History TearJerker / TheTaleOfThePrincessKaguya

* The HopeSpot that Kaguya's mother smuggles her back to the village, where she reunites with a grown-up and married Sutemaru. She tells him "I just know I would have been happy" and starts crying. Sutemaru offers to leave his wife and child, to run away with her and protect her. They even fly for a bit...and then she falls into the water, and he wakes up. "Little Bamboo" is gone. He thinks it was just a dream, but we see her walking back to the capital, resigned to her fate.

* Miyatsuko's HeelRealization when Kaguya remembers who she is, and why she was born in the bamboo grove: she wanted to come to Earth to learn why another Moon woman missed the planet, and broke the rules doing so. She says she doesn't want to leave her parents or her life, because despite how hard things have been, she was meant to be on Earth and cries out, "I don't want to leave!" Miyatsuko through ManlyTears says he loves "Princess" like his own child, and will protect her because she's still here. Kaguya apologizes for wishing she wasn't here, and goes MyGodWhatHaveIDone because she wants to take it back.

* The ending: A procession of celestial beings descends from the Moon to abduct Kaguya, and Miyatsuko is unable to stop it, as every arrow his men fire at the celestial beings turn into flowers. An attendant offers Kaguya a robe that will erase her memories of her life on Earth, and she begs him to grant her a last moment with her parents before leaving for the Moon. What makes it even more tear-jerking is the [[SoundtrackDissonance happy tune]] [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XYqmHkfUaPI that plays during the scene]].

* Doubly so if one takes WordOfGod into consideration: Kaguya unwillingly leaving Earth? She's dying. She has known that she's been dying since when the Emperor came by and has been trying to come to terms with it, but can't. Despite how unhappy she is with her current life, she'd still rather live unhappy but together with the people she loves than die and leave them behind. Kaguya going to the Moon? She's passing on to the afterworld, a place with no sorrow, suffering, heavy thoughts or hurtful feelings; a place that she cannot return from, and that no-one can follow her to. Kaguya forgetting everything about her past life? It's TheNothingAfterDeath.
* Perhaps even worse (or better, depending on your interpretation) is that despite supposedly remembering nothing of her life on earth, she still looks back in the end. Suggesting that a part of her does, in fact, miss Earth, but she'll never know why or be able to go back. It's hinted that much like the other Moon resident, Kaguya will at least retain the residues of song and the emotions on the moon.

* The ending: A procession of celestial beings descends from the Moon to abduct Kaguya, and Miyatsuko is unable to stop it, as every arrow his men fire at the celestial beings turn into flowers. An attendant offers Kaguya a robe that will erase her memories of her life on Earth, and she begs him to grant her a last moment with her parents before leaving for the Moon. What makes it even more tear-jerking is the [[SoundtrackDissonance happy tune]] [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UCSJEI4nDy8 that plays during the scene]].

* The HopeSpot that Kaguya's mother smuggles her back to the village, where she reunites with a grown-up and married Setumaru. She tells him "I just know I would have been happy" and starts crying. Setumaru offers to leave his wife and child, to run away with her and protect her. They even fly for a bit...and then she falls into the water, and he wakes up. "Little Bamboo" is gone. He thinks it was just a dream, but we see her walking back to the capital, resigned to her fate.

* The film's theme song, "When I Remember This Life", becomes even more moving after Creator/IsaoTakahata and Yukiji Asaoka's deaths in 2018. The song was even sung at Takahata's funeral.

* The ending: A procession of celestial beings descends from the Moon to abduct Kaguya, and Miyatsuko is unable to stop it, as every arrow his men fire at the celestial beings turn into flowers. An attendant offers Kaguya a robe that will erase her memories of her life on Earth, and she begs him to grant her a last moment with her parents before leaving for the Moon. What makes it even more tear-jerking is the [[SoundtrackDissonance happy tune]] [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W2AyNVK5_vE that plays during the scene]].

!! Meta

* This was not only Creator/IsaoTakahata's final work as a director for Studio Ghibli, but it was his last work as a director period. He died of lung cancer on April 5, 2018 at the age of 82.
* Executive producer Seiichiro Ujiie died in March 2011 of multiple organ failure, two years before this film was released.
* This was the final film performance of Takeo Chii (who voiced the Bamboo Cutter), who died in June 2012 of a heart failure.
* Kitanokata's voice actress Yukiji Asaoka died on April 27, 2018, nearly five years after the film's release and 22 days after Takahata's own death.

* Doubly so if one takes WordOfGod into consideration: [[spoiler: Kaguya unwillingly leaving Earth? She's dying. She has known that she's been dying since when the Emperor came by and has been trying to come to terms with it, but can't. Despite how unhappy she is with her current life, she'd still rather live unhappy but together with the people she loves than die and leave them behind. Kaguya going to the Moon? She's passing on to the afterworld, a place with no sorrow, suffering, heavy thoughts or hurtful feelings; a place that she cannot return from, and that no-one can follow her to. Kaguya forgetting everything about her past life? It's TheNothingAfterDeath.]]
* Perhaps even worse (or better, depending on your interpretation) is [[spoiler: that despite supposedly remembering nothing of her life on earth, she still looks back in the end. Suggesting that a part of her does, in fact, miss Earth, but she'll never know why or be able to go back. It's hinted that much like the other Moon resident, Kaguya will at least retain the residues of song and the emotions on the moon.]]

* The film's theme song, "When I Remember This Life", becomes even more moving after Creator/IsaoTakahata and Yukiji Asaoka's deaths.

* This was not only Creator/IsaoTakahata's final work as a director for Studio Ghibli, but it was one of his last works as a director period. He died of lung cancer on April 5, 2018 at the age of 82.

* The film's theme song, "When I Remember This Life", becomes even more moving after Creator/IsaoTakahata and Yukiji Asaoka's death.

* This was not only Creator/IsaoTakahata's final work as a director for Studio Ghibli, but it was one of his last works as a director period. He died of lung cancer on April 2018 at the age of 82.

* Yukiji Asaoka died on April 27, 2018, nearly five years after the film was released and 22 days after Takahata's own death.

* The film's theme song, "When I Remember This Life", becomes even more moving after Creator/IsaoTakahata's death.

* This was not only Creator/IsaoTakahata's final work as a director for Studio Ghibli, but it was one of his last works as a director period. He died of lung cancer in April 2018 at the age of 82.

* This was Creator/IsaoTakahata's final directorial work. He died of lung cancer in April 2018.

* The ending: A procession of celestial beings descends from the Moon, and Miyatsuko is unable to stop it, as every arrow his men fire at the celestial beings turn into flowers. An attendant offers Kaguya a robe that will erase her memories of her life on Earth, and Kaguya begs him to grant her a last moment with her parents. What makes it even more tear-jerking is the [[SoundtrackDissonance happy tune]] [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W2AyNVK5_vE that plays during the scene]].
** Also, [[spoiler:Kaguya leaves her adoptive parents for the moon, having forgotten everything about her stay on Earth.]]

* This was Creator/IsaoTakahata's final directorial work. He died of lung cancer over four years following the film's release.
* Seiichiro Ujiie died in March 2011 of multiple organ failure, two years before this film was released.
* With Takeo Chii's death in June 2012 of a heart failure, this was his final film performance.

* This was Creator/IsaoTakahata's final directorial work. He died of lung cancer about four-and-a-half years following the film's release.

* With Isao Takahata's passing on April 5, 2018, ''The Tale of the Princess Kaguya'' was his final film as director.

* Isao Takahata died on April 5, 2018, making this his final film as director.

* This is the final Isao Takahata-directed film to be produced for now.

* Perhaps even worse (or better, depending on your interpretation) is [[spoiler: that despite supposedly remembering nothing of her life on earth, she still looks back in the end. Suggesting that a part of her does, in fact, miss Earth, but she'll never know why or be able to go back.]]

* This is the final (for now) Takahata-directed film to be produced.