#it’s not the worst thing denji has done I think…

[wringoz]

I am questioning fujimoto with these new csm chapters

[sugar-grigri]

How can war love ?

*public apology, gun to my head* I won't trust Fujimoto so much anymore I get it *keeps gun to her head* this is surely the worst chapter but I can't afford to shirk my duty to analyze in the face of adversity so here I am

At least let the analysis be more succinct than usual

I had to find a meaning to this chapter, I had to, because even if I, like 90% of fans, put my phone down after holding my head in my hands, I can't have analyzed Fujimoto up to this point to decide now that he should go fuck himself

So I'm here to interpret a masturbation scene, Fujimoto must be as weird and desperate an audience as he is.

So what is the meaning that I perceived in it, we'll proceed by list so as not to enumerate

1. This chapter confirms a cycle of violence and I hope Fujimoto wrote it as a depressing chapter and not just a subversive one just to titillate JUMP's limits. Cycle of violence in which Denji is trapped. Sex is something he puts a lot of hope into. It's the last need he hasn't yet fulfilled, so he throws himself through it. Not only does Denji suffer even when he wants to escape it. But above all, done in these horrible conditions, the thing having been accomplished, Denji will remain unsatisfied and will understand that unhappiness is in his bones and cannot be solved by sleeping with someone. It's the worst tragedy that could happen to him.

2. It's the worst tragedy for Asa too. She finds sex repulsive and experiences it under the worst conditions, which has the effect of deepening her fears. Asa may also be seeking intimacy with someone, but just as this moment convinces the teenager to stay away from others, this ordeal reinforces Denji's depression.

But I think everyone understands that, because everyone's depressed. What's interesting (sighs) is that this chapter shows how Yoru bound with someone. Just as war would.

There are no winners in a war, both sides suffer losses. And that's exactly what Yoru did twice. A first kiss, Asa had lost her memory to Nayuta and Denji had promised never to see her again. This chapter is yet another ordeal for Asa and Denji.

This leads to a more demanding conclusion, which also has an impact on Nayuta.

The Knights of the Apocalypse cannot physiologically, metaphysically love.

The only relationship they can establish is through each other's suffering.

It's a tragedy for them too.

A tragedy on every level.

[makib1tch]

ummm all of them 😅

OKAY OKAY THISLL BE LONG BUT ILL TRY

the character everyone gets wrong : Alnst Luka. LIKE I GET THAT PEOPLE DONT LIKE HIM BUT HE ISNT THE VILLAIN. THE ALIENS ARE THE FUCKING VILLAINS. Like I lowkey feel like he doesn’t understand that what he’s doing is wrong. Like he wants to survive. Thats how the alien taught him too. DONT GET ME STARTED ILL RAMBLE WAY TOO FUCKIN MUCH

a compelling argument for why your fave would never top or bottom: uhhh my fav is Aventurine and I see him as a switch sooooo….idk 🥲🥲🥲🥲.

screenshot or description of the worst take you've seen on tumblr : uuuuuuh idk sorry

what was the last straw that made you finally block that annoying person? : idk if it counts but like I had a friend I vented to her and told her I $h and she started to insult me and yea I was having a panic attack and blocked her

worst discord server and why : I’m never on discord so idk

which ship fans are the most annoying? Not all of them (I sometimes ship it too) but aventio/ratiorine/call them what u want idc. Like. There are ratiorine shippers who are like "OOOOHOOHH AVENTURINE IS SUCH A HORNY BOTTOM WHOREEE AND RATIO IS A HORNY DOM EUZKZKALALAL" and then they go and ruin the entire fucking characters. Like I like the ship when it’s done right. When they respect the fuckin characters. Not when they ship them out of pure horniness. BUT NOT ALL OF THEM. Oh and it’s the same for Ruikasa (pjsk) shippers.

what character did you begin to hate not because of canon but because how how the fandom acts about them? : I used to hate Ratio. Because of the weird ratiorine shippers.

common fandom opinion that everyone is wrong about : THAT LUKA FROM

ALNST IS THE VILLAIN

worst part of canon : idkidkkdk

worst part of fanon : idk too sorry im shit at ask games

number of fandom-related words you've filtered : none

the unpopular character that you actually like and why more people should like them : Alnst Luka. Again with him. HES SUCH A FUCKIN INTERESTING AND COMPLEX CHARACTER ILOVE HIM

worst blorboficiation : the fuck is that?

that one thing you see in fics all the time : in x reader like "you have blue eyes and black hair" THEN NO THATS NOT AN X READER

that one thing you see in fanart all the time: aaaaaahh idkk I see way too much fanarts everyday

you can't understand why so many people like this thing (characterization, trope, headcanon, etc) : Hyuna x Luka. I don’t understand. They’re so toxic like

there should be more of this type of fic/art: anyone comforting aventurine. My baby needs comfort. I love him. I want to hug him

it's absolutely criminal that the fandom has been sleeping on... : i don’t think people have been sleeping on but idk she still doesn’t get enough credit everyone go read @aventurineswife ‘s fics they’re so fuckin good.

you're mad/ashamed/horrified you actually kind of like... : those x reader fics that are written out of straight up horniness. They be having the most obscene and devious devilish things.

part of canon you found tedious or boring : the whole xianzhou luofu quest ig. Expect for Tingyun I love her. But like idk I was kinda bored in it. Maybe it’s just me idk

part of canon you think is overhyped : Himekos death in csm. Like I saw people being super sad but like…idk. I didnt feel sad for her. I felt bad for Aki since he was sad yeah. But Himeko like her death didn’t do anything for me.

your favorite part of canon that everyone else ignores : AAAAAAAH IDK IM SORRY

ship you've unwillingly come around to : Ratiorine, I used to hate it. Now I like it. (I’m not sure I understood the question lmao)

topic that brings up the most rancid discourse : The hospital scene in the End of Evangelion. I don’t have to explain. I think just no one should talk about it.

common fandom complaint that you're sick of hearing : "Denji is a dumb pervert."

OK FINALLY FINISHED I TOOK WAY TOO FUCKIN LONG TO ANSWER THIS

I’m shit at ask games sorry lmao

[toggle1-mrfipp]

This chapter really did nail it in just how Denji and Asa interact with the parasocial relationship aspects of the Chainsaw Man and the Church.

"Everybody wants my chainsaw heart, nobody wants Denji's heart", I think is one of the most heartbreaking things in the entire story because Denji has no reason to believe otherwise. A big reason why he wants to be Chainsaw Man is because he wants to use him to impress people, to make them look his way and give him praise and attention because as far as he is concerned it's the only way people can love him. Makima only cared about him beause of Chainsaw Man, he only met Reze because she was after his chainsaw heart, and even his brief interaction with Fumiko left off with her only being interested in him as Chainsaw Man. Only four people ever loved Denji for being Denji, and three of them, Pochita, Aki and Power, are dead, and the last one, Nayuta, I don't think can give Denji what he needs, because while I don't doubt the affection they have for one another, their relationship is not equal, he is her caretaker and it is his responsibility to see her safe. Denji needs a friend or partner on equal terms, someone who can love and appreciate him without treating him like some add on to Chainsaw Man. Sadly, Chainsaw Man is all he has, and to make matters worst people keep trying to take that away from him. Between Public Safety and the Church, Denji is constantly put into corners where he cannot be allowed to be the one thing that he feels gives his life any value to anyone else. If there's no Chainsaw Man, then what is left for people to love if only Denji remains? Nothing as far as he's concerned.

For Denji, parasocial relationships is a way to validte that only one part of him is worthy of love and affection.

Then there's Asa.

Asa wants nothing more than to connect with other people, to form deep relationships with them, but she' afraid of them because getting close to other people means you can be hurt by them, and unfortunately her beliefs are justified by her experiences. She trusted the orphanage lady to give Crambon a good home, and she killed him. She trusted Yuko to be her friend, but she turned into a school shooter. She trusted her heart to Denji, and even though it wasn't his fault, she was left feeling abandoned. Even her brief meeting with Yoshida and finding a commonality left her devastated, which is why she's so taken in by this parasocial relationship. She can do amazing things and people will call her cool and beautiful, but she doesn't actually have to get close to any of them, she can feel loved and praised without putting herself at risk of being hurt because these interactions are shallow and superficial. The downside however is that all these people only care about the beautiful up and coming devil hunter, but how many of these people would want to know the girl who spends a night looking up fish facts to impress her date at the aquarium, and how many less would actually listen to what she actually had to say about those facts?

For Asa, parasocial relationships are a way to avoid getting hurt because it is the safest way to interact with people.

Denji and Asa rely on these kinds of relationships because the negative experiences in they've lived through have done nothing but justify and validate their harmful world views. For Denji it is that no one can love him outside Chainsaw Man, and for Asa it's anyone who grows close to her can only hurt her.

[dropintomanga]

Manga I Enjoyed in 2023

It's been another great year for manga. And I don't think we wouldn't have it any other way, right?

I got to read a bunch of manga, old and new, this year. But these titles stood out to me the the most.

Honorable Mention: Kindergarten WARS by You Chiba - This was something I needed, post-Assassination Classroom. A school filled with rich kids protected by assassins who have nowhere to go fighting against assassins trying to kill the kids. Not only that, the main female lead is desperate for a boyfriend and will date anyone who looks hot. But if they have certain peeves, the bodies will hit the floor. This is a really funny series with fun characters and a lot of action. It also has one of the best gags of the year.

Favorite Ongoing Weekly Manga: Akane-banashi by Yuki Suenaga and Takamase Moue - Akane-banashi continues to impress me every week. I absolutely love how every chapter continues to be impactful. Akane is still a refreshing protagonist and I love how it feels that even though she can win rakugo competitions based on sheer determination, Akane knows that she has a lot to learn. This is a stand-out manga that is excellent for teenagers.

Here's my top 5 manga of the year!

5.) A Home Far Away and The Yakuza's Bias by Teki Yatsuda (tie) - Once I got into K-Pop, I had to check out The Yakuza's Bias. I enjoyed a lot of the humor and the gags are well-done. It's a title that really showcases what it means to take a deep dive into fandom when you're new at it in hilarious fashion. But Yatsuda's debut work about 2 boys on the run is one of the best things I've read all year. It's truly a heartbreaking LGBT romance that will touch a lot of emotions. Also, Yatsuda's art is absolutely gorgeous and I can't wait to see their new work being licensed in the future.

4.) ZOM 100: Bucket List of the Dead by Haro Aso and Kotaro Tanaka - The only zombie manga story I read was Kengo Hanazawa's I Am A Hero, but I gave this title a follow because people were telling me about it due to its messaging. ZOM 100 stands out as an upbeat zombie apocalypse story that speaks to the resilience of people in tough times. I think we all forget that we can do great things in times of adversity if we all get support. There's some great moments in this series worth talking about. I never felt bored reading it. I'm glad I gave this manga a chance because I really think depressed people need to be told that while it's okay to feel the way they feel, they can still try and people shouldn't shame them for it.

3.) Kowloon Generic Romance by Jun Mayuzuki - Hong Kong nostalgia at its finest, in my opinion. This is one of the most fascinating stories of 2023 with regards to finding your identity and reconciling your past with your present. I have this high up because I really like how the central love story is slowly tying into a bigger mystery on why the world in the manga seems very off. People struggle so much with their pasts and I feel that this manga resonates with those folks. Especially me as I find myself longing for past moments that I dearly miss despite having not-so-pleasant experiences I would like to forget.

2.) Chainsaw Man Part II by Tatsuki Fujimoto - I absolutely adore this series. Fujimoto pulls no stops in telling the story he wants to tell. I love the new female characters that have all shown up and the return of a very notable one. I like Denji's development as he really doesn't know what he wants despite being granted a frightening power that continues to be a target to those who want to use him. This is the story of a "hero" who doesn't have the resilience to be an actual hero. It's also a story about people having their emotional needs warped into desires in the worst way.

1.) The Summer Hikaru Died by Mokumokuren - I normally don't read horror manga, but this manga is phenomenal. There was so much hype about the manga being released here in the U.S. and it has delivered in all cylinders. The art is great. The usage of sound effects to convey a sense of dread is top-notch. The interpersonal dynamic between the two main characters is frighteningly realistic. This manga, at its core, about dealing with a relationship that should've ended, but didn't. As much as we talk about needing relationships with people to survive, they have to end sometimes. There's a lot of horror and dread over how to talk about a relationship ending and good god, the manga delivers on displaying that. I also love the subtle reminder that bad relationships have serious consequences for everyone else. In real life, we've seen how abuse and interpersonal trauma trickles down from the victim into other parts of life and other people. All of this makes The Summer Hikaru Died my top manga of 2023.

I hope you all enjoyed my top picks. There's been a lot of fun reads that I probably missed out on, so let me know what you guys enjoyed. 2024 is probably going to be another great year for manga and there's already titles I'm looking forward to.

See you all in 2024!

[moonfirerainbow]

Regarding Yoshida’s actions, this is not a “Yoshida is in the right” type of post, but here are some thoughts about the latest chapter and why there’s got to be more to it than what we see.

At the beginning of part 1, Aki tried to beat Denji to get him to leave public safety, spit on him AND tossed his lit cigarette on him. Because Denji joined for a “stupid reason”, like it was any of Aki’s business what Denji did. He also told Denji he doesn’t get any human rights, and at that time he meant it. Power tried to literally kill Denji leading him to the bat devil in exchange for Meowy.

The difference between what Power and Aki did and what Yoshida has now done is that we don’t have all the context from Yoshida’s perspective. We don’t know his motives, his goals, his past, his family (or lack of). We don’t know why he’s even in public safety. Why would he start so young? What was he doing as a civilian devil hunter in part 1 while being in high school, and why was he good enough that out of the thousands of civilian devil hunters, Makima picked him to help protect Denji?

Denji’s state at the end of the latest chapter feels hauntingly familiar to Aki becoming the gun fiend, in the sense that this might be the worst thing that can happen to the character after everything else they’ve gone through. I don’t see Yoshida’s role here as the Makima one. I honestly think he’s not a dead ringer for any role in part 1. He has similarities to Aki and Makima, certainly, but there’s just too much still in the dark. If anything, he could be similar to Angel Devil, with how Angel was made to subdue Reze. I just think it’s too soon to condemn Yoshida, and that he’s got something deeper going on in his life, and waiting for it will pay off.

[nefamphetamine]

chainsaw man deep dive: chapter 1

warning: there will be spoilers for the entire manga since this is a rereading. all aspects of csm will be discussed in full detail.

two words basically sum up chapter 1: "poor denji".

the first thing i noticed that i didn't pay as much attention to during my first read through is how fujimoto added the physical details of denji's less than ideal condition: he's thin and bony, and has undereye circles. it fits where we find denji at this point of time; starving, sick with the illness that killed his mother, and recovering from illegal organ extraction procedures to cover his late father's debt.

beyond that, we're immediately introduced to the 3 important themes in denji's life summed up briefly here: the things a person wants and the things a person needs in order to live well and happily.

these themes are:

money

stability

love/acceptance/validation, which I'll just shove under the umbrella of "unconditional love"

these three needs motivate every interaction denji has with the world around him.

money

denji is essentially a slave to the yakuza who will kill him if he tries to escape the immense debt his father left him with. he has no family, no role models, no education, and yet he doesn't seem as bitter as you'd think someone in his situation would be. and that's because of pochita, who is not only a devil contracted to him but loyal family. they live together, work together, and dream of a better life together.

despite all of his troubles, denji's characterization is made known to us through the words of the people around him. he's obedient (and described as such numerous times in chapter 1 alone) and grateful even when he doesn't need to be.

he's also naive and loyal, and is aware of the inevitability of his situation.

stability

this goes without saying. denji wants what most people would consider the bare minimum. a roof over his head, basic food (toast and jam), and to act his age (stay in his room and play games).

but he has none of this, so pochita listens to him intently, doing what he can to ease denji's burdens. pochita is awesome emotional support.

unfortunately, to make matters worse, denji's life gets cut even shorter when he suddenly starts coughing up blood. he doesn't even have time to process that he's got his mother's terminal illness before he's called over by his yakuza handler to hunt another devil.

this is precarious balance between denji's idealism and his inevitable short, brutal death is shown really poignantly in the panel below. all denji wants is to just be able to hold onto the illusion that things can be alright as long as he keeps chipping away. it doesn't matter that he'll most likely die young, whether it's because he's an amateur devil hunter, or at the hands of the yakuza, or by his mother's sickness, or his body giving out from the starvation and surgeries. he only wants his three basic needs met.

unconditional love

fujimoto is clever about how he portrays this, in that he never explicitly states what denji wants. maybe it would be more accurate to say that he doesn't allow denji to know what he himself truly wants. fujimoto leaves it to us to do the math.

this is refreshing since a lot of manga, shounen in particular, are afraid to let the audience think.

fujimoto's choice to introduce denji this way serves to beat an important trait that foreshadows a twist we see at the end of part 1.

it tell us that denji isnt very self aware, and that its in some ways unintentionally, but in other ways it absolutely is.

denji is young, naive despite his exposure to the worst of the world, and he's the type to put the worst experiences into a tiny little box deep within his mind.

or, more accurately, lock it behind a door.

this is how denji copes with his life. this is how he's survived. and so far it's served him well. if he were to think hard on the terrible things he's done and has been forced to do, he'd crumble. fujimoto expresses this from the very first chapter in a very unique, humane manner.

im going to go so far as to say its particularly refreshing to see such depth given to a male protagonist. it defies genre tropes and expectations.

now, to slightly shift gears a bit, denji's sexual desires are, from the very beginning, indistinguishable from any other desire he has to connect, particularly with women. fujimoto's usage of the pervert trope is a fantastic way to introduce denji's complex, heavy, and tragic character to an audience without boring them with angst. it also allows for maximum usage of the medium to show the various ways human connection can be explored. even more significant is that we get to see this through the lens of someone who has limited social conditioning, a high degree of plasticity, and little understanding of what himself and what he ultimately desires.

I'll continue to expand on this later.

denji the dog

funnily enough, everything we've been shown about denji are classical traits of dogs. i didnt think much of these comparisons during my first read because "mongrel", for example, is a fairly common insult thrown around, especially in anime. but fujimoto chooses his words carefully (although i unfortunately cant read japanese so im relying on translations), and these choices are multifaceted with long-reaching narrative implications.

basically, if you know you know. since this is only the first chapter I'll just move on until there's a more appropriate time to elaborate.

the warehouse

denji's life could not get worse, except it did because he died. and it was NOT a peaceful death.

i get that this was necessary for the plot to move forward but for all the shit the yakuza made denji go through, this just feels like a piss poor call.

i guess if he's really sure he can make that much more money giving up his bodily autonomy to the zombie devil for some level of strength, go ham. knowing the public safety bureau would get on his ass would be enough deterrent if i were him, though.

either way, denji dies, and pochita is tossed with him like garbage into the dumpster. pochita, loyal companion that he is, uses his energy to permanently merge with denji as his heart. pochita is now denji's life force. and for the second time, they form a contract.

pochita grew to truly love denji and selflessly wishes for him to realize his dreams and live happily.

once they're fused, chainsaw man is born.

and then we get a hilarious reaction from the ZOMBIE devil, who is unironically disgusted as denji's zombified state:

a great moment of levity.

also this dude:

classy.

now we get some incredible, gory shots of what's essentially chaotic ultraviolence as denji rips through the zombies like paper.

and finally, as denji stands alone in the darkness of the warehouse, tired and victorious, the sun begins to rise and in comes makima.

makima the angel?

i really love this panel. the way the men are standing behind makima, the long shadows, the chaos of the battle. its just really well done.

most importantly though, is this last panel:

denji in the darkness, makima stepping into the shadow with him.

the pages leading up to this play with light in a fantastic way. fujimoto uses the visual medium of the manga to show us that makima is eerie, sinister, and even confusing. she's charming but cruel, and she doesn't care to hide it.

she doesn't need to. everyone loves her anyway.

and now that makima is about to make all of denji's dreams come true, so does he.

[luckyrave]

Chainsaw Man Chapter 117 Thoughts

There’s a little something in life that we like to call patience. It is a key factor that every people out there in the world have taken into account when things pertain to awaiting for certain outcomes to fall into place. I really don’t think there is a better way to describe Chainsaw Man than that which also holds very true for this specific chapter as well. 

 Ever since Part 2 started, we’ve followed Asa Mitaka on her current journey with Yoru, and various occasions of Denji popping into the scene whether in his devil form or his normal appearance. At the very least this was how it started off for the first fifteen chapters of Part 2, and since the beginning of this volume (#14) with Chapter 113 we’ve seen Denji present all throughout. Except for one specific little detail that’s been missing from Part 1. Denji’s inner monologue was practically nonexistent throughout the story Tatsuki Fujimoto has told. Until this very chapter, and it’s fascinating.  What was going through his state of mind was what Asa told him in the previous chapter,  but Denji debates with himself about the whole thing only for a penguin to fall out of the sky into his arms which left really ecstatic while the Aquarium shattered around him.

It immediately shifted over Asa standing face to face with The Eternity Devil. Some members from The Devil Hunters Club are stunned that they’re outside now, and Yoshida struck against The Eternity Devil just moments before Yoru stepped back into the picture. A single quote about Asa expressing quilt over ruining the Aquarium was one that didn’t surprised Yoru as she  struck the spear that was created to destroy The Eternity Devil.  Haruka was shocked by battle that just took place questioned the power as if it was familiar, and this while Denji held onto the penguin so happily.  This was when Fami noted about the plan being a failure before she shifted over to Yoshida; who might’ve noticed something at the same time. That brief exchange seemed to have implied that Fami and Yoshida possible are connected in some ways. Soon after, a few other members from The Devil Hunters Club appeared, and one of the security guards took the penguin from Denji which left him rather sad. 

Finally, when the dust was finally settled from that whole incident Denji walked Asa home. She talked about how the whole experience was probably the worst date she’s had to go through, but thanks Denji for walking her home. A bit of awkward tension is shown between the two teenagers until Denji addresses the request that Asa offered to grant him when he forked up the cash to her previously. Turns out the request Denji had in mind was asking Asa out on another date in a genuine manner.  Even going as far as saying that he’ll teach to have a better date which made her happy affectionately.  Yoru notes this phenomena that Asa is experiencing as love which was also something she felt as well because they both share the same brain together. Not a second passed when Yoru regained control of Asa’s body with her hand on Denji’s head while she chanted “Denji Spinal Sword!” bringing an end to the chapter.

        All in All, this chapter of Chainsaw Man gets a Pure Perfection rating. I really loved how we finally got a bit of Denji’s inner monologue in the opening pages along with the way Tatsuki Fujimoto transitioned into the battle between Asa vs The Eternity Devil.  What also really made this chapter so incredible was showcasing a bit of mystery and tension with characters like Haruka, Fami, and Yoshida potentially having a connection of sorts. The fight between Asa & Yoru against The Eternity Devil was also done so spectacularly in how fast it was, but it showcased that we as the readers know what the Eternity Devil is capable of, and this was really to showcase the strength Asa and Yoru possess together. Not only this, but also showing more growth from Denji subtly asking Asa on a date genuinely speaks volumes for his development given how far his character has come since Part 1.  Which brings us to the stinging cliffhanger... the fact that Tatsuki Fujimoto practically pulled the same trick twice. They say it’s not impressive when somebody uses the same trick twice on a person, but Fujimoto just knows how to craft the story layout various moments and this was no exception to that rule either. Less than 2 chapters remain and before I’m fully caught up to latest chapter in Chainsaw man, and  next chapter thoughts will be up soon but until then, I hope you all take care of yourselves out there and stay safe.        

[pvpcivilization]

ok. now i can actually elaborate. if anyone needs my credentials just know im insanely autistic about chainsaw man and minecraft in general. alright lets begin.

very important thing to keep in mind is how pvp!evbo relates to denji (the protagonist of csm). this post by @/0smorh1za sums it up pretty well, but for the sake of those who dont know about csm, ill elaborate. pvp!evbo is presumably not an adult with how everyone calls him kid and with how naive he is (i say presumably because theres no confirmation for it, so for now its branching more into hc territory.), so he misinterprets how characters interact with him and how exactly hes meant to interact back, and is 'selfish' in the way most teenagers are selfish. he is incredibly materialistic and is more often than not, willing to risk himself just to have those things.

rounding back on how he interacts with characters and how they interact back, you can see this best with how he interacts with tabi, and how zam interacts with him. this post from @/myreputatioooon includes a screenshot of a comment talking about how evbo seeks connection through chasing after tabi and his video journalism. he doesnt understand how friendship is meant to work, because presumably friendship is seen as a weakness in a society built on using violence as a means to support yourself, and with the vague one-off establishment that there ARE family units of some kind, he goes with the only thing he knows that is close in regards to friendship: having a girlfriend. he yearns for a connection and doesnt quite grasp how to go about asking for it. oh god this is gonna keep going i didnt realise how long id yap about pvp!evbo ok the rest is under the cut OOPS!!

as for how zam interacts with him, he sees him as a nuisance and a tool for the greater public. hes reassuring in the worst ways, and it works on evbo because he doesnt understand better. he knows that the situation hes in is unfair, but hes being faced with an ultimatum (the death of his only friend, or the death of many). they keep things over his head to get him to go along with whats happening, and even then hes still looking for a way to get out of his situation. hes not just going to lie down and accept that hes cattle to these people, he needs to survive. he wants a better life for himself, and for tabi, his guard friend, and eventually all of civilisation (dont get it twisted though, he is still very much so in it for himself, but him seeking a better life indirectly drags everyone else along with him)

ok im done talking about pvp!evbo (even though i could talk about how hes also a power parallel), but i need everyone who doesnt know anything about csm to understand that denji was faced with a very similar ultimatum (and didnt get out nearly as lucky as evbo did. while denji wasnt directly being used for his skills, his desire to live a better life placed him in the perfect position to get manipulated by makima. she gave him a family (aki, power), and then ripped them away in order to keep him dejected. this didnt work, and he killed her in the end, but he didnt live his happy ending.)

you could argue zam is more like makima than tabi is, but i believe theyre two sides of the same coin. zam is definitely conditioning (or trying to condition) evbo into thinking this is Fine. hes meant to do this. hes saving people of course! zam ultimately doesnt care about evbo in the slightest and enjoys the control he has over him. tabi is very apathetic to evbo and has her own goals to get out of this civilisation, and you could argue she began using evbo to further her goals the second she learned he can respawn, but she DOES care about him in some way, even if he was hopelessly attached to her for a while. zam and tabi arent 1 to 1 with makima, but they get down a lot of what i think makes her a good villain (and if tabi is a villain, she is written REALLY well as a character, because i actually would not have seen it coming in the best way. i think zam deserved to be fleshed out a lot more, but hes also a good villain for the series), which i appreciate greatly.

now, what about reze? weve already covered what i think makes tabi a good makima parallel (using evbo for her own goals without being clear that she is, the general kind of disregard she has for him, the control she has over him that he doesnt quite realise she has), but i think shes also a good reze parallel.

reze is the bomb devil hybrid, much like how denji is the chainsaw devil hybrid, and while they dont bond over this (she IS meant to kill denji and take his heart, afterall), they do have common ground to stand on. their isolation growing up and being trained explicitly for the betterment of the people around them and Not Themselves, and their need to see a better future, to run away.

tabi and evbo "bond" under similar notions. they want better lives, to leave, and to not be tools (shes a tool of the system, evbo is a tool of the masses. they keep the cycle of civilisation going). them bonding over this is very important to both of them, even if tabi doesnt make it clear at all. despite this, shes still keeping things from him and using evbo, potentially setting up some kind of betrayal. much like reze!! tabi doesnt outright hate evbo, and doesnt mind having him around, but she certainly isnt too worried about him because shes too preoccupied with her own goals to care.

tabi and evbo kinda drive me up the walls and i hope they get to be friends and nothing bad happens to them but i also kinda hope pvpciv ends on a very bittersweet note. the children yearn for tabi betrayal.

is this thing on can anyone hear me. tabi is like makima and reze. i can talk abt this more later im working rn u guys just need to believe me

[moririki]

⤷ MORE THAN YOU'D BARGAIN FOR

DENJI X READER -> 1.7K
when it comes to a fool blinded by love, it sure hurts to have the short end of the stick

REQUEST -> ✰
CONTAINS -> angst, friends with benefits‼️, happy ending bc i'm weak like that, denji not knowing how to process emotions, very loose college!au cos i'm lazy, makima being slightly antagonised because fuck her, mentions of sex but nothing super explicit i don't think
MORI'S THOUGHTS -> thinking about denji's hands. i want to learn how to animate manga panels now so i can do a csm edit. also the writing style got kinda boring im SORRY

HEARTBREAK WAS ALWAYS BOUND TO HAPPEN IN THESE SORT OF RELATIONSHIPS. anyone with a pair of eyes and ears could give a clear answer to the question "who does denji like?" and no matter how much you wanted that answer to change, it would never be you.

even when the blonde boy had been so insistent on his heart belonging to another, he still had urges. so under the influence of one too many bottles of alcohol, it was a fairly easy decision for both of you to fall into bed together. more than once. more than you'd care to admit.

being with denji was nice. he was funny, sweet at times and vulgar during the others, and you found yourself repeating a mantra of don't catch feelings for your friend during your time together. and truth be told, it was hard not to, even when you and denji had finished your business and the topic of conversation always seemed to make its way back to makima.

it left a bitter taste in your mouth when denji acted like nothing had happened between the pair of you in other settings. the bitterness turned sour when you realised that there was no reason for him to have to either, and you cursed yourself when you realised you had done the worst thing possible and gone and fallen for your friend who so clearly wouldn't like you back.

but there were times where you thought that you just might have a chance.

even though your cursed your heart for fluttering and rearing its head each time so willingly at denji's mercy, you couldn't help but take every offhand action of his as a ray of hope. with the way his hands engulfed yours to anchor himself as he thrusted into you, the way his lips left urgent kisses on your lips as you panted beneath him, the way he whispered sweet nothings into your ear as you cried out in ecstasy.

and even when you were lying next to each other in his bed, catching your breath. you would turn to look at his face sometimes, only to see him staring at you already with a look in his eyes that could only be described as wistful. but you were a fool to think that you could ever upseat makima in denji's eyes.

false hope could only get you so far.

with his breath tickling the back of your neck and his large hand rubbing patterns into your hip, this false hope really had gotten you somewhere. but all good things must come to an end. words that you dreaded to say weighed heavy on your tongue, but you dragged yourself along, lifting them just enough to feel them escape your lips before you could really stop them.

"denji, what are we?"

you felt the hand that rested on you go still, and the arm that was poised as a pillow for you went rigid. hell, the boy that was holding you so close to his chest had practically stopped breathing, and you felt your eyelids slide shut in a bitter defeat before you heard another word. it's not like you needed them to understand how he felt, anyway.

"we're friends, aren't we?" his tone was so controlled, so even and level and unlike the denji that you knew and, dare you say it, loved. it sent another shot tubneling straight through your heart, and you were glad that you were currently facing away from him. you wouldn't be able to handle seeing the look on his face as all of your tentative hopes were crushed under his heel. all you wanted to do was curl in on yourself and maybe try to cry away the numbness that was invading your body from the chest outward.

you raised a shaking hand to push denji's own off of you, and you felt the mattress underneath you creak as the boy shifted in confusion at your behaviour.

"y/n?"

your kept your back turned to him as you got out of his bed, pulling on your own clothed and scowling in frustration when you couldn't find your shirt anywhere. you were seconds away from letting the first droplets fall, and you did not want to let denji see.

you snagged some random material of a shirt off of the bedroom floor, yanking it over your head and turning to face denji with a face that you hoped wasn't too scrunched from holding back your tears.

"we're not just friends and you fucking know it."

you didn't have time to register his wounded facial expression or the pleading calls of your name that he cast towards your retreating figure, but you grabbed your shoes before leaving his dorm, shutting the door behind you a little too forcefully and storming off back to your own room.

you must look insane, padding along the halls with no shoes as angry tears streaked down your face and you tried your best not to audibly sob. by the time you had made it back to your room your eyes were streaming, and you flopped on your bed with little regard for anything else other than crying your eyes out.

truth be told, after that fateful night and the best cry of your life you felt much better. you knew where you stood, you had your feelings sorted out, and you knew that a little distance would really help you to finally move on from your friend.

now, if only denji would stop calling and texting you like nothing had happened.

you felt like you could scream when you saw a notification from him, asking if you wanted to study for the test that you had next week. you bit back the petty urge to ask him if he wanted to study with you as just friends, instead opting to turn your phone off and bury your face in your pillow once again.

matters of the heart take time, after all.

on denji's end, things weren't looking much better. he brushed off his confusion at your actions and words when you had left so abruptly the other day, only to find himself staring at his ceiling trying to decipher his feelings and what the hell you had meant.

he likes makima. and he has, for a while now. he could count on one hand the amount of times he had interacted with the girl who sat in front of him in the lecture hall, and every time had been met with this strange giddy feeling in his chest. though it was rare, he knew that feeling.

but the one he felt right now was so, so, different. when the door clicked shut behind you, it felt like a piece of him had up and left along with you. the very reason that he had accelerated things so far in your relationship was because of how right things felt with you. the slightest graze of your fingertips across his chest didn't light any fireworks in his mind, but it's like warmth perforated his skin and was injected straight into him from you.

truth be told, that feeling was the most addicting he had ever felt. and when he heard that air of finality right after the door shut behind you, it didn't take long for denji to realise just how cold everything felt without you.

but he still liked makima, right?

that giddy feeling in his chest he got from her was enough to fill the you-shaped hole, right?

you not talking to him wasn't what made his heart hurt, right?

he only realised just how wrong he had it when he talked to makima for the fourth time ever. she had turned in her seat, even smiling at him and asking for a pen, and all that came to mind was how much he missed your smile.

hell, he missed everything. the sound of your laugh, the smell of your hair. the way you fit against him and said his name. and that's when he realised this you-related feeling was.

longing.

there was a knock on your door. and another. you groaned, rolling over to check the time to see that it was three in the morning.

by the time you had cracked your door open you saw a flash of blond hair and a face all-too-familiar, you knew it was too late to slam your door shut. denji's face perked up, and you already knew that you were done for.

he lifted his hand, revealing a pretty albeit crumpled bouquet of flowers. you almost giggled to yourself, guessing that the mastermind of that romantic gesture was most likely denji's roommate aki. but it was appreciated, nonetheless.

"what do you want, denji?" you were painfully aware of just how much of a mess you looked right now- eyes still red around the rim from how many self-pitying tears you had shed over this entire situation.

denji's mouth and opened and closed, and you sighed against your barely open door which still had a chain on it.

"i'm not in the mood, denji."

"no, no, it's just that i wanted to say that i've finally figured out what we are." it appears tgat your friend finally found his voice. you looked him in the eye again, trying not to let the hope in your heart build itself too high. "we're way more than friends, y/n."

you felt any resistance crumble at those words, and the sheepish smile on your face grew.

"so, can i come in?" you smiled at denji, shutting your door to undo the latch before opening it again, wide enough to let him back in to your life. consider him a weakness of yours.

the first thing denji did when he crossed the threshold of your door was wrap his arms around you, dried tears and crumpled flowers and all, and bury his face in your hair. the only words he had to offer was a mumbled i miss you into your skin, and you felt your body melt against him like it had so many times before.

when you finally broke apart, you couldn't help but wonder.

"so, what are the flowers for denji?" the boy before you blushed, his eyes flitting off to the side. he raised a hand to the back of his neck, taking a breath to summon some courage.

"i was hoping... that i could take you out on a date. or be your boyfriend. something like that."

"what?" denji was still bright red, though his eyes were locked onto yours.

"you heard me." you smiled once again, taking a step forwards and effectively closing the distance between you two.

"i would love to."

take a look at the menu - ,, ⚖️ ·˚ ༘ ꒱

[animebw]

Short Reflection: Chainsaw Man

I have never seen anything quite like Chainsaw Man.

I’m not talking about the show itself, to be clear. I’ve seen plenty of anime, manga, shows, movies, and video games that share similar DNA with Tatsuki Fujimoto’s breakout smash hit. What I mean is, I have never seen anything take over the anime community in the way that Chainsaw Man has. This manga was so staggeringly popular that it shot straight to the top of Anilist’s most popular manga rankings and stays there to this day. Most of the time an anime adaptation brings new attention to its source material, but Chainsaw Man was already the biggest goddamn thing in the otaku community before we even got a single teaser trailer for the anime. Everyone was talking about it, everyone (well, mostly everyone) was praising it, everyone was discussing it to such an extent that for once, waiting for the anime to release before checking it out felt like the hipster choice. As long as I’ve been a part of this community, nothing, and I mean nothing, has reached the silver screen with as much pre-release hype and anticipation as Chainsaw Man. No other anime has made its way into a world where its presence already casts so long a shadow.

And that’s kind of a problem.

See, I’ve been an anime fan long enough to know that a lot of times, anime fans are the fucking worst. Either they’re overly critical of every little detail because they’re looking for excuses to hate a show, or they blind themselves so utterly to a show’s faults that they steamroll over everyone else’s attempts to criticize it with blind fanboyism. And the colossal pedigree of Chainsaw Man was going to make the anime a lightningrod for both of those extremes on a scale we’ve never seen before. On the one hand you’ll have the blind zealots who hype the show up to an absurd degree that nothing could possibly live up to. On the other hand you’ll have the people so turned off by the first people that they’ll look for any excuse to call the show terrible- or even worse: mid. And on yet another hand, you’ll have the fanboys who are so slavishly devoted to the manga and Fujimoto’s vision specifically that they’ll pick apart every last change the anime makes with the kind of noxious incel entitlement rarely seen outside the Snydercut weirdos. And finally, you’ll have the newcomers, the people who haven’t read the manga and are coming to the anime with fresh eyes, who will be so exhausted by the shit-flinging that their opinion on the show itself will be lost amid the toxic sludge of the discourse surrounding it. How can anyone manage to just watch the damn show and appreciate it on its own merits with all that going on around them?

But when all is said and done, none of that nonsense matters. The discourse doesn’t matter, the toxicity of certain fans and haters doesn’t matter, and most of all- and I don’t care how angry this makes you- the manga doesn’t matter. Chainsaw Man the anime is not an advertisement for its source material or a greatest hits compilation that only exists to pander to fanboys; it’s a wholly complete work in and of itself. It’s a show you should be able to pick up and watch without engaging in any of the madness surrounding it. And that’s why I’m here today: to cut through all the noise and take this anime entirely on its own terms. I haven’t read the manga, and I’m mostly unspoiled, so I think my perspective will be clearer than most people who’ve already spend upwards of two years marinating in Denji’s Bizarre Adventure and the culture surrounding it. All I care about is whether or not Chainsaw Man, the anime, is an engaging, entertaining, and worthwhile experience all on its own. Because at the end of the day, that will determine its success, not how well it copies its source material or jerks off the already converted.

Cool? Cool. Let’s dive in.

Our story is set in the modern day, mostly the same as our world except for the fact that devils are real and walk among us, threatening humanity. Times are tough, most people live in fear, and the Public Safety Bureau tasked with keeping the threat of devils at bay can only do so much. And then there’s Denji, one of no doubt countless young people lost and adrift in this confusing, terrifying world, doing dirty jobs and selling his organs just to get by. At age sixteen, Denji has never had any semblance of a normal, comfortable life, to the point that something as simple as jam on toast feels like a luxury to him. But all that changes when an unexpected betrayal ends up with him dead... only to come back to life with the power of the Chainsaw Devil fused into his heart. Yes, just like the show’s title says, Denji can transform into a man made of chainsaws, a cackling maniac capable of ripping through flesh and bone like a one-man industrial slaughterhouse. And that power puts him on the radar of Public Safety, who see great potential in his ability to take on a devil’s powers without becoming a devil himself. Thus, he’s drafted into the front lines of those who track down and slaughter the infernal beasts, tasked with using his power to fight back against devilkind without going so out of control that he needs to be put down himself. And if he behaves himself like a good little boy, he might just get that life of plenty that always seemed so far out of his reach.

Is it the most unique premise in the world? Not really. But in execution, there are so many specific details that make this world and these characters come alive. You can practically feel the existential ennui dripping off everyone, the knowledge that they’ve living in a fucked-up world and just gotta do their best to make it day to day with the simple pleasures they can afford. For as raucous and chaotic as the action gets, the most powerful moments in this show are often the quietest. A character goes about his morning in the silence of a sky barely lit with dawn. Two characters in the same car speak volumes in the space between their words. Some of the most heartbreaking sequences involve characters just... sinking into the quiet of night, trying to go about their business unruffled while the weight of their regrets and trauma weighs invisibly down on them. In a world where so many big action shows are allergic to just letting moments breathe, Chainsaw Man is a soothing balm that remembers even the biggest, loudest fireworks showers are nothing without the calm before the storm.

But it’s certainly not only doom and gloom. In fact, one of the biggest delights I had with Chainsaw Man is just how uproariously funny it can be. The off-kilter cast of characters all have such distinct personalities, and watching everyone’s unique flavor of fucked-up bounce off each other leads to some moments that left me cackling. And Fujimoto has a real knack for drawing laughs with an unexpected moment of ultraviolence or gross-out humor right when you least expect it. The world of Chainsaw Man is more than a little bit unhinged, and that’s just as capable of being piss-your-pants funny as it is bleak and uncompromising. Life, after all, is composed of multitudes, sometimes barely separated by a moment’s notice before peace breaks into war or war gets smacked on the cheek for being a bad boy and cowed back into peace. That unpredictability ensures that even in its slower moments, this show is never boring to watch. And it makes every victory, however small, hit that much harder, knowing just how much the slightest step up means in a world this uncompromising.

But if you asked me to define the core of Chainsaw Man? The thing that makes it so interesting to think about and separates it from all its similar peers? Well, I have one idea. An idea that so few of the people I’ve seen discussing this show seem to really notice, but lies at the heart of basically everything this show is trying to say:

Chainsaw Man has some thoughts about sex.

See, Denji’s lived such a deprived life that he’s only just now started considering what would leave him fulfilled on every level, not just physically. Now that he’s finally got a regular source of food and water and shelter, his brain’s finally free to start climbing up Maslow’s hierarchy of needs and start thinking about what else would make his life feel complete. And because he’s a repressed teenage boy, his first line of thinking is that he wants to touch some titty. Something that he achieves pretty speedily thanks to a bargain with the show’s best character (Bow before Power, mortals, you do not deserve her), only to find out that, well... it’s just boobs. That’s literally all it is. Which isn’t just hilarious because it sends him into a brief manic spiral, but also because it prods at one of anime’s longest and most infamous traditions of fanservice. Anime puts so much stock in boobs, spends so much effort getting its audience to drool over fictional bazongas, that it becomes easy to attach a near religious significance to them. But at the end of they day? They’re literally just boobs. Just sacks of yellow fat attached to a person’s chest. And while it might be fun or pleasurable to cop a feel or two, your life won’t suddenly turn itself around just because of it. Cheap sexual gratification the likes of which anime so often indulges in, Chainsaw Man seems to say, is nothing but an empty distraction from what’s actually making you unhappy. And if you want to actually find happiness, then you’re gonna have to put a lot more work in that a couple squeezes of some random mammary glands.

And that’s far from the only way Denji’s relationships with women and femininity are charged with deeper meaning. He actually has a very interesting relationship with sexuality, one that he doesn’t really seem aware of himself. He’s surrounded by women he considers attractive and lusts after them, but he’s got enough emotional intelligence to keep his hornier thoughts to himself and not be gross about it. Yet the promise of sexual favors from his female co-workers is often the biggest motivator in getting him off his ass and into the fray. And it’s... deeply uncomfortable, watching this sixteen-year-old throw himself into pursuing adult women who, even at the best of times, don’t have his best interests at heart. Like, let’s be clear here, Denji is a kid. A kid on the older side who was probably forced to grow up too fast, but a kid nonetheless. And it’s clear he doesn’t have anywhere near the maturity to be comfortably involved with anyone, let alone someone close to twice his age. But because most of the adults surrounding him aren’t exactly stable themselves, there’s no one around to tell him how badly he’s risking getting seriously hurt- or worse- by putting so much stock in sex. And because he’s too much of a dumb teenager to recognize the warning signs, he has no idea just how dangerous his relationship with his mommy dommy boss Makima is becoming.

The thing is, though... I don’t know how to feel about all this. Sure, the story knows Makima is bad news, at least, and it doesn’t shy away from how predatory her actions toward Denji are (side note, Makima is fucking terrifying and I can’t wait to find out what her deal is). But what about Himeno? You know, the adult woman who tries to have sex with Denji while he’s drunk? Because unlike Makina, Himeno’s resolutely in the good guys’ camp, and nothing really much comes of her- and I cannot stress enough- trying to fuck a child. They acknowledge it in a throwaway line the morning after (”You can get thrown in jail for doing something like that.”) and then everyone moves on. And I can’t help but feel like the show’s trying to have its cake and eat it too. Like it’s trying to tell a genuinely affecting story about a stunted teenager grappling with unhealthy sexuality but also indulge in the fantasy of hot dommy mommies being all hot and dommy at the same time. And when I think about how absurdly popular this series has already become, I worry that this kind of wink-wink pandering is part of the reason why. Like it’s selling a kink with juuuust enough plausible deniability to pretend it’s actually “subverting” it so its fanbase can pretend it’s totally smarter and more mature than other shonen when it’s really just selling the same shit with an air of superiority. Or maybe all the barking Makima simps just completely missed the point and everything will make sense down the line. We’ll have to wait and see.

What I don’t have to wait and see, thankfully, is just how goddamn motherfucking amazing this show looks.

Yes, you don’t need me to tell you that Chainsaw Man is one of the most astounding feats of animation ever put to television. But I’m saying it anyway, because it cannot be overstated enough. This. Show. Looks. Fucking. INSANE. Not just the sheer level of detail in the animation, but the cinematic sweep of the camera, the precision of every edit, the orgasmic fluidity of the bone-crunching action and subtle character moments alike. Bodies shred and rip apart with raucous glee, characters barrel through the city with enough velocity to tear the skin off your face, a subtle shift of a hand or change of expression conveys fathoms of meaning, and the camera draws you into these spaces until you feel like you can taste the blood on the walls and feel the muggy air rustle through your sweat-soaked undershirt. A single episode of Chainsaw Man has more animation and cinematic verve than most TV anime manage in their entire runs. It genuinely feels like you’re watching a movie, that’s how high quality it is. And no, not even the occasionally awkward CG modeling on the devils and the man of saws and chains himself takes away from that sense of awe. Hell, most of the time the CG is fantastically integrated with the 2D elements! What, you’re gonna complain that your divinely blessed shonen adaptation looks like a goddamn movie only 99% of the time? While most non-shonen and non-isekai are lucky to get even a tenth as much? Do you entitled fucking babies even realize how lucky you are? Or what, do you want Mappa’s animators to work themselves even more to death to fulfill your perfect vision? Some people don’t deserve good adaptations, I swear to god.

So, is Chainsaw Man the second coming of Jesus? Of course not. But it is a gloriously gruesome splatterhouse spectacle with some of the most jaw-dropping action ever put to screen and some of the most impeccable care put into making its smaller, simpler moments feel just as momentous as every severed limb and shower of blood. It’s a show that swept me away with sheer confidence the likes of which you almost never see, confidence only matched by the raw passion and talent of the artists bringing its incredible sights and sounds to life. Time will tell if the story truly is as incredible as manga readers have hyped it up to be, or if it’s merely a very good foundation upon which all this deliriously entertaining carnage can be built. But you know what? Even if it’s the latter, it can still hold its head up proudly as one of the finest pieces of sheer entertainment this year in anime had to offer- and considering the competition, that’s saying a lot. So when all is said and done, I give Chainsaw Man’s first season a score of:

8.5/10

Fingers crossed that season 2 doesn’t take too long! Unless it means letting Mappa animators fucking rest already, in which case, take as long as you fucking want. Give them five years of paid vacation, I don’t care, they’ve more than earned the break.

[j1080p]

Ignorance & The Unknown: A Chainsaw Man Analysis

In a world like Chainsaw Man, there exists many untold secrets regarding Devils, Hell, or their universe in general. It’s inevitable to arouse curiosity within that world. But in a kind of world like that, ignorance is valuable. I’ll be elaborating the value of ignorance in an unknown world.

1.  Quanxi’s Virtue: Voluntary Ignorance

Let’s define what is ignorance first. Ignorance is a lack of information or knowledge. Therefore, how can that lack of information, be something that is beneficial, whether involuntary or not?

We encounter this virtue from Quanxi, a.k.a the First Devil Hunter. She begins by telling a story. A story about the reporter she liked, then discovering that everything about that reporter was a lie.  

Quanxi didn’t told us what she felt about that discovery, but her quote “Ignorance is bliss.” tells it all. Happiness can be found even in a lie. If she didn’t know about the exposal of the reporter, then she would keep anticipating the morning news. She wouldn’t have to feel betrayed or disbelief. Her normal routine would just keep going on. In other terms, there’s nothing she has to worry about. That’s the unexpected virtue of ignorance.

This is also what she tells to Kishibe. To keep a blind eye, not only for the sake of his happiness but also for the sake of his life.

2.  Denji, the Epitome of Involuntary Ignorance

Denji is the primary example of ignorance. He didn’t experience or even has a knowledge of what modernity is. What’s considered normal for him, is considered as the bare minimum for a Japanese person. All of that is the effect of extreme poverty. He was deprived of education, deprived of the normal life. But despite of that, he showed us that he can still manage to be happy, even because of something so little.  

His ignorance made him contented with settling for the less, because less is something he barely has.  

Even after being granted of a normal life, Denji is still living in ignorance. He continues enjoying his dream. Even Pochita is preventing him to know the truth; he is keeping Denji ignorant to avoid the unknown. The unknown that will eradicate that bliss. That dream. Because knowing what’s beyond that door will be at the expense of Denji’s happiness.  

3. Aki’s Future

We also learn the importance of ignorance with Aki and his future. The future devil tells him that Aki will suffer in an inevitably worst death possible and even offers him to know it. But Aki decides to keep his ignorance and not abide by his curiosity, which is a good decision.  

After he made a contract with the Future Devil, he gained the ability to get a glimpse of his future. Despite his decision to remain ignorant about his future, or the unknown, Future Devil does not respect that decision and keeps bugging Aki about what’s coming.  

Aki, of course, does not achieve joy with this. To have the ability to know what will happen, and what is the unknown, sure is a torture. And knowing that it is inevitable, makes it all the worst.  

The time has come and Makima tells Denji to prevent from thinking anything while they fight with the Gun Fiend. Because if Denji is unaware, and believes that his enemy is just the Gun Fiend, then killing it wouldn’t hurt so much.  

This takes me back where Quanxi advises Denji to think that its dolls imitating humans, to keep a blind eye in order for him to eradicate his enemies. Because in their world, you’re left with only two options: To kill or be killed. With a world like that, Ignorance is considered as a survival tool, whether voluntarily or not. A coping mechanism to cope with the reality. Going back to Aki & Denji’s battle, Unfortunately, it didn’t unfold that way.  

Denji successfully defeats the Gun Fiend. However, with knowing the fact that it was Aki’s body. That it was his FRIEND’s body. Just imagine, if he didn’t think it was Aki, and just some Devil who wreaks havoc, he would’ve saved himself from all the pain and grief he’ll encounter in the future. If he followed Quanxi’s advice, he would’ve kept his bliss. That was just the start of him losing his ignorance, of him losing the title, “Epitome of Ignorance.” It will clearly affect him in the future, or rather, already affecting him in the present.

4. Beyond That Door

This is where Denji’s ignorance was abolished, the moment he goes beyond the door. His bliss has come to an end. He learned that the life, the dream he was living, were all a lie. After all, a normal life is too good to be true especially for a person like Denji.  

His ignorance and naivety were taken advantage by Makima. Whether Denji knew or remained ignorant about it, it is still corrupt and evil. But the latter wouldn’t be so bad.  Ignorance is a paradox. It is evil, but at the same time, it’s mercy.  

It’s evil, in a way that we live in a lie. That we dismiss the truth, whether intentional or not. We become insensitive, inhuman, and heartless. But on the other hand, it’s merciful, in a way that it saves us from anxiety, sadness, insanity, and trauma.

However, this will be a massive turning point for Denji. This will be the time that Denji will acknowledge his ignorance, and that will lead him to the wisdom he will need for the future. A “Socratic Wisdom.”

 “Socrates shows how clearing one’s mind of false ideas, even if it leaves one in a state of self-confessed ignorance, is a valuable and even necessary step if one is to learn anything.”

5.   Ignorance & The Unknown: Why Ignorance is a Blessing

 "The oldest and strongest emotion of mankind is fear, and the oldest and strongest kind of fear is fear of the unknown." -HP Lovecraft

When we think of the unknown, what commonly comes into our minds is space. That dark vast unknown space. When we think what’s out there, what we think of commonly are the aliens and planets and such. But to know the fact that we don’t know anything about it, or we do know but only a fraction of it, is frightening.  

To know that there is something in that vast of darkness, something that is abstract, that is beyond our comprehension exists, it fills us with horror.  

Striving to comprehend the unnameable will be at the expense of our sanity. The limitless and unknowable quantum of space is something that could never, and never will annihilate our fear of the darkness, or the unknown.  

There are two possibilities that exist, it’s either we’re alone in the whole universe, and we’re not. Both are equally terrifying and dreadful.  

We, humanity, which is known to go beyond our limits, attempt to shed light in that unknown. That’s where Astronauts comes in. But no matter how many ventures is done, and how many studies and theories are made, we would never truly know what is beyond of our world. And that alone, is mercy.  

Some truths, are better left unknown.  

To clarify, I am not saying having knowledge is a bad thing. What I’m trying to say is in some cases, ignorance is bliss. I love acquiring knowledge but I believe there are things better left unknown.  

[susie-dreemurr]

I see Chainsaw Man on the dash, gimme your thoughts :eyes:

Sorry for the wait!

I was hesitant to start this anime, because I’ve heard some things that didn’t paint the anime in a good light (I heard about the perverted stuff out of context. And I’m pretty sure I’ve seen the manga covers have naked women…then again, could be another series?) but, thankfully, this is pretty good so far…! I’m glad that it’s not like how I expected it to be.

The sexual stuff (and the obsession with it I heard that Denji had) isn’t really as bad as I thought and I can make do with it, since it’s not just fanservice and actually has a meaning in the plot…It makes me uncomfortable still, almost quit at ep 7 lol, but I binged it with my cousin who had already finished, so it’s fine lol.

On characters/

Denji is actually good! I thought I’d hate him due to rumors, since I’m not comfortable with focusing on sexual stuff, but it’s not anywhere close to being his main motivation and, unlike certain other protags (Meliodas I’m looking at you), he does not sexually assault people. He just acts like traumatized, yet horny 16yo boy. Which he is.

My main reason for liking him is obv everything else about his character. The kid’s had a hellish life and his main goal was to have a “normal teenage life,” which is only possible now bc he lost his pet, and even now that things got a lot better, his current situation is still shit. Not that he realizes it, ofc.

Makima is interesting because she’s an awful person who’s also in the main cast’s side. Manipulating people, mostly her subordinates, (Denji having it worst bc girlie. Do not make moves on a minor so he can do whatever you want, whether you’re not interested in him doesn’t matter when I’m p sure it still counts as grooming) with anything she can do in order to achieve her goals, that woman is terrifying not only because of her powers (that power reveal made me scared for the baddies, even when they’re 0% unsympathetic!) but due to her incredible talent for manipulation, especially since she’s always so eerily calm…! Gaslight, Gatekeep, Girlboss.

Power is really great, love me a funny morally wrong demon who’d be a dangerous enemy if she didn’t have to be on our side. I love her story with the Fiend’s one soft spot (“Miauzin” in Portuguese, idk english) and her similarities with Denji with both their pet and also…the shared braincell. The sibling vibe. I think how uncaring and ruthless she is even to her Allie’s can be interesting.

Aki is great, don’t know what to say but still. His thing with grief and having his loved ones die off leaving him alone, the isolation within the main trio carrying that theme, his search for revenge ruining his chance of healing and having a good life forever…The scene where he realizes he has two years left and still hasn’t come close to achieving his goal…OUGH!

Kobeni is definitely the most relatable person in the cast for her realistic reactions to all these crazy situations, you can’t blame her for acting Like That in ep6/7 because you know you’d have done it as well. Himeno said she had great moves, the girl barely hesitated on trying to kill Denji and most importantly, she specifically said her contract was a secret, so her great fighting made a lot of sense. Hope she gets to kill her parents someday, because. girlie…it’s better to cut off your family than to be forced to work for their sake like this.

I wanted to like Himeno, really did, but…Maybe the way she acted with Aki is forgivable, since from what we known, she only fell for him and got him to smoke after he became an adult. But there’s no excuse with how she acted towards Denji, it’s so creepy 😭 the moment she heard she was underage the girl should have broken off the “deal,” and she deffo could have done that because back then she was sober enough to tell he shouldn’t drink. And that’s not even mentioning Everything Else in ep 7. Plus, offering to hook him up with Makima, an adult….😬

Everything else about her was so promising and good, but I can’t look past that at all. Which is why I’m glad she died so soon, so we can see her impact the narrative yet not continuing to behave Like That. Or else I’d have quit the anime lmaoooo

I don’t have any other memorable general thing to say rn