Bittersweet Ending/Visual Novels

• All the endings of Fate/stay night that aren't outright downers are bittersweet, because just as Shirou's father warned him, he can't save everyone. In particular, either Saber or Ilya has to die, and in the only route where Sakura isn't left in the hands of her (horrifically) abusive grandfather (who will likely eventually kill her), the only non-downer ending has both of them dying. The first route (which is the one followed by the anime) is the most bittersweet: Shirou wins the war, destroys the Grail, and avenges his father, but Saber is gone, and nothing can take her place in his heart. We're left to ponder what "continuation of the dream" Saber might be seeing, and to hope it'll bring them back together somehow.
  • Since she has already become a Heroic Spirit there is a chance that she could be summoned again during Shirou's lifetime, perhaps even by Shirou himself.
    • It's unlikely, however, since the Great Grail is dismantled by Waver Velvet.
      • Made slighlty less bittersweet in the Realta Nua ending. As Arturia (Saber) lies dying, Merlin visits her mentally and tells her that if her soul will wait forever; and if Shirou will look for her forever; they will meet restored at the field of Avalon. He makes it perfectly clear that this is impossible. It happens. Let me make that clear. Saber will always, throughout time, for eternity, wait for Shirou, and that Shirou will always be trying to move towards Saber, to find her again. Pity that to unlock the ending you have to get all 40 deaths, and all 5 endings. And THEN you have to play the Fate route again.
• In the freeware Visual Novel Narcissu, emotionless Ill Girl Setsumi escapes her bleak existence of hospitalizations and discharges, experiences life on the open road, and finds a little bit of happiness for the first time- then promptly kills herself. It's implied that the unnamed protagonist (also ill) doesn't last much longer.
• After sitting through the credits for G Senjou no Maou, you are treated to a Mood Whiplash epilogue. After surviving the chaotic incident he instigated in the climax, "Maou" pays Kyousuke and Haru a visit, which culminated in Haru chasing him and attempting to gun him down. Kyousuke intervened by killing Maou with his own gun, sparing Haru from the media attention and thus, protecting her future as a violinist. After spending 8 years in prison, he meets Haru and her daughter, and assumed that she got together with another person. The trope is then subverted when he asks how old the girl is, to which she replied:
  • I'm seven years old, daddy.
• Steins;Gate true ending, ends with Rintaro preventing both the bad future and Kurisu's death, but the Lab member except Rintaro doesn't remember any of their experience together and Suzuha disappeared because of the Time Paradox created by the new timeline and there's a chance she might not exist in this timeline. But it is hinted that the members might not have completely forgotten their memories, as shown when Rintaro met Kurisu again in Akihabara and she still has memories of the nicknames Rintaro gave to her
• Kara no Shoujo's best endings are bittersweet at best. Yes, Reiji lives and the murders stop but most of the cast is dead including (normally) Toko. And the ending she lives in is a downer ending. The ones that are bittersweet instead of downers are the ones where he catches Rokushiki and is impied to start a relationship with either Kyoko or Hatsune.
• Digital: A Love Story: Hooray, the Internet is saved! Because Emilia sacrificed herself to take down Reaper. At- at least the whole thing will be remembered?
• Depending on which side of the fantasy fence you sit on for the possible endings of Umineko no Naku Koro ni, the final fate of all the cast members is either this, where the Metaworld is real and Battler is reunited in death there with Beatrice and his whole family or a downer, where the whole thing is just made up as a way for an amnesiac Battler to sort out his own thoughts about the Rokkenjima incident.
• Several games of the Yarudora series contain a few Bittersweet Endings, even in their best Endings.
  • Kisetsu o Dakishimete: No matter which storyline you go and no matter what you do, the main heroine, Mayu, won't resurrect and thus you won't be able to become a couple with her. The best you can do for her, is to help her recover her memories and Ascend to a Higher Plane of Existence; and for you, thanks to her help and the quest you shared with her, it's either realizing you love Tomoko and get a Relationship Upgrade with her, or find a new love in Mayu's sister Mami or with your neighbour the Sexy Lady.
  • Sampaguita: Don't expect coming out unscathed of saving Maria from the Yakuza's clutches by storming their headquarters with Boy and pals, as there's only two possible outcomes: either being jailed for gunning down the Yakuza boss who was trying to shoot Maria; or being killed by said Yakuza boss by protecting Maria with your body. However, after those events, you'll discover (either after you've served your 5-years jail time and reunited with Maria in her native Philippines, or after awakening as a ghost 2 years after your death), to your joy, that Maria had become pregnant with your kid during the time you were living together, and gave birth to a little boy.