Best Tear Jerker Music Pieces

[Caveat Lector]

A lot of anime forums often have the topic "What are some tear jerker anime?", but this isn't quite about that. This is more about the music in anime that draws tears to your eyes every time you listen to it. This can be for many reasons--either because of the context it's played under in the anime itself (like a character death, or the main character overcoming a major obstacle), because of the lyrics, or maybe just because it's a particularly sentimental piece. What pieces of anime music make you teary-eyed just listening to them? (Anime OP/ED songs can be included, too)

From Madoka Magica, it would have to be the anime's rendition of Ave Maria.

It's especially tear jerker-worthy when you know the lyrics to the vocals and then apply them into the story's context...

Oh, and the ending song from Angel Beats, "Brave Song"...gah, again, spoilers...

[gekiganwing]

Anohana: "Secret Base."

Air: "Aozora" (though it might be VN specific)

Cowboy Bebop ends with the song "Blue." Again, it's not especially sad, but it makes for a good epilogue now that the story is over.

The PS2 version of Persona 4 ends with "Never More," and the Vita version ends with "Snowflakes." Not *all* that sad, but good choices for the end of a long story.

[SundownKid]

"Blue" from Cowboy Bebop is definitely one I would agree with.

From Gurren Lagann there's "Libera Me from Hell" (the scene that it's used in does make it sad)

In Tatami Galaxy there's "Yojouhan Ki Owari", which is just a sad-sounding song.

[suikojay]

Sunday W/out God: "I Sing This Never-ending Melody."

Anohana: "Secret Base."

2nd, 3rd, and 4th this!

[Dream]

Not exactly sad but

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M-j9huoSufo

Don't really know the song's name. From Nadia's OST.

[Morhighan]

Ricordando il passato from the end of Umineko 8
I want to Know - Kill la Kill

[LinovaA]

Pretty much any of the emotional tracks from Clannad will reduce me to a sniveling pile of flesh and tears.

The prominent ones are as follows in my opinion:

The Palm of a Tiny Hand (and pretty much anything that even closely resembles the melody of this track)
Roaring Tides 1 and 2
Toki wo Kizamu Uta (the second opening... because... pain)

If I hear these tracks when I am off guard... I'll probably tear up/start crying. Seriously. xD

[enterfic]

That would be Hello, Goodbye & Hello, from the animated movie Hoshi wo Ou Kodomo.
It hurt every time u_u

[agentyoda]

I'm with OP: "Brave Song" from Angel Beats! (as well as "My Most Precious Treasure/Ichiban no Takaramono," also from Angel Beats!) both make me cry. Admitted, I have a personal history with them, so i'm more likely to be affected; but even without that factor: they're just beautiful songs.

In addition, two BGM tracks from Sakurasou no Pet na Kanojo struck me really hard: if anyone can read Japanese...

1. なまえを呼んで (#24 on 2nd OST)
2. DAYS OF DASH piano arrangement (#12 on 2nd OST)

[Joshua1207]

One of my favorite songs and a good tear jerker, from my favorite visual novel "Born Into This World" from the Little Busters vn
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cikD4AvGuH4

[ibukichan]

Unravel, from Tokyo Ghoul. I can't hear that song without tearing up.

[YossarianIII]

Main theme from Grave of the Fireflies.

I love all the Ghibli films, but Grave of the Fireflies is just unbelievable -- easily the most painfully human animated film I've ever seen.

[truefaiterman]

Ashes of Dreams, the only song in NieR written in English (or in a not-mixed-fictional language, anyway).

The melody is pretty emotional, and the song itself is simply devastating.

[kitsubasa]

'$weet Fourth Symphony' from Blue Exorcist is my favourite bit of anime tear jerker music; but there are a few others I quite like...

'Aoi Shiori' -- Ano Hana
'We Were Lovers -instrumental-' -- Gankutsuou
'Sorairo Days -Tengen Toppa edition-' -- Gurren Lagann
'One Summer Day' -- Spirited Away
'Friends' -- Wolf's Rain

Also, while this is meant to be anime oriented, some folks have listed some tracks from JVNs/JRPGs, so I might as well do the same...

'The Price of Freedom' -- Final Fantasy VII: Crisis Core
'Informing About the Parting' -- Ghost Trick
'Song of the Ancients (Devola)' -- Nier
'ICARO -piano arrangement-' -- Shadow Hearts
'Sacrifice -Alice-' -- Shadow Hearts

[Agnese1304]

Death Parade's ending theme
It makes me remember the actual ending of the anime.....
Oh... the feels ...... T^T