Oyasumi Punpun Chapter 143 Discussion

nanairobutton said:
Thematically, the end of this chapter was pretty strong and not what I expected. As Punpun lies all alone with seemingly nothing left, a simple 'おやすみ' brings the curtain down. But something so expected wouldn't have been in line with the series' themes now, would it? For more than anything, Punpun is a story about redemption. Asano ultimately subverts that glum image of the ending we had all conjured up with Sachi calling his name on the next page. She's there for him, a pillar of security with the child she's carrying a symbol of hope, very much like Punpun's uncle Yuichi meeting Midori.

Once Aiko tumbled back into his life, we all knew where it was heading. That dangerously fatalistic meeting, what the story had been leading to and what we had all been gingerly hoping for. As things spiraled further and further out of control it all comes to an abrupt halt with one of the most horrifyingly still scenes to ever grace the medium. As Punpun hosts Aiko's lifeless body on his back his world doesn't just shatter, it fucking smashes to pieces and any hope of redemption vanishes from the reader and Punpun's minds. After all, "you reap what you sow", right?

But then, "つかまえて". That on Sachi's behalf says so, so much about them and the series as a whole. About her. About him. On the brink of despair, the only person in the world who could have saved him, did. She relentlessly pursued him even though he's a right piece of work. She knows how flakey he is, even saw the blood from Aiko on his futon. Like Midori accepting all of Yuichi and his adulterous, messy ways - she accepts Punpun. And Punpun accepts her. The "君は... あたしだけのもの" serves as a contrast to what he's been calling Aiko up until this point with she being his world, and Punpun's world belonging to her. Sachi snugly fits into the equation with a phrase that's a touch more realistic, a little less lofty than what he had been calling Aiko.