#csm analysis

[kafukaselect-blog]

The Guillotine Devil's Incredibly Well-Executed Design

The Guillotine Devil has quickly become one of my all-time favorite devil designs in Chainsaw Man.

The exceedingly tall stature of the devil perfectly captures the tall and unwieldy shape of an actual guillotine, and while I would like to say a little more of substance with this post than just "it looks cool"… it cannot be overstated how fucking cool this design looks. The long wings of the bird creating a circular cloak that doubles as the frame of the guillotine is genius.

The skeletal "body" of the devil, if you can even call it that, hangs limply so that attention is drawn to the guillotine device itself, which adds a wonderfully cold and unsettling element to the design, fitting for a cold metal murder machine.

The bird motifs that have been present throughout Part 2 are on full display here, with a design that harkens back to the crows that have been seen throughout the series (Most notably the one Denji stepped on), but with a pigeon head to emphasize its birdbrained nature.

With a tilted head the devil echoes Fami's own signature scale-tilting lean to draw a connection between itself and its owner, similarly to how the Falling devils love of cooking connects it to the food-loving Famine devil.

But while the tilted head's similarity to Fami is great, my favourite aspect would have to be the way that the entire upper body of the Guillotine Devil resembles a severed head after an execution, with the feathers around its shoulders creating a birds-nest-looking basket much like those placed under a guillotine.

Fujimoto absolutely cooked with this design.

#csm #csm manga #chainsaw man #csm spoilers #csm 158 #chainsaw man part 2 #chainsaw man spoilers #chainsaw man analysis #guillotine #guillotine devil #famine devil #fami #csm part 2 #csm analysis #character design

[sugar-grigri]

The ambivalence of life: the massage metaphor 

I'm going to get straight to the point: Denji is perfectly right to want to suffer - it's precisely what he lacked in his 'normal' life.

To understand this, let's go back to the chapter.

Introducing Denji as a CSM wannabe right at the start of the chapter isn't as insignificant as you might think, because this chapter helps to differentiate between CSM and a CSM wannabe.

After all, Denji could very well be one, and chapter 150 makes it clear that the protagonist's dream is to be a CSM, so he literally wants... to be a CSM.

But in order to become CSM himself, we have to understand what CSM is. And that's precisely where the difference lies between a CSM wannabe and Denji as CSM.

Part 2 has repeatedly shown that 'CSM' has become a marketing product, an idol for young people, a source of detestation for others, like express usurpers who have taken to the stage. In short, CSM's identity began to become more diffuse, questioned to the point where it seemed to escape Denji. So what is CSM? 

Well, let me ask you this: what's the first thing you think of when I mention CSM?

Most fans will cite the most traumatic and tragic chapters, shuddering at the mere mention of volume 9. There's your answer: suffering is the secret of CSM's identity. 

But let's move away from this more meta side, and get back to the chapter. 

I know that Nayuta being pushed aside and put in her place stung some people's hearts and it hurt me too! But Denji is right to push her away, cruel as that may seem. Because the complexity of Denji and Nayuta's relationship also lies in the fact that their relationship can have several negative sides.

Firstly, Nayuta is and remains the demon of control, a demon who can't help but have a hold, even over those she loves. And she has done this with Denji on one occasion: when she forbids him to see Asa again.

She forbids it out of a desire to protect him, fearing that Denji will be taken in by yet another girl. This reaction depresses Denji, but he regains hope by acting as CSM, motivated by Nayuta herself because CSM is admired and loved by people. The first instinct at this stage would be to think that this is a bit contradictory: why push Nayuta away when she's the first to admire and encourage CSM? 

Because she hasn't grasped what CSM is all about either. I'll expand on that later, but for now, keep in mind that suffering is intrinsic to CSM. Even when she prevented Denji from continuing his story with Asa, she was preventing Denji from suffering, in itself, from experimenting. The same experience can be just as beneficial as it can be negative, and it's part of the game of life not to know the outcome of a relationship, otherwise you wouldn't go with others.

And that's what Nayuta has done, the demon of control has a happiness that's enough to be two, it's a demon that risks being alone so much that a single loved one is enough to make her happy. But that's Nayuta's idea, not Denji's. 

I'll come back to this a bit more, but for the moment I'm still going to follow the chapter. Denji almost comes to thank Barem and the others for burning down his house and his pets, but he's also aware that morality is being undermined and even talks to Pochita about it. And that's fascinating. 

Even though it may seem horrible, the loss of his animal family allows Denji to realise that he needs this suffering in his life, for many reasons. If Kishibe judged Denji as a man made to kill demons, it's because suffering makes him gloat, because it's the most intense experience he's had in his life.

Transforming himself into a CSM is a way for Denji to confront suffering; he has even internalised it since he was a child, making his body suffer to pay off his debts.

CSM is a creature made for suffering. When Aki became possessed by the Gun Devil, CSM was the culmination of Denji's suffering, his demonic form killing his brother. Just as Denji transformed into Pochita was saved by a dying Power.

The foundations of Denji, Aki and Power only consolidated Denji's relationship with suffering. This double facet, between love and suffering through grief. Pochita is another example, because becoming CSM was followed by an experience of mourning, the loss of Pochita who had merged with him. 

Suffering is as intrinsic to all species as are death and love because suffering is the result of both, the love we have for others is the cause of our suffering when they die.

CSM is this universality, with Pochita sacrificing himself to prevent Denji from dying, suffering every time the cable is pulled. And instead of fighting it, CSM uses it as the engine of his chainsaws. When Nayuta says that this is not the time for chainsaws, she wants to prevent her brother from suffering. But Denji understands that it's precisely when he's suffering that it's time to be CSM. 

Having your head and arms brutally chopped off hurts, fighting demons hurts, in short, transforming into a CSM physically hurts and must hurt. Imagine having a cable cut in half across your torso: it hurts, so why pull it? That's why Denji IS CSM, because it's when it hurts that he realises he wants to be CSM? 

Hybrids don't exploit this pain, demons like the Eternity Demon are even afraid of it, and that's what explains CSM's superiority: suffering exalts him and he uses it as a means to fight. When Quanxi cut off the weapons' heads, it was enough for them to admit defeat, while Denji calmly puts his head back on, not giving up the fight. 

Weapons can't die, but they can see others die, just as suffering can't escape them either. Either they see themselves almost as demigods, as prophets, or they can see themselves as great knights out to save the world.

Denji knows how to exploit his nature; he drinks blood at the slightest opportunity, tries to devour like a demon and is not afraid to use it, unlike the other hybrids. (Quanxi is an exception)

As the spear weapon starts to provoke CSM by saying to really scare them, CSM exploits being sliced in half. Suffering is the fear of weapons.

The whole thing also has a symbolic force, because we've been trying endlessly to cut Denji in two, his human life on the one hand and his life as CSM on the other. Cutting CSM in two won't do him any good, all he has to do is pull his cable.

But above all, the comparison with massage is a very good one, because it sums up life, this combination of good sensations and not-so-good ones. This is precisely what pitted Denji against Makima, that bad films or bad facets of the world and humanity must exist.

This time, part 2 doesn't boil down to this ideology; what Denji is saying is that to live is also to suffer, to be happy is also to have been unhappy. All these things are not mutually exclusive, they go together. 

That's why Denji wins against the weapons, because he won't fight against the suffering they'll put him through, he'll use it to the full, knowing that behind it all there'll be a good feeling. And that seeing the positive side even in pain is nothing other than hope.

Denji himself says that life is a superposition of all these facets. There are things we may never get over, but they don't stop us from moving forward. That's why this chapter is incredible, because Denji doesn't accept suffering as a demon when he's fighting, he wants to accept it in his life too, Denji's life, he has to experiment without Nayuta's permanent approval. 

Denji has lost many people close to him, including his pets. It is precisely through their loss that he wants to suffer. Because suffering is the privilege of the living.

Chainsaw Man is nothing more than 2 entities reunited to survive together.

CSM's laughter is symbolic of this, and chapter 151 made an explicit reference to chapter 82 when Makima starts laughing despite the paroxysm of suffering for Denji, who has just seen Power die. What Fujimoto does is bring together the previous antagonist and the protagonist, to bring out the essence of his work.

Both Makima and Denji laugh despite the horror of the situation as the mask finally comes off, Makima presents her plans and Denji realises what Chainsaw Man is. In short, laughter is the symbol of letting go, as the mask finally comes off. And all this sums up Chainsaw Man, this confrontation between comedy and tragedy, this strange association.

Readers, don't fight the suffering of the characters either, you're reading CSM precisely because of it. You want to suffer just like CSM. So have fun with it.

#chainsaw man #csm #csm part 2 #csm spoilers #csm 152 #csm 151 #denji hayakawa #denji #asa mitaka #yoru #nayuta #nayuta hayakawa #kishibe #pochita #makima #tatsuki fujimoto #my thoughts #csm analysis

[sidneyoftheblackwoods]

Me: lol it's funny Denji had such a dramatic reaction to Asa saying no woman would ever like him. It's not that deep bro.

Also me: Since he was a kid, Denji has been told that he's gross and dirty and that no one wants to be around him. The whole reason it was so easy for Makima to manipulate him is because she was willing to get close to him and show him affection. The idea of people wanting to be close to him is something extremely foreign to him. That's why he got so upset by Asa saying he'd be alone forever.

#chainsaw man #csm #manga #csm manga #denji #chainsaw man manga #csm asa #asa mitaka #denji hayakawa #csm analysis #csm denji

[thomas-jefferson-miku-binder]

the thing that is so intriguing to me about denji and nayuta's relationship is that, despite everything, makima still lives in her. denji knows that. we know that. nayuta must know that. the person who abused him in so many ways is still there, her dogs, her scent. and yet denji still loves nayuta, because thats what he does, he recycles until things are new—usable—again. he doesn’t blame nayuta because its not her fault, and because denji know how awful it feels to be wrongfully accused, how shitty it is to have the blame shifted to you because it has nowhere else to go. so he eats this feeling—pun intended—and hopes it settles in his stomach, hopes he doesn’t choke on it, hopes he can learn to love again and be loved in return.

#chainsaw man #chainsaw man manga #chainsaw man spoilers #nayuta #denji #csm analysis #chainsaw man chapter 132

[grimgrazia]

I love dark CSM art with religious symbolism. Especially Makima art, it’s so good. There needs to be more art that depicts her accurately, I hate how over-sexualized she is. Why are ppl so afraid to draw her as the demonic, oversized coat wearing gremlin that she is? She’s a devil.

Fujimoto gives so many parallels between her and the Virgin Mary, come on. I want to see art of her next to those creepy angel statues that are in cemeteries. Need inspiration? Just listen to Machine Girl. I DEMAND she be acknowledged for the eerie, unsettling, sleep paralysis demon that she is‼️

Sorry, I’m sleep deprived and felt like ranting. But seriously, to all CSM artists, ilysm <3

< She really is one of my favorite characters though, I could write a dissertation on her. >

#chainsaw man #makima #anime #anime and manga #manga #csm analysis #csm #csm art #fanart #csm manga #jjk #jujutsu kaisen #gojo satoru #rant post #books #reading #writing #fanfic

[denjhenge]

At least...she can be reasoned with...

But Nayuta's cold attitude toward humanity must have been devastating for denj to hear..

He really tried the best he knew how...but Denji never had the guidance he needed growing up...so he used the only tools he had..

And now it's pretty clear to him that he didn't do the best job as a parental figure. However he's not entirely failing either since she seems receptive to his feelings & his feelings alone...

Even if it seems like every conversation is a bargain...

Though Kishibe DID see Denji as the only one fit to raise the control devil, I'm interested to see where goes.

#csm spoilers #nayuta #denji #csm #asa mitaka #fumiko mifune #csm 149 #csm memes #csm analysis #chainsaw man 149 #chainsaw man analysis #chainsaw man ch 149 #chainsaw man 149 spoilers #chainsaw man chapter 149 #csm comic #chainsaw man comic #chainsawman 149 analysis

[ingoodjesst]

another thought to expand on sometime: aki being so sure his sacrifice to defeat the gun devil is necessary that he doesn't stop to think who it'd hurt and who he'd lose. it doesn't matter how HE dies, but he doesn't ask what would happen to the people around him until it's too late. until himeno has sacrificed herself, and he sees just how desperately she was trying to keep him alive. until he gets cold feet unable to imagine losing angel and denji and power, but makima has ensured there's no longer a way out.

he doesn't realize how much he matters to other people and how much other people matter to him until he's out of time. he doesn't realize that these relationships are enough to define a life, that no one has to be a protagonist for a grand cause for their life to have meaning. it's just the people around you that you love that love you. it would've been enough.

edit: a rambly addendum on aki's sacrifices and choices

#a jesst #aki hayakawa #chainsaw man #csm manga spoilers #csm spoilers #csm analysis #my jessays #aki analysis

[taigacryptid]

my thoughts on chapter 155

i lowkey didn't believe denji killed his dad until now, just because in part 1 makima opened up that door against his will. however, denji's memory is clearly intact because he remembers it on his own without makima there to coax or manipulate him

DENJI BEING SIMULTANEOUSLY REPULSED BY AND ATTRACTED TO THE CONCEPT OF FAMILYYY UEUEUEU

barem's a coward for being a superhuman with regenerative abilities and not being willing to point a gun at himself without first making sure his gun is empty

denji wakes up in the hospital bed...who tf got him there? imo it could be nayuta (IF SHE'S STILL ALIVE, AND SHE BETTER BE), yoshida, or kishibe (considering he pulled denji out of harm's way and hid him for a bit in part 1)

denji's relationship to pochita and being represented as a child in his inner dialogue is. so clearly saying that denji hasn't grown up and will not grow up until he's given space to do so. every time he thinks he can depend on someone (his family of aki and power, or makima as a romantic interest/maternal figure?), that's stripped away from him and he's left without support. in part 2 he's living on his own, raising a child and a cat and a bunch of huskies on his own, scraping together enough money to live, and going to school for like the first time in his life. denji is stuck and is going to continue being stuck until he figures out how to juggle his identity as a normal person vs being a celebrity as chainsaw man

#taiga talks #csm 155 #chainsaw man chapter 155 #chainsaw man #csm #csm analysis #csm spoilers

[chrysalismoblivion]

yall will never guess who's rewatching csm after excitedly infodumping to their gf the other night. anyway i've been told by some friends that csm is just a dumb boob anime and not to be like "noo my boob anime is actually deep!" but. my boob anime is actually deep tho. here are some of my favorite videos on it (i also rewatched them because. idk man it's csm. csm my beloved)

#csm #inakyu #super eyepatch wolf #ah lecks #captain mack #youtubers #csm analysis #Youtube

[zombieboyfailure]

!! Spoilers for Chainsawman 142 !!

talked about this on twitter but denji's arc post the bomb devil has been such a twist on the "slice of life" that people expect from a "superhero" or powerful mc. Yes denji is insanely powerful and pretty much immortal. yeah he fucking ate makima and now has a "normal life". but he's literally just climbing the maslow's pyramid each chapter and realizing that he's not happy with his life with just the bare minimum. EVEN MORE, HE DOESN'T EVEN HAVE THE BARE MINIMUM. this chapter's casual mention that denji is watched at every moment in his life, even when he's masturbating was like. what the fuck.

this literal teenager is denied not only privacy and his free will for the most part of his life, but also has not (and probably won't depending on how fujimoto wants to end the manga) ever experienced romantic/sexual attention in a single non-violating way. like ever.

fujimoto im outside your house with things to say.

#like #wtf #csm #csm denji #csm spoilers #csm manga #denji #denji chainsaw man #chainsaw man #csm analysis #not rly just thinking

[kafukaselect-blog]

Yoshida and Public Safety

In light of the latest chapter, I want to say that it genuinely cannot be overstated how important it is to Yoshida's characterization to understand that he says "I" when he is talking about actions he is personally choosing to take, and "We" when he is talking about Public Safety's orders/actions.

It was Public Safety's call to kidnap Nayuta, and Yoshida then chose to kidnap Denji in order to keep the situation under control and deliver his ultimatum.

Yoshida specifically brings Denji to the protestors as a warning, we now know thanks to the latest chapter that Public Safety does want to neutralize Denji and is perfectly happy with putting him down. Yoshida makes it clear that he thinks Denji should no longer transform into chainsaw man to avoid further escalating the situation.

Public Safety are gearing up to kill/imprison Nayuta independently of Yoshida, the situation isn't that Public Safety kidnapped Nayuta in order to convince Denji to stop being Chainsaw Man, Public Safety is neutralizing Nayuta because she is the control devil, and Yoshida's ultimatum is to try and prevent this from happening.

Yoshida slips up and drops the act here because he is upset at things not going to plan, he refers to Public Safety as if they are completely separate from himself, an organization he has no say in or control over.

Yoshida's distress is made even more appropriate with the reveal that Public Safety is completely fine with Denji being turned into a weapon due to his continued autonomy being inconvenient for them.

And of course:

Since Public Safety want Asa to turn Denji into a weapon, Yoshida telling Asa to stay away from Denji here is a flagrant act of rebellion against Public Safety in order to protect Denji. And, considering that Public Safety has surveillance on Denji, their first move after Asa turns him into a weapon would most likely be to instantly order Special Division 7 to kill her and take the weapon. Him issuing this order is also protecting Asa from Public Safety.

Yoshida is a lot more than just some heartless Public Safety lackey.

#chainsaw man #csm #csm manga #yoshida hirofumi #csm yoshida #hirofumi yoshida #chainsaw man spoilers #csm spoilers #csm 145 #csm analysis #csm theory #yoshida

[sugar-grigri]

What would happen if we killed death ?

Here we are, Chapter 150, so let's not waste any more time and get straight to the analysis. 

This chapter is rich, incredibly rich, both in what it says and in the way it is presented. This time I'm going to tackle the visuals directly in the first part of the chapter.

As you've probably gathered by now, this chapter deals with the evolution of Denji's dream, as the title clearly indicates.

What's interesting is to see how it plays out visually. The alleyway is a visual element that has been used several times by Fujimoto to signify a period in Denji's life, his childhood.

It metaphorically represents not only an unhappy childhood and loneliness, but also the gap between a needy child ignored by society. Worse still, he is excluded. When Denji emancipates himself, the focus is on passers-by, on others. As Denji symbolically leaves the alleyway, he realises that he is now part of society. His dream of a normal life should be understood as a desire to live in a community, among others, and to make friends with them. 

In other words, getting out of the alley is Denji's lifelong dream, the key to his self-fulfilment and to a certain path forward. 

It's a metaphor that Fujimoto loves once again. In this illustration, for example, Aki and Power are heading towards the light while Denji is still in the shadows. Bathed in light, Aki and Power represent both a key to Denji's happiness and fulfilment, just as the light represents the end of a journey: their destiny, the end of their own lives. 

This illustration is extraordinary because Denji's gaze is fixed backwards, towards the alleyway, focusing on his flaws and his past. He is unaware, because he is not looking at them, that the key to his fulfilment has already been found, that he is in the process of leaving the alleyway. What's more, even if this means the end of Power and Aki's existence, they are serene, as if they know that happiness, even without them, will await Denji. 

That's my first comment, so let's move on to what's happening in terms of action and dialogue. 

Nayuta focuses on ordinary life, which helps Denji realise that he has reached it. It may seem odd that Denji is only just realising this now, but he is someone who operates by the senses. Moving away from the alley visually helps him realise his emancipation, as does seeing these ordinary people.

But above all, if Denji didn't entirely realise it, it's also because he wasn't happy in this ordinary life, as the last arc showed. Torn by the fact that he was no longer Chainsaw Man, Denji didn't realise that he was ordinary because he thought that was what would make him happy, and as he wasn't, he didn't think that his dream had been achieved for some time. It may sound complex, but once again it makes a lot of sense when you realise that Denji is someone who functions by sensation. 

But it's even more subtle than that: Denji had realised that he was getting closer to his dream, but that wasn't why he allowed himself to dream about something else. And that's precisely where the power of this chapter lies: it's by starting to dream of something else that he reconnects with his identity, because the contract between him and Pochita is the pursuit of a dream. In other words, Denji was not only Chainsaw Man to protect Nayuta from the public hunters, he was no longer Chainsaw Man because he no longer allowed himself to dream. Until then, Chainnaw Man was an empty shell.

When Denji says he wants to become Chainsaw Man, he means he now wants to dream.

We come to the figure of the raven crushed by Denji as he runs: what does it mean? 

One possible interpretation is that we don't know. I'm not saying this to clear my name, but because I think that's its real symbolism. In the West, the raven is generally a sign of bad omens, whereas in other cultures, such as Japanese or Celtic, the raven is the symbol of a god, the sun in Japan. Even if we could associate the raven with the metaphor of light coming out of the alleyway, the fact remains that it is not an animal that is appreciated or venerated in Japan, notably for the fact that it is a vulture that picks through rubbish.

It's this ambiguity that the raven represents, something that can't be pinned down. It's interesting, because by trampling on it, Denji turns to another dream, is it a good omen or a bad one? No one knows whether claiming to be Chainsaw Man will help Denji find happiness. 

That would be one possible interpretation. But for the sake of completeness, there is one last one. 

When I say that symbolism is hard to establish, it's only when I refute an obvious one. Let me explain: whether it's Bucky and his death, Yoru and Asa's death, the birds and Yuko being killed by Fake!CSM, and finally that raven. It's obvious that not only the raven but the bird in general represents death but also the end of a period, an era, a cycle.

Not only do the birds mark the end of one cycle, they also signal the beginning of a new one. Bucky's death opens Part 2, Yoru marks the beginning of Asa's second life, and Yuko's death ushers in the arrival of the most mysterious character in Part 2: Fake!CSM. The Raven marks the beginning of a new dream.

I think we need to be more subtle in this analysis and see it through to the end. Asa and Denji both do the same thing, they either crush birds or they give death to death.

It seems impossible but just as the bird that is supposed to fly in the skies is rarely found under our feet to be crushed. Asa and Denji are the two champions, the two candidates to prevent Death, and little by little the birds mark the cogs in a mechanism that is being put in place: the confrontation with Death. 

My various interpretations can add up, and when they do, they lead to one question: when we give death to death, what happens? Is it necessarily a bad thing ?

The fact that the birds symbolise a link with death is correlated with the fact that Denji loses his family and his dogs when his flat burns down. The destruction of his home represents the erasure of Denji's landmarks, what he had built up, returning to the cause of departure, since we are at the beginning of a new era, a new cycle. 

The relationship with death is correlated by Barem, who not only intends to fight it but also sees it as a common denominator for all species. 

I love the play on words that the flamethrower hybrid introduces: "I figure killing Asa wouldn't fire you up that much", it really supports Barem's desire to arouse Denji and get him to react. 

But all that aside, there are other things to relate. Not least with our other protagonist: Asa.

To return to the metaphor of the alley, visually and symbolically, she's the one who joined Denji in the alley. She's not just a symbol of Denji's step towards others, but also a symbol of others' step towards him. 

Fujimoto encourages us to reread the chapters using the key vectors of the dog and the cat.

This line is the centrepiece. 

Not only does Barem support the death once again of Denji's family, his dogs and his cat, but it's much more subtle than that. They are the key to a love that is not only universal, but also the key to Asa and Denji's happiness, and to their ability to bond with other species. When Denji wanted to save Asa from the falling devil, he told her straight away to think of cats and dogs. 

They are also a symbol of progress, Asa bonding with her cat after the death of her mother, while Denji bonds with Pochita after the death of his father. 

They are also what unites the two protagonists of Chainsaw Man: a cat with Asa and a dog with Denji. Just as Fujimoto likes to emphasise the influence they have on each other, whether it's Asa who places Denji between the criminal and the cat or how Yoru will behave like a dog because of Nayuta. 

So what does Barem's line clearly mean? What I find incredible is that every time Barem tries to put Denji against the wall, he always unconsciously provides an element of the answer. 

At their first meeting in chapter 140: Barem tries to present Denji with a dilemma. Asa Mitaka or Chainsaw Man? The answer is unconsciously found in the two fingers he plunges into Denji's nose: both. 

Here again, Barem thinks he has Denji pegged, it's not Asa that matters to him but his dogs and cat. But note the plural, Denji only has one cat, Meowy. Now we make the connection: Asa represents the cat. She's also important to Denji. 

If you're not convinced by Barem's unconscious response, then here again you can see a parasitic gesture in the fact that he knocks Denji down. Who else always falls at the wrong time? Who fell when their family was also dying? Well, yes. Barem's only point here is that even if Asa and Denji don't know each other very well, they don't really need to, given their similarities.

Once again, Barem thinks he's cornering Denji when he doesn't realise that he's just included Asa in what he's saying. Once again this is symbolic writing, with elements of foreshadowing and denouement of the characters subtly placed in Barem's lines. Barem likes to make prophetic announcements, as he is also a believer, but his message escapes him because he is not aware of the work in which he finds himself.

But that doesn't help us to understand what happens when we kill death ?

The characters can't guess at the omens that lie ahead. Just as their own message eludes them. 

The only thing we know for sure that these birds are announcing is the end of an era and a new era.

The answer is so obvious that it escapes us. We have seen the resemblance between these two protagonists, their families, their losses, the destruction of their homes, their landmarks. We could say that this would be mourning.

But moving on despite the end of all these cycles, without knowing what lies ahead. Isn't that just growing up?

#csm 150 #chainsaw man spoilers #chainsaw man #csm #csm part 2 #denji #asa #asa mitaka #nayuta #nayuta hayakawa #denji hayakawa #csm analysis #barem #barem bridge #death devil #my thoughts #csm 98 #csm 111 #csm 112 #csm 110 #csm 140 #csm 141 #csm 134

[chad-chungus]

I am still not over this chapter. Fujimoto is such an incredible writer. He is able to craft these so layered and well developed characters and make them interact in such a human way in the most bizarre situations. Like literally both Asa and Denji are dangling in the air while talking about the meaning of life and if it is worth it in the end.

Asa believes that life has nothing to offer her, that all that exist is being let down and pain, she truly believes that there is no meaning to life. But here is Denji, someone who understands her pain, someone who has been manipulated and toyed with for a long time, but he believes that life has meaning through chasing his dreams and in the small pleasantries that life has to offer. He is literally saving Asa physically and mentally here!

I can't emphasise enough how perfect these two are for each other, and this scene is a perfect representation of their chemistry, how they balance each others needs, and how they can work romantically.

#csm #chainsaw man #denji #asa mitaka #csm 127 #tatsuki fujimoto #analysis #csm analysis

[kaleidoscopic-quiddity]

i feel like any analysis of denji's character that basically ammounts to 'denji isnt actually horny, he's just desperate for human connection and affection but can't conceptualise it in any way other than sex' kind of?? misses the point?? a bit???? like yes denji has an incredibly warped idea of love and affection, and yes denji is deeply touch starved and deprived of healthy caring relationships, but he IS also just a horny teenage boy, and that's not a bad thing

i get with the rampant misogyny in anime/manga (and all media, and the world at large) and the prevelance of the 'sex obsessed pervert' as a character archtype that when audiences are confronted with sexuality as a theme, or a character who is horny but isnt CreepyTM about it there's this urge to go 'well actually the sex and horniness is a metaphor, its really about [insert more 'high brow' theme here]' and like, that is somewhat true in chainsaw man's case that sex and sexuality and lust are used to symbolise and epitomise manipulation and affection and a whole myriad of other things but also the sex and horniness IS just about sex and horniness

denji is not one track single mindedly obsessed with sex, hes capable of seeing women and girls as people rather than sexual objects (even when he is attracted to them) and forming platonic, wholly non-sexual bonds with them (power, nayuta), when actually confronted with the posibility of sex he often finds himself underwhelmed (touching power's boobs, himeno being drunk, etc) because hes built sex up as this massive awesome thing in his mind when in reality sex IS quite underwhelming a lot of the time and its unsurprising that the non-sexual moments of connection he has with people, especially women and girls, are ultimately more emotionally fufilling for him (bathing with power, bonding with reze, etc)

BUT he is also a deeply horny character for whom having sex is a primary motivation, and thats not a bad thing, it doesnt make denji stupid or a creep, it doesnt make csm low-brow or misogynistic, it doesnt undermine all the other deep stuff fujimoto says about human connection and lonliness and affection and manipulation and what have you, denji can simultaneously be a character who has a warped view of affection due to his traumatic upbringing that leads him to idealise sex to an unhealthy degree AND a horny virgin of a character because hes a teenager and lots of teenagers are horny people who spend a not-insignificant amount of time thinking about sex and how to have it

sex and horniness is a fundamental part of chainsaw man and of denji's character, the story and character writing is as good as it is precisely because of how sexuality is utilised and depicted narratively, not in spite of it

#chainsaw man #csm meta #csm analysis #og post //

[grimgrazia]

Doors and Denji:

Doors are a common motif in CSM and hold many meanings. They act as a gateway to Hell, a metaphor for repressing trauma, and a symbol of the unknown. I believe they have some other meanings as well, but I’ll touch on those later. This is just the beginning of my analysis for now, and it focuses on Denji’s dream. This isn’t really an analysis on Denji’s character, I plan to do one for him later on. Also let me know if there are other parts of CSM I should analyze. I make plans for an analysis and then school gets in the way so I’ll forget about whatever I wanted to do.

The door in Denji’s dream is one of the most notable parts of the series. Behind the door are suppressed memories from Denji’s traumatic childhood. Each time he has this dream, a voice tells him not to open the door, and he doesn’t. I think it’s important to note that Denji shut those memories away himself. Denji doesn’t need permission to open that door because it’s his door. That being said, suppressing memories is a common response to trauma, so Denji is never aware of the fact he can choose to confront his past or not, because he forced himself to forget. After the Darkness Devil arc, Denji decides he is better off not opening the door, and he’s learned that knowledge isn’t always a great thing.

The door isn’t just locking trauma away, it’s also a symbol for the unknown. There is no foreshadowing or hints as to what could be behind that door in the manga, all we know is that it’s probably not good. We find out at the same time Denji does, when Makima forces that door open. Why would Denji want to open a door that most likely has something bad behind it? Why would anyone want to do that? Even in real life, no one can be 100% sure of what is behind a door (unless it’s transparent but that doesn’t apply here.) It’s kind of like putting a cat in a box and leaving it there for a long time. The cat could be dead, alive, or missing but it’s uncertain until you open the box again. Does the cat even exist still if you can’t see it anymore? (Plz tell someone knows this story I’m talking about). The closed door, like the unknown, leaves room for POSSIBILITY. Denji can’t know for certain what is behind that door until he opens it and sees for himself. To Denji, Aki might not be a fiend until he opens the door, just like the cat might not be dead until you open the box, if that makes sense.

Also, this room for possibility can make finding out the truth even more harmful. In Oedipus Rex, Oedipus was so sure of himself and his life. To be fair, he had no reason to believe that he was unsuccessful in avoiding his fate. His entire life was a lie. Denji remembers his father’s death as a suicide, instead of killing him in self defense. Like Oedipus, Denji had come to terms with a lie. Accepted it and moved on. It only makes sense for Oedipus and Denji to react with pure horror when learning or remembering years later. For so long, they believed they knew what happened. They were sure, so there was no need to think about it anymore. Everything in their lives were not as they appear, both Oedipus’ skepticism and Denji’s tendency to trust easily did more harm than good because of it. Neither of them did anything wrong, they simply responded to their respective situations. Responding to the circumstances is really the only control anyone truly has.

Unlike Oedipus, Denji is okay with not knowing what is behind that door. Denji can accept that he does not know everything, doesn’t need to know everything, and never will know everything. It’s impossible and attempting to do so can cause more trouble than it’s worth, like in Oedipus’ case. Learning about something that happened in the past won’t change anything, what’s done is done.

Denji’s decision to not open it can be interpreted in a few ways. You could see it as healthy and as Denji moving forward. He has a great bond with Aki and Power, he’s content with his life, why jeopardize it? Even so, this could also be seen as Denji avoiding the door. The door would have opened eventually, it was inevitable. The question was if Denji would do it himself. Denji wasn’t ready to open it yet. It’d be healthy if Denji confronts his trauma on his own terms, but that’s not what happens. Makima forces that door open on purpose. She’s well aware Denji isn’t ready, so she sees this as the perfect opportunity to ensure he can’t bounce back. That he can never live a normal life, thus breaking his contract with Pochita. Confronting trauma and healing from it is a slow process, but people can still move forward and live normal lives. However, it becomes extremely difficult when you’re overwhelmed by all of it in the matter of seconds.

Even though Denji CHOSE not not open the door after the Darkness Devil Arc, it opens anyways later on. The door was always going to open, it’s something Denji never would have been able to avoid. What he can do, is control how he reacts to it, but he doesn’t realize this immediately. Makima is counting on the fact that after what happened to Aki and Power, on top of forcing the door open, Denji won’t be able to move forward. If she is confident in Denji’s reaction, she has control. She orchestrated everything so she could be certain that Denji will be totally hopeless, and never live normally. She understands it’s difficult to control how people respond to things, especially when someone has lived a life like Denji’s.

“Time eases all things,” is a famous line from Oedipus Rex. By this, Creon means that over time, people move on or at least find ways to cope so that they can go about their daily lives. Makima realizes that after Himeno’s death, Denji does not get attached nor is he fazed easily. I think this is when she realizes she can’t just throw him into horrific situations, but must build his ideal life, let him be happy, and then rip it all away. The deaths of Aki and Power being so close to one another was crucial to this too, because Makima didn’t want to give Denji time to process what happened, or “ease the wounds.”

Makima becoming a mother figure for Denji contributed a lot as well. Fujimoto stated in an interview that their relationship is based off abuse from documentaries he watched. Unhealthy family dynamics cause conflicting feelings, especially if they are all you have. If Kishibe did not get to Denji in time, Makima’s plan definitely would have worked. Makima made Denji believe that he had no where else to go, he had no choice but to die. It’s in the safe room with Kishibe and Kobeni that Denji realizes he has not reached a dead end, or rather, reaching a dead end on one path doesn’t mean the same will happen on another path. He does what the mouse in Kafka’s “A Little Fable” couldn’t do: change his direction.

I hope this makes sense, I feel like I got off topic. Anyways, this doesn’t even scratch the surface of CSM, but this is all I have energy for right now sorry.

Also, I posted this on my tik tok too but it kept getting taken down. My TT is grimmjowstoenail for anyone who cares 🤷🏻‍♀️

#chainsaw man #makima #denji #jjk #jujutsu kaisen #csm analysis #gojo satoru #writing #anime and manga

[denjhenge]

I feel so bad for Denji. There's people out there making bank on Chainsaw Man merch & Chainsaw Man himself is stuck selling cigarettes to hobos for Nayuta's college money...

& Now he feels himself fading into the background & it only becomes apparent when he sees that CSM merch on the DISCOUNT RACK..but hey at least he can afford it...

#csm spoilers #chain saw man #denji #csm141 #nayuta #chain saw man chapter 141 #csm analysis #csm meta #csm memes #chainsaw man chapter 141 spoilers #csm comic #chain saw man 141