History BittersweetEnding / VisualNovels

*** Made slightly less bittersweet in the [[UpdatedRerelease Realta Nua ending.]] As Arturia (Saber) lies dying, Merlin visits her mentally and tells her that if her soul will wait forever; and if Shirou will look for her forever; they will meet restored at the field of Avalon. He makes it perfectly clear that this is impossible. [[DiedHappilyEverAfter It happens.]] Let us make this perfectly clear. Saber will always, throughout time, for eternity, wait for Shirou, and that Shirou will always be trying to move towards Saber, to find her again. Pity that to unlock the ending you have to get [[HundredPercentCompletion ALL endings.]] [[GuideDangIt And THEN you have to play the Fate route again.]]

*** Made slightly less bittersweet in the [[UpdatedRerelease Realta Nua ending.]] As Arturia (Saber) lies dying, Merlin visits her mentally and tells her that if her soul will wait forever; and if Shirou will look for her forever; they will meet restored at the field of Avalon. He makes it perfectly clear that this is impossible. [[DiedHappilyEverAfter It happens.]] Let me make that clear. Saber will always, throughout time, for eternity, wait for Shirou, and that Shirou will always be trying to move towards Saber, to find her again. Pity that to unlock the ending you have to get [[HundredPercentCompletion ALL endings.]] [[GuideDangIt And THEN you have to play the Fate route again.]]

* Many of ''VisualNovel/PiofioreNoBansho'' best endings are this. Special mention going to Orlok's in which after going though an extreme [[TraumaCongaLine]] he's kills [[RoaringRampageOfRevenge Dante]] in order to save himself and Liliana and the two flee Burlone for safety.

* In both the Good and Family Endings of ''VisualNovel/{{Melody}}'', MC and Melody are in a happy relationship, but Melody has missed her chance to become a big music star.

** In the special ending, Sayori gains MediumAwareness in Monika's place but does ''not'' go insane, so Monika doesn't have to delete the game. Sayori instead thanks the player and tearfully says goodbye because the game is ending, and it's implied the characters live on in their world more happily than they ever were, at least in whatever extent they even exist when the game is not running (if they don't go on existing independently, it's not really that different from the bad ending). The goodbye is what's bittersweet, particularly when Sayori asks you to come visit sometime, but you know the only way to do that is to reset the game so that everything starts from the beginning and the characters are ''not'' going to be happy. What can be inferred of [[AlasPoorVillain Monika's]] fate is even more bittersweet in the same way: she's found at least some kind of peace, and she can see those she cares about get a happy ending, but she can't take part in it. Reduced to a digital ghost, she can't rejoin her friends in the game world, nor be with the player she's in love with who's in the real world.

** In the special ending, Sayori gains MediumAwareness in Monika's place but does ''not'' go insane, so Monika doesn't have to delete the game. Sayori instead thanks the player and tearfully says goodbye because the game is ending, and it's implied the characters live on in their world more happily than they ever were, at least in whatever extent they even exist when the game is not running (if they don't, it's not really that different from the bad ending). The goodbye is what's bittersweet, particularly when Sayori asks you to come visit sometime, but you know the only way to do that is to reset the game so that everything starts from the beginning and the characters are ''not'' going to be happy. What can be inferred of [[AlasPoorVillain Monika's]] fate is even more bittersweet in the same way: she's found at least some kind of peace, and she can see those she cares about get a happy ending, but she can't take part in it. Reduced to a digital ghost, she can't rejoin her friends in the game world, nor be with the player she's in love with who's in the real world.

** In the special ending, Sayori gains MediumAwareness in Monika's place but does ''not'' go insane, so Monika doesn't have to delete the game. Sayori instead thanks the player and tearfully says goodbye because the game is ending, and it's implied the characters live on in their world more happily than they ever were, at least in whatever extent they even exist when the game is not running (which might be not at all, in which case it's not that different from the bad ending). The goodbye is what's bittersweet, particularly when Sayori asks you to come visit sometime, but you know the only way to do that is to reset the game so that everything starts from the beginning and the characters are ''not'' going to be happy. What can be inferred of [[AlasPoorVillain Monika's]] fate is even more bittersweet in the same way: she's found at least some kind of peace, and she can see those she cares about get a happy ending, but she can't take part in it. Reduced to a digital ghost, she can't rejoin her friends in the game world, nor be with the player she's in love with who's in the real world.

** In the special ending, Sayori gains MediumAwareness in Monika's place but does ''not'' go insane, so Monika doesn't have to delete the game. Sayori instead thanks the player and tearfully says goodbye because the game is ending, and it's implied the characters live on in their world more happily than they ever were, at least in whatever extent they even exist when the game is not running. The goodbye is what's bittersweet, particularly when Sayori asks you to come visit sometime, but you know the only way to do that is to reset the game so that everything starts from the beginning and the characters are ''not'' going to be happy. What can be inferred of [[AlasPoorVillain Monika's]] fate is even more bittersweet in the same way: she's found at least some kind of peace, and she can see those she cares about get a happy ending, but she can't take part in it. Reduced to a digital ghost, she can't rejoin her friends in the game world, nor be with the player she's in love with who's in the real world.

* After sitting through the credits for ''VisualNovel/GSenjouNoMaou'', you are treated to a MoodWhiplash epilogue. After surviving the chaotic incident he instigated in the climax, [[BigBad "Maou"]] pays Kyousuke and Haru a visit, which culminated in Haru chasing him and attempting to gun him down. Kyousuke intervened by killing Maou with his own gun, sparing Haru from the media attention and thus, protecting her future as a violinist. After spending 8 years in prison, he meets Haru and her daughter, and assumed that she got together with another person. The trope is then subverted when he asks how old the girl is, with her reply stunning him.
--> ''I'm seven years old, daddy.''

* In ''VisualNovel/DokiDokiLiteratureClub'', both the normal DownerEnding and the secret HappyEnding of also have bittersweet shades.

* In ''VisualNovel/DokiDokiLiteratureClub'', both the normal DownerEnding and the secret happy ending of also have bittersweet shades.

** In the special ending, Sayori gains MediumAwareness in Monika's place but does ''not'' go insane, so Monika doesn't have to delete the game. Sayori instead thanks the player and tearfully says goodbye because the game is ending, and it's implied the characters live on in their world more happily than they ever were, at least to whatever extent they even exist when the game is not running. The goodbye is what's bittersweet, particularly when Sayori asks you to come visit sometime, but you know the only way to do that is to reset the game so that everything starts from the beginning and the characters are ''not'' going to be happy. What can be inferred of [[AlasPoorVillain Monika's]] fate is even more bittersweet in the same way: she's found at least some kind of peace, and she can see those she cares about get a happy ending, but she can't take part in it. Reduced to a digital ghost, she can't rejoin her friends in the game world, nor be with the player she's in love with who's in the real world.

** In the special ending, Sayori gains MediumAwareness in Monika's place but does ''not'' go insane, so Monika doesn't have to delete the game. Sayori instead thanks the player and tearfully says goodbye because the game is ending, and it's implied the characters live on in their world more happily than they ever were. (At least provided they even exist when the game is not running.[[note]]Monika's dialogue from earlier implies it both ways: she speaks of things that happened before the game, but also says she goes into limbo when the game is turned off.[[/note]] If they stop existing, that's a whole lot sadder happy ending.) The goodbye is what's bittersweet, particularly when Sayori asks you to come visit sometime, but you know the only way to do that is to reset the game so that everything starts from the beginning and the characters are ''not'' going to be happy. What can be inferred of [[AlasPoorVillain Monika's]] fate is even more bittersweet in the same way: she's found at least some kind of peace, and she can see those she cares about get a happy ending, but she can't take part in it. Reduced to a digital ghost, she can't rejoin her friends in the game world, nor be with the player she's in love with who's in the real world.

** In the special ending, Sayori gains MediumAwareness in Monika's place but does ''not'' go insane, so Monika doesn't have to delete the game. Sayori instead thanks the player and tearfully says goodbye because the game is ending, and it's implied the characters live on in their world more happily than they ever were. The goodbye is what's bittersweet, particularly when Sayori asks you to come visit sometime, but you know the only way to do that is to reset the game so that everything starts from the beginning and the characters are ''not'' going to be happy. What can be inferred of [[AlasPoorVillain Monika's]] fate is even more bittersweet in the same way: she's found at least some kind of peace, and she can see those she cares about get a happy ending, but she can't take part in it. Reduced to a digital ghost, she can't rejoin her friends in the game world, nor be with the player she's in love with who's in the real world.

** In the special ending, Sayori gains MediumAwareness in Monika's place but does ''not'' go insane; she instead thanks the player and tearfully says goodbye because the game is ending, and it's implied the characters live on in their world more happily than they ever were. The goodbye is what's bittersweet, particularly when Sayori asks you to come visit sometime, but you know the only way to do that is to reset the game so that everything starts from the beginning and the characters are ''not'' going to be happy. What can be inferred of [[AlasPoorVillain Monika's]] fate is even more bittersweet in the same way: she's found at least some kind of peace, and she can see those she cares about get a happy ending, but she can't take part in it. Reduced to a digital ghost, she can't rejoin her friends in the game world, nor be with the player she's in love with who's in the real world.

** In the special ending, Sayori gains MediumAwareness in Monika's place but does ''not'' go insane; she instead thanks the player and tearfully says goodbye because the game is ending, and it's implied the characters live on in their world more happily than they ever were. The goodbye is what's bittersweet, particularly when Sayori asks you to come visit sometime, but you know the only way to do that is to reset the game so that everything starts from the beginning and the characters are ''not'' going to be happy. What can be inferred of [[AlasPoorVillain Monika's]] fate is even more bittersweet in the same way: she's found at least some kind of peace, she can see those she cares about get a happy ending, but she can't take part in it. Reduced to a kind of digital ghost, she can't rejoin her friends in the game world, nor be with the player she's in love with who's in the real world.

* In the normal ending of ''VisualNovel/DokiDokiLiteratureClub'', Monika [[TheFourthWallWillNotProtectYou deletes the game from the inside]] so that no-one else will GoMadFromTheRevelation that they are a video game character. The seemingly uncancellable horrible events from before have been undone by a CosmicRetcon after the game could finally be restarted properly, which is a heck of a relief comparatively speaking, but the happiest the characters can be is in painless oblivion. Monika herself, previously a tortured {{Yandere}}, expresses bittersweet happiness, gratitude and love to the player in her last letter.

* In the normal ending of ''VisualNovel/DokiDokiLiteratureClub'', Monika deletes the game from the inside so that no-one else will GoMadFromTheRevelation that they are a video game character. The seemingly uncancellable horrible events from before have been undone by a CosmicRetcon after the game could finally be restarted properly, which is a heck of a relief comparatively speaking, but the happiest the characters can be is in painless oblivion. Monika herself, previously a tortured {{Yandere}}, expresses bittersweet happiness, gratitude and love to the player in her last letter.

*** The manga ending has Shiki find Arcueid (which is ambiguous to whatever it happened in a dream or not), perhaps to keep it consistent with sequels (which was {{Jossed}} as series of unconnected side stories (Videogame/MeltyBlood was even joked on "based of the non-existent Satsuki ending").

** Ending 1(Madison/Abigail): If you choose "I'll make it up to you," Geladura returns to her true Fairy Queen form, and Maddie and Abigail are given normal, living human bodies, but Morgan sacrifices herself to kill Evelyn, resulting in Tara being completely emotionally devastated and depressed on the train ride home. She's also jealous of Maddie and Abigail's happiness, and hates herself for feeling this way. Maddie blames herself for this due to hesitating to kill Evelyn earlier, and thinks Tara hates her now, but Abigail assures her that she doesn't. As a result, there ends up being another rift between Tara and Madison, but Madison holds out hope that their relationship will mend in time.
** Ending 2([[BetaCouple Tara/Morgan]]): If you choose, "I'll keep Tara safe," or "One way or another, this ends tonight," Geladura sacrifices herself to kill Evelyn. Because of this, Maddie is now stuck as the Fairy's Queen thanks to the agreement they made earlier, and her, Abigail and the Fairies vanish from sight without even getting to say goodbye to Tara and Morgan. Tara goes into a grieving spiral and eventually informs her fan base and Maddie's family of her "Death", with the latter breaking off contact with her, while Morgan blames herself for all of this. Tara also quits ''Taranormal'' and moves on to other projects. Eventually they move out of Maddie's house due to painful memories, and the epilogue has Morgan getting accepted by Tara's family and the two of them getting married while Morgan internally thanks Maddie, Abigail and Geladura for making this possible]].
** A planned third bad ending, mentioned in the art book, would have been something of a hybrid of the other two endings. Like in Ending 2, Geladura dies, and Madison would have to remain as Fairy Queen. However, Morgan would have volunteered to replace Madison, due to pointing out that Madison promised to give the fairies a queen, not to become one herself. The fairies would have accepted her, giving her enough time to say goodbye to Tara and her friends.

* ''VisualNovel/{{Tsukihime}}'':
** In the True Ending for Arcueid's route, Arcueid technically survives, but after saying one last goodbye to Shiki, she leaves to sleep (or seal herself to her castle) to restrain her urges, presumably forever now that Roa is DeaderThanDead. There is an unlockable "Good Ending" of debatable canon.

** Arcueid's is easily matched, bordering into DownerEnding, by the True Ending for Hisui's route, with Akiha killed by SHIKI, Kohaku ([[TheWomanBehindTheMan who plotted the whole thing]]) committing suicide, and Shiki and Hisui leaving the mansion.
** Likewise, both of Akiha's "good" endings are bittersweet. In one, Shiki saves Akiha's life by seemingly[[note]]Kagetsu Tohya has a sidestory that continues from this ending which confirms that he lived[[/note]] killing himself so that the lifeforce she lent him will return to her. In the other, Shiki can't kill himself, so Akiha lives out her life as an insane beast that feeds on his blood.
** Ciel's good ending is unambiguously happy, on the other hand, unless you're Ciel herself. Why? Because Arcueid cheerfully sticks around and decides to go for a threesome ending of sorts. Ciel is not happy about having to share in her good end. Shiki himself also spends much of his time figuring out how to keep Arcueid and Ciel from killing each other.
* ''VisualNovel/Echo'': The best you can hope for in nearly all routes (and explicitly stated to be the intention by the author), provided you don't get the outright bad endings.

* All the endings of ''VisualNovel/FateStayNight'' that aren't outright [[DownerEnding downers]] are bittersweet, because just as Shirou's father warned him, he can't save everyone. In particular, either Saber or Ilya has to die, and in the only route where Sakura isn't left in the hands of her (horrifically) [[RapeAsBackstory abusive]] [[AbusiveParents grandfather]] (who might kill her), the only non-downer ending has ''both'' of them dying. The first route (which is the one followed by the anime) is the most bittersweet: Shirou wins the war, destroys the Grail, and avenges his father, but Saber is gone, and nothing can take her place in his heart. We're left to ponder what "continuation of the dream" Saber might be seeing, and to hope it'll bring them back together somehow.
** Made slightly less bittersweet in the [[UpdatedRerelease Realta Nua ending.]] As Arturia (Saber) lies dying, Merlin visits her mentally and tells her that if her soul will wait forever; and if Shirou will look for her forever; they will meet restored at the field of Avalon. He makes it perfectly clear that this is impossible. [[DiedHappilyEverAfter It happens.]] Let me make that clear. Saber will always, throughout time, for eternity, wait for Shirou, and that Shirou will always be trying to move towards Saber, to find her again. Pity that to unlock the ending you have to get [[HundredPercentCompletion ALL endings.]] [[GuideDangIt And THEN you have to play the Fate route again.]]

* Depending on which side of the fantasy fence you sit on for the possible endings of ''VisualNovel/UminekoWhenTheyCry'', the final fate of all the cast members is either this, where the Metaworld is real and Battler is reunited in death there with Beatrice and his whole family or a downer, where the whole thing is just made up as a way for an amnesiac Battler to sort out his own thoughts about the Rokkenjima incident. Still, no matter which viewpoint you take, it doesn't change the fact that by the end of the series, almost everyone who was on Rokkenjima is dead.

** Hanako's "Friend" ending results in Hisao and Hanako sharing a simple dinner and a nice chess game... but never developing their relationship past mutual friendship. It's also implied that this sort of relationship will eventually prove self-destructive, since Hisao will put Hanako's needs ahead of his own.