The Book of Eibon (エイボンの書, Eibon no Sho), also called "Eibon's Demon Book", is a powerful demon book that runs on magic[3] that was created by the sorcerer, Eibon. According to one of its former owners, the Book of Eibon is one of the two items that form the "sum of Eibon's wisdom".[4]
Externally, the Book of Eibon's composition doesn't differ much from the traditional construction or representation of a typical hardback, in that the entirety of its contents are bound within the confines of a rigid cover, embellished with various "S"-shaped designs. However, befitting the true intentions behind the book's existence, this basic facade belies the extent of the genius of its original creator, who managed to confine an entirely separate dimension within the grimoire's pages; successfully deceiving all observers to what exactly resides in the depths beyond the physical materials that form its exterior.[5]
Contents[]
Blueprints[]
The Book of Eibon contains information regarding the necessary requirements and processes involved in the creation of various Demon Tools original devised by Eibon himself. Perhaps unsurprisingly, many of the pages that act as blueprints of the Demon Tools seem to have been taken from the book and scattered throughout the entirety of the world; such extracts are often referred to as "fragments".[6]
Moral Manipulation Machine Blueprints: One of the pages of Eibon's Book holds the blueprint for the creation of this insidious machine, which brings down the morals of any victim subject to its tortures, helping to incite the first indications of madness. The blueprint was taken by Arachnophobia and eventually used to construct the actual machine. However, the blueprint was eventually taken by Sid during a mission.[6]
Demon Weapons Blueprints: The Book of Eibon also contains information on the blueprints of the creation of the Demon Weapons. While formerly being within the book,[7] most of it was seemingly taken out of the Book of Eibon by some of Arachne's minions.[8]
"BREW": "BREW" was known to be the masterpiece of Eibon's created works, being the most powerful Demon Tool he's ever created, and was stated by Arachne Gorgon that one may say it is Eibon in essence.[9] The Demon Tool was later collected into the Book of Eibon and has since been within the Demon Book itself.[10]
Demon Tool Paper: A special Demon Tool which teleports the users from their current location back to the nearest vicinity of the Book of Eibon itself.[11]
Within the Book of Eibon lies various creatures captured by Noah (Greed) and Noah (Wrath).[12] While some are captured to fight in place of the Sorcerers in battle, the Idol of Greed has also captured various creatures for the sake of collecting the most interesting of creatures.
The Book of Eibon also contains numerous artifacts inside of its pages, some of historical relevance and some whose large size make them helpful barriers in combat.[13]
If Calculation Spells are used correctly, a portal can be created that allows people to physically enter the world inside the book. Demons, or any beings that have been collected by the book, are sent into this world. The world inside the Book of Eibon is inhabited by the creatures that the book had collected along with The Table of Contents that acts as a guide and supervisor to anyone who enters the book. The Table of Contents also is able to manipulate the abstruse letters and markings of the Book of Eibon to re-form into portals, allowing passage between the chapters.[14]
The Seven Chapters[]
The book is split into seven chapters, each one representing one of the Seven Deadly Sins. The Table of Contents states that at the very end of these chapters lie the onset of Madness. If one wants to reach the end, they must each briefly struggle with all the Seven Deadly Sins in each chapter.[15] If one wastes too much of their time in any one chapter, their souls drawn in by one of the sins and then become part of the book.[15]
This section of the Book of Eibon acts as an introduction to the seven chapters. There does not seem to be much physical matter in this world, as it is composed of long lines of symbols snaking through a field of white. In this prologue, anyone who enters the book is met by The Table of Contents, who guide visitors throughout the book.
In this chapter, the people who enter it undergo a drastic transformation as their genders are switched, with each person appearing as a manifestation of everything they find appealing in the opposite sex. The chapter is also inhabited by creatures such as the Succubus that try to seduce people in order to steal their souls. Additionally, the gender change in the individuals is actually carried on even if they have left the chapter. Upon leaving the chapter of Lust, they slowly start to change back to their original gender, but the speed of their transformation depends on their sexual desire. The stronger the sexual desire, the longer it takes to change back.
The world inside the chapter of Lust is made up of a large platform surrounded by large curtains, although they branch out, intertwined like branches of trees. Outside the platform, some ruins can be seen against a cloudy daytime sky.
Unsurprisingly, the chapter of Gluttony is a world filled with an endless mountain of restaurants and food, intending to attract any hapless passerby with their irresistible smell and taste. It also seems to be inhabited by creatures who are actually edible, such as a giant pig (although it will try to eat people as well). As the location is full of restaurants, good luck cat statues also appear in this chapter.
The Chapter of Envy differs from the previous two chapters; whereas in Lust and Gluttony all individuals experience the sin together as a group, in Envy, each person is separated into their own world that is manifested out of their envy. For example, Maka Albarn confronts classmates at the Death Weapon Meister Academy who consider her unsuited to be Soul Eater's meister, Soul's admirer in particular, while Soul Eater faced a manifestation of his brother, Wes, who asked whether Soul was running away from family pressure.
The inhabitants of this chapter wear faces with crooked, vaguely hairlip-like grins and beady white eyes. They mock and belittle the one who enters this chapter.
Chapter 4: Wrath[]
1/2
The world in this chapter has a volcanic setting littered with old ruins and clouds of ash overhead. The red color of the molten lava that flows in this chapter stimulates the anger of those who enter, making even notably calm people irritable. The annoying Holy Sword Excalibur is contained in this chapter, possibly as a hostage, making the experience all the more excruciating.
Chapter 5: Pride[]
1/1
This chapter features an elaborate palace of Arabian or Indian design, looking a lot like the Taj Mahal. The atmosphere is much more peaceful than the chapter Wrath, which helps to soothe the anger of anyone who enters this chapter from the preceding one. However, Excalibur does end up following, and offers his power to allow those journeying through the book to skip to the end, something they contemplate with their inflated pride.
Chapter 6: Sloth[]
1/2
Countless beds and chairs logically make up this chapter, tempting those who enter it not only to sit and rest, but also to stymie their ambitions. The panels of the manga itself are much scarcer and disperse, each literal manga page containing no more than three panels in blank white space at a time, with some of the borders appearing torn. There is also no border around the box introducing the title of the chapter, the letters of the title appearing unkempt and each letter varying in size, suggesting the illustrator's own laziness.
Chapter 7: Greed[]
Greed Chapter
In the Greed Chapter, coins and paper money rain, stacking up into piles among countless mounds of treasures and giant Maneki Neko statues.
The Greed Chapter is the last chapter of the Book of Eibon, where the Great Old One of Power opens a portal to allow Black☆Star to meet with Death the Kid, influenced by madness and desiring to battle the assassin.
It is also in this chapter that visitors feel the influence of their greedy desires, but not necessarily giving into that greed. For example, whereas Black☆Star announces that he desires power, Liz Thompson realizes that she no longer holds her desire for wealth as high as she does her desire to rescue Kid—and to thank him for coming into the lives of her and Patty.
The hidden section, as The Table of Contents explains, cannot be accessed through "an ordinary reading" of the Book of Eibon[16] and may be entered only if its occupant, the Great Old One of Power, permits. However, as an extension of the will of the Book of Eibon itself, Noah was able to deposit Death the Kid into that chapter when the Reaper was proving too difficult to contain in other portions of the book. When Black☆Star was able to answer correctly that what he desired was to possess power, the Great Old One of Power used its Soul Wavelength to open a portal as an "invitation" permitting only Black☆Star to enter before collapsing upon the ninja's passage.[17]
The interior of the chapter initially resembles a field of white, except for abstruse figures written in lines and swirling around this interior. The white space allows occupants to feel like they are freefalling or hovering, depending on their desire.[17]
This white interior remains until the Great Old One of Power reshapes the terrain allowing occupants such as Death the Kid and Black☆Star to be surrounded by the Old One's very mass, making occupants feel like they are swimming yet still able to breathe.[18]
This chapter's wavelength is so powerful as to be thought by Kilik Rung as being madness itself.[19]
Special Abilities[]
As a Demon Book that runs on Magic, the Book of Eibon has various magical abilities individuals can utilize. Doing so, however, requires the user to be familiar with the contents of the book. Part of this may be done so by using bookmarks to highlight the page in which allows an ability.[20]
Plunder: The Book of Eibon can allow its intended captive to dissolve into what resembles a swirl of energy, drawn into the book like a mouth sucking in whatever is around it. At some points when capturing, the edges of the Book of Eibon come to resemble teeth, as if consuming its captive.[21]
Summoning: Eibon's book also allows a user to summon captured monsters and control them to fight such as Magic Lifeforms and Demons.[22]
Restraints: With a special page above the intended captive, the Book of Eibon can restrain an opponent in the air as strong as Death the Kid, a powerful Reaper within his own right after connecting one of the Lines of Sanzu.[20]
Writing: Noah can take a pen to the pages of the Book of Eibon, which for any inhabitants or visitors to the book appear as writing above their heads, as when Noah sends a message to Giriko in the Sloth Chapter.[23]
Madness of Knowledge (知識の狂気, Chishiki no kyōki): According to Death, the Book of Eibon offers the possibility of knowing all things. When others are confronted by absolute knowledge, this causes the person to stop thinking altogether.[24]
Indestructibility: The Book of Eibon doesn't seem to be able to be easily destroyed. The Book of Eibon was able to resist the damage done to it by the Parent's Seven Rays technique used by Kid, who in turuned power the attack with Death's Wavelength. While powerful enough to kill the Horror Dragon and Noah (Greed), only the book itself remained unscratched.[25]
The arrangement of the interior contents/chapters of the Book of Eibon shares various similiarities with the structure of the Inferno and Purgatorio featured with Dante's Divine Comedy, due to their equivalent fundamental basis being Christianity's Seven Deadly Sins. The 7 Sins correspond to each chapter in which they become worse as the chapter gets deeper.
An extract from a page found within the book "Alice's Adventures in Wonderland" is observed in the background of the panel where the 7 chapters are initially introduced.
A manuscript of the book, is kept in level 4 of the DWMA library, which can only be accessed by Death Scythes and their respective senior Meisters. Maka Albarn was able to access this book using her father's identification card, although she signed the book out under the initial "M." This secrecy alerted Death the Kid, who suspected "M" referred to Medusa, then Franken Stein, who informed Death that Maka had taken the manuscript.[26]
↑Cite error: Invalid <ref> tag; no text was provided for refs named Chapter 52
↑Soul Eater Volume 17; Chapter 71, page 125 - Death:It's called the Book of Eibon. Essentially, it's a demon book that runs on magic.
↑Soul Eater Volume 14; Chapter 56, page 121: Noah:This Book of Eibon that I hold in my hands...together with "BREW", it forms the sum of Eibon's wisdom. Indeed, one might say that is Eibon.
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