Scenes of optimistic "do your best" characters being genuinely terrified

[pianocello]

In Kaitou Tenshi Twin Angel, the female lead who is of the genki, gambare type has a scene where she is genuinely terrified and broken down. There hasn't been too much of such strong scenes in anime and I wonder whether there are any other such similar scenes?

[BonifaceVIII]

Alien Nine has some awesome scenes like this with the supporting characters. If you can handle the protagonist being the biggest crybaby this side of NERV.

[Njr Scrawl]

Miaka has a few in Fushigi Yugi & the senshi in Sailor Moon have in S1, R, S & Stars. Stars particuarly where Usagi has a breakdown, & its one of the most moving performances I've seen.

Misato in Evangelion has 2 scenes where she is utterly distraught. Again Kotono Mitsuishi is outstanding in her voice acting.

But perhaps Gunbuster, & Noriko's breakdown is the ultimate, although Kasumi's is heart rending.

To me in Kimagure Orange Road:I Want To Return To That Day - the 1st movie, Hikaru's breakdown & change from a cheery sunny girl, to a desperate, lonely, rejected wretch resorting to stalking Kyosuke, & then being harshly rebuffed, will never be beaten

All the above are more traumatised than terrified, but in each case, the person's natural disposition is shaken to the bone by their experience & feeling.

[djanss]

On a lighter note, how about Kasumi Tendo's reaction to seeing Akane with short hair for the first time?:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3ycKnYw25l0 (5:10)

(...Well, for her, that's about as emotional as it gets.) :sd:

[Njr Scrawl]

The scene of all scenes, is of course :devil: :devil: :devil: in Evangelion when Asuka is under psychological attack, & her psyche is minced-up by the angel, while she's in her Eva. :devil:

[Prede]

Alien Nine has some awesome scenes like this with the supporting characters. If you can handle the protagonist being the biggest crybaby this side of NERV.

OMG glad to see another fan of the series. I recently bought the DVD's and I loved the show. We are a rare breed. I agree with you though, those characters fit in this thread.

How about Shiina from Shadow Star Narutaru ? She's always very optimistic, but she has some scenes where she is terrified. Esecially in the 3rd episode and toward the ending.

What about Shu from Now and Then, Here and There. He's like the most optimistic kid ever, but he has some moments where he is really scared, but he shakes them off.

Would you call Kino from Kino's Journey an optimistic? If you would (spoiler from last episode) The last episode when she sees the town that was very nice to her get destroyed by the lava flow from the Volcano, she looked horrified. She was very scaried, and that expression on her face means all the more to me because she's like almost emotionless most of the time!

[nakimushi]

The last DVD of Planetes - the show just kept getting better as it went on, and the last volume is great.

I don't want to spoil it for anyone who hasn't seen it, but it definitely qualifies IMO.

I know how to use spoiler tags, but people who have seen the series, will definitely remember it, so they won't need them.

[pianocello]

The scene of all scenes, is of course :devil: :devil: :devil: in Evangelion when Asuka is under psychological attack, & her psyche is minced-up by the angel, while she's in her Eva. :devil:

She's an optimistic "do your best" character?

[Serial Experiments Nobue]

Alien Nine has some awesome scenes like this with the supporting characters. If you can handle the protagonist being the biggest crybaby this side of NERV.

OMG glad to see another fan of the series. I recently bought the DVD's and I loved the show. We are a rare breed. I agree with you though, those characters fit in this thread.

Ahh yes, Yuri, Kumi, and Kasumi. They go through some pretty horrific stuff, even moreso in the manga.


And on a much lighter note:

A supporting character, but fits the type...

Sumomo from Chobits, in the Chibits special. :devil:

[BonifaceVIII]

She's an optimistic "do your best" character?
Njr's opinions of Evangelion are, let's say, quite apart from the norm. I think they're interesting, but your mileage may vary.

[Quarkboy]

How about Shiina from Shadow Star Narutaru ? She's always very optimistic, but she has some scenes where she is terrified. Esecially in the 3rd episode and toward the ending.


Although they don't get that far in the anime, in the manga for Narutaru Shiina... Well, let's just say my avatar is from the final volume. The entire end to Narutaru could be interpreted as the complete destruction of a "Genki" character.

[SMaxson]

There's a scene relatively early on in Saber Marionette R where Lime is beaten down and panics.

In episode 1 of Escaflowne, Hitomi's near-hysterical response to Van's casual dismissal following the dragon slaying is, in my opinion, one of the best examples of voice acting in both languages.

There were scattered moments of Kaname getting genuinely scared in Full Metal Panic and Full Metal Panic: TSR. There was also the "horsehead" episode of Fumoffu, but I'm not sure if that counts.

[Prede]

How about Shiina from Shadow Star Narutaru ? She's always very optimistic, but she has some scenes where she is terrified. Esecially in the 3rd episode and toward the ending.


Although they don't get that far in the anime, in the manga for Narutaru Shiina... Well, let's just say my avatar is from the final volume. The entire end to Narutaru could be interpreted as the complete destruction of a "Genki" character.

Off topic, but now I have no choice but to get the manga. My Avatar is from the manga too. I was planning on getting the manga eventually, but now I'm getting it sooner rather then later ;) . I want to see how Kitoh does this. I wonder what Shiina is like at the end of the manga. How badly did Dark Horse edit it, and did they release the entire thing?

[HitokiriShadow]

I want to see how Kitoh does this. I wonder what Shiina is like at the end of the manga. How badly did Dark Horse edit it, and did they release the entire thing?

They edited it pretty badly. You can see some of the details in the Edited Manga list in the manga forum. Dark Horse never finished it either, they stopped around the halfway point. I think they stopped right where the anime ended or just a bit after that.

But uh, yeah, the manga is pretty damn bleak and has some pretty messed up stuff. You know how messed up the anime was at the end? It gets (http://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Main/ItGotWorse) worse. (http://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Main/Narutaru)

[Thomas Alan]

She's an optimistic "do your best" character?
Njr's opinions of Evangelion are, let's say, quite apart from the norm. I think they're interesting, but your mileage may vary.

Maybe not in a "Go team!" sense, but Asuka presented an utterly self-confident front in her early appearances.

Of course the facade had already been largely stripped away well before that final breakdown. The psychological attack pretty much just finished her off.

[Njr Scrawl]

Another KOR story I should have remembered. Hawaiian Vacation OVA. Hikaru is stalked, chloroformed, kidnapped, trussed & held hostage (being mistaken for a millionaire's daughter IIRC). By the time Kyosuke & Madoka get to the yacht she is being held on, Hikaru is crying & calling out all the people she knows names for help.