History TearJerker / FistOFTheNorthStar

** The fact that this manga could make you sympathize with '''[[CompleteMonster Jagi]]''' of all characters is saying something.

** The fact that this manga could make you sympathize with '''[[CompleteMonster Jagi]]'' of all characters is saying something.

* Kenshiro taking Taki home, shot to death for stealing water for his adoptive mother, and her anguished cry "He was only seven years old!" makes you want to pop the heads of Jackal and his band of bastards yourself.
* When Bat's adoptive mother Toyo is killed by the impact of a stick dynamite thrown away from a terrified little boy that it was tied to by Jackal. Even moreso heartbreaking in the manga when he calls her "Mommy" for the very last time as she [[GoOutWithASmile dies with a warm smile.]]

* If you thought a rock guitar theme cannot make you cry, you have not heard [[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IaVnu3qgdPU Asunaki Tabi]] yet. The most heartbreaking uses of this song were when Shuh wept in the graveyard of the children murdered by the Souther and when he himself was [[spoiler: tortured and murdered by said monster of a tyrant.]]

* [[spoiler:Shu's]] death was made into an even greater TearJerker in the first ''Raoh Den'' movie, as it's accompanied by SoundtrackDissonance with the song "Where The Lights Are".

** In the same episode, after Yuria tells Raoh of her fate ([[spoiler:by radiation sickness like Toki's]]), he [[TenderTears sheds tears of his own]] (again), mourning of her eventual fate and deciding not to sacrifice her to obtain Muso Tensei, but by this revelation.

* When Bart's adoptive mother is killed by the impact of a dynamite throw away from a terrified little boy that it was tied to via Jackal. Even moreso heartbreaking in the manga when he calls her "Mommy" for the very last time as she [[GoOutWithASmile dies with a warm smile.]]

* Fudoh's battle against Raoh had "crying time" written all over it from the start. Raoh, having felt fear when Kenshiro manifested Musou Tensei before him, concludes he needs to purge himself of all fear, and to do it he must first face the one man to make him feel fear for the first time: Fudoh. Raoh kidnaps Fudoh's adopted children and threatens to kill them if Fudoh does not face Raoh, and Fudoh must break his vow of peace to face him. Raoh demolishes Fudoh, but Fudoh refuses to give up and actually instills fear in Raoh by showing him how hopeless it is for him to fight without love and sadness. And then Fudoh ends up shot fatally with an arrow shot by Raoh's henchmen, defying Raoh's orders. [[CrowningMomentOfAwesome Fudoh then declares that Raoh lost to him, and that he will keep on living in fear and never defeat Kenshiro.]] Then he dies surrounded by his children, all crying for their loss. And then just for good measure, they play the first ending theme set to a slideshow of Fudoh's life. ''SNIFF''.

* Fudoh's battle against Raoh had "crying time" written all over it from the start. Raoh, having felt fear when Kenshiro manifested Musou Tensei before him, concludes he needs to purge himself of all fear, and to do it he must first face the one man to make him feel fear for the first time: Fudoh. Raoh kidnaps Fudoh's adopted children and threatens to kill them if Fudoh does not face Raoh, and Fudoh must break his vow of peace to face him. Raoh demolishes Fudoh, but Fudoh refuses to give up and actually instills fear in Raoh by showing him how hopeless it is for him to fight without love and sadness. And then Fudoh ends up shot fatally with an arrow shot by Raoh's henchmen, defying Raoh's orders. [[CrowningMomentOfAwesome Fudoh then declares that Raoh lost to him, and that he will keep on living in fear and never defeat Kenshiro.]] Then he dies surrounded by his children, all crying for their loss. Waaah!

* In a rather tasteful use of [[PlayedForDrama drama]] by ToeiAnimation, Kenshiro, after crossing Raoh's battle aura, tells him how much he and Toki admires him and how the feeling will never goes away from his heart, he full-blown sheds his ManlyTears in this fight. Who else wouldn't?

* [[spoiler:Fudoh's death]] is particularly heartbreaking.

* In a rather use of PlayedForDrama, Kenshiro, after crossing Raoh's battle aura, tells him how much he and Toki admires him and how the feeling will never goes away from his heart, he full-blown sheds his ManlyTears in this fight.
** In the same episode, after Yuria tells Raoh of her fate (by [[spoiler:radiation sickness like Toki's]], he sheds tears of his own (again), mourning of her eventual fate and deciding not to sacrifice her to obtain Muso Tensei, but by this revelation.

** ThisTroper was absolutely BROKEN by Rei's death. He was already dying in absolute agony because of Raoh's attack, but then he undergoes Toki's EVEN MORE PAINFUL treatment, which is so painful it TURNS HIS HAIR WHITE, just so he'd have his strength back and a little more time to fight Judah. And the reason for fighting Judah? Just to avenge poor Mamiya's honor. Kenshiro himself says that of all the men he's met, Rei's the only one that was his true friend. TT_TT

** In [[RoninAquila this troper's opinion]], Souther is the one exception. No matter ''how'' much you love your father, there is '''NO''' acceptable excuse for abusing and beating '''millions''' of slave children, even in the name of honoring him.
*** What made the Souther business absolute nonsense was the REAL tearjerker...Shuu, broken, is being forced to carry a giant stone on his back to Souther's pyramid for the completion of his monument to his master. Souther is laughing evilly and telling him if he drops it or steps back, EVERY SINGLE innocent there will be executed. To the point where nobody can help Shuu or their entire families will die. Shuu, filled with pure love for his people, smiles and carries on to the top. Souther? Throws a spear into his heart as Kenshiro is rushing over to help him. Shuu falls, crushed by the stone. But moments before that, he gets his sight back and sees Kenshiro in front of him as clear as day, as well as the sun. He then dies with content to see his wife and child again. Cue Kenshiro killing the evil bastard with one of his most merciful techniques and commenting Souther 'loved more than anyone.' Y'know. More than the man he just murdered...
**** That must have been a bad translation, in Japanese Ken actually said "He HAD (PAST TENSE) love greater than anyone's."
***** That still includes Shuu and Rei
**** Kenshiro's reason for using a merciful attack was to demonstrate the power of love and mercy, not to forgive Souther. Souther still died, Ken didn't even think of sparing him. But in doing what he did, Ken demonstrated how love and kindness were truly more powerful than Souther's heartless mania, and it was enough to make his old troops throw down their weapons and surrender or be converted.
***** It really hits FridgeBrilliance - if Kenshiro had just straight up splattered the guy, Souther's philosophy would have been ''validated'' - "LoveHurts and it's just killed me." By addressing Souther's act of love, no matter how horrible or misplaced, with one final act of kindness, he could ''show'' him that he was wrong. "See? Love may hurt sometimes, but in the end, your love was the only thing that provided you and your wretched fate with any comfort." The subtext can very easily be missed, mostly because it's ''subtext'', in a show like this.
****** Honestly, I found it a complete insult to Shuu's name. He died protecting his people, who openly cried and wept for him, and Kenshiro even opened up his fight with Souther with one of his Nanto moves. During/at the end of the fight, cue in Souther's FreudianExcuse and the children cry for HIM, the same monster who was willing to kill Shuu AND/OR all his people. I don't care how sympathetic or meaningful the message was suppose to be, it was handled very poorly in my opinion.
** The death of Ryo, and innocent little boy, thanks to Souther's crate of poisoned food in the original manga and 2007 feature film. You'd have to be as fucking evil as that fucked up loser Souther to not cry with Shuh and the giant warrior collapsed in grief weeping, for his beloved little boy in his arms.
-->'''Warrior:''' How.. how did this happen. I just wanted to see your face filled with happiness, that's all.... please... forgive me... Ryo... uuuurrgghhaaa...
-->'''Shuu:''' I'm so sorry... I should have tasted the food first... Ken... such is the way of Souther... Though my eyes have lost their light, the tears refuse to run dry. If Souther is not defeated... this tragedy will revisit us time and again....

**** Kenshiro's reason for using a merciful attack was to demonstrate the power of love and mercy, not to forgive Souther. Souther still died, Ken didn't even think of sparing him. But in doing waht he did, Ken demonstrated how love and kindness were truly more powerful than Souther's heartless mania, and it was enough to make his old troops throw down their weapons and surrender or be converted.

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Violence and brutality be damned, ''FistOfTheNorthStar'' is arguably the most warm-hearted and sensitive anime series of the 1980's.

** ThisTroper was absolutely BROKEN by Rei's death. He was already dying in absolute agony because of Raoh's attack, but then he undergoes Toki's EVEN MORE PAINFUL treatment, which is so painful it TURNS HIS HAIR WHITE, just so he'd have his strength back and a little more time to fight Judah. And the reason for fighting Judah? Just to avenge poor Mamiya's honor. Kenshiro himself says that of all the men he's met, Rei's the only one that was his true friend. !_!

*** What made the Souther business absolute nonsense was the REAL tearjerker...Shuu, broken, is being forced to carry a giant stone on his back to Souther's pyramid for the completion of his monument to his master. Souther is laughing evilly and telling him if he drops it or steps back, EVERY SINGLE innocent there will be executed. To the point where nobody can help Shuu or their entire families will die. Shuu, filled with pure love for his people, smiles and carries on to the top. Souther? throws a spear into his heart. Shuu falls, crushed by the stone. Cue Kenshiro killing the evil bastard with one of his most merciful techniques and commenting Souther 'loved more than anyone.' Y'know. More than the man he just murdered...

****** Kenshiro's reason for using a merciful attack was to demonstrate the power of love and mercy, not to forgive Souther. Souther still died, Ken didn't even think of sparing him. But in doing waht he did, Ken demonstrated how love and kindness were truly more powerful than Souther's heartless mania, and it was enough to make his old troops throw down their weapons and surrender or be converted.

** --> Raoh: [[CrowningMomentOfHeartwarming Feel free to cry, Toki. I won't scold you again... Take care of your body, my little brother.]]

-->'''Shuh:''' I'm so sorry... I should have tasted the food first... Ken... such is the way of Souther... Though my eyes have lost their light, the tears refuse to run dry. If Souther is not defeated... this tragedy will revisit us time and again....