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The Afterlife or the Underworld is the dimension or plain of existence where all living beings, plants, and animals go after their death, and is also where the higher deities of the universe reside. Though it has yet to be seen officially in the manga series itself, it has been mentioned and referenced several times by various characters, most notably Lala whenever she slips into Chuunibyou.
History[]
There is no real solid information about the history of the afterlife in the manga series, but it can be assumed that it has existed since the beginning of life itself. Throughout history and time, there have been hundreds of concepts or ideas about the afterlife that have emerged independently in different cultures around the world with all of them presumably having at least some truth to them.
Although there are some Liminal species such as Dullahans or Grim Reapers that have a connection to the afterlife and some of them are also inhabitants of it, it is not known whether they are originated in this plane of existence or rather have their origins in the world of the living.
Description, Society and Culture[]
Since the afterlife has not yet appeared physically in the manga series, no description can be given. The only part that was seen is the Sanzu River, which takes on the role of a "boundary" between life and death.
Psychopomps[]
A psychopomp (Greek for "conveyors of the soul") is an occupation that certain Pseudohuman Races like Dullahans or Grim Reapers possess which consists of escorting recently deceased souls to the afterlife.
In myths, the role of a psychopomps is generally not to judge the deceased, but simply to guide them, although Lala did exercise a sort of judicial role over Wladislaus in Chapter 51 when she severed his connection to the living world through an exorcism with her scythe while, in a rather cold tone, she said to him that those who are already dead don't have the right to obstruct the path of the living. However, this was probably a special case due to the fact that Wladislaus had not only appeared as a ghost in the world of the living but also because he had taken control of Curie to commit murders, which is something that is forbidden for ghosts. It is also likely that it is part of the psychopomps' duties in the Monster Musume manga series to prevent malevolent ghosts from harming the living.
Inhabitants[]
The following list includes only characters who were known to be in the afterlife at some point during the series. Naturally, it can be assumed that any mortal in the Monster Musume universe will eventually become a resident.
Current Inhabitants[]
Liminal Species[]
Spirits/Souls[]
Former Inhabitants[]
Locations[]
Ways to Access the Afterlife[]
For most living beings, there is really only one way to enter the afterlife and that is their death. As Lala explains, when a living being dies, only its body dies, but its soul is immortal and goes to the afterlife after its death. Apart from that, Dullahans and other psychopomps like Grim Reapers can walk between the worlds as "Heralds of Death" and enter and leave the afterlife at any time of their own free will.[2]
Ways to Leave the Afterlife[]
Usually the death is final, but many times throughout the series, Kimihito has shown the unusual strength of facing death, despite the numerous near-death experiences he had. As Lala explains that strength is based on his will to be there for his homestay girls and other people who are important to him, not on fear of his own death.[1]
Apart from that, there is also the possibility for a living being to return as a Ghost in order to come into contact with the living, which is independent of whether they were humans or Liminals during their lifetime. However, the exact possibility with which one can become a ghost is unknown and it seems to be a very rare event anyway, presumably because most people accept their death and therefore do not want to return to the world of the living.
Wladislaus Drakulya appeared as a ghost after his death and took control of his daughter in order to use her as a means for his own ends. However, according to Lala, the dead have no right to do violence to the living, so she used her power as a Dullahan and her scythe to sever Wladislaus' connection to Curie, thereby also severing his connection with the living world.[3]
It's not known whether animals can also return as ghosts but if it is possible, this probably happens more rarely than with humans and liminals, as many animals don't have a higher level of consciousness and therefore do not have the will to return to the world of the living. Alternatively, it might also be possible that animals could appear in the world of the living as ghosts due to the willpower of a ghost of a human or Liminal with whom they had a close or significant connection during their lifetime.
Trivia[]
- As Lala reveals in Monster Musume: Monster Girls on the Job! it's impossible to sleep in the afterlife. This makes sense since most residents of the afterlife are dead and therefore no longer need or feel the desire for sleep.[4]
- In the same conversation, Lala refers to the area around the Sanzu River as 'a land of spirits', which could imply that the afterlife is a plain of existence that is divided into several lands, possibly based on the numerous different concepts of the afterlife that exist in various cultures.[4]
- Whenever Kimihito wakes up from a near-death experience, he cannot remember his afterlife experiences, which is why he hasn't been able to tell anyone about them until now. However, as long as he is in the afterlife, he can remember all his previous near-death experiences, which implies that these memories are somehow blocked as long as he is in the world of the living, possibly based on the concept thatthe knowledge about the afterlife is something that should be withheld from the living.[2]
- It is not exactly known whether plants in the Monster Musume manga series also go to the afterlife after their death, but it seems very likely given the fact that there is a flower meadow and trees at the Sanzu River.[1]
- Zombies and their subspecies are considered a bit of an oddity in the afterlife as while they are indeed undead, they seemingly have no real connection to the afterlife as they are neither inhabitants of it nor can they freely travel between worlds. It seems that during their transformation by the Zombie Virus, although their bodies physically die, their souls remain within the body, so they probably can only pass into the afterlife once their bodies have completely decomposed or been destroyed so that they 'die' a second time.
References[]
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 Chapter 30
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 Chapter 38
- ↑ Chapter 51
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 Monster Musume: Monster Girls on the Job!, Chapter 5: Nurse