Homunculus: What Does it Mean to be Human?

[@InPraiseofShadows]

Hey everyone, I hope you all have a great weekend and are doing well. If you would like to support the channel and help get videos made you can find the link to my Patreon in the description of the video, any help is deeply appreciated. I'm working on a few longer videos at the moment but I hope to get some shorter stuff like this out more often because these are fun for me to do as well. Thanks again, and I'll see you next time!

[@peepnox7747]

:)

[@yetanotherrandomyoutubecha4382]

Yes and the last one was only 2 weeks ago

[@JohnnyGonzalez710]

Your vids are amazing!

[@lorddevilfish5868]

What genre of Horror/Fantasy/Sci-Fi do you want to explore more on your channel but haven’t gotten to yet? Also what rarely used historical time period or religion do you think could lend itself to good fantasy/horror stories?

[@samuelwolch1302]

Could you include a link to the music in the video? It’s amazing

[@nubius]

That's in interesting question, "Is it ethical to break people down, in order to build them up again?" Hardly hypothetical as many institutions and militaries do just that.

[@sleepfgc]

Your comment made me realize something, ty.

[@Coolerranch1]

A.I. : So, you want to play God...? *Destroys All Humans*

[@AlexConley]

But who is to say that it's a bad thing? I disagree with the creator of this video, in that there are times in which destruction of the ego can lead to profound personal development. Obviously it depends on the emotional and psychological foundation with which an individual presently stands, however I feel like the manga's idea of the homunculus is just that, a person failing to reconcile the id and superego to which the ego suffers. In which case, Freud and Jung among many others kind of proved that only through destruction of the ego can these two opposed forces confront each other. It's painful, but it is how mental health issues are truly reconciled. At least that's my 2 cents.

[@exosproudmamabear558]

You need to break something already establish to build it again. If the base is shaky then the floors you build upon that won't be strong. But building part takes time, effort and management. You can't just break someone into pieces then expect them to build everything from the scratch on their own. They need materials, experience and support. Also even demolishing a building takes effort so it wont damage other things around it.

[@chaosbean6320]

@@exosproudmamabear558 yes, but the question is: who does the breaking? You can break yourself down, you can help break others down, but consent to being broken down is necessary. Therapist are essentially expert breaker downs. But if the military, who does not have any intentions of helping anyone, breaks you down, or someone you don't know or want to help you does it, it's... It's scary. It can be incredibly painful, and scary, and in most cases, traumatizing.

[@Aloemancer]

In the words of Justin Mcelroy: "Don't drill a hole in your head;"

[@kgpspyguy]

Tell Justin McElroy that he is not the boss of me.

[@ZgyJiGttrVhy]

@@kgpspyguy gold

[@jeremygreen2883]

This is a brilliant method of exploring a branch of psychology called humanism. The researcher Carl Rogers believed that for a patient to reach self-actualization they need to make their outward self match their inner perception of themself. I feel like this manga discusses this masterfully. Some psychologists would argue that you do need to break down your patient to build them back up.

[@noobtuber10]

Also a look at jungs symbolic world and fruadian take on nerosis. Ive been able to do something similar to the main character without the use of trepidation, but it does require a pretty vivid imagination, keen instict and an understanding of autonomic human responses like breathing and uneasy laughter to see under the masks

[@Lupo-Exulans]

I agree with the last sentence made by OP.

[@JustARandomTrain]

I agree that in some cases it is very necessary to break down a person to build them back up again stronger, but I don't imagine a psychologist would successfully their job if that included sexual assault of any kind but hey, I've never even been to college so what do I know?

[@michaelg8841]

Compare humans to computers really quickly. If you need an upgrade on a part to your computer, than do you add that part on or do you disassemble the pc to add that part in? You disassemble the computer to put the part in. Same goes for humans.

[@rachmatabbid5936]

@@michaelg8841 Humans are not machine

[@zeinoulgaye6551]

The ending left me so uneasy... you follow the mc throughout the story trying to understand the mysteries that unfolds and trying to guess where its gonna lead him ultimately, and then you feel so bad/dumb because you realize it's a romanticization of an addict unable to control his destructive behavior and there's only one way this was going to end.

[@Robbobobobobobo]

I binge read this manga years ago and it stuck with me ever since. While there are certainly problematic parts in it that i can't look back on fonldly, no other manga has left that kind of strong impression on me and i am so happy that you're talking about it

[@nenufairy1929]

Same here, I still remember that empty feeling it left after finishing reading it at 3am

[@Kopesy]

Mhm. I'm pleasantly surprised it getting some attention. @Irene De la Barrera Rodriguez It's was/is a strange feeling - empty, yet heavy.

[@nenufairy1929]

@@Kopesy I miss that feeling, though! lol

[@Jadedgems]

@@nenufairy1929 you’d love the manga Oyasumi Punpun

[@nenufairy1929]

@@Jadedgems I DO hahaha it's one of those. The other one I remember right now was NHK ni youkoso, no matter how much comedy it had, there was only hopelessness in the end.

[@Ehh97]

In the hands of another main character, this could have been a wholesome story about character growth. I don't blame the author for making the mc a terrible person, given that it does raise some interesting questions, but still, I kind of long for what might have been.

[@dariusrelic8590]

But character growth can only exist for flawed characters. My problem is that he didn't grow enough to see why he was terrible

[@AstralJustus]

@@dariusrelic8590 he has brain damage lmaooo

[@sunflower50sun]

@@AstralJustus lolol

[@DetectiveOlivaw]

Yeah, something more hopeful rather than the tragedy it appears to be would have been nice. I don’t blame the author either, though it sounds like the ambiguity of what he’s seeing could stand to be more explicit. It’s just a matter of what you’re looking for out of a story like this.

[@NeostormXLMAX]

Too many of these motivational things, we need stuff like cgp greys how to be miserable video

[@notdandy6756]

*spoilers for the end of the manga* I'm a lil sad that you didn't bring up the scene near the end where Nanako was trying to look at Nakoshi's "true" self. After a chapter of talking about being able to see her heart, Nakoshi pleads Nanako to look deep into to him to see his "pure white clouds". Except after a couple pages of darkness all she sees is a demon barely peering out of the black and immediately tries to run away out of fear. That was one of the most memorable scenes that stuck with me long after I finished the manga.

[@IndieLobster]

Did this happened after Nanako’s lobotomy?

[@notdandy6756]

@@IndieLobster In the chapter right before the she got her lobotomy. I feel like she knew deep down that Nakoshi would lead her to her death if she stayed

[@Wolfman-rd1pv]

Can someone find an image of this panel?

[@darktrey50]

@Ai7A hes gotta make time to morally grandstand and contradict himself. I love his vids but its always so jarring

[@patrickrauh996]

@Ai7A he didn't made a Review of the manga, he used the manga as a Base to discuss a more universal theme If you want a manga Review watch a other channel i think

[@zk1914]

It looks like this manga is getting a Netflix adaptation and I hope it lives up to this crazy masterpiece..

[@farmercat7248]

Whoa where'd you hear that from?

[@zk1914]

@@farmercat7248 i was on netflix and a trailer for it played. I saw that before I saw this video so I think its coming soon or its already on there. Its not going to be an anime though..

[@friendlyhobo6483]

@@farmercat7248 Don't get your hopes up. It's live action.

[@farmercat7248]

@@friendlyhobo6483 I saw ito and was kinda disappointed. I winder how they'll show him eating his coom and fixing the symbol girl

[@abstract0407]

@@farmercat7248 ewww

[@kww10]

Watching the mc losing his mind chapter by chapter is just so intriguing. I like the idea of each person's homunculus. This manga is on another level

[@synfunny777]

Do you know where I can get the manga in english ?

[@shackledinchains7830]

@@synfunny777 it’s only online:’(

[@goated9415]

@@synfunny777 I think it’s only online sadly

[@elmo4672]

@@synfunny777You can buy the omnibus viz version.

[@stevepenn2582]

I think its really important to realise that 1 he is an unreliable narrator, and 2 theres a good chance that he's not actually saving anyone truly

[@flask223]

Yes^^

[@nkoonkukoo]

The ending literally reveals his a narcissist and he "thought" he was saving people but was actually just pulling out their trauma (homeless man suicide) . The R scene just adds to the idea that the MC thinks his doing good and saving people, showing his descent into madness.

[@youtubearmy_bg8265]

​@@nkoonkukooyeah but he did help ito and the yakuza and the guy who shot his sister So i think he did actually have a sixth sense

[@raulbetancourt5795]

​@@nkoonkukoo He did help the doctor and that Yakuza, the rest not so much. So, he wasnt all that Bad.

[@maximlis7594]

People jump to the fantasy thing but forget that the guy who created this manga also created ichi the killer, one of the most disturbing yet interesting mangas out there...Hideo Yamamoto is a genius when it comes to telling a disturbing story, and at the same time teaching us about society, the human mind and many other things.

[@sakurakou2009]

ok gonna read this next hope it be good , when I first start reading Homunculus I was scared , but I kept going till end , still terrified by some scenes and disgusted by others but over all it good manga

[@cheesepuffs9879]

Homonculus is 100x creepier than ichi the killer in my opinion

[@jasonmurdoc9533]

I read it as he ****** a woman and is lying to us about the longing smile. Like in reality it’s very different but I might be giving him the benefit of the doubt idk

[@madsli]

I read the entirety of this series in a single sitting a while back. The scene where Nakoshi drills a second hole in his own head sent shivers down my spine.

[@guilhermemedeiros3243]

Heard of people that've read it in a single sitting and so did I. The story catches us in such a way... Second time reading it I was as drunk as Nakoshi in that part. And the expression in his face, similar to the expression of the person in the picture told us: he had gone mad indeed.

[@Somebody02594]

this was so interesting. I wonder if the main character forcing growth on others without their consent is a reflection of him being unable to TRULY face himself as a person and analyze the issues he himself has. i agree very much with what you said about him being affected by everyone he tries to "help" i think the characters that he forces to face their trauma are, in part, projects to distract him from his own self-loathing. maybe that is why he always sleeps in a fetal position...like a fetus, he can only develop as a result of what his parent(ie life) eats or gives him. He lacks control of what he will be given/fed. he may interact with his environment, gain/lose from it (depending on the circumstance) but will NEVER come out into himself and face his narcissism, regrets, trauma, frustrations, and fears. maybe, in the end, everyone else looks like him because he would rather assume everyone else is just as narcissistic as he is than face the fact that he CHOSE to ignore every opportunity he had to grow himself. Of course, I have never read this book lol. the above is simply my perspective after listening to, (in awe, because your content is phenomenal) your own personal inferences about the book :) Phenomenal job as usual Zane! have a great weekend, and can't wait to see what you'll have for us next month. take care! ^.^

[@trevor0245]

Wow damn I might have to read this then, In a way I can relate to that side of the MC, I tried to help everybody else around me to distract myself from the the work I needed, I took it upon myself to try and fix people without first realizing how broken I was. I used it as a distraction, one friend to the next to try and not think about what was in my head but how I could help someone else when I couldn’t save myself.

[@spaghetto9836]

Superman complex, amiright? 😓

[@iliveinsideyourhouse3943]

I highly recommend you people to read this manga. It's amazing, in my opinion at least.

[@ogod5985]

you just explained the ending to me, thank you sir for i have been confused for the past two days

[@lolero123]

great video lad only want to point out that Ito's homunculus isn't just "water" but a water tank with a tiny fish in it Ito isnt the water itself but the very small fish that doesnt want to be seen. as he gains confidence the fish starts to grow and show itself. i think it was all related to a goldfish he had as a kid

[@maw800]

This manga makes me feel wildly uncomfortable and awestruck all at the same time

[@Pato88888]

for how terrible Nakoshi was, i was constantly surprised by how wholesome and nice Ito was as a character.

[@sakurakou2009]

he wasnt nice at all , he is reason why nakoshi went insane in end , if he wasnt coward and had the talk with his own father rather then doing ham experiments , he would have found peace with himself rather then turning someone into murder mad man

[@b3nl555]

M8, I don't think you know what wholesome means.

[@vangiegabilo8015]

I already knew the "this is your fault afterall" line will come when they talked inside the car in the last chapter. And yes, i agree this all started coz of ito's experiment. However, no one can predict what may happen tommorow. Thinking about how he was just nice (bringing food to nakoshi everytime, doing no harm to him, and tries to save him ) all the time made me feel bad for her. Just imagine the guilt she's feeling inside that car that will stay with her for god knows when.

[@nkoonkukoo]

There are no nice or wholesome characters in this story

[@انا-ق4ز]

​@@nkoonkukoothe oldman that lost his job and became a taxi driver

[@maxieprimo2758]

"People refer to the main character as a compulsive liar" "This could be a self insert character" Hmmm

[@tomasochoa]

I've watched 5 minutes of this but I had to stop, I need to read this

[@SoggyBurrit0]

You'd honestly have to read it twice to really really understand alot of the hidden meanings. I know there's stuff I didn't get when I first read it.

[@prs_81]

@Josiah Ali did you read the title of the video?

[@prs_81]

@Josiah Ali I don't know. Apparently the English version is hard to find.

[@michael6880]

@@prs_81 yeah no, took me like 5 seconds Literally just "Homunculus manga chapter 1" it's not that hard mate

[@binkusbonkus]

Crazy how a manga that has the "r*pe for good" trope also has a genuinely thoughtful meditation on trans identity

[@hellogoodbye3786]

I truly wonder... is there no other interpretation that can be gathered from that other than good?

[@erichooper2794]

1.The main character is the main perspective 2.the main character is unreliable 3. He is also a shit What you see is not reality

[@sharlene3819]

But also every single other message is given through the lens of the mc. Good and bad Are we also not meant to trust all the remaining messages in the same way? It was framed as a good thing in the same way the other things were framed as good despite the mc being shit Also like, the mc isn’t an unreliable narrator in this case because he literally has the ability to see into people’s souls. That was her true self. The author just had this really really shitty perspective on the matter

[@haise12]

it's insane tbh, the r*pe part never sit quiet well with me even though it's mean to be framed as something good for the female character and on the other hand, ito's personal arc and meditation on her identity is fucking wonderful.

[@JohnnyWalkerBlack142]

Personally, I don’t think the writer actually wanted the rape to be seen as “good”, he just wanted to show the flaws of the main character. It’s obvious that it was wrong and the main character later learns that the way he abused women in the past was horrible. Rape is a very real thing and this is a very real manga, so don’t expect certain subjects to be left out just because they are touchy. Trans identity, suicide, childhood trauma are all very real as well and this manga touched on all of this.

[@malthehansen7915]

I thought I was an "empath" at some point when I was younger. People were always able to talk to me, and I could not, not matter how much I wanted to, judge them. I realize now, it was because they reminded me of myself. Never again. So much I don't understand ,so much I wish to. How arrogant of me.

[@GigiMurakami]

Yikes, this main character is terrible. However, this manga seems really interesting. Great video as always.

[@elegantcat1496]

Seems like the story is pretty interested in exploring his character and deeds through critical and humane eyes though. I don't have a problem with awful characters if they serve the story and a particular point

[@rustingflamberge]

You’d be surprised how humanized he is. I, at least, felt really bad for Nakoshi despite his actions

[@GigiMurakami]

@@elegantcat1496 Trust me as someone who enjoys Berserk, I agree. I’m not writing the manga off, I’m just pretty disgusted with what I’ve learnt about the main character.

[@GigiMurakami]

@@rustingflamberge mmm I don’t know if I could ever feel bad for a rapist-especially when the victim is a vulnerable teenager, but I am interested in the concept of this manga. Considering reading, but this MC still terrible.

[@No_Enemies_Kale]

It’s sad as hell, but plenty of good life lessons to learn from in this

[@tooruoikawa8985]

The story in this manga is so intriguing, thanks for showing me there’s more to read out there than JUST our favourites!

[@iliveinsideyourhouse3943]

Yep. Manga wasn't just about kids screaming their attacks names and fight for justice. There are so many varieties of manga out there that's is on another level but sadly, doesn't get the recognition it deserves.

[@dariachichda3115]

@@iliveinsideyourhouse3943 I'm new to the world of manga, can you maybe recommend some of your favorite underrated works?👉👈

[@Momotarou0311]

The whole story in a nutshell: "I have a brain injury.." "My BrAiN iS iNjUrEd"

[@disgracedsphinx3494]

Ow

[@MarquaviusDingleton]

craaaazzzzyyyyy thing to say that the rape scene is a self insert. It's like saying that your incapable of seperating the art from the author. I just feel that the author wrote himself into a corner with how he wanted the plot to resolve, vs what nakoshi ended up doing, and clearly didn't portray it in the best light. Still though, saying that nakoshi in that scene is a self insert is a crazy claim.

[@TomJupiter]

This is what made me insta stop watching this video because how dumb a take it was

[@pjtiger10]

I wish Satoshi Kon were still alive. I would’ve loved to see him adapt something like this

[@nephyxutune]

It definitely would have fit his style.

[@2o793]

Omg yes. Something in the style of Paprika would really fit.

[@fazanchaudhry9907]

Omg yes he would have done so good with this manga

[@EriksBlue]

I read this year's and years ago, personally I thought that it wasn't that he was seeing other people's inner self and more like he was seeing what he thought there inner self was maybe even a projection of himself on them.

[@TalexTheLich]

that story with itto (i think i spelled that right) as a trans person really hit hard, especially when they are finally just being treated as a person, that's all i really want from others.

[@MoonlitRose101]

Heeeeey You're valid

[@andreja9425]

I really related to it too, I don’t want people to see something that I am not. I don’t want all the preconceptions and ideas about being a man or as a woman to be permanently affixed to me without my control. I just want to be seen as a human

[@DetectiveOlivaw]

It’s so wild that it’s in the same story as the rape subplot. Like it’s also messed up that he sort of springs that on Ito but at the same time, that whole interaction seems so well-handled, and the other seems so... not. And it’s unclear to me based on this video if that’s intentional. It could be? But I can’t tell.

[@kimflopja]

@Shin Shaman Calm down bro why does someone being trans affect you so much

[@TalexTheLich]

@Shin Shaman I'm only sending this one reply since you really want me to send something (this is the third one) I hope you can grow more and break down the barriers that you've made for yourself. I used to believe a lot of the same things not really knowing what I was saying, growing up in a isolating and strict environment. But I know you can do better than just yelling at people online, we all can, if you need someone to really talk to I'll be here. I believe in you, no matter how much you hate me or laugh at me I will still show you love. I hope you have a nice day and stay safe.

[@stevenguitink5947]

It's not a fake exterior. It's an extension of Honne and Tatemae; the public image and private image that Japanese people are expected to uphold in order preserve societal harmony.

[@nbkhnzzr]

I think you missed the point of the whole story with the rape insert part. Homonculi are extensions of other people, but the story makes it very clear that it is also very much affected by the personal perception of the person using trepanation. When the girl "fixed", she is fixed only because the main character willed her to be. While his advances may have helped relinquish some of her issues with depersonalization, he no longer perceives her homunculi because he wholeheartedly believes that he fixed her. The story suggests that the Homonculi are much more a product of his own mind trying to read the expressions of other people in abstract ways, instead of a literal doorway into other people heads. The greatest of the story comes from the mystery of how much he is truly seeing the minds of other people and how much of it is just a preconceived perception that he created in his head.

[@munchmongoose]

I agree with this comment. It’s truly just a wonderfully horrible look at a horrible character’s mind.

[@nbkhnzzr]

@@munchmongoose Yeah, I think he has good intentions, but he doesn't realize how that he is influencing his own perception of reality. When I wrote this I completely forgot that at the end, it's suggested that he started doing trepenation on other people, likely against their will, to make them see the world he does. He's so convinced that himself that he refuses to consider that maybe he's wrong.

[@itschrissspy]

YES been looking for this comment about that part

[@abrahamp9632]

In the minute 3:22 the lady with short hair is the protagonist of the film "Mother" by Bong Joon-ho, director of "Parasite". I didnt realize until now. It's such a great easter egg and her homunculus makes a lot of sense. It could even be the movie poster

[@bzrkr444]

This manga came out before Parasite was made though

[@abrahamp9632]

@@bzrkr444 Yeah. The character is not from Parasite, is from Mother. I only mentioned Parasite because is the same director and writer.

[@shazzatulanam6680]

@@abrahamp9632 it came out even before that.

[@abrahamp9632]

@@shazzatulanam6680 The manga indeed started earlier, in 2003 and the movie is from 2009. But the chapter where the character appears was released around mid 2009's to 10's, which is around the release time of the movie.

[@happyhappy-po6fm]

?????? Koreaboo

[@austinj.decareaux8830]

THIS! This is why I look forward to a video from you. Your choice in topics is always interesting and refreshing. I think the biggest problem with most KZbinrs in the video essay world is that they eventually run out of things to say or reasons to keep going. They tend to only make videos about Christopher Nolan movies or MCU stuff. And I get that those properties have massive audiences, but on average I find them to be a dim a dozen. Plus since they are an ecosystem everything feels connected, there's always overlap in what one person's saying about one character that someone else has already said about that character. Whereas with In Praise of Shadows it feels like I'm watching a genuinely eclectic and curious guy whose passionate about good story telling. There are so many films you've exposed me to and I thank you for that.

[@Luciferian56]

Only two minutes in but your editing is phenomenal in this video.

[@rodolfocalixto5205]

My god this timing was just perfect, just yesterday I remembered fondly about reading this manga, was such an amazing experience!

[@noobtuber10]

Maybe enough collective thought fomulated in the unconcious shared miasma for something to come into play.

[@vagie]

I'm so angry how they did ito in the movie omfg. ITOS STORY IS SO IMPORTANT AHHH 😭😭😭

[@eldestisland4520]

I had no idea Netflix was releasing a live action adaptation of this. Now I'm getting excited!

[@orukia13]

For the people that went crazy searching the ending song is Haibane Renmei - Hanenone - Love Will Light The Way.

[@m.c.darwin1897]

LITERALLY THE BEST PERSON ON PLANET EARTH RIGHT HERE!! THANK YOU 🙏 😩

[@syd4920]

read this manga at a really dark point in my life. definitely made me reconsider a few things about myself and my outlook on the world. will always be one of my favorites.

[@gushie4330]

where did you read the manga? did you have to buy the book

[@syd4920]

@@gushie4330 nah i read it free online, just search up the manga and multiple options should show up!

[@gushie4330]

@@syd4920 thank you so much ☺️

[@jjj-sl2ok]

This is one of my favorite mangas of all time, i love stories where there's no good nor bad side, so you just keep reading just to see how things would end.

[@tubanexsenpai4174]

This manga is so underated and I don't know why people are not talking about it that much in the manga community. First of all the artwork is so good and sophisticated. This manga is so weird and disturbing sometimes but if you look upon the subtleties you will be amazed how imaginative the mangaka is. It is so thought-provoking that leaves you questions and reflections to the characters and also yourself. This a perfect potrayal of a unrelliable narrator in the manga so far IMO.

[@randomtinypotatocried]

Damn that terror of which bathroom to go into and worrying about people's reactions you'll get on which you choose hits me as someone who is trans and still to this day (even after medically transitioning for more than 2 years now).

[@zukoshonor2457]

The eyes of people with disgust and judgmental looks kills me, im not trans but i was a drug addict for some time so i can relate a tad bit

[@Sunsetradi0]

I absolutely get this feeling Couldn't put it into better words myself

[@judit5173]

Oh I finished this last week. Nice timing I didn't even know it was adapted into a film

[@FrostRare]

Where can I purchase an English version?

[@nephyxutune]

@@FrostRare it's releasing on netflix soon

[@Roy_mustang7]

*What does it mean to be human?* Apparently let echo chambers possess and alter your life...

[@mungoslast3459]

The Netflix adaption should’ve been made into a series to explore more of the different homunculi in the manga

[@vangiegabilo8015]

I went from the movie to the actual manga. It was bad. I understood nothing from the movie and did not realize how dark or serious homunculus really is. Kinda glad i did read the manga

[@tame5829]

I really love when the main character is someone who's flawed even to the point of being a monster it's always fascinating to see what it's like to become and live with being a monster I LOVE this character

[@Eblis840]

This has to be one of the top 10 mangas I've ever read.

[@douglasholmstrom1434]

How did you read it? In what language?

[@appleslover]

@@douglasholmstrom1434 proto-indo-European

[@Kmn2]

My 2nd favourite just behind berserk insane manga left me shook for days so thought-provoking thinking of rereading it to pick up on some details I maybe missed

[@julcaos]

Dude, your narration is fantastic...

[@titanscar2183]

Gonna disagree with the rape narrative thing, at least somewhat Given the fact that we see things through his perspective and that we know he's a compulsive liar, we can assume that his narrative is never a completely trustworthy one, and the flirtatious smile (or shit, even the relationship in general) could be a result of his twisted mind. I don't like this idea that a REALLY bad and nasty event is automatically considered an "author self-insert." I think most art has a lot of author inserting, a lot of art is born through the experiences and environment of said artist, but idk. I don't like the idea of forbidding/leaving behind any form of storytelling, simply because I value story telling simply existing and being free more than any moral implications behind it. I think it's definitely a really fucking thin and spooky line to tiptoe around, and hey I'm not going to be the guy who's defending rape of all things, but I don't think rape is necessarily being glorified, only being justified through the actions and personality of the character and his twisted perception

[@spaghetto9836]

Very well said.

[@ludareinoso381]

Yes

[@askiia8713]

I mean I fucking hope so because if not then sheesh, it's disgusting, but idk might be copium lol.

[@muzunomi]

This manage truly broke me when I read it. Psychological horror always gets to me. I guess it's the feeling of how real and easy it is for some of these horrors and experiences to come to fruition. Absolutely amazing work man.

[@aintreal301]

This manga is a must read, absolutely amazing one

[@sorrychangedmyusername3594]

Hilarious one at best, fucking gruesome at worst. It is a trip worth knowing.

[@peepnox7747]

Underrated channel

[@CinnamonGrrlErin1]

It's funny this popped up, because I just recently read a short story by Daphne DuMaurier that's very similar. It's called "Blue Lenses" and it's very creepy (like all of her stories)

[@sampeacaml9307]

(Sits in sad, thoughtful silence after this video)

[@lolololololutrythcfy]

right ?? i need to read this holy fuck

[@Skyehoppers]

God, what powerful imagery...glad channels like this exist to cover horror media I would struggle to read/watch myself

[@okdthefmv]

Thank you for making this video. I read this striking comic years ago and craved discussion with other people about it. I think your video has done just that.

[@nilspochat8665]

I discovered it 14years ago. First few volumes were very interesting so i was expecting it to keep being that good when i re-read it, this time in its entirety more recently, but i became very disappointed at some point. I feel like the author wanted to get from "good first third-half" to that pretty good ending/last chapters that don't end well but failed somewhere when it came time to explain things that didn't necessarily need an explanation. A bit like "the boys" or other such comics/manga running for too long. If i'm not too hard to follow i was wondering if you felt this way too.

[@okdthefmv]

@@nilspochat8665 I think I feel similar that the manga starts off stronger because your right as you get to the middle it starts to waiver. I think it's when the school girl plotline starts to kick in. I think it's better for some stories to be shorter if thats all your material allows. I watched this movie Shiva Baby and it's barely over an hour and it was awesome. It got to the point and didn't over stay it's welcome

[@ry.3779]

The Death Parade BGM is too good!

[@Yomizo]

do you know the music at the end of the video?

[@ThatsCoolJoshua]

I remember a few years ago during a major shift in my life I finally watched Neon Genesis Evangelion and the topic of identity was what really shook me. I was no longer who I was because I was no longer doing any of the things I had defined myself by and I honestly wasn't expecting to be confronted so directly with this realization by an anime I was using to escape. Anyway, this seems to tap into that topic too and I'm watching this video durring a similar set of personal identity crisis. I wonder who I will feel like next?

[@AlistairIRL]

very good video, but i don't think Ito being water is meant to be a direct reference to "gender fluidity" because (while the wordplay works extremely well in english) the japanese word for that doesn't contain any reference to fluid or liquid or anything like that at all, to my knowledge - it seems more likely to me that it's a more extreme example of the girl made of sand, where they're capable of shaping themself to meet other peoples' expectations (filling any container and taking on its shape, as Bruce Lee would put it - his quote from Enter The Dragon was what immediately sprang to mind for me when i saw Ito's homunculus)

[@birubu]

Honestly, if someone does have this ability, they’d be pretty good in a Human Resources hiring firm. Imagine having the ability to perfectly conduct a character analysis of any employee applicant. If this ability was the only factor, you could become an invaluable resource for any business.

[@paulhaas6158]

This made me tear up. My life and experiences, feelings and emotions, actions and beliefs. In all aspects I feel like this character and I'm going to read this. I hope it can help. That sense of loneliness is like a spear through my heart.

[@sorrychangedmyusername3594]

Lemma remind you that this is a psychological horror Manga. Best prepare yourself for the shit that unfolds.

[@Saplink]

This makes me want a video about Oyasumi Punpun really badly

[@hipunpun]

By far the best video I've seen covering Homunculus, thank you so much for making this.

[@self1sch]

What I always find a bit unfortunate about mangas and animes, is that everything gets explained, even the most obvious things. Like here the protagonist sees those homunculus and explains every single one of them instead of letting the reader piece the puzzle together. As a reader you feel way "smarter" by just thinking for yourself for a second "ah yes he covers his ears bc he probably doesn't listen to people". For me that's more interesting than the guy just straight up telling me why. In animes the inner monologue of the main character explains so obvious stuff that I sometimes have the feeling I'm watching content for 6 year olds, even in more adult oriented shows and movies. I don't need to be spoon fed every little information. When the protagonist looks shocked bc his enemy stands back up after a heavy blow, I don't need them to tell me that they are shocked atm, I know that. Or somebody says something too loud, turns to the camera and says "OMG I talked too loud, they almost heard what I said" Yeah no shit. This over explaining is almost in every anime I watched so far and a big reason why I only have an anime phase for like 2-3 weeks a year. After that I lose interest again, mainly bc of this style of getting your characters thoughts across. If anybody has some recommendation for animes without this particular style, let me know pls. I don't even know how to google this lol.

[@bzrkr444]

I agree, the biggest downside to anime/manga especially in comparison to western media is the lack of subtlety. I would recommend Evangelion, Serial Experiments Lain, Ghost in the Shell, Berserk, Paranoia Agent and Welcome to the NHK if you are looking anime that don't spoon feed you

[@iliveinsideyourhouse3943]

I also recommend devilman crybaby and monster.

[@self1sch]

@@bzrkr444 Sorry I didn't get a notification for your comment. Thanks a lot, I haven't watched like half of your recommendations. Will definitely check them out! =)

[@self1sch]

@@iliveinsideyourhouse3943 Thank you! :)

[@hippopilot6750]

I love manga that makes me feel uncomfortable and anxious.

[@Lemmestarve]

This video literally made me read the manga

[@gushie4330]

where did you read it did you have to buy the book or is it available online

[@ca_fw]

thanks for posting this video man. i was genuinely tweaking out and this really helped me. thank you for changing my life

[@PriestessGoat]

this manga ment so much to me when my hallucinations started manifesting. somehow it helped ground me.

[@TheMightyNovac]

The ending of the manga is literally Nakoshi being arrested for what are presumably the many crimes he's committed throughout the story. He is both physically and psychologically scarred by his own actions and perspective, blinded by an obsession for truth as some discovery above lies. Less than the man he started as. Yet you go so far as to suggest that the author agrees with Nakoshi's actions when it comes to him raping a teenage girl? This feels like you're just unwilling to see the nuance of a scenario as dark as it. There's no doubt as to whether Nakoshi has hurt the people he believes he helps at all within the narrative or themes. The entire point of the concluding chapters is that Nakoshi's obsession with truth is really an obsession with being seen and, in trying to pursue it, he forces his own faults onto others without consent. Even Ito who otherwise is able to face their own gender identity issues is recommended plastic surgery by a man whose crisis of self was literally birthed from the exact same procedure. He harms so that others appear as him, not so that they're healthier as people. That smile the girl gives back to him? It's an uneven smile, just like his when he lies. That's the point of the smile. That's literally it. I really think you shouldn't feel confident enough with your reading of a story you barely analyzed as much as recounted, to the point that you'd allege the author to have some disgusting support of the crimes he depicts.

[@youtubearmy_bg8265]

I know this is 2 years later but he got arrested cause he killed nanahoshi or whatever her name was

[@TheMightyNovac]

@@youtubearmy_bg8265 Hi, welcome to 2 years after my comment. That's irrelevant, since the implication is still clearly karmic justice.

[@oktokrush]

This is incredibly well made. Had me on the edge of my seat the entire time.

[@Devananta-Rafiq]

Hey it's me! Thanks for the video, everybody should read Homunculus❤️❤️❤️

[@mou-lou]

I first tried to read Homunculus in my late teens, and gave up halfway though on account of just how horrible most of the characters were, and the sheer amount of misogyny that was casually depicted. Glad to run across your video talking about the overall arc of the plot and its themes - it reaffirmed my gut feeling that there was more to Homunculus than its worst parts.

[@sasukesbussy7101]

One of the best psychological mangas I’ve read. It’s sad many people are put off from the graphic stuff and slow start, and miss out on the really great messages and strong storyline’s the manga has to tell, like Ito’s storyline and his conversation with Nanaka. As someone who has struggled with loneliness, self perception, identity…this manga felt like it really understood and gave me some perspective

[@embracedsilence9926]

Holy shit I read this about a week ago (in one sitting because it quickly became one of my all-time favorite manga) and here you are making a video on it. Wild how that works.

[@kamon242]

Wasn't expecting a manga video from this channel even less so such a good one. It ain't easy to make and engaging video with only the static panels of a manga, but the script and pacing was truly on point. Great work.

[@renatocorvaro6924]

I wouldn't say Homunculus is good, exactly. But it has a lot that's worth thinking about, and I think you did a great job covering it.

[@sunny1031]

i appreciated your handling of ito's character :> as a trans person, i think you got it right. altho the author doesnt have the experience necessary to really understand the situation or how the pressure would actually feel, i still like ito's journey. outwardly expressing yourself isn't enough; it's being treated like any other person that brings joy.

[@gwordly23]

I realised that whenever he helped people, it only made himself realise that he suffers the same problems represented by him gaining parts that the people he helped had.

[@safiresays3835]

Rule #1 stop carring how people perceive you. Rule#2 stop perceiving yourself by how others perceceive you. Just be you.

[@ntrirl9556]

One of my most favorite Mangas. Thank you

[@strawberryjam4742]

I've never heard of this story before and am not really into manga but you spoke about it so well you had my full attention for the entire time. Really amazing work as always keep it up

[@ReynaSingh]

Keep up the good work🙏 this channel is so underrated

[@elfomago]

Oh Dear... You nailed this video. Simply wonderful and touching. I am very fortunate to have found your channel and to have the honor of becoming one of your patrons. Congratulations on your work 💖

[@elcaminofanaccount3437]

I read this during high school and it broke me. I couldn't believe what I was reading.

[@jeremysmith4620]

Nice Jodorowsky reference. His body of work is fantastic for the personal transformation through the lens of a dream or the subconscious. Thanks for bringing this manga to my attention. I had never heard of it before, but now I definitely have to read it.

[@RamnaViaz]

Yamamoto is a genius; I discovered him through Ichi the killer and I liked it a lot, but Homunculus really stayed with me for a long time after reading it, it still does to a certain degree, I loved it, one of my favorite seinen Mangas of all time.

[@junk_bear]

Theirs a similar anime of this. But the guy drilling the hole is actually a bad guy who is misunderstood. So he tries to drill a hole to his kidnapped victims and tries to make them understand what he is thinking. But in the anime we don’t know that until later. We follow a story of other killer who was formally a cop. That’s all I have to say the anime is called: ID invaded

[@erichooper2794]

I couldn’t watch more than 3 episodes of that show

[@cyclone927]

@@erichooper2794 the ending of that series is kind of whack, so youre not missing much.

[@camiepotatopattie8754]

I thought this was a video gameplay before I clicked This has been a journey

[@mlm628]

This video helped me better contextualize and neatly pack up the feelings and questions I had regarding this manga. It sure was a wild ride.

[@CarolineBearoline]

I have always, and will always, love the word homunculus. My mom used to call me her little homunculus when I was being odd and using the body control gymnastics gave me while hamming it up for her (my) amusement

[@Deckaio]

After watching this, I would love to see a take by you on Hideo Yamamotos other well known work. Ichi the Killer. While on first glance they are nothing alike, both together picture a interesting character-study on the author himself. Although, Ichi might not be suitable for how KZbin :/

[@100donuts]

@New Kid wtf are you talking about this is a great analysis

[@redhot2976]

@New Kid PC where? All he did was break down the story.

[@dudestep]

@New Kid can you maybe elaborate a bit? I'm guessing you're referring to the sexual assault. The way this guy put it made it seem like just an old gross trope raring its head but if he was missing some significance I'd like to hear it. I havent read the manga.

[@hombreg1]

@@dudestep I haven't read the manga but someone in another comment mentioned this could be related to a theme that this work explores. This was mentioned in a discussion about "the clairvoyant eye" being a reliable or unreliable narrator. Rather than the blatant exploitation of "El Topo", it seems like the author of this comment hints at a deeper topic in this work, which in praise of shadows ignored and passed off as self insertion. To be fair, just from this analysis, I could guess that (maybe), this manga explores a very old idea about art, in general. My first thought would be a comment on the dichotomy of art, and how meaning exists only when an idea meets a beholder. This concept bleeds into social interactions, where, from the manga's perspective, the flaws we see in others are but an extension of our own thoughts and biases as humans. Thusly, we pour onto others our own meaning, and craft and image of others that makes sense within our own specific frame of thought. This way, the main character sees others not as they are but as he recognizes them... And when he manifests this image onto them, he changes them irrevocably, forcing them to adhere to his image of them. This is turned bittersweet when our main character is unable to find who "he" is. In a sense, I think this is meant to convey that we are more than just ourselves, but also the perspectives others have of us.

[@nofacecreep8198]

@@dudestep I've read the manga and even re read the scene just so I make sure I don't only rely on memory. There was a lot missed out on the scene. While of course the rape is quite hard to take it existed for a purpose that was not freeing her but freeing the main character. It was a projected impulsive act that was meant to show than not all symbols in the manga are interpreted only for the benefaction of others which is touched on nicely by this video so I was quite dissapointed it didn't cover it here. First prior to the scene there are three things that weren't discussed and are of a great deal of value to understand the "validity" of the scene: 1. She was not made of sand, she was made of words they rightfully named symbols in the manga for kanji and katakana 2. She wanted to rebel against her traditionalist mother by being a model and attempting to be as sexual as possible through lacey underware, short skirts etc. (She was a virgin though which I think is relevant to something mentioned in the video regarding how he would go too far too fast to help these people. Based on the symbolism in the panels she could have been willing to do it without the rape but forming a relationship was not in the plan of the main character as he would gradually grow more insane, crazed and even be attacked by these people's homuncul(ee?)) 3. He identified with her very heavily. The reason in the first place that he wanted to "help" her was because of the resentment of such a mirrored image. He is a chronic masturbator who eats his own cum while she is self harming to drink her own blood. While this sounds very weird, both of these rituals are reflected as being the only aspect of their lives that is constant and is truly the part that made her look somewhat human again. Now after taking these details into account it must be noted that she wanted to hurt herself. He didn't even want her to get in the car knowing he will likely hate the whole experience as it would remind him of himself and his old life he dreaded. She got in hoping something bad would happen. She legit through herself off her balcony, not caring about anything. He drives with her, they talk and she is being flirtatious but not in desire. She feels nothing but wishes to feel pain. He accuses her of raping him by teasing and hoping to force him into action he would regret. Then he realises something and drives her back in front of her house where the scene takes place. While the symbols of her 'sand' humonculous portrayed messages of lust and even typed them out beforehand now she is afraid, as her supposed true constraint is her mother. He doesn't get anything from the rape at first which already is proof that was not her salvation but just a terrible action assumed to be of help by the main character. What does cause her on the other hand to turn human is when he bites her self harm scars and kisses her and when her mother sees her like that in the car in that circumstance. She stomps her foot on the window to splatter it in blood and she finally feels true pain and despair. He let's her go home as her mother goes home muttering in denial. She is most hurt, most ashamed and that is why she smiles from the balcony. She managed to tare her mother apart, to show her how much she is really hurting and that she should care about more than clothing or her grades, that she can do a lot worse. From the start she is not a lovely character, and the whole aspect of her life is quite terrifying. It is a paradoxical existential notion that for a goal to be attained one must sacrifice themselves. The absurd action of doing what hurts us because it will show us a reality we do not seek and yet crave knowledge of. I believe this scene was well crafted and purposeful which is why I also felt quite angry and dissapointed that it was acknowledged only as a negative trope, lackluster and tasteless. Yes, it is a scene that is hard to take for many audiences but it's purpose is never to promote rape as a form of salvation. If you or other people believe this scene could have been done differently well I agree, but personally I would not change it because it relates back and is one of the most powerful mirrors of the main character, his first reflection on his company of hundreds of women he couldn't love and that only wanted him for money. A rage, a hatred so strong for a life where he didn't exist as a man but as an object, where he was dissapointed so many times that he grew to only see dissapointment after, never to look back at something positive again. He treated women poorly because he felt treated poorly. He was a quantifiable man and now, he had no quantity but also no direction or purpose in life. He wasn't even whom he originally was. Please don't assume from this that I condone rape or vulgaroties. They are disgusting and terrible but they are things we face in the real world and they happen often because of these traumatic, psychological damage that twists your morals. I think tackling them, seeing them beyond just the broad term "bad" and more as to why things can even end up that way (situation wise or morally) is one small step closer into an awareness that maybe one day will solve a greater issue.

[@pardontheleft2692]

this was an insane video i cant believe this is free and only has about 70k views

[@ezrajudge7052]

YAY!! I've been waiting for a new video!

[@konoton7164]

I truly loved this manga, I believe it's trying to tell us the manga that being human is being a form as seen in one of the dialogues between the characters. I think it's a commentary about social classes, in many ways from the beginning till the end, however, the ideas that I understood from it will only remain ideas that I see myself in, which is what his Homunculus is trying to show. I mirror society just as society mirrors me. *Edit* there is no doubt that the mc was horrible, but you could say that this somewhat gave him a humanoid characteristic while he seemed to go insane. It like for sanity to exist, insanity must coexist with it too, but of course, that doesn't excuse his horrid actions.

[@sul_6448]

Just finished reading this like last month and couldn’t find anything that broke it down beyond what I’ve already seen 10/10 vid

[@thefatman69dude]

In my top 5 all time favorite.mangas. Man this manga is incredible. I always took the rape sequence as a viewpoint that to change someone for the better doesn't justify the means how to get there. It was never our place to. The main character is never coming from a good or bad viewpoint. As the story progresses he becomes obcessed with seeing the world without an exterior. I've always enjoyed how this story becomes more and more about the main dealing with his own view of the world on to himself.

[@Baddaby]

09:30 El Topo is on another level of wicked thinking. Mainly because the actress was actually r@p3d in that scene, a fact spoken by Jodorowski himself. 50 years later, he denies it, claiming it was a "surrealist publicity stunt", but in my opinion that only makes it worse.

[@HartmansYokaiFactory]

What is this? A decent video exploring one of my favorite Manga of all time? We love it see it

[@Georgeoftherings]

Been a fan of this channel for about a year now, loving the content! One of my favorite channels!! Keep up the great work!

[@thingdotogg]

How did I not know you reviewed this, bruuh 😭😭😭

[@ItzSwxzy]

One the most complex and deep piece of media I ever consumed. Mr Nakoshi is a really a perfect character for this story as he is can show all the ways of human nature.