Though, at the very least, I still maintain that the manga is a watered-down version of its source material, but that doesn't mean you should skip it. I feel the manga is a very nice starting point to the Forgetful Detective series if you just want to feel out what it is.
The manga has a nice charm to it, which is a testament to how well the mangaka focused on how the characters are portrayed and how they interact, instead of the density of the mysteries and how they are presented.
The series follows Okitegami Kyouko, an amnesiac detective who forgets everything after she falls asleep. With limited memories from her past, and no knowledge of the present, this character wakes up every day with nothing but a message telling her she is the Forgetful Detective, Okitegami Kyouko. And has been for 2 whole years already, without finding any clue as to whom put her up to the task.
The manga is different (and stands out) from the novels in loosely the same way the drama adaptation does. Instead of jumping between narrators like the novels do to tell different types of cases with different people, the manga sticks to the stories surrounding Kakushidate Yakusuke. The man has a hilariously tragic fate surrounding him, that he is always suspected for crimes he didn't commit, just because he happens to be there. This is loosely explained to be a problem with his height, but if I had to do some fan-theorizing, I would say he's possessed by some weird aberration ala Monogatari, which naturally attracts trouble; "Yaku".
Yaku is my favorite narrator, so that definitely put a smile on my face.
In addition, the art of the manga is charming to say the least. It may not be as flashy as, say, Bakemonogatari's manga adaptation, but I feel that they wonderfully convey the personalities and quirks of each of the characters. Which is weird, considering the novels are so focused on the mysteries, it at times *might feel as if their personalities are toned down. So I believe the art of the manga is worth the price of admission alone.
If you want to give the Forgetful Detective series a shot, but aren't sure if you want to read the novels and make that kind of mental commitment, then The Memorandum of Okitegami Kyouko manga should be a light and fun starting point. If you want to read about how the Forgetful Detective series is written more in-depth (without much spoilers), check out my review for the novels.
**Updated November 18, 2018
