Sure, the show is named Chainsaw Man so it should be self-explanatory, but who is Chainsaw Man? The over-the-top blood and violence of MAPPA’s hit show have fans enamored, but many still have some questions. The series tends to go by the “show don’t tell” method of storytelling, filling in the background as they go, but that’s why GameScooper’s local recluse is here to fill people in.
The World of Chainsaws and Devils
Nonsensical as the world of Chainsaw Man may seem, there are a load of rules in place for how the Devils function. Devils are initially born from human fears, whether Primal or exaggerated. These fears manifest as the worst of that thing, whether it be a Grape Devil made of eyes or a towering pillar of flame like Hell Devil.
When Devil’s make a Contract, they promise a human something in return for something they give. The thing is, if a Devil breaks a contract, it dies. Devils can be killed by hunters, but it’s not easy. They also can recover quickly from feeding on blood. This is how Denji meets Pochita,, the small Chainsaw Devil. Wounded, Pochita was dying near the graveyard where Denji’s father was just buried. The orphan took pity and saw himself in the Devil, fed him some blood and made a contract- to take care of each other.
Denji: The Unluckiest Guy Around
Denji is probably the unluckiest Shonen protagonist ever to exist. The poor kid never had a chance, born into extreme poverty with a habitual gambler for a dad, only for that dad to die and leave Denji saddled with his massive debt to the mafia. The only thing that kept him going was finding Pochita nearby after his dad’s funeral. It was this central bond that created Chainsaw Man in the first place as the two cared for each other through everything.
Pochita loved Denji so much that he gave up his own heart to bring the human back to life. With their contract, Pochita now serves as Denji’s heart in exchange for Denji living a good life for both of them. Through their fusion, Denji fights Devils for the Public Safety Division, now living comfortably with more food than he could imagine.
Pochita: The Cute Devil Killer
Pochita is the cuddly, kind of goofy-looking Chainsaw Devil that Denji befriends. While he looks weak and injured when the two first meet, Pochita is one of the most feared Devils to exist. While stays with Denji and helps his friend to get by while hunting Devils, he becomes genuinely attached, giving himself up to save Denji’s life.
Before he came to earth and met Denji, Pochita was a phenom in Hell. He possesses a special ability, even among Devils, and is the only one capable of truly killing a Devil. Devils only die when Humans forget their fear. Unless Chainsaw swallows them. He strikes fear into every Devil in Hell and Earth, who try to kill the Chainsaw Devil. If nothing else, they want to make him throw up the other Devils he already ate. His victims include the Nuclear Weapons Devil and a large amount of the War Devil, both incredibly powerful.
Half Chainsaw, Half Man!
So, now that Denji and Pochita exist as the same person on Earth, who is Chainsaw Man? With Pochita in place of his heart, all Denji has to do is pull the ripcord in his chest. He cranks up his powers, arms becoming chainsaws for ripping through Devils with ease. Pochita’s presence also grants Denji advanced healing abilities so he can keep fighting if he drinks blood.
The combination of Denji’s frenzied, erratic combat with Pochita’s incredible strength makes Chainsaw Man the newest hybrid Devil on Earth. He’s unique until the appearance of Katana Man proves otherwise. Now that he knows there are others, Denji will have one hell of a fight on his hands.
This is just the broad overview of who Chainsaw Man is, with more revealed with every chapter in the manga. Although there’s no set return date for the anime, season one wrapped up late last year so MAPPA has time. Expect to see much more intense fights, wildly irreverent comments, and audiences simping for the anime Eric Cartman when it does!
