Hmm… Okay. I was way off in guessing the release date of Choujin X Chapter 8 (September 5). I guess more time was required in preparing the storyline for the next arc.

Or Ishida wasn’t ready with Chapter 8, like how he was with the previous Chapters.

Speaking of which, Choujin X will henceforth be serialized in Weekly Young Jump from October.

"Choujin X" by Sui Ishida will start in Weekly Young Jump issue 46/2021 out October, 14.

For the moment, the series is running on Tonari no Young Jump web service pic.twitter.com/Bps6T0tNjn

— Manga Mogura RE (@MangaMoguraRE) September 16, 2021

In his latest stream, he said he wants to draw weekly. 18 pages per week.

Sui Ishida-sensei, do I need to remind you of Tokyo Ghoul days? Well, WYJ is different than WSJ. But still, please do not overwork yourself again. The fandom is not harsh like some certain Shounen series fandoms.

We know how awesome you are and we wouldn’t think ill of you. Take care of yourself sensei.

But the fact that he wants to change to a weekly voluntarily shows he’s enjoying his work, unlike Tokyo Ghoul. And in the stream, he says he plans to start another Manga too. I only wish him the best and hopefully, he won’t overdo himself.

Also, there was a simultaneous release of the raw and English translation this time! Hooray Viz and Manga+!

Jump+ editor, while talking about the future of Manga+ spoke about how translation costs are high and simultaneous releases are becoming difficult. They’d find weekly releases more difficult. But we’ll see…

Coming back to our main topic, Tokio was taken to Yamato Mori for recuperation at the ending of Chapter 7 (check out my Chapter 7 analysis).

This marked the first meeting between him and Sandaq. Also, the chapter ended the first act and moving on to the next. Where will Tokio go from here? Will this mark the beginning of his training arc?

Read on as I continue my review of Tokyo Ghoul’s sister series by Analyzing Choujin X Chapter 8!

Azuma’s Guilt

Yes. Tokio is back in school (without the vulture mask) and with Azuma once again. Finally. But before getting into that…

“You’re a special agent’s key witness??” said Tokio’s sister, Ms. Bazonkas and Azuma. I guess the news has gone around. And so quickly.

Tokio’s sister was worried sick. Aaah. The love between siblings. I guess some of us are not so privileged enough to experience that.

I think Azuma knew about Yamato Mori earlier on. Then why didn’t he bring it up in Chapter 1? He said that he despised all Choujins; even thought that all Choujins use their powers for bad.

All of a sudden, Azuma apologizes to Tokio, saying he wasn’t there for him when he needed him the most. I guessed in my chapter 3 review that his guilty feelings will surface somewhere. He also feels for the fact he dragged Tokio into this mess.

When Tokio talks about his plans and how the people at Yamato Mori helped him, Azuma gave a sad expression.

I think Azuma feels he’s left behind by his best friend. Ever since they got to know each other, Azuma was always the one who helped Tokio out of trouble. He now thinks that’s all in the past.

He also feels that he ain’t in the center stage anymore. I guess he wants to help society in some way or the other and he isn’t doing it, but Tokio is. Whether this might cause friction between the duo remains a mystery. Only time will tell.

Also, he could be hiding something. It could be connected to his health (basically guessing that he lied about the doctor saying there’s nothing out of the ordinary).

Being a Choujin sounds inconvenient and tiring – Ely

We learn in Choujin X Chapter 8 that Choujins require a license or a registration card in order to use their powers lawfully. Nari was unlawful cause’ there was no registration card on her.

Also, we got to know the names of the new characters that appeared in Chapters 6 & 7. The person who accompanied Ely to the zoo was Maiko Momoma, 18 years old and a third-year student at Konpei High (a year senior to Tokio).

And the Choujin who saved Ely and Tokio from Nari (the Kurapika look-alike) is Simon Kagomura, who is 17 years old. Both are older than Tokio. And both are guards at Yamato Mori, following the instructions of Hoshi Sandaq, I suppose.

Apparently, there are different levels of Choujins from the P.O.V of the society in terms of their registration. Simon explains as follows:

Tokio and Ely will receive a class B registration, commonly known as “General registration”. This is only after attending an interview, a 40-day course on Choujin (I’d like to virtually attend such a class too. Choujin lore sounds so interesting) and passing a test.

When Momoma explains about Class B registrants and their power usage, Ely’s head rings out of confusion. Instead of smoke coming from the ears, it came out of her head. Fits her character.

Then Momoma explains an important piece of information about Choujins. She says “Choujin powers are influenced by strong emotion drive”.

If you’re angry or upset, the powers manifest on their own. Reminds me of Dragon Ball Saiyan power-ups.

I think she’s talking about Beastification and not just mere manifestation. Cause’ I think the beginners need a physical trigger to unleash their power. Like piercing one’s hand with a knife or getting punched on the face real hard.

Momoma is so cute. I call dips on her being best girl in the future!

She feels shy about being instructed to lift a huge tree, so she asks Tokio and Ely to close their eyes. Having the quirk of superhuman strength, I think her feminine qualities do not match with physical prowess and brawl.

This reminds me of a scene in Cardcaptor Sakura (CCS) where Sakura Kinomoto uses her power card. And she lifts the huge Penguin-shaped slide on her own and moves it to its original position.

The interview with Hoshi Sandaq

This is the most interesting part of Choujin X Chapter 8 (not demeaning the other parts, but I enjoyed reading this the most).

Notice the “self-control is strength” sign in the back. It might be an organization similar to the Heroes in My Hero Academia. The members don’t kill the baddies and merely arrests them.

The interview questions are simple but profound.

• What do you think is good?
• What is evil?
• Who are your allies?
• What do you want from life? (The most important question according to Sandaq)

Ely is clear in her mind and answers them without any hesitation. Tokio, on the other hand, scratches his head.

I guess as you grow older, your mind becomes more complicated. I think that’s a nice way to describe this difference in mindset between Ely and Tokio.

Of course, Ely is a child. Kids are naive as well. In actuality, these are deep questions that cannot be answered so easily. But at least she’s clear on the head compared to Tokio. I’m sure he must be thinking “How would Azuma answer these questions?”

There’s lots of room for philosophical thinking here. The duality of good and evil, justice and injustice have been heavily debated throughout centuries.

For example, murder and killing are two different things. Some people equalize the two. Let me show you how they’re different.

Obama sending out troops to silently kill Osama Bin Lan is murder in a sense, from the P.O.V of Al-Qaeda, but it is a necessary one.

There’s a difference between killing for oneself and killing for self-defense or for the sake of protecting your homeland.

An army officer is celebrated as a hero of a country if he bags a kill on a battlefield and comes back home alive. The same officer is deemed as a criminal if he argues with his wife and kills her. Both involve killing, but are interpreted differently.

Another interesting point. When asked about their enemies, Ely is so sure that Chandra Hume is one and rightfully so. He ruthlessly caused harm to the passengers on the plane and made poor Ely into a Choujin as a side effect. So the hatred is justified.

But Tokio wonders whether Nari is an enemy or not. According to the law, she is a criminal. But Tokio is not sure. I believe the simp in him is at odds with his rationality. And I can’t blame him (being a fellow simp myself. Huehuehue).

And the most important question of all – “what do you seek from life?”

Aside from its philosophical importance, I think Sandaq chose this question to be the most important because once a normal human being becomes a Choujin, they’re stricken with a sense of an identity crisis (refer to my Chapter 2 review).

They don’t know where they belong. In the human society or the Choujin? How will they lead their lives henceforth? What will my parents, friends and teachers at school think of me? Am I a human or a Choujin?

All these questions would have hit Ely and Tokio sometime or the other.

After asking the question, to the surprise of others, Ely answers it immediately. “Money”, she said.

Well, not everything can be bought with money but, I can see where she’s coming from. The simp in her couldn’t help but think of her future hubby in Sandaq and blush. If Sandaq doesn’t watch his step, he could become a lolicon.

Anyway, she knew what she wanted from life. But it’s a different story when it comes to Tokio.

Tokio’s Dream

He’s a guy who over-depends on others in his decision-making, especially Azuma. From food choices to picking class electives, Tokio has been copying Azuma this whole time. He couldn’t get to think for himself and what HE wanted.

This is where an even deeper identity crisis comes. Is he living the life that he wants or what Azuma wants? Is he Tokio or is he Azuma? Azuma has been an integral part of his life that it’s almost impossible to separate the two.

Tokio didn’t even name his family or even his sister as his allies. He only mentioned Azuma.

Azuma Azuma Azuma.

He has a position to do better than Azuma in Yamato Mori but he still thinks he’s fit to only support him.

It’s not I don’t think about how wonderful their friendship is. It’s just that, he undermines his abilities by being overwhelmed by the success of his childhood friend. He once said, “If I stand by Azuma’s side, I’ll be famous too”.

The inferiority complex kicks in and leaves the room without giving an answer to Sandaq.

Many of us can relate to Tokio and his inferiority complex. He’s been under the shadow of Azuma for so long that he never thought “Hey, what If I get a life of my own and step out of the shadow and into the light?”

But Ely’s hard-hitting statement does make sense. “If you don’t have a goal, then what’s the point of living?” Ely is adorable as heck, but she does know how to strike a knife into our hearts.

Tokio says there’s no need of having a goal to just live. And I can accept that. However, it’s not healthy in the long term.

Without a clear goal in mind, you’d be lost in space. Always thinking about what to do next. Then confusion and anxiety creep in and you end up in a serious bind.

All of us have an identity crisis in some form or the other, but as we go through in life, some of us find our place within our work, friends and family. And some just feel… empty. Not satisfied with whatever they do.

They live somebody else’s life instead of their own. And that’s exactly what Tokio’s doing at the moment. He (like some of us) needs to find his calling. And it does take time. Nobody can find it in a single day or a month or a year. It comes when it has to come.

It all depends upon our previous Karma when that spark in life would arrive… Until then, it’s important to be patient.

All this may seem cheesy but, it’s a topic worth pondering.

Speaking of dreams, earlier in Choujin X Chapter 8, the radio said something interesting:

Is this a sign that Ely’s dreams will never come true? And it appears that Tokio will not be able to identify his calling anytime soon.

Final Thoughts

Choujin X Chapter 8 is a thought-provoking chapter. Finally, a chapter where there isn’t any action. Not that I didn’t like the action but, I just want the story to move forward from Yamato North City Zoo.

We learned some interesting things about Choujins. How they need a registration in order to use their powers and the levels of registrants.

The interview with Hoshi Sandaq was quite intriguing. It had many philosophical implications. I can’t wait to see how the Choujin course would proceed for Tokio and Ely.

Last but not the least, the reporter and the new set of antagonists made me curious.

According to the reporter, some invaluable specimens, such as the tiger and vulture are missing from the zoo.

Tokio received inspiration from the vulture and became a buzzard like Choujin. Will Azuma become like a tiger-like Choujin in the future? There seems to be a hint of it being the case.

Also, the Yamato Mori members, despite being Choujins, are well received and respected in the human society. I guess it’s different from Anteiku in that aspect…

A bunch of new villains have made their appearance. We see an old man (is it his real face or a mask?) calling two individuals – one (the one called Ume) looks like Pirates of the Caribbean’s Davy Jones with Killua’s fat brother’s hairstyle.

The other one looks like a typical thug with the power of making Shikigami. The dog-like paper Shikigami reminds me of the ones in the movie Spirited Away. The conjurer can inject life or spirit into these inanimate objects and control them.

Basically, this new female thug can use the Shikigami to do her bidding. Also, they remind me of Oyasumi Punpun.

The last panel shows Tokio asking his sister about her dream and she says “Marriage and money”. Huh. She and Ely would get along well if they meet in the future.

But something else caught my attention. And it’s Tokio’s dad. His face looks strikingly similar to the man who called the thugs to clean up Nari’s mess in the zoo. Is that man really Tokio’s dad or is he just Furuta 2.0 wearing a different mask?

Choujin X keeps the readers on their toes and I hope it continues to be that way.

So what do you think of Choujin X Chapter 8? Let me know in the comments below!