The Mantis Quotes

“That’s tough,’ Kabuto says politely. It doesn’t especially matter what makes it tough. Everyone in the world has something tough to deal with, so it’s always a safe bet to make people feel like their struggle is noticed and appreciated.”
― Kōtarō Isaka, The Mantis

“Emotions don’t cancel each other out,’ Matsuda goes on. ‘What do you mean?’ ‘When something good happens, it doesn’t wipe away the bad things that happen. You can’t balance emotions like a checkbook.”
― Kōtarō Isaka, The Mantis

“It’s okay to use force on those weaker than you, as long as they’re using force on someone weaker than them.”
― Kōtarō Isaka, The Mantis

“What’s the point of quantity for quantity’s sake? Far better to aim for quality. The same critique that’s been made so many times since the industrial revolution and the advent of mass production. Saying ‘We should all make lots of friends’ is basically the same as saying ‘We should try to be the kind of people who don’t cause any friction and can more or less get along with everyone.”
― Kōtarō Isaka, The Mantis

“昔から、おふくろがよく言うじゃないか。『 やれるだけのことはやりなさい、それで駄目ならしょうがないんだから』って”
― 伊坂幸太郎, AX アックス