Reg - Man Or Machine? The True Nature of the Supreme Treasure of the Abyss

[@darkvioletcloud]

Please be respectful to one another and stay on topic in the comments section! I want to discuss Made in Abyss as a story and Reg as a character. Any comments accusing the author or fans of the series of anything negative will be removed and you will be blocked from commenting on my channel. I hope you can understand why I put these measures in place because I really don't want to have to go into that again.

[@airplanes_aren.t_real]

@@darkvioletcloud completely understandable, it's sad that such a great series with incredible world building and character design is attached to those sorts of topics

[@sdfggdfg5fgdfg]

I totally get what you mean by not wanting to say certain words out loud lest they "curse" you. Words can be so impactful and feel like curses and blessings. Even just making someone aware of a certain outcome can make them focus on that possibility and in the worst case make them feel like agency is taken away from them. On the other hand a strong aversion to saying "negative" things out loud because you believe it's going to cause harm can paralyze you and cause problems in many other ways, I think we might share that "brain issue". Therapy helps

[@darkvioletcloud]

@@sdfggdfg5fgdfg I’m going to therapy, don’t worry. I’d rather not divulge details of why I’m in therapy n whatnot but I’m working on my issues. I appreciate your thoughtfulness. 💜

[@kata_kachinoaru]

It's very understandable

[@Occams_Hammer]

I haven't read the manga chapters but: This association between amputees and the curse is starting to remind me of the effects of g-force on the human body. Not only are the curses’ effects somewhat consistent with the effects of extreme g-forces on the human body, but there's a famous pilot in the aviation space named Sir Douglas Bader who had his legs amputated and still flew. Bader claimed that his superior tolerance to high-g maneuvers was due to his blood not being able to pool as far down in his body, forcing more blood to stay in his head to keep him conscious. Now there's a lot of holes in this theory and new questions to address, but it's a fun idea to explain why certain people don't feel the effects of the curse (Even though technically they'd still feel a lesser version of the effect). Another fun idea (That is admittedly more far-fetched) to explain why their arms are also amputated: Maybe a downward-centrifugal force is also applied to their body? Clearly their body doesn't spin, but maybe there just isn't a visual representation. But in this case, their blood would also rush to their arms. I still think changes of pressure on the human body is currently a better representation of the curse overall, but this seemed like it was worth sharing. And who knows, maybe there isn't a convenient theory or law behind the curse and its actions

[@ceresleepy1837]

Theres a theory that [poorly explained] the Curse is effective on humans because of our anatomy, specifically we are weak to the curse due to our finger/toe tips. like it creeps into our bodies through that point. I think I read it on reddit. I'm too tired to explain how this is relevant but food for thought.

[@ExistAbyss]

you have a great point to think on. Perhaps Reg is an experimental child just as Nanachi was, however without friends as Nanachi had known or seen. Knowing things through what was told to him/read (if he can even read, I'm unable to recall that). The robotic parts of his body likely sensitive because they have to pool his blood away from his heart while not doing too much to pull it all away from his head (so maybe his heart is amplified by the abyss? as necessary to be pure?) which is why he's a child at the very core and at his age. There's likely blood stored in his legs too since his arms have stored blood in order for his body to be able to render his fingers usable... (perhaps through some greater unexplainable matter or residue of blood, his being is still connected to his limbs thanks to the abyss' curse if not blessing to keep his soul 'whole').

[@gamingdudedonal3312]

I think it could also be like decompression sickness in real life but your theory also sounds good

[@tophatoctopus1997]

Personally i think Reg is a sorta biomechanical mix: a (mostly) mechanical being, augmented and modified from standard bone and flesh to be the ultimate abyssal survivor - able to thrive no matter where in the abyss he is. For my guess, reg's 'anatomical accuracy' could be from the fact his new body is, if not literally a modified human form, modeled after it. Either way, common DarkVioletCloud W. i sometimes feel really guilty for liking this series, considering how. Eccentric. Tukushi is. but the videos you make help me to move past those feelings and enjoy a series ive loved all this time, so thanks :]

[@tikimillie]

The “anatomical accuracy” is for the urine. Getting rid of it, spesifically

[@WhatIsThatThingDoing]

I wonder if the skin is less of a grafted on, purpose built relic and more of the result of some treatment or modifications, whether in-vivo while alive after cell development, or prior to birth with the modifications manifesting in newly grown cells after the augmentation. It may explain the presence of features that should only make sense on a organism that experienced a natural birth at some point. Otherwise it'd probably be far simpler to omit such features unless they provided some actual benefit. While either is really possible, my money's on the idea that some process to systematically reinforce the structure of cells and tissues was underwent on a formerly natural organism, instead of installing a new, monolithic skin replacement via surgery.

[@maxedarmor9101]

this video is great I never considered the relationship between Nanachi and Reg we're so similar through all the dehumanization and experimentation that they went through, and the bond they have makes more sense and feels like they understand each other.

[@k9ine999]

I've always assumed whoever regs creator was wanted him to survive the Abyss but also wanted him to experience as normal a life as possible so they made him as human like as they could down to the smallest details when it wouldn't interfere with his survival.

[@BloodrealmX]

That's my hypothesis as well: He needs to survive the Abyss, but his primary purpose was originally to learn and experience the same way humans do in order to understand humans.

[@andystephon871]

A made in abyss video with rainworld background music it's literally my two favorite things

[@darkvioletcloud]

@@andystephon871 I’ve drawn Faputa interacting with the Survivor before! It’s up on my Twitter if you’re curious~

[@NobodyUndefined]

I hate how Nanachi implies that Reg is being a pervert whenever he touches her. The author describing him as infantile just makes that really sad because he seems to be a child and doesn't know any better.

[@darkvioletcloud]

I don’t think it’s malicious on Nanachi’s part. Reg *is* invading her personal space, after all. Nanachi has trauma involving being touched, and in general, you shouldn’t touch someone without permission. Nanachi is allowed to set boundaries, though she may be a bit too harsh in judging Reg. In the end, they’re both kids who may not have the best emotional regulation or social skills. They’re both sorta in the wrong but in a completely non-malicious way, y’know?

[@NobodyUndefined]

@@darkvioletcloud I get that but Reg is just a child who doesn't know any better, Nanachi making it out as he's some pervert is just a bit disturbing to me. It's like she's making it inappropriate when it's just innocent. I understand why she hates it and it's valid but I hate how she makes Reg seem creepy.

[@whome9842]

I think his dog side might be what drives him to do those. Dogs will sniff people not because they are interested in doing something naughty, it is just the way they interact. Reg might have similar impulses even if his human side know it is not proper it is hard to control himself.

[@lagopusvulpuz1571]

​​ Nanachi allows girls to pet her. I think she just have issues with boys since in her flashback, boys were mean to her. Some people say that Nanachi is shy with boys. She was just a young girl. That's normal.

[@NobodyUndefined]

@@lagopusvulpuz1571 Again it's normal to not LIKE it, I personally don't like people touching me and would go crazy if Reg did that to me. I just hate how she makes him out to be a creep and like he's inappropriate when he's literally just a kid. And probably petting her to alleviate anxiety no less. The idea of making a kid out to be a predator just makes me sick to my stomach. Kids are innocent and don't understand things like this so it's like she's stealing his innocence in a way.

[@zacrichards5031]

Reg is undoubtedly a cyborg, but it feels like the process of changing made him less human. He is singularly immune to the curse, and is able to produce a weapon that functions in a way the abyss can't fix He's an unnatural being that was purposely created but Riko exist as chance. One born of metal, and the other of relic. Both are artificial but no less human

[@zombiesalmon4997]

I swear to god if it’s revealed at the end that the theory that Reg is the reincarnation of Rikos dog is true, im gonna take a bite out of my computer

[@darkvioletcloud]

@@zombiesalmon4997 I’m going to hold you to this promise.

[@miguelmartins5968]

As a Warframe player and Scorn lore enjoyer who know too much about biomechanics He is not robot, human or a cyborg he is biomechanic organism he has all the traits Cyborg= the machine parts work seperated of the organics and its visible the division most of the time Biomechanic: Both machine and organics works as single machine theres is almost no seperation despiting the fact the of percentage of machine parts by bodyparts if you can see he "mechanical" arm can bleed despiting looking more mechanic has organic parts that made it work Also the organic parts can be artificial orginic cells can be grow to become machine parts as mechanical parts can mimicry organics like bones but all working together Biomechanics is generally a complicated thing and when someone see something biomechanic in media their brains initially try to think exactly what you see in video Also the bely button can indicate part of the making process as creation process can be equally biomechanical as the creature itself

[@snowed08]

Personally i think the headband thingy is what allows the helmet to connect with reg

[@mushroomcommunist3888]

It was a very interesting video, I really like the theme of "non-human" characters being human in some way, this can be applied to Reg, Nanachi, even Faputa I think, but it's the most prominent with Sosu Princess' guardian - Gaburoon, you wouldn't think of an actual robot saying that their most precious thing is being with a person they like and sacrificing themselves for the said person

[@rebecca_rh]

7:20 regarding Oxitocin, not only it does bond Moms to Babies (as it has several peculiar roles as well during birth) but it also Bonds Dads to babies, as well as Romantic Couples togheter, and even close friends and family members. It is also called “the Monogamy Hormone” or the “Love Hormone” since it’s found in all Monogamous animals who pair up, but what it essentially does is that it manifest whenever you have a close bond with someone, whenever is a pet, a loved one or a family member. It gets produced when you pet an animal, but also when you hug, and when you share phisical contact and cuddle with another person 😊 Just some fun scientific facts I think are super neat

[@darkvioletcloud]

@@rebecca_rh Thank you for the additional info! The source I quoted only mentioned the mother/baby bonding. I assumed it would also involve other bonds, but I didn’t want to make a statement without a source backing me up.

[@rebecca_rh]

@@darkvioletcloud yeah dw I expected as much! It’s always a smart move to not say stuff without source, I Just wanted to add some info in the comments for people who were interested, i read some scientific papers since i started being super interested in the subject at some point, (for some weird reason) Ofc I’m not big expert either so some of my info might be incomplete

[@kadenhahn7670]

Maybe reg is a soul inhabiting an artifact or something. With the latest chapters talking about the soul it’s stands to reason perhaps his soul was taken from his original body and put in the his robotic body for some reason. Or maybe an artifact can change the anatomy and physiology of someone. The people of the golden city could have constructed new bodies to resist the curse and the dangers of the abyss. A lot more things could be happening!

[@AlexN5597]

I'd also like to add that Reg is best boy and an absolute cinnamon bun 😊

[@shidarez]

I always look forward to your uploads and insight!

[@De-eggs]

One of the first things that struck me when I started reading the manga was how from the beginning Reg saw himself as a person and as a boy, but just about everyone else around him saw him as an object, a cool relic that talked. The boys of belshiro eventually came around and included him but Riko almost always talked *around* or *at* him, never *with* him. The dissonance between views is one of the more interesting undercurrents that repeats throughout the series, even with other sets of characters. Reg always considered the things his body could do as additions or talents, not his identity, while for the others it was the opposite. What he could do *was* who he was to the cave raiders. This is the way that violence against him is rationalised, and he ends up accepting that. He accepts violence against himself because he believes it's ok, he's tough so it's fine if he gets kicked around. Other people are weaker, so he should be the one hurt instead. Nevermind the fact that he's told to inflict violence, again simply because he can. He's told to kill, despite having no desire to do so, simply because he can. No one should be in this pit, yet we can't help diving deeper... This pit will be the end of everyone who steps foot in it.

[@sosig9254]

Love the small silly jokes throughout the video. Helps keep the mood light and bubbly!

[@rberkowitz9453]

I really adore your coverage of the story, theme, and characters. Especially because you cover themes of the show that really resonate with me with the Vueko and Irumyuui video and with the Reg video. Please continue with your work!

[@Ribbons0121R121]

Blood isn’t just used to transport oxygen, but also nutrients, hormone signals, and waste to the waste removal organs, as well as removing a chemical that your muscles make when out of oxygen

[@darkvioletcloud]

@@Ribbons0121R121 Yeah I should’ve checked my class notes when writing that part, whoops. I passed my bio class, I swear!

[@mushroomcommunist3888]

Very interesting video, I think that Faputa's and Reg's relationship is pretty similar in the whole relating to being dehumanized regard, as well Faputa being quite mechanical - as being made with a specific goal, but she is still finding very human activities like being curious and forming connections with people

[@Dani_Juleen]

One of the things I love about Made in Abyss is that there are so many theories. I love seeing more videos talking about MIA, so thanks for posting this! Reg was the first character I liked. From the beginning we see Reg question who he is, that immediately stuck out to me as a human experience. Reg being a robot and human at the same time makes him so interesting. I like what you had to say about his relationship with Nanachi, I hadn't thought about it like that before, but it makes a lot of sense.

[@andreworihuela5175]

very great video talking about Reg's character, I agree with how the overall story is all about dehumanization and that can tie in to lost of innocence, I really like robot/android/cyborg characters as in most cases of having these kinds of characters they teach us the meanings of being human and I agree with how while we may have an answer from the many theories what we do need to know is Reg is a person, I can also imagine Reg singing "Surface Pressure" from Encanto as he's the one doing most of the dangerous things and the anxiety of protecting everyone

[@banish1265]

I love you Made in Abyss content. You go deeper than most people with this videos. Youre a cool dude. Keep it up :D

[@centurosproductions8827]

He's just a Reg-ular guy.

[@kaxcommentssomethingREAL]

i appreciate you for taking your to make this video, i love Reg, he's one tough kid with a big innocent brave heart, this robot boy is crazy awesome. also... not totally related to the vid but i also appreciate the use of Rain World music!

[@boozados]

Thank you for being a channel. Finding new Made in Abyss content like this on youtube is rare but I love listening to it. Great video

[@albapuella]

Exclamation Point had a pretty good video that touched on Reg being dehumanized, though that video was more about Reg's reactions to Riko's nudity vs. Riko's reaction to being nude around Reg, e.g., she thinks he's a robot, so it doesn't matter to her if he sees her nude. This video was made when only the first season was out, for context. As for your video, very interesting. I think the lack of breathing and reaction to the curse solidify the robot idea for me. Poor guy needs folks to respect his boundaries! That doesn't seem as though it'll be happening any time soon.

[@Ribbons0121R121]

The headband seems like a high voltage relay in function but may be used to also power the helmet he wears and thus it only turns on when he puts it on The big screws also remind me of the oversized bolts on car battery terminals Also I suggest that the indicator is a charge indicator and that when they run out the memories reset, with the charge jump starting him because he needs very little to run but high amounts to fire the weapon Very similar to a CMOS battery in a computer which is a dime battery that powers a tiny cell that stores the BiOS settings, when it dies the settings reset to factory

[@BloodrealmX]

"The headband seems like a high voltage relay in function but may be used to also power the helmet he wears and thus it only turns on when he puts it on The big screws also remind me of the oversized bolts on car battery terminals" That's exactly what I think: the bolts and hairband function as electrical contacts to interface with his helmet. "Also I suggest that the indicator is a charge indicator and that when they run out the memories reset, with the charge jump starting him because he needs very little to run but high amounts to fire the weapon" This has already effectively been proven to be the case. However, it seems like his memory was corrupted, making a lot of it unreadable, rather than outright wiped. He'll remember expressions and feelings and occasionally tiny bits of detail, but all hazy and indistinct: A moment of desperation reminds him of the feeling of activating his Incinerator, but didn't even remind him what it was the feeling of. Seeing a field of Eternal Fortunes triggered his memory of seeing Lyza's "grave" and a few words he said at that time, but nothing more than that. He eventually remembered Faputa making kind and gentle faces, but admonishes himself for being unable to remember anything specific of their time together no matter how much he tries.

[@rebecca_rh]

Great Video as always Dude. This. Reg is a person 100% It made me so mad when my partner joked about reg “having no soul” because he’s a robot or what have you, when he clearly does have one, and a big one at that! He’s such a emphatic and compassionate person, he’s my favorite character of all. Personally I’m on the Cyborg side of the debate, but it’s like you said, either way, he is a person, and I think Gabouroon is as well. Afterall, Faputa can see Souls and wouldn’t have attacched so much to either if they didn’t.

[@starwyvern010]

I really appreciate that your videos are both sensitive to the subject matter but also unafraid to cover these darker topics. I think people who brush this show off as "perverse" are missing a truly fascinating story.

[@zillychu]

On god, the fans who can sincerely acknowledge the upsettingly vile content while appreciating the rest of the series are golden. Sure there's some rotten bits that suck to avoid, but god the fruit as a whole is SO good. 🤝

[@BloodrealmX]

@@zillychu If you think it's upsettingly vile and you avoid parts of it, then just drop it.

[@realrichthofen]

Thank you for your videos. made in Abyss is standing out and your analysis helps understanding it more. keep going 🙂

[@thegoblinking279]

I think you’re definitely right that Reg’s propensity for fluffiness is a self-soothing behavior, but there is still a fairly big piece of evidence that this fascination is at least somewhat sexual in nature: Reg is shown to have an erection after Nanachi clings to him during the climax of the Ido Front arc. However it is true that this is just an involuntary physiological response, so I think it’s likely that Reg himself isn’t aware of the implications of this himself. Also I’m glad you’re talking about the themes of dehumanization in this show, I too am a super autistic and OCD fan and am always hungry for more analysis. I’ll definitely be making my way through your backlog shortly. One thing I also think about in terms of dehumanization in the Abyss is the presence of consent as a recurring theme in a few separate places. Like how for a white whistle to work, it needs to be carved out of someone willing, and in Iruburu, violating someone’s boundaries is met with an extremely harsh punishment. In a setting so defined by exploitation, I think it really helps to ground the story in its central theme of true love and care for one another. And I know you try to keep this sort of thing out of your comment section, so I’ll only mention it in passing, that this is especially interesting in regards to the fact that the underage characters in the story are frequently subject to sexualization, when they can’t, by nature, consent to being viewed that way. For me it’s this really frustrating cognitive dissonance that I always get when rewatching/reading, but I’m in far too deep to tap out now. Anyway, looking forward to your next video, keep up the great work!!

[@zillychu]

I noticed the parallel themes with the white whistles, but not with the punishment in Iruburu for violating boundaries! That's a fantastic bit you caught there. It's especially poignant when you realize how Iruburu was even made, huh? Funny enough I just made a similar comment about the unsavory objectification of the underage characters being quite ironic. As much as I hate it, and I doubt it was intentional... it kind of fits, actually? There's such a prevailing theme of objectification, and "losing that which you cannot get back". Traversing too deep into the Abyss, and you cannot return. You can never return to your childhood. The burden of knowledge cannot be undone. Consequences that can't be erased, only changed. There's a weirdly haunting sense of a "loss of innocence" in many aspects, so much so that the sexualization feels oddly at home. Fits in with the other horror--the grotesque monsters and landscapes next to adorable characters, the unimaginable existential suffering against Riko's pure and cheerful optimism. Brighter lights cast darker shadows, etc etc Even if I don't personally like it, I can certainly say it's curious.

[@BloodrealmX]

"However it is true that this is just an involuntary physiological response, so I think it’s likely that Reg himself isn’t aware of the implications of this himself." That's exactly what I think Tsukushi was trying to describe. It's a fetish, but Reg doesn't quite understand that's what it is, he just knows he likes it.

[@uhh345]

A robot but he has a heart. I think he's a soul in a machine.

[@Lobster_Guy12]

I personally don’t think his a True resident like his from the abyss but I personally believe he was made by the true resident of the abyss. I only say that because if any true resident in the abyss wouldn’t look as human as Reg they would probably look more similar to the hollows of the village

[@lmcrmeimei8851]

Another great MiA video 👍 Your vids convinced me to read MiA and now I’m a fan (even if I feel I have to sharpie out some parts ;-;)

[@captainwolfbane3707]

Watching this video (great vid btw) has forced me to put together my own theory on "Why is Reg?": Generally I believe Reg to be a robot, although the definition of "robot" can kinda be strained when you're involving digesting food and producing liquids (blood and maybe urine). My reasoning for Reg's "human" traits is that they are to prevent the uncanny valley effect. We have no way to know if Reg was designed to live alongside humans or human-derivative species, but if that is the case (or if Reg is one such human-derivative like what Vueko seemed to be implying) then he would have been designed in a way that is comfortable for humans to see all the time. If you're unaware the "uncanny valley" describes how humans perceive things that are human like but just not quite there yet to be more uncanny and hard to look at then a completely non-humanoid. It's still unclear why Reg has a humanoid body at all, but if you were to design a humanoid robot with Reg's capabilities I think he makes perfect sense. Notice that the only parts of Reg that are distinctly robotic are places that have a function that would be hard to map onto a human. The legs are a bit of a stretch but his extending arms and incinerator would (I think) make anyone looking at them queasy if they were human limbs (imagine someone's arms stretching or their hands and feet unfolding to reveal the incinerator mechanism). It's also possible that Reg is designed to call back to all these quadruple amputees. Maybe quadruple amputation / the loss of one's limbs are even a cultural thing for whatever group or civilization (if any) Reg comes from. But, overall like you say, Reg has too many qualities that should be impossible for a purely organic being even in his squishy-looking parts. Man... I wrote this whole thing before your conclusion. I'm not gonna delete it but it very clearly proves your point. Yikes. Your thoughts in this video are things I've thought before but I was never able to but them in words. You've explained and explored all of the ideas in this video in a more graceful and thoughtful way then I ever could have and it's all written really well too. Fantastic work.

[@tikimillie]

8:13 would likely be the same reason humans have anxiety; malfunctioning survival coding

[@KnifeWifeBalisong]

Hell yeah, I am here SO early for quality MiA analysis~

[@РадомирПронюшкин]

RAIN WORLD MUSIC DETECTED

[@TheOmegaDMM]

So living costs in the Abyss costs an arm and a leg?! Damn.

[@darkvioletcloud]

@@TheOmegaDMM Inflation hit the Abyss pretty hard, now it’s two arms and two legs.

[@TheOmegaDMM]

@@darkvioletcloud That's rough!

[@mateofarias7957]

Nice video dude! :D It's always nice to see a new upload :3

[@iradavies]

My personal theory about reg having unnecessary stuff is I think because his creator wasn’t just making him for a purpose but as a form of artistic expression

[@Ribbons0121R121]

It seems more likely that they would be made of crystalline rock structure that are similar to metal rather than refined metal Especially for the extendio arms which have the metal layer appear to be extremely thin

[@FaptaA]

Great video

[@kingdomheartssorable]

I really like your take on all this. Thank you.

[@Tardus89]

Def need to watch Brave Little Toaster ❤

[@skootergirl22]

I watched the anime before and i meed to watch it again

[@user-jt3jk5co2c]

I live made in the abyss that m you for the analysis!!

[@Thatreallycooluser]

1:29 I dunno if someone already answered this but lithium and potassium taste salty, so reg could be a perfect fit to throw in the ocean ( like a car battery ). Also it could just be the water that regs arm was in that tasted salty, hence also making the arm salty

[@danielnorton9803]

Just got into the series! This video had perfect timing

[@darkvioletcloud]

@@danielnorton9803 I have other videos on MiA if you’re curious! I’m obsessed with the series and I have a LOT to say about it!

[@AbysmalRae]

Another fantastic video!!

[@minimanbeast1014]

Reg is simply, well, reg

[@hemlocktea6643]

It could be enough time in the abyss regardless of which level you're on causes limb and cardiovascular damage There could be a still hidden danger that just takes time to happen,and results in a necessary amputation

[@arglebargle42]

Good video, nice editing and pacing, and you handled the delicate issues very tactfully and elegantly. Love this kind of deep dive content and your presentation style suits it perfectly! My ideas on Reg: He is the dog from before having gone through the same process as Nanachi. Hypothesis: Animals that successfully go through the process become humanlike just as humans that go through the process become more animal like. Additionally his was supercharged because whoever sacrificed really loved him. I'm working on a thing that basically says his mechanical parts are kind of a wish manifestation and probably coincided with the curse transformation, and not actually manufactured devices added later. Kind of like how some of the residents of Ilblu village gained certain organic 'abilities' with their bodies. Lastly I want to praise your segment on personhood and how Nanachi and Reg's shared suffering illustrated the place of empathy and how easy even well meaning people can 'other' without even intentional cruelty and how dehumanizing it can feel to be on the receiving end of that. All in all excellent video and as always, I look forward to your next video. Have the best week!

[@darkvioletcloud]

@@arglebargle42 Thank you!!! That’s a really neat theory! I wonder who brought the dog down to the Abyss in the first place? I’m going to a convention next weekend, actually, and I’m going to ask every licensed vendor for MiA merch. I can never find any, so I’m just going to ask outright if they have any. It worked last time, and I got a Riko keychain!

[@projectkepleren]

The answer is simple to me 1) If reg is a human, then he's one who's been modified to the point where he is not considered human. He is the true resident of the golden city 2) If reg is not human, he is meant to be one. He is not built to look like a robot or a tool. A human body is not efficient design so this is deliberate Reg is a person, human or not human. he is meant to look, act like a human. Before he arrived to the surface, he was in the 6th layer, making him the very few know being who can go up the surface and survive.

[@BloodrealmX]

"he is meant to look, act like a human" I think this is probably very true. Reg is, effectively, a human that can freely traverse the Abyss. He's meant to interact and experience in the same way as humans do but also survive the deadliest environments since it would be quite pointless to make him if he just died.

[@synivy4576]

I love how we still don’t know what reg is made is the abyss is one of the most mysterious series out there…we still know so little about what’s really going on

[@alexevanspoppsychedelicren4158]

great vid! some food for thought

[@SootyDreams]

I always described Reg as half artificial human and half machine. I'd love to study him, more so his psychology since it's so close to a human's. That's what fascinates me, is creating something artificial like Reg but is so psychologically human. Besides, Riko and Bondrewd got plenty of information on his body. I want to know about his mental chemistry.

[@lotusbloom6800]

The blood might power his arms, which means his arms work like Hydrollic presses

[@fro4152]

Woooo reg Video!!!

[@Oldmeme592]

10:03 smile 😁! Smile 😁! Smile 😁! Fill my heart with sunshine sunshine 😁

[@darkvioletcloud]

Riko should’ve just used the Elements of Harmony to defeat Bondrewd tbh.

[@PYC4985]

I hear that Rainworld Music

[@Alovias]

epic rank algorithm pull

[@tnt7183]

very good video, thank you :)

[@Null42x86]

My theory is that reg is a human that suffered the curse of the abyss, then a unknown person found this as an opportunity to buld an assistant robot out of it (Because navigating to a place like the abyss is very hard) and then this person mixed his body that was in blobfish form with a bunch of e-waste that was lying around and boom, reg was born

[@shiko_real]

Keep doing what you like 😊

[@niledemitri3079]

ANYONE NOTICE REG HAS FANGS??!??!

[@justsomejerseydevilwithint4606]

I think Reg is a Cyborg, but I've only seen clips.

[@sdfggdfg5fgdfg]

The potato girl might be the LEAST human of those three

[@NuTollaInUrMouth]

1:50 when you suddenly get a visit from the FBI 😅

[@randomguy2530]

I just finished Ultrakill and in there the robots run on blood as a fuel source imagine an episode where reg needed blood to function properly or smth

[@yellowboi2879]

Reg, what are you doing with that square shotgun and electric beam-thing?

[@Thatreallycooluser]

9:06 if riko had gone into biology, she might've gotten to the bondrewd side of things lol

[@RowanTS]

I have this feeling the Abyss might be the wrong perspective, like seeing the world ‘upside-down’ as an explorer of the globe thought flat, and maybe they actually started at the bottom and are going /up/, seven layers of abstracted heaven that’s baitswitched as hell, going up the dimensions is just adding them and easy, but you can’t then easily take those dimensions away. All to say I wonder if the Made In Abyss gang are an interpretation of angels. Nanachi for the Japanese Buddhist-Shinto conceptions - more animal spirit kami of one of the heaven realms; Riko as the most human perhaps more secular (but as fits Japanese Buddhist culture) as one who grows and errs moving between the realms up and down in reincarnation (‘falling’ as a baby, trying to struggle her way up in this lifetime to earn the heaven realms). And that leaves us Reg as kind of the Abrahamic kind of angel but as through pop culture more than true Biblical - something perhaps once human, or is near enough but Plus. God’s golem with ambiguous free will, a guardian to protect and guide a human along the path to heaven. (Not that the real biblical is being ignored - I think all those who have “gone down” have their own references: Bondrewd as The Sovereign of Dawn literally the same as Lucifer is definitely intentional, and Lyza The Annihilator seems to link well with Gabriel - not just the communicator between God and mankind, but chief Destroyer Of The Unrighteous, first named when Zachariah is told his wife ELIZAbeth who is barren will bear a child). But back to our boy if we wanted to go a bit out there, in Japanese the letters L and R are the same, so he could be Leg as in in Legion of which both legions of angels are mentioned in the bible but also Legion as a group of demons, thus continuing the muddy waters of whether this is heaven or hell or if there is even a difference when both are simply realms beyond our comprehension. And he…did have a bit of a divine power gone wild/demonic moment. {Mark 5 30-31: Jesus asked him, “What is your name?” “Legion,” he replied, because many demons had gone into him. And they begged Jesus repeatedly not to order them to go into the Abyss.} [shrugs] Just saying. Is it a weird and slightly brainwormed idea for what Reg might be and the story exploring? Yes. But our author is a weird and brainwormed guy.

[@chebunator]

this comment needs a Saw theme crescendo playing at background rad theory

[@JosephFerguson-bi1ul]

Any self-awareness should be linked to person-hood

[@jordanmagpiebullet7978]

Just sub and love your oc it’s so cute also it seems like he’s an cyborg

[@fnnnn5986]

Vueko called him a true resident of the golden city. I think reg is like Faputa because she implied wanting to have children. He also seems to have multiple souls.

[@casseroledragon3277]

You turned off the comments to your "Made in Abyss" analysis so I'm commenting here: you mentioned you like stories where the environment is its own character and mystery, so I needed to ask, HAVE YOU SEEN SCAVENGERS REIGN?? It's exactly what you want, so if not, I hope you watch it! ❤

[@darkvioletcloud]

I still need to watch that!! I've been so busy lately that I haven't found the time or energy to commit to a new series ;w; It looks so fascinating, though! I remember people talking about it on the MiA subreddit back when it first came out, saying that it reminded them of MiA. Once my schedule lightens up, I'll check it out! Thank you for the recommendation!

[@casseroledragon3277]

@darkvioletcloud Absolutely, I hope you enjoy it! Another show that has similar vibes, but is more light-hearted, is Delicious in Dungeon. Definitely recommend both! 💖

[@zillychu]

Seconding this! Scavengers Reign has a very similar feel to MiA, the way horror quietly creeps into your peripheral through an alien and hostile, but not malicious environment. The cold logic of nature can be scarier than human cruelty.

[@tikimillie]

Furries, robots and cyborgs. I love this damn series.

[@marcusaaronliaogo9158]

Design is proabbaly like the lilims from the game va11halla like with the more rubbery skin and can eat

[@marvi2347]

4:22 iceberg time!

[@darkvioletcloud]

I already made an MiA iceberg! The theories video is going to be a separate thing, and I’ve started on the recordings~ It’s going to take multiple sessions and a lot of editing, so stay tuned~

[@tylerprevost4383]

Loved the video but just what to say volume 13 cover dropped maybe chapter 68 soon (I’m gonna explode they ended it on a cliffhanger😭) and they destroyed nanachis blue hat😭 I’m praying nothing terrible actually happens to nanachi😭

[@darkvioletcloud]

Chapters 68 and 69 are coming out in the next few days! It's going to be hell for me to wait for a fan translation... I'm going to be so tempted to look at the raws.

[@AssetTied]

where do you read the manga?

[@tylerprevost4383]

@@AssetTied manga dex

[@kabanchan5768]

belly bottom implied his was born

[@Tirahvi]

Could Reg be a cyborg of a sort. We know there are others like him but just have to wait to see them

[@Ratstail91]

My guess is reg started as a human, and then had interference-unit-tech integrated into his body at some point. That would make the most sense... although, I wonder if the interference units began as humans as well? Their personalities don't seem human enough, although they are helpful, and Gabaroon definitely formed a bond with Faputa - enough to stop her from hurting Reg.

[@ExistAbyss]

Perhaps Reg is the other half of Rico? Since they have died within the abyss and only survived thanks to the cube relic that Ozen had to bring upwards. This or that he was born specifically to endure the abyss (experimented on, taken apart and put together. Originally human but adjusted to be able to survive the extremes of the abyss) I'd like to think that every part of him was taken apart by whatever is at the bottom of the abyss, the heart of the entire show. You can think of the humans as blood cells for the abyss, and the abyss itself probably lungs from the nests made and a stomach at large with the heart at the very bottom. Going against the flow would probably be why the curse takes heavy affect on them trying to ascend instead of returning to what is likely a beginning as though they're already at the end. Definitely believing that Reg was human, grown for a few years and then subjected to being the very eyes the citizens at the bottom of the abyss need to know what's going on around the layers of the abyss and what the other societies understand of it. Perhaps he's used to transcend the limit of time? since time itself is subjective and HIGHLY based around the layers of the abyss compared to the surface of earth itself as if travelling through the stars.

[@ryansssss168]

I think Reg is a robot but some curse or relics or powers of the abyss make him have a soul, although his body is still a robot or cyborg

[@kata_kachinoaru]

great video, have a sub :]

[@russiandoggo4336]

Title should have been "Boy or bot"

[@darkvioletcloud]

@@russiandoggo4336 I was considering that, but I like how machine has two syllables. It’s more fun to say “man or machine”! Alternate titles: Dude or Droid Child or Cyborg Guy or Gadget Teenager or Thingamabob Guy or Golem This got incredibly silly.

[@russiandoggo4336]

@@darkvioletcloud nvm you win

[@randoranderson8903]

I think he’s a robot designed to look and act human and he eats organic mass for both energy and lubricant generation. And the incinerator is a separate but integrated system which may possibly trickle charge which is why it’s not directly powered by his eating because of how much energy it requires

[@Bullminator]

He is android, but he is not human. He is probaly a deep elf or a dwarf. His soul was moved to a new body when original was cursed. But he lost a memory when his soul was moved. Dwarfs probaly dig to deep in earth and hit hell, wich caused the area to get cursed and leaked out.

[@yellowboi2879]

There are deep elves and dwarves in the MiA universe? And that's why the abyss is there?

[@BloodrealmX]

@@yellowboi2879 Nope. This person is just pulling things out their ass.

[@paradoxglitch1108]

I think whoever made him use a combination of engineering and bioengineering, which would explain all of the biological and mechanical traits.

[@fgregerfeaxcwfeffece]

Why did you not bring up the interference units in the robot chapter? That seems to be pretty strong evidence to me.

[@BloodrealmX]

I figure that the bolts on his head that the metal hairband fits between are contacts for interfacing with his helmet. The hairband might be a contact plate to help with that. Reg wakes up slightly because they already shocked him a little bit, but not enough to _keep_ him awake. This is pretty evident from the dialogue saying they should turn it up. A line that was cut out in the anime actually establishes Reg's sense of smell beforehand, Riko reporting that Reg could determine by scent alone which shoes were hers and which were Kiyui's. We can presume she did tests like this with him for his other senses as well. I'm pretty sure Reg's love of fluff is a fetish that he doesn't understand is a fetish. He's being lewd but doesn't realize that's what it is, just that he likes it. On a related note, we know he likes fluffyness and bare breasts; a certain princess he describes as beautiful, who is infatuated with him, and who he had a history with before his memory loss prominently features both. "I gotta know what this kid's organs are." Bondrewd describes them as seeming to be accurately arranged for a human's when he's digging his claw around in there. "Reg seemingly doesn't need to breathe" He know that he doesn't need to breathe. He's not breathing when Riko finds him shut down. Even if air circulation aids his functionality, it doesn't damage him if he isn't breathing. Honestly, I feel like whoever or whatever created Reg probably wanted something that can interact with humans and experience the same things they do. The Interference Units are tasked with learning and he shares both aesthetic and functional similarities with them (for example, Gaburoon also has extending arms with a built-in energy cannon as well as having a structure that looks similar to Reg's hairband) so it's possible that Reg's original purpose is to understand humans rather than being assigned to a particular layer of the Abyss. Third Works integrates itself into the host's circulatory system, but SheruMena have those sockets on their limbs, which could be what makes them removable. The manga says the sockets are also made of relics and can warp according to the organic movement of their limbs rather than being rigid. The latter part is similar to how Riko describes Reg's metallic parts, i.e. "an unknown flexible material". Reg is cannot just be someone with prosthetic limbs. You literally went over yourself that his whole body is inhuman and he's immune to the Curse. Riko realize that Reg really is a person with thoughts and feelings and not just a relic mimicking a person halfway through that bath scene, but it was cut from the anime because of broadcast standards. In the first half of the scene Riko doesn't cover herself at all, but midway through we directly see her realize this, without a word, and then blush and cover herself from view for the rest of the scene (which she was doing from the start in the anime because you're not allowed to show her bare chest on TV). It's the single biggest piece of character development Riko has and it was removed by censorship. In the anime she just suddenly treats him normally in the second season for seemingly no reason. Wait, when was Prushka dehumanized? I mean, obviously she was dehumanized in the literal sense that she's not human anymore, she's Your Worth, but she's never not treated like a person even after her physical body becomes an inanimate object.

[@PhromAxzilion]

yippe i love made in abyss

[@emersonpineda5251]

Where can you read the manga?

[@MajiUltimata]

Either the official release or Mangadex

[@BloodrealmX]

@@MajiUltimata Official releases other than the original Japanese tend to get censored and have questionable localizations.

[@dusk3485]

Ws in the chat

[@tikimillie]

16:35 seems he is made to imprint on people

[@idid1866]

Living machine...Cyborg'ish

[@Colorlightt]

im pretty sure Nanachi isnt wrong about feeling like the way he touches her is slightly perverted

[@darkvioletcloud]

@@Colorlightt Yeah it’s completely valid! He’s invading her personal space and she doesn’t appreciate it. He doesn’t have any bad intentions, but that doesn’t mean Nanachi shouldn’t feel like her buttons are being pushed.

[@BloodrealmX]

It is perverted, Reg just doesn't realize it is.