Dream Big, Dream Small — Some Thoughts on Chainsaw Man
“Everybody wants to trash-talk my plans. It’s revenge this, protect a family that, and save a cat, too! Blah, blah, blah!” — Denji
Chainsaw Man, one of Mappa’s newest masterpieces, has a pretty straightforward premise:
Denji is an orphan burdened by his father’s debt. His only ray of life is his pet — the chainsaw devil Pochita, and the two of them slay devils for the yakuza. Unfortunately, they were betrayed by the yakuza and Denji was killed.
However, Pochita merges with Denji and transforms him into a human-devil hybrid. Once Denji gets his revenge, he is given an ultimatum by the Public Safety Bureau’s elite devil hunter Makima to work as a devil hunter.
Chainsaw Man is not a complicated story nor does it discusses deep philosophical themes like Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood. At its core, Chainsaw Man is the adventures of a boy who can slay devils. It is that plain and simple.
The main character — Denji, has equally simple goals too.
He is not slaying devils to save the world.
He is not slaying devils to uphold good and righteousness.
He is not slaying devils to save a loved one, get revenge, or punish evil.
All he wants is a better life, to eat whatever he wants, get a girlfriend, and preferably fondle some… boobs, if possible.
Simple Goals, Complicated Lives
This simplicity is perhaps what sets Denji apart from other shonen protagonists.
While the most protagonists of other shows have some intense motivations or high aspirations to drive them, Denji’s wants is comparatively crude.
Even within the universe, his simple goals are also looked down upon. His senpai Aki Hayakawa even beats Denji up for that very reason, saying that Denji’s lack of drive makes him unfit to be a devil hunter and he is better off dead. Of course, Denji swiftly corrects him in the nuts, but I digress.
Even the villains disdain Denji’s aspirations. As the Leech Devil battles Denji, she moans why her beloved Bat Devil dies to such a crude man with foolish goals.
Denji, being Denji, does not takes these insults kindly. He vehemently opposes them and fights back, albeit in a violent manner.
Denji does have a point though. Is it wrong for one’s life goals to be simple? Who can judge what motivation is better than another?
Simple Lives, Complicated Goals
If you are familiar with Hong Kong cinema, you probably heard of this Stephen Chow saying:
做人如果没有梦想，跟咸鱼有什么分别？
If someone has no dreams, what is the difference between them and a salted fish?
The gist of the saying is quite clear. One should live life with dreams and goals, preferably the bigger the better.
This is something that echoes in our current society. We are constantly encouraged to dream bigger, achieve more, go higher.
Simple life goals are usually discouraged or scoffed upon. Where we are now is never good enough, what we have is never enough.
There is of course nothing wrong to be driven by lofty aspirations or grand desires. However, is that drive something that truly fits you, or is it something that is laid upon you?
Simple Lives, Simple Goals
Whether a goal is lofty or simple should not be a point we used to judge others, we are all living different lives and have different experiences, which is why just because one goal is less glamorous does not mean it is less important.
Look at Denji. His goals may seem simple to others, but they have not experienced the poverty he once lived in. While bread and jam is common for most people, it is a luxury for him
If we were to look at another angle, Denji’s drive is simple but is pretty powerful. He wants to keep living a better life, and damn will he will fight tooth and nail to not slide back to his past.
I am here to advocate what Denji is expressing. Just because a drive, a desire, even an ideal lifestyle is simple and crude does not mean it is wrong.
Likewise, we should not be dismissive of simple goals and simple lives. Just because a goal is simple does not mean it lacks driving force.
Feel free to live your life. As long as the goal brings you to a better place without harming others, then it is a good goal.
P.S. Achieving your goals without violence is always better, there’s no need to hack others like Denji 😇.
