Line #1 Tearjerker/Sakana


1	[[header:Per troping policy, all spoilers are unmarked. Administrivia/YouHaveBeenWarned.]]
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3	For a webcomic described by the author herself as a "SliceOfLife-RomanticComedy," Sakana has a surprising amount of somber, hard to read, or otherwise just downright depressing moments, usually by means of BackstoryHorror.
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7	* Genji [[http://www.sakana-comic.com/comic/105 quietly apologizing to Taro]] after the latter has already taken off in frustration, very clearly fed up with the former for trying once again to sponge some money off of him and Ren. It doesn't help his [[TrappedByGamblingDebts financial situation]] much, but it at least makes it clear to the audience that on some level, [[PetTheDog Genji really does wish things had turned out differently,]] and that he could interact with his family at least a little more smoothly.
8	* There's some indication as early as [[http://www.sakana-comic.com/comic/024 page 24]] that something happened to the Sakana brothers' parents, and whatever it was, they don't seem to be entirely over it. Even Taro, who's kind of universally accepted as being the tougher of the two, [[http://www.sakana-comic.com/comic/027 seems to freeze up when he finds Jiro asleep while holding a framed photo of them,]] [[http://www.sakana-comic.com/comic/028 and even more so when he tries to talk to it himself.]]
9	** In that same vein, after Jiro learns his date, [[NoNameGiven "Cash Register Girl,"]] was actually Chie Yamamoto, the terror of his preschool years, (and that Taro, Taisei, Angry Lady/Mori, and Yuudai were spying on them the whole time) they decide to go to a park to get away from the unfolding chaos. She tries to apologize for everything that happened back then, as she believes that it's what made him leave the school... until he cuts her off, [[http://www.sakana-comic.com/comic/176 and explains what actually caused him to leave.]] Everything just gets... quiet, and while Jiro's not in tears about it, you can tell that it's still something that's deeply affected him and his brother.
10	* As [[SugarWiki/HeartwarmingMoments adorable]] as Taisei [[http://www.sakana-comic.com/comic/107 almost]] [[http://www.sakana-comic.com/comic/131 immediately]] warming up to Yuudai is, there's just something that's kinda disheartening [[FridgeHorror and more than a bit troubling]] about the fact that Yuudai can't seem to accept that someone would be genuinely nice to him. When he and Taisei get around to talking a little more, he ends up snapping and [[http://www.sakana-comic.com/comic/133 accusing the other of making fun of him.]] ''Jesus,'' someone give that guy a hug.
11	** And then we find out ''why'' he's like that. Yuudai's increasingly short temper, his hateful mistrust of everything around him, and his [[HatesBeingTouched aversion to physical contact]] [[HarsherInHindsight suddenly become a lot less funny]] when you find out that they're most likely the results of [[DomesticAbuse being in an emotionally (and at least during one instance, physically) abusive relationship for five years.]] And he only managed to leave after his then-partner Arata [[http://sakana-comic.com/comic/301 temporarily disfigured his face with a glass bottle.]] ''Yeesh.''
12	* Chapter 16 in general is hard to read, given that it's an incredibly tense chapter about Arata cornering Yuudai when the two of them are finally alone, [[BreakThemByTalking verbally]] [[CurbStompBattle curb-stomping]] him, and Yuudai being so unenthused at the prospect of his former abuser being in his apartment that he ends up taking to the streets - although that last part is actually PlayedForLaughs thanks to Yuudai being so hammy about it up until [[http://www.sakana-comic.com/comic/389-390 his last line in the entire chapter:]]
13	--> '''Yuudai:''' This is a terrible idea.
14	** Their entire exchange at the cafe is difficult to sit through, especially if you're one of the many readers who was already attached to Yuudai by this point, but this line hits especially hard. Arata even tries to backpedal once he realizes it may have come out harsher than he wanted it to:

Context Tearjerker / Sakana