Question About Visual Motif in a Manga

[Ijiwaru Sensei]

I have a question about an image that appears in Suu Minazuki's Judas and was hoping someone a bit more familiar with visual motifs used in manga could help me out. In chapter 1, as one character, Sarohito, becomes obsessed with finding a doorway to Eden, he is drawn with two bloodied hands protruding from his back. A few pages later when he is attacking another character, a winged, female creature bursts from his back. No one seems to take notice of the creature, and she seems to provide no help to Sarohito during the brief fight. So what does this creature represent? Spirit possession? The character's own blind obsession? Something else? Any help would be appreciated.

 

[MedicAR]

I'm not a manga fan, so keep that in mind.

 

Can you provide any more context? You say that she emerges as he attacks another character, but without knowing why he is attacking or who, it all becomes total speculation. Is his "victim" a major character or a disposable pawn (i.e. Joker or henchman?). Is it an act of revenge?

 

Like I say, I'm not a manga fan, but I've got a theory and hope a little more context will point me in the right direction.

[Ijiwaru Sensei]

The character is shown to be a melodramatic crusader early in the chapter. He is a priest who directs an orphanage and berates a hospital doctor for not taking in a sick child who needs surgery because they have no money to pay.

 

He presents his own idiosyncratic theology of the afterlife--he rejects heaven, hell, and non-existence after death. He believes people die and go to Eden.

 

Later, he becomes so obsessed with the idea of Eden that he begins experimenting on several children attempting to open a doorway to Eden. Another character notices a type of crucifix hanging around his neck, a woman with stumps for arms and legs, and notes that he has changed since receiving the piece.

 

 

He decides he wants to experiment on one of the main characters, whom he has secretly loved, but is interpreted by a small boy, another main character, who tells him he will find no happiness in Eden. It's the next panel when his back seems to explode. It seems to represent his internal plight as he attacks the boy with the creature essentially riding piggyback. The boy is stabbed through the neck, followed by Judas appearing, possessing the boy, who in turn kills Sarohito. It's rather convoluted.

[Shaven Kev-migration]

I've read a bunch of manga and I'd say this is a story element and not something you will find regularly across other books. Maybe they will explain it later.

 

Having said that maybe they just wanted a way to get some boobs into the panel.

[MedicAR]

I may be reading what I wanted to read or expected to read, but it seems to fit my theory. I see it as the release of his innocent ways. The hands emerging were the first hint that he was losing his innocence...

 

 

"Innocence" might be the wrong word. Maybe "purity of heart/spirit/motive" works better.

 

Just a thought.

[BaltimoreLauren]

It's most likely just his "obsession" coming to life, consuming him entirely.

 

This manga is kind of interesting, I'm gonna have to check it out now.

[Ijiwaru Sensei]

After reading the next chapter, I think that fits with an emerging theme in the story--those who oppose fate, who seek Eden, eternal life, who cannot accept fate suffer. Another character who also is obsessed with finding Eden has a similar female creature emerge from his back shortly before he is destroyed as well.