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Akuma (悪魔): what it means in anime
悪魔
あくま · akuma · devil; demon; fiend JLPT N3
Akuma means "devil" or "demon". Chainsaw Man's monsters are 悪魔, and the word combines 悪 (evil) with 魔 (the same character as in magic and demon king).
Where you hear it 2 of 42 series
Lines from the Japanese subtitles of episodes 1–3 of each show. A translation is shown only when it clearly matches the line; counts are subtitle lines containing the word.
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Chainsaw Man · 78 lines in episodes 1–3 · this one from episode 1
かめ! 悪魔は 血ぃ飲めばI've heard that devils can heal by drinking blood.
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One Piece · 7 lines in episodes 1–3 · this one from episode 1
お前 悪魔の実を食べたんだね
Usage and nuance
Japanese has several demon words. 悪魔 is the Western-style devil, 鬼 (oni) is the Japanese ogre of folklore, and 魔物 (mamono) is a generic monster. Chainsaw Man chooses 悪魔 and makes each one the devil of a fear.
In One Piece, 悪魔の実 (akuma no mi) is the devil fruit that grants powers. As an insult, 悪魔 is what a character calls someone truly cruel.
The adjective 悪魔的 (akumateki) means "devilish", and 悪魔と契約する, "to make a contract with a devil", is a plot device in several series.
Hear 悪魔 in Chainsaw Man78 lines in episodes 1–3 · tappable subtitles · free, no account