harrowing queer manga
Manga
tragic manga with mature themes centering complex, messed-up queer characters. these don't necessarily end tragically, so no spoilers here. (TW: SA, CSA, abuse, suicide, self-harm, among others). features trauma, loss, abuse, complex relational dynamics (for example, trauma bonding, codependency, and the like), and f*cked-up people doing f*cked-up things, among other things. most of these works are explicitly queer, but there are a few that are open to interpretation. basically, read these if you'd like to suffer.
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some works i couldn't include because of the limited nature of MAL's database (summaries from official publishers)
Kill Me Now by Cosmos - Assassins, Yuri (ongoing)
Haegu, a proficient and merciless hitwoman, executes a man in front of his own daughter and takes the child under her wing. She decides to name her Mian, the word for "sorry" in Korean, and gives her one mission: "Kill me when you can." From that moment on, Mian decides that she will do this by choking Haegu with feigned love and emotionally manipulating her into submission. But as Mian grows into an adult, she's thrown into confusion as what was supposed to be pure revenge turns into lust... and possibly real love. Meanwhile, Haegu grapples with her own feelings for Mian while continuing to carry out life-threatening missions. Can Haegu and Mian ever learn to truly love each other, or are they doomed to drown in their toxic cycle of violence and revenge?
Getting to Know Grace by Seo Rim, Makma - Historical, GL (completed)
Andrew is the only daughter of the famous Grace family. She also has an incurable disease. Due to her family's high status in society, Andrew grew up with no friends save for her maid, Herta, whom she has become intensely infatuated with. Little does she know, her family is responsible for ruining Herta's life. Can Andrew break the hierarchy and be with her? Or will Herta end her suffering first...
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some works i couldn't include because of the limited nature of MAL's database (summaries from official publishers)
Kill Me Now by Cosmos - Assassins, Yuri (ongoing)
Haegu, a proficient and merciless hitwoman, executes a man in front of his own daughter and takes the child under her wing. She decides to name her Mian, the word for "sorry" in Korean, and gives her one mission: "Kill me when you can." From that moment on, Mian decides that she will do this by choking Haegu with feigned love and emotionally manipulating her into submission. But as Mian grows into an adult, she's thrown into confusion as what was supposed to be pure revenge turns into lust... and possibly real love. Meanwhile, Haegu grapples with her own feelings for Mian while continuing to carry out life-threatening missions. Can Haegu and Mian ever learn to truly love each other, or are they doomed to drown in their toxic cycle of violence and revenge?
Getting to Know Grace by Seo Rim, Makma - Historical, GL (completed)
Andrew is the only daughter of the famous Grace family. She also has an incurable disease. Due to her family's high status in society, Andrew grew up with no friends save for her maid, Herta, whom she has become intensely infatuated with. Little does she know, her family is responsible for ruining Herta's life. Can Andrew break the hierarchy and be with her? Or will Herta end her suffering first...
