History MementoMacGuffin / AnimeAndManga

** Suzaku's pocketwatch (more accurately, his late father's pocketwatch), which symbolizes his being stuck in the past. When he leaves it behind during the first season's finale ([[spoiler:with the body of the woman he loved, shot dead by his best friend]]), it's supposed to signal the fans that the kid gloves are off.

* Hitomi's pendant in ''Manga/TheVisionOfEscaflowne'' belonged to her oft-mentioned grandmother.

* Yuri's blue pendant in ''LightNovel/KyoKaraMaoh'' is a double whammy--it was given to him by his godfather, Conrad (and, in a variant of LostWeddingRing, Yuri panics when he loses it); but Conrad was entrusted with it by Julia... [[spoiler:who is reincarnated as Yuri.]] The pendant therefore connects Yuri to two people (Conrad and Julia) and a memory [[spoiler:(his past life).]]

* ''Anime/GhostInTheShellStandAloneComplex'':
** the full cyborgs Batou and Major Katsunagi have mementos from their pre-cyborg days: Batou's exercise weights, and the Major's watch. The watch does double duty as a straight-up MacGuffin as well: the Major accidentally left the watch at her house on the day she had to go into hiding, so Batou risks capture to retrieve the watch for her.

* The three magical jewels in ''LightNovel/SorcererStabberOrphen'', specially Cleao's sword. That one was a heirloom of the Everlasting family, and Cleao tags along with Orphen and Majik to make sure Orphen will give it a good use.

* The blue pendant or brooch Chtholly wears on her neck in ''LightNovel/WorldEndWhatDoYouDoAtTheEndOfTheWorldAreYouBusyWillYouSaveUs'' formerly belonged to an older Leprechaun she once looked up to as an older sister figure back when she was a child. The pendant/brooch now serves as a motivation for her to move forward and grow stronger because she knows that as someone who was raised as a weapon of war she could die any day in the battlefield and strives to live her life as much as she can. [[spoiler: After she herself dies in a DyingMomentOfAwesome combined with a tearjerking HeroicSacrifice, it's then given posthumously to Tiat in a moment that symbolizes Chtholly [[PassingTheTorch passing on her role as main heroine]] to Tiat as Tiat herself becomes the main heroine of the sequel light novel series.]] Also doubles as TragicKeepsake.

* In ''LightNovel/VioletEvergarden'', Violet received an emerald brooch as a gift from Gilbert. It went missing during her stay at the hospital at the end of the war and despite Violet losing almost all of her other belongings, the brooch is the only thing Violet cares about finding. The brooch ended up on the black market after the war and Claudia bought it back using his own pocket money.

* In Act 2 of ''Anime/SailorMoonCrystal'', shortly after making her first friend ever in Usagi, Ami's attachment to the pen she won on their first outing is so strong that, while {{Brainwashed}}, she's oblivious to orders from the MonsterOfTheWeek as she staggers to retrieve it from across a room, [[EmptyEyes dull-eyed]] but happy when she does. (the pen later becomes her TransformationTrinket)

* ''Manga/OnePiece'': Luffy's [[NiceHat straw hat]], which he [[ThePromise promises]] to return to its original owner, Shanks after he fulfills his promise to become a great pirate. Because of his great promise to Shanks, Luffy wears the hat 24/7 [[NumberOneDime and treasures it greatly]] and the entirety of the story is Luffy becoming a great and infamous pirate just so he can meet Shanks again and return it.

* ''Manga/ShonanJunaiGumi'': Kyosuke Masaki's coat was formerly worn by the legendary founder of the first generation of the Midnight Angel gang, who gifted it to the Oni-Baku. Akutsu believes he deserves to wear it, and that it will legitimize his leadership.

* In ''Anime/PuellaMagiMadokaMagica'', Homura's weapon of choice changes to [[spoiler: a bow in the last episode. Previously it was a buckler, to symbolize her wish to protect Madoka. After Madoka's HeroicSacrifice, Homura uses a bow that looks very similar to Madoka's. She also gets Madoka's hair ribbons, and wears one of them in place of her usual headband.]]
* Rei's bracelet--later given to Kira--in ''Manga/{{MARS}}''. To Rei, it signifies his time in America, and is a good luck charm. To Kira, it signifies the beginning of her "proper" relationship with Rei.

* ''Anime/DigimonSavers'': Masaru's dogtag belonged to his father, who gave it to him the day he left on the Digital World expedition. It symbolizes manhood (what else?) and serves as a reminder of the ideal Masaru is always chasing.

* ''Anime/{{Pokemon}}'': Ash received a few gifts over the series, coming from some of the friends that he's traveled with over the years only to go on their separate journeys. A handkerchief and a custom fishing lure from Misty, one-half of a Contest Ribbon and a Teddiursa carving from May, and a broken Pokeball from Gary. Brock also had a present to give, some cutlery, but since he went on to become the one with the currently longest travelling time with Ash, it was kinda moot, and [[WhatHappenedToTheMouse these silverware were never heard from again]]. Dawn, meanwhile, has a Ribbon she received from her mother as a good luck charm.

* In ''Anime/SK8TheInfinity'', [[spoiler:several episodes after a breakdown of his friendship with Reki]], once Langa regains his love and ability to pull madcap tricks for skateboarding [[ThePowerOfLove after hearing and catching sight of Reki]] [[SayMyName screaming his name]], the board that Reki made for him unfortunately breaks. Toward Joe, Langa exposes a vulnerable side to himself, essentially telling him that he can't keep skateboarding if it's without ''this'' skateboard, and Joe encourages him to go find Reki, telling him "If it's you two, it'll be alright." with a smile. [[spoiler:In the last two episodes, Reki helps salvage what parts he can, and seeing the board with "FUN" written on it, and the memories that it brings back of him and Reki skateboarding, is what saves Langa from certain death.]]

* In the last episodes of ''Anime/SK8TheInfinity'', once Langa regains his love and ability to pull madcap tricks for skateboarding [[ThePowerOfLove after hearing and catching sight of Reki]] [[SayMyName screaming his name]], the board that Reki made for him unfortunately breaks. Toward Joe, Langa exposes a vulnerable side to himself, essentially telling him that he can't keep skateboarding if it's without ''this'' skateboard, and Joe encourages him to go find Reki, telling him "If it's you two, it'll be alright." with a smile. [[spoiler:In the last two episodes, Reki helps salvage what parts he can, and seeing the board with "FUN" written on it, and the memories that it brings back of him and Reki skateboarding, is what saves Langa from certain death.]]

** Pictured on the main page: The star-shaped music box is a reminder of her link with Endymion and their past life together. At the end of the first season, [[spoiler: she takes it out and shows it to him (he was brainwashed and crazy at the time) as a last resort, pleading for him to remember who he was and how they loved each other long ago. It works, but the locket disappears and is never seen again afterwards.]]

* ''Anime/{{Pokemon}}'': Ash received a few gifts over the series, coming from some of the friends that he's traveled with over the years only to go on their separate journeys. A handkerchief and a custom fishing lure from Misty, one-half of a Contest Ribbon and a Teddiursa carving from May, and a broken Pokeball from Gary. Brock also had a present to give, some cutlery, but since he went on to become the one with the currently longest travelling time with Ash, it was kinda moot, and [[WhatHappenedToTheMouse these silver were never heard from again]]. Dawn, meanwhile, has a Ribbon she received from her mother as a good luck charm.

* Orihime's hairpins in ''Manga/{{Bleach}}'' were gifts from her older brother Sora [[TragicKeepsake who died the same day he gave them to her]]. She had hated them for being too childish, but after his death always wore them. They first become relevant when Sora after becoming a Hollow, realizes on seeing the pins that she has never stopped thinking about him. They later become the focus of her spiritual powers.

* The iron cross Germany gives Italy in ''Webcomic/AxisPowersHetalia'' to cement their friendship. Doesn't help that they become an OfficialCouple later in the comics.

* The sheet of song lyrics in ''{{Manga/Gravitation}}'', the ones that Shuichi wrote and Yuki criticized. Presumably, Shuichi kept the original copy--it reappears at a key point at the end of the anime.

* ''Manga/HayateTheCombatButler''

* Anime/RurouniKenshin--the hairpin Tomoe got as a betrothal gift from [[spoiler: Akira, the man Kenshin killed]]. When [[spoiler: Oibore]] is seen with it, it cements his identity as [[spoiler: Tomoe's father]].
* Orihime's hairpins in ''{{Manga/Bleach}}'' were gifts from her older brother Sora [[TragicKeepsake who died the same day he gave them to her]]. She had hated them for being too childish, but after his death always wore them. They first become relevant when Sora after becoming a Hollow, realizes on seeing the pins that she has never stopped thinking about him. They later become the focus of her spiritual powers.

* The blue pendant or brooch Chtholly wears on her neck in ''LightNovel/SukaSuka'' formerly belonged to an older Leprechaun she once looked up to as an older sister figure back when she was a child. The pendant/brooch now serves as a motivation for her to move forward and grow stronger because she knows that as someone who was raised as a weapon of war she could die any day in the battlefield and strives to live her life as much as she can. [[spoiler: After she herself dies in a DyingMomentOfAwesome combined with a tearjerking HeroicSacrifice, it's then given posthumously to Tiat in a moment that symbolizes Chtholly [[PassingTheTorch passing on her role as main heroine]] to Tiat as Tiat herself becomes the main heroine of the sequel light novel series.]] Also doubles as TragicKeepsake.

* ''Manga/OnePiece'': Luffy's straw hat. Some of the Straw Hats also have one. Zoro has Kuina's sword, which doubles as a TragicKeepsake. Nami has the tangerine trees that her foster mother Bellemere used to plant. Chopper has the hat that he always wears, given to him by Dr Hiluluk, and Brook has the Tone Dial that contains the Rumbar Pirates' final song before they died.
** Later on, Luffy's straw hat is revealed to have belonged to [[spoiler:Gold Roger himself]].

** Pictured above: The star-shaped music box is a reminder of her link with Endymion and their past life together. At the end of the first season, [[spoiler: she takes it out and shows it to him (he was brainwashed and crazy at the time) as a last resort, pleading for him to remember who he was and how they loved each other long ago. It works, but the locket disappears and is never seen again afterwards.]]