Kobeni is Not Your Waifu | Chainsaw Man

[@HidinginPublic]

I like Kobeni- Come talk to me about that on twitch; www.twitch.tv/hidingkun

[@statz3697]

Same here, same here amazing video btw

[@aevanjelis7296]

man, Kobeni has been sexualized in Ending 8..

[@abura2980]

Same

[@Chalkolate911]

kobeni- 's car :)

[@ZBoy-rc8zf]

Me too

[@EnbyNomad]

I just love that Kobeni is a messy character just trying to exist in a world with literal devils

[@HidinginPublic]

She's trying- very commendable!

[@archieevans5155]

Istg I love how she’s written

[@autisticusmaximus9562]

@@HidinginPublic she’s honestly the best parody within dark humor. The fact that she’s not only a self insert character for a more realistic take on your average 20 year old with a damaged personality/childhood, shes a great mystery to the plot. People have been trying to guess her Devil contract, which is most likely something absurdly strong who latched on to her just for shits and giggles to watch her suffer; which is perfectly in line with devils in this universe. Personally, I think the devil has something to do with primal fears like ‘misfortune’ or ‘failure’… something along those lines.

[@pistazieneis415]

@@autisticusmaximus9562 I'm just curious, what are other primal fears besides darkness and death? I just can't imagine anything, maybe the unknown as well but which others?

[@aSSGoblin1488]

Kobeni is such a great example of the author's writing. she has absolutely zero fat, within a few short scenes the audience has with her we get to know her character. we know that she came from a large family and her parents do not love her. She was most likely bullied by her family and treated poorly, and became a cowardly timid person that will kill a co-worker she just met (Denji). If your own family throws you under the bus, can you expect this person to be a brave and heroic person when she grows up? and yet Arai's sacrifice changed her. she had enough value that he sacrificed himself. imo it gave her confidence

[@degeneratefest]

Kobeni might not be my waifu, but her car definetly is

[@HidinginPublic]

Decent car tbh

[@Ekdrink]

Didn’t it get like 7th one time😭😭

[@samueloak1600]

@@Ekdrink yuh

[@danielcallow8124]

In that same poll kobeni came 8th so she got beat by her own car.

[@gungobrrrrrr1197]

@@danielcallow8124 I think the car came 10th, with Kobeni 8th. Not to sure though, I cant remember.

[@DualWieldFTW]

I like Kobeni because of -two- three reasons 1) she's the only reasonable, realistic human being in this accursed, lovely setting 2) she has plot armor and it's used against her to traumatize the everloving shit out of her in ways neither you nor i can even begin to fathom 3) her nervousness and awkward timidness is something i feel in my bones

[@sadrecliner7201]

Very good reasons

[@lilmao4482]

Kobeni was given god tier luck in exchange for being fucked over by her creator 💀

[@LawfulBased]

Kobeni embodied the average living Human. Not even as a girl, but as a Human in general. F°cking reallife, f°cking obligations, f°cking circumstances you have no control over and just trying to make the best out of it. This is why Kobeni feels the most realistic to me out of all characters. Denji is kind of a psycho I think, even with his background. But hey... I guess this is what the Mafia-tool life does to someone.

[@Kizerlk07]

4) her car

[@Exquailibur]

I just like that she is relatable, she is afraid and when in a terrifying situation is terrified because shes not insane like the others. I mean she cries and just always seems at least a little miserable (or a lot) but wont give up either, I mean if she has to dance to survive that is what she will do.

[@lilcrust3063]

Power tried to kill Denji to save a cat and no one cares. Kobeni tried to kill denji to save the squad and everybody’s upset. We truly live in a society

[@Donkam_haurder]

And don't forget power left the squad when her teammates fought against katana man and sawatari, meanwhile kobeni came and save denji from kidnapping

[@vrdnce]

@@Donkam_haurder Yes, that's what I mean, why are people even more angry at Kobeni while forgetting that Power is a coward who leaves her team

[@Donkam_haurder]

@kepizer k i love power because she smells like a sh*t, she never wiped off, and barely take a bath, she's so cute right?

[@aspenharton2496]

@kepizer k Counterpoint, and while I love both Characters, Power is NASTY. At least Kobeni flushes and takes showers.

[@lilcrust3063]

@kepizer k yeah annoying for having a literal mental break down out of her control

[@joecooper7843]

I absolutely love how she’s like ‘I’ve never played DDR’ and proceeds to get a perfect score despaired crying and facing possible imminent death

[@judit5173]

It's the adrenaline

[@socriabbas454]

I mean considering the devil she had a contract with allows her to move fast and agile, it would make since that she could do the dance perfectly not to mention she was under pressure because the chainsaw devil is literally murdering people behind her.

[@Catterjeeo]

I like the fan theory that she has a contract with the fate devil or something that lets her survive every encounter at the expense of her happiness.@@socriabbas454

[@hydricakes]

"Kobeni is annoying" Kobeni is just a normal girl who just wants to live her life man. Kobeni is one of the most realistic characters in my opinion. If any of us were thrown into the world of Chainsaw Man, I guarantee most of us would relate to Kobeni.

[@imbored5951]

Thats true but that doesn't mean she can't be annoying. I personally like her but I dont get this realistic sheild people are using. A character can be realistic and annoying, in fact that's most people.

[@megamegapop12]

@@imbored5951idk I think if your basis of annoying is someone constantly going through the worst time of their life you should check your empathy

[@imbored5951]

@@megamegapop12 Ah my sincerest apologies. I wasn't aware that if an author wrote terrible situations for their characters to go through I wasnt allowed to feel negative emotions for that character. I've really been doing this whole consuming media thing wrong huh? I found her introduction chapters annoying because beyond this I knew nothing about her. Her first appearance she breaks down, attacks Denji, a character I do know more about and do like, and injures another character I like. And I'm not allowed to feel just a bit annoyed at that? Does this make sense for her to do? Sure. Did I get to see more sides to her character later in the story that made her one of my favorite characters? Yeah. But that doesn't change the fact that her introduction was annoying for me.

[@sk8boredd]

@@imbored5951 meow moment

[@ExeErdna]

@@megamegapop12 What empathy? This is an anime they have a right to dislike a character.

[@san-t7700]

As a fan of hers since way before the meme started, I must say I am in shambles

[@HidinginPublic]

If your love is true it's ok

[@deathshop2172]

same

[@originalpost1925]

Shattered into a thousand pieces, spread across the world to the highest of mountains, all the way to the deepest lurking oceans that the Earth contains in its darky and murky waters. These pieces are said to be as small as sand particles, yet when you touch them, you feel a sensation that your mind cannot put into words. A feeling so similar to the despair of a fan who has seen its favorite character turned into a mere internet meme that will eventually die in a couple of weeks and go onto internet obscurity... what a tragic and horrifying fate that poor person must have had,

[@fardgarde4104]

Everyone:"your feelings for her are not real" me:"THEY ARE REAL TO ME"

[@dogesanic819]

Kobeni's car is true waifu, do not stray brothers

[@1cbear745]

I love that kobeni's fear, anger, and despair isn't cute. Her emotions are raw and ugly, not toned down to make her "appealing" to others.

[@juanblanco7898]

+

[@hangyalambar]

its super cute for me 🥺🥺🥺

[@juanblanco7898]

@@hangyalambar That's either extremely wholesome or extremely depraved.

[@hangyalambar]

@@juanblanco7898 juan .. i would like to discuss.. about something. when i was in a discord server, i asked a simple question - "currently considering to buy a kobeni dakimakura, any thing with a good balance between quality and price". But then, a man with no RESPECT told me: "you mean amount of fabric and ass?". I ANGRILY REPLIED, "WELL I DONT NEED THE ASS ALRIGHT? KOBENI HAS ENOUGH!". the amount of terror and grief that has dawned upon me is beyond speakable. I am still however interested in any answers for my question! ☺️✌️

[@juanblanco7898]

@@hangyalambar I'd tell you to get off such discord servers, but I don't know where else you can seek the kind of advice you're after. Maybe reddit weebs have a bit more tact, so it might be worth it to ask there.

[@envysart797]

Kobeni screaming “I KNOW WHAT YOU ARE” is my favourite moment of the whole series. Her constant anxious energy is just absolute 10/10. Because she’s the “straight man”, behaving in a way it would be reasonable for any person to act when around devils. And her paralytic fear contrasts well with Power, Denji and Aki, 3 people with bizarre attitudes relating to their own mortality and life. Kobeni is the only reasonable one here.

[@LanaWolfie]

I love Kobeni. As someone with an anxiety disorder, I relate to her so much. She's terrified all the time, and yeah, that really is how it feels to have an anxiety disorder lol. I like that the narrative isn't afraid to show her as 'ugly' when she's having a breakdown, because mental health issues aren't always pretty, and that she has weirdly authentic moments, like turning on the gang in the hotel because she's letting her anxiety get the best of her. I also love how the narrative hardly uses her anxiety as a punching bag, and even lets it act like a superpower at times? Such as Reze bypassing Kobeni because she's having a panic attack and can't be a threat (or at least, that's how it seemed, from my anxiety disorder POV!) Not sure if it was intentional on the author's end, but I think Kobeni's pretty darn snazzy either way :)

[@asrielcorvus2830]

I saw a meme of the scenes in the anime with Kobeni but dubbed over with Courage the Cowardly Dog and it just clicked for me. Both of them are constantly terrified but willing to fight for themselves and the people they care about. Kobeni=Courage

[@HidinginPublic]

It is true

[@Moralzombie]

The courage devil

[@scumengel]

Omg i saw that-

[@JaleelBeig]

The things i do for love

[@abdmin3268]

DONT DISRESPECT COURAGE LIKE THAT

[@KingofCrimsonKings]

She's simply too innocent for thr world she lives in, so she's falls under the must protect tier.

[@HidinginPublic]

She's a good soul

[@reddjack340]

100%. She's up there with season 1 nezuko

[@caelestisimperator9829]

Arai understood the assignment

[@originalpost1925]

thr

[@liammahan4497]

@@caelestisimperator9829 Arai a g for that

[@Cryzk_]

Kobeni is also one of the only characters that react realistically... Who would be pissed off, terrified, and distraught with the situation she in

[@commentateur-connaisseur-c1414]

Arai was. Yet nobody talks about him. Because he didn't shit his pants immediatly.

[@shiboatisuto]

I feel like the fact that she's not sexualized at all is why I like her she doesn't fit the generic anime girl aesthetic she's a unique character in several ways. And she's one of the first anime characters that clicked with me heavily even more so after reading the manga

[@Roge9]

"kobeni is not your waifu but she is mine" Ah... So that's the REAL reason you made this video!

[@dig1taltoaster]

Something I like about CSM is that it only sexualizes when needed and only when it makes sense for the character. The only time Kobeni is sexualized is when Denji’s asking Pochita what girl he thinks he is into and that makes sense cause that’s Denji’s perspective she never does that herself. Very mature for an anime/manga. I’m a Power guy but the hate she’s getting is dumb and undeserved she only deserves love, affection and a safe workplace.

[@HidinginPublic]

Yeah I like that aspect too, I hadn't seen people draw attention too it so I tried to outline it in the video

[@SilvesterBathroomStallone]

Only when needed, huh? Quanxi has a lot of "needed" moments then lmao.

[@cryguy0000]

I like it, it's really refreshing seeing a girl in anime with a mundane design not trying to be sexual at all. Plus I vibe with having 0 sex appeal, that's basically me

[@dig1taltoaster]

@@SilvesterBathroomStallone yeah true that was kinda weird but still CSM is a vast improvement over 99% of the anime/manga currently out.

[@dig1taltoaster]

@@cryguy0000 we need more female characters that just dress like normal people and not wear clothing that only covers the bare minimum. I especially have a problem when it’s out of character or forced on them.

[@ahmedmuawia2447]

I like kobeini, her existence within the story is the defintion of Perpetual suffering. 💀 The kobeini dancing meme actually kills me a little bit from inside, knowing the context and still finding it hilarious.

[@HidinginPublic]

She's funny and I feel bad for her but also that is funny

[@alanfontanelli1110]

Perpetual suffering…. did someone just unironically guess Kobeni’s devil???

[@pablito8756]

But it is precisely the context that makes that dance funny in the first place. If it wasn't for that I doubt it would've become so popular among readers.

[@kevinb6053]

i dare not add a like or i would ruin the 699

[@uhuh9859]

@Alan Fontanelli Why must you do this to us anime-onlys... Please put a spoiler warning 😭

[@TheRealOtakuEdits]

I always had sympathy for her since she revealed her backstory. I was just shocked that the shy, cute female character in a manga had the agency to try murdering the main character to save her own life. I hadn't seen anything like it before. Her introduction in the Infinity Devil Arc left me more intrigued than annoyed. Her redemption in the Katana Man Arc left me rooting for her. Her final talk with Denji had left me with an urge to give her a hug. Fujimoto has some of the best character writing I've seen and Kobeni is a great example of his craft.

[@ferd3007]

That's one of the things I love about CSM, it's that despite of being shonen it's not throwing groping/panty shots/fanservice all over your face all the time, its actually pretty respectful towards woman, even it's pretty messed up in terms of story, but it was pretty refreshing and a delightful "eye rest"

[@ofekk213]

Chainsaw Man is a Seinen, not a Shonen. Seinen is manga/anime targeted at young adults (18yo-25yo). Yes it appears on Shonen Jump, but so does Fire Punch by the same authour Tatsuki Fujimoto and I want someone have the BALLS to call Fire Punch "shonen".

[@sicksG]

I love kobeni. She's just the most relatable person. To put herself first seems natural, then beginning to regret and bounce back to come back up is amazing. She's an amazing woman. Not girl, but woman. I hope she stays the happiest possible.

[@ricardoludwig4787]

I find it hilarious that people said she was their waifu because she's a mess and then when she shows up and is a mess and people are hating her for it. Like, what were they expecting??? Really made me understand why the "chainsaw man fans excited to see their favorite show for the first time" meme exists

[@HidinginPublic]

Yeah, same meme exists for persona unfortunately as well. Meme and fan culture trult exists abstracted from the original material

[@jackmanleblanc2518]

Well, I would have to assume that the people saying they love her because she is a mess and those hating her for being such a hot mess aren't the same people... right? God, I hope so. People really can't be that stupid... right?

[@thatsnotnormal5673]

@@jackmanleblanc2518 😔

[@Floridamangaming729]

So basically there fake fans?

[@lilcrust3063]

@@jackmanleblanc2518 the only people hating her are anime onlys

[@nowhereman6019]

I honestly want to give her a hug and buy her Ice Cream.

[@HidinginPublic]

Yeah me too

[@sarafontanini7051]

unfortnately something will happen to make the ice cream fall into dirt before ehr eyes.

[@nowhereman6019]

@@sarafontanini7051 damn you, Luck Devil!

[@Anthonydavis65]

@@sarafontanini7051 Bully Maguire: im gonna put some dirt in your eye

[@deanfernandes7604]

Violence approves this comment

[@Iminyourare12]

Kobeni is what happens when a real person is in these situations

[@HidinginPublic]

Insane world with one normal person

[@Mryat_]

​@kepizerkDid you even watch the video?

[@SamuelGalvan_]

@kepizerknah

[@aurelian2668]

@kepizerk Ey isnt that you?

[@hahayuck2169]

Im pretty sure 70% of the world would react like her, if ever they see devils too

[@eldritchteapot7753]

I love Kobeni because I suffer from really bad anxiety disorder, and I relate to how she reacts to horrible situations because there's a lot of parallels to how I act when I have a panic attack

[@ivoza]

It’s not anxiety bro any normal person would be mentally broken being a devil hunter

[@rosiv9617]

​@ivoza I can tell she definitely has anxiety. Even in safe situations, there are symptoms she displays. And I mean, it's very understandable she'd have an anxiety disorder. Raised in an abusive home, forced to work in a shitty job with dire consequences if she fails. And she's gone through this long before she was forced to become a devil hunter.

[@jackwiththefish2973]

As an anime-only, I came to value Kobeni near the end of the first season. Her introduction as a sniveling person desperate to survive at all costs was a way that the author undercut shounen tropes, as he's been known to do throughout the series. Anyone who sticks around long enough can see Himeno was right and Kobeni's a real badass.

[@justpids]

Kobeni is my favorite. She's cool.

[@swagubirk]

shut up

[@bitans2681]

She's cute and funny

[@braydenleaderofthetirkins1143]

She must love stomping……devils.

[@aelurophilia]

...HOW SRE YOU HERE-

[@mushroomy9899]

diddy??

[@ddeej]

Kobeni: “It was either being a devil hunter or $3x worker.” Meanwhile, people in the internet: “Kobeni’s Devil let’s her give the sloppiest bI0wj0b.”

[@orrorsaness5942]

Kobeni’s devil: You wanted to be a devil hunter and as a result, I will force you to be a $3x worker!

[@Бобёр-ю8г]

@@orrorsaness5942 big brain move from the devils part, they do want humans to suffer as much as possible

[@spinach001]

Csm fans try not to be total cumbrains for 5 seconds

[@BlazeBlueY3]

That's a very difficult way of writing the word "sex"

[@Zarathustr]

LMAO

[@czairkolmoslink5952]

Kobeni really grew on me the more chapters I read; I laughed at her misery, but I started understanding her better. Through out the story she becomes best Girl like Power.

[@marlom7882]

Her living only just to get traumatized repeatedly is kinda hilarious

[@ihavenodimples114]

Best girl by process of elimination

[@zomegaexalpha4708]

@@ihavenodimples114 even when the other we're alive she was still superior to all of them

[@mistake1197]

Spoilers I kinda wish we got to see her and violence's relationship. They seemed to be really close. Him dying seems to be the one thing she couldn't take anymore and caused her to quit.

[@tnl-warrior3218]

Her car>

[@ConvincingPeople]

Honestly, one of the most telling scenes with Kobeni, which I think was *brilliantly* translated in the final episode of the first season of the anime, is when she totally silently ambushes Sawatari during her fight with Aki, and Aki asks her why she stays with the Special Division, and she nervously chuckles and says bonuses are coming up. You want to know why people are attracted to Kobeni outside of the memetic goofing around? That. That right there. For all of her apparent frailty, for all of her fear and self-loathing, Kobeni is so much stronger than she will ever admit, even to herself. Well, that and every sapphic in the audience seeing her little split-second reaction to Himeno's wager and going, "I SEE YOU." Kobeni is so cool~

[@ojisankusai]

I think the fact that Kobeni is the only character that maintains her own "place" in the manga/anime is what makes her unique in Chainsaw Man. She doesn't change, nor does she allow the situations around her to change her. She remains true to her own beliefs regardless of literally every other character _not_ remaining true to their _own_ ideals. In a manga like Chainsaw Man, that makes her uniquely static and trustworthy. Basically the antithesis of every other character in the series. Ironically, this makes her the most "believable" character in the whole shebang. Unlike something like "Makina owns a strap-on" meme BS, which doesn't make any sense in the first place except in the minds of the obviously deranged otaku-mentality.

[@kaneroberts8930]

yk what homelander did to the guy who could hear well

[@samuelhain2160]

Good analysis. "There's some extreme dissonance between a character literally willing to die before letting themselves be sexualized and a community so willing to sexualize here that nothing of her original character is carried over..." This is a great point. Chainsaw was such a great manga

[@HidinginPublic]

It is a great manga!

[@marin9412]

And then, the anime community came.

[@Dog.This_Identifier_Is_Shit.]

@@marin9412 Chainsaw Man community was better as just the manga in my opinion, *if* you take out the lunatic fans and image readers.

[@Electronica27]

Well I think part of why the "sloppy toppy" meme is so funny is just BECAUSE of how so off point it is or how opposite it is with Kobeni, whom in the manga is as sexualized as a wooden plank.

[@coldcowboy3853]

Kobeni=Sloppy toppy devil

[@davidpack2809]

No no, you’re wrong. Sloppy top is her devil ability

[@xavierortiz1294]

Anime - only's will soon come to understand why alot of manga readers have Kobeni on such a pedestal. Kobeni is effectively an anchor not only for Denji near the end of part 1 but the reader. Reminding us that although we closely follow the antics of so many unhinged individuals this is still a very cruel and horrifying world and to understand that a "normal life"is not one where you're in complete control of everything but moving along as best you can regardless of your circumstances. She's a nervous mess but alot of us would be worse we just want to think we're like Denji because he's the MC and alot of Japanese media is centered around making the reader or watcher relate to the MC but in this case Denji is almost completely insane and numb to the horrors of the world and i am sure most of us are nowhere near as resilient.

[@astuteanansi4935]

Clearly not that many considering her car ranks above her in popularity =D

[@theasiangod5860]

@@astuteanansi4935 it may not be a lot, but its still enough to prove you wrong LOL. But I mean, its a car bro, CARS are needed.

[@xavierortiz1294]

@@astuteanansi4935 they also ranked the AUTHOR as one of the most hated "characters". Its a meme and doesnt mean much.

[@RegalPixelKing]

As an anime only person I found little wrong about her. I mean she was a nervous wreck when she was introduced, but I saw the subtext and blatantly stated text that made it make since that she was so desperate for Denji to sacrifice himself. Besides she redeemed herself in the second half by saving his life. She was so consumed by rage and a need to save those on her squad who were still alive that it overshadowed her insecurities and she quickly managed to be one of the most powerful devil hunters due to that fact.

[@CRANEREVIEWS]

"respectable work" oh god, had tea go out of my nose

[@riymeep6708]

Even before her character was gone into more in depth, I never really hated her. She always just seemed like the most normal and realistic of the group. Of course a normal person who was forced to fight devils would be absolutely terrified of them. Her trying to kill Denji is something that many real people would also be willing to do for their own survival, no matter how much we would all like to deny that. Kobeni is just somebody that got stuck in a world with dangerous devils that could pop up and kill her at any moment

[@sugasweet435]

I’m anime only and was kind of annoyed with her blubbering in the dub, but if I can deal with Zenitsu I can deal with this😂 I hadn’t given much thought to her as a character or seen any memes, but I’m glad I came across this video

[@bunneza]

Kobeni is the epitome living in constant fear but never fully give in and broken She keep struggling in her own way with value she believe in Love her how relatable she is for me at least

[@HidinginPublic]

She's GOATd for not giving up

[@venturelord32]

What I think is great about the way Fujimoto frames scenes in his manga is that even when Kobeni's character remains in serious danger and true to herself, she's still ridiculous and funny.

[@HidinginPublic]

Ridiculous sweaty ball of anxiety

[@Cloaded-kc4kq]

0:20 this is what young men are cooming to nowadays

[@nautica7781]

loved this video so much, it was so respectful and we rarely see people talk about this simplification + sexualisation of characters in fandoms,, subbed 💕

[@Hey-Its-Dingo]

A very important thing to remember when engaging in fandom is to treat the fandom meme as a separate entity from the actual character. I love the annoying, sweaty mess Kobeni, as well as the silly dancing, sloppy toppy devil meme Kobeni, but I know to love them separately from each other. (When the two become conflated as being the same, it makes it really annoying for those of us who genuinely love the ACTUAL character in the story. I have felt it many times in my life as an anime fan)

[@HighlandKall]

I think a weirder note about the sad cat dance is a lot of iterations explicitly address the idea of whoever doing the dance being uncomfortable or unwilling to dance in the first place (which is why someone is framed as begging them to dance, but that could also be in service of the opening beats of the song). And even a few really subversive ones will end with them refusing and/or someone more comfortable with the idea of dancing instead who's happy or isn't taking it seriously. I don't think that stems from Kobeni but it's interesting seeing that aspect bleeding over through the context of the meme looping around to something more in line with that resolve of her character to not be sexualized even if the lack thereof is the joke. IDK I didn't make the connection between Kobeni and the sad cat meme but I have seen discussions being critical of her sexualization in some spaces online that seemed to have a positive reception, which was nice to see ^^

[@HidinginPublic]

Yeah, it's interesting how the unwillingness itself, the last bit that resembled kobeni, gradually left in a way that, ironically in absence of her even being there ended up more respecting her wishes. I am of two minds about things because on one hand her sexualization makes me uncomfortable and feel like nobody cares about Kobeni as a character or doesn't respect her agency, but on the other hand Kobeni's design is cute and some of the cosplays are hot& funny. I wanted to talk about the weird relationship a character who avoids sexual content turned into a sexual character could be without condemning art or the sex industry by proxy.

[@LooneyClipse]

@@HidinginPublic damn u wouldnt even know how much i appreciate your thoughtful input. Even tho i am bi female and like female body, i am so de sensitised to female sexuality since i started being a weeb. It honestly starts to disgust me to see female character lewd artwork since there is no consent in it and *goes against what the character represents* . Then again it can be applied to male characters aswell, i just have gender bias. Thank you again for your input and introducing people to the character when most they have seen are memes. (im one of those, but i dont partake in memery of things i dont recognise lately)

[@WHYZEE]

When you look at it though the lens of Hypereality ( this video: Is modern life too artificial? by JJ. McCullough explains it pretty well) these memes would be a sort of Post hyper reality. But because the original meaning is now being applied to things that have nothing to do with it, it's contributing to the abstraction of other ideas.

[@taylorwright7428]

I'm pretty sure for most people making it, the begging is only to match the intro beats, but I think the willing versions are the best, even if the begging is a little funny.

[@liben5052]

sad cat dance pisses me off just because its very clearly marketed to be an "uwu submissive" appeal and i just?? its not even a dance?? funny enough i guess it's like the counterpart of the mememe dance (daoko) on the confidence spectrum. both are objectifying in opposite ways.

[@mr.goblin6039]

Kobeni’s one of the most relatable characters in the series. She’s literally the most normal person in the whole group. Straight up doesn’t know what is going most of the time, just wants to live her life and not die horribly, and she’s a nervous wreck with anxiety and a lack of social skills, and on top of that she can barely pay for her old busted car. There’s so much that I see myself in Kobeni that it makes me feel sad for her and me. 😂 When we start seeing her get her life together, it’s inspiring. But when you see her getting pulled back into all the insane shit of the devils, it’s both hilarious and sad how she’s out through the wringer, but you get a sigh of relief with seeing her survive. It’s like Kobeni is an allegory for the average person, and I tend to love the average Joe or Janet going through some shit only to make it at the end. That’s awesome.

[@Halcon_Sierreno]

She's also a badass with extreme acrobatic and combat skills. I doubt you have any of that.

[@Kirkland-Consumer]

@@Halcon_Sierreno hah yea I always think of that whenever anyone refers to her as realistic or normal lmao

[@boozebiskwhiskey7422]

She's literally me fr!

[@iemanisaac2513]

​@@Kirkland-Consumer I don't think they mean her combat skills that realistic/normal bruh -_-

[@iemanisaac2513]

​@@Halcon_Sierreno We talked about how she reacts when she is in dangerous situation bruh and not about her combat skills, obviously we knows that her combat skills is not normal -_-

[@cryguy0000]

I gotta say I like Kobeni outside of the meme, I like how she's secretly way more capable than she appears. And her being forced into working as a devil hunter is actually pretty interesting, she's basically treated like garbage and feels trapped. Which is something I can somewhat relate to, she's surprisingly relatable. And tbh she's cute, but I feel like I can put myself in her shoes

[@wucmau]

omg, im so glad someone explained everything so well. i genuinely love your takes! im so glad someone sees her depth instead of sexualizing her in a mindless way (also im glad you pointed out the fact people do that)

[@nik021298]

I think that, while she was already well liked by that point. She went from "hahaha funny best girl by process of elimination" to "whoa, actually Kobeni is that great" when she did her little speech to Denji. I also think how she opened up at that moment made all her previous suffering scenes hit harder, less comedic and more tragic.

[@arachnidsLor]

at some point i learned as a female anime fan, that the characters who i care about for their story, personality, arc, actions, are just porn archetypes for a lot of male viewers. and its kind of a horrible realization to have.

[@HidinginPublic]

That exists for straight female fans of Haikyuu and such too. It is unfortunate especially with older shonen though, how clearly based around fantasy many of the characters are- but I think we are reaching an equilibrium of equally hot male and female characters who are also well written in things like JJK, AoT and even CSM

[@TheMightyNovac]

I think a big thematic missing piece here is Denji's perspective and the overarching disassociation he experiences as a part-devil (although the disassociation with regular life is later more confirmed to be a result of his upbringing and trauma, but that's besides the point.) Kobeni isn't really meant to be seen as a clear, understandable, or tragic figure to the audience throughout Chainsaw Man. She's effectively a punchline through both her sweaty, ridiculous expressions, and her almost comically tragic past. She's "I slipped on a banana peal into a sewer drain"-tier bad luck, and in some ways the response to find her annoying/ridiculous is (I think, at least) part of the initial experience with Chainsaw Man. I don't think people are wrong to have that impression of her, or to find her as repulsive thus far into the story. I also think the fact she's not sexualized throughout the story is more a reflection of Denji and his disinterest in her as a woman, rather than necessarily a meta-contextual respect to her character's agency by the author. Stories are, often, a reflection of the protagonist's view point, and Kobeni's blabbering, bewildered deer-in-the-headlights personality fits perfectly with Denji's impression of her. I think your points on the memeification of Kobeni are accurate to some cases, but I think even without the memes and the fanart that she'd be seen as just as annoying and unlikable to most people. The response to badmouth the character as "bad" or "annoying" feel more like they're missing the content of the show rather than the context. The same thing has been happening with basically every female cast member -- "Power is awful", "Makima is toxic", "Himeno is a groomer", it stinks of media illiteracy, and people dragging characters out of context and into a dubiously realistic real-world light. There's a lot of "what if that were me?" projection going on, where people are missing Denji's perspective and situation for some other, entirely unrelated type of person. Power isn't an awful person because Denji knows how it is to fend for yourself, and in the same way, Kobeni trying to kill Denji doesn't matter because Denji practically cannot die. Denji has a perculiar perspective to most shonen characters, but it's one which offers a lot of patience and forgiveness compared to the average person. It feels like more than misunderstanding a simple character, the message of Chainsaw Man -- of making the most out of your lot in life, and striving for something above your unfavorable position -- is being missed for a bunch of minor controversies and misunderstandings.

[@norwa3518]

idk, I like the memes cuz it just adds more charm and personality to the show as a whole. like it would be boring if fans didnt do that, or if everyone rejected the memes/Kobeni outright. its just a way to bring attention to the series, and for fans to have fun with it.

[@TheMightyNovac]

@@norwa3518 I agree. The memes are funny! I actually said that I think even without the memes people would miss the things they did and find Kobeni annoying lol

[@LukSter18998]

bump

[@slayerofcrusadersandsmallh6404]

True op acts as if she's meant to be a nun or something.

[@belovedelysia]

himeno is still a groomer tho

[@makiaveli1997]

I definitely think it’s fine to find a character like Kobeni attractive physically if that’s what you’re into, but for the sure the issue is when people boil her down to just a sex object when that id exactly what she doesn’t want to be. The reading comprehension devil really out here beating people’s asses. Great video by the way.

[@SaiT_91]

in one of the chainsaw man outro's kobeni is shown without pants on

[@Ganchanzilla]

I 100% have a thing for characters the exude “soaking wet puppy” energy so I got attached as soon as I saw her in the manga, I was genuinely surprised how much she’s flushed out she is and I really like how she’s not hyper sexualized in the source material. With the insight in this video even with denjis very loud yearning I’m starting to realize how, for the lack of a better term, “sexless” this story is.

[@juiceyborger]

kobeni's the definition of "was born in a wet cardboard box all alone". my beloved

[@MothmanAlpha]

She's been best girl for me after reading part 1. She's just such a nervous, anxious mess that she melts my heart. Everything about her life is pitiable, and I can't blame her for being less put together than her, frankly, more deranged colleagues. Seeing her being happy spending free time with some fiends later on is just so wholesome.

[@Quinnsula5]

I feel like Himenos and Kobeni both have great messages in there characters that work very well in contrast. Like Himeno and Kobeni are similar in the way they are both flaw and like the two most human characters in the cast, but have a great contrast in dynamic and the themes around them. Himenos is all about moving on past death and tough times but never forgetting, letting that harden you to be better. Which is very human and something people kinda need to do in life to be able to truly change as a person, well Kobeni is the opposite of this as she is a character that let's guilt, and her fears get to her and all and can't like himeno learn from it and use it. Which is a common issue we see in society and something that is sadly natural for some people, but that's what makes Kobeni great as she trys to push past it still and well just live a life on the run as she can't accept the guilt and fear and use it to make her stronger, but unlike most she is at least able to run with it and even when she reaches that hill does not like it take over fully. Well she is not my favorite character or female character, himeno is for female and tied with aki for character, I still respect what she stands for and love that aspect. Her and Himeno are the 2 most human character but are so different and deal with the issue they face in completely different way and views but yet succeed

[@John-Stark]

Kobeni is the type of girl that needs a hug and being told everything will be alright

[@donl5323]

The makima strap on is canon and i refuse to believe otherwise

[@Lomhow]

I read the Manga long before the anime. She is my waifu and Twitter can't do anything to stop me. Nobody should say swizz until they see the burger scene. Edit: the cat dance meme is originally an Animal Crossing meme btw

[@HidinginPublic]

It's a mix of the AC Anka meme and the Kobeni meme. I just didn't want to risk getting in trouble mentioning/showing the Anka bit

[@samueloak1600]

@@HidinginPublic LMAO KZbin rules

[@randomyoutuber2633]

Ye

[@mr_pi1356]

Kobeni is definitely a great character, I really like her plot armor being used for comedy.

[@digitaldevilgirl]

I wonder if her resistance to sexualization is part of the appeal for a lot of people. The mystery making her even more alluring, slightest glimpse at her making people go wild. Though personally when reading the manga I didn’t have much attraction to her and it’s been through recent memes and the anime that I’ve totally come around on that

[@marlom7882]

I like the shy, quiet girl myself. Kobeni however was annoying at first but then again I can’t help but laugh at her how she only lives just to get further traumatized

[@dydx_]

For me it was the Car scene with power. I haven't read something this naturally funny in a while all while being non 4th wall/character breaking.

[@liben5052]

you know there was an era of rebellion where girls, specifically highschool-age, decided they would adopt more conservative, "yankee" styles that would counter the "feminine sailor outfit" market, and while it did work by pissing off a lot of sexist folk, the market just turned around and started selling sexualized versions of their own fashion. hence you get some anime designs of gang leaders whose boobs are wrapped in bandages for no damn reason. there's totally a group of people who see resistance as a "fetish/conquest" more than an expression of self.

[@blobcat8189]

I've always loved kobeni, this video helped me understand more of her character and how she really is portrayed without the filter of the CSM fandom. Thankyou so much for this video

[@finallylegal2125]

well f you, you just made me like Kobeni. Your vernacular is immaculate, and your conceptual understanding of her character rings so true. 10/10 persuasion

[@liamstanley5599]

I see Kobeni as a normal girl. I hope the Kobeni character doesn't get hate because of this because they do a lot of good characterization in the manga

[@kaisuzugamori4173]

Kobeni is honestly such a good grounded character and I appreciate her for it a lot. I feel she has lived such a hard life and can still look forward and keep walking is honestly admirable.

[@notationmusical]

Spoilers for Part 2: I think this also applies to Asa. When she uses her uniform as a weapon, there was a lot of controversy with the "sexualization" of the character. But the only part, to me, that was really sexual is through Denji's perspective.

[@sollertia_]

(manga reader here) how was that seen as sexualization? It felt very natural and rational given the flow of the story. What else would be preferred? The shoes?

[@youdonthavetolikemeiloveme3621]

@@sollertia_ SPOILER FOR CSM PT 2 MANGA: I kind of thought Asa was going to use the shoes as a sort of symbolism in turning what Yuko gave her, into a weapon to fight the justice devil that had taken over her friend's mind.

[@joupie7223]

lol be real, it's pretty sexualized you don't have to pretend it isn't. typical anime/manga stuff

[@JuanMartinez-tx5bh]

@@joupie7223 fr idk why these readers act like they are real plus shots like that have been in fujis work before it’s not new

[@liben5052]

i mean at first it was shocking but they don't play it up as a "omg omg girl underwear kyaa", rather the girls just focus on the situation at hand and comment on what a strong weapon it created. asa is also being called boring and annoying by some fans but honestly i think she's very specifically human like kobeni but not as anxiety induced (plus her motivations aren't nearly bombastic as the other popular female characters). really speaks to how well the author understands people and girls- unlike many other mangakas who seem to think girls are better suited as support roles or only melodrama moments

[@starhalv2427]

"Use her character design however you want" Me, using her fanart in a discort profile: "Yessir"

[@harunocaleon5786]

Kobeni: “It was either being a devil hunter or prostitution.” The guy in the video: "sex work is ok."

[@nothingineternityterms]

Those aren't contradictions. Being forced into sex work is horrible, choosing to do it should be okay.

[@Banditlord52]

This video nails all the reasons why I love Kobeni as one of my favorite female characters in anime/manga. Growing up, I at times felt like I had no control over my life, because whenever I wanted to pursue some kind of goal, I was pretty much met with discouragement from my family with them saying how hard it would be and at times making it seem like my life would be in hell if I chose those paths, which practically destroyed me as a child. Didn't help that my family was incredibly dysfunctional, and even today with me as a full grown adult it doesn't feel like that dynamic has changed at all. I eventually ended up caving in and got the job that my parent insisted on taking for at least five years because I just gave up, knowing they would never stop hounding me about it. Unlike Kobeni, I do like my job, but I will admit it was far from my first choice. So when I found out that Kobeni became a devil hunter because her family ordered her to, not because she wanted to and felt trapped because of it, that resonated with me alot. I've dealt with toxic family members who love to bitch out at me and tell me how worthless I am compared to them, even when I had done nothing to provoke them at all. I know what it's like to feel like I have no control over my life and it's in the hands of others, and the desire to find a life I call my own. But whereas I gave up, and just let those people walk all over me while becoming lazy, sheltered, and having no real motivation in my life, Kobeni silently rebelled in her own way and kept her strong will to resist and took action later on in the series to live on her own, away from her parents and not relying on them at all. This was the moment when I respected, admired, and loved her as a character, and wish that I had her inner strength and resolve growing up. To be clear, my family situation is nowhere as bad as hers (the parent I live with is just overprotective, nosey and occasionally paranoid). But after finding out the kind of person Kobeni really is underneath her anxiety, I felt a connection with her I haven't felt with any other character in any other media, and I rooted for her from then on. Kobeni may not be the waifu of choice for other chainsaw man fans, but she is mine.

[@holden3099]

Dude you literally stole the words out of my mouth. Such a great video and really interesting topic I have been thinking about a lot recently. BANGER video per usual

[@HidinginPublic]

Thank you, I found the dissonance to be really interesting for a while but the anime backlash really highlighted that I think

[@coldai9107]

"Kobeni is Not Your Waifu", shes literally the most relatable character I have ever seen in any media, there's literally no other character more perfect for me than she is. Shes always nervious and has there anxiety levels through the roof all the time, always sweaty, and would rather die than be sexualized over her own will

[@Topunito]

Honestly, CSM being a mainstream anime in general is such a mess. Especially because, IMO, what's being animated so far isn't THAT special- the truly amazing parts that bring everything together come later in the manga. It leads to a lot of people who misunderstand the story to a degree that almost makes me cringe, and/or think it's overrated, uninteresting stuff. Really, I don't think this was a great anime to go into the absolute mainstream, so I desperately try to encourage people to read the manga. Great video, genuinely one of the most well put together videos i've seen lately, even though it was a relatively simple topic in a relatively short video. You explained and expressed so much so well, it was all very concise, fair and made clear sense, plus I just very much agree with everything you said.

[@ExeErdna]

This is basically AOT all over again. Missing context due to not reading shit yet waiting too long for anime seasons

[@CommissarCerreto]

Eyo, rare anime-only fan who immediately understood Kobeni and sympathized bc, honestly, she handled the Eternity Devil better than most actual people would lol

[@hazzinka2844]

DAMN this was a good video, specially that title drop at the end, makes me wonder how the internet is able to completely change the perception of a character just with memes, it kinda reminds me of what happened to among us, it became so ingrained in meme culture that now a simple shape is somehow a reference, it's kinda fucked up, but also fascinating.

[@HidinginPublic]

It truly is a sus phenomenon

[@mellomanic6767]

this is the kobeni video essay we needed, thank you

[@HidinginPublic]

Thanks for watching!

[@ZaiDrizzleDrop]

WOW!! Never head anyone talk about Kobeni with such respect! Shes my favorite character and design next to Akane Sawatari (Snake girl, shes so cool with that oversized hoodie and cool demeanor.) I always liked Kobeni and thought she was cool, how she is surprisingly strong despite appearing as a weak mess, but I never thought about this "Resolve, to help her siblings" you talked about. Gives me a deeper perspective on her as a character and makes me realize how important she is.

[@yourfellowthomasd3675]

8:50 i'm pretty sure the cat dance had a dif origin.

[@yourfellowthomasd3675]

9:35 ion rlly like that joke but this post genuinely made me laugh

[@DJMilez]

Excellent video, love your deep dives brother 💪

[@Отвратительнодлинныйчай]

Frankly speaking, it makes a lot of sense for her devil to be somehow related to sex, without any memes. She is deeply discomforted and even scared not only by the idea of selling herself, but seemingly also by the idea of sexuality itself, which makes a lot of sense judging by many children of abusive parents having some type of sex-related trauma. And demons love utilising these inner fears and traumas. In my opinion, Fujimoto is the kind of author which can successfully portray this demon, not delving into fun or vulgarity, because even though sex devil sounds like the perfect meme, it can be made into the most unsettling demon we have ever seen, and that would suit such a tragic and deep character as Kobeni.

[@Валера-р7ю7с]

Finally, someone said it, reading manga I too laughed at Kobeni’s shenanigans but as I started to better understand each characters, her story suddenly became more of a tragedy/drama for me :(

[@Diamondeye299]

Kobeni was instantly my favorite character because she’s very relatable because if I was in her position I would probably be just as unstable as her

[@b8rek]

video deserves a standing ovation from every viewer

[@handsomejaro4465]

selling your body is the biggest L you can take XD

[@konojereda1993]

Honestly, it's completely understandable for anime watchers to dislike Kobeni, as I'm sure most manga readers felt the same way (me included). I don't think you're supposed to like her or even care about her much at this point in the story, but because so many manga spoilers and memes are going around it's hard for a new watcher to view her in an unbiased light. As long as people are open to what the story has in store for them, they'll be rewarded with a great character later on.

[@katrinamorhart1850]

It’s great when you can dig under the many layers of irony and memes to get to the core of a beloved character. There was a time where I thought Kobeni was underrated but now she’s become well-known, right up there with the main trio and Makima. I remember viewing her in the manga as just a side character, slightly amused whenever we would cut to her and her shenanigans, almost like a side story. It was once I got to the end and the Family Burger scene that she fully endeared herself to me. Her poor car 🚗 I think that the way a character is perceived varies depending on what a viewer/reader brings into it. I never really noticed her lack of overt specialization before. I like the level of insight you provide. To me, Kobeni is just Kobeni. 🍔

[@BELLOWINGSUN]

I didn't understand why people were so surprised that Kobeni ended up as the character she was in the manga into the anime. I still see Kobeni as one of my favorite characters in Chainsaw Man, even when I read the manga and then watched the anime. It just shows the amount of ridiculously high expectations people have for non-sexualized characters in anime. So I really appreciate this video, keep up the good work man.

[@thed_ani]

The thing is Kobeni is insanely strong, to the point where it is comical how she is able to take out these devil contractors with nothing but a knife, where as aki or denji require devil powers to do the same, so she isnt rlly a “normal girl”

[@Naistov]

I'm anime only...for now. But I hated her at 1st due to her throwing Denji under the bus. But started loving her when she defended him with remorse when she was in pursuit of Katana man and the snake chick. Can hold her own when need be and her humanity was shown. I can really dig that.

[@PaperAirplane1589]

“Teehee, she’s so nervous.” 😂😂😂 I like Kobeni for that reason. Not a “wow that’s so cute reason” but more of “SHE’S JUST LIKE ME FR” reason

[@todoranin6646]

5:52 Top right panel disagrees

[@SupremeKingZA-RC-EVE]

Bro that’s ice cream

[@vicentevieraggez1037]

I think is a very well done kobeni character analysis, and in relation with the memes, I think for every meme is normal to change through the time. The word meme comes from the word genes and, as it suggests, they evolve and adapt to spread as long as they can. With that perspective is kind of intuitive to know why kobeni dancing meme went that way, is easier to relate that dance with other more known characters or just a bigger variation of characters than just with kobeni.

[@KenpachiSimper]

I like Kobeni so much and I hate when I see hate for her because she’s just nervous and is scared and panicked so just let her be for once

[@suto5704]

Great video. It is definitely interesting how Fandom affects the way we view certain characters sometimes

[@HidinginPublic]

Thanks and yeah

[@MrBuns-yi2hk]

The best part about Kobeni memes is that it just fits more into the suffering of the character. Like her car beating her in a popularity contest, or a meme about her dancing becoming a meme that you can hardly trace back to her.

[@xyrois9]

I read through chainsaw man and all of Fujimoto's other works, Fire Punch, Sayonara Eri, Look Back, etc last weekend. My first exposure to Kobeni was actually the twitter algorithm pushing Kremit into like everyone's feed, so I experienced some of that dissonance you talked about, but I'm super happy with what her real character is in the manga. On another note I really like Fujimoto's writing, it felt like he knew exactly what I was thinking/feeling while reading and knows how to use that for the story's benefit + it's impressive how fast he can get me to get attached to his characters.

[@axelkusanagi4139]

I like that chainsaw man portrays a realistic work relationship in these people. They don't automatically bond over the power of friendship and beating each other's ass in a fight. They don't get each other, and hostility is often the first reaction to things we don't understand. They only know their own stories and thus they don't really empathize with one another.

[@merasmusentertainment]

"I'm not the waifu you're looking for." -Kobeni

[@Rhobeni]

I love her so much and want to give her a hug so bad.

[@HidinginPublic]

Yeah same

[@KaiserofRaisins]

A bit late to the conversation with this one, but your point about the whole "a meme so far removed from the original that it doesn't resemble it anymore" point reminds me a lot of another anime-focused series; Genshin Impact. A lot of the characters in that, especially the three oldest playable Archons in the series (Venti, Zhongli and Raiden Ei) are so wildly different in fanworks of them that I often forget what the actual characters are like in-universe. To use them as an example: -Venti in-game is the hands-off God of Freedom and responsible, if moderately alcoholic Archon of Mondstat, yet many fanworks will portray him as an incompetent drunkard and a neglectful and useless leader. -Zhongli is an ancient and wise God of Contracts and venerable Archon of Liyue, jaded by millennia of leadership who just wants some time to rest and who took some of his abilities for granted, and yet is often portrayed as a perpetually broke, rambling old man -And to me the worst offender, Ei is the Archon of Inazuma and Goddess of Eternity, hidden under not one but two layers of separate and mistaken identities respectively, who lost almost everyone dear to her and spent hundreds of years isolated and alone with frozen grief, yet many fanworks latched onto her as a ditzy NEET who can't cook. And like you said, often these things are really fucking funny, but they also tend to warp people's perceptions of these characters so that when someone who only knows Genshin through memes and cultural osmosis plays the game for themselves, they'll be at least surprised by how much... actual character these characters have. It's not limited to the archons either, and often the at best flanderization and at worst outright mischaracterisation comes from the shipping wars that sometimes ripple through the community that often only end up eroding *just* a little more of the original character in the community's mind. Which is a shame, because a lot of the time the fanon versions of characters tend to be reduced to only the one or two gimmicks that are normally just a flair on an otherwise fleshed-out character; like a cake that the more you re-create it, the more it just turns into a ball of icing and sprinkles.

[@leonesenpai]

Overrated they say and yet Makima had grown ass men barking and pretending to be a whole dog in real life and are Cons 💀 I love Makima, more of a Power type myself, but still people should never call anyone other than Makima overrated when it comes to CSM. This doesn't even count the cosplays that were literally all Makima lol. Also, Kobeni is legit a very realistic portrayal of how everyone would act and anyone saying they wouldn't is living in fantasy land.

[@FumiTheSillyGirl]

Kobeni is literally me She's not a waifu She's Wife Material I just wanna give her a big hug and a plushie

[@Obitouchigga]

Man people just been hating on my waifu bro thx for the video and I hope other kobeni lovers like me can have a easier time defending her