180 degree turn from romantic/fun to massive drama/mind fuck

[Eisdrache]

What I am looking for is a show that starts as a normal highschool/romance/comedy whatever and then suddenly has a WTFJUSTHAPPENED moment. Starting from then the tone of the show changes into a (very) dark drama/horror/mystery.

What I mean with wtfjusthappened moment is that you have one (or more) of the characters, preferably female (...) being at the wrong place at the wrong time and having something very severe happen not to him/her but to someone they were close, like friends, parents etc. The moment absolutely has to happen because of the character.

For those who have seen Kanon2006, something like when

Spoiler for something like this:

Nayukis mother gets hit by ... a flying car

just x10. The ideal case would be if the character were to be right next to the scene where it happens so s/he sees it with their own eyes. Even better would be if something would happen that was irreversible, like death of someone.

That said the show would be boring if the responsible character then would mop in a corner for the rest of the show. Even worse would be a sudden "hey something like his can happen, lets move on with life" thing. Very nice would be if the character then sets up to solve the reason why it happened.

Im aware that this is probably a very weird description of what Im looking for -_-

edit:
Shows I have seen:
Mai-Hime + sequels
Higurashi (-kai, -rei)
School Days
Shuffle
Futakoi Alternative

Shows I have not seen yet:
Saikano
Kimi ga Nozomu Eien
Narutaru
Neon Genesis Evangelion
Now and then, here and there
Bokurano
Sora wo Kakeru Shoujou
Serial Experiments Lain
Interlude
Zegapain
Tsubasa Reservoir Chronicles
Planetes

[Kleo Scanti]

Mai-HiME, maybe? It starts as a comedy with elements of fantasy and romance, then something happens, and it becomes really dark. That something doesn't happen because of the main character, but she is involved.

[Aqua Knight]

School days
Shuffle, not really a mindfuck, but a nice yandere action towards the end

[Theowne]

Kimi Ga Nozomu Eien and Saikano .

Although they both get a bit melodramatic, they fit what you're looking for. However, keep in mind, the 180 degree turn happens fairly early in both these series. You should also know that the general tone of both shows is depressing. KGNE is a romance story while Saikano also has a sci-fi/war bent to it (but is primarily romance).

[Eisdrache]

Mai-Hime + Otome + Zwei + Sifr: Have seen all of that ._.
School Days: Its in the last episode and its a FUCKYEAH moment
Shuffle: KAEDE <3~ (read: have seen that already)

Kimi ga Nozomu Eien
Saikano

Havent seen both of these shows. Im pretty sure that I got spoiled for who he ends up with in KGNE but oh well, I can rage after I see the end.

Originally Posted by Theowne

Although they both get a bit melodramatic, they fit what you're looking for. However, keep in mind, the 180 degree turn happens fairly early in both these series. You should also know that the general tone of both shows is depressing

Thats no problem at all~

[Proto]

I think Narutaru is kind of the poster example for this trope.

[Seitsuki]

yay fellow troper ♪
Neon Genesis Evangelion much? Doesn't start off well but the depths to which it sinks is so much it crosses the line, passes the light-hearted mark and goes back down (so a 450 degree turn xD) Would fit what you're looking for but Shinji is a wuss
Or just try Higurashi (no naku koro ni). Yes, it gets worse. And then some.

[synaesthetic]

Higurashi no Naku Koro ni.
Saikano.

Watch them. Doooo eeeeet.

[Haak]

Well it doesn't rreally change the overall tone majorly but Cross Game has a Wham Moment in the first episode.

Also Now and Then, Here and There.

[MeoTwister5]

Saikano
Now and Then, Here and There
Bokurano

[C.A.]

If you're seen Mai series, then you should watch Sora wo Kakeru Shoujo, a spiritual successor. Lots of females, almost no male characters, stuff changes completely halfway and such.

[kk2extreme]

From the mention of Kanon, it makes me wanna recommend clannad (especially 2nd season)

[Eisdrache]

Originally Posted by kk2extreme

From the mention of Kanon, it makes me wanna recommend clannad (especially 2nd season)

1) I don't like Mei
2) I hate Tomoya with passion
3) Clannad AS makes me zzzzz

[Haak]

^ Lol. That was probably a 180 degree mind fuck turn right there.

Atleast for Clannad fans anyway.

[qwertyuiopz]

Originally Posted by Proto

I think Narutaru is kind of the poster example for this trope.

yes +1

[synaesthetic]

Originally Posted by C.A.

If you're seen Mai series, then you should watch Sora wo Kakeru Shoujo, a spiritual successor. Lots of females, almost no male characters, stuff changes completely halfway and such.

Random Baseball Episode #9 is awesome.

[DragoZERO]

I am going to suggest 5 Centimeters per Second, there is no 180 turn or anything, it flows smoothly, but it will put your heart on a roller coaster.

Originally Posted by Theowne

Kimi Ga Nozomu Eien and Saikano .

Although they both get a bit melodramatic, they fit what you're looking for. However, keep in mind, the 180 degree turn happens fairly early in both these series. You should also know that the general tone of both shows is depressing. KGNE is a romance story while Saikano also has a sci-fi/war bent to it (but is primarily romance).

Kimi ga Nozomu Eien was great, so I will second that one. The drama definitely get's turned up to the max and will send you for one hell of a ride. I watched it maybe a month ago and just thinking about it getting me mad because of a certain part. I was glued to my seat and watched all 12 episodes inside 10 hours.

As for Saikano...I dropped it at episode 9, the fansubber said at the end that "this is the happiest this series will ever get" and it was already really, really dark and depressing, so I dropped it.

[roriconfan]

Here are some none mentioned

SE Lain
Interlude
Zegapain

[Siggrodoth]

I'm amazed no one has yet mentioned Tsubasa Reservoir Chronicle.
It all starts as a merry-go-lucky Catch-The-McGuffin adventure across dimensions until the heroes land in the world of Tokyo Babylon and the series goes veeery topsy-turvy with the characters' motives and identities.

Originally Posted by MeoTwister5

Bokurano

The whole cast knows the world of shit in which they are by the end of the second or third chapter, so I wouldn't count that one in.

[MeoTwister5]

Originally Posted by Siggrodoth

I'm amazed no one has yet mentioned Tsubasa Reservoir Chronicle.
It all starts as a merry-go-lucky Catch-The-McGuffin adventure across dimensions until the heroes land in the world of Tokyo Babylon and the series goes veeery topsy-turvy with the characters' motives and identities.



The whole cast knows the world of shit in which they are by the end of the second or third chapter, so I wouldn't count that one in.

Well it was a 180 degree mindfuck at episode one so... yeah...