History TearJerker / GhostInTheShellStandAloneComplex

* In the sixteenth episode of the first season, "Ag2O," the Tachikomas just got shipped off, leaving Batou in a subtle bit of turmoil before he has to investigate a former boxing champion that was a personal hero of his. By the end of the episode the man's been arrested for leaking military info, and Batou, in sheer frustration at the man throwing away everything for more profit when he already had a loving wife and comfortable life as is, practically smashes the liquor the man's wife had given him and furiously throws himself back into training while cursing the man.

* Togusa started as a WideEyedIdealist, but by "Solid State Society", he's become a lot more ruthless and cynical. However sad that is, it does not compare to later in "Solid State Society", when he is prepared to shoot himself in the head to stop the Puppeteer from taking his daughter; showing Togusa is still a family man with ideals and ready to even die for his family.
** Using his Mateba to do so, no less. The gun he clung to for the entire series, and supposedly got rid of by the time of Solid State Society.

* In the climax of the first season, when the Tachikomas sacrifice themselves to save Batou, using the very few weapons they have. His personal Tachikoma is the [[HeroicSacrifice last to go]], and it looks to Batou, says, "Goodbye, Mr. Batou..." and cries a ''single tear'' of organic oil. This is especially heartbreaking because of the symbolism of humanity that Batou literally installed by giving the Tachikomas organic oil to begin with. They get better, but the fact that ''robotic armaments being scrapped'' can cause real world tears.

* In the climax of the first season, [[spoiler: when the Tachikomas sacrifice themselves to save Batou, using the very few weapons they have. His personal Tachikoma is the [[HeroicSacrifice last to go]], and it looks to Batou, says, "Goodbye, Mr. Batou..." and cries a ''single tear'' of organic oil. That was especially heartbreaking because of the symbolism of humanity that Batou literally installed by giving the Tachikomas organic oil to begin with. They get better, but the fact that ''robotic armaments being scrapped'' can cause real world tears... Wow.]]

* The end of 2nd Gig's "Trans_Parent." The VO who provided the little girl's voice ''earned'' her pay. When you watch the little girl struggle to get out of her wheelchair and try to find her father [[spoiler:only to discover that she's blind AND crippled]] it's hard to fight the tears when you know that she will never hear his voice or receive a gift from him again.
* 2nd [=GiG=] later has two practically back to back, the first is: [[spoiler:Motoko asking Kuze if he can fold cranes using his left hand -- with all the implication that has.]] Then, right after that [[spoiler: hearing [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0UEkrUVmPIc the Tachikoma sing this cheerful song about butterflies and living things while they send the satellite containing their collective consciousness plummeting into the path of a launched nuke]]]].
---> The earthworm, the cricket,
---> the water snake
---> everything, everything is alive
---> and are friends
---> We all are alive
---> We laugh because we're alive
---> We all are alive
---> We are happy because we're alive
** [[spoiler: "I don't believe it. Do you want to know something? I'd bet anything that all of you have ghosts."]]

** From the moment [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZfC-Yp7yvBA&feature=related I Do starts]] to the big boom, I could feel my throat tighten.

** It got me at "She is probably still looking for the first boy she ever loved" I was watching the sub, so I read the text and was instantly in tears before Motoko's VA even stopped speaking.
** What does it for this troper is the part where she ends making a mistake and tearing the paper crane she was making. You can clearly see how much effort she's putting in it, the sound of that tear might as well be the sound of her young heart breaking.
** Cue the song ''Take a Little Hand'', and this troper consequently bursting into tears.
* [[spoiler: "Motoko! MOTOKOOOO!"]]

* The end of the episode "Excavation" is definitely a gut-wrencher.
** The state of New ''Tokyo'' looks so incredibly sorry. Whatever that happened during the war must be really bad...
* Togusa started as a WideEyedIdealist, but by Solid State Society, he's become a lot more ruthless and cynical. However sad that is, it does not compare to later in Solid State Society, when he is prepared to [[spoiler:shoot himself in the head]] to stop the Puppeteer from taking his daughter; showing Togusa is still a family man with ideals and ready to even die for his family.

* Episode 7 of 2nd Gig has Section 9 helping a group of soldiers transport plutonium through an impoverished city. Some desperate refugees show up looking to rob the convoy, and Godha comments to the a panicking soldier that a refugee is carrying a pistol. This starts a shoot out which kills most of the refugees. We see afterwords that the refugee was just carrying a bent pipe, and the entire shoot out could have likely been avoided.

** Using his Mateba to do so, no less. The gun he clung to for the entire series, and supposedly got rid of by the time of Solid State Society.

* In the sixteenth episode of the first season, the Tachikomas just got shipped off, leaving Batou in a subtle bit of turmoil before he has to investigate a former boxing champion that was a personal hero of his. By the end of the episode the man's been arrested for leaking military info, and Batou, in sheer frustration at the man throwing away everything for more profit when he already had a loving wife and comfortable life as is, practically smashes the liquor the man's wife had given him and furiously throws himself back into training while cursing the man.