since i was born, i started to decay;

both are child soldiers with extreme lack of empathy. both are overpowered due to mysterious contract... or alliance, in yoshida's case. both's "last words" involved confessions to denji regarding school ("denji, the truth is... i've never gone to school either" and "thanks, denji. i had tons of fun going to school with you"). both have dead expressions, involving soulless eyes and creepy fake smiles. both have purple hair. both despised and feared makima. both enjoy coffee and cafe dates. both died after letting themselves hope of having a normal life with the one they grew to love, denji. similarly, both deaths can be blamed on their love for denji as well. they're both pawns of the public safety. both try to enforce and push denji into living the life of a normal teenager, outright shaming his past and manipulating him into ignoring his devil side, even though they never experienced a normal life themselves. both left the story with many unsolved mysteries and questions left behind about their past.

and the saddest of all similarities: for the time period they shared with denji, they both let themselves be fooled by their own facade, pretending their act was real life. neither had ever experienced happiness and affection before, and for a little while, they let themselves believe that whatever character they were playing could genuinely be THEM one day. hanging out with denji in cafes after school seemed so real and grounding, they forgot it was just a fantasy. once they are reminded of their true mission (to kill chainsaw man, to be a switch for chainsaw man) they remember how worthless they are, how unrealistic their happiness is, unattainable. they spend their last moments so close to their loved one, yet due to their avoidant nature, they feel so far away. and once theyre gone, you still can't wrap your head around wether their feelings for denji were real or not. denji definitely saw reze in yoshida, further deepening his grief after his death.

yoshida and reze are, in my opinion, perhaps the most tragic love interests in all of manga history. two children who will never get what they deserve, and died because they let themselves dream too much. fujimoto when i fucking get you