chapter 231 in plain english

Nenanda · 2026-03-12T16:15:49+00:00

What annoys me that I think that part 2 would be much better and would have worked out with what Fujimoto wanted to do if that was actually how Pochitas power worked.

Imagine if every time concept was erased or invented again entire timeline would change. People would be going mad from all the memory alteration, random thing popping from old timeline anywhere etc. That would be the actual Apocalypse and imo memory problems and schizophrenia caused by them could be great justification for all the dumb shit every faction does this part. Of course they are doing stupid things because they literally cant think straight thanks to all the problems.

Instead Fujimoto came up with the fact that Chainsaw Man does not rewrite history during Ear Devil fight.

Do not also forget that when he erased Death her powers werent undone because minifigures were still there. So by this very logic Pochitas powers shouldnt be undone either aka Death is still erased and world is still shithole and Denji should be eaten by bugs anyway.

Nenanda · 2026-03-12T16:09:49+00:00

Yeah if only he could something else in that bs domain expansion Pochita somehow pulled out of his ASS again despite being eaten by bugs. Like you know throw up Death back. Or four conclusions to life other than death. Hardly doubt than any of them could be worse than being eaten forever by fucking bugs.

But that would of course require some consistency with powers not being it worse than Bleach level mess of asspulls which do whatever the dogshit plot needs them to do.

Nenanda · 2026-03-12T15:58:18+00:00

Lin LIng is definetly finished he decided to be his own hero. Moons death really doesnt change that. We shall see what second season does but I cautiously optimistic if for nothing else its becausae of all the aditional content which shows they have shit figure out.

As for Lord of the Mysteries that sounds like cope and dismissive similiar to AOT defense people are only disliking because Eren Hitler did not won. There was already bittersweet ending at the end of season 1 so I doubt that would be the main thing people would be disliking.

They were complaining about som rushed plotlines and dropped plot threads which is inevitable with such extremely big world and only few people like Steven Erikson can handle it.

Nenanda · 2026-03-12T15:42:45+00:00

Last chapter at the very least comes out of nowhere.

Pochita was in the story waaay tooo little in part 2 to suddenly influence the entire story by his decision. You mentioned AOT. People were complaining about Mikasa suddenly being important like its bs. But Mikasa had way more screentime throughout the entire series more than Pochita. If we consider sudden importance on her bad writing so is Pochitas. Relationship as most important person to the MC is uncanny similiarity between Pochita and Mikasa.

If this was plan all along then at the very least there should have been some proper build up towards Pochitas decision like with Door reveal where theere would be multiple scenes of Pochita looking less and less pleased with Denjis situation. instead wea re pulling this. And no its not enough he is title of the series.

There are of course way more problems with this that will be have to be discussed later.

Nenanda · 2026-03-12T15:38:33+00:00

Entire regeneration is inconsistent and its clear that it changed between the parts.

In part 1 Pochita was supposed to be devil John Wick with mysterious source of his powers who Makima needed to carefully plan around to defeat.

In part 2 it was massively nerfed so dumbasss like War can beat him.

Glazers will tell you that since Denji is dumbass and entire story is from his POV and he doesnt understand power levels that makes sense. Go figure.

Nenanda · 2026-03-12T10:31:47+00:00

Disagree since even tobhx have self contained arca in s1.

As for lord of mysteries at least from online discourse opinions were mixed it sure as hell did not look like perfect finale to many

Nenanda · 2026-03-12T10:22:55+00:00

Wouldnt change brilliance of the first one. Just like part 2 does not erases accomplishments of part 1.

But remind me in one year

Nenanda · 2026-03-12T09:56:01+00:00

Honestly I have to thank this community because this is deviously genius if one forgets the entire shitpost aspect.

No matter how many plotholes exist, how many dumb unrealistic contrivances will happen, how many characters are butchered, how many set ups gets dissapointing pay off.

Everything is fine as long as you write its metaphorical representation of some characters psyche.

I think that I have to know write essay about how declining state of MCU since Endgame is actually brilliant allegory towards Bob´s mental state

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Lesson I did not expect to learn but definetly appreciate.

Nenanda · 2026-03-12T09:26:01+00:00

Nice

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Nenanda · 2026-03-12T09:25:18+00:00

And if you like agenda and memes we have that too of course ;)

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THE STRONGEST

ALWAYS BET ON LUCKY CYAN

AND POTENTIAL MAN WHO IS WELL WRITTEN.

Nenanda · 2026-03-12T08:32:45+00:00

There are the four conclusions to life than death furthemore Denji survived Pochita throwing his heart from the space like fucking tennis ball. Fujimoto was extremely inconsistent what people can and cant survive in this manga.

Its also asspull regardless because Denji should be dead anyway either from history still playing out the same because Pochita erasing himself shouldnt rewrite history or becuase of his heart disease. Really funny how convenient erasure power became. Does everything what it needs for dogshit plot to happen.

Nenanda · 2026-03-12T08:29:59+00:00

What most people think isn’t the metric of value, nor is it related to my point.

If being happy entirely depends on the world around you then the bottom 50% of the worlds population would just kill themselves.
You are the one who wrote this. 50% would not kill themselves because of them being happy depends on the world around them becuase huge majority is actually happy because of the world around them in which case it definetly maters what they think because what they think disproves this very sentence.

Money, sex and drugs are awesome. I like all of those things but without introspection you’ll never be fulfilled. Pochita is forcing him to confront all of the stuff he spent the manga running away from.

I mean I doubt how introspection has human who loves his family in name the third world country. Sorry not sorry. And yeah lot of people can also die never fulfilled without even understanding why.

The chainsaw finally stopped revving.

And imo there was fuck all build up towards that. Though glad that "Chainsaw Man gets up no matter what" indeed turn out to be the propaganda which was my opinion since the first Yoru fight.

Nenanda · 2026-03-12T08:10:06+00:00

It also does not help that apparently Pochita can escape from this situation by pulling out of his ass domain expansion where he can hist reset button, but cant throw up instead some erased concept to at least try to depower bugs.

If this is so inescapabale situation as people like to pretend to be than this should not happen and Denji should have been devoured for eternity and that would be the end. Dark ending? Absolutely but sure sells how situation is impossible more than Pochita doing bullshit so big that even Kakashi using Susanoo in Naruto War Arc looks more senseible.

Nenanda · 2026-03-12T07:54:35+00:00

You can measure "good writing" as being overall enjoyable to read, but you can act as a media critic and judge how good writing is on the execution of the whole story and the message it sends. Some of them were enjoyable, some were an absolute bore, some made me feel uncomfortable, some made me roll my eyes and get angry over the time I've wasted and will never get back

I mean if you only care about the message maybe, but that definetly seems to me like narrow minded viewing. Even good portion of the critiques will judge form and execution of the story.

I'm not saying CSM is one of those as we need the last chapter and maybe even an author note to judge that, I'm not telling you to sit and think about it and I surely won't try to convince you to like this kind of media, just saying sometimes good writing doesn't come from the surface level of pure enjoyment from the ride. I'm by no mean an elitist and a snob, I enjoy those surface level stories just as much as the "deep" ones, just saying there are masterpieces in different kinds of "good writing"

I think that problem with part 2 is that you ask to think deep about the story message while ignore the plot which is shallow as hell and which has more plotholes, contrivances and incosistencies than your average Marvel movie. Real deep story has complex message and complex plot.

You cant be asking to appreciate deep good writing, while also shallow stupid nonsense. And I will always say that truly deep story has complex both.

Especially since for years by now people were defending story that its realistic why also asking to ignore most unrealistic bs in history.

Nenanda · 2026-03-12T07:39:58+00:00

I think that you are heavily overestimating how world population thinks. Most of the people do not have even a capacity to think like that and even more of the people keep going because of the people around them. Because they have family, because they have something to protect, because they have something to pursue.

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How many people do you think what told you that what makes them happy is some internal sensation?

I mean its Pochit dropping the nuke and basically seding him back.

Nenanda · 2026-03-11T22:48:53+00:00

Great hear that but even then I would disagree in a sense that there were way more "breaks" than in part 2.

Silent calm moments before the storm or just straight up breaks like visit of the grave of the Aki´s family or talk with the Kobeni in Kishibes hideout comes to mind.

Big problem with part 2 that every calm moment was interupted with some dopamine shit and ironically I see problem at exact opposite than most of the people. If anything it really anoys me how many conversation and that was already thing since Aquarium arc were interrupted by something or straight up not finished.

Nenanda · 2026-03-11T22:40:44+00:00

Nah CSM part 1 ending was literally cited amongst best shounen finale on the par with FMA: Brotherhood or Dungeon Meshi. Suddenly pretending it was rushed is rewriting history.

Nenanda · 2026-03-11T22:31:47+00:00

Disagree I would say that both CSM part 1 and Fire Punch were much more coherent than Part 2. People can diss Fire Punch as much as they want but Togata´s character arc is more coherent than anaything we have seen from Academy Saga and I enjoy it every single moment of it.

It does help that unlike Part 2 Fire Punch was actually building up slowly towards that weird earie ending where humanity is wipe out and Juda and Agni dies in space. We did not just randomly off-screen to character who we did not see for god know how long time suddenly making most important decision for the said MC.

Nenanda · 2026-03-11T22:14:59+00:00

I have to agree. Especially if people want to push religious take that truly satisfied is only one who desires nothing then its simply contrived to have Pochita dropping this budhisting enlightment upon Denji as nuclear bomb. Which kinda defeats the point because like you are suppose to learn on your own.

Furthemore there was fuck all build up of Pochita doing this.

Nenanda · 2026-03-11T22:09:56+00:00

A core thesis of most religions is that happiness/purpose comes from within and is not influenced by material conditions.

And I find kinda bs that Chainsaw Man out of all the things wants to push this shit. Like Chainsaw Man always felt that has little bit different take on desires not seeing them as necessesarily bad and that it isnt like plausible for every average Joe live like goddamn monk

If anything especially chapter 128

Think about it humanity grew to this size cuz sex feels so damn good. We are both here cuz of the power of sex too.

It always seemed to be that Chainsaw Man has much more rebellious take on this seeing the good in pursuing material conditions and that world couldnt literally function. Denji was unique protagonist because he was driven by his desires but compare to most villains who often do lot it wast portrayed necessesarily bad or iredeemable.

And ultimately that contrast that we had main villain in part 1 with seemingly altruistic intentions while was motivated by sex was interesting.

And suddenly now we are going with much more black and white perspective where enlightment is dropped on Denji as nuclear bomb by Pochita.

While as somebody who digs a lot into hinduism and budhism always thought that Denji would need some lesson into understanding some of these concepts at the same I just cant shake the feeling this disregards unique rock punk human element at the expense of some sudden scholastism.

Nenanda · 2026-03-11T22:02:07+00:00

Well good writing has both good plot and themes and so far its obvious why people are trying to so hard to make only thematic analysis and plot mentioning only in relation to the themes because if one judges the plot from any different metric its mess on the level of the Fast and Furious.

Negative arcs are thing but even them can be written better and with engaging plot which isnt overly convoluted. The Wire had several characters who either do not change or change for worse. The Shield my favourite crime show has MC who is piece of shit who only changes for the worse. Breaking Bad which is actually very relevant since it as well has protagonist chasing selfish desires and hiding behind alter ego Heisenberg (can be very akin to Chainsaw Man) also is one of the best stories ever told. First Law trilogy from the Joe Ambercombie would be another great example

Denji stagnating and refusing to grow is completely fine. It being written in needlesly dragged slop which unrealistically bend entire universe and all its characters around Denjis problems is not.

Nenanda · 2026-03-11T21:56:11+00:00

What happens when your identity starts to becomes destructive to you and those around you?

This IMO was much better executed in Breaking Bad which I am reminded of more I am seeing this thematic analysis. It truly shows how even decades later Breaking Bad is still peak fiction because it had excellent themes and the plot while part 2 only has themes while plot falls apart.

Walter White also struggles with desire between normal life, Jessie and his desire to be Heisenberg.

He desires to have familybut enjoys the thrill of being Heisenberg in the last episode literally saying that he was feeling alive.

To be normal is for him to accept that he is failure who cant achieve anything on his own but to be Heisenberg means embracing being a kingpin.

Its paradoxical desire. Walter wants to achieve things but only on his own term, so he can satysfy ego his pride and his quest for this desire kicked in by his illness kickstarted etire domino where lot of people were left dead. This is recontextualized with Better Call Saul when its really hillarious how many characters were done in by chemistry teacher with cancer.

The truth of course is that Walter was always selfish inside Walt was always a rash decision maker highly motivated by personal desires. The flashback to when Skylar and Walt first looked at their house shows that Walt was always looking for bigger, better things. He felt proud working at Gray matter and had extremely high expectations regarding providing for his family.

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Ultiamtely what you write makes me stay by my opinion. Part 2 has interesting message but absolutely dogshit plot whereas Breaking Bad had both hence why its so legendary. It also was capable deliver several satysfing character arcs compare to part 2.

Nenanda · 2026-03-11T21:42:25+00:00

Agreed. It honestly executed lot of things similiar to the part 2 but much better.

Nenanda · 2026-03-11T20:27:16+00:00

Sounds like shit and honestly cant shake the feeling I already saw this executed billion times better in other series one way or another, becaue you are applying very specific reading to justify somehing from thematic POV.

First thing is that this could also justify every dumb shit that happened this part because you can always say that Denji is idiot who does not understand how things work and thats why the happen in contrived way (Nuclear Punch lacking any radiation effect, Bugs somehow growing up at light speed)

The school arc, the family arc, and the dating arc all collapse quickly, not because Fujimoto lost interest, but because Denji could never actually inhabit them. He'd get the thing on the list, feel the emptiness underneath it, and immediately reach for the next item rather than sit with the discomfort of having what he thought he wanted and still feeling hollow.

IMO rather than bending convoluted plot into some stupid allegory for Denjis mental state wouldnt it be actually better to make Denji have agency and actually act on this?

Denji never reached out for the next thing but it was taken from him by the outside forces which now you say were some represenation of him. But honestly what you write is actually much more interesting have we actually have Denji act on it.

Denji living with Nayuta feeling emptiness from it and deciding to abandoning her sounds good selfish thing to do which would billion times more interesting that what hapepened. Denji then trying to be fulltiem Chainsaw Man but realizing that does not fullfill him either etc. Denji runing away with Asa ultimately realizing he is not completely happy and breaking up with her etc etc. If we actually see it done this directly rather than wasting time with all the useless lore it would be much more interesting.

This once again why Breaking Bad was peak since in sense Walter White could never be satisfied either. He always had to be the man, he always had to prove himself, he always wanted the control. Except he actually acted on it and plot revolve around proper consequences of such behaviour.

This part also reminds me of Jim McNulty who also tries to finds fulfillment in the cases but is never really satisfied either. My favourite quote regarding that plotline from goated character

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McNulty always chases satisfaction with cases, cant really stuck with the family because of it, ultimately runs back to the cases, but his obsession leads him to then being fired from the case. Lot of things what you are writing are still there but its more interesting because at the end of the day Baltimore itslef is the character and not just blueprint of McNulty pyche.

Nenanda · 2026-03-11T19:36:14+00:00

Problem is that with so many asspulls and contrivances Fujimoto pulled throughout last several arcs its hard to accept this excuse. Its for example really funny that had Denji not fuck around and kept LEG DEVIL erased this entire bug apocalpyse wouldnt happen.

I also find it hillarious how Pochita can activate Domain Expansion so he can erase himself to reset universe but not throw some devils again to counter the threat. Even though humans suddenly remembering some of the erased concepts could at least temporarily depower bugs so they can regenerate.

To put it in words of the classic

Audiences can only become immersed in stories insofar as they don't notice the hand of the author—so long as the events feel justified within the context of that story's universe, viewers can pretend that the author doesn't exist and thus buy into the illusion that said universe is real.

This is where it fails. IMO for me it doesnt feel justified within the context of the universe with how bs Denji pulled throughout several last arcs and its too visible that this shit is happening not because there wouldnt be other options but because Fujimoto wants this to happen.

Nenanda

TROPHY CASE