Food for thought [Legend of a Strongest Man Nakane]

Nobuyuki Fukumoto, creator of Kaiji and other series, has a spin-off manga about a man who craves for Instagram likes. It’s called Legend of a Strongest Man Nakane, a spin-off of Saikyou Densetsu Kurosawa. At first, I found it hard to believe that there is a series about this topic. Instagram?? What??

Nakane’s colleague explains that he buys cakes and other cute-looking sweets just for Instagram. After the post is up, he trashes the dessert because he doesn’t like sweet foods.

This page made me think. I think this is a really good point. With so many people in the world, I understand the desire to stand out from the rest.

The counter argument. Seeking approval. Craving the spotlight. “Celebrity” wannabes. Running around like idiots. WILL YOUR WORTHLESS SELF GET SOME PEACE OF MIND?

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I don’t think that posting on Instagram is that serious. Nakane and his colleague go to great lengths for likes and there are surely many users who do the same. I would believe that most users are not like this.

I frequently post on Instagram. I don’t think my intention is to “stand out” because I don’t think this is realistic for me. Maybe this is pessimistic thinking on my part, but there are so many users.

I don’t think I am looking for approval on Instagram and I don’t think I am a celebrity wannabe. Am I running around like an idiot? Maybe to some people. Will I get some peace of mind from getting likes? I wonder…

I hate this. It’s fun to take pictures and post. It’s nice to have a backlog of the good times and shared memories. Sometimes you feel more connected to others by using Instagram. At the same time, I hate it. Society feels superficial. & you know what? I will not stop using Instagram…

Buraiden Gai – Suffering Originates from Desire?

Buraiden Gai is a short manga by Nobuyuki Fukumoto. Fukomoto is well-known for creating Kaiji and Akagi. It’s a really interesting and intense manga. I recommend checking it out! One page in particular stuck out to me and it was about desire (Remember to read right to left).

This page reminded me of the following quote by Edgar Allan Poe:

“All suffering originates from craving, from attachment, from desire.” — Edgar Allan Poe

What do you guys think?? Do you agree with this notion or the quote? It makes sense to me, but I would love to hear what other people think. This makes me feel negative because of the bottom panel that says, “There’s only a few people who do achieve their dreams … the world has more people who failed.” Is this even true? At the same time, I feel relief from having a greater understanding about suffering.

I’ll leave you with this final quote from Buraiden Gai (Chapter 31)…

“Isn’t dream the same thing as desire?” — Nobuyuki Fukumoto