Jinmen

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“	Is that so! You do hate me! Hate! I relish it so!! It is the pride of demons to be hated!! The stronger demons are the more they are hated!	„
	~ Jinmen to Akira Fudo.

“	Humans are my nourishment. For a demon it is not a crime to eat living beings. However, to humans killing other living beings is a sin, isn't it? That's why I... Ate them without killing them!... Kah Kah Kah Kah! Without killing them, without killing them... I ate. Don't you think they're happy to have been eaten by me?!!!	„
	~ Jinmen provoking Akira Fudo.

Jinmen is an antagonist who appears in Devilman. He is a large turtle demon who eats human beings and has their faces appear on the back of his shell, writhing in pain as part of Jinmen's sadistic form of pleasure. Although weaker then most other major enemies, Jinmen proved very difficult to fight as Devilman would have to kill all the humans that had been attached to the turtle's shell.

Personality

Jinmen is arguably one of the most depraved, repulsive and perverse villains in Devilman. He is a complete sadist, who revels in the suffering of human beings and enjoys tormenting them psychologically, as evidenced by his macabre habit of keeping their still-living faces on the back of his shell after eating them. Jinmen would compare the faces growing off of his back to the tattoos which human beings paint on their bodies and happily flaunts them in front of his adversaries. This was part of Jinmen's scare tactic. By having his enemy cowar in fear at the sight of his kills, or in the case of Akira Fudo cause reluctance in fighting Jinmen out of concern towards the several humans attached to the demon turtles body.

In a radical contrast to other demons in the series, such as Sirene, the Demon Bird, and Kaim, both of whoom displayed human traits and qualities despite being demons, Jinmen is shown to have a iniquitous and savage side of demons and no redeeming qualities. In fact, Jinmen considers his actions of keeping his prey alive, as part of his body, as being a form of "kindness". By his logic it is a sin to kill and immediately after eat prey, so instead Jinmen opts to devour his prey while they are still alive.

History

Devilman

Jinmen appears during the manga's third volume. He and the demoness Aleda lure in a huge group of people, including Akira's friend, Sachiko, into a train and drives inside a giant demon's mouth. Jinmen possesses the train's conductor, while Aleda wears an overcoat to hide her demonic body. Inside the demon's body the two ambush the civilians and eat them alive. Sachiko and the several other passengers who are devoured by Jinmen have their faces grown on the back of Jinmen's shell. Later that evening, Jinmen calls Akira on the phone and reveals to him that he is holding Sachiko hostage. In response, Akira Fudo confronts Jinmen at a playground that very night. Sachiko tries warning Akira to back away from the fight while he still could, telling him that she has already died. Akira is horrified by Jinmen's shell as it contains every soul of the innocent people he's eaten and is even more horrified and angered after seeing Sachiko's face at the back of his shell. Blinded by anger, Akira transforms into Devilman and attacks.

Devilman tries to battle Jinmen but is hesitant to kill him because he doesn't want the people at the back of Jinmen's shell to die. His first strike against the demon causes Devilman to murder one of the faces and wounds several others. Jinmen then flies towards Akira in an attempt to crush him. Sachiko tells Akira not to worry about her dying, so he can focus on killing Jinmen. Now without any hesitation left in him, Akira punches Jinmen in the back of his shell, causing Sachiko to die, which angers Akira to the point of him tearing off the demon's shell, thus killing Jinmen instantly.

Alternate Versions

As one of Devilman's most outrageous enemies, Jinmen has been incorporated in several other media based on the original manga.

Shin Violence Jack

After being killed in the original Devilman manga, he is revived in Shin Violence Jack, as he possesses a soldier and adopts a pole as his weapon.

Devilman OVAs

These OVAs from 1988-1990 adapt the events of the first two volumes of the first manga, but with a few minor changes added.

The Birth

A group of researchers are exploring the ice caves of the Himalayas, when they come across several demons. Among these explorers are Akira's mother and father. Jinmen makes a brief appearance as a shadowy figure which ambushes and devours some of the scientists.

The Demon Bird

Jinmen makes a full appearance during the first quarter of this OVA. His battle with Akira takes place, contrary to the manga, before Akira's fight with Sirene. After the events of the last OVA, Akira has become Devilman and fights demons to secure humanity's future. At this time, Jinmen has fused Akira's mother to his shell and uses her as bait to lure Akira into a trap. Jinmen fights Devilman inside an abandoned, and partially flooded, subway station. The demon turtle has the upperhand, with Devilman refusing to hit him out of fear of loosing his mother. Jinmen attacks him instead, mainly by propelling himself at the devilman at high speeds. Jinemn also stretches his arms and burns of Devilman's skin with his fiery touch. However, Akira's mother insisits that her son kill the demon by killing her as well, asking him to perform a mercy kill for every sould attached to the monster. Although initially reluctant Akira has no other option but to plunge his hand through his mother's face and crush Jinmen's internal organs. Akira laments over his mother's grusome death, his tears falling over her face which remains attached to the demon's shell.

Devilman Grimoire

In this incarnation, Jinmen is and independent agent of Lord Zennon's demon armies. He acts as a serial killer named Mr. Death-Mask, devouring helpless humans and demons. This version is drawn in a much more draconian style, with a more pronounced beak and aquatic membranes around his fingers. He is also shown to be a provocative and lecherous necrophile in Devilman Grimoire, where he has sex with Illuge's lower torso after eating her upper half.

Cyborg 009 vs Devilman

In this OVA series, Jinmen's role and battle against Devilman is identical to the events of seen in the original manga. As part of the first episode's prologue, Jinmen vs Devilman takes place at the same time as Apollo's fight against the Cyborg 009. The only noticeable difference is the fact that Jinmen's is skin is now colored red instead of green. This is also the only other time, aside from the manga and Grimoire, in which Sachiko is eaten by Jinmen.

Powers and Abilities

Like all demons in the Devilman series, Jinmen possesses the power of merging his body with animals, plants and inanimate objects in order to gain their characteristics. He can even take possession of human beings, but only those who have abandoned all forms of rational though and act solely on instinct. Jinmen uses this merging ability while devouring human beings. By eating live humans, Jinmen can grow their heads on the surface of his back shell. The human beings are kept alive and perfectly aware of their surroundings, but unable to oppose him and constantly feel dread as a result. In addition to these abilities, Jinmen can eject flames from his shell (his hind legs) giving him the ability to fly.

During his time in Hell, Jinmen could detach the human souls off of his shell and have them fight for him. Even after being "killed" Jinmen would simply be reduced into a small turtle that would grow back to normal size after having devoured enough souls.

In the OVA Devilman: The Demon Bird, Jinmen has the ability to extend his neck, arms and legs longer and he has very strong strength. He also has the ability to make the palms of his hands incredibly hot and often uses them to burn and harm people, plus he can fold his arms and legs in.

Cast

Japanese
Takeshi Aono (OVA) Hiroshi Naka (PS1) Houchu Ohtsuka (Cyborg 009 Vs. Devilman) Akio Hirose (Devilman: Crybaby)
English
David Collins (OVA) Jamieson Price (Cyborg 009 Vs. Devilman)

Villains Wiki

Jinmen

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