History Main / MelancholyMoon

* [[OurWerewolvesAreDifferent Asama Sakuya]] from GirlsLove VisualNovel ''VisualNovel/AkaiIto'' gazes at the moon sometimes. [[spoiler:She's the [[LastOfHisKind last of her kind]], a tribe that had strong connection to the moon. She has been alone ''[[WhoWantsToLiveForever for the past 1700-years]]''.]] In one ending, she [[spoiler:dies, and Kei prosaically laments how Sakuya's soul is going to the moon.]]

* In ''VisualNovel/{{Tsukihime}}'', Shiki stares at the moon a lot when he is feeling down. As you could expect from a game whose title translates as "Moon Princess" from Japanese. And its subtitle "[[WordSaladTitle Blue Blue Glass Moon, Under The Crimson Air]]".
* The ''VideoGame/{{Lunar}}'' series has a funny variation on this. Throughout the series, there's a celestial body that unquestionably fills the same role as the moon. It's distant, cold, and lifeless, but nevertheless always shining through the night and a source of hope and wonder. It's present in every night scene, most memorably shining behind Luna during [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ROt6hC7WWio Wind's Nocturne]], as well as playing a massive role in the plot of ''VideoGame/LunarEternalBlue'' and being the focus of [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fRm_PJQe3p8 the Eternal Blue Theme]]. So, what's the twist? It's not a moon at all. The characters are ''living'' on its moon, called Lunar or the Silver Star, while gazing up towards the frozen planet it orbits, the Blue Star. One more thing - depending on the shot, you can see certain land formations on the Blue Star. Those include [[EarthAllAlong Africa]].
* In ''VideoGame/FragileDreamsFarewellRuinsOfTheMoon'', the Moon is used as a prominent symbol of isolation and loneliness. To really hammer the latter aspect, Ren and the male protagonist of the game may be the only two people left in the world.
* One chapter in ''VideoGame/{{Disgaea}}'' deals with the Red Moon, under the light of which the Prinnies can earn atonement for their sins and be reborn. Considering that the Prinnies are explosive demon-penguins who usually serve as comic relief, the chapter is surprisingly poignant.

* [[OurWerewolvesAreDifferent Asama Sakuya]] from GirlsLove VisualNovel ''VisualNovel/AkaiIto'' gazes at the moon sometimes. [[spoiler:She's the [[LastOfHisKind last of her kind]], a tribe that had strong connection to the moon. She has been alone ''[[WhoWantsToLiveForever for the past 1700-years]]''.]] In one ending, she [[spoiler:dies, and Kei prosaically laments how Sakuya's soul is going to the moon.]]

* One of the recurring songs in ''Manga/{{Beck}}'' is "Moon on the Water". The song is in of itself a melancholic love song but in episode 5 when both Koyuki and Maho [[SkinnyDipping skinny dip]] in the school pool, they sing it song together under a summer full moon. You can't get more romantic than that.

* The first ''WesternAnimation/{{Shrek}}'' movie has a scene in which Shrek and Donkey stare at the night sky, as Shrek talks about ogres of the past being among the constellations. Shrek ends up confiding in Donkey that the reason he pushes everyone away is that people tend to judge him as a monster before they even get to know him, so he feels he's "better off alone". Donkey assures Shrek that he never judged him. It ends with them looking at the moon, accompanied by this exchange:

* ''Series/SASRogueHeroes''. The Special Air Service have to wait until the Moon sets so it will be dark enough to attack their targets. While they are waiting, Lieutenant Jock Lewes goes to bathe in the ocean and we hear a VoiceoverLetter he's written to the woman he's proposed marriage to, lamenting her failure to respond and ponder how (regarding the Moon) something [[DefrostingIceQueen distant and remote could also be beautiful.]]

* ''Series/SASRogueHeroes''. The Special Air Service have to wait until the Moon sets so it will be dark enough to attack their targets. While they are waiting, Lieutenant Jock Lewes goes to bath in the ocean and we hear a VoiceoverLetter he's written to the woman he's proposed marriage to, lamenting her failure to respond and ponder how (regarding the Moon) something [[DefrostingIceQueen distant and remote could also be beautiful.]]

* In many continuities of the ''{{Manga/Devilman}}'' franchise that involve Satan [[spoiler:killing Akira]], the final scene involving Satan realising the tragic mistake he had made almost always takes place under the light of the moon.
** ''Anime/DevilmanCrybaby'' takes this up to eleven by having the ''bisected'' moon still visible in the sky from where it was cut in half during the previous battle between the Demons and Devilmen.

He or she may have a TragicDream, have suffered a DarkAndTroubledPast, or have embarked on some new quest that promises to change their life. The trope is also frequently used in love songs, particularly in association with [[AllLoveIsUnrequited unrequited love]] (pining for or fixating on someone is sometimes even referred to as "mooning after / over" them).

* One of the recurring songs in ''Manga/{{Beck}}'' is "Moon on the Water". The song is in of itself a melancholic love song but in episode 5 when both Koyuki and Maho [[SkinnyDipping skinny dip]] in the school pool they sing it song together under a summer full moon. You can't get more romantic than that.

--> '''Duo''': "I wonder how much longer I'll get to see the moon like this?"
--> '''Heero''': "Do you want me to pull up my pants?"
--> '''Duo''': "Nah, it's cool."

* ''Fanfic/TheNightUnfurls'': In Chapter 1 of the original, Kyril is seen sharpening his [[SerratedBladeOfPain Saw Cleaver]] under a moonlit night, preparing for his duty to Celestine, who gave him the task of delivering her rival Olga back to the South, alive. Within the sound of steel being sharpened, he broods over the reality that a [[HunterOfMonsters hunter]] like him is better at ending lives than preserving them. Kyril then turns his attention to the Holy Moonlight Sword, which, as the name suggests, has a complimentary motif to the moon in the sky. The story than presents a ContinuityNod about the weapon's heritage: how the sword once belonged to the First Hunter of the Healing Church, Ludwig; how the [[WasOnceAMan owner]] of the sword inevitably fell to the Beast Scourge, twisted into an accursed beast, a mockery of his former ideals; how the man that was once Ludwig the Accursed [[DyingAsYourself finally found peace]] as Ludwig the Holy Blade; and lastly, how the blade, his mentor and guiding Moonlight, is bequeathed to the Hunter during his final moments. To cap it off, the last two paragraphs of this scene has Kyril hoping that nothing terrible would happen in the upcoming battle. Overall, it is a melancholy scene that compliments with Kyril's isolated and introspective nature, especially to those who are familiar with ''VideoGame/BloodBorne'' lore.

* The first ''WesternAnimation/{{Shrek}}'' movie has a scene in which Shrek and Donkey stare at the night sky, as Shrek talks about ogres of the past being among the constellations. Shrek ends up confiding in Donkey that the reason he pushes everyone away is because people tend to judge him as a monster before they even get to know him, so he feels he's "better off alone". Donkey assures Shrek that he never judged him. It ends with them looking at the moon, accompanied by this exchange:

* In ''Film/HarryPotterAndThePhilosophersStone'', after he arrives in Hogwarts and everyone is in bed, Harry's up looking out his window at the moon. It fits into the "melancholy yet hopeful" category as it marks the beginning of a new life for him, yet it's a somewhat sad scene because of the backstory with his parents.

* ''[[Literature/TheSpaceTrilogy That Hideous Strength]]'': Before Mark is told the true nature of N.I.C.E., the Moon seems larger in the sky then he's ever seen it before. Its oppressive presence is fitting, since N.I.C.E. hopes to cleanse the Earth of flesh until it's as spotless as the planet's distant neighbor.

* ''Literature/AThousandSplendidSuns'': After being [[MaritalRapeLicense forced to consummate]] her unwanted marriage to Rasheed, Mariam lays alone in her room, staring at the moon; when the clouds cover the moon it's compared to a woman drawing a veil over her face. Besides Rasheed, Mariam is utterly alone in the world: her mother recently died and her father forced her to move away from the people she grew up with to marry Rasheed. Despite this she's resolved to try and find happiness in her marriage to Rasheed (it doesn't work out).

* Rusalka, an opera composed by Music/AntoninDvorak , libretto by Jaroslav Kvapil, contains an aria called [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JHM3zMBQxTQ Song to the Moon]], in which Rusalka sings her woes to the Moon.

* [[OurWerewolvesAreDifferent Asama Sakuya]] from GirlsLove VisualNovel ''VisualNovel/AkaiIto'' gazes at the moon sometimes. [[spoiler:She's the [[LastOfHisKind last of her kind]], a tribe which had strong connection to the moon. She has been alone ''[[WhoWantsToLiveForever for the past 1700-years]]''.]] In one ending, she [[spoiler:dies, and Kei prosaically laments how Sakuya's soul is going to the moon.]]

* The first ''WesternAnimation/{{Shrek}}'' movie has a scene in which Shrek and Donkey stare at the night sky, as Shrek talks about ogres of the past being among the constellations. Shrek ends up confiding in Donkey that the reason he pushes everyone away is because people tend to judge him as a monster before they even get to know him, so he feels he'he"better off alone". Donkey assures Shrek that he never judged him. It ends with them looking at the moon, accompanied by this exchange:

* The first ''WesternAnimation/{{Shrek}}'' movie has a scene in which Shrek and Donkey stare at the night sky, as Shrek talks about ogres of the past being among the constellations. It ends with them looking at the moon, accompanied by this exchange:

* ''Literature/AThousandSplendidSuns'': After being [[MaritalRapeLicense forced to consummate]] her unwanted marriage to Rasheed, Mariam lays alone in her room, staring at the moon; when the clouds cover the moon it's compared to a woman drawing a veil over her face. Besides Rasheed, Mariam is utterly alone in the world: her mother recently died and her father forced her to move away from the people she grew up with to marry Rasheed. Despite this she's resolved to try and find happiness in her marriage to Rasheed (it doesn't work out).

He or she may have a TragicDream, have suffered a DarkAndTroubledPast, or have embarked on some new quest that promises to change their life. The trope is also frequently used in love songs, particularly in association with [[AllLoveIsUnrequieted unrequited love]] (pining for or fixating on someone is sometimes even referred to as "mooning after / over" them).

He or she may have a TragicDream, have suffered a DarkAndTroubledPast, or have embarked on some new quest that promises to change their life. The trope is also frequently used in love songs.

* Both the big baby and the clown in ''WesternAnimation/ToyStory3'' do this. Which is pretty darn appropriate considering their shared backstory.

* Same with Odette and Derek in ''WesternAnimation/TheSwanPrincess''.

* ''WesternAnimation/{{Mulan}}'', during the "I'll Make a Man Out of You" song sequence.
-->Mysterious as the dark side of the moon
* ''WesternAnimation/TheNightmareBeforeChristmas'': "Jack's Lament" is built mostly around the backdrop of Spiral Hill against the moon.

* Very popular in Ancient Chinese literature, especially poems and "lyrics" (which were originally set to songs that have long been lost). Many a poem is of the poet being unable to sleep, climbing to the top of a pavilion (optional), staring at the moon, and musing about their sad fate (mostly being demoted and ReassignedToAntarctica) and/or their longing for home. These were incidentally the two most commonly expressed sentiments in poems throughout the dynasties.

* Shivaree's "Goodnight, Moon."

--> -- '''Music/TheMoodyBlues'''

* ''VideoGame/FragileDreamsFarewellRuinsOfTheMoon'', the game in the trope picture at the top. It's used as a prominent symbol of isolation and loneliness. To really hammer the latter aspect, the girl pictured above and the male protagonist of the game may be the only two people left in the world.

* Music/GiacomoPuccini, the composer of famous operas ''Theatre/LaBoheme'', ''Theatre/{{Tosca}}'' and ''Theatre/{{Turandot}}'', loved this trope. Almost all of his operas have the moment of MelancholyMoon, usually in connection with the main soprano heroine. In ''Turandot'', the trope is played with in a most gruesome way: the moonrise is the signal for starting an execution. It is also averted when Prince Calaf has his moment of moon-gazing: he is not melancholic but self-assured and hopeful.