Who is Himeno in Chainsaw Man?

Chainsaw Man has become an ultra-popular yet highly subversive manga/anime series by author Tatsuki Fujimoto, who has a rather distinct approach when it comes to designing and using his characters. Unlike many shonen authors, Tatsuki Fujimoto won't hesitate to twist, subvert, and kill off even his most beloved characters, such as Himeno the devil hunter in Chainsaw Man. Himeno didn't actually last that long — in fact, she didn't even survive Season 1. But there's still plenty to know about who Himeno is and why fans like her.

Himeno appeared fairly eary in the manga and anime versions of Chainsaw Man as one of several devil hunters whom Denji met, and in the context of this brutally twisted anime, Himeno served a few roles. She was a friend, big sister figure, comedian, and a subversion all at once, and in a remarkably tight time frame, too. Before her untimely demise fighting the villains, Himeno showed many sides of herself as a person and devil hunter, and she had an appreciable impact on the people around her, including Aki Hayakawa, another character of note.

Who is Chainsaw Man's Himeno?

What is her Origin Story, Who are her Friends, & What are her Powers?

Unlike some Chainsaw Man characters, who had flashback sequences to show their grim origins, Himeno did not get a flashback depicting her girlhood or origins. So, she is somewhat mysterious as a supporting character, though it's evident that details of Himeno's early life aren't that relevant to her character arc. For the most part, Chainsaw Man fans only need to know and understand Himeno in the present, as a professional devil hunter fighting alongside characters like Denji anad Power.

It's possible that Himeno's experiences in her formative years profoundly shaped her personality and worldview, but evidently, that's meant to be left to viewers' imaginations. That also means Himeno lacks a sob story, a sharp contrast with Denji and Aki. Through character dialogue, Chainsaw Man fans learn that Himeno has gone through not just one, but five different partners as a member of the Public Safety Commission, and that not only builds up Himeno's character but also estasblishes how dangerous this line of work can be.

Of course, "monster hunter" anime like Chainsaw Man and Demon Slayer make it clear that fighting supernatural threats is never easy. But still, having a character like Himeno go through five partners who all got killed helps reinforce how tough this job is, so no fan can blame Himeno for adjusting her mentality to cope with that harsh reality. Himeno has her warm side, but she is also deeply pessimistic about her job and co-workers, and she generally expects her co-workers to die before their time.

She has hardened her heart, but despite that, Himeno still feels and shows genuine kindness toward others. As for her combat powers as a devil hunter, Himeno may lack specialized weapons and is certainly not a fiend like Power, but she does have a noteworthy devil contract to make use of. Himeno has forged a pact with the ghost devil, a fairly powerful devil that demanded Himeno's right eye in exchange for her ability to manifest the ghost devil at will.

The ghost devil is usually invisible and intangible, but can still deal serious damage to Himeno's enemies, or simply restrain them, such as when a ghostly arm restrained Power in that cursed hotel. If necessary, Himeno can sacrifice more of her body or even surrender her entire body to summon more of the ghost devil and thus wield more of its power. That's what Himeno did when fighting the villainous Akane Sawatari and Katana Man, Denji's shonen-style rival and enemy. Aside from that, Himeno also has appreciable skills in unarmed combat.

Himeno has a small handful of meaningful relationships in the story of Chainsaw Man. To begin with, she is good friends with her fellow devil hunter Aki Hayakawa, one of her most recent partners. Himeno even encouraged Aki to take up smoking, something they have in common as friends, and while Himeno fears that Aki will soon die in his job, Himeno hopes he will survive and find happiness in life. Notably, Aki also imitates Himeno's attitude about newly recruited devil hunters, fearing that they are signing up just to get themselves killed.

That was why Aki pummeled Denji after meeting him, roughly encouraging Denji to quit this dangerous job and not get himself killed as a mere teenager. Himeno has a fairly positive relationship with Denji as well, showing him kindness and cooperating with him on various missions, mainly their mission to take out the noxious eternity devil in that hotel. Himeno warmly supports Denji as a friend and co-worker, which helped Denji see her in a more positive light, even if he was mainly fixated on his mysterious boss, Makima.

However, Himeno has a somewhat negative relationship with Kobeni, willing to roughly restrain Kobeni if the latter goes out of control. Meanwhile, Himeno has an intense dislike for Makima, and perhaps not just because of Makima's creepy, condescending outward persona. It's possible that Himeno sensed the truth about Makima the control devil, and that subtly served as a premonition for Makima's true nature later in Chainsaw Man. In more than one way, Himeno was a warning to Denji about the dangers of his job, danger that came from devils and his boss Makima alike.

How Does Himeno Subvert the Big Sister Role in Chainsaw Man?

Himeno May Have Big Sister Characteristics But She Totally Flips The Script

It didn't take long for manga and anime fans to realize that Chainsaw Man is a highly subversive story in darkly funny ways, but it's not all just for the sake of comedy or being provocative. In some ways, the twisted heroes of Chainsaw Man are refreshing and honest about traditional anime archetypes, and that includes Himeno. She is a mentor and protector figure for Denji, albeit briefly, fulfilling a similar role as anime characters like Kyojuro Rengoku and Satoru Gojo,while also being a big sister for Denji thanks to her warm, caring ways.

Just the way Kyojuro was like a cool big brother for Tanjiro with their relatively small age gap, Himeno was like a big sister for Denji rather than a boss or mother figure, which means a lot for an only child like Denji. However, as a true Chainsaw Man character, Himeno also perverts the big sister archetype, sometimes in funny ways and sometimes in deep ways. On a surface level, Himeno shatters the image of a clean, dignified big sister by vomiting into Denji's mouth, and she is also a smoker.

These are behaviors not often seen from any shonen anime character, let alone a young woman or big sister figure. Himeno also tried to seduce Denji later that evening in her apartment, only for Denji to decline, and that's not a scene anime fans are used to seeing with a big sister figure. But it's not just surface-level subversion that makes Himeno an interesting big sister for Denji. Gross humor aside, Himeno reminds anime fans that even beloved big brothers and sisters are still flawed and sometimes vulnerable or foolish people who make mistakes.

In fact, Himeno's character design suggests that it's naïve for an anime like Demon Slayer to write characters like Kyojuro Rengoku as a flawless, ideal hero who can do no wrong, despite losing to Akaza the demonic villain. Kyojuro's design suited Demon Slayer's needs, to be sure, but in the meta landscape of anime, perhaps this realm of fiction needs more balanced and humanized big brothers/sisters who aren't so perfect after all. This important subversion doesn't always call for stomach-turning humor or PG-13 seduction scenes, but the point is the same, and Himeno makes that point well during her brief time in Chainsaw Man.

How Does Himeno Provide a Balanced Perspective on Devil Hunting?

Himeno Shares a lot of Wisdom in Her Short Time in Chainsaw Man

While Himeno's character may rewrite the rules on big sister figures in shonen anime, she is far more balanced as a devil hunter, and she doesn't have many surprises in store for Chainsaw Man fans in that regard. Overall, Himeno is the middle ground between her more extreme co-workers, with Hirokazu Arai being almost too clean and straight-laced as a devil hunter, and Power the horned fiend being a brutal subversion of shonen heroines and monster hunters.

Himeno may say that it's necessary to "have a few screws loose" to succeed in this dangerous line of work, but no matter her words, Himeno is evidently the wisest, most reliable, and most balanced devil hunter, vomit and seduction aside. Thus, Himeno helps stabilize Chainsaw Man's cast of wacky devil hunters by being kinder and more reliable than Power, but also being tougher and less naïve than Hirokazu.

All this proves that while this rough career has given her some mental scars and made "a few screws loose," Himeno never let her job break her, nor did she lose herself to the darkness or become a brutal subversion of shonen heroines. All that makes her a balanced, nuanced, and compelling Chainsaw Man hero who doesn't rely on a single outlandish gimmick to be memorable and fun to watch.

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My Hero Academia: 10 Of The Most Epic Quotes, Ranked

Shonen anime is easily the most popular form of anime around. It's easy to see why this is the case, given that the nature of the anime itself can be emotionally hard-hitting without being overly complex. One such modern anime series that has become successful for nailing pretty much everything possible is Kohei Horikoshi's My Hero Academia, which has been running in Weekly Shonen Jump since 2014.

A worldwide phenomenon that has taken the superhero trope and molded it with enough unique traits to make it stand apart in this overpopulated genre, viewers need only watch My Hero Academia for a while to understand why it's become so popular. A large part of the reason is its script, providing characters with some truly memorable quotes that will stand the test of time. Here's a look at ten of these amazing quotes from My Hero Academia that are truly epic in every sense of the word.

Updated on May 16, 2024, by Ajay Aravind: My Hero Academia has changed drastically since its beginnings. What was once a show about bright-eyed optimist teens has become a morbid smorgasbord of violence and gore. However, MHA has handled the transition so well that it still feels like the exact same story. As quotes are some of the best ways to understand a story packed with profound experiences, we've updated this article with some more relevant information.

10 "All Men Are Not Created Equal."

Episode 1 "Izuku Midoriya: Origin"

Izuku Midoriya was born without any Quirks, a rather rare occurrence in a world populated with superpowered people. Although he continued to maintain a high level of optimism, it was clear that he also allowed this negative outlook to grind him down. Long before he became the confident Deku, Izuku spent most of his time getting bullied by his so-called friends, with Bakugo being especially vicious to him.

Compared to his friend with an Explosion Quirk, Izuku felt like he could never achieve the dreams he had set for himself. At that point, he truly believed that people weren't equal. Izuku has since realized that, while everyone may not be equal, each and every person alive deserves to make their own choices. This can be seen throughout the Final War, where both heroes and villains fight to shape the world according to their own vision.

9 "You Were Dealt A Bad Hand, But You Can Atone For Your Deeds And Start Over."

Episode 116 "One's Justice"

Hawks plays a double agent role during Season 5, infiltrating the League of Villains after getting them to trust him. They actually fall for the act, but Twice takes the friendship too far and way too seriously. For his part, Hawks pretends to nurture their bond while extracting useful information for the Hero Public Safety Commission to analyze.

Hawks' cover is blown in Season 6, which turns Twice's life upside down. In an attempt to console the villain, Hawks says that he can still change, that he can accept his punishment and work to improve his life. He even tells Twice that he's a good person. This quote hits harder given Twice's devastated reaction, but it also demonstrates that Hawks was never planning to leave Twice in the lurch. Unfortunately, Twice doesn't take the news so well.

8 "You've Overreached And Are Now Coming Apart At The Seams... Like Cheap, Inferior Denim!"

Episode 125 "Threads of Hope"

Best Jeanist had been presumed dead after Dabi showed the whole country his corpse, so his unexpected return was like a ray of sunshine lighting up the near-defeated heroes. The League of Villains was particularly taken aback by this event, showing just how well Hawks had managed to maintain his cover. Beast Jeanist then proceeds to capture Gigantomachia with a roll of ultra-thick carbon fiber wires, in addition to trapping the other villains.

When Dabi wonders how the #3 Pro Hero could still be alive, Best Jeanist mocks him for aiming too high with such low quality, comparing the League of Villains to inferior denim. Not only is this quote epic and hilarious, but the analogy to fabric makes it a line that everyone will remember as Best Jeanist's best comeback in My Hero Academia.

7 "How Can I Ever Hope To Be A Hero Who Saves Everyone?!"

Episode 76 "Infinite 100%"

My Hero Academia's fourth season had some of the most epic battles in the series, the greatest of which was the final fight between Izuku Midoriya and Overhaul. After successfully defeating powerhouses like Mirio Togata and Sir Nighteye, the malevolent Overhaul tries to escape with Eri. He demands the right to harvest her body for research purposes, infuriating Izuku beyond measure. Luckily, Eri decides to leap into Izuku's arms.

Overhaul then proceeds to violently attack Izuku, forcing him to take advantage of Eri's Rewind Quirk. With his powers technically stabilized, Izuku wreaks hell on the villain. He declares that he'd be a worthless hero if he couldn't protect "one little girl" and finishes Overhaul with an overwhelming punch to the face. To Izuku, every single life is sacred, even if they're villains.

6 "Stop Talking, I Will Win. That’s… What Heroes Do!"

Episode 37 "Katsuki Bakugo: Origin"

Bakugo makes himself extremely unlikable at the beginning. Not only does he continue to insult Izuku as before, but he also refuses to engage with any of his classmates except Kirishima. That said, even Kirishima mentions that Bakugo's vicious temperament makes him appear more like a villain. Fans eventually learn that Bakugo wants to become a hero and save people just like All Might and Izuku, except through a different path.

He understands that the journey doesn't matter, only the outcome does, and he's willing to do what it takes to win. Bakugo takes this attitude even further in the manga, showing everyone his limitless potential and infinite ambition. All things considered, however, Bakugo has resigned himself to being weaker than Izuku. At least he's not surly or cranky about it, anymore.

5 "If We Break The Law...Then We're No Better Than The Villains!"

Episode 46 "From Ida to Midoriya"

The epicness of a quote has nothing to do with strength, let alone battle. Some of the greatest quotes in history have been tear-jerkers, and very few My Hero Academia characters can tug on the heartstrings like Tsuyu Asui. After Momo, Shoto, Izuku, and Kirishima help Bakugo escape from All For One's clutches, Class 1-A is beside themselves with delight. Tsuyu-chan appears tired or uninterested at first, but Uraraka explains that she's not very happy.

The victorious heroes subsequently get a lecture from her about responsibility. Tsuyu-chan scolds them for making her and everyone else afraid for their lives, stating that the law is what separates heroes and villains. She also breaks down while speaking, prompting the others to start crying as well. Everyone ends up in a group hug before the truants promise not to break the law again.

4 "It's Fine Now. Why? Because I Am Here!"

Episode 1 "Izuku Midoriya: Origin"

Every great superhero has a catchphrase, and All Might's can be distilled into three small words: "I am here!" These words have consistently inspired others over the course of his career, so much so that the strongest of villains attempt to flee whenever they hear All Might arrive. At the beginning of My Hero Academia, there wasn't anyone capable of fighting All Might at full power.

Although this has changed with the Pro Hero's revelation and resignation, the power of his catchphrase still rings true. As the Symbol of Peace, All Might has changed the very fabric of society and ushered them into a new and welcoming era. As long as he was there, evil remained at bay. Even after he lost access to All For One, All Might's strength lives on through his peers, friends, students, and most importantly, his protégé.

3 "Someone Will Inherit That Will Of Heroism."

Episode 140 "Specter"

All Might's influence was never limited to Japan. On the contrary, the entire world remains indebted to him for defeating All For One on two separate occasions. His work has earned him fans all over the world, including America's Cathleen Bate. Determined and destined to follow in All Might's footsteps, the Pro Hero known as Star & Stripe travels to Japan in order to deal with Tomura Shigaraki.

Unfortunately, even her New Order Quirk is incapable of neutralizing the villain before he touches her with his Decay. Star & Stripe begins to fade away, but her vestige remains firmly entrenched within Tomura's mind. Her willpower is so potent that New Order begins destroying All For One's Quirk Library before deteriorating completely. At the same time, Star & Stripe's vestige reminds Tomura that her death means nothing when there are so many others to pick up the torch.

2 "Yes, Ever Since That Day... You've Been My Greatest Hero"

Chapter 422 "Izuku Midoriya Rising"

When Izuku Midoriya met All Might for the first time in Episode 1, he asked if he could be a hero without having a Quirk. All Might let him down gently, claiming that fighting superpowered villains would be impossible without an equally strong Quirk. Izuku accepted the news, albeit sadly, and went on his way. After he sees Bakugo in danger, however, Izuku stops thinking and starts running at the Sludge Villain.

Despite the screams of bystanders urging him to come back, Izuku continues to fight a battle he would never have won. Watching the youngster endanger himself, All Might also springs into action and defeats the Sludge Villain with a sky-shattering punch. Watching Izuku fight Tomura in Chapter 421, however, reminds All Might of his student's unrelenting courage. All Might acknowledges that Izuku had always been "his greatest hero" ever since that day, bringing a tear to the fandom's collective eye.

1 "Go Beyond! PLUS... ULTRAAAAA!" — Everyone

Most ordinary high schools prefer to have their mottos traditional, perhaps in Latin, Greek, or Classical Japanese. On the contrary, a school like U.A. would rather have its entire martial philosophy encapsulated in the simplest words possible. At the end of the day, the title My Hero Academia is about U.A. Every student is expected to surpass their own expectations, even when the tides are against them. Izuku is the poster-boy for this motto — starting as a glass cannon, he can't help but become stronger with each passing day.

All Might, a former U.A. student, also screams the motto while smacking the Nomu into the lower atmosphere. That said, fans particularly love Endeavor's use of the motto during his battle with the High-End Nomu: Hood. The # 1 Pro Hero even declares that he's "hated this school credo for as long as" he can remember before eviscerating Hood with a barrage of white-hot flame.

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10 Coolest Hollow Abilities in Bleach

The Bleach anime divides its combat system into several groups, including the zanpakuto, Soul Reapers' kido, various Quincy abilities from the Sternritter, and plenty of bizarre Hollow skills. In certain sagas like the Substitute Soul Reaper arc or the Arrancar saga, plenty of Hollows and Arrancars showed off their unique powers and traits to challenge Bleach's heroes in unexpected ways. Although Arrancars tried to emulate Soul Reapers, they were ultimately Hollows and had powers to match.

Some Hollows in the series were just generic anime monsters who used fangs and claws to fight, and others had rather weak abilities, but other Hollows were a different story. Several Hollows became famous for fighting and killing Soul Reapers with their powers, and most Arrancars under Sosuke Aizen's command had incredible abilties that could theaten even the most elite Soul Reaper officers. Right now, the Thousand-Year Blood War anime is putting focus on what the Sternritter can do, but fans mustn't forget what a serious challenge the Hollows and Arrancars once were.

10 Ulquiorra's Solita Vista Allowed Him to Show His Memories

The 4th Espada, Ulquiorra Cifer shocked Bleach fans when he released his zanpakuto twice to become an unstoppable warrior during his final battle against Ichigo. However, becoming a lean, mean killing machine was not Ulquiorra's only trick. If Bleach fans want more memorable and stylish powers, they ought to check out Solita Vista, an ability that only Ulquiorra ever used.

Ulquiorra served as a living video camera, since he could observe important events, then detach his eyeball and crush it to show everyone his memories from his own point of view. Ulquiorra used Solita Vista in his first adventure to Karakura Town, since Aizen had sent him to check in on Ichigo's powers as Ichigo wrangled with his half-other Hollow. Later, Ulquiorra regrew the lost eyeball thanks to his rapid regeneration.

9 Senescencia Made Baraggan Luisenbairn the Master of Time

Each of the ten Espadas embody a different aspect of death, as the 2nd Espada, Baraggan Luisenbairn, explained to his Soul Reaper opponents. Baraggan stated his aspect was senescence, or the passing of time causing living matter to deteriorate. He then proved it with his ability of the same name while fighting Soi Fon and Marechiyo Omaeda.

Baraggan's ability was terrifying, deadly, and practically foolproof, threatening the Soul Reapers in ways no one was prepared for. It's one thing to block a sword strike or cero blast, but not even the most talented Soul Reapers can survive having their bodies rapidly aged just by being too close to Baraggan's Senescencia aura. Baraggan's aura became even more effective when he released his zanpakuto, and Soi Fon had no way to contend with it.

8 Zommari Rureaux's Amor Made Him the King of Anyone He Met

The 7th Espada, Zommari Rureaux had a Hollow ability that could have been totally overpowered if he used it better. In his sealed state, Zommari could outmaneuver his foes with his ultra-fast sonido and even create afterimages of himself, but after releasing his zanpakuto, Brujeria, Zommari switched tactics to take control of his enemies' bodies.

With the power he dubbed Amor, Zommari could look at anyone with his enchanted eyes and take control of them, placing a sunburst mark on them in the process. Zommari took control of Byakuya Kuchiki's arm and leg, forcing Byakuya to disable those limbs. Zommari even seized command of Rukia's entire body by looking at her head, forcing Byakuya to restrain her with one of his many kido spells.

7 Shrieker's Target Ability Allowed Him to Swarm His Enemies

Early in the Bleach anime, the story savored its "monster hunter" vibes by introducing Hollows like the villainous Shrieker. Unlike most typical Hollows, Shrieker did not fight alone, because he could use the Target ability to create hundreds of tiny creatures simply known as Targets. Those little critters could swarm over a victim to restrain them until Shrieker can devour them.

Shrieker used his Targets to good effect against Ichigo's group for a few episodes, and that wasn't all. To expand on his Target ability, Shrieker used his tuning fork tongue to make his Targets explode, causing great harm to his tougher enemies. Granted, Hollows like Shrieker are weak compared to the Arrancars who later appeared, but Shrieker still had fun, cool abilities that showed off Tite Kubo's vivid imagination.

6 Grand Fisher's Lure Was the Ultimate Psychological Weapon

The bizarre Hollow named Grand Fisher didn't even have to become a Menos Grande to kill a variety of Soul Reapers over the decades. This made him the deadliest known non-Menos, and he did it not just with claws and fangs, but his trademark Lure ability. In fact, that's why he was called Grand Fisher, as he used that lure to fool his Soul Reaper enemies like a cunning fisherman.

Grand Fisher's lure could morph into anyone he desired, thus applying psychological pressure on his enemies to get the upper hand. The main example was when Grand Fisher turned his lure into Masaki Kurosaki, who had tragically died at Grand Fisher's hands a few years ago. Ichigo, who hadn't yet overcome his grief, totally fell for it.

5 Quimera Parca Allowed Apcci, Sung-Sun, and Mila Rose to Summon a Unique Hollow

Most Hollows and Arrancars have powers that they use on their own, but Mila Rose, Sung-Sun, and Apacci were different. The trio were all animal-themed Arrancars serving under Tier Harribel. If their own released forms weren't strong enough to win a fight, then they could combine their severed arms to summon a new Hollow named Ayon.

This ability, called Quimera Parca, blended the snake, deer, and lion themes of its users to create the chimera-like Ayon, who embodied his three creators. Ayon went on a rampage fighting Soul Reaper Lieutenants in the fake Karakura Town. Early in the Thousand-Year Blood War arc, Ayon was summoned again, only for Quilge Opie to absorb him with Sklave Rai.

4 Glotoneria Had the Potential to Create a One-Man Army

The 9th Espada, Aaroniero Arruruerie has greed as his aspect of death, but Bleach fans might say that gluttony is more appropriate for this Arrancar. Aaroniero had an ability called Glotoneria, which was also his zanpakuto, and he could use it to eat other Hollows and thus gain their abilities. According to Aaroniero, he has eaten 33,650 Hollows, making him a one-man army.

Glotoneria's best usage was when Aaroniero ate the unusual Hollow called Metastacia to access Kaien Shiba's memories, form, and zanpakuto. With his Kaien disguise, Aaroniero fooled Rukia and applied serious psychological pressure on her to get the edge. In theory, Aaroniero could have used hundreds of other Hollow powers while fighting Rukia, but he settled for a tentacle slap and thrust from Kaien's shikai.

3 Wolf Pack Generation Ensured That Coyote Starrk Was Never Alone

Despite his immense power, the 1st Espada Coyote Starrk didn't care much about fighting, nor did he take any particular pride in being Sosuke Aizen's strongest minion. Instead, Starrk was a terribly lonely being who wanted friends. In fact, he stored his Hollow powers not in a zanpakuto, but in his companion, Lilynette Gingerbuck. He was even less alone in his released mode, Los Lobos.

Among other abilities, Coyote Starrk could use Wolf Pack Generation to summon a group of spirit wolves to fight on his behalf. If need be, Starrk could even make those wolves explode with extreme force to deal yet more damage to his enemies. Wolf Pack Generation helped even the odds when Starrk faced several Soul Reapers and Visoreds at the same time.

2 Teatro de Titere Allowed Szayelaporro to Make Deadly Dolls of His Enemies

The 8th Espada, Szayelaporro Grantz was a cruel scientist similar to Captain Mayuri Kurotsuchi. Even in his sealed form, Szayelaporro could study and nullify an enemy's powers. In his released mode, La Lujuriosa, he could use even more abilities, such as recreating himself with the Gabriel ability. His most interesting Hollow ability was Teatro de Titere.

With Teatro de Titere, Szayelaporro could get a sample of his enemies, then make a doll of them, complete with models of their organs and tendons inside. Szayelaporro could destroy the organ/tendon models to crush the real versions in his enemies, allowing him to sadistically torment his enemies to death or test their reactions to different kinds of trauma. Or, he could crush their tendons to immobilize and capture them for experimentation.

1 Rage-Powered Evolution Meant Yammy Had Zero Limits to His Power

In his sealed state, Yammy Llargo was the 10th Espada. After releasing his zanpakuto, Ira, he changed rank to #0. This evidently represented the fact that Yammy had zero limits to his size and power in his true form, since his sheer anger could make him bigger and stronger without limit. Not even Ichigo's team working in tandem could defeat this titanic threat.

Normally, a brute-force fighter like Yammy wouldn't be that interesting among Hollows, but his ability to grow bigger and stronger while changing forms as he got angrier certainly was unique. He was like a twisted Incredible Hulk, feeding on his bloodthirsty rage to become a titan of war. However, not even that spared him from a humiliating defeat at Byakuya's and Kenpachi's hands off-screen.

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10 Most Ruthless Betrayals in Dragon Ball

Anime is a storytelling medium that’s rich in unexpected betrayals, but Akira Toriyama’s Dragon Ball is particularly dense in these devastating acts of deception. Dragon Ball has entertained audiences with rich and exciting storytelling for nearly four decades that has introduced many memorable characters, both heroes and villains alike. It’s always electric when Dragon Ball characters work together and put aside their differences for the greater good, but there are also plenty of instances where the opposite occurs.

Teamwork and cooperation are paramount in a series like Dragon Ball and it hits especially hard when one character manipulates another or abuses their trust. Faith and confidence are important currency in Dragon Ball and characters truly suffer when their alliances are shattered. There are some devastating betrayals in the Dragon Ball franchise, but some of these actions sting more than others.

10 Frost Deceives Universe 7 & Cheats During The Tournament Of Destroyers

Dragon Ball Super expands the franchise’s scope in major ways and one of its biggest developments is the introduction of an entire multiverse of powerful warriors. There are 12 separate universes in Dragon Ball, but Universe 6 – the sister realm to the series’ prime Universe 7 – receives the most attention outside the standard dimension. Universe 6 functions as a curious echo to Universe 7 and features many comparable elements, albeit ones that are drastically different in some respects. Universe 6 flaunts its own version of Frieza – Frost – who’s introduced as a kindhearted and valiant hero rather than a galactic tyrant like in Universe 7.

A competition for the Super Dragon Balls between Universes 6 and 7 – the Tournament of Destroyers – reveals that Frost has actually been deceiving the Universe 7 crew and that he’s actually as wicked as Frieza, if not even more so. All of Universe 7 is betrayed by this revelation, but it’s specifically Goku and Piccolo who are wronged when Frost secretly poisons them during their battles. The truth comes forward and the Tournament of Destroyers’ results are accordingly amended, but it’s still a tough pill for Universe 7 to swallow. Many of these fighters attempt to get revenge on Frost during the Tournament of Power.

9 Demon King Piccolo Reneges On His Deal With The Pilaf Gang

Pilaf, Shu, and Mai are the original Dragon Ball’s first villains and they attempt to collect the Dragon Balls for wicked world domination plans. Their efforts are thoroughly thwarted by Goku and company, yet they never completely disappear from the series. The Pilaf Gang attempt to align themselves with Demon King Piccolo and plan to ride his coattails to success, even if he’s still more powerful than they are. Pilaf and his crew help carry out King Piccolo’s bidding, assist him in his actions against Goku, and – most importantly – aid him in his Dragon Ball collection. The Pilaf Gang helps King Piccolo achieve his goal.

Not only does he successfully use the Dragon Balls to reacquire his youth, but he follows this act up with Shenron's destruction to take the Dragon Balls out of the equation and prevent anyone from undoing his actions. Afterward, Pilaf attempts to cash in on his reward and is hopeful that he'll get at least a small portion of the world to rule, while King Piccolo controls the rest. Not only does King Piccolo not reward the Pilaf Gang with anything, but he throws them out of his ship and abandons them now that he's gotten what he's wanted from their arrangement. It's hard to feel sympathy for twisted villains like Pilaf and company, but it's still a particularly ruthless betrayal that speaks to King Piccolo's singular and selfish mindset.

8 Babidi Brutally Eliminates Spopovich & Yamu After They’ve Served Their Purpose

Dragon Ball Z’s Buu Saga releases unprecedented chaos on the planet when Babidi awakens Majin Buu – an ancient evil – to wreak havoc. Babidi needs to acquire enough energy to trigger Buu’s awakening and it’s revealed that he possesses several minions to help him sap energy from strong individuals so that he can bring his plan to fruition. Vegeta’s energy donation as he succumbs to Majin influence ultimately pushes his power supply over the edge. However, Babidi’s previous plan is to use two compliant human servants, Spopovich and Yamu, to collect energy and do his grunt work.

Not much is known about Spopovich and Yamu prior to their Majin possession, but they’re set up to be normal humans who let their insecurities get the better of them. It’s clear that Spopovich and Yamu both think that aligning themselves with Babidi will get them in the dark wizard’s good graces and protect them after Buu awakens. On the contrary, Babidi psychically inflates and explodes both of his loyal minions after they’ve outlived their usefulness and he’s grown tired of them. Their deaths are particularly vicious and completely unnecessary, but their messy ends further establish Babidi’s villainy and that human lives are worthless to him.

7 Majin Buu Grows Tired Of Babidi’s Insults & Violently Ends Their Alliance

Majin Buu is first awakened millions of years ago by Bibidi, but when the evil alien wizard’s plan falls short, it’s his descendant, Babidi, who picks up the slack. Babidi awakens Buu on Earth through an intricate plan that results in multiple Majin minions. Buu wouldn’t be around without Babidi’s help, which makes it all the more tragically ironic that Buu is the one who ends Babidi’s life. Buu is initially compliant to Babidi’s shrill and hostile requests because the Majin manipulator repeatedly threatens to once again seal Buu away if he acts out of turn.

However, Buu grows increasingly tired of the wizard’s mean insults and angry rants. He slowly reaches his breaking point and decides that he doesn’t want Babidi around anymore. Buu further questions Babidi’s loyalty to him and if this is the type of partner that he wants in his life. Buu’s frustration with Babidi coincides with his time with Mr. Satan, who shows Buu kindness and teaches him to appreciate compassion. Mr. Satan’s positive relationship with Buu helps him better understand that Babidi has been manipulating him. Buu’s child-like innocence results in a disturbingly playful execution of Babidi that seems like it catches both of them off-guard.

6 Master Shen Breaks Away From Master Roshi & Turns To Darkness

Goku and Dragon Ball fans meet Master Roshi when he's already hundreds of years old. That being said, the revered martials arts master has lived a full life that's full of loss. Master Shen is a major danger who threatens Roshi and his Turtle School disciples during the World Martial Arts Tournament. Shen and Roshi harbor palpable animosity towards each other, but these two were actually close friends and partners during their youth. Roshi and Shen both trained under the prolific Master Mutaito, who ultimately passed away during his efforts to defeat and contain Demon King Piccolo with the volatile Evil Containment Wave. Mutaito's death hangs heavy on Shen and he's never quite the same.

Shen heads down a dark path and opens the Crane School of Martial Arts, which is in direct opposition to Roshi's Turtle School. These two develop separate ideologies, but it also seems as if Shen directly targets Roshi and his students in order to cause them pain and reinforce the idea that they made the wrong decision with their life. An anime filler episode also adds extra fuel to this fire and indicates that Roshi and Shen's competition over a woman, Fanfan, is also to blame for the duo's falling out.

5 Vegeta Lets Down Future Trunks Through His Semi-Perfect Cell Plans

Cell, even in his Imperfect form, throws all of Earth’s heroes off their game. Goku, Gohan, Vegeta, and Future Trunks immerse themselves in dedicated training in the Hyperbolic Time Chamber, wherein they all learn how to surpass their standard Super Saiyan limitations. Vegeta is so taken with his new Super Saiyan Second Grade strength that he begins to arrogantly refer to himself as Super Vegeta and proceeds to completely overwhelm Semi-Perfect Cell in combat. Future Trunks is elated to see that his father is strong enough to defeat this apocalyptic threat. However, Semi-Perfect Cell takes advantage of Vegeta’s pride and ego and convinces him that he could face a truly worthy opponent if he allows him to absorb Android 18 and attain perfection.

Vegeta is so confident in his power boost that he’s willing to let Cell engage in this process, which betrays the plan that he’s put together with Future Trunks. Future Trunks does whatever he can to stop Vegeta and the father and son come to blows over Android 18’s absorption. Unfortunately, Future Trunks is unable to stop Vegeta’s meddling and Semi-Perfect Cell achieves his goal and ascends to perfection. Perfect Cell proves to be more powerful than Vegeta and Future Trunks combined. Vegeta’s egotistical error isn’t just a massive betrayal to Future Trunks, but all the heroes, who now have an even greater challenge on their hands.

4 The Heeter Force Manipulates Granolah To Do Their Bidding

Dragon Ball Super’s manga has gone far beyond the anime’s Tournament of Power, which has led to the introduction of bold new villains like Planet-Eater Moro and Gas of the Heeter Force. The Heeter Force are explained to be an organization who work for Frieza and help him in his acquisition and conquest of planets. However, they plan to steal power away from the tyrant and become an even stronger force of nature. The Heeter Force recruit Granolah, the last of the Cerealians, to carry out their wishes and help them in their mission. This puts Granolah on a collision course with Vegeta and Goku, who he resents due to their Saiyan status and their people’s role in his planet’s ruin.

It’s gradually revealed that the Heeter Force themselves are actually responsible for the death of Granolah’s family and that Bardock – a Saiyan – helped save Granolah’s life when he was just a child. When Granolah learns the truth, the Heeters have no qualms about immediately turning on their pawn and taking him out alongside Goku and Vegeta. It’s a brutal blow for Granolah to realize that he’s been working for the enemy and the people who he hates more than anyone else in the universe. Furthermore, the Heeter Force pushes Granolah down a destructive path where he’s willing to cut his lifespan incredibly short in exchange for greater power that will ultimately benefit them.

3 Frieza Toys With Broly’s Trust & Emotions To Help Him Defeat His Rivals

Broly, the Legendary Super Saiyan, is one of Dragon Ball’s most popular characters. He’s the centerpiece of three separate Dragon Ball Z movies, but it’s not until Dragon Ball Super: Broly that he officially becomes canon. Dragon Ball Super: Broly slightly revises the Saiyan’s backstory and presents him more of a tortured and manipulated figure rather than a purely evil individual. Broly and his father Paragus are welcomed into the Frieza Force and believe that Frieza genuinely cares about him. However, Frieza’s plan is to get Broly to take out Goku and Vegeta for him so that these persistent threats are finally out of the way.

Frieza lies to Broly and never has his best interests in mind. The culmination of this abuse occurs when Frieza callously kills Paragus in front of Broly in order to push him over the edge and trigger a violent Super Saiyan transformation that will hopefully make him strong enough to destroy Goku and Vegeta. Frieza’s plan fails, but it also gives Broly a bitter grudge against the villain that carries over to this day.

2 Vegeta Turns On His Saiyan Partner Once Nappa Becomes Dead Weight

Vegeta and Nappa enter Dragon Ball Z at the same time and these two are viewed as loyal partners who are determined to acquire Earth’s Dragon Balls and accomplish what Raditz couldn’t. Nappa causes a lot of the Saiyan Saga’s initial destruction and he’s responsible for Tien, Chiaotzu, and Piccolo’s deaths, which is no small feat. Goku’s triumphant return, complete with a Kaio-Ken power boost, quickly humbles Nappa and proves that Goku’s vigorous Other World training under King Kai hasn’t been in vain. Goku easily neutralizes Nappa and the fallen Saiyan desperately asks Vegeta for help. Vegeta, disgusted over Nappa’s defeat, executes his partner and decides that he’s no longer helpful to his plan.

Nappa is dumbfounded by Vegeta’s betrayal, as are Goku and the rest of Earth’s heroes. This is an efficient way to take Nappa out of the picture and also establish Vegeta as a ruthless individual who’s even more dangerous than his violent partner. Vegeta’s decision to succumb to dark Majin influences for an easy power boost during the Buu Saga also qualifies as a hefty betrayal to Goku and everything that they’ve built together since his redemption. However, his disloyalty to Nappa stings more and truly catches the Saiyan warrior by surprise.

1 Frieza Betrays The Entire Saiyan Race When He Destroys Planet Vegeta

Dragon Ball Z begins with Planet Vegeta’s destruction looming far in the series’ past, but the franchise slowly fills in the details that surround this crucial event in Bardock - The Father of Goku. Frieza, for decades, has used the Saiyans as his brutal wrecking balls who help wipe out a planet’s population so that he can easily take it over and sell it to the highest bidder. The Saiyans believe that they’re valuable allies to Frieza, but in reality, Frieza despises these low-level warriors and merely views them as a means to an end. Bardock, through unique psychic visions, clues into the fact that the Saiyans are on borrowed time and that it won’t be long until Frieza eliminates their working relationship.

Bardock tries to stage a Saiyan revolution against Frieza, but the Saiyans are still woefully inferior to Frieza’s raw power. Frieza casually decides that he’s had enough of the Saiyans and destroys their entire planet with a destructive Supernova. It’s a truly awful betrayal due to the Saiyans’ intense loyalty to Frieza and that the majority of them had no idea that their extinction was imminent. Frieza goes on to carry a heavy hatred for the Saiyans that carries over to his confrontation with Goku and Vegeta in Dragon Ball Z.

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Dragon Ball Super Breaks Up Manga's Hiatus With Official New Gohan Beast Artwork

Following the sudden passing of Dragon Ball creator Akira Toriyama, the Dragon Ball Super manga by Toriyama and Toyotarou entered a state of indefinite hiatus. However, the manga is showing signs of life again after releasing a new illustration of adult Gohan’s strongest transformation to date.

The @/DbsHype account on X (formerly Twitter) shared the latest Dragon Ball Super artwork of Gohan in his Beast form by Toyotarou. As avid readers know, Toyotarou is the artist behind the Dragon Ball Super manga, who worked with the late Toriyama on various Dragon Ball-related manga projects. As the chosen successor to Toriyama, many believe Toyotarou will play a significant role in shaping the future of the Dragon Ball franchise after the loss of its creator. The newest artwork, seen below, is part of a special serialized project by Dragon Ball that is intended to run until the start of the Super's next manga chapter.

Gohan Beast's Debut in Dragon Ball Super: Super Hero Was a Saiyan Saga Callback

Gohan Beast is the latest transformation for Gohan in the Dragon Ball series that premiered in the 2022 anime movie Dragon Ball Super: Super Hero. After an unhinged Cell Max lands a devastating blow on Piccolo that comes close to ending the Namekian’s life, Gohan’s dormant strength finally unleashes, transforming him into the all-powerful Gohan Beast. It’s a scene that’s intentionally calling back to Piccolo sacrificing himself to save a young Gohan in the "Saiyan Saga" of Dragon Ball Z.

The CG-animated movie is filled with callbacks for longtime fans of the series, along with long-awaited answers to popular questions within the Dragon Ball fandom. The Red Ribbon Army from the 1986 Dragon Ball anime series is called back into action for Super Hero as the evil organization tries to re-establish its global dominance while seeking revenge on Goku and his friends. Most notably, the anime movie pushes Goku and Vegeta to the sidelines so that characters like Piccolo, Gohan and his daughter Pan can play a more active role in the story.

Although the Dragon Ball Super manga did adapt the Super Hero movie into its story, the manga version goes beyond the 2022 film in a lot of ways, such as expanding on the role of teenage Trunks and his relationship with Mai. However, where the manga version of Super Hero really shines is its epilogue arc, which has Gohan fighting his father and his Saiyan relatives to test out his new power. The final chapter in the story arc also acts as an unintentional goodbye from Toriyama before his passing, with the final page featuring Piccolo waving goodbye to the viewer before flying off with Goku, Gohan and Pan.

There has been no official confirmation as of writing when the Dragon Ball Super manga will return to serialization. However, the official site has stated that Super will eventually resume with a new story arc. Previous chapters of Dragon Ball Super can be accessed via Viz Media.

Source: X (formerly Twitter)

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10 Bleach Characters Fans Wish Were Canon

Sometimes, a popular ongoing anime will air while the manga is still being written. When the anime approaches the manga, the studio usually introduces a filler arc to give the manga writer more time to progress the story. Bleach has multiple filler arcs, which means that it has plenty of filler characters. Most of these filler characters are easily forgetable, but a few really stand out because of their personalities and backstories. Certain filler characters are so impactful that some fans wish they were actually canon.

Most of these filler characters only appear in the anime, and many of them are Soul Reapers. That being said, there is one Filler Hollow that really stands out, and there are three filler artificial souls that many Bleach fans adore. Some of these great filler characters only appear in Bleach's animated movies, and they typically help to flesh out a canonical character's backstory.

10 Sojiro Gave Toshiro A Tragic Backstory

First Appears in Bleach: The DiamondDust Rebellion

Sojiro was the main antagonist of Bleach: The DiamondDust Rebellion - a movie that put a lot of focus on Squad 10 Captain Toshiro Hitsugaya. Sojiro met Toshiro at the Shin'o Academy, and they quickly became friends. He wanted to be a successful and loyal Soul Reaper, but fate had other plans. Like Toshiro, Sojiro manifested Hyorinmaru - the strongest ice-type Zanpakuto.

Central 46 ruled that two Soul Reapers could not wield the same Zanpakuto, so they forced the friends to fight. Toshiro did not want to harm his friend, but Sojiro did not hesitate to attack. He failed the test, and Central 46 ordered his execution. Sojiro is revived by the Oin, and tries to use its power to destroy the Soul Society. Sojiro made Toshiro's backstory more tragic, and his final form is identical to Hyorinmaru's true Bankai spirit.

9 Kokuto Is The First Villain From Hell That Ichigo Faced

First Appears in Bleach: The Hell Verse

It appears as though Hell will be the focus of Bleach's next arc, but fans actually visited the territory once before. In Bleach: The Hell Verse Ichigo and his friends break into Hell in order to save his sister Yuzu. While there, they meet a man named Kokuto - who initially helps Ichigo. Kokuto is later revealed to be the movie's true villain. His goal was to escape Hell by using the power of Ichigo's Hollow transformation.

Kokuto is somewhat of a sympatric character. He was only sent to Hell because he killed the individuals who killed his younger sister. His chains are eventually broken, but he is defeated by Ichigo's Getsuga Tensho. Kokuto is then dragged deeper into Hell. If the next arc does take place in Hell, then Kokuto can easily return given his newfound hatred of Ichigo.

8 Amagai Became A Captain In Order To Avenge His Father

First Appears In Episode 168, "The New Captain Appears! His Name Is Shūsuke Amagai"

The military strength of the Thirteen Court Guard Squads suffered a major blow when three Captains defected at once. It makes sense that they would try to fill those vacancies, and for that reason, Shusuke Amagai should be made canon. He was named the new Captain of Squad 3. Amagai seemed kind, but he secretly wanted to kill Head Captain Yamamoto. He orchestrated the entire Kasumioji Conspiracy in order to make it happen.

Amagai believed Yamamoto killed his father because of the Bakkoto weapons, so he learned everything he could about them. He learns the truth about his father's death just as he is about to kill Yamamoto. His father's mind had been irreparably corrupted by the Bakkoto, and Yamamoto had no choice but to kill him. Amagai takes his own life as punishment, and apologizes for his actions. Like his predecessor, Amagai devoted his entire Soul Reaper career to vengeance, but his character arc turned out to be better than Gin Ichimaru's.

7 The Zanpakuto Souls All Had Personalities Of Their Own

First Appear in Episode 230, "A New Enemy! The Materialization Of Zanpakuto"

Bleach fans got a glimpse of Ichigo and Renji's Zanpakuto spirits very early on, but the Zanpakuto Unknown Tales arc brought many other canon Zanpakuto spirits to life. The arc revolves around a rogue Zanpakuto spirit named Muramasa. He uses his ability to break the bond between nearly every Soul Reaper and their Zanpakuto.

The spirits all have their own personalities and quirks, and some of them actually resent their Soul Reapers for not using them properly. Hyrorinmaru really stands out because he deals with amnesia and actively searches for his master. All of the spirits might as well be canon because some of them already are. Sode no Shirayuki is Rukia's Zanpakuto, and her appearance is identical to Rukia's Bankai. When Shunsui Kyoraku activates his Bankai, Katen Kyokotsu's spirit interacts with him, and it is the same spirit that appears in the filler.

6 Maki Respected The Canonical 10th Kenpachi

First Appears In Episode 73, "Gathering At The Place Of Fortune! The Man Who Makes His Move"

Maki was once part of Squad 11, but he left the squad shortly after Kenpachi Zaraki became its new Captain. He earned the title by killing Kenpachi Kiganjo - who is canonically recognized as the 10th Kenpachi. Maki respected Kiganjo, in fact he tried to attack Zaraki when the battle was over. Some time later, Maki tried to avenge his Captain by challenging Zaraki to a duel. He suffered a humiliating defeat.

Maki left Squad 11 and the Soul Society, but he returned decades later with Jin Kariya and the Bount. He believed that Kariya could improve the Soul Society. Maki was actually able to cut Zaraki during their second duel, but he still lost. Maki is actually a loyal and honorable man, but Kenpachi Zaraki twisted him into a vengeful Soul Reaper because of his dishonorable conduct.

5 Patros Wanted To Rebel Against Aizen

First Appears In Episode 136, "Hueco Mundo Civil War! Ulquiorra's Death"

It appeared as though every Arrancar was loyal to Sosuke Aizen, but there were some who hated him. Baraggan was the Second Espada, and he hated Aizen for taking Hueco Mundo from him, but he never acted on his hatred because he feared Aizen's strength. Patros was not part of the Espada, but he was an Arracar who actively rebelled against Aizen.

Patros wanted to dethrone Aizen and steal the Hogyoku. His goal was to take over all of the known realms with the Hoyoku's power. He even attacked Ulquiorra and believed that he had successfully killed him. Patros was at best a Lieutenant-level Arrancar, so he stood no real chance against someone like Aizen, but it was still refreshing to see an Arrancar stand up to him in some way.

4 Koga Is A Reflection Of Byakuya

First Appears In Episode 248, "Dragon Of Ice And Dragon Of Flame! The Strongest Showdown"

Koga decided to start his own revolt, but he was sealed by Head Captain Yamamoto and Ginrei Kuchiki. He is released by Muramasa decades later, and he and Byakuya go on to have one of the best fights in Bleach. Koga is a reflection of Byakuya. They were both extremely arrogant, and they followed the rules to a tee. Byakuya was able to better connect with his Zanpakuto by letting go of his pride. Koga was consumed by his pride, and literally threw his Zanpakuto away. If Koga were canon, Byakuya's character development would mean even more.

3 Ashido Is The Hero Of The Best Received Filler Arcs

First Appears In Episode 147, "Forest of Menos! The Search For The Missing Rukia"

Ashido and his team followed a group of Hollows through a Garganta into the forest. His unit was killed by a group of Menos, and he has been killing as many Hollows as possible ever since. Ashido is a cool character who has dealt with a lot of trauma, and he willingly stayed inside the forest in order for Rukia to escape. Unlike most filler characters, Ashido's addition feels natural, and he added more to Bleach's worldbuilding.

2 Homura & Shizuku Fleshed Out Rukia's Character

First Appear in Bleach: Fade to Black

Bleach: Fade to Black deserves a lot of credit for creating a pair of characters who managed to deepen Rukia's backstory and character. Homura and Shizuka are siblings who were raised by Rukia when they were all in the Rukon District. Rukia is the one who named them. Homura and Shizuku possessed a teleportation ability, and they used it to save Rukia from a parasitic Hollow. Unfortunately, the siblings and Hollow were teleported to Hueco Mundo.

This Hollow could erase memories, and it caused Rukia to forget about Homura and Shizuku. They deserve to be canon because they were Rukia's siblings before she was adopted by Byakuya. They may have been villains, but they only wanted to reconnect with Rukia. In a way, Homura and Shizuka are two of Bleach's most tragic characters.

1 The Mod Souls Are Beloved More Than Kon

First Appear In Episode 64, "New School Term, Renji Has Come To The Human World?!"

The majority of Bleach fans would agree that the Mod Souls were the best thing to come out of the Bount arc. Their names are Ririn, Kurodo and Noba, and they might as well be canon since they appear at various times througout the anime. They are the only filler characters that appear in multiple arcs.

They are the only filler characters who appear in an opening that covers an official Bleach arc. The Mod Souls may be comic relief characters, but they are genuinely funny, and they also fight from time to time. Some Bleach fans prefer Ririn, Kurodo and Noba over Kon - the series' only canon Mod Soul.

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Tatsuki Fujimoto’s Look Back Shares an Uncanny Connection With Chainsaw Man

Tatsuki Fujimoto is one of the most beloved (and eccentric) mangaka working today. His biggest series, Chainsaw Man, captured the overactive imaginations of manga and anime fans all over the world, but it's far from his only popular series. One of his newer modern masterpieces, Look Back, has taken on a bit of a life of its own, even getting its own anime film adaptation produced by Studio Durian. What's most surprising about Look Back isn't even its heartfelt storyline, or its cozy slice-of-life setting, but rather that those things all come from the same author who created the utter mayhem that is Chainsaw Man.

Aside from just their author, though, there is another, a bit more subtle, connection between Look Back and Chainsaw Man that is not as easily recognizable. Namely, the symbolism used in both series, especially surrounding Fujimoto's usage of doors. Any Chainsaw Man fan will be familiar with a certain door in particular, so the appearance of that very same door in Look Back definitely warrants questioning.

Who Was Behind the Door in Look Back?

Kyomoto Appears to Have Become a Ghost at the End of Look Back, But the Truth is Far More Nuanced

In Look Back, doors have a clear significance from very early on in the story. After graduating from high school, the main character, Fujino, is tasked with delivering a girl named Kyomoto's diploma to her house. No one answers the door when she knocks, so Fujino helps herself inside. The first means of contact between these two characters only occurs because Fujino draws a quick manga strip about Kyomoto that teases her for being a shut in, and then accidentally drops it — helplessly watching as it slips under Kyomoto's bedroom door.

Even at this early point in the series, Kyomoto being locked behind the door and Fujino sending something through it is the most significant event in the story, as it connects two people whose fates were only divided by the thin separation of a doorway. The door was the thing that Kyomoto hid behind, and which Fujino pulled her out of by merely reaching out. It's a powerful notion, but it's only one of the more prominent instances of the door.

If readers pay attention throughout the story, doors often show up concurrently with Kyomoto herself. In one scene, after Kyomoto and Fujino start drawing manga together, the two of them are shown sitting together with Fujino's bedroom door set behind them in the background. What's so important about this scene is that it shows how — even though Fujino and Kyomoto have both closed themselves off to the world again, they've also opened themselves up to one another.

The most notable instances of the door in Look Back come later in the story, though. In fact, the symbol of the door takes a bit of a back seat for a stretch mid-way through the story, as Fujino and Kyomoto become much closer friends, and things start going well for both of them. They spend a lot of time outside, and Kyomoto even tells Fujino, "I'm glad I came out of my room… I stopped going to school cuz… I got scared of people."

It's not until near the end of the story, when Fujino visits Kyomoto's house after Kyomoto's tragic passing, that the symbol of the door makes an appearance once again. Fujino sits outside Kyomoto's door, imagining how things might have been different for Kyomoto if she never met Fujino. Suddenly she notices a manga strip which seems to have slipped under Kymoto's door.

Reading the comic, Fujino realizes it's the same story as she was just imagining only moments before, compelling her to open Kyomoto's door. Half in hopes that she'll find Kyomoto's ghost inside, Fujino opens the door, only to find Kyomoto's room just as she left it, and there's no one there.

In a way, there was a ghost that haunted Fujino, but it wasn't a physical one. Instead, it was the painful memory of losing Kyomoto, and the disbelief that her best friend could really be gone. Like the phenomenon of a phantom limb, Fujino still had a feeling that Kyomoto should still be just where she left her. Only by opening that door was Fujino able to face the truth that Kyomoto was truly gone forever.

What Doors Symbolize in Chainsaw Man

Doors Take on an Ominous Role in CSM, Often Separating Denji From His Most Painful Experiences

Doors (or refusing to open them) are extremely symbolic in CSM. The most prominent instance of a door is the one that Denji sees in his dreams throughout Part 1, a door that Pochita urges Denji not to open, no matter what. However, that’s far from the only instance of an important door in CSM. Notably, when Aki becomes the Gun Fiend, he knocks on the door to him, Denji and Power's apartment. Unlike Pochita does with Denji's dream door, though, Makima urges Denji to open the door, forcing him to face a harsh reality.

Later, when Power shows up at Makima’s apartment, Makima forces Denji to open the door for her as well, once again forcing him to face an instance that would become one of his most painful memories. By making Denji open the door, Makima made him accept the reality that Makima herself was the villain, and that Denji was complacent in it, imposing a sense of guilt on Denji for what happened to his friends.

The closed door represents something that a character is unwilling to face: a harsh truth that they don’t want to accept or a traumatic experience they lock away within their subconscious mind in fear of the pain it causes. This is an ongoing theme in the CSM manga, but even anime-only fans will recognize the recurring symbol of the "door" in multiple scenes of the series. In fact, it was something the anime actually expanded on by adding anime-only scenes to further drive home its importance.

One of the most telling usages of doors in CSM is their existence in Hell. CSM's version of Hell takes on the appearance of a giant field filled with flowers, and the sky consists of innumerable doors, set one next to the other. Considering the concept of doors hiding the guilt and regrets of people that they hold within their subconscious minds, the doors lining the sky in CSM's Hell could show that it’s the guilt and shame that people hold within themselves that leads to Hell.

In that sense, Hell is both a state of mind, and also a physical place that is directly connected to that state of mind. While it’s unconfirmed, that could also explain why Devils are reborn in Hell after they die in Chainsaw Man: Devils are the manifestation of the fears that human beings hold in their hearts, and there’s no greater fear than those which people are afraid to face within their own minds. By opening those doors within the subconscious, a person opens the gateway to Hell itself. When the Darkness Devil first appears, it comes through one of those very doors in the sky.

However, as Denji eventually shows, opening that door can also potentially end up being a freeing experience for the person involved. While acknowledging what's behind his own door first leads him into a state of stupor where he can no longer even think for himself, eventually, he emerges from the experience a better person.

Denji is able to accept himself and history, even if it still haunts him at times. Denji still lives with doubts in CSM Part 2, but he's ultimately a much more confident and independent person. Though his past still haunts him in Part 2, instead of seeing the door, Denji sees himself as a child, showing he is facing his pain, even if it still causes him doubt.

Is the Door From Look Back the Same One From CSM?

The Door that Kyomoto Paints in Art School is the Same Door From Denji's Dreams in CSM

Just as in CSM, there are multiple doors of significance in Look Back, but there's one in particular which connects very strongly to Denji’s door in CSM. Namely, it’s a door that is being painted by Kyomoto, in an alternate reality that Fujino imagines after Kyomoto's death. Fujino thinks up a world where things may have been different if she never made Kyomoto leave her room.

In that world, Kyomoto still goes to art school, and while there she paints a huge image of a door. This door being painted by Kyomoto in Look Back is the exact same door that appears in Denji's dreams in Chainsaw Man. Just like in CSM, the appearance of the door in Look Back takes on an ominous meaning, as it shows that things really wouldn't have been much different either way.

On the very next page, after Kyomoto is shown painting this door, her would-be-killer enters a doorway at her school, and history is set to repeat. However, at just the last second, Fujino appears out of nowhere and kicks the killer, saving Kymoto's life in this imaginary turn of events. While Fujino wasn't able to save Kyomoto in real life, she finds a manga strip that Kyomoto had drawn when she was younger, depicting Fujino kicking this same killer and rescuing Kyomoto. This proves to Fujino that Kyomoto always felt that Fujino was her hero from the very start.

Interestingly, while Denji's door appearing in Look Back doesn't take on the exact same role as it did in CSM, it does serve as an important symbol of what's to come. It also shows that, just as Denji couldn't change the past no matter how much he refused to accept it, Fujino was never going to be able to change what happened to Kyomoto, no matter how much she blamed herself. Notably, this image of a door is also something that appeared in Fujino's dream, just like it did in Denji's, though in Fujino's case, it was more of a daydream than a nightmare.

Tatsuki Fujimoto is no Stranger to Connecting his One-shots to Chainsaw Man

The Main Character From One of Fujimoto's Early One Shots Eventually Became CSM's Control Devil

While there's always the possibility that Fujimoto could just be adding an Easter Egg from his most popular series into a one-shot, the prominence of doors in both stories makes its meaning quite clear. In fact, this isn't the first time that Fujimoto has connect one of his popular one-shots with his most famous series. Another of his most well-known one-shots, Nayuta of the Prophecy, took on particular importance in Part 2 of Chainsaw Man, when the Control Devil was reincarnated as a young girl named Nayuta.

There are a number of Nayuta similarities between the Nayuta's of both series, not least being their names. Denji has even been compared to Nayuta's brother in the one-shot, who has a very similar relationship with Nayuta as Denji does with the CSM incarnation of her character. Rather than being a Easter Egg reference to his one-shot in this case, it's more likely that Fujimoto simply liked the concept of Nayuta as a character, and wanted to reuse her in a more focused way.

This connection could show that perhaps the door that was so prominent in Chainsaw Man's story was a major inspiration for the premise of Look Back. Just as Nayuta was a good idea that Fujimoto wanted to utilize to a greater degree in CSM, the ominous image of the door in CSM was something that Fujimoto decided to flesh out in greater detail with Look Back. Considering how personal a story Look Back clearly is for Fujimoto (after all, the two main characters, Fujino, and Kyomoto, make up a play on Fujimoto's own name), it's highly likely that the prominent symbol of the door in his manga takes on a personal importance for him.

What is Tatsuki Fujimoto's Obsession With Doors?

When looking at how they're used in both Chainsaw Man and Look Back, it becomes clear that doors represent traumatic experiences which people hide away in their subconscious minds in Tatsuki Fujimoto's popular manga series, ignoring and blocking them out behind a door that could easily be opened at any moment. Similarly, doors can separate two parts of the Self: the part of an individiual's personality that they show on a daily basis, and an aspect of their personality they hide away from the rest of the world.

In Chainsaw Man, that door may even lead to Hell itself, which could show that Fujimoto genuinely sees the avoidance of painful truths as the ultimate source of pain and torture a person can impose upon themself. Alternatively, the door leading to Hell could also symbolize the fact that the greatest pains for human beings are within themselves, and the only thing that protects people from enduring that pain is a shoddy door that locks it away.

In fact, in Look Back, as Fujino and Kyomoto open themselves up to the world, the nature of the doors change. After her first meeting with Kyomoto, Fujino puts a sign on her door that says "knock first", indicating that, while still closing herself away, she is also inviting people in as long as they respect her space. This shows that doors aren't necessarily bad and don’t automatically lock away something negative, but simply that they do hide away something, and that it’s up to the person whether that thing is good or bad.

While used slightly differently between Chainsaw Man and Look Back, the symbol is still there. In fact, the inclusion of the same exact door from CSM in Look Back is a way of Fujimoto hinting at the fact that this symbol still retains its meaning in both series. In both Look Back and Chainsaw Man, the shut door represents an unfortunate truth that a person can't face, a tragic memory, or even a genuine fear.

In Look Back, it results in a sort of self-imposed imprisonment created by both Kyomoto and Fujino on themselves by refusing to step outside their own doors. In CSM, it prevents Denji from taking personal responsibility, out of a fear that he's not a good enough person to be happy. Using the same door in both Chainsaw Man and Look Back not only shows that this symbol is important, but that it may take on a more personal meaning for Fujimoto as he interweaves two seemingly unrelated stories.

Ultimately, fans can only speculate on the true meaning of a story like Look Back, and what the doors genuinely symbolize for Fujimoto. In a way, Fujimoto's art is like something of a doorway into the person himself, and stories like Look Back are a way for him to slip something under the opening to readers, just as Fujino did for Kyomoto. Until he's willing to open that door himself and share what’s behind it, though, readers can only knock and hope Fujimoto lets them in.

Tatsuki Fujimoto's Look Back comes to theaters in Japan on June 24, 2024.

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10 Demon Slayer Fights Fans Want To See in Season 4

The Demon Slayer anime has been a home run for action scenes between its heroes and villains, and it helps that studio UFOtable has incredible animation to make those fights look their best. Standout battles include Tanjiro's clash versus Rui, Kyojuro's duel with Akaza, and Tengen's team's encounter with Daki and Gyutaro. Season 4 of Demon Slayer has now begun, and fans can't wait to see who will fight whom as the story approaches its endgame.

Anime-only fans of Demon Slayer can imagine all kinds of matchups against the remaining heroes and villains, and some matchups seem thematic or practically inveitable, given the story so far. Even some unlikely fights are fun to picture for this new season, and fans can look forward to seeing if their predictions about future fights will come true. The seven remaining Hashira, Tanjiro's trio of shonen heroes, and the remaining Upper Moons and Muzan are sure to cross blades in all kinds of terrific battles sooner than later.

10 Doma vs Sanemi Shinazugawa Would be an Entertaining Battle of Goofiness vs Rage

The remaining Hashira and Upper Moons vary not just in their power levels and fighting styles, but also their personalities, which leads to some amusing comedy and serious drama alike. Some matchups for Season 4 would be fun to watch as not just a clash of powers, but a clash of personalities.

The Wind Hashira, Sanemi Shinazugawa, is an intense and unforgiving demon slayer who takes himself seriously, while Doma is the opposite as a goofy, carefree killer who seems to mock everything around him. If Sanemi fights Doma, then Demon Slayer fans can watch as Sanemi tries in vain to intimidate Doma and Doma tries to get Sanemi to lighten up for once as they trade blows.

9 Shinobu Kocho vs Doma Would be an Awesome Revenge Match

As Demon Slayer anime fans will soon find out, Shinobu Kocho lost her sister not to some ordinary demon, but to the Upper Moon 2, Doma. Although Muzan detests Doma, Shinobu evidently hates him even more, considering Doma's role in Kanae Kocho's demise several years ago. There's no doubt that Shinobu wants revenge, and she may soon get her chance.

If the remaining Hashira and Upper Moons do fight in Season 4 – as most Demon Slayer fans expect them to – then it will be cathartic to see Shinobu get a shot at vengeance, if the story allows it. Most likely, Shinobu would insist on fighting Doma alone to settle this personal feud, though she might also make use of Tamayo's poisons to level the playing field.

8 Tanjiro Kamado vs Kokushibo Would Almost Feel Like Fate

The Upper Moon 1, Kokushibo, blurs the line between demons and slayers in ways that no one else among the twelve Kizuki ever could. Kokushibo was once a demon slayer himself and was the brother of Yoriichi Tsugikuni, but now he is a demon with six eyes and a unique Moon Breathing fighting style.

Tanjiro has a connection of sorts to Yoriichi Tsugikuni, including training with the Yoriichi Type Zero training dummy, so it feels appropriate for Tanjiro to fight and perhaps defeat Kokushibo in Season 4. If so, Tanjiro will be in for the fight of a lifetime as he fights Muzan's strongest minion, and Tanjiro might even try to encourage Kokushibo to respect his brother's memory and stand down. Tanjiro's "talk jutsu" has been surprisingly effective before, after all.

7 Inosuke Hashibira vs Akaza Would be a Brutal Clash of Reckless Warriors

For the most part, Inosuke and Zenitsu are happy to fight by Tanjiro's side, such as when they fought together against Enmu in the Mugen Train arc or when they took on Daki together in the entertainment district arc. Eventually, Inosuke needs to fight a serious battle on his own, and Akaza is a fine opponent for him. Both Inosuke and Akaza are brutish, bloodthirsty warriors who love a good challenge, so a one-on-one showdown between them in Season 4 would be a delight to watch.

Inosuke would certainly be motivated to avenge Kyojuro Rengoku, whom he admired, but for the most part, Inosuke fights powerful rivals like Akaza simply because it's fun. That could be Inosuke's chance to show everyone how far his trademark Beast Breathing fighting style has come, too. Most likely, though, Inosuke couldn't finish off Akaza unless he had Tanjiro and Zenitsu backing him up.

6 Tanjiro Kamado's Trio vs Muzan Kibutsuji is the Battle Everyone's Waiting For

As a classic shonen action anime, Demon Slayer is all but guaranteed to pit the series' main trio against their ultimate nemesis, Muzan Kibutsuji the demon king. In fact, Tanjiro's trio might fight Muzan more than once, with the first fight ending inconclusively and the second battle being the final fight where only one side can survive.

Fighting Muzan involves some dreadful risks, but then again, Tanjiro's trio has come a long way in a short time. Not so long ago, these three heroes took on and defeated the Lower Moon 1, Enmu, and before long, they even survived a battle against the Upper Moon 6, Daki and Gyutaro. If their training with the Hashira pays off, then Tanjiro, Inosuke, and Zenitsu are ready to face the demon king at last.

5 Gyomei Himejima vs Muzan Kibutsuji Would Pit the Strongest Hero and Villain Against One Another

So far, Demon Slayer anime fans have not seen the Stone Hashira, Gyomei Himejima, fight anyone or even wield his Nichirin sword for any reason. He has only sat in tearful prayer as the Hashira group's secondary leader, but according to Demon Slayer lore, he is the most powerful Hashira. No doubt the heroes will need his immense power to stand a chance against the remaining demons.

If Gyomei is the demon slayer corps' strongest warrior right now, then he should face off against the demons' strongest warrior, Muzan himself. It's unlikely that a supporting hero like Gyomei will finish the fight against the main villain, but he can at least deal some damage and show off his power while fighting the demon king himself.

4 Mitsuri Kanroji and Obanai Iguro vs Kokushibo Could Showcase Some Amazing Teamwork

Against all odds, the cheerful Mitsuri Kanroji and the unsettling Obanai Iguro are good friends. Ideally, Season 4 of Demon Slayer will demonstrate their friendship not just with dialogue, but action. Mitsuri and Obanai are fellow Hashira, not only friends, so they ought to form a tag team to fight the remaining Upper Moons. They could take on Kokushibo to keep him busy while Tanjiro's team fights Muzan.

The Demon Slayer anime has not yet shown Obanai in battle against a Kizuki demon, so fans are overdue to see him fight a real opponent and not just mow down generic demons, like he did with Sanami. If Obanai can fight by Sanemi's side so effectively, he might be even more potent when fighting alongside his good friend Mitsuri, and show fans how Love and Serpent breathing can complement one another.

3 Sanemi Shinazugawa and Genya Shinazugawa vs Akaza Could Help the Brothers Mend Ties

Genya Shinazugawa may not be a Hashira or have a specialized breathing style of his own, but he makes up for it with his half-other powers. He used those powers to great effect fighting Hantengu and survived the battle with only moderate injuries. No doubt he will be ready to face the other Moons once the Hashira training arc is complete.

In particular, Genya should fight alongside his brother Sanemi, so the brothers can finally get along better. Genya is clearly stronger than Sanemi gives him credit for, so fighting a villain like Akaza is the perfect chance for Genya to earn his Hashira brother's respect at long last. Genya's brutish personality should mesh well with Akaza's own, and it's easy to imagine then enjoying fighting one another.

2 Shinobu Kocho vs Muzan Kibutsuji Could Show How Far Shinobu's Poisons Have Come

Shinobu Kocho will mostly likely seek vengeance against Doma and ignore the other demon as Demon Slayer's final battle unfolds, but it would be intriguing to see how Shinobu would fight the demon king himself. There's little doubt that the Hashira will need more than sheer power and fancy swordplay to take down Muzan. That's where Shinobu's poisons enter the picture.

If Shinobu confronts Muzan, she will probably have newer, even stronger poisons on hand to destroy him from the inside. It would help if Tamayo helped her develop those toxins. It's unlikely that Shinobu will deal the final blow to Muzan this way, but she could still weaken Muzan with her poisons, giving Tanjiro and the others a clear shot to slay Muzan once and for all.

1 Tanjiro's Team vs Akaza Would Help Tanjiro Get Closure About Kyojuro

It's not just Shinobu who wants vengeance against the remaining Upper Moons. Tanjiro and his friends were devastated when Akaza killed Kyojuro Rengoku before their eyes, and Akaza is keen on killing Tanjiro as well. There's a strong chance that Tanjiro and Akaza will square off in Season 4. If so, Tanjiro should bring Inosuke and Zenitsu along for the fight.

All three boys deeply admired Kyojuro Rengoku as a big brother figure who inspired them in the Mugen Train arc, so it would be their pleasure to confront Kyojuro's killer with ever-greater power and technique thanks to their Hashira training. If this revenge-fueled showdown does take place, it'll be intriguing to see whether Tanjiro can find it in himself to sympathize with Akaza's buried humanity, or whether Tanjiro will slay Akaza in cold blood.

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10 Moments Bleach Manga Readers Want To See in Thousand-Year Blood War Cour 3

It's always exciting when an action/adventure shonen manga gets an anime adaptation, and for Bleach fans, that's actually happened twice. In the 2000s, studio Pierrot brought the Bleach manga to life. Much more recently in 2022, the Thousand-Year Blood War story arc finally arrived in anime form to finish Bleach's previously canceled anime. This means longtime fans of the franchise get to see all the best moments from the manga's final arc on the small screen, and there's still more to come.

The final anime arc is divided into four cours, or seasons of 12-13 episodes each, and the first two cours delivered in a big way. Fans got to watch the apocalyptic Quincy invasion unfold as the Soul Reapers desperately fought for survival, and stunning revelations were to be had for characters like Ichigo Kurosaki and Captain Unohana. Fans are now looking forward to cour 3, and manga readers know exactly what's coming. Based on the Thousand-Year Blood War anime's pacing so far, fans can figure out which scenes and events will happen in cour 3 – and manga readers can't wait to see it all go down.

10 Yhwach Stabs the Soul King and Reveals His Connection to the King

The second cour of Bleach's new anime showed the Royal Guard seemingly defeat Yhwach and his Schutzstaffel, or elite guards – but shonen anime fans know it's never that easy. Sure enough, as the manga already shows, Yhwach and his guards will recover from this apparent defeat and resume their mission to take down the enigmatic Soul King himself.

Not only does Yhwach use a sword to impale the Soul King and thus imperil the world, he also reveals the connection between himself and that divine being. Yhwach stats that he is the Soul King's son, and perhaps that's not so surprising in retrospect. Of course a massively powerful and important being like Yhwach is so closely connected to someone like the Soul King.

9 Captain Ukitake Releases Mimihagi to Help the Soul King

For many episodes, Captain Jushiro Ukitake of squad 13 was content to stay out of the spotlight, and he wasn't always in good health to fight anyhow. He sat out the fondly-remembered Soul Society arc, then fought a single battle in the Fake Karakura Town arc. As anime fans will soon see, Ukitake will play a role in the Thousand-Year Blood War arc, and at a heavy price, too.

Ukitake will reveal that he nearly died of an illness as a boy until a cyclopean being called Mimihagi saved his life. Mimihagi was the Soul King's right arm. Now, Ukitake will sacrifice that power to help restore the imperiled Soul King at the cost of his own life. Ukitake will make a noble gesture to save the world and get written out of the story for good.

8 Shunsui Kyoraku Releases Sosuke Aizen From Prison

Ex-Captain Sosuke Aizen was only narrowly defeated and captured at the end of the Arrancar saga, and it was an immense relief to see him imprisoned in Muken for an incredible 20,000-year sentence. It seemed Aizen was written out of the story as a vanquished villain, but out of desperation, Captain Kyoraku will whip out the keys to Aizen's prison and free him.

To everyone's alarm, Kyoraku will allow Sosuke Aizen to walk free, albeit with some conditions, and Aizen will join his fellow Soul Reapers in the battle. In particular, he casually uses his formidable powers to obliterate a swarm of dark creatures who rain down from the heavens, sparing the other Soul Reapers a grisly fate.

7 Three Sternritter Join the Soul Reapers to Fight Yhwach

The Sternritter had absolute loyalty to their king, Yhwach, at first and would do anything to please him in the war against the Soul Society. As cour 2 progressed, the Sternritter started losing fights and even turned against one another, competing for the glory of defeating Ichigo Kurosaki. Then, Yhwach used the Auswählen technique to steal the energy of several Sternritter.

In cour 3, several surviving Sternritter will not only call a truce with the Soul Reapers, but actually join them so they can retaliate against the king who tried to lethally steal their powers. In particular, Liltotto Lamperd, Bazz-B, and the deceptively overpowered Giselle Gewelle will join the Soul Reapers in their final fight for survival and vengeance.

6 Grimmjow Fights Askin Nakk Le Vaar

Most of the Espadas and other Arrancars were killed off in the Arrancar saga, and Aizen's army was disbanded after his capture. Fans thought they had seen the last of the Espadas, but the Thousand-Year Blood War story arc proved otherwise. A brief flashback showed Tier Harribel getting captured in Hueco Mundo, and anime fans will soon see Grimmjow and Nelliel return as well.

Nelliel, of course, is happy to help as Ichigo's friend, while Grimmjow Jeagerjaques is more reluctant. He still nuses a shonen-style rivalry with Ichigo, but characters like Nelliel and Kisuke are there to keep Grimmjow in line, at least. In the manga, Girmmjow even fights the Schutzaffel, in particular Askin Nakk Le Vaar, a rare case of an Arrancar fighting a Quincy.

5 Bazz-B and Jugram Haschwalth Have a Flashback

Bazz-B, or Sternritter H, confronts his childhood friend Jugram Haschwalth in later volumes of Bleach's manga. Cour 3 of the Thousand-Year Blood War anime will most likely show this. Even if Jugram acts aloof and pretentious as a powerful Sternritter officer, he had some secret insecurities and flaws, as his flashback shows in the manga.

Bazz-B and Jugram met one another centuries ago and clashed with Bazz-B's hot temper contrasting with Jugram's timid ways. That shared flashback helps humanize the Sternritter somewhat, and it even includes scenes of Yhwach's rampages and the formation of the Sternritter organization, which Jugram and Bazz-B both join.

4 Kenpachi and Mayuri Fight Pernida Parnkgjas

Bleach anime fans have already seen the Schutzstaffel in action, such as Lille Barro's sniping and Askin's poison-based The Deathdealing effect. Cour 3 will show even more of their powers, like Pernida's vicious The Compulsory effect. Anime fans will see Pernida's real body as a giant left hand, then watch Pernida use The Compulsory to twist the flesh of its enemies.

As the manga shows, Kenpachi Zaraki rushes forth to attack Sternritter C, only to be stymied by his enemy's bizarre power. So, it falls to Captain Mayuri Kurotsuchi and Nemu to take over the fight, since Mayuri has a good track record of using tricky science and techniques to fight enemies with unusual abilities, such as Szayelaporro Grantz. Anime-only fans are about to be treated to another fight where clever techniques win the day, not brute force.

3 Shunsui Kyoraku Begins His Battle Against Lille Barro

So far in the Thousand-Year Blood War arc, Captain Shunsui Kyoraku hasn't done much fighting despite his immense power as a veteran Soul Reaper. He even lost an eye to Sternritter N, Robert Accutrone. Fortuntately, anime fans waiting for Shunsui to avenge all his losses won't have to wait much longer. Shunsui is about to fight Lille Barro, or Sternritter X.

This fight will no doubt begin in cour 3, and given the manga's pacing, the fight will probably conclude in the eventual cour 4, where Lille will show off his true form and Nanao Ise will use a new weapon. For now, fans may enjoy watching Kyoraku fighting for real for the first time in years and challenge the world's greatest sniper like never before.

2 Uryu Ishida and the Schutzstaffel Fight Ichigo's Team

Ichigo's good friend Uryu Ishida struggled with his true allegiance earlier in this anime arc, since Uryu was determined to rejoin his Quincy tribe but was also loyal to his friends. He then made his decision and joined the Wandenreich, where he became Yhwach's official heir, much to everyone's shock. As the Bleach manga shows, Uryu will come face to face with his former friends before long.

It will be a tragic sight to see Ichigo and Uryu facing off on opposite sides of this war, which might give fans some Naruto/Sasuke vibes, with the hero's dark-haired friend running off to join the villains while abandoning a heartfelt friendship. Uryu will even have the Schutzstaffel's members with him, making it far too dangerous for Ichigo to try and change Uryu's mind with sheer force.

1 Yukio and Riruka Dokugamine Join the Fight

During a short story arc set after Aizen's downfall, a depowered Ichigo Kurosaki met a few humans who used their Fullbring powers to create spirit weapons, including Kugo Ginjo. Ichigo defeated Kugo, and the surviving Fullbring users scattered. Earlier in the TYBW arc, two members of the Fullbring Xcution group made a cameo, and there will soon be more cameos.

Riruka Dokugamine and Yukio are set to return in the Thousand-Year Blood War anime as allies in the fight against Yhwach and the remaining Sternritter. Most likely, low-power heroes like them won't do a whole lot to alter the war's course, but it will still be rewarding to see Ichigo's friends turned enemies turned friends fight by his side to save the entire universe from doom as Yhwach pursues his true goal.

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Sailor Moon Releases New Store-Original Traditional Amulets Featuring Stunning Creator Artwork

In honor of Sailor Moon’s 30th anniversary, the official Sailor Moon Store is releasing a special collection of themed amulets (omamori) adorned with original artwork by original franchise creator Naoko Takeuchi. The collection includes six unique designs featuring all of the Sailor Guardians.

Seen on the official Sailor Moon Store’s Instagram, the omamori were released on May 15 in-store in Tokyo and online via the Sailor Moon online store. Each lamé amulet is priced at 1,430 yen, or approximately US$9.15. This Japan-exclusive release is the second phase of the omamori line -- an initial release with models A, B and C dropping in April. The new release includes design models D, E and F. All six models will be available for purchase while supplies last.

Sailor Moon's New Omamori Complete the Sailor Guardian Collection

Designs A, B and C are all part of the April release collection. The first features a white and blue illustration of Usagi Tsukino, aka Sailor Moon in her transformed state, on pink lamé fabric. The second has a green and white illustration of Sailor Mercury (Ami Mizuno) and Sailor Jupiter (Makoto Kino). The two are portrayed in their Sailor Forms on blue lamé fabric. Finally, Design C comes with a blue and white illustration of Sailor Neptune (Michiru Kaiou) and Sailor Uranus (Haruka Tenou), both seen in their Sailor forms on teal lamé fabric.

Meanwhile, designs D, E and F are part of the new May release collection. Design D showcases a pink and white illustration of Sailor Moon in her chibi form on light pink lamé fabric, while E features an orange and white illustration of Sailor Mars (Rei Hino) and Sailor Pluto (Setsuna Meiou) on light orange lamé fabric. The third design has a dark orange/light brown and white illustration of Sailor Venus (Minako Aino) and Sailor Saturn (Hotaru Tomoe) on purple lamé fabric.

Omamori are a form of protective or good luck charm, typically sold in amulet form at many Shinto shrines and Buddhist temples across Japan. They have been in use since at least the 1600s and are said to offer either general blessings or help with more specific events, tasks or life occurrences. Some of the most common of these include aiding in studies (especially to pass major tests or exams), finding love, ensuring a healthy pregnancy, succeeding financially in a business venture and warding off evil, among many other uses.

The Sailor Moon omamori became available in Japan and at Sailor Moon Store Online starting May 15.

Source: Official Sailor Moon Store via Instagram

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