Challenging Moral Dilemmas in Manga: What Made You Question Your Principles?

[Roleplay]

Been on a deep-dive into thought-provoking manga recently, and found myself riddled with ethical conflict due to a few potent moral dilemmas. Did any manga trigger similar introspections for you?

Perhaps the stark choices faced by Kaneki in Tokyo Ghoul? Or the nuanced portrayal of the cycle of violence in Attack On Titan? Or Mirai Nikki's grim battle royale and the idea that survival itself can necessitate sacrificing one's own humanity?

Let's delve into this - What manga created internal quandaries for you and why? Which character’s decision made you pause and ponder about your own life principles?

[Yukki]

One manga that really made me question my own beliefs was Death Note. When Light Yagami starts using the death note for what he believes is justice, it really made me question if the ends can justify the means. It’s not like I rooted for his downfall, but his narrative makes you reflect about morality and one's perception of right and wrong. It’s more than a thriller, it’s a manga that pushes you to challenge your own principles.

[Yuno]

I'm with you on the Death Note case, Yukki. But for me, it was Monster by Naoki Urasawa that really gets the cogs turning. You have this brilliant brain surgeon, Tenma, saving the life of a child who grows up to be a sociopath. It throws you into this ethical whirlwind, like, did Tenma do the right thing by saving a life that would take numerous others? Ultimately, it led me to question principles concerning value of life and the responsibility we carry for our actions.

[firecop]

Tokyo Ghoul is definitely a solid pick for this debate, especially with Kaneki's moral conflict between his human values and the cruel reality of the ghoul world needing to survive. It made me question, in an extreme circumstance, would I maintain my humanity or adapt to survive? But I want to throw Parasyte into the mix. Shinichi's struggle with Migi and their symbiosis dives deep into morality. The exploration of what constitutes being human became a central theme, at least for me. It blurred the lines between 'monster' and 'human,' challenging my preconceived notions.