#thank for the ask!!

[sugar-grigri]

I've read through your posts and deliberated some more, yet I still don't see the connection of a critique on capitalism. I see the critique of work, yes, but mostly because it reflects Denji's self value. I don't think it's the same.

Let's dive into capitalism...

You're not the first to ask, so I'll answer (I'll try to be succinct). I just want to make it clear that this is all my interpretation, if you still don't see a connection after this post. Then you're just interpreting this point differently, and that's completely ok. 

For more context I think it's interesting to point out who I am or rather what I do. I'm a lawyer, still in training but enough to call myself one. I specialize in a rather specific area of law in France: public economic law. Let's put it this way: it's a body of law that analyzes the relationship between the State and individuals, and focuses solely on the general interest. 

Let's agree on a definition of capitalism. Capitalism is an economic and social system in which capital (the source of income) and the means of production and exchange do not belong to those who use them through their own labor.

It's important to note that capitalism takes different forms in each state. 

In Japan, the origins of capitalism lie in vigorous state intervention. The period that best characterizes it is the Meiji era, the 19th century. Today, this is revealed by the significant intervention of the Ministry of the Economy. 

If all this sounds complicated, there is a first element of definition. If I don't just see a critique of the world of work in the public hunter system, it's also because one of Chainsaw Man's themes is the state. I'm not extrapolating, since it's a theme that recurs several times, whether through Makima and her confrontation with the gun demon, or through the choice of security structure: public. That is, controlled by the Japanese government. 

I think that, yes, CSM makes a more global criticism than a specific point of society, and speaks of the relationship between citizen and state. 

But let's continue. It's not insignificant either that the first images of the CSM season 1 trailer are of a dark alleyway overflowing with rats. Nor is it insignificant to set up a character, very young, and very poor as a main character. This doesn't shock us, as heroes tend to have tragic pasts, but it's not an empty choice.

When we think of neoliberalism, the example of the United States or the United Kingdom are the first that come to mind. Yet Japan is the OECD country that has seen the greatest rise in inequality, due to deregulation of the labor market and the rise in precarious employment (40% of the working population today) with the privatization of key sectors such as rail and postal services. 

Privatization movements ? That's been covered. 

But another feature of Japan's aggressive neoliberalism is the university. Whose entrance fees are increasing atrociously. 

University entrance fees ? Lack of education for the most precarious classes ? That's been covered. 

What I'm trying to prove once again is that Fujimoto applies himself to revealing the relationship between individuals and states. Makima, the antagonist, is even subjected to it, inscribed in a hierarchical relationship. She has also become an uncontrollable demon to the point of making the United States swoon, for she is nothing more than a chimera created by the Japanese government, which has hammered her with the doctrine of evil necessary for the greater common good. In other words, collectivism. 

The connection between capitalism and Denji's character is often made, but even Makima, the antagonist, was following a goal imposed by a larger structure, from which she didn't really benefit because she wasn't happy.

Nor is Chainsaw Man just about an extremely harsh working world. We're also talking about the extent to which Denji is satisfied with little things (which Fujimoto also sees in a positive light).

But Fujimoto's main point with Denji is not that the problem lies in his dreaming of toast per se (although that's a problem too), but that there's a disproportion between his sacrifices and his rewards. 

It's not insignificant that Denji suffers horribly when he turns into Chainsaw Man, that the system seems to work with him because he sees himself only as a tool. 

Capitalism is defined above all by the fact that the worker does not reap all the benefits of his work.

Denji literally produces the added value that will serve his structure without perceiving the benefits in the extreme. Since Makima is going to take all the benefits away from him. 

Is it fair, then, to speak of a simple critique of labor when we know that the antagonist is the product of the Japanese government? Don't think of the critique of the world of work as a separate, singular critique, but as part of a critique of a more global system: Japan and its current regime, capitalism. 

For it is the relationship between the economy and the state's conception of it that affects the world of work. The liberalization movement that began in the 1980s and accelerated in the 2000s and 2010s is a striking example of this. What is the clearest result of the relationship between globalization and Japan than manga ? 

If there's one thing that helped me understand Fujimoto's interest in these issues, it's his relationship with his own industry. His works culminate in themes relating to the community and the individual, and their relationship with art and culture. Just think of all those movie scenes. 

Fujimoto isn't delivering a critique of capitalism because it's fashionable to do so, he's following a lineage of his own.

Fujimoto isn't delivering a critique of capitalism because it's fashionable, he's following a lineage, also talking about the relationship between capitalism and his art. The mangakas themselves are trapped in a logic of commercialization and commodity production, to the detriment of creativity itself. I feel that Part 2 is a complete response to Chainsaw Man's worldwide success. The way Denji's daily life hasn't changed a bit, and also the parallel with Fujimoto. 

An ultra-popular author... but one who turns in a chapter once a week.

#my thoughts #analysis #csm #chainsaw man #chainsaw man spoilers #ask #fujimoto #csm part 1 #csm part 2 #fujimoto tatsuki #thank for the ask!!

[automaticsoulharmony]

sorry about the last ask getting super infodump-y 😭

it was just meant to be like "im a robotics kid and have declared Tim a robotics kid. what are your thoughts" but uhhh got sorta ramble-y lmao

if you didn't end up responding to the last one, you can just put your thoughts on Robotics Kid Tim here 👍

(I loved reading through the last ask, it was great)

Absolutely robotics Tim

It was totally a hyper-fixation that started cause of the Bats and Blue Beetle and he’s like “woah cool gadgets, I could do that” and makes little robots

He always wants to make them way overpowered though they’re like- “Tim please we can’t add a rocket launcher” cut to three years later and he attaches one to a skateboard

#tim drake #thank for the ask!! #<3<3<3

[tatatatatara]

7, 9 and 19 for fandom asks?

7. your favorite tropes to read/write/draw

Honestly, I don't think I have any favorite trope to draw. But I like drawing characters having fun and doing silly things.

My favorite trope to read is *drum roll* fluff. Sorry I'm weak af and I can read anything as long as there's a happy ending and hilarious, fluff things along the way.

9. a ship that isn't your OTP but that you enjoy

I'll say HideKane and AmonAki? Most of my friends ship ot and they're fun to think about so you can come across a lot of its content on my blog. But my fav ship for Kaneki and Amon is Amoneki lmao. Weird I know.

19. your current fandom(s)

Tokyo Ghoul (can you believe), Golden Kamuy and Pokemon (main game and Pokemon Adventures)

#thank for the ask!!

[hilsoncrater]

3 and 11 for the music ask!

3:A song that reminds you of summertime

Disco by Surf Curse!!

11:A song that you never get tired of

Cellar Door by Angus & Julia Stone!!!

#thank for the ask!!

[dusktarot]

zun in the lolk interview said all 3 hecatias were meant to have different appearences + personalities so itd be fun 2 see ur hcs

oooh okays!! ive posted my appearance hcs but i will add it again for Ease

mostly the same with different accessories, diff colors, and diff body mods (like moon heca has a tattoo of the triple moon on her chest and hell heca has lip piercings, etc. im a little envious of her extra tattoo space lmao shes not even using it to the fullest. booooo /j) she probably mixes up outfits but with classic Character Design tropes its just welcome <3 [x] shirts lol

well i hc that at their core they are, in fact, the same person-- one consciousness spread across three bodies. however they do tend to act a bit differently, somewhat in accordance with their surroundings. it's less "completely different personalities" and more code-switching, sorta. like hell hecatia, the one we get to see talk in lolk, tends to be very carefree and peppy, since touhous hell is said to be a place of absolute freedom, so she cant stress too much over the little things. (hell heca is also a fair bit more violent than the other two... when provoked?) earth hecatia tends to be a bit more reserved and graceful, but shes still the same weird hell goddess goofball inside. she's in the company mainly of humans and the rest of her pantheon on earth, so she performs for them.

moon heca... i have a hard time pinning down. esp since shes, uh, a bit not fond of the moon? or at least the denizens of it? i do imagine her to be the more jaded, bitter part of hecatia, a bit of the devil on her shoulder. but frankly im not sure!

but ultimately her bodies are kind of just like limbs to her-- her consciousness is connected between each and she's just built to have three bodies. she does sometimes have a hard time focusing/gets Quite Bored if all three bodies have to focus on something. adhd hecatia perhaps.

#babble #hecatia lapislazuli #touhou #thank for the ask!!

[purrlstar]

Hey Purrl, I saw the ask post reblog. 🦋 & 🌸 plz.

🦋 Describe yourself in three words:

storyteller, felinekin, analytical

🌸 Best compliment you ever received?

jesus, my memory is really bad so its not the best EVER but I often get complements for my art about the expressiveness of my poses/facial expressions which I really take a lot of pride in!

#thank for the ask!! #purrltalk #purrl replies

[snowimatsu]

For the character bingo: karamatsu!!!

The painful guy.. The better older brother..

#thank for the ask!! #ask game #i have to many friends that like bullying him and it caught onto me h

[autumn-foxfire]

DOUGH DOGGOS💖💖💖

Imma fry them and eat them.

#pokemon #thank for the ask!!

[letthestorieslive]

List 5 things that make you happy, then put this in the inbox of the last 10 people who reblogged something from you. Spread positivity. 🌈 💜 🍀

Thank you for asking ! ❤

So without any specific order : -- spending time with the people I care about -- creating things -- a good meal/snack -- achieving something -- anything blue

#thank for the ask!! #answered asks #ask game #late again for answering this sorry #time is not on my side this week

[striving-artist]

The best piece of advice I ever got was not meant as advice, but as an edict. If I was going to threaten people as a joke, it had to be so far out of proportion with what happened that it would be obvious I was joking. This changed how I expressed frustration with others. It then changed how I expressed frustration with myself.

Not “I’m going to hit you” but “I am going to buy a tuna sub from the gas station and hide it under the seat of your car”

Not “I’m going to kill myself” but “I am going to walk into the desert and let the scarabs take me”

The other side then happened. When I mess something up, instead of saying it’s bad and perpetuating negative thoughts, swing hard the other way.

Not “this art is terrible” but “this shall be framed and mounted on the wall in my museum exhibition as testament to the suffering I had to overcome”

Have been doing this since high school. It was my drama teacher who asked me to please stop scaring the actors. The other half of the edict was that I had to say it in a polite tone, and end it with either please or thank you.

Life changing. 10/10 Mr Muëller. Highly reccomend.

#my life #why yes #this is obvious in my writing #thank you for asking

[retquits]

1.6 is coming—see you march 19th!!! 🥹🌱

#stardew valley #can you imagine pouring blood sweat & tears into a game #releasing it for like $15 #and then working for 8 more years to add more content without asking for a cent more #for what could have easily been several dlc packs #i love you stardew valley i love you concernedape i love you indie games thank you for being my home all these years #EDIT: added image ID in the alt!!

[sugar-grigri]

thoughts on the new girl? friend or foe? human or devil? with the song and her actions and what seems to be an hypnosis power or adjacent, i've had the half thought that she could be a rape devil or fiend but i never know when it comes to csm lol

when I don't like a character, it's a bit difficult for me to get interested, but there are a few things that can be pointed out.

I think she's an enemy, chapter 137 is literally an attack on Denji, and as you pointed out Anon, she seems to have a power akin to hypnosis

I have no idea whether she's a contracted human, possessed or even a demon.

The sexual assault demon could coincide, although I find it too easy to guess.

I had thought of the sex demon itself (apprehension of the first time, or simply repulsion of sex), or else the demon of the first time.

I confess, I'm waiting to see. But strangely enough, I have a feeling that it's not a character I'm going to care about.

#chainsaw man #csm #csm part 2 #csm 137 #ask #thank for the ask!! #<3

[cahootings]

“their relationship is too deep to be sexual” what’s deeper than dick in hole. please tell me

#people missing context this was about the wwdits show runners pulling a 2012-era queerbait #and was a joke #also if you're going to send me an anon asking me why i hate ace people. miss me with your homophobia thanks

[i23kazu]

how i feel when someone reblogs my stuff with a really really nice tag

#[📍regular broadcast!] #the sillies #thank you to everyone who has interacted with me over the past few days HEHEHE #asks will be put off until tonight ; i have 2 more meetings hehe

[junglejim4322]

do you think a 5'4 and 6'2 height difference is predatory?

Aaksjejaozkwksjaozhqodjwizhqbsjqnssjhqsbkqzj$:&.$^€\€|€\+\€|¥]£|.*%[€]*jensbshaoswahajsihwhwoqi$/$:$:8:&2$:$/$.&102$;!;$;8:&;$494882:891jsjsjsjsoajajwbejxjwhhqausbwuwijeehjediwijwjwjejsiwjai/&/&/&.!benwnejxbabsjsjzhwnejehehsjaij$$2$/18828/!.!/&-!:$::8:.$.?2)ghshsbevdidirjdjdjdjsijdjeojjdj$&/&.!ahhahHshbsnsjshajajanshsjsjwjwsshwhwhw

#asks #anonymous #i feel like you sent this to make me feel better after I was bitching but as a certified 5’4 binch no I do not think height differences #are predatory. thank you for the ask though

[therainbowwillow]

hbomberguy’s latest video on plagiarism has made me completely rethink literature and writing. I have never once so much as considered intentionally plagiarizing anyone or anything, but I think there’s something more that has come out of this: the names of the people who created the works Somerton (and others) ripped off.

Plagiarism isn’t only bad because it is lazy and disrespectful, it’s bad because it buries the truth. If you can’t find a source, the conversation is over. Somerton’s sources are fairly easy to find by simply searching his plagiarized lines, but that isn’t true in most cases. Most of the time, the line from statement to source is a lot less clear.

Today, I was writing a report on English Ivy, which is an invasive species here in the US. I wanted to know when it was introduced and I at last found a source claiming it was introduced to the Americas “as early as 1727” on a .net website that seems quite reputable (it has multiple major universities credited in its home page), but there is no citation for where this date came from. I dug deeper and found a pamphlet created by a city government in Virginia that made the same claim, only to discover the first source linked in their bibliography. Another website (a botanical garden’s page) gave the same date with the same source hyperlinked. Of course, I have classes to attend and things to do and probably not enough time to follow the lines back to where this 1727 date came from, but if I had not just watched this video, I wouldn’t have given that date a second thought.

Of course, it doesn’t matter in the long run exactly what year hedera helix was introduced to the Americas, but it makes you wonder how many facts have been so vaguely attributed that it becomes completely impossible to figure out where they originated (and further, whether or not they’re true at all).

#hbomberguy #james somerton #plagarism #EDIT: it was introduced to *the americas* NOT the US in (probably) 1727 #THANK YOU anon ask person!!! #the US didn’t exist in 1727