#the way i thought this was going to be an experience for denji and her to help e/o and bond as Equals

[restenergy]

people still liking my post about how i theorized asa would save the day against the falling devil even though i was totally wrong and she got reduced to a damsel in distress lol

[gatual]

last night i was thinking abt characters that love so so sO much that end up doing crazy shit bc of it my beloveds

[angyo]

I unironically love csm 167. Not for horny, but because it's so fucked up on so many layers and if it follows up on even 1 of those layers of fuckery it's gonna be explosive.

Denji:

He's already been sexually assaulted so many times. Every time he has a dream it gets monkey's pawed into fucking him up worse. He doesn't know what he wants. Deep down he just wants to be loved and be able to trust that if he puts his soul into the hands of another person it won't get crushed. But his love for aki and power was used to break him. His love for reze and makima betrayed. His love for nayuta and the dogs used to goad him into violence. Everyone he opens his heart to either dies or uses him, so all he has left is this hope that sex gives him the love he so deeply needs without the commitment that makes it dangerous. He thinks getting his rocks off might give him the same love he needs without the possibility of having it stolen from him. An orgasm is an orgasm, even if the other person immediately betrays you you still got "love" in a far more transactional and solid sense.

But that's not how it works. Post-orgasm is a very vulnerable time, especially if it's from a high tension surprise hand job (rape) in a backalley. It's his last dream that hasn't been ruined yet and it happened after a castration attempt and will likely end with Asa looking at him like a disgusting monster and vomiting on the ground.

Yoru:

Of course the war devil can't process love. She and Asa share a body and swap a lot of emotions but they're still different people and when something they now feel strongly goes so directly against all of their lives experience they'll react in unpredictable and possibly dangerous ways, ESPECIALLY war. Yoru got the memory of the first kiss meaning asa probably got it too. Asa's not stable, she's so desperately lonely this revelation that denji never stood her up must've felt so relieving. But yoru was in charge when asa got this flood of emotion. War isn't about love or compromise, it's about stealing from the weak and kind, asserting absolute authority, and a lot of rape and pillaging. Of course when faced with such a human and kind emotion as love war doesn't care about anything but satiating the most immediately available impulse in a way that asserts her "superiority" and leaving before she'd have to actually confront the emotional turmoil she caused.

Asa:

Oh she's fucked. Just like denji she is desperately lonely and always has love ripped away from her in the cruelest ways. But unlike him, she just pretends she doesn't need it and tries to feel superior so she doesn't have to feel the real depth of her loneliness. Yet she can't help but love anyway, and every time she falls into the trap of caring it dissolves all of her defenses and when it's betrayed it breaks her core. She is sex-repulsed, which is understandable for a teenager and possibly a sign of asexuality but thematically can be tied to her fear of opening her heart to damage. There's a difference between finding it disgusting on a reasonable level and being so viscerally disgusted by the thought it can drag you into hell. Sex is vulnerable. Your expose a lot of really sensitive organs to each other and stimulate hormones that make you open yourself up and expose yourself to risks like stds. When it feels like all her vulnerabilities get hammered against her of course she'd be scared of such a vulnerable act.

And now she's got cum on the only hand she has left, denji's spit in her mouth, and the lingering feeling of his dick on her, again, ONLY REMAINING HAND. And he's going to need aftercare, and really substantial care because she just sexually assaulted him and he doesn't know she's 2 different people. He's either gonna be so immediately depressed by the anticlimax of his first time he starts isolating or so desperate for this sex to be the time it finally means love he clings to her but it's gonna be terrifying to her because yoru took her subconscious vulnerability and externalized it to hurt the guy she just realized might be the only person to actually give a shit right now. She loves him and as soon as she lets that emotion wash over her it gets used to melt him into a puddle of desperation and vulnerability right in her arm that is so far beyond anything she can emotionally handle it could make him hate her forever. The only one who ever gave a shit and in the span of a couple minutes her body has been used to deconstruct him into a million little pieces she couldn't possibly put back together.

Not to mention the fact that in assaulting denji yoru also sexually assaulted Asa but denji doesn't know that. They both need immediate calming that isn't going to happen.

And she can't run away from yoru. The girl who assaulted her, exploited every vulnerability she has, and ruined her only chance is in her head. Even if denji realizes his worth and runs away asa is still stuck. Her assaulter is in her head, and the only hand she has left is covered in jizz.

[xxsabitoxx]

Experience

Kishibe x Fem! Reader

Warnings: large age gap (reader is in her 20s but it’s unspecified) and Kishibe is 50, car sex, hand job, degrading, praising, smoking

A/N: this was meant to be a short 1-1.5k Drabble but it turned into a mini smut instead (my brain is weird so some of y’all may still consider this a Drabble or you may consider it a full fic… idk man) anywho here he is :)

Word count: 2.6k

“You… you can’t be serious, oneechan.” Denji was staring at you with an udon noodle hanging between his lips. You chuckled at Denji’s constant use of calling you “big sis” — Aki had reprimanded him forever ago about using formalities with you. You had told him senpai was far too much and that calling you oneechan was fine. Still, it made you chuckle that it was the only nickname he ever stuck too with no bribery needed. Aki still used the gum tactic to get Power and Denji to use the correct terms while addressing him.

“I am serious.” The smile never left your face, watching as Denji slurped his noodle the rest of the way. “But why? He’s so old! Hell he’s over half your age! Ain’t he like 50 or something? And you’re like 20-something? I doubt he can even get his dick hard!” You rolled your eyes, laughter bubbling in your chest as Denji’s clear shock at your crush on his mentor. You’d known Kishibe since you joined public safety a few years prior, having worked alongside Aki when it came to training under the man’s brutal regime.

“Oh I doubt that. Kishibe is a man of experience, he probably has over 30 years worth with women.” Denji still couldn’t see how that would appeal to you, if anything he thought it should be a turn off. “That’s 30 years of use. You’ll probably catch a disease.” At that you couldn’t help but snort, putting your cigarette to your lips and inhaling. “Just think about it for a second, Denji. Wouldn't you want a woman that knows what she’s doing? One that would know how to take care of you?”

“I mean yeah, but maybe a woman that’s only a couple years older than me. You’re going after a man that was well into adulthood by the time you were born.” You shook your head, finding it rather funny that Denji was seemingly peeved by this. “That’s real bold coming from you, Denji-kun.” The blonde quirked his eyebrow, eyeing you suspiciously as he went in for yet another helping. “You and your crush on Makima? The fact that she seems to reciprocate your advances? Kinda a similar situation… but mine is legal.”

You shrugged your shoulders, blowing the smoke you had inhaled. “Yah, whatever… go for your creepy old man then.” He stuck his tongue out as you rolled your eyes, a victorious smile still present on your lips. “No really…” he drawled softly “he’s right there.” You froze, head whipping around to the direction Denji had motioned to. Sure enough, Kishibe was sitting at the bar, a glass of whisky in front of him… typical. You turned back to Denji, utterly mortified. “You don’t think he heard us, do you?” The blonde shrugged, a shit eating grin creeping up his face.

“Denji!” You whisper yelled this time, face growing warm. “Huh?” He spoke a little louder than necessary “I don’t think he heard? What’s the big deal anyways? Ain’t you want him to know? So you can like…actually do something about ya crush?” He drawled loudly, enough to draw a few wandering eyes to your table. “N-not the point! Shut up!” You were snuffing out your cigarettes on the underside of the table seconds later, ready to make a quick escape before Kishibe could even notice you there.

The problem being, you knew your old mentor fairly well. It was more than likely that he was already aware of your presence. Not only that but you were nearly positive he’d probably heard you and Denji talking about him. You wouldn’t be able to escape him unless you put a conscious effort into sneaking out of here. Even then, he’d find a way to corner you and ask you what the hell was going on. “Eh, whatever oneechan… at least I have the guts to go for the people I like.” Now you knew you were done for.

If Denji was going to make this a game of confidence, you’d have to do your “big sister” duties and simply one up him. “You’re a pain in my ass.” You scoffed, watching the grin return to the blonde’s face as you pushed your chair out. “You can thank me later.” Was all he said, returning to his udon as you made your way to the bar. “Captain Kishibe.” You fought to keep your voice steady. Kishibe turned to look at you, the usual stoic expression on his face.

“Come to talk to the creepy old man sitting alone at the bar?” He chimed softly, watching your face morph into embarrassment as he confirmed your biggest fear. He heard everything you and Denji had said. “Blame blondey over there for that nickname. Guessing that if you heard what Denji had to say you also heard what I had to say.” Your arms clasped behind your back, fidgeting with your fingers nervously as you waited for him to speak.

Kishibe swirled his glass around, watching the amber liquid slosh before he brought it to his lips and downed the rest. “Oh, I did. Not that I’m shocked… you’re far more transparent with your emotions than you think you are, y/n.” You could have melted on the spot, seeped straight into the floorboards and disappeared forever. Instead, you shifted your weight from foot to foot, willing yourself to grow some confidence and test the waters. It didn’t seem he was necessarily shutting you down just yet.

“Well… I guess this was a pretty lame ass way of saying I have a thing for my old mentor.” Kishibe leaned back, eyes shutting briefly as he inhaled through his nose. “You’re just looking for someone to show you a good time. Tell me, have you ever actually enjoyed any of the men you’ve slept with?” His eyes opened and he turned to face you fully now, tapping the wooden top of the bar twice to signal that he was ready to pay his tab. “Truthfully, no.” A breathy chuckle left him, one that sent shivers down your spine.

“I see. I guess that would make it my duty, Hmm? Your old mentor has to show you the ropes… show you the good from the bad. A private lesson, if you would.” You didn’t quite know how to react, your brain working in overdrive to try and process the words he had just spoken. “S-so you’re saying you’ll…” you flinched at your own stutter, watching Kishibe eye you carefully. “That I’ll show you how a man properly satisfies a lady? Yes, that’s exactly what I’m saying, Sugar.” Your heart jumped at the nickname.

You found it hard to speak, instead you kept your mouth shut and watched your old mentor pay his tab before grabbing his coat off the back of his chair. “I paid for the fool’s meal as well as yours, he’ll get home on his own just fine. Let’s go.” Kishibe was heading towards the door, you waited till he was facing away to shoot Denji a look. The blonde seemed a bit awestruck that you were already leaving with him, you just shrugged as you left. You’d probably have to apologize the next time you saw him.

Before you knew it you were slipping into the passenger side of Kishibe’s car, thanking him softly for opening and closing the door for you. He slipped on the other side a moment later, turning the key so the engine roared to life. “I didn’t think you were the car type.” You commented softly, eyes scanning the amount of gadgets that littered the dashboard. The car’s interior was all black leather, that was at least something you expected from him.

“I’m not but the holiday bonus was nice and I needed an upgrade anyways.” He cracked his window, lighting up a cigarette before pulling out of the restaurant’s small lot and out into the bustling street. You didn’t expect him to be nervous, nor did you expect him to be awkward about the situation. Yet you were practically squirming in your seat, hoping he’d show some sort of nervousness to help you feel less inexperienced.

His cigarette hung half hazardously from his lips, one hand on the wheel while the other came down to rest on your thigh. You nearly choked on your own saliva, heat pooling in your gut at the simple action. “Amuse me, would you? What’s the best thing a guy has done for you, Hmm?” Smoke puffed out around his cigarette, eyes locked on the road as he waited for your response. “Offer to walk me home.” You admitted sheepishly, not quite sure how he’d react to such a lame response. It was true your taste in men hadn’t really benefited you in any way up until now.

He let out a gruff laugh, slowing down as he pulled up to a red light and plucked the cigarette from his lips. “That’s it? Seriously? Where the hell are you finding these bummy men?” You weren’t sure why his clear annoyance affected you the way it did, but you found yourself struggling to not press your thighs together. A small effort to relieve some of the ache, you knew if you moved your legs even a little he’d feel it. Then again, he was driving you back to his apartment to fuck you… would it really matter? “No need to be tense.” He murmured softly, hand squeezing your thigh.

“…’m not tense.” A stupid lie but it made him chuckle so you couldn’t really be mad at it. “Let me help you relax.” The cigarette was back between his lips, hand on the wheel as the light turned green. Kishibe pushed on your thigh, silently asking you to spread them. It took your brain a few seconds to properly respond, spreading them just enough that he could fit his hand between them. “Atta girl…” smoke puffed out around his lips once again, filling your nose in an almost intoxicating way. You were a bit shocked by the praise, nearly letting a whimper slip out.

The man you knew as your mentor was certainly not the same as the man sitting beside you. Then again you doubted he would ever woo the amount of women he did with his mentor attitude. Kishibe’s hand gingerly crept up your thigh before dipping between to cup your panty covered cunt. You mentally thanked yourself for wearing a skirt, giving the man in the driver's seat easy access to where you wanted him the most. He could feel your warmth radiating through the thin material, on top of that he could tell you were already wet.

Kishibe exhaled deeply, forcing himself to remain focused on the road even though he’d really like to look over and gauge your reaction. Truthfully, he had been waiting patiently for quite some time now for you to be the one to make the first move. He wasn’t lying when he said you were transparent with your emotions, but even then he didn’t want to risk creating awkward situations. He was getting old after all, a fifty year old man going for a woman in her twenties would certainly look terrible on his part if the other party didn’t reciprocate.

Maybe he was just a creepy old pervert for thinking that way.

Regardless, it was starting to get hard to ignore the persistent stiffness between his own legs. You’re breathing had hitched, suddenly dizzied by the fact that his hands were already on you. Two fingers pressed against the wetmark on your panties, drawing a sigh from your lips as he rubbed the material softly. “You’re more excited than you let on.” it was an off hand comment, one that had your fingers gripping the door handle to keep yourself grounded. Kishibe’s fingers slid along your slit, settling over your pulsing clit.

“You’ve said no man has ever satisfied you… I take it because he didn’t know where this was…” he pressed down, sending a shock of pleasure through you. Your mouth opened but nothing came out, slowly he began rubbing tentative circles, making sure you keep his fingers on the cloth of your panties. He wouldn’t let you feel his bare fingers just yet. More smoke puffed out, filling the car briefly before being sucked out the window. “I asked you a question, sugar.” you turned to look at him, face warm as his fingers continued to pleasure you. “T-that would be right…”

“Every woman is different, is this good for you?” you knew he was referring to his current action. “Y-yeah but…” you reached for his hand, placing yours over his as you guided him to a faster tempo. Kishibe took the reins again instantly, chuckling softly as you let out a soft moan. “Hmm, that better?” it was low, enough you send shivers through you as your hips jerked into his hand. “Need more…” you couldn’t quite figure out what specifically you needed, you just knew you needed more of him. “I know.” was all he said, fingers working you up continuously as he drove.

Part of you had to wonder if he was even driving you to his apartment at this point. It felt like you were going in circles around the city as he got you off in his front seat. Before you knew it, you felt your orgasm creeping up on you. “S-shit…” you clenched around nothing, the tension in your gut had appeared a lot quicker than usual. “You’re gonna cum, aren’t you?” he teased softly, fingers picking up speed ever so slightly. You mumbled out some sort of ‘yes’, gasping softly as the tension continued to build.

Maybe it was the combination of everything, Kishibe, his hand, the fact that he was doing this almost absentmindedly while driving through the city, everything was edging you on. “Then cum for me. Show me how much of a little slut you are. I mean really, you’re going to cum from me rubbing you through your panties. You’ll ruin them.” You whined at his words, the tension building so intensely that you were certain you’d fall apart. “Atta girl…cum for me” encouraged again, rolling to a stop at yet another red light.

He looked over at you know, the sudden motion causing you to turn to look at him. “C’mon… no need to hold back.” he sneered, the ghost of a smirk on his lips. You felt your lower lip tremble, head turning to look back at the road as your orgasm crashed down over you. Breathless gasps escaped your lips, hand shooting down to hold Kishibe’s wrist as he continued to work you through your ogasm. “…ough… enough…” you squeaked, overstimulation taking over as the light turned green.

He only slowed because of the light turning green, hand never retracting from where it was between your legs. “Here we are.” He commented offhand, pulling into the parking lot of his apartment building. You blinked, the throb already returning. “Hope you’re not worn out… I haven’t even gotten to show you a proper good time.” He pulled into a numbered space, shifting into park and plucking the nearly gone cigarette from his lips. You watched him put it out on an ashtray in his cup holder, turning the car off a moment later.

“Well?” You shivered as his hand pulled away, making you want to chase after him. “Y-yeah…I’m not worn out. Hell, after your training it’s hard to ever get worn out these days…captain.” You teased softly, not knowing where the confidence came from. A smile actually tugged at his lips, hand reaching for the door handle and pushing it open. “I’ll remember that, sugar.” For some reason, you felt as if you had just dug your own grave.

[fury-brand]

Bizarre to me how unanimous the csm 167 tag is about interpreting this chapter as being SA and primarily about consent. I don't think it's either of those things.

Part 2 of CSM has had a lot to do with desire. The tension between Denji's desire for a normal life and his desire to be chainsaw man, and Asa's struggle to feel any desire at all, up to and including the desire to keep living at one point. A couple chapters back Denji talks about eating toilet paper and how it's impossible to go back. Part of what he's expressing and has been expressing is this idea that desire is ruinous. You can't go back to eating toilet paper once you've overcome desperation and been "ruined" by the desire for food. His desire for chainsaw man's violence has superceded his desire for a normal life and "ruined" it. Leading up to this he's saying his dick (his desire) has ruined everything.

But the answer isn't to cut off desire, the desire to be treated with dignity, the desire for a life where you are fulfilled, or sexual desire. Asa has been illustrating that. I think what's happening in this chapter is happening in the context of frustrated desire, both Asa and Denji's.

Asa has been very touchy about sex so far. She thinks that it's gross, and thinks that Denji is gross for wanting it. It's an obstacle to realizing their relationship more fully. But she's also heartsick and lonely, and in the same way Denji erroneously filters all his desire for intimacy through a desire for sex, Asa seems cut off from her desire completely. What happens in 167 directly confronts Asa with her feelings about sex, both Denji's and her own. It seems like Yoru is actually acting on Asa's repressed desires, and perhaps the two are not as separable as we once thought. They start kissing as a direct result of her remembering that they have kissed already before!

And this is chainsaw man so the whole thing is messy and awkward and certainly a mixed experience, but I will be surprised if the characters' enduring feelings about this will be that they've been violated or traumatized. Asa and Denji are peers. Asa is explicitly contrasting with other women Denji has encountered, being squeamish about sex rather than willing to exploit Denji's desire for it for her own ends. Denji's sexual desire is as real as his desire for connection. And Asa's desires for love are real, too -- Yoru seems to be acting on Asa's repressed desires, which were even more deeply hidden from her by Nayuta (a far less ambiguous violation, by the by). Reading what's occuring between them as unambiguously non-consensual and disgusting makes less sense than reading it as messy confrontation of the barriers in their relationship that will need to be surmounted for them to make the connection they're circling and desperately craving.

Anyway, plenty of people have said chainsaw man is often about sexual assault and so what were people expecting, but they're coming up a little short:

Chainsaw man is also about sex. Not just in the context of trauma, not just as a narrative tool to abuse Denji, just sex and desire and the awkward teen years that demand the negotiation of both.

[soapflavoredtea]

Dogwatch | Denji

Pairing: Denji x Black Reader

Word Count: 1.3k

Summary: Denji sees a black person for the first time

Content/Warnings: Denji being an absolute idiot, Not beta read so some typos

"[Name], could you be a dear and cover my shift?"

There they were. The words you had been waiting–anticipating even, to come out of your coworker's mouth the moment she strode in.

"Hard pass."

Your coworker tightly grasped her hands into a prayer as she gave you puppy eyes. A tactic that would’ve been a million percent more effective had it not been for the small fact that she was a grown woman approaching her thirties. "This'll be the last time, I promise!"

"That's what you said last time, Hanami."

“I actually mean it this time!”

She had also said that last time.

Shrugging on your thin jacket you rolled your eyes at her woman before heading towards the door. It was a quarter until ten on a Sunday. You had school first thing in the morning, and to say that you were a little behind on work would be the understatement of the century. 

Hanami quickly moved in front of you, arms spread wide with zero intention of letting you leave. "Please [Name], my feet are extra swollen today and--and the doctor told me it isn't good for me to be working late shifts like this. Me and the baby need rest!”

Usually, you posed zero complaints to the prospect of covering her shifts. Doing so always gave you somewhat of a valid excuse for turning in assignments late and the additional pay was never something to complain about. Also because she was pregnant. That too was very important.

But today, you couldn't find any reason to say yes. Even if for some reason you did agree, you wouldn't be getting home until at least 5:30 in the morning. Leaving you with an hour, if lucky two, to sleep and another to get ready before you had to start booking it to your homeroom. 

Yeah, definitely a hard pass.

Sidestepping her with ease, you resumed your way to the door, pushing it open to be met with the nice feeling of the late summer breeze against your face. The familiar chime of the convenience store rang through your ears leaving you deaf to her continued pleas. 

"I'll talk with the boss about that raise you always wanted!"

At her words, you slammed the brake in your steps. Hanami and the boss had always been close. Perhaps a little too close. (Because for all you knew, the baby was probably his.) But at the end of the day, a raise was a raise and you were never one to stick your nose where it had no business being.

"I'm listening."

Her eyes widened in surprise at your sudden change in attitude. "Yeah...yeah! Tomorrow I'll make sure to talk about it with him and–uh we can go from there."

And though reluctant, in the end, you decided to do it.

______

Working the night shift was a lot less adrenaline-inducing than you had initially thought, and after two hours of working it, you could quickly tell it was going to be nothing like the many horror stories you'd spent your nights reading.

No attempted robbery. No mass murderer. No spooky paranormal experience. Nothing,

A small, small fucked up part of you was wishing for something to happen so you could guilt Hanami into never throwing another shift on you again. 

For a brief moment, you thought the moment was coming when a creepy man. He had an odd, faraway look in his eyes and kept staggering around the store. Mumbling to nobody in particular but himself. However, after closer inspection, it was very apparent he was just a tired guy trying to go home and not some random pervert. 

As much as you were grateful for it, the lack of shoppers left you with nothing else to do but drown in your boredom. You silently cursed yourself for not bringing any of your schoolwork. You'd rather be doing that than rearrange soup cans again. 

The store’s bell, for the second time that evening, finally rang again. You shot up to straighten your posture so fast it was a miracle you didn’t pull anything. Looking to the door you saw a familiar top knot and a not-so-familiar messy head of blond. The former's look of surprise was evident on his face as he, and who you could only assume was his comrade, made their way to the counter.

"Since when have you worked the night shift?" Aki asked.

"Since today, or tonight or…this morning, I guess.” You were tired. Oh so very tired.

"Tell them to move you back. It isn't safe for kids your age to be working this late."

A devil hunter trying to lecture you about safety? You almost laughed at the irony.

You gave him a swift, half-assed salute, "Will do. So the usual?"

He responded with a curt nod.

Grabbing the small pack of cigarettes you moved it up to the scanner ready to recite the price listed on the screen before he interrupted you.

"Actually, add another pack, please."

"Long day?"

His dark blue eyes narrowed at his partner, "You have no idea."

“That makes two of us then,” you replied, repeating the action of scanning once more before telling him the total.

As the young adult fished down into his pocket you finally got a chance to look at the boy who accompanied him, and at that, your brows furrowed in worry. 

You knew what Aki's job was and the many risks that came with it. Over the past three months of working here, he had come in with quite several recruits before they eventually stopped coming. And by the way, the look in his eyes became more diminished–well it didn’t take a genius to put two and two together.

The boy who accompanied him was the same age as you, if not a bit older. Kids had no business being anywhere near an industry like that but you knew it was out of your control and for that you pitied him.

Or you would have if not for his staring problem.

His head was tilted with eyes that were boring into your soul. You recognized the look on his face easily. It was the same one you would have when you’d be in the middle of taking a test and seeing a question you knew for a fact was never taught. Even if the teacher claimed up and down that it was on the study guide. None of this was cute or flattering. Just deeply, deeply unsettling.

In an attempt to give him the benefit of the doubt, you glanced behind you. Because surely with an expression like that he had to be looking at something else. But just as you suspected there was nothing. You briefly brought your hand up to your chin to make sure there wasn’t any drool on your chin that you had unknowingly let slip. But again, nothing.

"Aki,” you started, “would your friend want anything?"

He looked offended at the statement but let out a sigh turning around to speak with the boy, whose face was still contorted in deep thought. "Oi, Devil, do you want anything?"

"Why..." he pondered for a moment, "why is yer skin like that?"

"Like what?" you responded warily as you slid the cigarettes across the counter.

"So dark."

The packs of nicotine hitting the ground was the only sound that filled the store, safe from the flickering lights.

Aki's face was completely mortified.

Yours’s in utter astonishment.

While the teenage boy just stood there. His eyes darted between the two of you before shrugging his shoulders and turning to the magazine section.

He hadn't even got one step in before Aki was dragging him out by the collar, throwing a large wad of cash onto the counter before doing so.

That night you'd been left with the biggest tip of your life. And the afternoon following, as promised, you received the raise.

[suhmingo]

I, uh, don’t know how to actually preface this. It’s really just a mini rant/pseudo-analysis of chapter 167. Which was pretty crazy. But, I loved this chapter, and yes I’m typing this with two hands.

But first let me try and do some housekeeping.

It’s perfectly fine to have an emotional, even visceral reaction to 167. That’s the point

If you feel grossed out, betrayed, unnerved, dumbstruck, or any form of bamboozled by today’s chapter then good! That means the emotional weight of the scene is working, and that you are a proper, feeling human. The

The whole point of fiction is to explore themes that would be difficult, even dangerous to experience from a place of safety. To me that’s, like the entire reason I ever wanted to become a writer, one of the most unsung broke boy jobs in the history of the world. My desire for Denji to get better in a world that is dead set on making him fail is the entire reason I have an emotional investment in the first place. Stories are inherently about conflict and the struggle with resolving conflict, that should make you uncomfortable.

Say what you want about Chainsaw Man. I can take it, I’m a big boy. But one thing that it has always had since Chapter one is a well-defined through line about the complexity of our innate desire to find some type of love fighting against the pain-wrought pathway that it leads us down. In a good story, every chapter should have some way of showing the highs and lows of that theme, and I’m pretty confident when I say that 167 perfectly shows us that.

It’s bad. Don’t let people who brag about their trauma tolerance tell you otherwise. You are well within your right to feel. But I think it would behoove people to 1. Realize that this is fiction, and its effects, though evocatory, are ultimately abstract, and 2. Realize that exploring dark themes allows people, especially a 16-25 (Or whatever the target audience for CSM is) to grapple with and think on human concepts as all encompassing as love.

From a writing standpoint, one chapter has escalated the tension of the entire story more than anything that has happened in Part 2 so far. It’s admittedly a bit early to call it peak. But looking at it as a simple story beat, that’s a fantastic chapter as far as the medium goes.

Listen, the whole point of stories since, like, Mesopotamian times was the tension between wanting a character to achieve happiness vs the hardships and trauma that life happens in life. They’re supposed to put you in a sensitive state emulative of a tense environment. I’d argue that the prevalence of escapist fiction and fandom has changed how we emotionally digest fiction. But that’s a whole nother essay.

The events of 167 aren’t some horny non-sequitur. Everything that happened is entirely a logical, if graven, extension of how we know characters.

Denji is at the lowest point we have ever seen him at. He was literally dismembered and put back together less than 10 chapters ago. The last chapter literally had him groveling on his knees at a cauldron’s brew of his own weakness, immaturity, stupidity, and horniness. I think we can all understand why he would not be in a good mental state to just lose himself in the moment. You can’t even blame Denji in this situation. He was in an entirely vulnerable state that was exploited entirely by

Yoru. Who is the literal embodiment of war. If you think that someone who represents the human fear of war is going to play fair. Turn on the news for five minutes. Yoru is a character we are not supposed to like. She’s fun, because she’s a work of fiction, but she’s arguably less trustworthy than Fami. She’s a violent, exploitative being who possesses a dead teenager. There is no “too far” for her if it’s the fastest way on the road to conquest. Reminder that before she caught feelings, her plan was literally just to castrate Denji because she thought that would further her goals. The fact that it turned into kissing was actually sparing a worse fate. IMO that savior was all in the actions of Asa.

Asa. I genuinely believe that, subconsciously, Asa wanted to kiss Chainsaw Man. Not like how it happened. Never like how it happened, but her desire for Denji/Chainsaw Man's affection has always been evident. She gets irreparably upset when she’s stood up, she makes cringe poetry for Chainsaw Man, and her entire goal as of now is in some misguided desire to make him happy. I also don’t think Asa is actually demisexual, or averse to sex. She is afraid of intimacy, which stops her from ever acting on her urges. Notice that both times Yoru has kissed Denji, it was after the idea of sex and intimacy was explicitly brought to the conversation. To me that screams that Yoru is spurred on by her host’s innate desires. Hell, it’s been shown that in the same way that Yoru has made Asa more proactive of a human being, Asa has made her feel emotions. I don’t think it's a coincidence that Yoru is blushing while kissing Denji. None of that was part of her plan. That’s Asa’s emotional influence getting the better of her in what I predict to be a fantastic role reversal of their initial contract.

This is thematically in line with how Chainsaw Man presents love and sets up deeper themes.



Remember way back in Part One when Denji was just an initial horndog and everybody kinda hated him? I hated Denji back then! When I first heard of Chainsaw Man I genuinely thought it was going to be a mommy-kink fuelled power fantasy. But I was wrong. Wonderfully wrong. Fujimoto used the allure of that idea in Makima to present a story about how dangerous and manipulative the very idea of grooming is, and how damaging that can be to a person. The same way Denji’s desire to get the approval of Makima was poisonous to him is mirrored in his desire for vapid, instantly gratifying sex is being portrayed here. I genuinely think this chapter is going to age like fine wine, and I am absolutely willing to take egg on my face if I’m wrong.

[toggle1-mrfipp]

CSM 165: Asaden Monkey's Paw

With Katana Man's suggestion of going to a brothel, I sort of had a horrifying idea how this could end.

Sex is an important thing in Chainsaw Man and how varying characters interact with it and Denji being one of the most prominent examples. He started this story salivating for even the slightest touch of the female form, but when we got it with Power he was left disappointed and he didn't know why. Despite everything Makima did to him, all the horrible ways she manipulated and destroyed him, he took her lessons about intimacy to heart, and that's what he ultimately wants in the end. He refused to sleep with Himeno, he refused to take advantage of Power, he asked Asa out on a second date instead to grope her breast, Denji's story is not about him not wanting sex, but intimacy. Denji wants to be close to someone, he wants to be loved on equal grounds, and while he found love with Aki, Power and Nayuta, he is looking for a love that they simply cannot provide for him. But where has that search for love gotten him? Himeno vomited down with throat, Reze bit off his tongue and tried to kill him, Makima destroyed his life and killed the two other people in his life he had grown to love, and Asa, the one girl who "didn't hurt him" is now looking to be no better than them. Denji's search for love and intimacy has seen him hurt, betrayed and manipulated again and again and again, leaving him not with a single wholly genuine experience. On top of this, his life has gone down the drain, his pets, Nayuta and the "normal life" that was forced upon him had burnt down around him, leaving him with nothing to show for all the pain he's been through in his life, and he ultimately blames himself for it.

I feel like there's a good chance he might accept Katana Man's offer to visit a brothel, and that his reason for doing so won't be because he'll find intimacy, but because he just doesn't care anymore. Between his own misery and belief that he cannot be happy for the deaths of his family, and his own constant hurt and disappointment with love, I think he might do this because to him there's just no value in wanting that intimacy anymore, he'll just do it to get it over with. it'll be something to just mark off a checklist instead of something to savor and enjoy.

Then there is Asa. We know that she does not like sex, that she thinks it's gross, but it's clear that she feels this way because she's afraid of intimacy. Having sex means making yourself vulnerable to someone, and Asa's past experiences have taught her that getting close to people only result in her getting her. She is afraid of being alone, but she's afraid of getting close to people, she made her thoughts clear to Denji when he saved her, but something changed for her. Denji saving her made her feel valued, appreciated, that there was something in her worth valuing. Everything Asa did was so she could "save" Chainsaw Man, to prove to herself that she could help someone and be of use, but as we've seen it's not panned out well for her. Denji isn't happy for her saving him, he's more miserable than he's ever been, when Denji points out how shady Fami is she says her heart is in the right place, and when he talks about having to eat toilet paper from public restrooms she tries to see it as a metaphor.

Asa wants to help Denji, but she's still thinking about herself in doing it, because Asa's story is about her trying to help people and those same people being hurt or dying because of her wanting to do the right thing. She can't accept that Fami's not a good person who is responsible for possibly millions of deaths around the world, she can't accept that Denji's "normal" before Chainsaw Man saw him in such an extreme poverty, she can't self-reflect on herself because that would mean realizing she made all the wrong choices, and that the person she tried to help, that made her feel good about herself is suffering and she has a hand to play it. In her desperation to save Chainsaw Man she has only brought him misery.

I think there's a chance that Denji and Asa may have sex in the worst circumstances possible for them.

If Denji is at a point where he no longer cares about intimacy, and Asa remains desperate to convince Denji that "normal" is good for him, I think she might offer herself to be his sexual partner. I've seen people misunderstand Denji's issues and that having sex will solve his problems without thinking about the strong emotional context of situation, and I feel like Asa might be in that same spot, where she'll convinced herself that Denji having sex would solve his problems and make him happy. "Having sex with a girlfriend is normal, we went on a date so us having sex would be normal! See how good normal is!"

Denji and Asa are two people who want to find intimacy and love, but if they were to have sex under these conditions they would find neither; Denji would only do it because he sees no value in waiting anymore, and Asa would only do it because her very sense of self-value is on the line, there would be no love or understanding in this, just more grief and loneliness.

I straight up wrote a fanfic about this.

[curvykittyyssmutfics]

Direct Instruction

"Slow down, Denji. You're gonna overstimulate her too quick. Slow licks. Yeah.. Just like that. Take your time, she ain't goin nowhere."

Aki speaks from across the room, patiently observing Denji struggle not to devour you. He slips his t-shirt off but leaves his sweats on. Head tilted, one hand resting on his raging dick as he leans back further into his chair. You don't know why he's still clothed; made you and Denji get undressed soon as this started.

"I don't want tooo. She tastes so fuckin sweet. Its like candy, Aki."

Denji's a fuckin brat but slows down anyway, giving you a chance to catch your breath. Even with him replacing his savage ass sucking with fast little kitten licks, you can't dig your toes out the mattress at the feeling.

"Yeah, I know she does. Don't mean you can do whatever you want." Aki tells him, squeezin his dick to the sight of you.

"Not the fuckin boss of me.." Denji mumbles into your pussy, making Aki's brow raise.

"That right? Want me to shut this shit down? Fuck y/n till she can't see straight while we leave you to play by yourself?"

That gets Denji back on track. Doesn't dare talk back. Only whines into your sensitive lil pus before getting back to his task.

"Thought so. Fuckin brat. Did you not promise me to work on followin directions? Gonna have to handle your bad ass later.. And you better make her cum real good too."

Theres no doubt about that. Tip of his tongue is dead on, swiping that spot on your slippery nub with an accuracy you wouldn't have thought a virgin could possess. He's only been between your legs for a couple minutes but apparently a few tips from Aki and suddenly he's a pro.

"Ahh, ahhh- Denji! Can't believe- didn't think- ohmygod!"

Aki chuckles as Denji moans around your clit, gripping around your thighs tight. The vibrations put an arch in your back that make Aki finally pull himself out to stroke; he's way too fuckin hard watchin you so drunk on pleasure.

"See what you're doin to her? She can barely take it. Use your fingers.. Yeah, like that. Bet shes squeezin round you.. Always bear hugs the fuck outta my dick when I first slide in."

"Mmmhmmm.."

A finger swipes at your opening, experimenting with the slip and slide of you. Denjis curious. Slowly lets his digit creep inside, suckin at you a little quicker. He's stares at your glistening lil puss, mesmerized by how you engulf him like his lips do to your clit.

"Good boy, Denji. Thats it.. Isn't he doin so well, sweet heart? Makin your lil puss flutter nice and tight, huh? Well, tell him then. Dont be rude.."

"Yeeees, Aki! Makin me feel so- ah, ah, ah!"

Denji can't take it anymore. Wants you to be a good boy, and to be the one that makes you cum but he so fuckin selfish. Needs something from you first: wants a real taste of your pretty lil chocolate pussy. So he abandons your clit, pulling you even tighter against his mouth so he can dig his tongue inside of you as far as it can go.

"Ohhhhmyyy- uh, uh, uh!"

It's too intense too fuckin quick. Your yank at his hair to pull him back but he doesn't budge, leaning into you body to trap you against the bed. He wiggles it inside of you erratically, no rythym at all. Just trying his damnest to reach your depths.

"Geez, Denji.. Should've known; you never fuckin listen."

But Aki doesn't stop him, quickening his strokes as he gets up to stand closer for a better view. He swipes at the precum streaming from his flushed tip. Reaching down with the same hand to pluck at your stiff nipples, smearing them sticky before rubbin slow teasing circles around your clit.

"Listen to that.. Hear that cute lil pussy singin for us? She's loud.. Even louder than your mouth. You so nasty, baby."

"Mmm mmm mmm."

Denji doesnt even hear Aki anymore, groaning in between your thighs like you just offered him a feast. Which is hella funny cause that's how he eats you. It's so damn sloppy, too messy. Your juices and his spit mixing to slide down your ass to the bed.

"Gonna cum Denji! Dont stop, please. Fuh-uuck.. More, Akiiii!"

Your pleas the prettiest symphony either of em has ever heard.

"Okay, y/n, okay. Let it out- ahhh.. Need to see you wet up his mouth, princess.Ohhh, gonna buss- don't stop Denji. Our girls gonna cum. Huh, y/n? Fuuuuck, you're so damn. beautiful."

He gives your twitchy lil button the attention you need, just not in the way expect. Stops rubbing to land 3 swift smacks against your clit. But your gone by the first, mindlessly squealing and cumming on Denji's mouth. Hips twisting uncontrollably but his hold on your thick thighs keeps you in place by. All the while, the fuckin brat makes multiple attempts to reach that special spot inside you with his devilish tongue.

"Mmmmfankoooohmmmm!"

Denji groans his appreciation when you shower his swollen mouth with your love. His tongue batters your walls, forcing moan after moan from your throat till your voice cracks.

What neither of you expect is for the scene to become to much for Aki. He pushes Denji to the side and bullies his cock between your spasming walls. He relishes how the end of your orgasm pushes him into his own.

"No fair, Aki! Wasn't done yet. Not your turn!" Denji's whining, swiftly standing to take Aki's place.

"Shut it."

He strokes his dick slowly, whimpering when he notices how Aki fucks you so good that when your lips part to cry nothin comes out. No breath in your lungs, mouth open wide in a silent scream as Aki leans over you and humps you quick and hard. You're left to grip at your covers, shapely brown legs wrapping around his waist; having no choice but to take what he gives you.

"Yeeees y/n! Bout to fill up my pussy, baby. You ready? Gonna take it all? Got so much cum for you, princess!"

You shake your head, hoping he takes some pity and pulls out.

"Nooo, Aki. Take it out. Don't want you too."

Your mumbled denial definitely lacks conviction.

"Too fuckin bad, baby- ohhhhshit! Can't stop now. Mmmm.. 'S too amazin y/n. Ahhh.."

Aki fills you and then some, thick streams pushing out everytime he fucks back into you. You're thankful his strokes turn shallow at the end of his nut, energy draining from his limbs as he lays over you heavily.

Denji watches as he jerks, envious of the intimacy between you two as Aki pecks kisses all over your face.

"A-aki, 'm close, so fuckin close.. Can I cum? Please, Aki, please?"

"No. Hands off." Voice commanding, he's back to his stoic demeanor; even though his hips still stutter slowly into yours.

Denji groans in disbelief, droppin his hand reluctantly. He can't believe Aki's bein this way. You came and he clearly just satisfied himself, shivers still running through him as he pulls his dick out of you. So then why can't Denji find some fuckin relief too?

But then Denji's pleasantly surprised when Aki spreads you wide, both watching as his nut pools too your entrance. You cover your eyes with your arm, embarrassed how they stare at his cum slowly oozing out and into the big puddle beneath you.

Aki looks at Denji, smiling brightly; cock still stiff as fuck.

"Kay, Denji. Put it in, your turn.."

[fangirlingtod3ath]

Denji's mischaracterization is insane.

ehrm so this is going to be a huge text, be aware! I don't wanna hear anyone cryin' cus I warned 🗣 ❗❗

If there is something that surprises me about Chainsawman it's not his author (and that's saying a lot) nor his other works that can be said the same as him, not even the behavior and actions of the characters. What surprises me is the huge mischaracterization the fandom has with the characters, specifically Denji. I would understand the impression Denji gives to someone who has never seen Chainsawman. Because let's be honest, we all thought at the beginning that Denji was going to be that perverted protagonist, someone like Meliodas or much worse characters. That was my first impression, to the point that I almost stopped watching Chainsawman, and thank goodness I didn't at the end. Because for me Chainsaw is one of those animes that opens your mind after finishing it.

That's why I'm not surprised that people have that first opinion about Denji. But what surprises me is those people who have seen it and are considered "fans" and have no idea about Denji's character. And I think that ignorance says a lot about how society feels about men who have been victims of SA. Yes, I'm talking about those who say "I wish I was Denji" "Denji liked it" In addition to that, lately fans are complaining about the 2nd part, with the comment "chainsawman is not like before"... it has always been the same. Nothing has changed (except the art style but let's forget about that) The story continues to be about a boy who is manipulated and used by people who want his power. And those same people take advantage of Denji's feelings, they take advantage of this child who has lived his entire life surrounded by bad people who never taught him how to love and be loved. A life so mediocre that he even thought that the only way to feel happiness and love was through s3x.

What people think is that Denji is your typical "perverted" teenager with weird fetishes. But to be honest, Denji is the most innocent character I know, and I say innocent because imagine thinking that the only way to feel love is through intimating, because no one in your f social group has ever taught you what love means. Denji IS NOT LOOKING FOR S3X. Denji is looking for someone to teach him how to love and be loved, what happens is that he has lived in such circumstances in which he does not know how to differentiate between one and the other. A perfect example that many people don't see about this is Makima: The first thing Denji thinks about Makima is that he loves her and wants to have s3x with her, but as he learns and has new experiences, little by little his vision of Makima changes. He thought that what he felt for Makima was love between couples because he believed that that was the only love that existed, but in the end he ends up seeing her as a maternal figure. That love he felt for her was maternal. But at the end how could he know? How could he know that's what he was feeling when he never had a mother figure in her life? Do you get what I'm saying?

Another example in which Denji realizes that love is not only through s3x is the love he feels for his friends. Power and Aki are not only his friends, they end up becoming his family. That's when Denji feels family love (and I don't think people realize this achievement between Denji and Aki's relationship. Denji has lived surrounded by men and due to his bad experiences with them he hates them. This same thing happened with Aki, but he ended up trusting him and became an important person in his life)

Do you realize that at the beginning the first thing Denji was looking for was s3x? Well, Denji ended up finding what he wanted most in the world: love, and he found it in a different way than expected. Even in part 2 they show us how Denji now has to take care of a little girl. And how does he do it? Giving her love.

For me that's what chainsawman is about. It's about a boy learning about life, it's about a boy who throughout his experiences finds the different types of love that exist in the world: romantic love, maternal love, family love, love of friends... And I hope this could be seen in more animes. There is not only one type of love, there are several. And I think csm by my point of view represents this pretty well.

I have always said it and I will always say it: Chainsawman is not for everyone. Chainsawman touches on such sensitive and deep topics (such as s3xual assault and hypersexuality) that not many people are going to understand or accept because for me they are sensitive, they are too young or they still need to learn more about life (Which is okay!) Even though it is an anime Chainsawman has never been for children, Chainsawman is not innocent. As I said, it touches on topics that today in the society we live in we could not say out loud. That's why Fujimoto is the f goat. For having written a story with situations as delicate as these in an ANIME. He is one of the few authors who is not silenced, no one is going to stop his creativity, his other works prove it. And another thing that is sad is that all these situations that happen in chainsawman and that happen in real life too, they relate it to fan service. Nowadays people think that all series or movies that have a sexual theme in the middle are for the public's pleasure. How have we ended up thinking that SA is for your pleasure?

Denji still has a lot to learn, let's remember that he is still a child who has been manipulated all his life. People don't suddenly change and make good decisions, especially someone as traumatized as him. His traumas prevent him from continuing to grow and people therefore continue to take advantage of him through his greatest weakness. But I hope that one day they give us a Denji who has already learned from his bad experiences and becomes someone great. Because he deserves everything and much more. Justice for Denji.

[restenergy]

Given how all of Asa's traumatic memories and regrets have always been associated with her tripping and falling, I think is clear that the Falling Devil is an enemy specifically set up for her to defeat. There's also a higher chance Denji will be the one being saved by her, and not the other way around, because we don’t really know if he has properly processed his own trauma so he could very well be in as much danger as her. Maybe more. In relation to this, I have the theory that the cat in Asa's flashback is an analogy for Denji.

After her parents died, Asa started to isolate herself so as to not experience loss and grief again and because she thinks everyone who becomes close to her gets harmed due to her mistakes. Sadly, every experience she has had since Part Two started more or less validated her thoughts and for this reason she went on a second date with Denji to warn him to stay away from her and keep him safe. But then the Falling Devil appeared and unlocked one of her past memories where it is revealed she gave up Crambon—the cat she saved and her only remaining loved one after the Typhoon Devil's attack—so he could live happily someplace else, yet the cat died anyway.

I think this memory and then seeing Denji in danger (due to something she's not the cause of) is going to make her realize what Denji learned in Part One, that not matter how much you try to avoid bad things they’re going to happen anyway but that shouldn't mean you have to remain in fear and deprive yourself from living life to the fullest—a philosophy represented by the City Mouse whose path Denji embraced and which ties with Asa's wish of living more selfishly. Seeing Denji in danger could be the critical moment for her to sort out her feelings towards him, feelings she repressed in order to protect her pride and ease the burden of her self-imposed loneliness.

For Asa, Denji was "between cat and criminal" but this could be the moment when Denji finally ascends to "cat" in her eyes. This time, a cat she won't let go of.

[robotlesbianjavert]

Why do you think the makima reveal worked while the afo-tenko reveal didn't?

let me share an anecdote of me reading chainsaw man as part one was rolling. upon the release of chapter 71: bath. man makima has been really hot and sexy but also very sketchy and ambiguous this entire series i wonder what she obviously has planned for denji. but look denji is prioritizing his friendship and care for power over deluding himself into thinking he can has a real chance with a woman like makima, as many teenage boys delude themselves into thinking. whatever she's planning it doesn't matter because friendship and found family trumps all! me reading chapters 81: paw & 82: always eat a hearty breakfast, as they came out. i'm ending it all.

like honestly, part of the reason that the makima reveal works so well is that it's much more integrated into the story. obviously denji is the main character focused on throughout the entire story, and his developing dynamic with makima is highlighted throughout. but my experience, as i followed the story, was so focused on thinking about "what does makima have planned" that i missed the enormity of what she'd already done.

not only do we spend more time with that dynamic, but it's also so well entwined with the overall ideas of the story. one of things i love csm part one for is how tightly written it is - fujimoto had a strong idea of what he wanted to do from beginning to end. while i'm sure there was some massaging and diversion throughout the actual creation, i think it's apparent that fujimoto knew what he wanted to do with the characters and what he wanted to say with the story. one theme that is present throughout is what quality of life denji desires, how the standards for a satisfactory life keeps escalating as denji has more life experiences, as he fulfills more goals and has to find something new to satisfy him.

and that's directly entwined with makima's plans for denji - to satisfy his idea of a happy life, escalate that standard, and break him by taking it all away. that's baked into his relationships with aki, power, pochita, everyone - it's the central conceit of the entire story. it's very on the nose, and also one of the most engaging takes on a protagonist's relationship with his villainous pseudo-parental figure.

and basically. we know that makima's intentions for denji are sketchy all along, but it's difficult to deduce what exactly her plans are. then you learn, it's so much deeper and more horrible than expected, and it actively enriches the story, it's organically thematic. the kind of thing that made me immediately reread csm from the beginning with this knowledge in mind.

in comparison to shigaraki, while one of the if not theeeee central character, is still an antagonist/deuteragonist. he is cruelly forced to split share panel time with deku and bakugou and all might and whoever else, and accordingly we spend a lot less time specifically with shigaraki & afo than we do denji & makima. this isn't a bad thing - look at how much discussion shigaraki and afo's relationship has generated throughout the years, because what matters is what details are shared about them and how. you can say a lot about a story with very little!

i think it's also a matter of how expectations for each plotline were set up - with makima and denji, you know she's plotting, but you don't really know in which direction, why, how, what, etc. the tidbits you can meaningfully speculate off of aren't enough to come up with something better than what fujimoto had planned. i had simply carelessly thought she needed denji loyal to her for Whatever reason, not that she was going to dig so deeper into what we as readers knew about his past.

in comparison to bnha. listen remember way back when a big selling point for bnha's writing was for how it apparently subverted superhero and shonen tropes without being a grimdark deconstruction like idk. the boys or something. ultimately the problem there is that bnha only gets so far into that subversion before snapping right back to the norm of those genres, ie rah rah heroes so cool villains so vile whatever.

so with afo and shigaraki specifically. like for one, we know from basically the start that afo fucked with shigaraki's history in one way or another. he knew tenko was nana's grandkid, he conveniently was around when tenko was wandering helplessly through the streets. and when we know that from the get go, there's only so much you can to that before it gets a bit much. in comparison to where the twist with makima is that she didn't directly impact denji's past, but has enough knowledge of it to manipulate him in the present.

so when we get the "afo is possessing shigaraki" plotline in the PLF raid is less "WHOA who could have seen that coming" and more "ugh. so we're going there?"

the care that denji also had for aki and power is also both 100% organic on denji's part, while still being intended by makima, which is meant to make her manipulations hit that much harder (and also why things got tripped up with power. denjipower real forever). while with shigaraki and the league we as readers are in this weird grey area? afo is trying to lay claim to all of shigaraki's choices and development, which extends ambiguously to his relationship with the league, but the closest we get to afo actually using this against shigaraki is him overloading spinner with quirks? which can still screw afo over - after all, spinner certainly didn't wake up kurogiri the way that afo intended! i am holding onto that! but it still leaves the league as "collateral" throughout the manipulations in comparison to aki and power.

also like. i just want to know more about afo & shigaraki's relationship. we see the sum of makima & denji's relationship throughout the series, but afo & shigaraki's is left to either backstory, vague implication, or comical evil in the present. it's not that the story needs to show us a bunch of sappy shit, but it would also hit harder if we saw more of that emotional enmeshment, more reason to shigaraki to trust and respect afo that wasn't Obvious Evil, to make that betrayal an actual betrayal rather than a. yeah of course afo, obviously evil and manipulative man, would do all of that.

and going back to expectations. it was just cooler when there was more subversive expectations. like afo doing the mentor sacrifice at the kamino fight, letting shigaraki and crew get away and accepting the end of his era in favour of shigaraki's, versus all might who was still struggling with letting go of his legacy and handing it off to deku, something affirmed when toshinori, in his all might get up, visited an imprisoned afo who by all accounts was cool with shigaraki doing his own thing. until he wasn't? idk.

i guess basically. where csm succeeded with the makima reveal is that it showed a clarity of vision and foreplanning. bnha failed because it didn't enrich what was already there, pounded on what was already apparent in in cartoonish ways, and every alternative interpretation of the relationship was more engaging and original, and it's basically a clumsy shortcut to some of the things that horikoshi wants to say but simplified so that he can push his rah rah heroes so cool agenda.

also makima was innately sexy through all of that. while afo is my chewable barbie doll. it be what it be.

i feel like i had more to say but i sat on this too long and when crazy. again, it be what it be.

[angyo]

HOT DAMN ik i already said a bit abt csm 167 but i keep thinking of more extremely interesting shit here and the sheer inner turmoil in the shared body of asa and yoru

I was wrong, it's not yoru masterminding this. Maybe she is, but we've already got so many hints that yoru and asa are starting to rub off on each other, w/ yoru feeling asa's emotions and asa getting more nonchalant about death and killing. Everything until now has been a relatively clean merge, something neither of them even notices too much.

But denji is a jagged edge. Asa and yoru have very different approaches to love and interpersonal relationships. Asa being a sex repulsed and desperately lonely romantic and yoru being the embodiment of war, uninterested in love, & intimacy only being violence (because war).

The merging can't go unnoticed anymore, it's not just massaging red play doh into blue play doh anymore. Their feelings regarding denji and chainsaw man are so different and entirely irreconcilable the merge is hacking off a hand and painstakingly sewing each individual nerve and vein to the end of a fraying rope.

Here yoru is her usual uncaring self. Denji wants to lose his cock, so be it. Who cares, she's war, she's done worse and feelings never got in her way before.

When denji knocks the knife away that's a very asa face and reaction despite the scars showing it's clearly yoru. Yoru isn't this clumsy. It's not like denji peeled her hand open, he knocked it away and yoru wouldn't have such a loose grip on a weapon.

Yoru is shocked. This shouldn't feel too different from any other fight for her, why is she so shocked? I thought she was unaffected by emotion, so why would she feel even a second of confusion about hurting denji? It's like she's shocked at herself, and she reasserts herself by doubling down on the violence and gripping his balls. Doubt isn't like her, it must be a fluke. She'll finish it quick.

Once again, that is an Asa face with the yoru scar, immediately followed by yoru attempting to regain herself

And failing. This is yoru, why is she so confused? If she wanted to assault denji it wouldn't be unwarranted from War, but there's emotion in that kiss. She looks so shocked when she pulls back, this isn't yoru's idea nor is it asa's. Again it wouldn't be surprising if war decided to idk assert dominance by assaulting denji, but if that was her goal she'd be as confident and unphased as she usually is in fights. At worst she'd be angry if he didn't go along with it, but panicky? Confused? That's not like her

She's too emotionally involved to be yoru, but too sexual to be asa. This is the ugly joint of fraying rope and nerve endings. A girl neither asa nor yoru recognize as themselves and one they can't control as individuals. They are merging, but they can't merge into 1 whole person, they're so diametrically opposed in their views of interpersonal relationships that they can't fuse cleanly together and instead their jagged edges get smushed together with such force it makes a 3rd person they mutually hate and are unable to control.

Finally they split again and asa is so deeply fearful she takes over again. But despite losing the scar she keeps the horseman eyes, and the paneling splits her in half implying we are seeing both of their reactions here. And despite having seemingly been in control and making the decision to assault denji, asa and Yoru are equally terrified by what just happened.

This wasn't yoru raping denji then leaving asa to handle it. God that'd almost be better since at least then asa could blame her, but she can't. This was the ugly frankenstein joinery of yoru and asa acting here. Both individuals lost control of their shared body entirely while their desires were mangled and reshaped into something they find mutually disgusting but are forced to feel as enjoyment. Yoru experiences sensation and emotion she considers so far below her and is terrified by this loss of her devil nature. And asa is lost in indulgence of violent sexuality the likes of which she never could've previously imagined enjoying, let alone forcing onto the only person who ever gave a shit.

As a person she is so deeply concerned with morality and righteousness she won't even cross a red crosswalk with no cars around at night, but she's been forced to commit a crime so heinous as rape against the boy she likes and gain enjoyment from it.

It's so deeply violating not just of her agency but her existence as an individual it's hard to define in words, but i can only imagine asa scrambling away. Frantically she screams at yoru for fucking it all up so badly, only for yoru to be equally as scared and disgusted. This wasn't yoru's doing. This devil that has had such tight control of her for so long is completely clueless as to what the fuck even happened or why and points at asa because if it's not yoru it's asa yeah? But if they look deep inside themselves, they'll see that their reflection isn't them. Neither of them know who this is, and they can't talk to her or control her even as they get sucked into this singularity.

[sugar-grigri]

"Sorry, but I didn't want denji's first time to be in an alley after being afraid of having his dick cut off" to be honest, most people's first sexual experiences aren't ideal either.

Also everyone thinks that Yoru jacked him off when...I'm pretty sure she just had her hand down there, and that contact + the kissing made Denji cum? I don't know, I think Fujimoto would've shown some movement down there to indicate masturbation, but there was none.

I also think that while, yes, the scene was awful for everyone involved (Denji, Yoru *and* Asa) I...don't believe it was non-consensual, at least on Yoru's and Denji's part. Like, Denji even reciprocated at some points. (There is a conversation to be had about that people sometimes DO reciprocate under the pressure in some rape scenarios but...i don't feel this is one of those cases). I think Denji was just confused about Yoru going from "I'm going to cut off your dick" to tenderly kissing him. As a final thought, I seriously don't think Fujimoto did this for the lulz or to be edgy. You do not devote 7 pages of your 16 page issue just to shitpost. This is a very serious chapter, that will have lasting repercussions on Yoru's, Asa's, and especially Denji's character arcs

I'll get back to you Anon but I think I'll stop talking about it afterwards, not that it's not exciting but there's no point in confronting two interpretations to make them agree, we have the right to disagree

- I agree that first times aren't ideal, and I didn't expect Denji to have the best sex session of his life. I wanted him to experience it under the right conditions. These are not good conditions. I'd like him to understand that sex can be a consensual act, between two equal parties.

- The chapter is long, the title is super smoochy, which indicates that it's not a kiss, a hand rub, we have a strong number of pages where they kiss, it lasted a while. And whether it's masturbation or not, it has no impact on my interpretation. In fact, it's quite subsidiary. It's still a sex scene, no matter what we decide about what they're doing.

- I’m sorry but I don't understand how this scene can be interpreted as consensual. You've developed your own reasons, but I'm sorry, Asa wasn't even able to express her will, and I don't think it was really her will. She may have desire, which affects Yoru. But she didn't want to help Denji in this way.

- As for the last point, I've analyzed this chapter like all the others, and I take it seriously. When I talk about subversiveness, it's because there is one, and Fujimoto isn't a smooth author or a genius on every level, constantly. I don't know what he's going to do with this scene, and even if I'm confident, I hope for a good exploitation, I didn't give him my life, I'm waiting to see and hope he didn't do it to be edgy

But you know, I think Fujimoto is well aware of how to get people talking about his work, and he also likes to attract attention with wtf pages. WTF moments that make sense and can be analyzed. And that's what I like about him. But he also knows how to disturb. And he rather likes it.

If anyone knows what his work looks like and what people will say about it, it's him. His OS are the answers!

Denji is him. Denji loves the attention. And he likes people to fight for him.

Fujimoto likes to refuse to give us what we want to see. It's candid. I like that about him.

[anjasitdown]

I have so many Thoughts I wanna say before I move on from the Public Safety Arc. There'll be manga spoilers by the way.

To be honest, I put off watching Chainsaw Man when I heard the protagonist's sole aim in life is to... touch boobs. I thought Denji was just like any other shonen MCs with perverted tendencies. I tried watching because it was animated by Mappa, but I stayed because of Aki, Denji, and Power (and Meowy). But as I reached the ending of Public Safety Arc, I realized Denji's more complex than that.

All his life Denji was deprived of basic needs; he couldn't even afford the bare minimum. He didn't get to experience love from a parent or admiration from his peers. Denji craved so much for love and affection, but the only way he knew how to get that was through sexual intimacy with a woman. Receiving affection from friends is completely foreign to him. That's why when he and Power did that in the bathroom, Denji's like, "Wait a minute... that's it?" Deep down Denji knew there's more to love than that—there's more to affection than just touching breasts. The moment he started to realize that, Makima just had to twist his mind and turn him back to his sexual urges (screw u for that makima btw).

Throughout the whole arc, Denji continued to believe in his idea that love is just about touch and sex. He ran after women after women who fulfilled that but left him feeling hollowed because, well, they tried to kill him afterwards. It's actually entertaining to watch Denji finally gets his first kiss only to get barfed on the mouth and his second got his tongue cut off. And Makima, the woman he truly loved, not only used him but also discarded him when she got what she wanted. Most of those women don't see Denji as more than a dog. Denji is just some dumb boy who doesn't deserve the normal life he's having.

But Denji really is just some boy. But he's Aki and Power's boy. There's nothing special about him. Aki and Power know that because they looked beyond the Chainsaw—they saw Denji as he is, and accepted him. People treated Denji like a dog and no one saw his worth as a person. But not Aki and Power. Aki gave him a house, taught him and Power manners, cooked for them, and taught him how to cook. Aki treated Denji and Power as his own. And Power, as unhinged and selfish as she is (affectionate), relied so much on Denji. I think that trust taught him to be a better person. To have someone rely on you can make you feel loved and respected. That's why helping Power overcome the fear of the Darkness Devil felt so natural to him. Sleeping with her on the same bed, taking a bath together, and Power walking in on him while he's on the toilet didn't feel naughty (as Denji said). The love Denji's searching for everywhere has always been in front of him: Aki and Power.

Makima can tell Denji she fabricated everything for all I care, saying everything has been a lie and that she set it all up to destroy Denji's mind and heart. But what Aki and Power felt toward Denji was real because they were the only ones who truly loved Denji without asking for anything in return. They saw him as he is, and loved him.

My precious children 🥺🥺🥺 I'm going to miss them

[homuracoded]

Some thoughts on 152

Starting here. We have chainsaw man back and he’s front and focus, but denjis lost pretty much everything of his old life now. Aki, power, makima, now the dogs? And Meowy, who helped him bond with power in the first place?

I really wanna highlight Nayuta here in this chapter, I’ve seen a lot of good thoughts on Denji here but I have a lot about Nayuta

Denji has never spoken like that to her before, she’s flabbergasted. Everything is out of control for her in the past few chapters, and keep in mind she’s the control devil. Her home and pets are literally up in flames right in front of her and her brother/guardian just shrugged her off (I should add here Denji was a lot less kind in the original translation, going as far to call her a nuisance)

I have to agree with people saying the action while incredible is a little hard to follow, you def have to read it back a couple times to really get the hang of it. I like that a lot.

I think it’s cause this chapter is almost in Nayutas pov. Her reactions, the way it’s hard to tell who’s blood is even who’s, how your not sure if your supposed to be happy for or scared for Denji

She got her wish from before, seeing Denji fight, but she’s never seen him fight like this. She’s still a kid after all. Another reason I think her offer to Denji to “join the devils side” was mostly That Middle School Urge and not her real devil side coming out, when faced with real destruction and violence she freezes. Even when Barem wobbled over to her and grabbed her by her neck. Nayuta’s used to a cushy life with a sense of control and now that’s all taken away from her and people don’t react as she expects. Right now, without control, she’s just a scared kid

On first read I didn’t realize it’s implied he ate his read. Like fully. We do in fact not see his head again. I wonder what happens to spear now… his heart is fine I think, but you can’t feet him blood without a head

Denji’s not even slicing whip, he’s just smacking his chainsaws down which is so much more terrifying. This isn’t a fair fight and he’s massacring them. The way Sugo hesitates in shock of this person they had turned into their god in such an unhinged and animalistic state. He then steps on Whips guts which is very funny to me. I’m sorry.

Sugo is so clearly inexperienced in battle and this is the second time he hesitates. He then rages and gets absolutely god smacked. Even tho he did hit Denji, his battle experience meant he could endure it while Sugo goes limp

(Cont in rb)