So I was talking about this earlier kind of as a joke but I really think there’s something to be said for Cosmo (the Cosmos fiend) from Chainsaw Man being one of the most important characters in the entire manga. (obvious spoilers and shamefully indulgent philosophical over analysis to follow)
There is a lot left unexplained in Chainsaw Man, seemingly purposefully, with the notable examples of the devils Chainsaw Man has eaten which comprise the various horrors which Makima describes as no longer existing. Even she admits that she really doesn’t know what precisely these things were, and thus she admits that she really doesn’t know the shape of the world, just that which her control touches.
Makima claims to be working for the ultimate good of humanity, arguing that under her control there will be no other fears beyond her, making what essentially amounts to an extreme case of the freedom/security argument in favor of security.
But guess who is the only character with a complete picture of the world and what goes on in it, far beyond that of Makima or even the future devil?
That’s right: the cosmos fiend.
Now the Cosmo’s fiend has the power to share her knowledge of the universe with others, and of course,
“ONCE YOU UNDERSTAND EVERYTHING YOU CAN ONLY THINK ABOUT HALLOWEEN UNTIL YOU DIE”
Now I feel like most people generally look at this and consider it to be basically a lolXD so random joke, and it is funny, but I really think there’s more too it than that.
So, what it important about Halloween and why do I think its more than a joke?
Halloween is a holiday about fear, which really is too much of a coincidence to be ignored in this IP. The essential quality of Halloween is that the night and the world outside is scary, terrifying even. To combat that, you light candles against the darkness, dress up in a costume, celebrate with friends, partake in the kindness of strangers, let yourself be a little scared, and maybe even get a little slutty with it (I know I like to).
I believe that Cosmo has it all figured out. She knows literally everything. And what she choses to do with her existence is very telling.
Cosmo lives with and loves Quanxi, who also loves and cares deeply for her and the other fiends. She is the most decomposed and physically imperfect fiend by conventional beauty standards, but she chose what body to take. She embodies the fact that being cute is a thing you do not a thing you are, even going to far as to have heart eyes totally unrelated to her power or domain. Essentially, she has dressed up in a fun costume she likes, and let herself become it.
Existentially, I think this is the message that Cosmo conveys via Halloween:
The world is a scary place, and it doesn’t become any less so by fully understanding it. Thus, the only thing left to do is to find a face you like, make it yours, and have some fun even in the jaws of terror. So what if you get scared, it’s Halloween! Your mask can be just as scary as anyone else’s if you want it to, that’s all part of the fun! So be who you want to be, dress up in a fun little outfit, fill your eyes with love, find some people who love you back, and have some fun with things. It’s never as scary when you aren’t alone, even if the world is horrifying. Happy Halloween!!!
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