History TearJerker / MonsterRancher

* While your monsters don't die in ''4'', putting them in the freezer renders them unable to wake up, unlike past games, and once they get old enough they're frozen automatically. If you want to maximize your time with your monster, you have to let them age until they can no longer fight.

* In ''Monster Rancher 4'', Phayne once had a Mocchi. He had no parents, so it was his only friend. But he treated it more like a stuffed animal, never thinking about its feelings or needs. One day, when his Mocchi didn't even want to be outside, they were attacked by a stray monster. The Mocchi lunged for it, and they both fell into the sea. After that, Phayne was unable to raise Mocchis. [[spoiler:It has a happy ending, though. After you beat Geras, Phayne's Mocchi returns, and is said to be living comfortably with other Mocchis]].

* [[http://lparchive.org/Monster-Rancher-2/ This]] LetsPlay of ''Monster Rancher 2'' has one with [[spoiler: whatthef the Ducken's]] death right after winning the S Cup. It hits even harder when in the author's [[http://lparchive.org/Monster-Rancher/ previous]] ''Monster Rancher 1'' LP, he deliberately worked Bongo the Naga to death and celebrated when he finally died. In this, both Colt ''and'' the author are distraught.

** After defeating the baddies, Allan places flowers on the Worm's grave, remembering the good times he'd shared with it, complete with a ReallyDeadMontage. Then, Genki and the others walk up and show him the monster they'd just unlocked. [[spoiler:It was a baby Worm, and they said he could keep it--as long as he treated it right.]]

* Everything involving Holly and her father, especially when she learns [[spoiler: he's Moo's vessel]].

* Tiger's reunion with his brother Gray Wolf, only for them [[spoiler: to have a battle to the death.]] At one point, as Gray Wolf was telling him to join him, Tiger refused, replying that he would lose something too important. And for the first time, [[spoiler: we see Tiger shedding a single tear.]] And as [[spoiler: Gray Wolf was dying]]:

** One editing of the English dub replayed a flashback of the brothers' time as pups after that line. It ended with Gray Wolf telling Tiger he's the best brother ever, and that he loves him... and cut back to [[spoiler: Gray Wolf dying]] immediately after.

** After [[spoiler:Gray Wolf dies]], his Lost Disk is quickly covered by snow. Tiger howls in grief.

** It gets sadder. The Chariot that destroyed the village Baku lived in came back to attack the heroes. [[spoiler: Baku defeated him, but was mortally wounded in the fight. So he went back to the house and curled up in front of a picture of his owner before dying.]] The last image we see in that episode is a flashback of him and his owner happily playing.
* "Tiger Meets His Match" is a pretty big tearjerker thanks to Jagged Hound's {{Backstory}} and [[spoiler: the others being led to think Tiger was killed]]. We even get a ReallyDeadMontage before it's revealed [[spoiler:Tiger was faking it]].

* The aptly named "[[ExactlyWhatItSaysOnTheTin Tears]]", which leads directly into the second season finale. It features Pixie, Big Blue, and the Dragon Army returning...but [[spoiler: Pixie is mortally wounded fighting Moo. Big Blue decides to fuse with her to save her, even though it means he'd utterly cease to exist. He goes through with it, saying it's worth it if she lives. Pixie is reborn as Granity...and then she wonders where Big Blue is and why everyone's crying]].
* The season two DownerEnding was a killer, especially for a children's series. In the space of a single episode [[spoiler: all the Mons sacrificed themselves to resurrect the Phoenix, the Phoenix sacrificed itself to kill the BigBad and the resulting explosion threw the main character off the back of the dragon he was sitting on... to collapse straight onto his back in the real world once again, rain falling onto grey streets]]. The sight of the AngstWhatAngst main character breaking down into tears over the trauma had many kids crying along with him.
** Even then, you may hold it together until you see [[spoiler: the spirits of the Monsters saying goodbye to Genki, before they fused]]. What really nails it is Mocchi's "I love you, Genki..."
** [[spoiler: The Monsters resolving to fuse in the first place]] and encouraging Genki despite his heartbreak over the situation.

-->'''Tiger:''' So even if it means [[spoiler: that we disappear...]]
-->'''Suezo:''' HOLD ON! I WANNA BE THE ONE TO SAY IT! ...We'll have no regrets [[spoiler:if we can become the Phoenix.]]

** After Genki's return to his world, he smiles and sees the shoes the old couple gave him when he first arrived there, reassuring himself that the Monster Rancher world was real... and then gets flooded with memories of his friends and the time he spent there. Genki breaks down into tears over it and punches the ground, and it's made even worse by the fact that [[spoiler:aside from Holly all of his friends are ''dead'' at this point]]. Luckily, [[spoiler:Genki soon sees a vision of his friends, who comfort him and say they'll always be with him in his heart]].

** ''Monster Rancher 2's'' is the worst--when you see shooting stars, you know your monster's going to go. In your barn, they keel over, and their pale, translucent ghost ascends to monster heaven. The sad music doesn't help. If you hold a funeral for your monster, Colt ends the affair by saying, "Let's come visit sometime..." You can avoid it by mixing monsters into new creations the moment they start showing signs of old age, but to unlock the Ghost, Mock and Wracky, you ''have'' to let at least two monsters die.

** ''Monster Rancher 2's'' is the worst--when you see shooting stars, you know your monster's going to go. In your barn, they keel over, and their pale, translucent ghost ascends to monster heaven. The sad music doesn't help. If you hold a funeral for your monster, Colt ends the affair by saying, "Let's come visit sometime..." You can avoid it by mixing monsters into new creations the moment they start showing signs of old age, but to unlock the Ghost, Mock and Wracky, you ''have'' to let at least one monster die.

* The death feature made some people ''stop'' playing the game. Especially since it can happen just as you're really getting into the training and showing serious results.

* The death of Monsters in general was so sad that ''4'', ''[[VideoGame/MonsterRancherEvo EVO]]'', and the Advance games took out the death feature. It returned in ''Monster Rancher DS'', where the death of a monster is similar to ''Monster Rancher 2''.

* The full versions of the [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1GQoP-UjhVI first]] and third Japanese openings, as well as the English ending theme.

* The Sueki Suezo is a man-made clone of Suezo. It dies in one week, and you cannot give it Silver or Golden Peaches to increase its lifespan.

** After Genki's return to his world, he smiles and sees the shoes the old couple gave him when he first arrived there, reassuring himself that the Monster Rancher world was real... and then gets flooded with memories of his friends and the time he spent there. Genki breaks down into tears over it and punches the ground, and it's made even worse by the fact that [[spoiler:aside form Holly all of his friends are ''dead'' at this point]]. Luckily, [[spoiler:Genki soon sees a vision of his friends, who comfort him and say they'll always be with him in his heart]].

*** And before that, we had [[spoiler: the Monsters resolving to fuse in the first place]] and encouraging Genki despite his heartbreak over the situation.
--->'''Tiger:''' You said you were going to destroy Moo and make this world a peaceful place again. I came all this way because I believed in what you said.
--->'''Golem:''' Golem feels the same. Your determination gave Golem ''hope''!
--->'''Hare:''' You know, you were the best motivation ever, Genki!
--->'''Genki:''' ...You guys...really?
--->'''Tiger:''' So even if it means [[spoiler: that we disappear...]]
--->'''Suezo:''' HOLD ON! I WANNA BE THE ONE TO SAY IT! ...We'll have no regrets [[spoiler:if we can become the Phoenix.]]
--->'''Mocchi:''' Mocchi, too!
** The ending, with [[spoiler:Genki seeing a vision of his friends, who comfort him and say they'll always be with him]].

* What the Stimulants do to the monsters in Monster Rancher 2--specifically, up your monster's stats, but dramatically reduce their lifespan. If you don't know the downsides, you can essentially drive monsters to their ludicrously premature grave for the sake of the fight. In essence, you are practically drugging your monster with performance-enhancing steroids in the same way Real Life people do to themselves to get themselves to believe they feel better with drugs instead of improving their bodies the old-fashioned way with tragic consequences that will eventually befall them later in their lives.

* One of the themes of ''Monster Rancher 4'' is trainers using horrible methods to increase their monsters' strength. One such method is [[BodyHorror modifying monsters]] with [[HollywoodCyborg rusty, ancient materials]]. One of your rivals eventually does this to his golem to try and [[CantCatchUp catch up]] with your hero. At first, he claims that Dodongo was perfectly okay with this; [[SpeaksFluentAnimal Rio]] calls him out, spelling out how Dodongo only went along with the painful procedure to make him happy. She strips away all of Gramm's illusions and makes him [[HeelRealization break down with horror upon realizing]] what he's done to his best friend.

* The death of Monsters in general was so sad that ''4'', ''[[VideoGame/MonsterRancherEvo EVO]]'', and the Advance games took out the death feature.
** It returned. In ''Monster Rancher DS'', the death of a monster is quite similar to ''Monster Rancher 2''.

* The death of one of your monsters in ''Monster Rancher'' can be pretty upsetting, especially if you happen to be a little kid. All the effort you've put into raising your monster makes it even more personal. ''Monster Rancher 2's'' is the worst--when you see shooting stars, you know your monster's going to go. In your barn, they keel over, and their pale, translucent ghost ascends to monster heaven. The sad music doesn't help. If you hold a funeral for your monster, Colt ends the affair by saying, "Let's come visit sometime..."
** You can avoid it by mixing monsters into new creations the moment they start showing signs of old age, but to unlock the Ghost, Mock and Wracky, you ''have'' to let at least one monster die.

* When the [[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fXVIeI5U4o4 third Japanese opening]] has a montage of characters crying, you know it has plenty of these.
* The full versions of the [[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1GQoP-UjhVI first]] and third Japanese openings, as well as the English ending theme.

* The death of one of your monsters in ''Monster Rancher'' can be pretty upsetting--especially if you happen to be a little kid. All the effort you've put into raising your monster makes it even more personal. ''Monster Rancher 2's'' is the worst--when you see shooting stars, you know your monster's going to go. In your barn, they keel over, and their pale, translucent ghost ascends to monster heaven. The sad music doesn't help. If you hold a funeral for your monster, Colt ends the affair by saying, "Let's come visit sometime..."
** You can avoid it by mixing monsters into new creations the moment they start showing signs of old age, but to unlock the Ghost, Mock and Wracky, you ''have'' to let at least one monster die. Monster Rancher 3 is both better and worse in this area--better because when your monster dies, you get their "Monster Heart", full of their spirit (and stats) which you can give to your new monster to help them live on, worse because ''you have to watch the death scene every time to get it''.