Nightmare Fuel: Some boss designs have been pointed out as disturbing and creepy by many reviewers.
Tear Jerker: This game was dedicated to the children of Japan who did not survive an earthquake on the day the game was being made.
The Manga
Anti-Climax Boss: Kanehira gets killed both very easily and quickly by Takeo. This was possibly intentional on the writer's part to show that beneath his power and influence, Kanehira is just a weak, puny individual.
Catharsis Factor: In general, seeing Takeo killing all of Kanehira's cronies in brutal ways are very satisfying to watch. But a few specific examples stand out.
After seeing Kawashima abuse and torture Takeo and Mudo as kids, including the other children, watching Mudo repeatedly stomp his face until it's red mush is pretty goddamn fulfilling.
After ruining Takeo's life and other people's lives, seeing Kanehira finally get his comeuppance is also very satisfying.
Aiichiro Kanehira is the repulsive, greedy founder and leader of the Nirvana Church of Creation, a Corrupt Church which exists solely for his benefit; Kanehira doesn't even believe in the tenants of the Church. His followers go into debt to give money to the Church, some even committing suicide; Kanehira doesn't care. While not killing anybody himself, Kanehira has his Church Police kill at least dozens, possibly hundreds of not more of enemies. He also has an orphanage where children are abused, raped, and generally treated horribly. He also allows, if not orders, horrendous medical experiments, and organ trafficking, including some of the children. Finally, Kanehira takes advantage of his followers; in one instance, he took sexual advantage of the mother of hero Kikuchi Takeo, then just cast her aside like a piece of garbage. This resulted in her killing herself and trying to kill Takeo as well; this in turn motivated Takeo, a former elite member of the security unit, to take down the Church. While Kanehira at various points seems to care about his followers or his daughter, at the end, Kanehira Aiichiro is shown to care about nobody but himself.
Kawashima Junta is the chief prison guard of the sanatorium where Takeo is sent after killing a corrupt police officer. Previously, he was in charge of Kanehira's orphanage, where he beat and abused the children, including them making them drink from bowls like dogs. He also raped-—possibly more than once-—Takeo's friend Mudo. In the sanatorium, Kawashima hosts the Rumble Fish, where he would pit prisoners against each other; the fight could only be stopped by Kawashima, who loved seeing them kill each other. When a prisoner calls Kawashima a "maniac", Kawashima responds by shoving a pencil through said prisoner's mouth and nose. Finally, Kawashima took part in the organ trafficking, both at the orphanage and at the sanatorium.
Professor Koganei works at the sanatorium, and is responsible for the organ trafficking and medical experiments. He works with medical companies, and uses the prisoners as guinea pigs for testing new drugs. He doesn't even believe in God, but is a member of the Nirvana Church of Creation, as they allow him to conduct any type of experiment, legal or not. He considers taking the prisoners' organs "recycling of trash". He had the sanatorium's actual warden locked up and drugged for a few years. Finally, there are the "zombies", humanoid abominations trapped in an And I Must Scream state.
Nausea Fuel: The violence is extremely graphic and will likely turn your stomach.
Unintentionally Unsympathetic: Takeo's mother. We're supposed to feel sorry for her because she was brainwashed by Kanehira into becoming a mentally unstable religious fanatic. However the way she abuses Takeo and his brother and murders their dog kills off any sympathy for her, and when she finally commits suicide, she comes off as an Asshole Victim rather than the Jerkass Woobie she's intended to be.
