How Horrible/Miserable Can I Make It For My Main Character In The Beginning?

[TheMoonStain]

If you got depressed watching the anime, don't read the book. I read the book first. It was absolutely gut wrenching.

I have read the book. Honestly it's the same with horror. Having something horrible described to you in graphic detail is much more unnerving than just seeing it happen.

Also in the anime. More people sufffer. Seeing Yokos male friend reduced to what he was in the show was depressing and sobering to say the least. Without spoiling too much, he did not get a happy ending. Like, at all.

 

[TheMoonStain]

When I went ahead and watched the anime after that, I just found it far less visceral since I had already become desensitized to the events due to the FAR more intense way the same events were portrayed in the book where your imagination is able to run wild with it.

There was another anime I watched that had crap a lot worse than what happened to Yoko in 12 Kingdoms. Basically I wanted to take elements of what happened to both Yoko and that character and write a story about a character whos been through a heavy amount of suffering, and while not overcome it at least come to terms with what happened in a believable way.