Summary
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TheFire Forcestory is one filled with religious themes. The Sol Church is one example, where most firefighter companies report to, and they have many religious practices that aren’t just used for worship but are applied while executing humans who had turned into infernals in the story.
Company 7 was unique, they had their customs asthey weren’t followers of the Sol Church. The author of theFire Forceseries borrowed elements from Japanese culture during the Edo period. His approach made the people of Asakusan quite an exceptional group.
Techniques
Flowing from a significant part of history, Matoi (纏/まとい/) was a flag used during the Edo-period by firemen to notify people of a fire. The author borrowed this concept and tweaked it to fit the common human combustion in theFire Forcestory.
Benimaru, the current Captain of Company 7based in Asukasa, is charged with the execution of every infernal in their community. The flaming matoi wasn’t just a battle technique; it was a respectful send-off to the former humans, now infernals, mirroring the Sol Church’s prayers. Where the Sisters recite final rites, Benimaru performs destruction as tribute. The ritual honors the humanity of those who’ve turned into Infernals, serving as both a memorial and an act of cleansing.
The Asakusa Send Off
A Tradition
The Asakusan people lived a more traditional lifestyle. This is obvious from the way their houses were structured and their clothing. Company 7 reflected this, too, wearing only “yukata” even while handling combustion operations.
Everyone in the world lived in fear of turning into an Infernal at any point. What made the residents of Asakusa different was the fact that they gathered there with the hopes of dying at the hands of Benimaru, theDestroyer of Asakusa.
When Was It First Shown?
First Impressions
When Company 8 went to visit Company 7 in Asakunsa, Benimaru was seen strolling back home. During his walk, the people greet him and offer him gifts. One elderly man, Kentaro, invited him over for a drink later that night. It didn’t take too long for the next human combustion, and it was the old man, Kentaro, who wanted to have a drink with Benimaru.
The bells rang, the people shouted, and Benimaru quickly sprang into action, performing the flamingmatoiritual. The people had already mounted thematoiflag, and Benimaru went on to destroy the houses where the flags stood. As he did, the people hailed him as the Destroyer. Before executing the Infernal, Benimaru showed him the destruction he had caused to the surrounding area, and then laid him to rest.
What Was The Significance Of The Send-Off?
Through The Eyes Of The People
The destruction of property every time someone in Asukusa turns into an infernal might seem a bit too much and even confuse quite a lot of fans, but the author takes time to explain the value it added to the story, where there is a worldwide anxiety and fear of dying by fire (human combustion)
Houses can be rebuilt again and again, but once turned into a flame human… ones life cannot be regained. (Fire ForceManga Chapter 39).
To them, the value of human life cannot be exaggerated; that was an idea they all shared, making the flaming matoi more sacred to them. Their ritual was a public acknowledgement that the executed infernal was once a part of their community, deserving a proper farewell and remembrance.
Through The Eyes Of Benimaru
The sense of community is highlighted a lot in Asakusa.Benimaru’s personalitymay not have seemed to be the most social type, but his interactions and relationships with the people were clearly shown to be deep and full of respect. It seems he had a strong bond with each of them, and although it wasn’t proven, he might have known each resident by name.
For one of the most powerful characters in the show, he carries the responsibility as executioner with gravity. Honing his skills to protect and execute this ritual as many times as people from Asakusa turned into infernals is no easy task, yet he performed his duties with intensity and purpose.
Fire Force
David Production’s Fire Force is an action fantasy anime based on Atsushi Ohkubo’s manga, which ran from 2015 to 2022. Set in an alternate version of Earth where spontaneous human combustion is a regular tragedy, the story follows Special Fire Force Company 8 as they take on cases and investigate the cause behind these transformations.
