im surprised there isn't a topic like this, but, what is the saddest, most depressing manga you have ever read? It can be the entire manga in general, or just an extremely tear-jerking ending. feel free to list more than one, but try not to list too much hehe.

I personally don't really have one, but there are times when you just feel like reading a depressing manga so, might as well have some nice recommendations ahead of time.

I vote Violinist of Hameln, Vampire Juuji Kai, and maybe Pita-Ten and/or Yume de Aetara.

Ai-Ren

If you want depressing, watch anime.

Manga will have a hard time getting you depressed, because there isn't any atmosphere.

That being said, watch Saikano. Episode 9 (I'm not sure if that's the correct ep #) is the most depressing episode of any anime I've ever seen. The fansubs doing it actually put a message before the beginning of the episode saying something like "If you don't want to be depressed, then you should stop watching now."

Runner up: Grave of the Fireflies

-GGpX

I run Illuminati-Manga. You're welcome.

Quote from GGpX

If you want depressing, watch anime.

Manga will have a hard time getting you depressed, because there isn't any atmosphere.

lol yea i know, but, that's the reason for this topic. There are plenty of anime's out there that are depressing, but because anime has certain privelages over manga, its easier to get into the atmosphere. But, if you can read a manga and get all the atmosphere and intensity that you would get from an anime, than you know that's a good manga right there, because it can affect you so without any enhacements.

i can name several depressing anime moments off the top of my head, like elfen lied, suzuka, kimi ga, etc.
I've heard of saikano too though, and though i haven't seen it, i've also heard it is extremely depressnig. I'll most like be checking out the anime sometime in the future

Quote from mahouneko

I vote Violinist of Hameln, Vampire Juuji Kai, and maybe Pita-Ten and/or Yume de Aetara.

There are some interesting recommendations in there. Vampire Juuji Kai looks very interesting, but pita-ten and violinist hamelin, though i haven't read either, i've heard of them and didn't know either could be especially depressing. thanks for the recommends.

i might go into depressing stuff coz it seems you guys liked those..although ive always liked somthing that can make me laugh

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Elfen Lied, I understand. Suzuka, I do not..It's not really depressing. It's more like you wanna smack him in the upside of the head because he can be so stupid.

A just ruler amongst tyrants

damn I hated Saikano. what a freaking horribly depressing series. I can't believe i wasted my time with it.

Quote from Manick

damn I hated Saikano. what a freaking horribly depressing series. I can't believe i wasted my time with it.

Saikano just destroys you as you read further. Tries to, at least.

-Rah

Hands down Socrates in Love. Very good and very depressing. Same with the drama.

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Elfen Lied wasn't really as depressing as a lot of people made it out to be. If you look at Elfen Lied's story as a whole, it was more about the drama that results from bad decisions than it was about being emotionally sad.

I would recommend Kanon, AIR, and Clannad but I'd rather that people play the actual games by Key/VisualArts than read the manga adaptation.

I mentioned Pita-Ten because it was entirely about a person(s) efforts to adapt to their lives in a manner that borders upon atonement. Pita-Ten is anything but happy since Misha and Shia are both very much related to Kotarou. While it did seem like a coincidence, it really wasn't a coincidence for any of them to meet each other.

Vampire Juuji Kai... is beautiful. It's currently at volume 7 but I've already read the most recent chapter (chapter 39, released Nov-2006). Word of advice is to read through it as you would a detective story.

Violinist of Hameln throws all the funny parts at you in the beginning, gets you all happy and worked up, then launches Mike Tyson knock-out punches one after another with the occasional humour to break the depressing atmosphere. I consider it to be my personal favorite amongst the many mangas I've read. It's the whole reason I spent so much time fiddling with its page on manga-updates.

As for anime vs manga, I don't particularly care as long as the execution of the story goes well with its theme. I mean, there HAVE been excellent manga series with crap anime adaptations coughLove Hinacough and then there have been excellent anime adaptations of manga series such as Saikano and Violinist of Hameln.

Am I the only one who was crushed by Gunslinger Girl?
Every single one of those girls made me want to just (somehow safely) hug them.

I cant really see myself get depressed by manga...
I'm just not that easily affected in a negative way.

Even SaiKano, to me it was beautiful. Why would I get depressed over it? I dont care about characters doing well in manga, I'm a sadist :\

Like this manga by my favorite author (Minoru Furuya), called Himizu. Most people think its the most depressing shit you'll ever read.
But I adore it. I LOVE seeing losers struggle through life like that. Its way too funny and interesting.

Yeah, you're a sadist. 😛

-GGpX

I run Illuminati-Manga. You're welcome.

I blame my fascination for that on Ichi the Killer >_>;