Scum's Wish

A story about loving and letting go, through the eyes and lives of the worst people on earth.

To be honest, this made me mad uncomfortable, but not just because the characters are ridiculously selfish, manipulative, escapist and in desperate need of therapy for their attachment issues. But because that was the point, take a pot of scum; characters who at face value seem normal and start to unearth them beyond their desires. Hanabi, Mugi, Ecchan and Moca (for whatever reason) all seem like normal slice of life characters with normal slice of life struggles, highschool romance and such. But... their loves are unrequited and in terms of the protagonists way too old for them, their coping mechanisms are poisonously toxic at the very least and the objects of their affections well... let's just say have some FUNDAMENTAL character flaws. After reading all this you may be wondering why on Earth would someone watch this? Welp, I couldn't tell you. But if you do choose to watch this, to see how scum chase their desires and deal with being unable to have them, you will be beyond pleasantly surprised.

The power of Kuzu no Honkai is its ability to make us uncomfortable with the reality of these characters' situations. Usually, a slice-of-life romance deals with the emotions and a few tears are shed before the plot inevitably addresses all important insecurities and wraps it up with a wonderful ending and a nice bow. Scum's Wish doesn't do that (save the ending though). It goes into the worst qualities of these characters, their desire to be loved, to not be alone, to simply be whatever the other needs, even if it means using someone close to you just to scratch an insatiable itch. It's disturbing to watch, incomprehensible to justify, and honestly sad to see. But it's the story, these characters must go through this, they have to see and experience and for some, be disgusted by themselves before they are truly ready to let go. We need to see this group of literal scum (to varying scumyness), be faced with and reconcile themselves in order to move forward, to heal, and to progress. It forces viewers to think critically about both their own and the character's behaviours, making them wonder which characters they will and won't forgive and why. Scum's Wish is just as much a deep dark hole as it is a mirror, how far is one willing to go to be with the one they love and what does one do when faced with the reality that they can never go the distance, not because they're incapable, but because it is not them their beloved wants. It questions the point of first love and the worth of true love, is it real or just lust looking for justification? Each character must decide for themselves and make their bed in it, for better or for worse.

With all anime, the ending is paramount. Scum's Wish does it near perfectly. Yes, there are plenty of questionable character decisions, and redemptions that make me frustrated, but that does not mean they're bad. They're designed to do that. Kuzu no Honkai asks its characters if they are okay with letting go of love in order to be free, not just of their emotion, but of the past that held a tight grip. Surprisingly, despite all of the sexuality, manipulation, sociopathic behaviour (literally a top 10 anime villain of all time), self-deprecation and more, you don't leave the series feeling like scum, or even seeing all the characters as scum, just people who were dirty now allowing themselves to be made clean. It's not, does scum deserve to have their wishes fulfilled? But rather, what are the wishes or desires that we cling to and how do they infect us? And are we willing to face the pain of removing that which we believed to be our skin and step into the light, vulnerable and alone, yet okay with it?

Kuzu no Honkai is s series I strongly recommend you watch and then talk about it with someone. Take the opportunity to look at yourself and ask about your own unhealthy escape tactics and which characters you resonated (or didn't with) and why? You might be surprised at how similar you are.

Or you just close your screen, vibe out and pretend this show never happened. The choice is yours.

Later Days,

Africanime