I've found that manga, in general, has a very strong optimismistic streak. Even tragedy usually ends up processed in a positive way.

I'm sick of it.

Any recommendations for series which have a less universally sunny mood? I haven’t finished either, but the first volume of Million Tears and the one chapter of Fairy Cube that I've read qualify. Bitter Virgin counts, I guess, but I don't think it really turned out that well in general.

What these series have in common is characters with painful pasts that are portrayed simply as being painful, without a sappy "getting over it" theme...though maybe the first two end up disapointing, since I haven't gotten to the end.

Note that it's also easy to go too far in the opposite direction. I like Kitoh's work (Narutaru, Bokurano), but with him it's mostly, eventually, just a bunch of kids dying. I'm not looking for manga to cut my wrists to.

I'm bascially looking for series that acknowledge that some parts of some lives have no up-sides.

Nijigahara Holograph
Himizu
Ciguatera
Hitsuji no Uta

Or are those a little darker than what you're asking for?

[img]http://i604.photobucket.com/albums/tt122/Wthuh/CrenshiSig.jpg[/img]
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Ah, Hitsuji no Uta! I had forgotten about that one.

No, that one's quite a good fit.

Nijigahara Holograph would probably be good...if I could figure it out.

Not too sure what you're asking for, but here's a bunch of quite pessimistic-mood series.

Dolls
Switch
Gunslinger Girl
Endo Hiroki Tanpenshuu The first story is funny, but the others aren't...
Overflow hentai, but you won't find anything optmistic there.
Fetish

Hrodulf and Bjornolfr, you will not be forgotten.
[img]http://i411.photobucket.com/albums/pp199/SyberAngelGabrielle/couplesig.jpg[/img]
[color=black]And if the world were black and white,
you would be my rainbow in shades of grey.[/color]

Click 'n Play!

If I had a fantasy self, it'd be a tentacle monster.

Alright, then maybe try Hatsukanezumi no Jikan (also by Toume Kei). I rather like Nijigahara myself, but if you want stuff that's a little less absorbed in its own symbolism, REAL and Solanin would probably work for you.

Your lists aren't public, so I don't really know what you've read already, forgive me if I'm repeating.

[img]http://i604.photobucket.com/albums/tt122/Wthuh/CrenshiSig.jpg[/img]
Reviews of my Work:
You are kind of boring - Blackorion
Congratulations! Ur an asshole! - tokyo_homi
**Your awesome!!! **- Cherelle_Ashley
NightSwan also said that she wanted to peg me, once, but I'm not sure whether to take that as a compliment or a threat...

Second
Fetish
and Dolls

Omae ga Sekai wo Kowashitai nara
Variante
Life
Dogs

Would Ai-Ren count?

[img]http://i215.photobucket.com/albums/cc70/blissfull_wulf/sig%20and%20avvie/Newsiggy-3.jpg[/img]

The Deep Love series is pretty depressing. Though I get the sense that the author is pushing the pessimistic/tragedy button a bit too hard.

Harukana Machi-E
Dragon Head - I don't really know how it ends, but things seem pretty much not like ending well.

This week's favorites:

• Golden Kamui

ççççççç[Ô.Ô] tsutopodus© will eat your manga and steal your cats!

Claymore - Kinda... Or at least, thats the vibe I got from it.
Ubel Blatt
Berserk - Defiantly, DEFIANTLY this one. XD
and
Gyo

Does the walker choose the path, or the path the walker?

Sayonara Zetsubou Sensei

[img]http://i75.photobucket.com/albums/i285/yuuri097/Hanashizume_no_Utage.gif[/img]

i always found Variante a bit depressing

Want to wake-up in the morning, and when my feet touch the ground, Satan would shiver, look up and say "Oh, shit, she's awake"

Cant believe there hasnt been a saikano shout yet

Journey To the End of the World
It's one volume in length, but MangaScreener stopped scanlating it after chapter 7.
Other than that, its quite depressing and pessimistic.