History TearJerker / YuGiOh

* During Yugi's duel against Mai, in the dub, he holds Yami Yugi back from dueling at his best, still shaken over the lengths he went to beat Kaiba. When Yami Yugi asks him to trust him so they can win, promising not to go against his wishes again, Yugi's response is heartwrenching.

* Yugi crying over Earu's death in the Legendary Heroes arc is similar to when his virtual pet died in the manga.
* When [[spoiler:Yugi chose to let himself be taken by the soul-stealing Seal of the Orichalcos instead of Atem during the Doma filler arc? The fact that ''Atem himself breaks down into tears'' and poor Anzu telling him "Pharaoh, please... he's gone..." just makes it worse and worse.]]

** [[FromBadToWorse It gets worse]] when [[spoiler: Atem later battles against Yugi's imprisoned soul in a cursed area--with Yugi yelling accusations at him and turning Yami's earlier, heartless tactics against him, proving that yes, [[BewareTheNiceOnes he does, actually, have a mean bone in his body]]. Turns out [[CruelToBeKind it was being cruel to be kind]] as only by seeing the depth of his errors and defeating Yugi could Yami finally move on. Then seeing Yami run to him and cradle him in his arms, with Yugi ''still'' smiling, even as he vanishes for a second time, opens the floodgates. ]] This marks one of the few moments [[TearsOfRemorse occasions where]] [[https://pm1.narvii.com/6113/064fb1d9bfb8fd92a73194ba5ea313a44fcec378_hq.jpg we see Yami cry]].

* Mai, coming out of her brain controlled craze just in time to run across the arena and catch a defeated Jonouchi in her arms, and realise [[MyGodWhatHaveIDone what she's done]].

* The ending of Noah's arc. [[spoiler: Noah finds out that his father is also in the Virtual World, and is happy to see that his dad really loves him. But reality crushes him when his father says he was a disappointment and basically called him useless. Mokuba sees this and shows pity for his never known foster brother (even though said brother [[MindRape Mind Raped]] him for most of the season). At first Noah tries to get advantage of this to use Mokuba's body and escape to the real world; but in the middle of the plan he notices that he really ''does'' love his "brother" Mokuba and doesn't want him to die. He then gives Mokuba his body back, says goodbye and stays with his father in the Virtual World while it is destroyed. And in the end of the whole thing, Mokuba gives his brother a quick funeral, while Noah's voiceover goes saying that he is not a machine, but a human.]]

* Anzu's duel against Mai for her Star Chips. She knows she doesn't stand a chance and still fights, and by the end she's so determined that she ''will'' beat Mai that Mai surrenders rather than win.

* As much of a Jerkass Kaiba can be sometimes, seeing him during the latter part of his duel with Noah can make you pity the guy. Right before Kaiba can pull off a win, Noah uses the possessed Mokuba as a human shield. Kaiba can't bring himself to attack, and chooses the safety of his little brother over a sure victory. Later, Noah is whaling on Kaiba, who is close to tears trying to snap Mokuba out of his trance. Mokuba does break free, but Noah manages to beat Kaiba anyways. He gloats by turning the two brothers into stone. All they were trying to do at the time was be in each others arms.
* Yami and Kaiba's duel against Dartz "Mirror Knights".
* The end of Yami's duel Vs. Weevil during the DOMA arc, but only in japanese though. [[spoiler: Weevil had promised to tell Yami where Yugi's soul is after he'd lose the duel, knowing full well he couldn't keep the promise. After his soul has been taken Yami runs up and keeps shouting in his face "HAGAAA! You promised! I won! Tell me where Yugi is! Where is my partner?!". Tea even points out, much to Yami's dismay how Weevil never intended to keep his promise, sending the poor guy into even more sadness.]] Yami just sort of...stares at his hands afterwards, like he wonders what he's just been doing or has even unnerved himself with his freakout against Haga.

-->'''Yugi:''' How can I ''believe'' you?

** [[FromBadToWorse It gets worse]] when [[spoiler: Atem later battles against Yugi's imprisoned soul in a cursed area--with Yugi yelling accusations at him and turning Yami's earlier, heartless tactics against him, proving that yes, [[BewareTheNiceOnes he does, actually, have a mean bone in his body]]. Turns out [[JerkassFacade it was being cruel to be kind]] as only by seeing the depth of his errors and defeating Yugi could Yami finally move on. Then seeing Yami run to him and cradle him in his arms, with Yugi ''still'' smiling, even as he vanishes for a second time, opens the floodgates. ]] This marks one of the few moments [[TearsOfRemorse occasions where]] [[https://pm1.narvii.com/6113/064fb1d9bfb8fd92a73194ba5ea313a44fcec378_hq.jpg we see Yami cry]].

** [[FromBadToWorse It gets worse]] when [[spoiler: Atem later battles against Yugi's imprisoned soul in a cursed area -with Yugi yelling accusations at him and turning Yami's earlier, heartless tactics against him, proving that yes, [[BewareTheNiceOnes he does, actually, have a mean bone in his body]]. Turns out [[JerkassFacade it was being cruel to be kind]] as only by seeing the depth of his errors and defeating Yugi could Yami finally move on. Then seeing Yami run to him and cradle him in his arms, with Yugi ''still'' smiling, even as he vanishes for a second time, opens the floodgates. ]]
*** These mark the only [[TearsOfRemorse occasions where]] [[https://pm1.narvii.com/6113/064fb1d9bfb8fd92a73194ba5ea313a44fcec378_hq.jpg we see Yami cry]].

** Yugi's father is never home and his mother barely has any presence in the manga or anime. And this is before you consider the afct he's got another being living in his head which keeps getting him nearly (or literally) killed.

** Yugi's father is never home and his mother barely has any presence in the manga or anime.

-->'''Kaiba:''' You never duel alone? ''Wake up''! Don't you realize that ''every single one of us'' is alone in this world, Yugi? ''Look at me''! I've never had to ask anyone for help!

* Basically everyone has terrible or dead parents/family. Seto and Mokuba lost their parents and their relatives took their inheritance then left them in an orphanage until they were found by the abusive Gozaburo. Jonouchi's parents divorced, separating him from his sister, and his alcoholic father either doesn't care if he comes home and abuses him when he does, leading to him becoming a bully. Marik's father was so controlling and set in his ways that he didn't care about his son's feelings, his wife's or Rishid at all. Mai's parents died, leaving her to travel alone and become cynical when she was surrounded by cheats and dishonest people. Yugi's father is never home and his mother barely has any presence in the manga or anime. In Darkside of Dimensions we see Bakura's father was greedy and cared more about artifacts than Bakura himself, and in-series he lives away from his son and constantly travels. Otogi's father was also abusive and pushed him to game and beat Yugi. Priest Seto's father is responsible for almost the entire series by creating the Millennium Items by massacring a village, and in the Shadow RPG he brainwashes his on to put him on the throne. Even Atem, whose father ''did'' love and try to protect him, suffered as a result of his father's failing to deal with the threat of the Millennium Items and his mother presumably died in his childhood.

* Basically everyone has terrible or dead parents/family - Seto and Mokuba lost their parents and their relatives took their inheritance then left them in an orphanage until they were found by Gozaburo. Jonouchi's parents divorced, separating him from his sister, and his alcoholic father either doesn't care if he comes home and abuses him when he does, leading to him becoming a bully. It's implied Tristan's parents are as bad. Mai's parents died, leaving her to travel alone and become cynical when she was surrounded by cheats and dishonest people. Yugi's father is never home and his mother barely has any presence in the manga. In Darkside of Dimensions we see Bakura's father was greedy and cared more about artifacts than Bakura himself, and in-series he lives separately to the rest of his family. Otoji's father was also abusive and pushed him to game and beat Yugi. Even Atem, whose father 'did' love and try to protect him, suffered as a result of his father's failing to deal with the threat of the Millennium Items and his mother presumably died in his childhood.

* The Yugi vs. Marik duel. Yugi is chained up by darkness and is soul vanishes more and more whenever Dark Yugi loses lifepoints. The same thing is happening on Marik's side, and Yugi has to find a way to defeat Dark Marik without killing Marik.

* The manga has Ryo writing letters to his deceased sister Amane, who died with their mother in a car crash.
* All Pegasus wanted was Kaiba Corp's more advanced hologram technology to revive Cyndia. The manga emphasizes just how futile it is. Pegasus wants his loved one back, but he can't get her back. He tries anyway, and in the end, he is only chasing after an illusion. After telling Yugi his back-story, one may think he's finally redeemed and was let go from receiving the Penalty Game from Yugi... But then [[spoiler:Dark Bakura steals his Millennium Eye while mocking him by leaving a replica of it behind, leaving Pegasus to die, but allowing him to reunite with Cyndia again.]]

** In the same bit, you have the conclusion to the Dark Yugi/Anzu/Yugi love triangle sub-plot. Tea goes to Yugi's room so she can have one last talk with Dark Yugi, and it's obvious that she's intending to confess her love to Yami before the duel that decides whether he stays in the modern world or goes to the after-life. She asks Yugi if he's heard Dark Yugi say anything, and she's about to ask him if he can make the Other Yugi come out... but she ends up not being able to do it and leaves the room, having given up her last chance to tell him. Just after she leaves, you see Yugi think to himself "I know how you feel about him, Anzy...", so he knows exactly what she wanted to do... but despite that, he's not jealous because [[IWantMyBelovedToBeHappy he wants her to be happy.]]

** Kaiba's line in the manga, as it shows how even he (who previously only ever referred to Jonouchi as a joke) is genuinely affected by it. After he comes back to life he loses his respect for him, but it's still something to see.
-->'''Kaiba:''' Jonouchi...You fought to the end. In ''death'' I accept you as a true duelist!

** Especially heartbreaking, weirdly enough, is Kaiba's line in the manga, as it shows how even he (who previously only ever referred to Jonouchi as a joke) is genuinely affected by it.
-->'''Kaiba:''' Jonouchi...You fought to the end. In death I accept you as a true duelist.