LogFAQs > #888588854

The last two episodes are pretty crazy. Let me see what I can do (or at least my take)

-Maniwa became completely obsessed with the case, effectively losing half of his mind. However, that partial insanity helped him endure the paranoia and escapism that plagued everyone else.
-After it was over, the strain on his mind was too much. Remember how he was the one who started piecing together the original old mans clues? Now thats his role; and his final lecture as well as the cartoon cat in the epilogue imply that this will eventually happen again barring a major societal shift.
-Lil Slugger feeds off paranoia and guilt, but his real essence is despair (contrasted with Maromis artificial hope/comfort) and a desire to escape the despair through any means necessary. Thats why he comes for the ghosts; thats also why they terrify him.
-Given how people are becoming more unhinged in the second half of the show and how Lil Slugger/Maromi is starting to warp reality (e.g. the cardboard world), its unclear how much with the dolls and otaku is real versus hallucinated. Of course, for Maniwas purposes, those are effectively the same thing.

Also, The Chief Returns is one of my favorite anime moments ever.
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