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Atsushi Ohkubo ended his latest manga, Fire Force, back in 2022. But, do you know it’s connected to Ohkubo’s other masterpiece?
Don’t expect a regular fire when these firefighters arrive at a scene. Fire Force or Enen no Shoubotai is a shonen masterpiece by Atsushi Ohkubo. Although it has been two years since the manga’s end in 2022, Fire Force‘s popularity remains hot in the anime and manga community, especially among shonen fans.
The story follows Shinra Kusakabe, who enlists in a special fire force. How are these guys different from regular firefighters? Shinra and the rest of the Fire Force exist to mitigate a strange worldwide phenomenon where people spontaneously combust into flame. But it doesn’t end there; the combustion also turns the person into what they call an infernal, a flaming feral monster.
Fire Force’s plot technically begins hundreds of years before the settings take place. To be precise, it starts when an apocalyptic event called The Great Cataclysm occurred. It caused the earth to burst into flames, obliterated many civilizations, and forever changed the earth’s surface. Although fans often dub the story a slow burn, the Fire Force ending is worth every second of your time. Especially if you are familiar with Atsushi Ohkubo’s other work, Soul Eater.
Fire Force Ending Synopsis
To stop the spontaneous human problem, Shinra and Sho go to a place called Adolla. It is the equivalent of hell in Fire Force world. Adolla was the place to blame for the Great Cataclysm hundreds of years ago. It is connected to all human subconscious and is where despair brews. Any feeling of desperation and fear of death are fuel for Adolla’s flame, which engulfed the earth in the Great Cataclysm, something that Shinra prevents from happening again.
When they enter Adolla, they catch glimpses of what the world used to be and its history of despair, a time before the Great Cataclysm. When the brothers arrive, they are welcomed by Haumea. She possesses the Adolla burst, which makes her the second pillar. She has been in the care of the Evangelist since she was a child, helping her to make a second Great Cataclysm happen.
Shinra and Haumea’s confrontation leads to the world being burned by the Adolla flame. The rage that Shinra displays fuels the Adolla flame just enough for it to emerge and engulf the whole earth. However, in the nick of time, Shinra performs soul resonance and merges with his brother and the embodiment of hope, who appears out of nowhere moments before.
Shinra beats Haumea in the fight and debate of despair and hope. In the end, he uses Haumea’s tears to restore the earth and bring everyone back to life. However, he makes a slight change. The world was full of despair because death was inevitable. To mitigate this, Shinra makes death something that’s less consequential. This set of events becomes the setting for Soul Eater, a world where humans manipulate their soul instead of the flame of Adolla.
Is Fire Force Linked With Soul Eater?
As mentioned before, Fire Force’s mangaka is the same person who wrote Soul Eater. The latter itself was a worldwide hit, especially during the early to mid-2000s. Soul Eater ended in 2015, the year when Kodansha’s Weekly Shonen Magazine started serializing Fire Force. But the connection between the two doesn’t end there.
Back in 2022, fans were pleasantly surprised by the Fire Force ending. Not only because it is a great payoff for the story, but Ohkubo also features two very specific names in the last chapter, Soul and Maka. Ohkubo’s long-time fans know these names like the back of their own hands; these are the protagonists of Soul Eater. It confirmed that, canonically, Shinra’s story is a prequel to Soul Eater.
Not only that, the previous chapters repeatedly feature a lot of Soul Eater Easter eggs. For instance, Shinra’s company is the 8th Company, and 8 is also Death the Kid’s favorite number. In chapter 292, Arthur Boyle’s sword, Excalibur, is affected by Adolla and says the word “Fool,” a word often used by the Excalibur from Soul Eater when he looks down on others.
There are also smaller references, like the Soul Eater moon making its first appearance in chapter 230. However, the reference with the biggest impact is present in the Fire Force ending, when Shinra decides to make a world where they can use Soul as weapons, setting up the future of Soul Eater.
Why the Fire Force Ending is Widely Acclaimed
Making a sequel or prequel for a series is not a task to be underestimated. The previous connected work inadvertently has set a standard for the mangaka or author. On top of that, the narrative aspects also must leave no plot holes, something dedicated fans will always notice.
However, Fire Force’s ending blew manga readers away because of its connection to Soul Eater. The two series are already connected not just by Easter eggs but also by their concept. Shinra and the 8th company aren’t just executioners of Infernals, but they are supposed to rest the souls of those who become Infernals by using their pyrokinetic abilities.
Later in the Fire Force ending, they can no longer summon their power because Shinra wants a world with a new sense of death, something that is less fatal and plays around with souls more. Does it sound familiar? This means what Ohkubo did at the end of Fire Force isn’t merely a crossover, but it is a testament to his worldbuilding.
Is There Room For a Spin-Off or a Sequel?
あつし屋でウンコちゃんコト裏那圭の新連載が始まったぞ！子供の頃にソウルイーター大好だった子です！大久保を超えた俺の正当後継者だ！と恩着せがましく本人に言ってるので僕の漫画が好きなら絶対好きなはず！是非みて！ガチでかっこいいから！僕なんてもう完敗ですよ！ガチアクタ！よろしく！ https://t.co/s1oG7ai9g9
— 大久保篤/Atsushi Ohkubo (@Atsushi_Ohkubo) February 16, 2022
A week before Fire Force ended, a new manga called Gachiakuta began its serialization. The author of this manga, Kei Urana, was Ohkubo’s assistant when Fire Force was still ongoing. The manga is rumored to be inspired by Ohkubo’s work since Urana is also a Soul Eater fan. The latest news reports indicate that Gachiakuta is set to get its anime adaptation in 2025.
It was hard to imagine a continuation for Fire Force or the whole of Ohkubo’s worlds. The mangaka considered retiring after Fire Force ended in 2022. He has been working in the industry for more than two decades, with Soul Eater itself retaining its popularity for the entire time.
Fire Force brings a more new-gen feel to Ohkubo’s imagination. Fans can still see the same sense of humor, eccentric personalities, and absurdity in this manga. If anything, the manga ignited a new flame of popularity for Soul Eater. The two manga received positive responses from fans and consequentially got their anime adaptation, leading more people to Ohkubo’s creative stories.
Conclusion
Atsushi Ohkubo’s Fire Force showcases his trademark storytelling, humor, and creativity. The way he ends this series not only displays his talent as a mangaka but also his love for his previous work, Soul Eater.
A sequel or prequel doesn’t always shine as brightly as the original title. However, Ohkubo managed to keep his signature style throughout the manga without leaving behind the quality of the story. While the mangaka said his intention to retire after Fire Force ended, his works certainly inspired others to step onto the same path.
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