Momoafan

Spoiler alert!!!!!!

Humanism is a philosophical movement that studies human beings and their concerns. Humanistic psychology emerged after World War II in the United States; against this backdrop of war, dehumanization, and trauma, the humanistic movement seeks to adopt a positive approach. Some characteristics of humanistic psychology include self-actualization, freedom and responsibility, and the search for meaning. Within humanistic theory, there is a pyramid that every person must follow in order to achieve happiness.

The past of Enjin.

From what we know about Enjin's past (according to the manga), he was an orphan who lived in an orphanage that later became a slave market, from which he escaped and was saved by Alto, the father of Rudo.

Even looking back at Enjin past, we begin to notice similarities with humanism, since both emerged in dehumanizing times and environments where conditions were harsh and survival was difficult.

We also noticed that Enjin found his purpose thanks to Alto (to save children who were in the same situation as he was). We can see his purpose manifested through Umbreaker; umbrellas are usually associated with protection and shelter.

After joining the Cleaners, he picks up Riyo and Zanka, before the main plot begins. After the events of the first episode of Gachiakuta, we also see that Enjin is taking care of Rudo. We can see that, thanks to Enjin’s care and that of the Cleaners, Rudo begins to meet his basic needs according to Maslow’s hierarchy.

Thanks to Enjin, Rudo has found a warm home where he has finally been able to make friends and fit in socially. He feels safe and has learned to trust others.All of this happened after he lost the only person who truly cared about him (Regto).

Umbreaker

As I mentioned in my analysis of Zanka, vital instruments are extensions of the soul, thoughts, feelings, and the unconscious.Umbreaker represents Enjin’s desire to protect and provide refuge for defenseless people (usually children and teenagers).

While writing this, I also realized that the name “Enjin” (engine) could also refer to Gestalt psychology, a school of thought that holds that we perceive the world as a unified whole, rather than as the sum of isolated parts. 

This is an analysis explaining how the character Zanka from Gachiakuta embodies Alfred Adler’s theory of individual psychology. It also explores how Lovely Assistaff reflects Zanka’s emotional and mental state. Individual psychology is a theory that explains that people are motivated by social connection and the desire to overcome feelings of inferiority. According to Adler, all people are born with feelings of inferiority, but thanks to these feelings, individuals feel the need to grow, feel, act, and think in order to demonstrate superiority. If children grow up in neglectful environments marked by abuse, constant humiliation, criticism, comparisons, etc., and if caregivers fail to meet their children’s needs or reinforce their feelings of inferiority, an inferiority complex develops in the child. In Adler’s theory, there is a concept called compensation, which is a mechanism whereby the individual develops skills to overcome their weaknesses and gain self-confidence. Overcompensation is a defense mechanism in which a person exaggerates a particular ability, skill, or behavior to hide a limitation that makes them feel inferior, often creating a superiority complex as a result.

Well, after briefly (very briefly) explaining what individual psychology is, I’m going to start comparing it to Zanka. As we know, Zanka was born into a noble and prestigious family. Zanka’s family are guardians of hell, and they expect him to become one just like his older silbings did. We can see that his family environment is full of expectations and pressure that weigh heavily on his shoulders.

Zanka firmly believes that there are geniuses and mediocrities. In episode 17, we see that he considered himself a genius until Hyo appeared, and Zanka realized he could never be a genius (someone with natural talent). Zanka keeps trying to outdo Hyo until the day comes when they must choose a weapon. Eager to stand out among his peers, Zanka chooses a simple stick, believing it to be a powerful weapon. His classmates are surprised, as is his teacher, who tells him that the stick was placed there by mistake. This shatters his self-esteem, and he attempts suicide by locking himself in a well, refusing to eat or drink for three days. After meeting Enjin, he joins the Cleaners, and here we see how he tries to compensate for his inferiority complex by improving as a Cleaner, training to become stronger with his life object, the Lovely Assistaff. Symptoms of an inferiority complex exhibited by Zanka -Low self-esteem -Perfectionism (the desire to be stronger) -Negative self-perception -Constant comparison with others

-Need for external approval.

Lovely assitaff

Now let’s talk about the beautiful Lovely Assistaff.

Lovely Assistaff 

Jinkis, or vital instruments, are physical manifestations of their user’s thoughts, feelings, and unconscious mind, reflected in an inanimate object.Lovely Assistaff embodies Zanka’s negative thoughts about himself and his desire to be a special person. Lovely Assistaff’s ability to sense vibrations in the ground reflects how Zanka is always on high alert and his obsession with the idea that someone is better than him.We know that Lovely Assistaff has not yet reached its full potential; this may be because Zanka is not honest with himself and suppresses his negative emotions. My theory is that Zanka's name will be engraved on “lovely assistaff” once Zanka truly accepts his “mediocrity” and resolves his family issues with his siblings.