personally with this new chapter, I’m not mad that Fujimoto included a scene like this in the manga. Csm has done situations like this time and time again. While as much as I think they’re handled horribly, most fans look past it so I just follow the fellow sheep and keep reading. But GODDAMN this chapter man😭
Ik Fujimoto is most likely going to make a payoff in the next chapter, but my main thing here is why didn’t we do that as the exact same chapter that happened here. For me, what makes these scenes uncomfortable and what makes me feel the characters pain is showing less. When it comes to sexual scenes, less genuinely is more
I’m gonna use punpun as an example so bear with me for a sec lol
In the second book of punpun (I forget which chapter forgive me) punpun’s uncle Yuichi I think his name is has sex with his girlfriend in front of a minor that he almost had sexual interactions with. This chapter is deeply disgusting, but it doesn’t take up the entire chapter. It’s really only a few panels, but you can still feel the guilt and fervor Yuichi feels during and after the event. You wanna know why? Because it goes away just as fast as it comes. And it’s drawn and written so beautifully you can’t take your eyes off it. It also just feels like a hazy dream in a way, which is what I’m sure both Asa and Denji felt like it was, which is why it confuses me why it’s so drawn out. We then focus on the aftermath of the event, which is exactly what I think chapter 167 should’ve focused on.
we don’t need 11 fucking pages of the sexual assault, I’d rather have a page or two and then see how this affects the characters. We already know because of going through exactly what he had a breakdown about, Denji will start to reject humanity more and give in to the chainsaw devil (if I’m not sounding delusional rn) I want to see more of that, I want to see more of Asa’s reaction, I want to feel the tension. But I don’t feel that. Not at all.
I wanted a story, if I wanted to see two people get assaulted, I’d go to twitter. I don’t feel the disgust Asa is feeling. I don’t feel how confused and how much in a daze Denji is in. I didn’t even feel whatever that man wanted me to feel the other chapters where gross shit happens. I feel like I’m reading some comic an edgy 14 yr old made whose favorite YouTuber is turkeytom. I feel like I’m reading Fujimoto’s poorly disguised fetish comic every fucking time this shit happens. Sometimes the payoff to me isn’t fucking worth it either.
I’m gonna keep reading because it genuinely is a good manga, just not when Fujimoto tries to be edgy and different, because it’s not entertaining or funny or interesting to me it’s just gross.
