Re-reading Devils' Line: Chapter 1 thoughts/analysis/things I noticed
Warning for mentions of sexual assault. And minor-ish spoilers
--explanatory/intro stuff--
This will be my second time reading through the manga. Very excited to go through the story again, especially for the characters! The last time I read this manga was probably a year ago and I binged through everything, before I went on to devour every other Ryo Hanada work I could find.
I'll be noting down things I didn't pick up on during my initial read and sharing them. Let me know if anyone wants me to do the same for Blackguard! (btw if you know of anyone currently posting for any Hanada Ryo mangas, be it thoughts or fancontent, pls direct me to their accounts even if they're on other platforms)
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#1 Easter egg(?)
Devils' Line (Pg 4-5)
Good-bye Geist (Pg 13-14)
Good-bye Geist (2011-2012) is an earlier manga by Hanada Ryo. Just like in Devils' Line, the way the male protagonist is introduced paints him to be a creepy stalker on the train. And in both cases, we find out they don't really have ill-intent. (Anzai is following Tsukasa to protect her, the guy in good-bye geist is recording because...he's a not very well-adjusted guy with a crush who does learn his lesson, and gets to know the mc like a normal person)
I'm thinking Devils' Line starting so similarly might be a reference for long-time fans/a trope the author enjoys/just a subconscious thing. Either way, pretty interesting!
#2 Biblical references
*based on very superficial knowledge, if anything specific from the Bible comes to mind let me know! + mostly speculation towards the end
Upright cross on title page, also present in volume 2, 3 and I presume all other volumes? In volume 14 however (I happen to own vols 1, 2, 14) the cross is upside down so I'm not sure if other volumes would have it too. Though it might just be that vol 14 is a volume of extras to tie up loose ends, hence the subversion
Horizontal cross on the back cover and Anzai's ring. Might be to represent equilibrium/themes of equality/how things aren't just black or white(holy or unholy), especially since the shorter line intersects in the middle. Which could also be a statement that there's no saintly/unsaintly side (regarding humans and devils) in the story despite the name. I forgot if the ring has any significance later on in the story, but if my stated assumption is right, it fits because Anzai is half devil and half human(and he wears the ring on his middle finger), so in theory he SHOULD represent the middle ground that can be found. (However, pg 33: "my bloodlust is supposed to be weak, but apparently not." so not really, which makes sense because genetics isn't that straightforward. Just like how coming to a consensus isn't so straightforward either. Going to go on a limb here and say that it could symbolise Anzai having no choice but to face and accept all that comes with being a devil, thus also accepting pure devils instead of believing them to be separate from him and more violent. And on a larger scale, society having to accept devils and actually address the issues between them, instead of brushing them under the rug and letting them fester.)
This one seems like a no-brainer, what with the title and all, but I remember taking all the cross imagery at surface level on my first read, even when Hans appeared in a later chapter (his cross necklace iirc). And somehow I also didn't link the choice to name this series's version of vampires “devils” to, you know, hell, beyond the subconscious understanding of how they're treated as monsters in society. It just felt natural as an in-universe term at the time, unlike if they were named “demons” which are universally understood to be FROM hell what with their use in various media. Don't know if I'm making sense here.
So…how are the devils of Devils' Line associated with the unholy? Based on what we learn about Akimura and Anzai in this chapter alone, I would say the fact that it's in their very nature to ‘sin’, even if they don't want to.
Anzai instinctually leaps to lick Tsukasa's blood, but then ALSO goes in for the kiss(with tongue)
I remember being confused by this since the cut was beside her mouth, and not on it. I was also confused by why Akimura had raped the women he killed, since he was in love with Tsukasa. Turns out Anzai's lines in this page explains it:
Pg. 35 (last-minute edit: ooh his eyes transformed although he was normal right after he tranqed himself. Looking at previous pages the eyebags also slowly return in each panel)
"This urge makes me sick. I wanted to do it while drinking her blood." which explains that he went for the kiss because the literal thirst for blood triggers lust as well, against his will. The "urge [making him] sick" is sort of reminiscent of catholic guilt I think, especially since accepting this lust is a plotline in the story.
To relate this back to 'sinning', it's like this:
Sight of blood(temptation)> automatically acting on desire to drink blood (Innate inability to resist temptation)> lust arises (the sin) >Anzai immediately acts upon it (kissing)
It's not that devils have an innate desire to maim for blood in day-to-day life, they just can't resist it when it's in their sight. I recall finding the choice to intertwine bloodlust with sexual lust kind of weird, but it makes sense if the sight and taste of blood sort of takes away some self-control, making the devils more animalistic(which maybe makes bloodlust and lust indistinguishable from each other as forms of desire). To stop himself from going too far with Tsukasa, Anzai had to inject himself with a tranquiliser (pg. 30), and because of this experience he, for the first time, can understand why devils "that rape and murder end up trapped in that pleasure"(pg. 20), although he still condemns their actions and continues to separate himself from them("that's why these devils have always-").
In Akimura's case, it's the same thing(except he goes much further with his bloodlust and lust), just with one thing extra: Tsukasa as the trigger.
pg. 22/Akimura's trolley problem(strangers vs one person he cares about, or everyone else vs himself)
Here, Akimura talks as if him resorting to killing was inevitable. Looking at what's been gathered so far, this was probably the chain of events:
Akimura falls for Tsukasa> [lust/desire(strong emotion)> bloodlust automatically triggered (temptation) >to protect Tsukasa, he directs it at an innocent(does not resist temptation) >drinking blood triggers lust > the lust is immediately acted upon (the bloodlust and lust probably cause a feedback loop, causing him to drain the victim of all her blood. Maybe unintentional the first time, likely indulgent the following times)]x3 (falling deeper into sin by committing actual atrocities)
However, it's not that devils can't help themselves at all. When Akimura leans in towards Tsukasa (pg. 13), he manages to stop himself from doing anything. Same with when Anzai makes himself bleed to reveal Akimura's identity (via eye colour change), and when he spots Tsukasa bleeding (fangs grow out), he doesn't attack instantaneously(in Anzai's case, might be because it was his first time) . Could be attributed to the fact that he was "taking medicine" and "gave [himself] a tranquiliser", but my personal interpretation is that he realised those couldn't help him anymore and was in denial.
If he could resist to this extent, why attack those innocent women? I think, without the sight of blood, bloodlust that is triggered by strong emotions (other than desire, in future chapters we see anger do this iirc) feels more like an irritating itch that can't be scratched. (I'll probably need to correct this once I read further in). Basically, being a devil is like having to deal with temptation from The Devil(their nature) whenever something gets a rise out of you. (Akimura definitely deserved that life in prison though.)
#3 Equality, Prejudice
"Don't curse your lot, Anzai. Whether someone turns into a monster or not depends entirely on them. That's true for both humans and devils." -Sawazaki
After everything I've written so far, what first comes to mind is that the sentiment is true, but flawed. Devils have to actively restrain themselves in situations that would not faze most humans at all, in the sense of getting an urge that would cause harm if acted upon (pg. 27: "out of humanity and instinct, vampires constantly grapple with the terror of losing themselves the instant they see human blood"), and they might even feel cornered into a 'trolley problem' situation, seeing themselves dying as the only way harm could've been prevented(see above pg. 22 image). They literally have to medicate themselves, and if that doesn't speak to how disadvantaged they are then I don't know what does. Anzai even asks for stronger doses of tranquiliser for his restock(pg. 34), implying that using them is the reason why Tsukasa was the first time he drank blood. Sawazaki then says, "Take anything too strong and you'll get addicted. Tranqs aren't the best thing for you to begin with." which means these drugs pose additional dangers. I forgot if the story tackles this plot point of over-reliance on tranquilisers, but now I'll definitely be paying more attention to the use of them. Additionally, drinking blood makes the devils' perpetual eyebags disappear(pg. 30), so I imagine drinking even a little bit of blood (like Anzai) is actually good for them, but due to their situation they can't openly ask for blood. All that to say that devils are definitely disadvantaged, but as with real life, that only means more attention should be dedicated to helping them live their lives, rather than shunning them.
The statement also warns against stereotyping, or categorising people and seeing them as completely "other" and labelling them all as "monsters". "Don't curse your lot, Anzai."- if even a half-devil has internalised this prejudice (Anzai at this point thinks that devils and people shouldn't be with each other (pg. 27)), just wait till you see what conclusion some humans(who know of the existence of devils) have jumped to. If even Akimura considered the fact that he should've died to protect everyone else, what kind of thoughts will humans who feel threatened have? Will they see Akimura's trolley problem as a problem at all, once they've from their prejudices and human and devil lives are not seen as equal?
Despite me dwelling too much into the specifics of Sawazaki's statement, the theme of "turning into a monster" being based on individual choice is definitely prevalent throughout the series for both devil and human characters. When devils do not have their vampiric tendencies provoked, they are just like normal humans (pg. 26: "vampires are very close to humans, biologically. And if they don't transform, even other vampires can hardly tell them apart.") and should be treated how anyone else should: which means holding an individual accountable for their actions rather than an entire group, while also acknowledging the shared internal battle the devils share and catering to help them lead the normal lives they want.
#4 Tsukasa
how her experience in this chapter sets up her role as a mediator, and reflects the ongoing conflict of the story
She finds out her friend is a vampire, and not just any vampire, THE vampire she hears has killed three people at the start of the chapter, though at the time she didn't know that vampires did actually exist (as the devils in the series. Other than bloodsucking they don't share traits with the vampires that are allergic to sun etc.). Speaking of which, THIS is how she finds out about the existence of devils, by finding out someone close to her is one, and has harmed others. Then, the guy who apprehends him ends up leaping at her to lick her cut just at the sight of it.
However, it is mentioned that she had been "friends with Akimura for a long time". Furthermore, he was also a potential love interest, and although she did not accept his confession, I see it as her not wanting to compromise their friendship (the wording of "We spend too much time together. And I couldn't..."). And because he wasn't just a random devil, she is more inclined to try to see things from his perspective and acknowledge his struggles, rather than holding ill will(despite feelings of shock and maybe betrayal I would presume) since she knows him as a person outside of him being a devil. This is supported by how the very last panel of the chapter was her wishing Akimura well, even after everything that happened. Anzai even further elaborates on the struggles devils face to explain that he was "sure [Akimura] really did like [her]", allowing her to further understand devils from a sympathetic viewpoint and thus be more receptive towards them. Since Anzai immediately tranquilised himself after he leapt at her, she can understand that he was no doubt just trying to keep her safe the entire time. She also noticed how being a devil was a sensitive subject for Anzai (pg.32), adding to what she has learnt about devils: that being one isn't easy.
She essentially had encounters with a 'bad' devil (one who has committed atrocities because of his bloodlust) and a 'good' devil (one who tries his best to restrain himself), both ends of the spectrum, but with the added privileges of knowing one personally, and getting to know the other. This establishes a pretty unique perspective, and sets up how she probably will be pretty open-minded towards devils from this point on. However, these encounters also showcase how difficult it is for devils to resist their bloodlust, since even Anzai, who had never drunk blood prior to Tsukasa, ended up succumbing to bloodlust as well. It seems almost unavoidable. Which then begs to question of, how can devils live alongside humans peacefully?
#5 Conclusion
Now to link all of these to the chapter title, "Dark Side":
Tsukasa finds out about Akimura's 'dark side' he had been hiding from her: the fact that he is a devil, and his crimes. By extension:
The 'dark side' that has been hidden from society by presumably the government and the related institutions(the news, the police) (pg. 6: "you only ever see stuff like that on TV specials or tabloids. It's never reported in the news."): that devils/vampires actually exist. What else are they hiding?
Both Tsukasa and Anzai are faced with the 'dark side' of being a devil: the daily struggles, the looming threat of bloodlust. Anzai is also confronted by the 'dark side' of himself he has been hiding from, his bloodlust and the fact that it is stronger than he thought.
If you read all of that, sorry and thank you lots. I didn't expect it to get this long. Hopefully it was just due to the first chapter setting up overarching themes that I just had to make connections to what I already know about the story, and let it all out of my system.
I'm off to finally read chapter 2 and pray I don't have as much to say about it!!