History Tearjerker / LoveLiveSunshine

Unlike their predecessors, their road is paved with [[DarkerAndEdgier failures]] and [[SurprisinglyRealisticOutcome a bittersweet dose of reality]].

--> '''Mari''': It's about time we should talk about this. Why didn't you say something? You should've told me what you're thinking. I'm looking out for you as much as you did the same for me. I don't care about my future right now! Studying abroad? I'm not interested at all! Why would I be? It's because... You can't even sing... And I just can't let that go! *slaps Kanan* I... I cared for you... ''So don't take my feelings that lightly!!''

* TheReveal about Dia, Kanan, and Mari's failed performance. Kanan pretended to be unable to sing because Mari was injured, and because Mari kept passing up chances to study abroad because she was a school idol. The worst part? Mari had absolutely no interest in studying abroad, she just wanted to enjoy being an idol with her friends. It was because of this act that Kanan gets an ArmorPiercingSlap to the face from an enraged Mari for not telling her sooner.

--> '''Mari''': It's about time we should talk about this. Why didn't you say something? You should've told me what you're thinking. I'm looking out for you as much as you did the same for me. I don't care about my future right now! Studying abroad? I'm not interested at all! Why would I be? It's because... You can't even sing... And I just can't let that go! ''(slaps Kanan)'' I... I cared for you... ''So don't take my feelings that lightly!!''

* The live performance of Kanan and Mari's duet ''Namida ga Yuki ni Naru Mae ni'' during Aqours ONLINE Love Live! ~WHITE ISLAND~. The lyrics are already tearjerkers on their own being based on their anime story arc, but its choreography also features several scenes also listed here such as Kanan rejecting Mari's hug on Episode 8 and the reconciliation hug (the current page image) on Episode 9 while showing the corresponding scene from the anime. Day 2 elevated the moment as the duet was followed with ''Mijuku DREAMER'', the insert song that directly followed the hug.

--> '''Mari''': It's about time we should talk about this. Why didn't you say something? You should've told me what you're thinking. I'm looking out for you as much as you did the same for me. I don't care about my future right now...! Studying abroad? I'm not interested at all! Why would I be? It's because... you can't even sing... And I just can't let that go! ''(slaps Kanan)'' I... I cared for you... ''So don't take my feelings that lightly!!''

* At the end of the movie, Chika decides to continue Aqours, even after the third year members graduate. Now, Aqours is composed of only six members...

* TheReveal about Dia, Kanan, and Mari's failed performance. Kanan pretended to be unable to sing because Mari was injured, and because Mari kept passing up chances to study abroad because she was a school idol. The worst part? Mari had absolutely no interest in studying abroad, she just wanted to enjoy being an idol with her friends.

* WordOfGod confirmed that the two unknown girls who inherit the group's name in TheStinger represents the last two remaining applicants for Uranohoshi High in order to save the school.

Unlike their predecessors, their road is paved with [[DarkerAndEdgier failures]] and a bittersweet dose of RealityEnsues.

* Poor Hanamaru and Ruby. Hanamaru found solace in books, but always felt lonely when she finished them and realised she didn't have any friends. Until she met Ruby. Ruby always wanted to be an idol and used to pretend to be a member of µ's with Dia until something made Dia stop and tell Ruby to stop as well. And then, despite being a member of the group making her happy, Hanamaru decides not to join officially after realising that she doesn't have the stamina to keep up with the others, going back to sit in the library alone until Ruby shows up and points out that Rin, her favourite member, didn't think that she could be an idol either.

* In the penultimate episode of season 1 the girls go to Otonokizaka high school in order to understand why μ's was such a great idol group. While there they come across a student who reveals that there is nothing of μ's left at the school, after the girls disbanded they took all off the proof that μ's existed with them leaving behind only the school that they saved as proof of their achievement. It's an understandable bit of realism but still a bit of a GutPunch for fans of the original show who wanted the two groups to meet each other at some point.
* Season 2 already starts off with quite a bit of drama right off the bat. First off, despite the great support and wonderful showing at the end of Season 1, Aqours did not move past the regional qualifiers, which they aren't too worried about as they will just develop their skills for the next Love Live competition. However, they might not get a chance to, as Mari's father calls in and tells her that it's been finalized that the school will cancel the open house for upcoming year and will be integrated with a nearby school, thus closing the school down. The goal that μ's was able to accomplish in their first season, Aqours was unable to do.

* Poor Hanamaru and Ruby. Hanamaru found solace in books, but always felt lonely when she finished them and realised she didn't have any friends. Until she met Ruby. Ruby always wanted to be an idol and used to pretend to be a member of µ's with Dia until something made Dia stop and tell Ruby to stop as well. And then, despite being a member of the group making her happy, Hanamaru decides not to join officially after realising that she doesn't have the stamina to keep up with the others, going back to sit in the library alone until Ruby shows up and points out that Rin, her favourite member, didn't think that she could be an idol either.

* In the penultimate episode of season 1 the girls go to Otonokizaka high school in order to understand why μ's was such a great idol group. While there they come across a student who reveals that there is nothing of μ's left at the school, after the girls disbanded they took all off the proof that μ's existed with them leaving behind only the school that they saved as proof of their achievement. It's an understandable bit of realism but still a bit of a GutPunch for fans of the original show who wanted the two groups to meet each other at some point.
* Season 2 already starts off with quite a bit of drama right off the bat. First off, despite the great support and wonderful showing at the end of Season 1, Aqours did not move past the regional qualifiers, which they aren't too worried about as they will just develop their skills for the next Love Live competition. However, they might not get a chance to, as Mari's father calls in and tells her that it's been finalized that the school will cancel the open house for upcoming year and will be integrated with a nearby school, thus closing the school down. The goal that μ's was able to accomplish in their first season, Aqours was unable to do.

* The live performance of Kanan and Mari's duet ''Namida ga Yuki ni Naru Mae ni'' during Aqours ONLINE LoveLive! ~WHITE ISLAND~. The lyrics are already tearjerkers on their own being based on their anime story arc, but its choreography also features several scenes also listed here such as Kanan rejecting Mari's hug on Episode 8 and the reconciliation hug (the current page image) on Episode 9 while showing the corresponding scene in the anime. Day 2 elevated the moment as the duet was followed with ''Mijuku DREAMER'', the insert song that directly followed the hug.

[[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/llstearjerker.jpg]]
[[caption-width-right:350:Just the first of many tear jerkers]]

* The performance of ''Next SPARKLING!!'' during Aqours' 5th [=LoveLive=] surrounded by a rainbow made of penlights[[note]]Other rainbow penlight projects have been done in a smaller scale before in the US and Korea, but no penlight project has been done in a dome setting where capacity is around 30,000.[[/note]] is ''the'' emotional highlight of Aqours' career so far, with tears shedding from both audience and staff alike.

* The performance of ''Next SPARKLING!!'' during Aqours' 5th [=LoveLive=] surrounded by a rainbow made of penlights[[note]]Other rainbow penlight projects have been done before in the US and Korea, but not in this scale.[[/note]] is ''the'' emotional highlight of Aqours' career so far, with tears shedding from both audience and staff alike.

* The performance of ''Omoi yo Hitotsu ni Nare'' in Aqours' 4th Live. Usually, like in the anime, Rikako Aida is on the piano, opening the song with her solo performance. But in this live, the play suddenly stops, prompting Anju and Shuka to approach her. Initially, this reminds the audience about 1st Live's infamous "stage anxiety"... until Rikako joins the rest of them in the performance! Finally, the song is performed with nine members! The audience were going wild with this, and some even seen holding back tears.

** The other two had their own problems after this incident: Kanan sacrificed her school idol dreams and her relationships for Mari's sake, turning her into a BrokenBird while Dia is caught in the middle, unable to do anything about it.