Engage Kiss is an exciting action/adventure shonen anime found in the Summer 2022 anime season, telling the tale of the relatable protagonist Ogata Shu and his quest to slay Demons so he can pay his rent and utilities on time. At least, that's how the show's first episode set things up, but by now, Shu has become a truly tragic protagonist who has far more on his mind than the electric bill.

Episode 3 revealed the grim truth of how Shu's partner Kisara gets her Demonic power for combat, and by Episode 9, it has become clear that Shu is paying a massive personal toll for the power necessary to complete his quest. At this rate, Shu's mission for revenge might not even be worth it, and several other characters have commented on that. Shu simply cannot keep this up, nor should he try.

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The Excessive Price for Kisara's Power

kisara engage kiss

It's clear by now that Ogata Shu is paying a heavy toll to get access to Kisara's impressive Demonic power, mainly by surrendering his treasured memories of his friends and lovers. This was a grim scenario even in earlier episodes, when Shu gave up his memories of his girlfriend Ayano to unlock Kisara's power for another battle. By now, it's become downright tragic, with Shu giving up memories of almost everyone he ever cared about for the sake of his revenge.

Shu gave up memories of his nun warrior friend Sharon, for example, and in recent episodes, he even surrendered his fond memories of his foster father, Officer Miles Morgan. At this rate, Shu might end up an empty shell of a person, seemingly alone and emotionally numb with all these memories missing. As Shu keeps giving up more memories, his personal life withers away, and this is sure to cause some serious emotional distress for him and his friends.

In-universe, it's a good idea for Shu to simply give up on his revenge scheme and part ways with the memory-hungry Kisara for good. For plot reasons, of course, Shu can't take this route, or else this action/adventure anime's story comes to a halt. However, in-universe, all signs point in a worrying direction, and Shu would do well to heed them. Several of his allies and friends have voiced their concerns about Shu's methods, such as Ayano urging him to give up on revenge.

Shu's secret ally, director general Mikhail Hachisuka, took drastic steps to discourage Shu from pursuing his vengeful quest, only to fail. Akino Yugiri of the AAA Demon-hunting company made sure that Shu can continue his quest anyway, and Mikhail was outraged. No way would a lofty, pretentious boy like Mikhail get that upset without good reason -- a clear sign that Shu's memory bargains with Kisara are killing him on the inside. This deal with the devil has finally reached boiling point, and Shu is already getting burned.

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The Emptiness of Revenge in Anime

Shu is miserable

Shu's personal quest for vengeance and the price he pays for it play into the larger theme of how tragically empty revenge can be in the world of anime and manga. Some of the most exciting plots are born of the desire for revenge, ranging from Thorfinn seeking vengeance against his father's killer in Vinland Saga to Guts' mission to destroy Griffith in Berserk. However, this is not a good club to be in. Sooner or later, such protagonists have learned, or will soon learn, that two wrongs don't ever make a right. Revenge is born from an intense need for emotional release, but otherwise, it does little good. Even when the quest is completed, the vengeful character might end up feeling empty and lost afterward, especially if they made that revenge their entire life.

These quests for vengeance are destructive by nature, and even the grittiest antihero will never find lasting happiness that way. Not only is destruction miserable but it's also a dead end, even for the survivor. A person or item can only be destroyed once, and the character seeking revenge can go no further. They need something constructive to look forward to, and best of all, the quest to create can take an entire lifetime and give a person immense satisfaction and a sense of purpose. Destruction is brief; creation is forever.

In the world of Engage Kiss, Shu must learn this quickly and find a new path in life that doesn't involve surrendering his treasured memories to destroy a Demon. For the sake of protecting Bayron City's innocent civilians, Shu has every reason to fight Demons. However, when it comes to personal matters, revenge is a dead end, and one that will cost him everything.