Sakamoto Days: Does Tunnel Effect make sense in chapter 216?

Sakamoto Days is a new-gen animanga series known for its over-the-top action, wild plot twists, and absurd comedy. But just when everyone was accustomed to its way of storytelling, the release of Chapter 216 pushed every boundary. The level of absurdity has reached a peak, with even fans genuinely questioning whether the series has crossed over into full parody.

A sudden life-saving maneuver called the Tunnel Effect not only saved Shin from a fatal blow but also turned the entire Sakamoto Days manga into a living meme. While this effect was used to save one of the main cast from certain death and was indeed a bold choice that might look like a last-minute example of anime plot armor, it somehow does make sense.

However, before we talk about the effect in depth or why it makes sense, it is important to know what happened in the story that led to this buildup. In Chapter 215, Kei Uzuki delivers a clean and brutal slash to Shin’s neck, seemingly spelling doom for one of the story’s central characters. But instead of dying, Shin survives, and this is not because of any other character intervening or the power of friendship.

He is able to evade death because Atari uses the Tunnel Effect, combined with her last bit of supernatural luck, to essentially phase the sword through Shin’s neck without harming him. Interestingly, the creator cleverly uses this device and one thing is for sure: this concept isn’t entirely fictional.

In simple terms, the Tunnel Effect is also called quantum tunneling. It is a strange but real concept in science where tiny particles can pass through barriers that should normally block them. According to the regular rules of physics, this shouldn’t happen.

But in quantum mechanics (which studies how the smallest things in the universe behave), particles don’t always follow fixed rules. Instead, they act more like probabilities as there’s always a tiny chance they might do something unexpected.

So even if a particle doesn’t have enough energy to break through a wall, there’s a small chance it can still appear on the other side, as if it tunneled through. This weird trick actually helps stars burn and powers some electronic devices like tunnel diodes.

Now, using this theory sounds like a smart move, as the manga embraces its fictional nature while drawing from actual physics to deliver a plot twist that’s both outrageous and intellectually engaging. This might be one of the most fascinating instances of plausible absurdity in manga history.

Anime and manga often borrow from scientific and mathematical theories, just like Sakamoto Days did here

While Sakamoto Days manga has used an absurd theory as a reason to save a character from imminent death, this is not the first time that the world of animanga has leaned into using real-world scientific or mathematical principles to justify fictional abilities.

One of the best-known examples is Gojo’s “Infinity” technique in Jujutsu Kaisen, which relies heavily on the concept of Zeno’s paradox. While Zeno’s paradox is a thought experiment rather than a physical reality, Jujutsu Kaisen translates it into a nearly unbeatable defensive ability. The result is both compelling and (relatively) grounded in math.

And this is one such example. There are other series like Dr.Stone, Steins Gate, and more that have used some or the other theories. This is done not only to make the plot sound fancier but to actually educate the viewers. Fans who had never heard of things like quantum tunneling or Zeno’s paradox suddenly find themselves looking up these concepts out of curiosity.

Trending

Final thoughts

The concept of the Tunnel Effect in Sakamoto Days Chapter 216 walks the tightrope between genius and absurdity. It’s easy to laugh at. It’s even easier to criticize. But it’s also smart. It’s backed by real science. It follows internal logic. And most importantly, it’s fun. Finally, even though the memes are making fun of this series, the fact that they're still talking about it proves this move did what it was meant to do: make Sakamoto Days unforgettable.

×

Was this article helpful?

Thank You for feedback