Top 10 Tragic and Sad Manga!

Hi everyone! ^^*

So, here’s my “Top 10 tragic and sad manga”! This is my first time ever doing a “top” something, so hope you like it! It was really hard to decide which manga to put on this list and which places I should put them on, but I did my best to give them justice!

So, before I start this list I just want to mention a few things:

1. These are all manga that haven’t been made into anime (I think). The reason being that they won’t be compared to the anime. ^^ Most of these are also pretty underrated and not that well-known, which is yet another reason that I chose these manga.

2. No. 6-1 on this list are all extremely good and they all deserve place no. 1, but I didn’t want any ties, so… Yeah… 

 ^^”

3. This top 10 is based solely on MY own opinion and how much I cried while reading these manga.

4. I know that there are a lot of other really sad manga out there and I have read a lot more than this, so If your favourite most tragic manga is not on this list, don’t complain, instead leave a comment about it, please. ^^

5. All of the synopsis (except for one) are taken from MAL and I take no credit for that. However, the opinions, thoughts and reviews are all mine.

6. I try to keep the spoilers to a minimum, though the synopsis can sometimes contain spoilers!

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10 – Namida Usagi – Seifuku no Kataomoi

Volumes: 10

Chapters: 58

Status: Completed/ongoing (not completely translated)

Genres: Comedy, Drama, Romance, School Life, Shoujo, Slice of Life

Author: Minase Ai

Artist: Minase Ai

Synopsis:

The class is changing seats and Momoka got stuck sitting by Narumi, the weird kid in the class. He has long hair that covers his eyes, he doesn’t talk much and when he does he is kind of scary, and a circle of rumors follows him everywhere he goes. But is Narumi really a weird boy? Or is he just misunderstood? What kind of pure love could result from this…?

Review:

This is a really heartwarming and heartbreaking shoujo-romance manga. I remember the first time I read it that I cried a lot, but if I would to read it again, I don’t think that I would cry as much, that’s why it’s gotten the 10th place on this list.

The art of this manga is absolutely gorgeous! Really shoujo-ish, if you prefer that. I personally really love the main protagonists – both the girl and guy. This really is a very cute and sweet manga, with not that much tragedy involved. ^^

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9 – Hatsukoi ni Oboreta

The first three chapters are what I am putting on the list. By the way, there was no synopsis for this series so I had to make my own. ^^

Volumes: 1

Chapters: 5

Status: Completed

Genres: Drama, Romance, School Life Shoujo

Author: Sakurada Hina

Artist: Sakurada Hina

Synopsis:

Koto is madly in love with her childhood friends, Kyouhei. When he one day tells her that he has a girlfriends, how will their worlds change?

Review:

I really like this story and absolutely LOVE the art! The feeling of being rejected and the jealousy taking over really showed in this story, which I’m a total sucker for. This manga did bring about quite a few tears throughout the story. It really is a great story. ^^

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8 – Mademoiselle Butterfly

Volumes: 2

Chapters: 10

Status: Completed

Genres: Drama, Historical, Romance, Shoujo, Slice of Life

Synopsis:

Our heroine is a girl who lives as a geisha in Japan. She has a male childhood friend who’s always been kind to her and is her favorite. He’s a painter, only he paints on human body parts, and she loves it when he paints beautiful butterflies on her arms. She goes to visit him one day and finds a naked woman lying in his room. Immediately after, she gets a customer who’s rich and very interested in her. The thought of being away from her friend pains her, but is everything really too late?

Review:

I really love this manga for its simplicity. The heroine falls in love with her childhood friend and then a love story full of emotion unveils. The art is rather “old” but it gets a bit better from the first chapter onward.

Personally I’m a huge fan of historical manga, so this was a win-win situation for me! ^^ I can’t say much more about this manga without spoiling it, but it’s a really great manga and one of my personal favourites. ^^

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7 – Variante

Volumes: 4

Chapters: 19

Status: Completed

Genres: Action, Drama, Horror, Mature, Mystery, Psychological, Romance, Sci-Fi, Shounen, Supernatural, Tragedy

Author: Sugimoto Iqura

Artist: Sugimoto Iqura

Synopsis:

After seeing her family slaughtered, Aiko is surprised to wake up on a laboratory table, apparently intact. However, when she notices the horribly disfigured arm grafted onto her body, she soon realizes that life as she knew it before the attack is now over. Infused with the DNA of a mysterious monster known as Chimera, the arm acts on the urges of its master—leaving Aikopowerless to stop it. Alone and frightened, how will she deal with this horrible fate?

Review:

Unlike most of the other series on this list, this one does not focus on romance, but on horror and the change that is brought about when her whole life is suddenly turned around. This is a horror manga that really brings it out and when I read it I feel for the protagonist. It was very sad and I know that I cried quite a lot (a lot more than I thought I would), especially toward the end. In my opinion, this has a very nice balance between horror and tragedy and I love it.

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6 – Koizora: Setsunai Koimonogatari

Volumes: 10

Chapters: 30

Status: Completed

Genres: Drama, Mature, Romance, School Life, Shoujo, Slice of Life, Tragedy

Author: Mika

Artist: Haneda Ibuki

Synopsis:

Mika is just a normal high school student who dreams of having a wonderful love. And then one day, she happens to meet Hiro, the guy of her destiny. While experiencing many sad events, despite getting hurt, the time she spends with him is still one of the happiest moments of her life…

Review:

At first I thought that this was yet another typical “good-girl, bad-boy romance” and it was, that is until around chapter 9 when things take a turn for the worse. I won’t spoil it, but I will say that this is a real tear-jerker and heartbreaker, especially at the end. I actually re-read this together with the no. 1 on this list not too long ago, and man I cried the whole night.

The art is a bit “old” but that doesn’t change the quality of the story. This is yet again a perfect example of a “real” romance – it’s not all just “happily ever after” your whole life. Sometimes you have to make sacrifices that are both sad and painful.

To sum it all up, this is a really nice tragic-romance and it’s actually a bit better in the regards of crying (in my opinion) than no. 5, but since I didn’t want to make tie places, thismanga’s here at no. 6. 

 ^^ (sorry >.<)

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5 – LIFE

Volumes: 20

Chapters: 80

Status: Completed

Genres: Action, Adventure, Drama, Mature, Psychological, Romance, School Life, Slice of Life, Tragedy

Author: Suenobu Keiko

Artist: Suenobu Keiko

Synopsis:

Ayumu Shiiba is studying for the all-important high school entrance exams. She is struggling to get by, but thankfully has help from her best friend Shii-chan, who is at the top of their class. Test results come back and their friendship falls apart when Ayumu surpasses Shii-chan’s scores and gets into her high school of choice while Shii-chan doesn’t!

Losing Shii-chan is so painful for Ayumu that she starts cutting her wrists for comfort. Hoping for a fresh start, Ayumu arrives at her new high school and finally opens up to a new friend, Manami. But will Manami prove to be the friend that Ayumu truly needs or send her further in a downward spiral?

Review:

Ok. Now THIS manga will make you mad. Crazy in fact. This truly shows how horrifying and despicable teenage girls (but also guys) can be. The first time I read this I wanted to drop is SO many times because I just couldn’t stand the antagonist in this series. However, I REALLY wanted to see how it all turned out in the end, and I did and I do NOT regret it at all!

This manga is really tragic. Not just sad but also so very tragic. It did make me cry a whole lot, but not as much as no. 6 (I think… It was a long time ago that I read this manga “LIFE” since it was just too unbearable! >.<). However, the reason that this manga has the no. 5 spot is because of how psychologically tragic it is.

As you might have guessed, this manga is centered on bullying. The stuff that the protagonist of this series is exposed to and accused of is just unbelievable. Nonetheless, thee manga also tells a heartwarming story about friends ship and morality. This is a really great series and I really love it.

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4 – Koi Kyokusei

This manga did not have a synopsis at MAL so I’ve taken one from Midnight Scans.

Volumes: 1

Chapters: 3

Status: Completed

Genres: Drama, Romance Shoujo Tragedy

Author: Mitsuya Omi

Artist: Mitsuya Omi

Synopsis:

An overly touching love story of a miracle…

“One’s “thought” is subject to change. A change in a human can change the world. Since we’re not alone, we have to be brave.”

Sakura is willing to do anything like wishing on a star because she wishes to grant her beloved Hirose’s dream. This small deed is what attracts Sakura and Hirose to each other. For them, there’s always a light in the darkness…

Review:

This is the same author and artist that made the no. 3 manga and I absolutely love her works – her stories and her art style.

His is a very touching love-story that has made me cry a lot. The emotions that it brings forth at the end and throughout the whole story is just amazing. You can really feel the connection that these two people share and their strong bond, and all that protagonist is ready to sacrifice for her loved one. Truly, this is a tragic-love story.

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3 – Kono Koi wo Wasurenai.

This manga is a collection of one-shots from different artists and authors, but the one that I’m placing as no. 3 is the third (at some websites it’s the second) story called “The Flower that Blooms in You”. All the info about author, artist and synopsis will be about the third/second story. This one-shot did not have a synopsis so I wrote one myself.

Volumes: 1

Chapters: 6

Status: Completed

Genres: Drama, Romance, Josei

Author: Mitsuya Omi

Artist: Mitsuya Omi

Synopsis:

Tsukina’s childhood friend, Kouta, is soon going to be her brother-in-law. Problem is that she also harbours feelings for him! What will she do when one day he gets by steel-beams while trying to protect her? What about these feelings that overflow?

Review:

I absolutely love this one-shot! It’s just a one-shot, yet it made me cry that much! It’s unbelievable. The artist is really great at drawing the different emotions that the characters display, and then conveying them to the reader. To be honest, this would probably be no. 1 or no. 2 if it wasn’t so short. He other manga are longer and thus convey the hurt and tragic feelings for a longer period of time, which, to me, gets many points in my book. None the less, this is my favourite one-shot of all time, and it still makes me cry like crazy! xD T_T

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2 – Boku no Hatsukoi wo Kimi ni Sagasu

Volumes: 12

Chapers: 71

Status: Completed

Genres: Comedy, Drama, Romance, School Life, Shoujo, Slice of Life, Smut, Tragedy

Author: Aoki Kotomi

Artist: Aoki Kotomi

Synopsis:

Takuma and Mayu’s story began when they were only 8 years old. During his childhood, Takuma was constantly hospitalized due to his heart condition. He soon became friends with Mayu, the daughter of the doctor in charge of his case. Day by day they grew closer and closer. However, the summer when Takuma was 8, he made a promise to Mayu that he couldn’t keep… Their story unfolds as they grow older and their bond gets stronger…

Review:

This manga has such a heart-warming story about teen-romance. I cry every time I read it and many times through-out the whole series. On top of that it gives me such heart-pained feelings, you know the type that squeezes your heart to the point of almost being heartbroken.

The art style in this manga is a very unique style for this author and artist. In my opinion she is one of the best at drawing emotions, which is the reason behind all the tears and heartaches.

The characters from one of her other manga, Boku waImouto ni Koi wo Suru (which is also a great tear-jerker, but will not be on this list), are also involved in this one. It’s like the two stories meet and intertwine with each other, which I think is really nice.

All in all, it is a great manga which shows how heartbreaking a romance can be. This is one of my all-time favourite manga ever, and it was a tough battle between this and the no. 1. ^^

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And finally for the no. 1 spot…! This story is actually divided into five different stories (the tree that I’ll write about being the main story), but since it’s actually just seen from the different characters own point of views, I decided to put it on here as one big series.

The order of reading them (the main story): Deep Love – Ayuno Monogatari, Deep Love – Host and Deep Love – Reina no Unmei. There are also two more stories, but they’re not drawn by the same artist: Deep Love – Pao no Monogatari and Deep Love: Real. I haven’t actually read the last one (Real) since I think that it’s enough with just the first three (or four).

WARNING! The synopses for the second, third and fourth stories all contain spoilers of what happened in the first oneand (in my opinion) about what “their” story is going to be about!

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1 – Deep Love – Ayu no Monogatari

Volumes: 2

Chapters: 8

Status: Completed

Genres: Adult, Drama, Josei, Mature, Romance, Tragedy

Author: Yoshii Yuu

Artist: Yoshii Yuu

Synopsis:

Based on Yoshi’s hit novel series, “Deep Love” depicts the struggling life of Ayu, a 17-year-old high school girl who believes neither in a future nor the happiness it could bring her. By selling her body as a teenage prostitute, she’s trying to justify her existence, which is as bleak as her heart: its void of joy, sorrow, love. It’s not until her encounter with a kind-hearted old lady that Ayu begins to realize the true meaning of happiness…

Review:

All of these stories is what the real world looks like. The tragedy of the “underworld”. About teenagers and adults doing the wrong things, making the wrong choices and most of all, selling themselves for money.

This first story is the first in a chain of tragic events. The “Deep Love”-series is SO sad!!! I re-read them all the other day and cried A LOT!

At the beginning it was really dark and gloomy, but when the protagonist realized what life is and can be all about, everything turns around! And just when you think that it’s all good, NO. Happiness isn’t that easy to achieve – of course. I cried so much when a lot of events occurred in this story and at the end I thought that I couldn’t cry anymore, but no. There is more… Two sequels in fact…

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1 – Deep Love – Host

Volumes: 2

Chapters: 6

Status: Completed

Genres: Adult, Drama, Josei, Mature, Tragedy

Author: Yoshii Yuu

Artist: Yoshii Yuu

Synopsis:

The continuation from “Deep Love: Ayu no Monogatari”. This revolves around Yoshiyuki, the lad who was in need of heart surgery in Ayu’s Story. After Ayu’s death, it seems that Yoshiyuki wants to learn anything, everything. And thus he tries out for a job as a host and says that he’s willing to sell his body…

Review:

In my opinion, this is the one that made my cry the least (still cried a lot though) of all the four stories that I’ll be mentioning. Like the synopsis says, this follows one of the characters from the first story (“Ayu no Monogatari”) and his way through the dark world. Just when you think that he’s found happiness – yet again NO. So sad…! But wait! There’s more! Another sequel (well, technically another sequel to the first one and a parallel story to this one).

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1 – Deep Love – Reina no Unmei

Volumes: 1

Chapters: 3

Status: Completed

Genres: Adult, Drama, Josei, Mature, Romance, Tragedy

Author: Yoshii Yuu

Artist: Yoshii Yuu

Synopsis:

The continuation from “Deep Love: Ayu no Monogatari”. This story is about Reina, a cheerful 19-year-old single mother. During Ayu’s story, Reina was raped in a Karoke bar and eventually gave birth to a baby girl she named Ayu. Now, Reina has fallen in love, but when she told him she had a child, he dumps her! And what’s worse is that her daughter, Ayu, accidentally falls down the stairs and during the surgery she becomes blind! What will happen to this once very cheerful mother?

Review:

Now this was a rollercoaster ride! This made me cry THE MOST, even more than the first one, which I thought was impossible!!! Her story follows the first story’s (“Ayu no Monogatari”) protagonist’s best friend (you with me?) and how her life changes from being a happy one to one that follows her best friend’s. Man this was sad! Especially since you have some back-flashes from the first story, which just adds to the drama! Love this third story so much, yet at the same time I hate I for being so tragic! T_T

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1 – Deep Love – Pao no Monogatari

Volumes: 2

Chapters: 11

Status: Completed

Genres: Drama, Mature, Psychological, Romance, Slice of Life, Tragedy

Author: Yoshii Yuu

Artist: Kurosawa Akiyo

Synopsis:

Being abandoned by his owners, having his mother die of starvation, a puppy who suffered lifelong separation from his siblings wandered around the city. Meeting and parting with kind people, experiencing brutal treatment from unjust people. Pao, who learned to live within the harshness of reality, awaits even more ordeals…

Review:

This story is actually supposed to be a prequel to the first story (“Ayu no Monogatari”), but since this one later on intertwines with hat one and then follows it until the end, it would be a spoiler if you haven’t read the first one.

This story is also really sad, especially since it revolves around small puppy who gets taught the hard way about humans and the difficulties in life. I won’t say any more about this one, since I might spoil it, but it’s just as tragic as the other stories in this series and gave birth to so many tears… T_T

All in all, the whole “Deep Love”-series is a REAL tear-jerker and I really love them all!

So, that concludes my first ever written “top”-list! Hope you liked it and that it wasn’t too long! ^^ I would love to hear your comments about these manga if you’ve read them, and even new recommendations! ^^