The Contradicting Fears Of Asa Mitaka. Chainsaw Man Chapter 124 BREAKDOWN

Stuff like this is enough for people to call Protagonists “GOATS.” And it’s not hard to see why, based on the few varied types we have. You got the one’s from Power Fantasies that are “All powerful” and can seemingly get any girl they want just by saying “Hi(at least that’s how a lot of them feel);” the “Audience Surrogate” who are ignorant to how their world works and needs to be educated, asking the same questions we would in their situation; there’s “Idealist” who are straightforward and honest, changing the world by telling it a hard truth; and then………. You have character’s like Asa; a type I’ve come to notice recently. She’s the Main Character- who doesn’t want to be the main character; the type of person who would gladly be a supporting character(not even a Side), or even just a background space filling character design reacting to the scene and fleeing with everyone else- popping up as a cameo every now and then. I’ll talk more about this a little later. For now- The Chapter!! Chainsaw Man Chapter 124: “Soup.” Let’s begin…..

Overview

Picking Up From The Last Chapter: Asa- being forced to remember her upbringing in her foster home- becomes susceptible to the Primal Devil Falling’s ability. Yoru tries to get her to calm down and listen, but her fear right now is overwhelming ANY thought that comes in her head. So much so that she let’s go of the railing she was hanging on to. Yoru tells her to repeat what she says, and has her turn one of her nails into a knife. The mind-numbing pain allows Yoru to take control again- using the Nail Knife to make sure Asa stays focused on the pain until they can get out of this situation. But her fear is just that overwhelming. 

She ends up falling onto a building, regaining enough cognition to keep herself out of the doors. Yoru realizes what Asa is afraid of most right now: Yoru Herself! So much so that it drove Yoru out of the “Driver’s Seat.” So Yoru starts asking her what the h#ll this all about; “Why Fear Me NOW?!” And Asa tells her STRAIGHT UP: She can’t trust her!! She doesn’t know anything about the War Devil; she’s always saying something scary; possessing her body whenever it’s convenient; she just cut their hand!! Yoru figures it’s just Falling Devil’s ability making her this way, but a peak into the girl’s mind reveals: She’s afraid of Solitude and Companionship. She puts in in terms we can understand: 

I Have Trust issues, but I’m lonely. So once in a while I’ll approach someone. But something Always Goes Wrong, and I get hurt- and then I wind up All alone again. Solitude and Companionship…… I’m Afraid Of Both!

– The War Fiend, Asa Mitaka

Meanwhile, Falling brings out a F*cking Stupid Devil Hunter that tried to hunt her(Can you imagine being stupid enough to hunt a Primal Fear?). His ears, tongue, and nose will be the main ingredients in her Potage- “De Root Atelanta.” She brings said Hunter through a door into H#ll, where we see……… some kind of worm Devil eating people. The hunter’s eaten. Meaning it’s just about time for the Main Course: Asa Root Yoru- A Human and War Devil Fusion. Chainsaw Man Chapter 124 END!! The nightmare isn’t gonna stop for this girl, is it? 

REVIEW

I said in the beginning that Asa was a Main Character who doesn’t want to be the Main Character; one perfectly fine with being some background piece in the art work. Think Mash Burnedead, Shigeo Kagayama, or even Saitama on some level. Well, they’re a little different. For those 3; they’re Strong, which ends up tossing them into a story they didn’t want any part in. Saitama did, and later regrets it. While Mob and Mash really don’t like fighting; their not the types who are “itching for a fight,” or strive to be “The Very Best Like No One Ever Was.” They’re just Playable NPCs. Asa is like that. The vessel for one of the Four Horsemen Devils- doesn’t want to use the power at all. She could use her powers for good like Chainsaw Man- even the part about getting people to like her-but…….. No. She doesn’t seem to want attention from people. That’s how she came off at first, at least.

Her behavior in the opening chapter of part 2 was………. eerily, scarily familiar. Not to get overly personal, but……. there WAS a time in my life……. when I would act like that. See people walking together in the hallways and got annoyed with them; saw people hanging out in the bathroom and condemned them for it; saw couples together and acted disgusted- All Things That I used to do in School. Elementary up until 8th grade, to be exact. And because of that experience, I know……. now more than ever- She needs an Ally. Not a “Friend,” but someone…… who she knows that she can trust. I had an Ally going into the 8th grade, and……. it opened my eyes a little. That and I would take the long way home from the bus stop- let’s leave it at that. 

My Point Is: She needs someone who can at least share in her current way of thinking. I had someone like that. But I don’t think there’s anyone quite like Asa right now; at least not one we’re privy to and care about. So I’ll simply say what I’m thinking: Yoru proposing a contract on Asa’s rules. If either of them breaks the contract, then the rule breaker is punished- something that’s guaranteed to have both of them in line. Yoru, after hearing this, has to realize that gaining Asa’s trust is no easy feat. But she also knows that Asa likes feeling superior; the way she justifies to herself Denji seemingly not liking her, and her behavior when Denji told her she was actually “Fun.” So Yoru needs to give her some level of control over their situation. 

By letting Asa set the rules of a new contract(Yoru having a little input so she’s not getting completely sh@fted, not that she’s not smart enough to find some work arounds), she’ll gain her trust; the contract’s punishment prevents her from betraying Asa at all. She’ll be the sole entity that Asa can trust, because she’s set the terms of the relationship. Which may just set a Bad Precedent For Asa. She’ll think the only way for her have a “Functioning Relationship” with anyone is through a Contract- something that’s more said for “sh!tz ‘n giggles” in any relationship(platonic or romantic), but something she might end up taking too far. She seems like the type to let power go to her head like that………

And then you have Falling. So she IS after Asa and Yoru. That does not bode well for the War Duo. This is the same Horsemen Devil that ran away without even finding out which Primal Fear it was that just spawned! You can’t beat a Primal Fear- these guys “have never known death.” So if one marks you for death……… Pray To Whatever Deity You Believe in. Though I don’t think the God Devil will be able to save you. I honestly could not tell you how the War Duo is going to make it out of this one; they can’t win and they’ve got nothing to offer Falling that a Devil of her status couldn’t get just by virtue of being “Transcendent.” Though……. maybe the plan isn’t to Kill them, but……. to help them. 

She says at the end of the chapter that the “Asa Root Yoru” is a “Human and War Devil Fusion.” Beyond just a cooking joke I know nothing about, maybe she’s saying that the plan doesn’t require a Fiend in their sense- it might take something closer to Denji: A Full On Hybrid. Pochita became Denji’s “heart,” and Reze was created by the Soviets putting part of the Bomb Devil’s body inside of her. Then you have Asa and Yoru; a case where a Devil and a Human share a body, rather than a Devil’s consciousness taking over a corpse completely. Falling might just be planning to mix the 2 completely to create something like Denji and Reze, with the mentality of Asa and Yoru combined. Or something to that effect. Giving Asa less of a conscious makes for weaker weapon making, whereas Yoru having more of one prevents action. So maybe not THAT. 

But it’s just as likely that Falling is talking out of her @$$ and the plan is to simply recruit the War Duo because they have a much larger role in this prophesized “Coming of Ultimate Terror.” Maybe that Yoru contract idea gets immediate pay off and Asa jumps at the chance to make another contract with another, STRONGER Ally. Though Fiends are incapable of making contracts with other Devils. Thus they need a Hybrid to make a contract. Don’t know what falling is planning, but I’m sure that the War Duo is in for an interesting encounter……….

Conclusion

Dude……… This has been a really good week for posts. Like……… I finished this the same day I started it: Tuesday, March 28th, 2023. Finished around 9:22 pm. And you’re not even gonna see this post until Thursday, March 30, 2023. I decided to post the Four Knights review on Wednesday because I finished it on Monday- a day ahead of this post. And I don’t just want to leave it sitting in the wings for a post that was made later. No, no; this is Thursday’s post. Which leaves the Edens Zero review for Friday, March 31, 2023. Man, do I love it when early scans for chapters come out; it makes the whole process That much easier. If I can avoid working Saturday, then this this will be a REALLY good week for posts. 

Let me know what you guys think in the comments. And what do you guys think of the Volume 14 cover I used as the Featured image? I can’t wait to see what Fami’s role in this whole thing is. Until next time, all; Have A Magically Wonderful Day!!!