime/RevolutionaryGirlUtena''. [[spoiler:Until Mikage puts the whammy on her and she goes CuteAndPsycho.]]
* Shuuichi Nitori from ''Manga/WanderingSon''. In early volumes she tends to cry a lot, but with age and CharacterDevelopment she has gotten past that stage. She still lets things go to her head but doesn't cry as easily as she did in early chapters.
* Hinako from ''Manga/BitterVirgin''. [[ParentalIncest With]] [[TeenPregnancy good]] [[TheWoobie reason.]]
* ''[[Anime/TheIdolmaster THE iDOLM@STER]]'' - Yukiho.
* Yayoi in ''Anime/SmilePrettyCure'' is described in the first episode as a crybaby whose tears start flowing with even the smallest nudge. She's also seen crying when she uses her Cure powers during the opening.
* ''Anime/FutariWaPrettyCure'' gives us a rare villainous example in Regine, who seems to be in a perpetual state of about-to-cry when in her civilian form. She's very soft-spoken, and when repeatedly asked to repeat what she said because they couldn't hear her, she'll suddenly yell and cause everyone in the room to jump. All of these traits melt away whenever she assumes her true form, however.
* From ''Webcomic/AxisPowersHetalia'':
** All of the [[TheChewToy Baltic States]] can qualify when Russia's around, but Latvia in particular is this way ''all the time''; all three are rare male examples that ''aren't'' PlayedForLaughs (at least not more so than anything else in [[SadistShow this show]]);
** [[TeamMom Ukraine]] is this, too (also note that both she and the Baltics are this [[TruthInTelevision for good reason]]);
** Finland also quotes this trope:
--> '''Finland''': I'm a frightened, fragile flower, so I decided I should go with him!
* In a filler episode in the ''Manga/RanmaOneHalf'' anime, Ranma himself becomes [[CharacterExaggeration a caricature/parody]] when he hits his head and becomes extremely frail and sensitive. [[LossOfIdentity "She" squeals in disgust at having to wash his boxers]] and faints when Akane accidentally cuts her finger.
* Chihiro in ''Anime/{{Tamayura}}''. What makes it particularly cute is that she's actually crying out of ''compassion'' for her friend Fuu (the protagonist) whose father died some time ago. Chihiro starts crying whenever she ''thinks'' she ''might'' have said something that reminded Fuu of her late father, even after Fuu actually starts to get over her father's death.
* Sota's sister Izu[[MostWritersAreWriters mi]] from ''Manga/{{Working}}'' fits this trope quite well.
* Mamoru is this in ''Literature/FromTheNewWorld''. Very emotionally sensitive, he doesn't react at all well to all the conspiracies the group uncovers.
* Hiren in ''Manga/UndertakerRiddle''. Hayato even says that calming Hiren down is like calming down a kid.
* Haruka in ''Manga/KotouraSan'' has no constitution for sudden pressure, and she caves like a house of cards when threatened. It's often PlayedForLaughs, at which point it's kind of cute. As the series goes on, she tries to address this and grow some backbone, but it seems a part of it will always be ingrained into her nature. ''That said'', it is unclear whether this is the cause, or the effect of her previous decade-long BreakTheCutie that just started to heal.
* Fumi from ''Manga/SweetBlueFlowers'', a trait that stuck with her since childhood.
--> '''Akira:''' You're always so quick to cry, Fumi.
* Vivio during ''Anime/MagicalGirlLyricalNanohaStrikers'', what with being a six-year old orphan. [[CharacterDevelopment She eventually grows out of it]] after the events of the season.
* Shinji from ''Anime/NeonGenesisEvangelion'' could be considered a rare ''serious'' male example. While he may not fit into [[TestosteronePoisoning American standards of male attractiveness]], he is stated to be attractive in-universe, and, thanks to deeply-rooted self-esteem issues and having the pleasure of witnessing his mother turn to goo at an early age, rather insecure, delicate, and all too easy to upset with just a few words, particularly in the prologue arc, where he rarely made it through an episode without a SparklingStreamOfTears.
* The titular character of ''LightNovel/NogizakaHarukaNoHimitsu'' is a [[JustifiedTrope Justified]] case because she's an {{Otaku}} [[ClosetGeek in secret]] (hence the title) and is constantly afraid of being discovered and shamed for a hobby that society in general [[DoubleStandard thinks is just perverted and disgusting]]. She actually did get found out while she was in elementary school and has carried those insecurities since then.
* Madoka of ''Anime/PuellaMagiMadokaMagica'' appears to be this, but she defies it by continuing to help out despite her very legitimate trauma, even after [[spoiler:almost everyone else dies. She eventually becomes ''immune'' to despair]].
* Enju Aihara from ''LightNovel/BlackBullet'' is a sweet, [[NiceGirl kind-hearted]] 10-year-old girl and a cursed child who, [[AllOfTheOtherReindeer despite being treated like trash for being born with the Gastrea virus in her body like most cursed children]], [[ThePollyanna always maintains a]] [[CheerfulChild sunny disposition]]. Despite this, one flaw of her character is she's a very sensitive person who is [[TenderTears prone to breaking down in tears easily]]. [[spoiler: It's highly implied that if Enju were to find out that she'll eventually die or turn into a Gastrea monster, this would be enough [[BreakTheCutie to completely break her forever]].]] At least only in the anime and manga adaptations. The light novels portrayed Enju more as the WiseBeyondTheirYears emotionally independent young girl.
* [[http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-DIrNEiChB8E/UJXnXltOkoI/AAAAAAAAAVk/sdbUuqxYuMQ/s1600/vlcsnap-2012-11-04-10h42m25s69.jpg Mallow]] from Creator/TatsuyamaSayuri's ''Manga/HappyHappyClover'' Anime/Manga series is [[http://livedoor.blogimg.jp/assas/imgs/3/b/3b24d247.jpg Clover's best friend.]] But when she first moved to Crescent Forest and was a new student in Clover's school taught by Professor Hoot, she was first seen hiding behind Professor Hoot and was mostly very quiet. [[http://i47.photobucket.com/albums/f156/hazelhamster/2.jpg Kale's first impression of Mallow is that she has "weird ears"]] which causes Clover to scold him for that comment. Later Clover's parents see Mallow's mom and dad enter their house saying that Mallow's missing. They decide to go and start a search-party around the forest; however, after her parents leave her home, Clover decides to go and search for Mallow herself. While she starts searching for her, Kale sees Clover run right past his home and notices something suspicious going on. Finally, Clover finds Mallow after she falls down a hill, and the two become friends. Suddenly, Kale and Shallot find the two and use a rope to rescue them from the pit. In the end, they get scolded by their parents. In later stories and volumes, she's still shy but starts to interact with others and becomes a nurse in the last volume.
* ''Anime/SteinsGate'': Ruka Urushibara is a fairly standard - albeit male - example who appears ready to cry all the time, and it becomes even more prevalent after [[spoiler:he becomes a she via D-Mail, and Okabe insists that she's a boy]], driving Ruka to tears every time it comes up. Of course, [[spoiler:if your crush started (unintentionally) calling you the opposite gender, insisting you're an IncompatibleOrientation all the time,]] it would be somewhat upsetting.
* This trope is PlayedForLaughs in ''Manga/CastleTownDandelion''. In Chapter 12/Episode 4A, Karen had an ImagineSpot about what would happen if she told Akane about the latter's WardrobeMalfunction, and DeathByDespair always become the result. While Akane [[ShrinkingViolet has crippling social anxiety]], she is ''not'' an example of this trope.
* Rare male example from ''Anime/HeatGuyJ'' in the form of Clair Leonelli, when he was young. (Probably because as OverlordJr, he [[FriendlessBackground didn't have any friends]] to play with, and [[AbusiveParents his dad was abusing him]].) This endears him to then-12-year-old Giovanni, who [[DeclarationOfProtection promises to protect him forever]].
* Shiemi from ''Manga/BlueExorcist''. She even grows plants! [[ReconstructedTrope Reconstructed]] as it's more to do with how empathic she is and she quickly toughens up and gets [[TookALevelInBadass badass]], to the point her connection with plants is of a GreenThumb nature that lets her ''[[CurbStompBattle curb-stomp]]'' her enemies.
* Despite being the oldest and most mature out of her 6 friends, Alice from the ''Anime/BakuganBattleBrawlers'' fills this role to a T.
* Kaoruko in ''Manga/ComicGirls'' is very sensitive and prone to negative thoughts (suicidal ones included). It has been pointed out being "too emotionally fragile" is the main barrier preventing her from becoming a successful SequentialArtist. She frequently cries in this series, on the magnitude of [[OnceAnEpisode Once a Chapter]].
* Kazuma Mamizuka from ''Manga/GakuenBabysitters'' is constantly teary-eyed and can be prone to crying at the drop of a hat, though this can be justified since he's only a toddler. This is [[PolarOppositeTwins in stark contrast to his twin brother Takuma]], who's an outgoing PerpetualSmiler.
* Reiko Osumi from ''Manga/HiganbanaNoSakuYoruNi'' cries TenderTears [[PerpetualSmiler even while smiling]], befitting her {{Pollyanna}} nature, and is as gentle as can be, which unfortunately makes [[ButtMonkey the poor girl]] an easy target for all the [[KidsAreCruel bullies]] around her. [[spoiler:Subverted, however, as it’s [[BitchInSheepsClothing a cover]]; she is, in actuality, TheCorrupter, AlphaBitch, and BigBad of the series- [[WoundedGazelleGambit her tears]] are TheCorruption turning kids into bullies.]]
[[/folder]]
[[folder:Film -- Animation]]
* Mater from ''WesternAnimation/{{Cars}}'' and ''WesternAnimation/{{Cars 2}}''. He gets very upset over every little thing. He's a very sensitive person and there were signs that he got upset in the first film but he showed more emotions in the second film. He literally got very depressed after [=McQueen=] fired him from being a pit crew chief and felt guilty about and decided to go home. When others make Mater cry or upset, it’s considered an extreme act of cruelty because he is super sweet and he has special needs. He’s like a child. He’s a very caring helpful person whose purpose in life is to serve others out of kindness and love and to see him upset about any little thing is just extremely devastating. Even though we are supposed to laugh with Mater, he is definitely a person who is emotional enough to not be PlayedForLaughs.
[[/folder]]
[[folder:Film -- Live-Action]]
* Quoth Stuntman Mike from ''Film/DeathProof'':
-->''"There are few things more fetching than a bruised ego on a beautiful lady."''
* Sarah Packard from ''Film/TheHustler'', who has been rejected and scorned so many times that she needs to [[DrowningMySorrows drown her sorrows]] to get through the day. Needless to say, she's prone to this trope whether drunk or sober.
* Marquis from ''Film/TheLegendOfFrenchieKing'' cries easily. This is played for irony as he's subservient to very masculine women.
* ''Film/XMenDaysOfFuturePast'': Past Charles Xavier's psychological health is so poor that the slightest thing can upset him, and he's regularly seen with wet, reddened eyes or tears streaming down his face.
* ''Film/Bedazzled2000'': When he makes a DealWithTheDevil in order to woo his love interest, one of Elliot's wishes is to become the most emotionally sensitive man in the world. He becomes an annoying wimp who's moved to tears over almost everything, good or bad, and gets promptly dumped.
[[/folder]]
[[folder:Literature]]
* Little Miss Shy of Literature/MrMen fame is such a ShrinkingViolet that if anyone upsets her, she'll burst into tears. Notable examples are in the TV episode "Mr. Impossible's Lesson" [[note]] In which she broke down in tears after [[RichBitch Mr. Uppity]] yelled at her. [[/note]] and in Little Miss Magic's story [[note]] Where she wept about being tickled by Mr. Tickle. [[/note]]
* Beth Ellen Hanson of ''Literature/HarrietTheSpy'' is described as "Always look[ing] like she might cry". In a subversion, Harriet writes that this just makes her want to kick her and get it over with. In Beth Ellen's own book, ''The Long Secret'', we learn that Beth Ellen cries in private because her grandmother has taught her that's what a ProperLady does. But she has a crying fit during a sleepover after her RichBitch mother returns -- and Harriet gently takes her hand and holds it until she's through.
* Every single darn character in ''Literature/TheTaleOfGenji'', male or female. The Shining Prince himself is incredibly lachrymose. Of course [[ValuesDissonance this was considered an attractive characteristic in Heian Japan]].
* Enid Blyton's ''Literature/MaloryTowers'' school stories feature Mary-Lou, who is this trope to a T. She gets a lot better.
* Mary Anne Spier, secretary of ''Literature/TheBabySittersClub'', is described as being so sensitive she'll cry at long-distance telephone commercials.
* In ''Literature/ThoseThatWake'''s sequel, Rose is this, mainly stemming from childhood trauma.
* In ''Literature/TheZombieKnight'', the [[TheGrimReaper reaper]] Iziol is a strange example; he [[http://thezombieknight.blogspot.com/2014/10/page-850.html seems to think]] ''everyone else'' is a Fragile Flower, with perhaps the [[GoodIsNotNice demonstrated exception]] of his servant Dimas. He [[{{Bowdlerise}} can't think of any insults stronger than "turkey"]] (and worries that even this might be too-strong language) and calls Dimas [[YouMonster a monster]] when he attacks Horatio without bothering to [[IShallTauntYou provoke a first attack]]. Funnily enough, Iziol doesn't seem to consider ''[[GravityMaster hurling destructive gravitic energies]] at people'' to be unacceptably rude as long as they attack first--and taunting them into attacking first counts, albeit only with the aforementioned mild language.
* In Zilpha Keatley Snyder's "The Changeling", it is abundantly clear early on that fearful, shy, clumsy Martha Abbott cannot fit in with the rest of her Perfect Suburban Family and has ''no way to make them take her seriously''. She's treated almost like a pet (she's even called "Mouse"), and her only defense, indeed her only means of self-expression, is to cry. The author herself admitted later she didn't realize a lot of the subtleties she was creating with this book.
* Petra bint Minden in ''Literature/{{Caliphate}}'' is an shy and emotionally vulnerable girl that is easily spooked and cries a lot. Considering she was raised as a second-class citizen in an Taliban-like state due to being a female Christian and [[BreakTheCutie what happens to her over the course of the story]], she has plenty of valid reasons to.
[[/folder]]
[[folder:Live-Action TV]]
* ''Series/TheBradyBunch'': Marcia is by far the biggest crybaby of the Brady siblings. She cries when she doesn't get to go on a family ski trip, gets kicked out of a play, is rejected by a potential date to a school dance (and then several years later, after another date rejects ''her''), is treated rudely by her siblings while reading her campaign speech for student body president, when she wilts under pressure during her driving test... she just has frail nerves. As an adult, Marcia wells up when she is unable to find work as an adult and after realizing she's humiliated her family at a ribbon cutting for one of Mike's office complex projects.
* ''Series/LittleHouseOnThePrairie'': Virtually every one of the Ingalls, especially Charles(!) and Laura, who often cried at the drop of a hat. Except for possibly Nels Olesen and his son, Willie, most of the other people of Walnut Grove were more than willing to share their feelings, from big, hulking men like Jonathan Garvey and the uncouth Mr. Edwards to the spoiled tantrums of Harriet Olesen and her daughters, Nellie (in her spoiled, wild years) and especially Nancy. This ironically is vastly different from the books, where despite numerous hardships the Ingalls were incredibly stoic and discouraged showing emotions or complaining when they were struggling.
* Marisol Delko in ''Series/CSIMiami''.
* Nikki Alexander in ''Series/SilentWitness''.
* ''Series/TheCloser'': Despite being a tough ActionGirl, our heroine is always one blink away from tearing up.
* Tess in Creator/TheBBC's 2008 adaptation of ''Literature/TessOfTheDUrbervilles'', as played by Gemma Arterton.
* ''Series/{{Seinfeld}}''
** In the episode "The Understudy," Jerry's [[GirlOfTheWeek girlfriend]] cries at almost anything from dropping a hot dog to her untied shoelace. However, she [[AngstWhatAngst doesn't cry when her grandmother dies]].
** Both George and Elaine regularly bust into tears whenever something upsets them. One example with the former, George drives himself to tears when he tries to take the nickname "T-Bone" away from a co-worker who was given the same nickname, while with the latter, Elaine is banned from a nail salon and actually wanders the streets in the rain bawling her eyes out about it.
* Sophie in ''Series/PeepShow'', though she's also a ManipulativeBastard.
* A TakeOurWordForIt male example in ''Series/{{Wings}}'', when Helen dates a man who cries when she mentions her dead dog; she becomes disillusioned when she realizes he cries at everything. "We went to a Marx Brothers film and he was crying because Harpo couldn't talk."
* Guinevere in ''Series/{{Merlin|2008}}'', mainly because the writers do a lot of horrible things to her, {{lampshade|Hanging}}d by [[Creator/AngelCoulby the actress herself]]: "they like making me cry." Of course, she's also a perfect example of SilkHidingSteel: expect her to cry whilst simultaneously demonstrating great strength of character.
* In one episode of ''Series/TheMonkees'' Mike describes Peter as "Kinda sensitive. Cries at card tricks."
* ''Series/{{Oz}}'' provides a non-comedic ([[DownerEnding REALLY non-comedic]]) male example in one-shot character Guillaume Tarrant. He's an [[FelonyMisdemeanor art vandal]] who has the incredible misfortune of being locked up in a maximum security prison with the show's standard roster of killers and rapists. He's in tears at the harassment he suffers from other inmates on his first day, and repeatedly thereafter. Things... do not improve for him.
[[/folder]]
[[folder:Theatre]]
* Mélisande in Maurice Maeterlinck's play ''Pelléas and Mélisande''.
[[/folder]]
[[folder:Video Games]]
* According to one of his less-effectual titles in ''VideoGame/YggdraUnison'', Nessiah, despite his status as the local MagnificentBastard, cries very easily when hurt or frustrated. If the player's performance is substandard, this happens often enough that his enemies start to mock him for being childish, and his subordinates have to devote a lot of time to taking care of him. As Nessiah's social skills are strange at best, he never really becomes cognizant of the burden he's putting on them.
* Evanine in the ''VideoGame/NeverwinterNights'' mod Tales of Arterra.
* Neimi of ''VideoGame/FireEmblemTheSacredStones'' is pegged as a crybaby right from the start. Being childhood friends with [[JerkWithAHeartOfGold Colm]] doesn't help much. [[spoiler: Amusingly subverted in their final support conversation, where he hears her howling and asks why, rattling off a long list of reasons. Neimi tells him she's in a good mood and just had something in her eye this time, much to his consternation.]]
* Gokotai from ''VideoGame/ToukenRanbu'', who almost constantly sounds like he's about to cry. Ironically, this doesn't change after his Kiwame training, despite [[TookALevelInBadass Taking A Level In Badass]] — the first thing he says when he returns is a tearful apology for "only" defeating Uesugi Kenshin three times instead of five.
* Tiger I from ''Panzermadels'', especially when it comes to the time when she ran over Erwin. We find out earlier that it's because she "breaks down a lot" which is a design flaw.
* Ganryu from the ''VideoGame/{{Tekken}}'' series is a rare male example, but it's usually PlayedForLaughs. Examples include when he cries after defeating Jinpachi in ''Tekken 5,'' and also is the only male to cry in his lose pose when paired up with Jaycee.
** Josie Rizal is probably an even better example. She cries in her intro/outro poses, and being a crybaby is pretty much a large part of her character. She does show moments of confidence and being upbeat, though.[[/folder]]
[[folder:Visual Novels]]
* Yoriko in ''VisualNovel/DaCapo'' at first has great trouble interacting with people and, of course, always seems close to tears. Oddly enough, having ''rocks'' thrown at her apparently didn't bother her in the slightest.
* Kotomi in ''VisualNovel/{{Clannad}}'' is more or less exempt from Tomoya's normal [[TheGadfly teasing]] due to her reaction of starting to tear up and ask if someone is a bully when feeling at all threatened. Naturally, learning to deal with Kyou takes her a little while.
* Hanako Ikezawa from ''VisualNovel/KatawaShoujo''. Having burn scars that cover the entire right half of your body will do that to you. [[spoiler: [[SubvertedTrope Or not.]] Treating her like one ends ''[[PlayerPunch very badly]]''.]]
* ''VisualNovel/SuperDanganRonpa2'' has [[ShrinkingViolet Mikan]] [[TheMedic Tsumiki]], who is so timid and insecure she can barely hold a conversation without bursting into tears or having a meltdown. This is PlayedForDrama, as Mikan has been so heavily bullied throughout her life that she instantly suspects anyone she talks to wants to abuse her and will willingly degrade herself so someone will pay her attention, even if it's negative. [[spoiler:[[BewareTheQuietOnes This makes it all the more shocking when]] [[BitchInSheepsClothing she's the killer of Chapter Three]], and a double-murderer who's [[{{Yandere}} in love with]] [[BigBad Monokuma/Junko]] at that.]]
[[/folder]]
[[folder:Webcomics]]
* ''Webcomic/{{Blindsprings}}'' has Imogen, albeit she's [[DownplayedTrope Downplayed.]] She does more panicking than crying.
--> '''AltText:''' [[http://web.archive.org/web/20140702052245/http://blindsprings.com/comic/040 Imogen neither]] [[DamselFightAndFlightResponse fights not flights,]] [[TakeAThirdOption but rather]] [[FreakOut panics in place.]]
* The ''[[FountainOfYouth Kids Arc]]'' revealed that James, the resident {{woobie}} of ''{{Webcomic/Roommates}}'', was a fragile flower as a child. It was played sympathetically either as ''[[{{moe}} adorable]]'' or to {{lampshade|Hanging}} the other's [[KickTheDog puppy torturing]] tendencies.
* ''Webcomic/ZebraGirl'': Poor Mad Mabel. She manages to survive in the Subfusc despite being a normal surrounded by mysterious and magical creatures, but she is the subject of mockery and even cruelty from others (including Sandra, though she stops halfway), and got pressured by Incubus to do his bidding [[spoiler:(and when that fails, he kidnaps her)]]. She seems lost and slightly depressed, despite trying to keep a smile on her face, and nearly cried when Sandra took her thimble away from her.
* PlayedForLaughs in ''{{Webcomic/Whomp}}'', as Ronnie will burst into tears at the smallest conflict, including [[RuleOfThree three times]] [[http://www.whompcomic.com/comic/within-earshock in a single conversation]].
[[/folder]]
[[folder:Web Original]]
* Hanami in ''Literature/{{Tasakeru}}'', as part of her general [[FlowerMotifs flower motif]], can be overly sensitive at times.
* Parodied mercilessly with Lucy and Patrick of ''WebOriginal/TheWarComms''. Played [[TheWoobie heartbreakingly]] straight with Syrius, however, and to a slightly lesser extent Molly. Heather is about halfway between Patrick-Lucy and Syrius-Molly.
[[/folder]]
[[folder:Western Animation]]
* PlayedForLaughs male example: Jimmy from ''WesternAnimation/EdEddNEddy''. He's quite sensitive, which clashes with his headstrong and protective friend Sarah.
* Fluttershy in ''WesternAnimation/MyLittlePonyFriendshipIsMagic'' started out as one. Note that, however, she is [[CharacterDevelopment growing]] out of this big aspect of her, as [[GrewASpine she has become noticeably more assertive in season 2 and on]]. There was, in fact, [[Recap/MyLittlePonyFriendshipIsMagicS2E19PuttingYourHoofDown a whole episode]] based on it and, while it hasn't gotten as extreme as the events in it, she has repeatedly shown herself able to break out of this attitude in emergencies.
* Amy Wong and Dr. Zoidberg in ''WesternAnimation/{{Futurama}}'' temporarily turn into Fragile Flowers in a [[PlayedForLaughs one-shot joke]] when Bender is trying to get Fry to [[ItMakesSenseInContext cry out a liquid alien emperor trapped in his body]]:
-->'''Bender:''' Man, I guess it's harder than I thought to make someone cry.\\
'''Amy:''' You did your best, Bender.\\
'''Bender:''' Up yours, bimbo!\\
''(Amy runs away crying)''\\
'''Zoidberg:''' Let's face it, we're in hot butter here. We should call Leela for help.\\
'''Bender:''' Cram it, lobster!\\
''(Zoidberg runs away crying)''\\
'''Bender:''' That is a good idea. I'll go call her.
* WesternAnimation/{{SpongeBob SquarePants}} is a male example that isn't always PlayedForLaughs. In fact, making [[NiceGuy SpongeBob]] cry is considered a gross act of cruelty, and whoever is responsible for hurting his feelings almost immediately gets [[YouMonster scolded]] by whoever happens to witness it, or just feels [[MyGodWhatHaveIDone guilty]]. It really doesn't take very much to make him cry, either - in one of the earliest episodes of the show,“Pizza Delivery”, a particularly mean customer yelled at him and threw a pizza box in his face, causing him to flop over on the ground, sob ''deeply'' for a while, and not stop until Squidward “cheered him up”.
* [[KindheartedSimpleton Pops]] from ''WesternAnimation/RegularShow'' is another rare male example that isn't always played for laughs - in fact, seeing Pops cry is absolutely heartbreaking sometimes. Pops is very sensitive and it doesn't take much to make him cry. When someone does greatly upset him, his friends immediately come to his aid and stick up for him.
* Stacy Rowe in ''WesternAnimation/{{Daria}}'' collapses in tears over the slightest thing. Luckily, she starts to grow out of it in the fifth season, and in one episode her reputation as this even works to her ''advantage'' when she's trying to trick an audience.
* Bubbles in ''WesternAnimation/ThePowerpuffGirls'' is normally this (especially in the first season episode "Octi-Evil") but once in a while she's not afraid to kick it up a notch.
* Penny Ling in ''WesternAnimation/LittlestPetShop2012'' is shy and prone to tearing up.
* Lockette in ''WesternAnimation/WinxClub'' is prone to crying when in trouble and freaks out a lot, especially if Darkar is involved. She manages to grow out of this eventually.
* ''WesternAnimation/StevenUniverse'':
** The titular character apparently can't cry [[CentipedesDilemma on command]], but tears up easily:
--> '''Steven:''' I guess I'm just too tough to cry.\\
'''Pearl:''' Just this morning you were crying about snakes.\\
'''Steven:''' ''(in tears, whimpering)'' They don't have any arms!
** Blue Diamond is quite emotionally unstable, unintentionally harmful to those she loves (mainly Yellow Diamond), and extremely self-observed. Grieving certainly only highlighted these features in her, and at this point, the only Gem who could've opened her eyes to it (Yellow) doesn't do so because she's afraid of breaking Blue even further.
* [[EmotionalBruiser Eugly]] the rabbit from ''WesternAnimation/{{Kaeloo}}''. She will burst into tears (with OcularGushers) at the slightest insult. Sadly, the rest of the cast don't care, and they're always being mean to her.
* ''WesternAnimation/{{Caillou}}'': The eponymous character and his baby sister are infamous for crying at the drop of a hat. [[http://caillou.wikia.com/wiki/Crying_Clips The wikia even has a list of the amount of times they cried.]]
[[/folder]]
----
Is there an issue? Send a MessageReason:
None
Added DiffLines:
* ''Film/Bedazzled2000'': When he makes a DealWithTheDevil in order to woo his love interest, one of Elliot's wishes is to become the most emotionally sensitive man in the world. He becomes an annoying wimp who's moved to tears over almost everything, good or bad, and gets promptly dumped.
Is there an issue? Send a MessageReason:
Changed line(s) 73 (click to see context) from:
* Reiko Osumi from ''Manga/HiganbanaNoSakuYoruNi'' cries [[PerpetualSmiler even while smiling]], befitting her {{Pollyanna}} nature, and is as gentle as can be, which unfortunately makes [[ButtMonkey the poor girl]] an easy target for all the [[KidsAreCruel bullies]] around her. [[spoiler:But it’s just a cover- it’s later ''[[BitchInSheepsClothing oh]]'' ''[[WoundedGazelleGambit so]]'' ''[[AlphaBitch horribly]]'' ''[[BigBad subverted]]''.]]
to:
* Reiko Osumi from ''Manga/HiganbanaNoSakuYoruNi'' cries TenderTears [[PerpetualSmiler even while smiling]], befitting her {{Pollyanna}} nature, and is as gentle as can be, which unfortunately makes [[ButtMonkey the poor girl]] an easy target for all the [[KidsAreCruel bullies]] around her. [[spoiler:But [[spoiler:Subverted, however, as it’s just [[BitchInSheepsClothing a cover- it’s later ''[[BitchInSheepsClothing oh]]'' ''[[WoundedGazelleGambit so]]'' ''[[AlphaBitch horribly]]'' ''[[BigBad subverted]]''.cover]]; she is, in actuality, TheCorrupter, AlphaBitch, and BigBad of the series- [[WoundedGazelleGambit her tears]] are TheCorruption turning kids into bullies.]]
Is there an issue? Send a MessageReason:
None
Changed line(s) 128,129 (click to see context) from:
[[/folder]]
to:
** Josie Rizal is probably an even better example. She cries in her intro/outro poses, and being a crybaby is pretty much a large part of her character. She does show moments of confidence and being upbeat, though.[[/folder]]
Is there an issue? Send a MessageReason:
We try not to use the terms "loli" or "shota" to refer to characters now.
Changed line(s) 64 (click to see context) from:
* Enju Aihara from ''LightNovel/BlackBullet'' is a sweet, [[NiceGirl kind-hearted]] 10-year-old girl and a cursed child who, [[AllOfTheOtherReindeer despite being treated like trash for being born with the Gastrea virus in her body like most cursed children]], [[ThePollyanna always maintains a]] [[CheerfulChild sunny disposition]]. Despite this, one flaw of her character is she's a very sensitive person who is [[TenderTears prone to breaking down in tears easily]]. [[spoiler: It's highly implied that if Enju were to find out that she'll eventually die or turn into a Gastrea monster, this would be enough [[BreakTheCutie to completely break her forever]].]] At least only in the anime and manga adaptations. The light novels portrayed Enju more as the WiseBeyondTheirYears emotionally independent loli.
to:
* Enju Aihara from ''LightNovel/BlackBullet'' is a sweet, [[NiceGirl kind-hearted]] 10-year-old girl and a cursed child who, [[AllOfTheOtherReindeer despite being treated like trash for being born with the Gastrea virus in her body like most cursed children]], [[ThePollyanna always maintains a]] [[CheerfulChild sunny disposition]]. Despite this, one flaw of her character is she's a very sensitive person who is [[TenderTears prone to breaking down in tears easily]]. [[spoiler: It's highly implied that if Enju were to find out that she'll eventually die or turn into a Gastrea monster, this would be enough [[BreakTheCutie to completely break her forever]].]] At least only in the anime and manga adaptations. The light novels portrayed Enju more as the WiseBeyondTheirYears emotionally independent loli.young girl.
Is there an issue? Send a MessageReason:
None
Changed line(s) 134 (click to see context) from:
* ''VisualNovel/SuperDanganRonpa2'' has [[ShrinkingViolet Mikan]] [[TheMedic Tsumiki]], who is so timid and insecure she can barely hold a conversation without bursting into tears or having a meltdown. This is PlayedForDrama, as Mikan has been so heavily bullied throughout her life that she instantly suspects anyone she talks to wants to abuse her and will willingly degrade herself so someone will pay her attention, even if it's negative. [[spoiler:[[BewareTheQuietOnes This makes it all the more shocking when]] [[BitchInSheepsClothing she's the killer of Chapter Three]], and a double-murderer who's [[{{Yandere}} in love with]] [[BigBad Monokuma/Junko]] at that]].]]
to:
* ''VisualNovel/SuperDanganRonpa2'' has [[ShrinkingViolet Mikan]] [[TheMedic Tsumiki]], who is so timid and insecure she can barely hold a conversation without bursting into tears or having a meltdown. This is PlayedForDrama, as Mikan has been so heavily bullied throughout her life that she instantly suspects anyone she talks to wants to abuse her and will willingly degrade herself so someone will pay her attention, even if it's negative. [[spoiler:[[BewareTheQuietOnes This makes it all the more shocking when]] [[BitchInSheepsClothing she's the killer of Chapter Three]], and a double-murderer who's [[{{Yandere}} in love with]] [[BigBad Monokuma/Junko]] at that]].that.]]
