My Thoughts On The Inner Demon Trope.

[@billavanilla956]

I think there both ends of the inner demon trope, both of which i like. “I’m gonna make your life as miserable as possible and there is barely anything you can do about it.” : Sukuna. “I’m literally a part of you trying to save your life here and you’re still refusing to cooperate.” : White zangetsu. Both end of this spectrum are intriguing to me.

[@smoothcriminal4618]

Both are interesting but sukuna takes it for me His character is executed so perfectly it's honestly insane I also like how he isn't just a powerhouse (like the Kyuubi) but Rather his own actual character his own intentions everything Especially in recent manga chapters i took an extreme liking to him

[@udonnauchegbu2018]

I love the portrayal of White. He's basically protecting Ichigo the only way he knows how to. He has the instincts of a Hollow, but it could be that because of Misaki's influence that he desires to protect Ichigo.

[@Apostle_47]

Sukuna is just such a treat for the eyes. Bro did some horrible shit in shibuya, but watching him do these evil acts make me like him even more, which is prolly the first time this has happened

[@batmeme9349]

Try ender geister

[@Soybean13]

Pochita: hehe just lives your life bro!!!

[@JDWalker495]

JJK’s portrayal of the inner demon in Sukuna has become one of my favorites as a completely malevolent and selfish being with no attachment or care for anyone but itself. A curse existence representing some of humanity’s darkest deeds. He’s an inner demon that is just that, a demon, chaotic evil with no intention of changing

[@Jollofmuncher2000]

the best thing about sukana is not a free controllable powerup its the worst thing that could've happen to itadori. if sukana comes out, people WILL die and this makes itadori cry. to have an inner demon that conflicts with the mc's ideals is not uncommon but its done very well as this raises the stakes for itadori since juju wizards way stronger then him will constantly be out for sukana and evil will try make sukana have total control over him so its very hard for our boi to stay winning

[@seannvincenzroque1962]

I think what makes Sukuna such a fresh take is the separation of characters between Yuji and Sukuna. By that I mean that Sukuna has his own role to the story separate from Yuji's actual character. He isn't there with the same intention or there is no attempt to align their end goals.

[@TuriGamer]

Evil demon thats le bad and evil? masterpiece

[@logicandemma8474]

​@@Jollofmuncher2000 I had a stroke reading this bro no hate tho😅😅

[@ed.newgate]

At this point, Sukuna is the actual protagonist. It's really great his portrayal nowadays

[@jrgenvellesen7800]

I really like how Bleach used the trope of the Inner Demon, mainly because of of how it was balanced. Rather then just one evil entity, Ichigo has two spirits or rather sides. White who is seemingly a sinister being that wishes to usurp control from him, and the Old Man, who tries to guide and mentor him. But as the series goes on, you see that both of them are representatives of who Ichigo is. White is his instinctual side that craves battle, while the Old Man is the more compassionate but aloof side. But just like how Ichigo wants to be the one who protects others, his inner spirits wants to protect him. Because that is what Ichigo is above eveything else: A Protector. Add to that the great quotes, the religious symbolism with the Old Man being his literal Holy Spirit, the amazing foreshadowing behind the true nature of both Spirits, ect. Just a overall wonderful take on such a classic troupe.

[@SeaBagel228]

That and both are basically Yin and Yang White constantly terrorizing Ichigo that he has to take control or else face the consequences, but this is out of concern and care for Ichigo instead, not to become a push over but take control of himself He takes care of Ichigo physically Old Man focuses to Ichigo’s mental state, having Ichigo realize his wants facing Kenpachi or Aizen, but he holds Ichigo’s true potential back, unknown to Ichigo, just enough that he doesn’t progress White, the WHITE evil like figure with the small caring black hole in the center, Old Man the mainly BLACK coated one whose compassionate but with a sinister white interior, it isn’t until TYBW Ichigo obtains true balance of both and I love it ⚫️☯️⚪️

[@Bootleg_Sasuke]

Well said, both of you!

[@Based4045]

​@@SeaBagel228 Bro but didnt Old Man Knowingly held back Ichigo'spowers instead of unknowingly..?

[@SeaBagel228]

@@Based4045 ok thanks

[@mehgamer467]

I just wish it wasn't so predictable like most Shonen in battles. Concept is cool tho I agree.

[@will8243]

I’m not sure if this is actually in the manga, but JJK’s anime makes a joke early on about Naruto and Bleach. I’m not sure if this is overtly intended, but I find it funny that like Naruto and other shonen protagonists, Yuji tries to tap into Sukuna’s power as if they can reach a friendly place, and time and time again Sukuna makes him immediately regret it. The idea of Yuji watching Naruto and thinking “oh this is just like Kurama” is hilarious to me

[@yeonbibi191]

Yeah, there's also the time when itadori is learning curse energy for the first time and itadori went: "I wish I could have a power like Rasengan or bankai" somethinf like that lol.

[@jojoestar9427]

@@yeonbibi191 that’s the moment he’s talking about

[@yeonbibi191]

@@jojoestar9427 oh I thought it was another moment, since he talked about Kurama, and the one I mentioned was about their signature moves

[@davidoguneme1598]

It's different, Yuji's death DOES NOT mean Sukana's death, while Kurama will die if Nartuo does and Zangetsu is legit Ichigo himself. I get you trying to say JJk did it better but they're COMPLETELY different things.

[@Hamzethegoat]

Ichigo never asked to be friendly with his inner demon he always shunned him and was scared of his power White was trying to save Ichigo

[@murphydaquan]

Sukuna is the inner demon trope done right. Love it.

[@kobeniscar6170]

Especially after the most recent JJK chapters. Not gonna spoil anything tho

[@fenton5305]

I wonder if Pochita counts … then again, it’s more like a inner angel in that sense

[@M.W.2]

Is done better than right cause it's not really inner. He's bound to the body but he never helped the hero with his power like kurama

[@jsi727]

I think ichigo also feels perfect too. Which goes from demon to " I was an ally all along but you just didn't see."

[@murphydaquan]

@@M.W.2 True

[@espur8249]

I find Vagabond very interesting where this "inner demon" actually hinders him from reaching his full potential.

[@islandboy9381]

finally found the mention of the best portrayal of inner demon in manga

[@barathivaasan5876]

i mean, the inner demon in vagabond is just his ego, right?

[@NoConsequenc3]

@@barathivaasan5876 it has kind of always been that way

[@RandomGuy-ci9nt]

Very similar to Zangetsu

[@aychazyt6987]

Sukuna is probably one of the few inner demons that actually feels like a demon. He enjoys chaos and murder, is incredibly ruthless and cunning. He can't be bought, bullied, reasoned or negotiated with(not for long anyway). He just wants to watch the world burn.

[@Lawa0-0]

We still dont know his past Cuz there is a theory of him being evil because of Losing his love just like how gojo said “the most twisted curse is love” And you can tell in the previous chapters Yorozu got an idea that Sukuna knows about love Even in the past you can tell that Sukuna’s eyes looks like Sukuna being Lonely just like how yorozu said

[@miguelzulu8830]

Man i 100% agree

[@chasinghaze0962]

Inner demon doesn't always mean a demon in literal sense. It can be metaphorical also.

[@oz9220]

@@Lawa0-0 I dont know abt that, I think that he just got corrupted in his pursuit for reaching greater heights of power and did some heinous things to do so. That fits Sukuna's character way more. Your idea of his backstory makes him feel like a tragic character and that does not sit right with me personally.

[@logicandemma8474]

​@@oz9220 like seriously they keep trying to make sukuna into this sympathetic tragic character he's not. They trying to make him kurama 2.0 and it's getting annoying.

[@pawarl.o.s.881]

I love how merciless Sukuna is towards Yuji. Heck when Sukuna took over to fight the special grade he healed Yuji's arm to block an attack and immediately regrets it. Sukuna hates him and I love it.

[@constellationdreamlessnigh5573]

Same😂

[@Ash_Wen-li]

I love it best when it sticks to the Jungian Shadow concept. Rather than the inner demon being someone else, its the part of yourself you dont want to acknowledge. Some examples being Mob or Guts

[@viyusavery248]

I think that's a bad idea when translating to a visual medium and shonen audience.. literal executions are better for that demographic

[@NinthShinigami]

Absolutely 👍

[@SSJ_EWGF]

If you love Jungian shadow theory and the whole "other self" device then I highly recommend the Persona series of games, with the 4th one in particular on how it deals with its main cast and the sides of them that they unconsciously repress.

[@Sunsetsdreamers]

I love the Jungian Shadow concept! It's also why Black Clover's take on the inner-demon trope is one of my favorite executions. Liebe is Asta's inner demon, but he represents his shadow-self because he's gone through the same struggles and conflicts Asta has gone through too. However, Asta has gotten a solid grip on his shadow and negative emotions and regularly practices shadow work (albeit many times throughout the series, he needs emotional help). Asta's shadow work helps Liebe finally do shadow work, and when they both work together and use negative emotions to pave their path toward their goals, the two reach their strongest.

[@NinthShinigami]

@@Sunsetsdreamers beautiful good sir loved your explanation👌recently learned it in my literature class in October. Been noticing it in my favorite series and works of fiction ever since lol 😂

[@Giimbapp]

I’m surprise you didn’t talk about Mob from Mob Psyco 100. Because Mob was scared of that part of him he was terrified of it so much so that he shout out his emotions out of the fear that he would hurt the ones he loved. At the end of the series the dark side of him claims to be the real mob that was put into a cage and goes on a rampage after dissolving mob but then Mob accepts that part of him he accepts the negative emotions like rage and anger.

[@islandboy9381]

It's not just the negative emotions (we already saw that with the other 100% forms) but is also a representation of his side that fully embraces psychic power as a part of his identity (hence why it calls himself Shigeo), something that he tried to reject because of what it did to his brother and was the reason he was so opposed to psychic power in general. That's why it appeared when going to Tsubome because she was the only one that embraced Mob's psychic ability and why Mob had to accept himself completely to calm down.

[@marocat4749]

Yep, he is the expresssion of mobs emo and edgy darker immature side sthat wasnt given the space needed. And in the end he does, because he is part of mob, and mob is not whole without it. also good warning to not supress it. Manage and try to be aproviate but not supress

[@wumbojet]

Apart from the obvious Berserk love of which i wont just repeat, what makes me love Bleach's inner demon is that it is not a "demon" at all, it's just a misunderstanding about Ichigo's own being

[@eyeofthebeholder643]

One of the reasons I love the novella the Strange Case of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde is because of how it plays with this idea of how this inner evil works, the consequences of indulging in the freedom of the evil side while also considering why the temptation to give in to this evil is such a struggle overall. It's not a manga but I would recommend giving it a read if you like the concept of "the duality of man", it's kinda the whole point of the novella.

[@stickthelanding4785]

I honestly like it when the inner demon is like a split personality and not a separate being. It shows how everyone has a dark side and it could show in many forms

[@JonDoe-uq1mk]

Hulk

[@Khepriwashere]

edgy, iuck

[@catbuzza1657]

@@Khepriwashere realistic when done right

[@themaestro9683]

Facts I assumed that was the whole point of the trope

[@melaniemagdalene1616]

Hollow Ichigo then?

[@vfxamin]

Yoru and Asa's relationship is the most unique there's no realm or sanctuary they just are always together like twins... and their relationship is a way in which they're using each other for their own benefit but I feel like they will eventually work together they already started in the falling devil arc...

[@X_Blake]

For sure

[@ayush9202]

Asa and Yoru are not inner demon they are more like 2 people sharing 1 body from the beginning

[@vfxamin]

@@ayush9202 I said It was a unique take didn't i... cause yoru takes control just like naruto with kurama and other examples it's just a more unique approach

[@batmeme9349]

Try shadow house, the story is basically about being enslaved by their own alter ego as a shadowy entity

[@heeeresthorkell718]

My personal favourite "inner demon" is Zangetsu from Bleach, the plot of Ichigos Zanpakuto spirits is insanely well crafted.

[@User_95168]

ehh

[@fork6057]

​@@User_95168 Yah

[@Manganization]

I really liked it too. It's unlikely you'll get a trope where your demons are trying to help you. And the thing I like the most about it is that it reflects the way every character grows stronger in the series, and it's been consistent with this. The entire series is built upon the personal growth of a character's abilities being tied to their abilities. Ichigo only knows one move because he's still young and hes being prevented from learning new techniques by his own inner demon.

[@queenb2450]

yes especially because it was SUCH a plot twist like wow

[@bravestant3921]

Sengoku youko has an interesting take on the inner demon trope, with one character losing to their inner demon, and one with one thousand demons inside of them, and the protagonist actually has to help them overcome their fears. D. Grayman has my favorite “inner demon” as a character though.

[@thedarklrd6714]

D. Gray man is underrated

[@marocat4749]

Sengoku youko is underrated. Also how its not really dark and edgy and still has the meaningul moral gray. While being fun, granted the secont hal needs ome chapters to get used to the new cast but , they warm up fast as well.

[@NinthShinigami]

I very much enjoy this trope. I’ve realized most of my favorite animangas fall under it like Bleach, Yu Yu Hakusho, Berserk, Naruto, Jujutsu Kaisen, etc. I think even Monster and MHA (more of my personal favorites) can be thrown in there to an extent like Grimmer and Deku with all the OFA users (even tho they’re not “demons”). It can be used spectacularly to show the growth in characters like Ichigo and Naruto, or the severe threat lurking like in Itadori and Guts to an extent. I think it also ties well with the concept of Jung’s shadow theory, the shadow being the more animalistic side of ourselves. It ties incredibly well to all these characters and is part of the reason I honestly love this trope. It ties even better imho when for example Ichigo and Naruto accept and acknowledge these parts of themselves, becoming and realizing their full selves, which is the next and final part of Jung’s literary theory (the self) connecting to a characters journey. My favorites have to be Ichigo and Guts personally.

[@netero6751]

Casual

[@NinthShinigami]

@@netero6751 I know a lot of my favorites are casual picks, but I don’t really care cause its what I enjoy most. I’m not looking at the best when I pick and choose my favorites Im picking and choosing what I enjoy most personally. Sorry for being a casual…

[@Justpassingby204]

@@NinthShinigami As if being a casual of watching shows matters at all besides the faint social stigma from some nerds.

[@takezx̄]

@@netero6751 dude got a jojo's pfp talkin like this

[@NinthShinigami]

@@takezx̄ love your pfp bro Musashi is one of my favorite protagonists in any media ever (Vagabond is one of my favorites too lol high up on the list too 👍)

[@mattiabenedetti4427]

Even though it's not a manga, I think the Bruce Banner / Hulk relation Is a good example of Inner Demon, since Hulk was literally Born form Bruce's mind like some sort of a hidden subconscius personality which Bruce was Always trying to repress

[@xiiir838]

F*cking yes! Hulk never crossed my mind

[@ianharrison5758]

Hulk is also an interesting depiction of DID, not just a split but a system of different alters that were formed from different events.

[@shoyadav3489]

I think mob psycho also does it really well with mob where the demon is particularly his emotions and himself

[@cdawg190]

This is not a anime example, but I feel like the Tekken series has one of the best uses of this trope in the form of Jin and his father, Kazuya. Both have the Devil Gene, which lets them transform into literal demons, but Devil Kazuya is considered a transformation for Kazuya, whereas Devil Jin has always been a separate character on the roster. What this means is that while Kazuya has accepted his situation as a monster and makes no effort to be a good person, Jin actively fights against his evil half, to the point where they are considered two separate characters.

[@farthermoney2620]

My personal favourite version of the trope probably would be the God from Oyasumi Punpun and seeing how much it really affects Punpun and how it progresses Punpun's character is astonishing. Its very subversive and also very brilliantly implemented in the story.

[@niko8986]

Damn Masked Man, your videos quality have matured a lot. Good work !

[@Sappysappster]

Yeah this is a video that resonates with me because I've always been a fan of The Inner Demon and all of its cousins (The Parasite/Heroic Host, "Your dark inner self", powers through possession, good people bad powers, e.t.c) I've always been a fan of these because you essentially get 2 characters for the price of 1 ^^ Ryuko, Crona, Venom, Shinichi, Mob's ???% You get the idea

[@shonenbois]

I really do love the dr jekyll and mr hyde aesthetic with this Trope. It can be a great tool to show the difference between the Protagonist and Demon or how they influence each other in the series

[@Flack0-Flacko]

Bleach is my my ABSOLUTE FAVORITE and is the perfect inner demon troupe especially learning how it even came into play and ichigo learning to accept bc it is him

[@SoulofXeno]

Yusuke is an interesting case, as he gets his inner demon awakened a lot later into the series. It was basically the final arc in the anime.

[@s3studios597]

The literal demon part maybe, but I'm pretty sure the internal conflict starts after the Dark Tournament.

[@SoulofXeno]

@@s3studios597 I can see what you mean, he did have that whole dilemma of not knowing what to do after beating Toguro. I'm not finished with the anime yet, but he did say he felt more comfortable in the dark tournament than in his normal life.

[@Infamous1892]

The inner Demon is not only a great power, but more so the conflict that resides within a character. This part of themselves that sincerely desires to relish in the violence and chaos. However, they understand that losing control would cost them so much more than the power is worth. It's all about self control, self discipline. Great storytelling trope.

[@yeonbibi191]

Ichigo and Itadori became my favorite mcs in the long run. And when talking about their inner demon, I love how completely separate paths they went with it. With these two situations, I completely stopped comparing and looked forward to how they'll continue their lives, with how tragic they live and living (specially with how the recent situation put itadori on)

[@ayush9202]

My fav inner demon done right. 1. Itadori and Sukuna 2. Guts and Inner Wolf 3. Shinichi and Migi from Parasyte 4. Ichigo and Zangetsu 5. Naruto and Kurama 6. Mob and his inner Mob

[@planetjeff3933]

Where's Black clover

[@afrotuned]

@@planetjeff3933 black clover did it in a very generic and mediocre way

[@samplays2987]

I think the little ogre from soul eater deserves at least an honorable mention, he really makes soul think about himself and who he is. Pretty valid list tho 👍

[@planetjeff3933]

@@afrotuned no not really I mean kinda but like I mean it's not really an inner demon trope because it's not in him but like is helping him u know like it's like a demon who has the same goals as the Mc helps them to push past their struggles and at the same time warm up to them slowly soon realizing they were actually closer than they thought they were u know

[@lighterglitch5798]

Migi and shinichi are my fav

[@Channel-23s]

Parasyte is got damn underrated Migi is a real bro and the second half being His badass but emotionally lacking or rather damaged and having to work back to be who he was or becoming better

[@ItsShaz1]

Agreed 👏

[@Perry....]

Parasyte is literally in my top 10. Brilliant writing and didn't drag on for longer than it needed to

[@Assassin21BEKA]

3:06 made me remember how much i love Berserk inspired Beast in black songs(band is called after beast of darkness even). In their song called Beast in black singer says invoke the beast of darkness in such a cool way while talking about apostoles and etc.

[@Drawingsagespaz]

I find inner demons trope to be great when done will. An inner beast or metaphorically granting you great power but sorrow as well and to overcome it and Accept your darker half to become whole I find beautiful. That’s why I find Naruto and bleach A great example of inner demons and overcoming them. Gut from berserk is a master class of inner demons.

[@jonalexart]

I cannot stress enough how good Yu Yu Hakusho is or how well it’s aged. The dub is also pretty top tier, especially for how old it is. Definitely worth a binge

[@night_snake6560]

This isnt technically an inner demon by normal definition but seeing a character snap and just rage or do something out of emotion is my favorite, like when goku went super saiyan for the first time. Or my personal favorite, gintoki vs jirocho, seeing gintoki who had always been a laid back guy even when he's against all odds and always being calm in fights and seeing him just completely snap is such a powerful moment showing the dark side of the character

[@feelshowdy]

I have high hopes for Sukuna and JJK and I really really really hope and pray that Akutami won't do any "misunderstood" angle with him. I want to learn his history, of course, but I don't want that to diminish the pure malevolence and evil of Sukuna's character, which is the best part about him in my opinion. He doesn't act out of revenge or trauma, nor does he try to justify his actions in any way. He does what he wants, because he can. And I love that. We really don't have enough pure, irredeemable villains, and Sukuna is such an enjoyable example of it.

[@mattb.7079]

He explicitly stated that he didn't want to do something like that, and that he crafted Sukuna and Mahito especially in opposition to that cliché

[@wwhhaatt]

5:09 this quote right here is everything "if you were to take away all the rules and laws we have to contain us and to keep us in check; and you were to take a person away from society long enough, it's crazy what people are capable of" Be kind to one another, you see that kid everyone dislikes and pushes to the fringe because he's weird or abnormal or whatever? Be nice to him, he needs help and almost assuredly a friend. It's haunting what we do when we feel backed into a corner, but it takes just one person to help someone out of it. Many shonen like Naruto show as a way forward from being in that position but we gotta remember it's the people around us that help ground us in life. Naruto would have turned out completely differently if Iruka chose anger over the death of his parents as opposed to empathy for the loss of Naruto's

[@kingweatherspoon5396]

I'm sure this has been said before, and I'm saying this before even watching the video because I'm sure it will be excellent: Fans of anime, manga, and other forms of Japanese story telling are some of the best story tellers themselves, especially as it relates to things like visual essays, compiling evidence and asserting a point. It makes me really proud to be a member of this community of thinkers, and if you are reading this, I'm glad we've all been inspired by some of the same things! What was it Rengoku said? Set your heart ablaze!

[@d0m0b40]

One of my fav tropes, to me personally it doesn't get old because the series I see it in usually do it so well

[@ProjektTaku]

I think its best done when the inner demon, whether a separate entity or a split personality, directly affects the main personality or character in a negative way, and seeing how they work around that. Naruto with kurama, despite most people seeing it as generic, does this to great affect with kurama not only affecting his life pre-seal by killing his parents, but causes his lonely childhood and as such, directly influences his motivation and the story, with kurama's chakra always adding a new dynamic to the fights, whether it showcases he's gained control over it or he might lose himself. Bruce banner and the hulk is a great split personality example. The hulk is the direct cause of all of his problems and is born from them, its why he has to go on the run, its why he can't hold a stable life together, but he has to learn to life with the hulk and not just run from him as its apart of him.

[@wander7812]

The real name of the trope, is "Enemy within". And theres also a underrated reverse of it, "Enemy without" Enemy without is basically Sukuna's main goal. Ghostfreak from Ben 10 is also a example of Enemy Without.

[@calrain1177]

bro the editing in this video is INSANE 10/10 visuals

[@susz8108]

Just for clarification Inuyasha does not have an Inner Demon. He is own person he does not have an other entity that resides in him like the most common shonen. He himself is a demon.

[@albucaojit]

I wanna see a reverse of inner demon trope, like maybe the demons thinks he's gonna wreak all this havoc in this vessel, but throughout the story he has to be the voice of reason more times than not. The obvious and easy way to go with that is the vessel being more "evil" the the demon, but I feel like it could be more interesting than that.

[@Bornagainvillain]

Pretty much Bastard…

[@billyboleson2830]

So the symbiotes from marvel

[@wlt3585]

3:25 I haven't seen the previous video yet, but I think this works really well for Vinland Saga-Thorfinn is constantly acting on his desires, centering everything around them-yet over the progression of the story we get to see him realize what his needs are if he is to thrive in the world in a way that makes him content

[@Williamthe4th]

3 things... 1: I knew you were going to talk about Bleach in this video... 2: I personally think Bleach is one of the best and best written series in manga 3: Hollow White is my personal favorite "Inner Demon"

[@animusswtor4822]

The more I watch all your most recent videos, this one very much included, the more I want you to finish reading and make a video on Pandora Hearts. I can guarantee that you will absolutely love it, and I so wanna hear your thoughts on it and its plot twists which are, imo, still some of the best in the medium

[@yeonbibi191]

The Blade Is Me is one of my favorite part of the whole manga. I felt so many things reading the chapter, I felt hyped, I felt sad for Old man zangetsu no longer showing up, I felt surprise and happy that White is being recognized as the "true" spirit of his Zanpakutou, felt frustrated with Ichigo with how he always ignores both of them (my guy white literally told him before more than once that he's zangetsu), and hopeful for his dual Zanpakutou. Th only thing that's regretful is that I got spoiled of such an important moment

[@Channel-23s]

Done right it’s amazing especially if it’s a contrast serious or a comedic demon be it on purpose or by accident

[@zararkhan3499]

This trope is one of my favourites as well, but one thing about it I never see, or that I havent come across yet, is the inner demon inside the major antagonist of the series, where instead of us seeing the Main character having an extra source of power, the antagonist instead gets one through a mutual understanding with its demon, so that a threat is established but now boiled down to the traditional 'I was holding back', or 'I underestimated him', where we see the atagonist struggle too instead of just the protagonist. I feel it can open up many more doorways for this troupe on how its used.

[@LiveFromhEll]

Gaara was like this kinda

[@chasinghaze0962]

Like Norman Osborn and Green Goblin?

[@W_AXOM]

Kawaki from boruto is kinda like that

[@zararkhan3499]

@@chasinghaze0962 I completely forgot about him. He was a great villain, I wanna see more of those types

[@zararkhan3499]

@@W_AXOM he isn’t anymore

[@JakeMatthews-OnLo]

I usually prefer it when it’s a suppressed persona rather than another entity making itself comfortable inside the hero. I prefer the split persona because it adds to a usually good morally natured character by showing cracks and flaws in his state of mind from the pressure of his new environment or way of life.

[@roquemedrano2230]

The masked man is the best manga youtuber

[@synthetic_euphoria]

on my peen

[@raydespa3324]

Lmao

[@bygxne0]

I think something people also don't speak about enough is having a story concept idea then realizing that something that is like your idea already exists and how cpommon that probably happens...it seems like a "you snooze you lose" kinda thing

[@southwest_tee898]

I like how bleach did it. In the beginning you was thinking one thing, then as the story went on you’re like “oooh ok that’s what it was”….and then finally you get the truth and you’re like “wait that’s not what I was expecting 🤯” that’s a separate inner demon trope with LAYERS.

[@Easymode460]

I always saw this trope as an exploration of a character’s shadow personified. Very dope video glad you made it

[@samuraitadpole5459]

There's a webtoon called gul about demons trying to start another world war and the mc, gul, is a blood orc with an inner demon that's kind but because he wants gul to use his power for some reason I think that's a decent inner demon portrayal depending on why he freely give his power, hellper hasa similar concept

[@kindoflikewayne7965]

jjk is probably my favorite example but i also really love mob psycho's take on this trope

[@Artixes]

Beast of darkness will always the most goated inner demon

[@WarriorOfcinema]

"Releasing the sigma" ahh trope

[@Dookieman1975]

I think one of the best I’ve seen if this trope is from daredevil S3. There’s no monster, there’s no demon, there’s just Matt, his thoughts, and his dad and worst enemy. One man embodying his dying faith and the other his hatred and drive to kill out of anger but justified to save others.

[@SSJ_EWGF]

I haven't caught up to the JJK manga, and Ik Sakuna's role is predominantly different from the other usual "demon inside good MC" characters, but man, having an antagonist that can give the protagonist powers and failsafes in certain situations, but also having their own agendas as well as goals to the overall narrative, _and sticks with that to become the eventual final enemy_ is so relaxing among the seas of the ones who start off bad, but then are revealed to be misunderstood and turnt good. Don't get me wrong, inner demon anti heroes aren't inherently wrong at all, but man, comparing stuff like Leiba before and after Asta befriends him and how much his intensity and scare factor dramatically decrease makes me a bit sad. Sakuna is amazing to me cuz he stays this big scary thing throughout the entire story. He is an itch that not only won't get away, but becomes bigger and bigger as time progresses to the point where even if there's other important stuff happening, he will be in the back of your mind just waiting to strike at the nearest opportunity Yuji and the reader won't expect.

[@danielromero4978]

Disagree with liebe part

[@Daniel-xb4oy]

@@danielromero4978 he’s right tho. He didn’t say it’s bad he said it reduced the intensity and scary factor which is 100% objective. It’s not the same as when liebe was a mystery Ever since asta befriended liebe he has never had a single moment as good as when leibe says “they think you’re a monster , prove them right” Liebe didn’t care about the societal structure or what people said about asta, it’s consistent in liebes character but pre - union liebe was different man, his aura was much more intense then. Liebe telling asta to rage was a top 5 character moment for asta

[@nicokrasnow1851]

I think you misunderstood Liebe. He was never bad to begin with, his relationship with Asta was a win-win from the get-go but Liebe didn't know it while Asta did. I agree that he became less scary but that's was obviously intentional because Tabata wanted to show that the big, mysterious Anti-Magic Devil was actually a hurted child

[@nicokrasnow1851]

​@@Daniel-xb4oyIf you're referring to the Berserker Asta moment against Dante, it isn't that Liebe told Asta to rage, it's just that they're triggered together.

[@Daniel-xb4oy]

@@nicokrasnow1851 I just found out that I was lied to😭 Liebe never said that shit, it was an edited video of liebe talking to asta and someone with a deep voice filter said all those things. My bad I thought it was real and i was genuinely surprised cuz I watched bc in sub and almost 100% of the time dub speeches hit harder so I genuinely thought that was the dub and that speech hit hard to me It elevated asta’s best character moment to an even higher high for me, bummer that it was fake But asta’s berserk moment regardless of the fake edited speech is still his best character moment for me -Him and yami fighting together -The stakes of Dante being present -Asta having to actually make a bargain to his devil for more power -Liebe further encouraging asta to make this bargain and use that power to his advantage -asta loosing an arm just to make it through that situation This moment had stakes, development, dynamics, foreshadowing and the best fight in the series Damn I’m still kinda upset😭 I thought that speech was real “Have you forgotten what they said to us, what they did. They think you are a monster, prove them right. Fight or be forgotten”

[@mxmothmanart]

I love the inner demon trope, and JJK has gotten me thinking about it a lot in terms of how different animanga handle it. One of the things that I've noticed is that it's become common enough in Shounen that avoidance of the trope (either all together or by creating alternatives to it) can also say interesting things about the way conflict and character development are being handled in the story.

[@arkenciel6578]

Jujutsu Kaisen was subverting so many anime tropes and the inner demon is just one of them, one of so many. JJK sets up the inner demon as the clear major antagonist to the series rather than a power that can be controlled that so many titles in recent years have adopted

[@lescryingman4093]

Then there's Pochita from Chainsaw Man and Migi from Parasyte. Just cool bros helping a friend out

[@jifour99]

Your description about Sukuna is really interesting. That was one of the first things I noticed when watching the anime was "Hes just like kurama but actually evil" It it was such a breath of fresh air. I think Gege's take on his inner demon character was so influential that even in Naruto/Boruto they created a similar character in Momoshiki inside Boruto, and I'm really curious where Kishimoto will take this character dynamic (please dont make them friends lmao please). Whats even greater is that this is almost happening simultaneously so we could get different outcomes of this type of character in shonen jump, although boruto is monthly so kishimoto might get to copy Gege's homework a little bit.

[@NoConsequenc3]

I think the best depiction of the Inner Demon is from Shinsekai Yori (From the New World) Every single character has an Inner Demon, effectively, and the entire social structure is built around suppressing it The Inner Demon in this case, however, is the dark thoughts we have naturally. Our dreams, our nightmares, our imagination. All of it passively feeding into a physic monster that lashes out at the world around the person, changing it fundamentally.

[@gabrielfoos9393]

The way it’s done in parasite is sooo good as well, parasyte is such an underrated anime imo I see very few people talk about it

[@allancastellon9248]

Its pretty funny that two of the biggest examples of this trope right now are Chainsaw Man and Jujutsu Kaisen because they very much are on total opposite ends of the spectrum. Pochita and Denji were best buddies before they even merged and Sukuna is Yujis biggest Hater

[@douglasoliveira3006]

Holysh*t, such a great narrative, video editing and theory explanation. Great great video, dude! 😎 👊

[@NJ-ss5bc]

Bleach does a similar thing with the inner demon being ones self like in berserk. It's not an inner demon but your self and also what I like more about the way bleach did it is that it's not only the protagonist that has it, it's every soul reaper with a zanpakuto. A zanpakuto is created when a soul reaper spends everything second of there life from the moment an Asauchi( a sword with a spirit in it) pouring their spirit energy in to basically their very essence. To create a a spirit in the sword. This makes their zanpakuto spirit them in every way which causes conflict between a zanpakuto spirit and it's owner. Because they come in conflict with parts of themselves that they don't acknowledge, know about or just hide. So to truly master you zanpakuto and to get stronger you need to accept that your zanpakuto it your self. Having a strong connection with your zanpakuto mines you have a strong connection and understanding of yourself. Sadly we don't see the others talking to their zanpakuto spirit as much as the mc. But it displayed with the mc very well. When Ichigo first see's his "inner demon" because of how will and chaotic it was he came to a quick conclusion that it was something evil and unnatural to himself. He kept this thinking even when there were multiple moments that seemed to tell him otherwise. This also made readers at the time blind to it. Ichigo was able to unlock his true powers when he learn and excepted ever part of himself. The main thing he needed to except was that the inner hollow in him, he feared was a part of himself.

[@Drauts-]

I’m surprised you didn’t mention Nea from D.Gray-Man tbh

[@spiritgun7286]

JJK does this trope so very very well

[@runbaaL337]

It's one of the reasons I'm really peeved that The Hulk is pretty much glossed over in the movies. The Hulk IS NOT the result of the gamma experiment that affected Bruce Banner. The Hulk has always been a separate alter inside Bruce Banner's mind due to years of childhood abuse. The angry child who just wants to lash out at the world. The experiment that turned Bruce into a green giant simply gave The Hulk alter of Bruce an outlet after being pent up for decades. It's a recipe for TONS of quality stories, but the movies simply refuse to dive in into Bruce Banner's backstory and explore the possibilities his backstory provide.

[@ianharrison5758]

Exactly. Banner has DID, many of his “power ups” like Green scar and world breaker hulk are not just him being madder than normal, they are entirely different identities that formed from the intensity of his shared rage with the savage hulk alter.

[@islandboy9381]

I like it if it's actually treated like a psychological thing and not just a convenient external plot device/power up when overcome, so like Vagabond lol

[@RandomGuy-ci9nt]

Berserk and Bleach (at least in half)

[@ulqysbankai]

Was hoping to hear about Allen and Nea but this video was great nonetheless!

[@TensaShinra]

A lot of people talk about how repetitive this trope is, but I feel like not enough give it the props it deserves. When it's done right it's always nice to see, especially when it's a more fresh and unique take on the trope like how I feel JJK and Sukuna are

[@emilioconejeros6531]

On the other side, we have now a literal demon inside a character helping him willingly as pochita in chainsaw man. But I wouldn't consider him as a evil entity as the others mentioned in the video.

[@yoman7873]

Pochita is inner doggo instead of inner demon so he doesn't count. Yoru is the true inner demon in CSM.

[@andod881]

Pochita was good from the start, so hes kinda on the opposite side of the spectrum unlike the Inner Demon thats bad at first and turns good later (Kurama, Liebe)

[@Soybean13]

And later on the manga it implies that pochita can just take over denji's body from the beginning

[@Sunny92809]

@@yoman7873 and Yoru is barely an inner demon in the first place. Yoru and Asa are more like two brains sharing the same body

[@deco1747]

Love the editing my dude

[@Mr.BluePants]

Being familiar with almost all of these and although I do love how Sukuna is allowed to just be pure evil in the story (which is what Kurama from Naruto used to be before Shippuden changed it very close to the end), I'd still say, FOR ME, Bleach does it the best with how insanely well foreshadowed White Ichigo/Zangetsu's motives were since pretty close to the start of the story to the poetic conclusion of that plotline in TYBW, making Ichigo finally "whole"/"one with his power". But then again, there are different styles of inner demons, so it's subjective at this point - pick your poison.

[@-wallenstein-7540]

I don't know why people compare Kurama and Sukuna so much. Kurama is not, and never was, pure evil. He is just a powerful sentient creature that was forced, against his will, over hundreds of years to be exploited for his power, literally mind controlled, and imprisoned over and over again inside random bodies for political power. He's not evil. He's a tragic character. And I think that's the point. Him befriending Naruto was a breath of fresh air because no one had ever thought of him as a person, only an object. A tool to be used and then forgotten. I wouldn't say shippuden changed Kurama - only fleshed out his character. That's why he'd be my favorite "inner demon" out of the others.

[@Mr.BluePants]

@@-wallenstein-7540 Fair enough. No hate on Kurama btw, if it came across that way. He's still my second favorite inner demon tbh, both design wise and plot relevancy wise. It's just that, given Kurama's sudden change of view towards Naruto and Shinobi in general well into the war arc, to me at least, it almost came across as a bit of a retcon. 'Cause up until the war arc, Kurama had always been handled as the "embodiment of hatred" pretty much every single time someone described him. Though in the end ofc, the explanation still made sense. As you've mentioned, Kurama had been used and abused for centuries, so it added up why he held such strong hatred towards everyone and why others' perception of him was exactly that. Maybe it would have been better imo if we'd gotten at least 1 or 2 scenes earlier in the series, hinting at Kurama not being what people made him out to be, which Kishimoto never really did.

[@-wallenstein-7540]

@@Mr.BluePants Yeah, I can agree that the change was a bit sudden. There are many other issues that I have with the war arc, despite how much I love Naruto as a whole lol But, as you mentioned, our perception of him being the "embodiment of evil" was tied solely to how _others_ perceived Kurama. We bought into it, assuming it was true, even when we never actually had a moment to see how Kurama felt (again, a small failing on Kishimoto's part). From the beginning of the series, the only fact we know about Kurama is that he attacked the leaf and killed thousands - including our MC's parents. As a result, we're painted a (very incomplete) picture of this horrible monster from the start. And most characters in the verse believe this, going by the facts alone. However, once you realize that Kurama was mind controlled to do these things, for centuries even, it paints an entirely different picture on the subject. I can't imagine being trapped in a confined space with no freedom for years on end, called upon for your power alone. It's sad, honestly. Perhaps his shift was sudden, but maybe all he needed was one person acknowledging him for that change to really start. Overall, though, I understand your points!

[@islandboy9381]

@@-wallenstein-7540 The way Kurama acted in Part 1 doesn't feel that coherent with his backstory given in Part 2 though, including that Gaara's demon was retconned to be a Tailed Beast in Part 2. Not that a retcon has to automatically be seen as a flaw in the story if given enough reasoning and Kurama's characterization during Part 2 just happened to align with the rest of the villains like Pain, Obito that were tragic and got controlled to do what they did so it's ok in that sense.

[@seg162]

@@islandboy9381 Gaara's demon was retconned into being a tailed beast in Part 2? I assumed that he was of the same type as Kurama even back when I was watching that arc in the late aughts.

[@adityajha689]

The thumbnail tho , i cant actually choose one demon trope to be my fav tbh , all the demon tropes add really great spins to their series and to the main character themselves be it Naruto , gon , yuji , ichigo . Sukuna for me is a breather of fresh air as he does stuff completely beyond what i would even expect but i like it as much as i do for the counterparts . no blessed rest of the day today ? 😔

[@AustinMania316]

You need to watch YYH, don't worry too much about the inner demon thing. YYH has the definitive tournament arc in all of anime and I always recommend it.

[@MH_Zard]

Love the inner demon trope and that the 'greatest enemy is yourself'. Humbling, but also badass. My favorite would have to be Rurouni Kenshin with Kenshin/Battousai. Kenshin coming to terms with his past and constantly trying to avoid becoming the manslayer he once was to defeat enemies who constantly push him to turn back into it. It's done really well, and is less about becoming physically powerful, and more so a state of mind that he has to overcome.

[@TuriGamer]

I think its pretty adorable when the "inner demon" is literally just another dude Like buildings a sandcastle with an excavator

[@LilShiro05]

i find it crazy how ppl hate on bleach but glaze jjk when bleach is on a whole other level of writing like its not even close😭

[@paulaneesh7]

Same and I despise those people who hate Bleach without even watching/reading it and has JJK as their favourites Really weird bunch of people they are

[@ChilledBacon]

surprised you didnt dive into Mob Psycho 100 for this topic. its usage of a hidden power that essentially breaks the characters original morals is what mob is about and how he grows to accept that part of him

[@kk6324]

this video is beautifully edited

[@kachucho872]

I prefer the "your inner demon is actually yourserlf" type of inner demon over the "external demon which you have no control over and absolves you of any wrongdoing" . Oozaru in dbz, The beast of darkness, real zangetsu, even in other media like devil kazuya from tekken, Nox from wakfu and wolverine. They are evil, they are the ones who rage, who want and like violence. It' a part of them who they want to eliminate or lock, to the point that it even weakens them, because they can't confront and embrace that part of their souls. It's about acceptance and self confidence, self steem.

[@billyboleson2830]

Points for mentioning nox

[@RandomGuy-ci9nt]

Well Zangetsu was never truly evil

[@losever1177]

Bleach ia inner demon is my second favorite because how much complex it's is from both shiro and old man zangetsu, but sukuna is my favorite because he is simply demon to the core and irredeemable monster how much he make yuji suffer is much is he can and never help him it all he is simply the goat 🐐

[@stexes007]

I would've loved to hear you talk about 666 Satan as it's also a great example. :D nice video tho!

[@Ghostofcalmaity]

Beast of darkness is the most interesting , realistic and most well written form of the inner demon trope

[@realistchristian]

Kurama and white ichigo are my favs

[@mk-ms6hc]

once again grimmer from monster has one of the best “inner demons” in form of magnificent steiner. Done super well and makes you rethink whether something like that can awaken in anyone

[@xiiir838]

But is it an inner demon tho? The Magnificent Steiner is like a protocol. Grimmer was brainwashed/programmed to so certain actions according to certain situations. Steiner appears when Grimmer is about to d¡£, it isn't an inner demon in any way

[@narutofan4545]

Art reflects life We all have inner demons

[@morving7714]

My favourite inner demon trope is BLEACH with zangetsu . It was so well done ✅

[@sir_coma60]

Kamen Rider Revice wears this trope on its sleeve, where each character has a "demon" residing within them. The kamen riders of the series are only able to henshin through tapping into the power of their demons. While I haven't watch the series, I have watched the movie, and the teases of how they use the inner demon trope seem quite nice.

[@davidjames0]

With Sukuna I love the fact that he’ll never be a friend of Yuji. But I think Berserk nailed it on a psychological point of view.

[@VINSMOKEProductions]

That's why I love Sukuna. He's the realest version of the Inner Demon trope.

[@crozraven]

Personally, I think I much rather prefer inner demon trope that consists of being a part of character own psyche. Because it will not remove the agecy of self when the character face the consequences of the inner demon actions. regardless of the inner demon being a different persona or posession or other meanings. For recent example, the concept of "fractured human" in body horror hero manga "Jagaaaan" im which I really hope it gets a proper anime adaptation.

[@mclinftw]

Great video, I'm always curious on your takes so keep it up! 🎉🎉 maybe something completely random but i loved the outro 😂👏

[@A_Real_Rascal]

Even after all this time, I still love the relationship between Guts and the Beast of Darkness. Over the course of the story we see Guts have to fight against the BoD and constantly keep himself in check. In the latest part of the Manga we can see that he has (for the most part) grown past the BoD, which is symbolized in how the Berserker Armor is less wolf-like compared to when he first wielded it.

[@nicokrasnow1851]

An interesting form of Inner Devil is the Advance/Possesing Spirit from Kengan Ashura. Rather than a true Devil, it's a technique that was forced into the MC when he was a teen, the technique makes the heart to pump a lot harder which amplifies to torque of the MC blows. It works as an Inner Devil because: 1- It functions as a last minute power-up for the MC. 2- Affects the MC mentality during the matches. 3- It damages the body of the MC. 4- Is related to the MC's tragic past.