Uchuu Senkan Yamato/Tear Jerker


 * Star Blazers: An early episode has the crew lined up to take their turns using the video phone to talk to their families left behind on Earth. It's limited so each crew member gets something like 1 hour every week. Derek Wildstar/Susumu Koudai (The Hero) isn't there for his turn when his name is called, so Venture/Daisuke Shima) (The Lancer) and Derek's only friend decides to go find him. He and Nova/Yuki Mouri (Derek's Love Interest) find Derek, and he tries to brush it off saying it's not important. They insist he talk to his family (after all, Earth is dying, and who knows how much longer they'll be able to stay in contact) and they physically drag Derek to the communication room. Venture is waiting for his turn outside with several other crew members when they decide it's rather quiet. They peak into the room, and see Derek staring at the blank screen. There's just this look on Derek's face, though Venture doesn't notice it as he begins scolding Derek for not caring about his family, and why doesn't he just talk to them...  It was just, wham. It's been 20 years since I saw it, at the age of 8, but I have never forgotten it.
 * This troper recalls the scene somewhat differently: when Derek was staring at the blank screen, it's Nova who's peeking in and wondering why he's just sitting there. She then asks him if there's a problem, and gets shocked when he replies:, and subsequently runs off apologetically.   It got really heartwrenching near the end of the episode after Derek walks out into the bridge,
 * A later episode has a scene that ties in to the issue. The Starforce engage a squadron of Gamilon fighters and destroy all but one of them (which is left damaged and drifting), which they capture in order to interrogate the pilot. And when Derek sees the pilot, he goes into a rage over the deaths of his family and friends (shown in a subsequent flashback), and promptly starts beating up the prisoner. The latter's response? He tears up, with a look on his face that screams "Why are you hurting me?", which is enough to put Derek back to his senses.
 * How can you all forget the death of  He goes through hell and high water to save Earth, and then dies just before seeing it again! And the only mourner he had was that goofy doctor!... Really, for a kid raised on mostly American animation in the late 70's-early 80's the death of a MAJOR SERIES CHARACTER was so shocking as to be earthshaking.
 * Venture had his own Tearjerker, as he was at the video phone talking to his family as they moved out of communication range. His family was trying to put a good face on whatever was happening back on Earth cause they didn't want to worry him, while Venture was doign the same thing for his own problems.
 * In the original Japanese, the speech Wildstar/Kodai gives about how sorry he is for . Desslok gets one at the end of the second season when he  In The New Journey, the , and then Desslok's ex-girlfriend  and he completely loses it and starts screaming and pulling his hair and gnashing his teeth in an epic tear-jerking Freak Out.
 * Not to mention all of Farewell Space Battleship Yamato: Soldiers of Love.
 * The ending of the Live Action Adaptation is one huge tearjerker.
 * Not to mention the opening battle in 2199 where the Earth fleet gets completely curbstomped by the Gamilas. When the remnants of the fleet are forced to withdraw, Kodai's brother decides to stay behind to cover Okita's retreat. While that act in itself is sad enough, as Kodai's brother and his crew sail on to their imminent deaths, they start singing an upbeat song about sailing into the stars.