omg def. try
Heptagon

Give Boku no Hatsukoi wo Kimi ni Sasagu a try. I can honestly say I cried quite a few times. It actually came to the point where thinking about the series made my heart ache...

I'm actually still trying to find a series similar to it. For some reason it seems impossible 🙁

Quote from Convalescence

Give Boku no Hatsukoi wo Kimi ni Sasagu a try. I can honestly say I cried quite a few times. It actually came to the point where thinking about the series made my heart ache...

I'm actually still trying to find a series similar to it. For some reason it seems impossible 🙁

I second! :

Incest♥Necrophilia♥Selfcest

I am surprised
Rakuen (Sakurakouji Kanoko)
Anya Kouro
haven't been recommended already.

To a lesser extent: Chokotto Sister and maybe Strobe Edge

Hoshi no Samidare Kinda fits, but may or may not be depressing.

Most of these have been recommended I think but anything by SAHARA Mizu

I just read Stroke Material, and I still support my recommendation on trying Boku no Hatsukoi wo Kimi ni Sasagu. The "mood" you're looking for comes up quite frequently once the story progresses from past to present, in a different fashion but that's a given since it has an entirely different plot/story.

There's another one that, although I didn't like, is really quite similar to Stroke Material. It's called Kyou, Koi wo Hajimemasu. In my personal opinion, it's basically Stroke Material at a higher intensity. I've only read the beginning of Kyou Koi wo Hajimemasu, but it seems to fit in the "genre" you're looking for.

But out of the two, I still think you can't go wrong with Boku no Hatsukoi wo Kimi ni Sasagu.

therez another one i recently read, it has the same mangaka that did Ouran High School Host Club though this one is way different and in my opinion superior in terms of plot so try out Sennen no Yuki, its on hiatus though but that might change hopefully

Angel Beats--best anime of the 2010 spring season

Saikano

Twin Spica, absolutely. Do not be mislead by the space school setting; you'll be melting and awww'ing every single chapter. 🙂

--
"They're talking to their balls." (FMP Fumoffu)

I agree with John21 on a lot of his suggestions, Forever Honey was utterly heart-wrenching. And it's not tragedy until the very end, so don't get scared off by the tags.

And like everyone else is saying, Hoshi no Koe was amazing. It had a very subtle and calming style, though the emotion was really the kind that sort that creeps in on you. My Girl (SAHARA Mizu) is also another great work by that mangaka.

Men's Kou is pretty good as well, though I can't say it particularly tugged at any of my heart strings... but then Stroke Material didn't do much for my either, so maybe Men's Kou is more your style. On the other hand, Ninohime no Monogatari by the same mangaka was rather touching and I reccomend it, it's among my favorites.

Natsume Yuujinchou was also suggested by someone and I second this one as well...

And I guess my only new suggestion would be Koishi Tagari no Blue

@magical proof

aha omg weren't you sad when you found out in chapter 6 about chika...couldn't read after though as no more being translated. I agree with you on stroke material though, it was quite light and well just happyish sort off, it was good but didn't have that feeling. By the way is Natsume Yuujinchou like episiodic(actual plot or not) and is there romance? Lots of people are saying its good so wondering if i should start.

Angel Beats--best anime of the 2010 spring season

Itsuka no Tsuki de Aimashou
Just finished reading it and it tugged at my heartstrings oh so hard. D:

[img]http://i252.photobucket.com/albums/hh9/xsaranghaex/seigaku.gif[/img]

Love so Life and some of the stuff before mentioned I second (Bitter Virgin although a bit depressing at times, Aishiteruze Baby ...)

For something a little different, but still absolutely heart wrenching, try Saiyuki Gaiden. I literally had to put my hand over my mouth by the end to make sure I didn't wake up my roommates by sobbing too loudly. Read Saiyuki first, and I also recommend you read up through the Burial arc in Saiyuki Reload before as well, because it just makes everything more intense. It's only four volumes, but so fantastic.

By the same author, Minekura Kazuya, is another great heartstring-puller called Stigma, which is only one volume, but in full color with cryptic, abstract writing and deep insights, with a bittersweet story about a boy looking for a bird, which are extinct since the sky went gray, and a man who lost his past and can't decide if he really wants it.

Candy Candy is an older manga but is rather powerful emotion-wise (at least in my opinion).
One of the things I loved about it is the unbearingly heart-wrenching moments were balanced out with moments of overpowering joy. 🙂

[img]http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v325/rose2thegirl/GoodbyeDarling.png[/img]

@John21

I know, poor Chika D: I wish someone would scanlate the rest! Argh! I was looking at the raws and he gets a really pretty girlfriend, except she has a really cold personality, too XD

Also, Natsume Yuujinchou is more episiodic, I'm afraid. However, every chapter is great and there are usually little arcs that span 2-5 chapters. It's really kind of slice-of-life-ish, but with some interesting supernatural elements mixed in, and it's certainly not as boring as most slice-of-life since he doesn't do the same thing every day. It's much more exciting than that XD But all the akayashi you meet are endearing (or terrifying) in their own way and each incident is kind of like a heart-wrenching one-shot. Natsume Yuujinchou pretty much always delivers. There's comedy, but it's tasteful and doesn't interrupt the mood. There's not really any romance (well, not with Natsume, the side characters have some, though)... though there seems to be some sort of plot-like activities occuring in the latest chapters, if episiodic things aren't your cup of tea XD You should try it, it's a great manga that makes you feel all warm and fuzzy inside. Or sad. 😃