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Fans of both Fire Force and Soul Eater have speculated for a long time that the two manga series were linked while the former was still running.
Fire Force, which came out in 2015, is the story of Shinra Kusakabe and a group of pyrokinetic firefighters who can fight fires and manipulate fire. On the other hand, Soul Eater debuted in 2004 and is set in an academy where a Shinigami trains humans to become wielders and weapon meisters.
While the two series bear many visual resemblances, it has been confirmed by author Atsushi Ohkubo that Soul Eater is the sequel to Fire Force. As such, this article will discuss some of the key points that show the relationship between the two popular anime and manga series.
Disclaimer: This article contains spoilers from the Fire Force manga.
Easter eggs, cameos, and the relationship between Fire Force and Soul Eater explained
There have been nods to the earlier series
Fire Force has made several references throughout its run that have led readers to speculate on a possible continuity between the two manga. One of the most obvious points of reference is the depiction of the moon, which looked exactly like something out of Soul Eater.
Several other similarities bear a connection between the two animes. Some more common examples of this include Shinra's childhood t-shirt bearing the Soul Eater logo, Akitaru's mask resembling Eibon's visor mask, Rekka Hoshimiya's star-like pupils bearing a resemblance to those of House Hoshi members, and many more.
The author confirmed the link
It is not uncommon for authors to reference past works in the manga universe. Moreover, Soul Eater manga did reference author Atsushi Ohkubo's first serial work, B. Ichi.
This gave more reason for fans to continue speculating about whether or not Fire Force was linked to Soul Eater. Thankfully, in the final chapter of Fire Force, the author officially confirmed that the series is a prequel to Soul Eater.
Fans were overjoyed with the ending of Fire Force, where they got to see Maka, Soul, Death the Kid, and Black Star on the final pages as a bonus. All of these characters are from Soul Eater, though they are younger here. Excalibur, the sentient legendary sword, also made an appearance.
Are the two series set in the same world?
To put it simply, the answer is no. While the two series are linked, they take place in different worlds.
Shinra Kusakabe was an Old World human responsible for creating the New World via the Adolla Burst. Soul Eater was based in this New World. For a long time, it was thought that the New World began with the emergence of Death, but Fire Force proved it otherwise.
In fact, the skeletal figure of Death was created when Shinra reinvented the world as a place where death is valued more than life. He thought Death should be the god of the new world because he was tangible, would help those in need, and be worthy of worship. Death's first measure was to seize humans' pyrokinetic powers, believing them to be far too powerful.
Additionally, it is said that Shinra was the one who created Soul Resonance, a technique performed by a meister and a demon weapon in Soul Eater.
Fire Force has one of the most satisfying manga endings, as everything was perfectly resolved within the specific timeline. Moreover, the series aptly established the introduction of the New World, increasing the possibilities for the sequel to develop new stories and characters. This is why Fire Force serving as the prequel to Soul Eater makes sense.
