#real makima denji moment there

[coffinsister]

Lowkey really want Andrew to cook and eat Ashley after killing her. just really want him to kiss her after the light fades from her eyes to rip parts of her lips and flesh and devour it

Like would he in canon ever? nah, but would it make me very happy? definitely so

[bunkerjking]

The emotional breakdown later in the chapter will get most of the attention, but for my money, this is the most revealing moment in this week's chapter. A teenager so disconnected from his real emotions that he desperately rationalizes his hypersexuality not as a coping mechanism, but as 'this is what guys are like.'

It's easy to make fun of men for burying their emotions and then asking, 'why doesn't anyone know who I really am' - hell, Denji literally does that during the Bomb Girl arc - but Denji is a pretty direct criticism of both the way boys can get forced into unhealthy gender roles, and the way men self-regulate themselves and others into them.

The other boys Denji is with don't have the problem of being horny at inappropriate times. They have WAY bigger problems.

But Denji can't think properly when someone dangles the idea of sex in front of him. It's like a switch flips and he becomes a completely different person.

He shuts down and reverts to trying to embody masculine stereotypes he's been ingrained with, both through the social conditioning of growing up male in the 90s and the psychological conditioning Makima put him through to strengthen 'Chainsaw Man' - itself a hyper-masculine ideal that a human being physically cannot measure up to - and emotionally cripple Denji.

Denji is at his happiest when he's at rest with the people he loves. Power and Aki were not always easy to be around, but they loved him back and they wanted him to be happy. Nayuta is a child who doesn't understand her place in the world - how could she - but she earnestly wants to help her big brother as best as she can.

He isn't some cock-swinging alpha badass constantly on the prowl to crush puss, but for a lot of people - especially a teenager who was groomed to be an expendable child soldier - this unhealthy masculine 'ideal' isn't just something to live up to, it's the expected norm for men to be.

Being Chainsaw Man doesn't make Denji mentally stronger. As shown in the Falling Devil fight, he literally chops up his brain with his chainsaws to avoid confronting his trauma. Whenever he has to think about what he's lost and what's still left to lose, he runs toward something he isn't and away from a 'normal,' healthy response to the issues at hand.

"You stupid boy."

You'll notice that Katana Man, a perfect embodiment of an overly masculine dickhead, a misogynistic moron who refuses to grow in character or even basic combat skills, is totally on board for throwing Denji in a brothel and letting what happens happens. Katana Man perfectly represents the bad ending where 'traditional masculinity' wins the war for Denji's soul.

Denji needs help. Not some quick gratification. Not a meal and a nut and a nap. He needs genuine help, and a better male role model than the ones he's got. Even Kishibe, the only adult in his life other than Aki who actually did more good than harm, is an alcoholic recluse.

God help the boy.

[collectoroflovelythings]

Yoru is abusive but I don’t think she’s a calculating manipulator if anything she represents immaturity and impulsivity

Her entire motive is petty revenge. She wants to beat chainsaw man partially to avenge her comrades but mostly to avenge her own ego She throws tantrums when he doesn’t behave like her idea of a worthy enemy, getting mad at the idea of others stealing her victory, and being so single mindedly obsessed with revenge she’s sacrificing everything and everyone in her life to get it

Possessing Asa means she gains her emotions but Yoru responds to those emotions in the most emotionally immature ways possible. Her assault of Denji and Asa is motivated by hedonistic lust. She kisses him cause it felt good. When she tries to kiss him again she’s trying to use his most base desires to get him to do what she wants, not understanding the emotional complexity behind those desires. She’s not like Makima where she’s trying to make Denji fall so deep in love with her so that she can destroy him in a way he’ll never recover from, she just sees Denji’s desire to sex and is trying to push a button to activate Denji obedience (and to fulfill her own base sexual desire she doesn’t really understand )

That’s also how I see this moment. It’s not smart calculating manipulation it might not even be intentional manipulation she’s just mad that Asa isn’t giving her what she wants so she’s appealing to Asa’s emotions and their perceived “friendship” to make her give in

In a way this is a real attempt to relate to Denji She too has lost family (partially by her own hand but still) But it’s weak advice cause Yoru herself isn’t coping well. She’s telling Denji he can just get over it cause she’s telling herself she can just get over it to avoid confronting the guilt and grief her sacrifice caused

Compared to the more emotionally mature Asa who has accepted that she will never truly get over the loss of her mother but then uses Denji’s own prior advice to encourage him It speaks more genuinely to Denji’s deeper needs, reaching past the surface level

[sugar-grigri]

Crazy theory, but since I don't really read them, I don't know if it's ever been mentioned before.

I've already talked about this urge to discover the demon of death. So much so that fans see them in every new character introduced.

We know that Pochita punctuates both the birth and death of demons with his chainsaws.

I've always been surprised by the way Pochita calmly took hold of Makima, allowing Denji to knowingly save her by recommending that he give her love

Just as I'm surprised by Fami's interest in separating Chainsaw Man just as Yoru is stubbornly intent on revenge

How can these three horsemen of the apocalypse have so much interest and connection with a single demon?

We already know that Fujimoto has opted for the metaphorical, choosing the instrument designed for childbirth: the chainsaw, as the keystone of his story.

Chainsaw Man is intrinsically linked to birth and death

Denji's rebirth alone is linked to death having been cut up as well as Pochita?

Demons are born out of fear of one thing, so I know it might be strange that Pochita, representing chainsaws, represents death and isn't the chainsaw demon.

But two things: firstly, the impostor is actually the real chainsaw demon.

Fujimoto likes to undo our first impressions, so I find it absolutely INCREDIBLE that Denji should be the impostor from the start, the false Chainsaw Man in a part 2 that focuses on identity.

Secondly, how can simple chainsaws have so much power? I mean, sure, they're scary, but how can they have so much power as to be able to wipe out demons? Why should it be the chainsaw demon who's capable of this, and death remains crouched in the shadows?

This would also explain his promiscuity with the other Knights of the Apocalypse.

The demon of control wanted to play with Pochita - death was the only thing she couldn't totally control, the only thing she aspired to be on an equal footing with.

If Pochita understood her so well, it was as the fourth knight of the apocalypse. If Makima considered him her equal, it was because she couldn't control a demon she knew to be of her own rank. The logic follows with Nayuta.

The demon of war doesn't accept death, it accepts to spread it through conflicts and weapons of mass murder, but a general doesn't accept that death can touch him too. To spread death represents victory, to be touched by it a defeat that demands vengeance.

Famine works hand in hand with death, and is feared because suffering and death are the end result of not being able to eat. She's the one with the clearest goal at the moment: to save humanity. She doesn't hesitate to recruit her fellow Apocalypse members, whether it's proposing it to Nayuta, trying to recruit Asa and Yoru, or splitting Chainsaw Man in two to work with the pure state of the death demon.

The public hunters' aim is also to protect mankind from Nostradamus' prophecy, but by paralyzing death's actions as much as possible. They exploit Denji's flaws and desire to be normal to the full, threatening those around him. While the church, represented by Fami, titillates Denji's heroic side, his abnormalities, they want death to act.

It would also explain why everyone close to Denji is disappearing.

All the signs are pointing to Asa's imminent atrocity.

Wouldn't it be incredible to think that it's because death is in Denji's belly ?

Everything would then make sense: it's normal for Denji's development to stagnate, and for him to go through so many existential crises.

He doesn't know his own identity

What's more, it doesn't contradict my most meta theories: Fujimoto places himself in the work through Denji (cf. chapter 133), just as he responds directly to his fans (chapters 136 and 137).

We're all hating him, seeing all our favorite characters meet unfortunate deaths

It would all make sense if the manga we were holding in our hands, "Chainsaw Man", actually referred directly to death right from the start.

It would all make sense if we saw Part 1 as Denji's introduction to the ranks of hunters governed by an early death.

It would make sense for Aki's love for him to be a metaphor for accepting death, in the continuity of mourning.

It would make sense for Power to be reassured by Death when traumatized by the demon of darkness: she died twice for love, and the total disappearance of body and spirit allows us to escape the darkness.

I don't know if this theory holds, but let's agree...

It's poetic

[cute-girls-from-vns-anime-manga]

Okay but these two moments in chainsaw man will forever live in my head rent free as they parallel so fucking beautifully!

Poochi is denji's first friend and at that time the only unambiguously warm and healthy relationship he had, Pochita in this moment gives up his freedom to Denji letting him go and live a real life and make more friends and connections!

That freedom Pochita gave Denji he used to form an emotional connection with power, culminating in her pulling Denji back from being wholly consumed by the chainsaw devil by giving up her own humanity and returning to being the blood devil.

The way fujimoto married the themes and locations by having Denji litteratly be thrown away by Makima and the Yakuza is a level of genius that astounds me.

[hana-no-seiiki]

CHAINSAW & HAPPINESS

PILL 3 - GREAT GENESIS / GENESIS DEI

YANDERE! CSM! VARIOUS x STOIC! READER

“Check it out. These are my kids.”

“Oh yeah? Check out my kids.”

“That’s just Denji and Power . . .”

“Exactly.”

CAUTIONS: Spoilers for the Manga. Yandere Themes. Chainsawman Themes. Religious Themes. God uses he/him pronouns.

INGREDIENTS: You reminisce about the past and think about what lies ahead in your future. Denji gets his ass almost eaten by Batman- I mean a Bat Devil. Power.

FORMULATION: horridly unedited

[previous dose] [pillbox] [next dose]

You’ve hated humanity since the moment of your conception.

One might argue it was baked into your existence as a devil, simply etched into your heart the moment you popped out of hell, but you couldn’t agree with that notion at all.

It was just how persistent they were with survival and self-preservation that whatever your peers do to oppress them, torture their very souls, devour their physical being, they still manage to cling unto hope.

They were like cockroaches, ones with wings and the unending urge to fly towards your face like if they ever stopped they’d die.

Humans don’t hate cockroaches when they’re born, just like how you don’t hate humans when you were created. You merely saw them as pests you’d rather have gone. At least, that’s what you thought.

It was when you met Makima that you realized it wasn’t hatred you were feeling. It was envy.

You were envious of how they managed to find the grit to move forward. Of how they’re able to shake off tragedies and get stronger.

Unlike you, who had stayed stagnant for as long as you’ve remembered. Too scared to ever go out of line and potentially lose everything you already had.

As the God Devil, you were both one of the strongest and the weakest devils there existed.

Many feared your name, sure. But people found God equally, if not moreso, a comfort through trying times. God was their salvation, no matter how invisible, or inactive he was in their battles. Humanity continued to pray in his name, your name.

But slowly, but surely, faith began to disappear. And your powers began to grow.

You never believed in Makima’s goals. Nor do you believed in her feelings towards you to be genuine. You fully know that she’s using you for her desire; a family and most importantly the eradication of everything bad in this world. Her jealousy was probably based on the fact that she saw you more as a possession, a precious tool than a real partner.

You see, much like the Chainsaw Devil’s ability to erase concepts from this world, you also had a few unique abilities of your own. The ability to remember everything in the course of humanity’s life on Earth. Even the parts the “Hero of Hell” removed and bring it back to existence. Your head was akin to an infinite book, you nicknamed ‘The Bible’.

Where the Chainsaw Devil was the definition of chaos and destruction, you represented peace and life.

And you loathed that. Despised how different you were from other devils. Detested the thought that you were anything but an avatar of fear.

In any case, amalgams were one of the examples of things you’ve partly brought back to the world. It’s original name seemingly inaccessible even to your hands. Though it was mostly done as an excuse for you to use your powers whenever, you had a feeling Makima thought of Denji and Pochita when asking you to revive those mongrels. Or may be not. Makima was confusing and mysterious that way.

You didn’t pry much into her plans. Only ever preparing yourself for the shitstorms her actions cause and brave through it.

But now curiosity ate at you like leech. Why was she allowing Denji so close to you like that? Was it truly because she wants to play him like a fiddle?

Why did the thought of her hurting him hurt you so badly?

“You’re going to break it.”

Angel poked your nose. His touch, with how rare he gave out, almost broke your seemingly invincible composure.

“The weapon. Don’t. It’s such a hassle to make one.”

“My apologies.” You said, as you crushed the sword Angel made within your hands. Expression devoid from your features.

The latter sighed, you were as insufferable as ever.

“Could you stop being so polite and rigid? It’s gross.”

“You know I can’t use casual language in front of them. To the committee, you’re a demon and I’m . . . ” You were about to say ‘one of them’ but you couldn’t shake the sense of otherness you’d feel whenever you were with your colleagues. It wasn’t as if they viewed you as an outcast per se, just that they seemed so nervous all the time. Which led to you avoiding contact especially during battle. You weren’t oblivious to how humans viewed and often worshipped you, you just didn’t know the extent your powers affected them. Especially those who have known you for quite a while.

And so Makima helped by pairing you with beings who are usually unaffected by your aura. At least, on the surface.

“Still. I’d prefer if you went back to how you were before.”

You knew Angel before you even met Makima, as what the two of you represented were both closely related. Despite that, your relationship remained symbiotic at most. Angel’s weapons worked best when wielded by you, and you were capable of taking away his memories and ‘sins’ thus making the number of voices in his head less burdensome. None of you made an effort to go beyond that.

Your Bible ability allowed you to remember everything even beyond your current incarnation.

But Angel knew that while you will remember him if you ever died, the emotions attached to said memories will surely disappear.

He’ll remain that, just a memory. He was content with that. In fact, that’s why Makima trusted him enough with you.

“Charismatic? Proud? A perfect example of what it is to be a devil?”

“An asshat.” Angel munched on the human blood sausage you prepared him. Well, the sausage Makima forced you to make as to fulfill your ‘wifely’ duties, that you gave to Angel since you disliked the taste of it. “But a predictable one.” His androgynous voice came out muffled as he basically scarfed down the piece of meat

“It’s fine to admit that you’re a masochist, Angel.”

“If I’m a masochist—“ He squeezed on the barbecue stick holding the sausage, about to give you the rebuttal of the century (or so he thinks) until your husband unfortunately arrived to the scene.

Oh right! Did I mention you and Angel were atop a massive pile of human and devil corpses? I didn’t? Huh, my bad. Kinda hard remembering to say that stuff when the stench is awfully, well, awful.

“I’m sorry to cut your reunion short, but your new team requires your supervision.” Makima’s signature calm and collected voice slices viciously between your conversation. You can sense the underlying malice from a mile away at this point.

“You want me to stalk your hero from the shadows again.”

Makima didn’t reply, but her usual eerie smile said a thousand words. She didn’t like you getting too close to humans. Sure, it was fine for them to cling unto hope that you’ll ever notice them, it was fun seeing the light disappearing from their eyes as they find out such a thing will never happen. But you indulging your supposed dogs with more than a glance killed her.

In other words, if she was like that with humans, she was the worst — absolutely abhorred — you making conversation with another one of your kind.

To her, humans will never be threats. Devils on the other hand . . .

Well, she supposes even they don’t stand a chance. But she preferred knowing that even without her powers, you were all hers.

She trusted Angel, sure, but she’ll never like seeing her wife with someone else.

“Well then, underling. I will see you soon.”

“I hope not.” Angel blew a strand of hair off his face. He’s had enough of your presence already. Too much and he’ll build up an appetite for it.

“So . . . Sea Cucumber Devil, huh?” You started. Your silent appearance startled Denji and caused him to almost fall off the rooftop, if it weren’t for you catching him by the wrist in time.

Yeah, you weren’t really good at starting conversations.

“[Y-[Y-[Y/N]—! I mean —“ Denji stared at the connected skin. It had only just been a day, and he was already back to acting like hormonal teen who’d never been touched around you.

“C’mere.” You pulled him towards your form. His face landed on your chest, turning awfully red. After making sure he wasn’t falling anymore, you propped his legs over your left arm and carried him bridal style.

You landed on the ground following a single jump. Your heels (courtesy of Makima’s thinly veiled threats) clicking loudly.

You looked at Denji and smiled.

Then dropped him on the massive purple disarray.

“G-god . . ?” The girl, with peach-blonde hair and horns known as ‘Power’ from the info debriefed to you, halted her maniacal laughter. Her mouth opened up in shock and a little bit of horror? Could she sense you were . . . no she couldn’t. Makima wouldn’t allow a newbie to know.

“Close enough.” You shrugged. You had to discuss this with your spouse later. Spotting a bench behind Power, you made your way past her. A cool chill crawled up her spine, who were you? You felt like that devil but at the same time you were nothing like them at all. Not to mention you weren’t as stuck up as she remembered. . .

Nah, they wouldn’t help humans. You were probably a phony of some sort.

“So, what happened?” You sat down, holding off the cringe on your face that threatened to show from unhygienic everything is. Maybe Aki’s ways were rubbing off on you.

They began blaming eachother, clearly not aware that you were there for the latter half of your journey and only gave them an opportunity to explain themselves rather than point fingers.

“You know I can’t stop Makima if she so chooses to punish you two, right?”

“Please don’t tell her!”

“Yeah, this won’t happen again. We promise!”

“I have a feeling it will.” You sighed.

“If I’m correct . . .” You stood up from the bench, and gave your behind a few pats to relieve it of dust and whatever filthy things people have put there. You looked to Power, narrowing your eyes at the way she flinched away, “Your reason for being cooperative with humans is because you want your cat back.”

“And you, aside from being paired with me, want a chance to touch someone’s breasts, am I wrong?” You turned to Denji.

“No, you aren—“

“You were not given permission to speak, dog.” You glared at him. Though your expressions softened the moment he almost whimpered at your harsh words.

Not knowing that was him preventing a moan of pleasure.

“Why don’t we make a contract per se, right now?Denji, you get to touch Power’s boobs as long as you’re able to procure her Meowy.” You grabbed his hands, hovered it over your chest for a couple of moments, and observed his face. He was absolutely drooling.

You retracted your hold and swiveled your head to Power’s direction, taking laid-back, slow steps.

“And, if you two come back in one piece and with no casualities. I’ll join your next mission and prevent this . . . “ You bent your torso to the side in order to look past the pair and unto the purple sludge and multitude of organs on the street. “Mishap from reaching Ms. Makima’s ears. Is it a deal?”

“Deal!” Power nodded repeatedly, fist clenched in excitement. A stark contrast to her almost aloof personality with Denji.

“Good.” You flicked your finger, and in just a moment, every part of the Sea Cucumber Devil’s corpse disappeared. “Try not to disappoint. Makima has big plans for the two of you.”

Denji and Power left, not before gawking at your unintentional show of prowess.

“They’re gone. You meeting with those prunes again?” Speak of the devil and she shall come. You rotated your body to see what’s behind you, unsurprisingly spotting Makima.

“You jealous?”

“I am. Very.”

“You were listening in on us?”

“I just want to know what my husband is up to. Can’t I miss you?”

“You can.” Makima stepped in front of you, leaning close to your face to take a kiss. However, you covered the lower half of her face before she could get too close.

The two of you hear a car arrive not long after, with an Aki Hayakawa inside of it, “Ms. Makima. Mx. [Y/N].”

He escorted you and Makima to her destination and then brought you to a cafe to order some drinks.

You looked around for any pests, and checked if background noise’s volume was loud enough to drown out your voices before you began, “You’re wondering why too, aren’t you?”

“You . . . are surprisingly sharp when it comes to some things [Y/N].”

“I’m not quite adept at recognizing sentiment or intention. That doesn’t mean I’m completely unaware.”

You ordered black coffee and a few desserts and continued, “Whatever she’s planning. I don’t know. But I do know it wouldn’t be great for anyone in the division.”

You stared at the sweet confectionery’s as the workers were stressing out beyond the display, “My powers only extend up to the past. The infinite future ahead is anyone’s guess.”

Aki sighed, even you weren’t aware of what Makima was thinking.

“How did you become. . . “

“Become an amalgam?”

“. . .I’m sorry for the disrespect.”

“I don’t remember.” You finally answered. Your words barely registered above a whisper. But Aki has and will always hear it better than any other sound.

He guessed your memory of your merging was probably given away in a contract and is a sensitive subject.

The two of you return to the car in silence, waiting for Makima’s return.

Once she was back in, and you’ve given her the coffee and food, Aki started up the vehicle and began heading back to HQ.

The silence between the three of you was killing him so he decided to take a shot in the dark and ask Makima of her intentions. Surprisingly, she took the bait, somewhat.

“All Devils were born with names. The scarier the name is, the more powerful it is.” She commenced her speech.

“Take coffee for example, it doesn’t really have a scary image. If there was a coffee devil out there it must be weak.” She drew her eyes to the shaky state of the beverage and made no effort to cover the cup. Then she looked outside the window, to the cars and city scenery, “A car on the other hand, it gives you the image of being run over. That might be a stronger one.”

“Denji can turn into the chainsaw devil. I just think it’s pretty interesting.” And he could potentially erase anything she deemed unnecessary, which was infinitely more than interesting.

“He’s interesting, but he’s of no use to us. Everyone in the division has a goal or faith. He has neither of those. He’s not cut out for this. Not to mention he thinks he can befriend devils.” Aki bit his lip. Denji was nothing in comparison to the rest of the Public Safety sector. He had no experience, no sense of duty, was a slob and pervert.

And yet the stars of the workplace put their trust on him on just a whim, a flight of fancy. “He’s just a kid.”

“We shouldn’t judge a caterpillar when it hasn’t finished chrysalis, or an egg that has yet to hatch.” Taking Aki’s focus on the road as an opportunity, Makima slid her hand atop yours,“The kid. One day he’ll be a man. And he’ll be your junior to use. Yours to throw at the devils that destroyed your life.”

“Give him enough time with devils.” Her visage faced yours, and she smiled.

It terrified you.

“He’ll learn to hate them. Like every human should.”

You looked away, choosing to fill your mind with something else by checking in on Denji. Your eyes widened at the state he found himself in with just a few hours outside your supervision, “Turn on the radio.”

Aki doesn’t even think before his hands reached out to follow your command.

“Bat Devil spotted fighting with a Chainsaw Devil down at . . . “

“Hayakawa. Prepare your team to dispatch the Bat Devil immediately.” Makima downed the coffee in her hand while you basically inhaled your food.

“Understood.”

A/N: First part of my surgery is finished! Might be a week or so for the next ;u; i am in pain

Chainsaw and Happiness Taglist: @saharei @kaedescrush @epsi9099 @aradia-melinoe @sleepwillow @rolo-at-midnight @acuriousmoon @moonnotsonaa @just-some-stars @justarandomweeblol @cyn9 @that-one-simp

(please make sure you’re taggable if you reply to be added)

I’m going home after my family celebrates Ramadan and Eid so slow updates until then I’m so sorry

CHAINSAW & HAPPINESS TAGLIST: @saharei @kaedescrush @epsi9099 @aradia-melinoe @sleepwillow @nordithus @rolo-at-midnight @acuriousmoon @moonnotsonaa @just-some-stars @cyn9 @justarandomweeblol @that-one-simp @somebodyrandom-613

CHAINSAW & HAPPINESS TAGLIST:

Extra Notes: I’ll delete this in case I find better moments to showcase it in the story but to explain [Y/N]’s Bible ability more in depth, you’re basically able to know everything if it has been explicitly stated (Denji’s boob touching desires) or if it can extracted from an event that happened in a being’s life(Power’s relationship with Meowy and subsequent loss of the feline). To counteract how OP this can be, you aren’t able to read minds and are pretty dense + can’t view the future + it has to be activated rather have it on as a passive. In short, you don’t know how obsessed the sector is of you since most of them know of this ability, are pretty careful about how they act in case you decide to probe their past, and you aren’t a creep (i hope). In other words, abilities’s extent is as far as a reader of history knows not the author.

(Also you just aren’t allowed to peer into Makima’s history. We don’t poke sleeping bears, especially if they have the power to control you.)

Chainsaw and Happiness Taglist: @saharei @kaedescrush @epsi9099 @aradia-melinoe @sleepwillow @nordithus @rolo-at-midnight @acuriousmoon @moonnotsonaa @just-some-stars @cyn9 @justarandomweeblol @that-one-simp @somebodyrandom-613 @cupidlot

White names couldn’t be tagged + added a few who just commented if that’s fine?

Thanks for reading!

[angeldeviloshi]

Thinking about Makima telling Aki that even if it's just for show he should try to get along with Angel Devil and that he just has to use him, and that Angel Devil will surely aid him as an asset and be of strength to him (アキ君の力になるよ) aki-kun no chikara ni naru yo.

The EN version translating it as "He'll come through for you." is interesting bc it carries Angel Devil's utility to Aki alongside the implication that this is something of Angel Devil's accord. Of being a tool to be used well.

And this is followed up by the scene of Angel Devil giving that "I'm a devil before an Angel" line. (further analysis of his leaning into his devilhood as a tool and his conflict in his identity.) And the arc ends with Angel Devil pulling his weight to do Aki's job for him at the alley while living out his role as the city mouse, as Makima's device, as an angel.

With weapons he made from the lifespan he didn't want to use and take. Out of his sentiment towards Aki of giving up what precious time he has left for him, a devil. Whom Aki doesn't want to witness the death of, the burden of taking Aki's time away forced into his hand to reel him in back to life, the life of a tool under PS shared with Aki.

Away from his freedom, from his past and the person who loved him and what he was through that love vs what he's meant to be in the present. The glimpse of it through Aki's willingness to touch him and his heart sways from the country to the city. As Makima talks about why she likes the country mouse.

Thinking about how Aki grounds himself with his rage and hate to cope with his grief and guilt processing how Himeno died like a numbing drug, to keep going as he says and then he gets Easy Revenge, Himeno telling him to let loose, cry for her but don't hurt himself for her, for those he loves.

And then he meets the Angel Devil whom he's told to get along with if he wants to get to Gun. So he has to put up with him, the devil is his responsibility and when he sees him carried away by the typhoon, he thinks about his house, Himeno, the people he failed to save when it's his responsibility to, it's why he's here, why he's after Gun.

So he reaches out for the devil even if it kills him, pulls him in the way he should have done for Taiyou to stop him from returning home, feel the real and present form of his buddy in his arms after Himeno vanished into thin air.

He can't bear anyone else dying before his eyes again, not when he can help it. And the Angel Devil comes through for him, just as Makima said he would, be of strength to him, just as she promises to give him strength at the beach by the hands of the Angel the devil becomes for Aki.

Aki's arm and not just his head, transformed into a weapon by the Angel Devil whom he saved with that arm as an extension of his sentimentality for him as a devil that he's come to feel towards Denji and Power, in the form of a gun he aims at them.

These series of pages are insane to me. (note the kanji 力 "strength" in the dialogue) The way Makima frames the Angel Devil's ability and his killing of his village to Aki to demonstrate his utility as a devil to Aki when telling him that the Angel Devil would "come through for him" be of strength to him, so Aki should learn to manage him, get along with him in order to take down Gun. Which Aki accomplishes in his transformation into the Gun fiend when he begs Makima to give him strength, that he'll agree to any devil, any contract, a final prayer for Denji and Power's safety and happiness.

The way this was immediately followed by Makima asking Aki to contract her, she'll give him that strength. And we see the moment the Angel Devil was turned into a tool by her in order to demonstrate what his power is capable of, his mark as a devil, as he helplessly witnesses her do the same to Aki through the bond he has developed with him by her hand.

This is his power that Makima absorbs, the "strength" given to Aki in exchange for his life as he becomes a tool, a weapon, a devil to be used.

Because Aki touched him with his hand, with that letter.

Further analysis on Angel Devil's conversion from country mouse to city mouse.

[actuallysaiyan]

Kinktober Day 4: Mirror Kink(Touching me touching you...)

warnings/kinks: mirror kink, kissing, mentions of drinking, AU/canon divergent timeline, aged up character, jerking off, mentions of oral sex(fem receiving) word count: 0.7k pairings: AGEDUP!Denji x Fem!Reader teaser: You smirk, “Yes.” Denji’s eyes widen, “Who is it?!” This makes you giggle,then you place your hand on his arm. “No, no,” you take another sip of wine. “My turn to ask you.” taglist: @beneathstarryskies @loki-love @witchofcustom @dreadsuitsamus @pyrofanatic @butterflieskeepcominback

You’ve known him for a few months now, watching him grow from Makima’s little pet to this amazing devil hunter. You’ve gone on a few missions with the man in question, watching him closely and realizing where his strengths lie. He’s a good man, despite being a little naive and clinging to Makima a lot. Eventually, Denji starts to see something special within you and your friendship evolves into something very close and intimate. 

As the months go by, you grow closer to Denji. He begins telling you about Pochita and his dreams. You begin to realize that Denji is a little too old to not have had a real lover or still be a virgin. At 21, you would have thought he would have at least seen a woman(or man) naked at this point. But you were beginning to realize that maybe Denji wasn’t like the other men you knew and that were in your life.

Soon, it became too apparent that he had developed a crush on you…

You invite him over one night for a few drinks and some dinner. He’s like an eager puppy around you, always willing to show off and excited. You treat him well, which makes him think he’s got a real chance with you. All of his feelings for Makima seemed to have vanished since the moment you showed him true affection.

The drinks are flowing and the two of you have eaten a very delicious meal. This turns into a game of truth or dare(which you had to explain to him). He’s practically wagging his non-existent tail when he realizes what this means for him.

“Hmm, truth,” you say before taking a sip of wine.

Denji smirks, “Do you have a crush on someone?”

This makes your heart skip a beat and you smile slyly. You know that Denji is just fishing for some compliments and maybe for you to spill the beans on your crush on him.

You smirk, “Yes.”

Denji’s eyes widen, “Who is it?!”

This makes you giggle,then you place your hand on his arm.

“No, no,” you take another sip of wine. “My turn to ask you.”

Denji pouts, “Awh, I forgot.”

“Truth or dare, Denji?”

He takes a moment to consider it, “Dare.”

You place your finger on your lip, thinking of something suitable for this situation. Then you giggle once more.

“Alright, I dare you to kiss me.”

Denji swallows hard and he asks you to repeat yourself, so you do repeat yourself. You think he’s going to chicken out before he smashes his lips against yours. It’s a little painful and sloppy, but it’s so passionate and raw. Your heart is pounding in your chest as you kiss him back.

Neither of you continue the game. Soon you’re just making out on the couch. And then you guide Denji into your room, settling him on the edge of your bed. You strip yourself in front of him, making the bulge in his pants even harder and more noticeable. 

“You have no idea how long I’ve been wanting to do this with you,”

Your words hit so deep inside of him. You’re unbuckling his belt before he can even properly react. With your hand around his cock, Denji can’t help but pant and moan for you. He’s never experienced anything quite like this before. You’re just so beautiful and you smell so good and your tits are so full and warm as you press against him.

“Look at my pretty boy,” you murmur against his neck as you begin jerking him off. “Look baby,”

You point to the mirror that’s just in front of the two of you on the wall. Denji blushes when he catches sight of himself being jerked off by you. But he cannot deny that it is utterly sexy to be in this position.

You continue to pleasure him with each flick of your wrist and wet kiss on his neck. Denji can no longer tear his eyes away from the erotic sight that is before the two of you. If anything, it seems to be turning him on even more. And when he cums, he’s watching himself thrust up into your fist with each pathetic little and loud moan that falls from his lips.

Before you know it, Denji has you pushed onto the bed and he settles between your thighs. There’s that mischievous smirk on his face as he spreads your legs.

“Let me dare myself to taste you…” he says in a husky tone. “And you watch yourself cum so hard for me in that mirror.”

[winxanity-ii]

⌜Know No Evil | Chapter 03 Chapter 03 | rising resentment⌟

╰ ⌞🇨‌🇭‌🇦‌🇵‌🇹‌🇪‌🇷‌ 🇮‌🇳‌🇩‌🇪‌🇽‌⌝

❘ prev. chapter ❘༻✦༺❘ next chapter ❘

Sleep, usually a welcome escape from the confines of your routine, offered no solace tonight. Instead, a vivid dreamscape unfolded before you.

Golden light bathed a field of crimson flowers; their petals stained a shade of red that seemed to bleed into the very air.

In the distance, a young girl, no older than eighteen, stood amidst the flowers.

The white long-sleeved shirt, hung untucked; her black jacket lay discarded on the ground like a fallen feather, forgotten. Her hair, a cascade of long pale auburn, defied its usual confinement; bangs, usually kept just past her eyebrows, now clung in wispy tendrils to her forehead, framing her face alongside two longer, rebellious side strands.

This fiery mane mirrored the moonlight filtering through the clouds, but it was her eyes that held your attention—crimson orbs with pulsing yellow irises that burned with an intensity that both terrified and fascinated you.

This girl, she looked... familiar.

A prickling sensation crawled up your arms as a name, foreign yet strangely comforting, whispered on the wind. "Makima," it murmured, a single word carrying the weight of a thousand unspoken memories.

The girl turned, her crimson gaze locking onto yours. A ghost of a smile played on her lips, a smile that sent shivers down your spine.

In that moment, you knew, with a certainty that defied logic, that this girl, this Makima, was somehow a part of you.

But before you could reach out, before you could ask the questions burning in your mind, the scene dissolved into a swirling vortex of colors.

You woke with the taste of fear lingering on your tongue. Sunlight streamed through the window, casting long shadows across your room.

The dream felt real, more real than anything you had ever experienced. 

Makima, the girl in the flower field, who was she?  And how was she connected to you?  These questions gnawed at you like a constant itch that you couldn't scratch.

The influx of dreams was just the first in a string of unsettling occurrences. Sometimes, visions—vivid and disorienting—would occasionally pierce the veil of your new life.

One moment, you'd be staring at the pink wallpaper of your room, and the next, you'd be transported to a dimly lit office, the scent of cigarettes clinging to the air.

A tall, blonde-haired man with a dopey grin sat across from you, his eyes following your every move with an almost canine devotion.

"Denji~" you'd hear your voice purr, a voice that sent shivers down your own spine, so different from the small, hesitant tones of ____.  "Tell me again, what's your dream?"

Denji would lean in, his entire being focused on your words. "My dream... is to...  touch a nice lady's boobs..." he'd stammer, his face flushed.

A cruel smile would play on your lips, a stark contrast to the innocent smile of ____. "How quaint," you'd murmur, a dangerous glint in your eyes.  "But for now, Denji, you have a purpose.  And that purpose is to serve me."

The vision would then abruptly shatter, leaving you gasping for breath, a cold sweat clinging to your skin. 

These fragments of your past life were terrifying, yet strangely alluring.

Was she truly you?

☆

☆

You bounced on the balls of your feet, excitement buzzing through you like a beehive.

Today was "dress-up day" at your homeschool session with Mei, and you had meticulously planned your outfit—a superhero ensemble complete with a flowing cape and a mask you'd meticulously crafted from construction paper.

Mei, however, seemed to have different ideas.  As you proudly presented yourself, a triumphant grin plastered on your face, her smile faltered slightly.

"That looks fantastic, ____!" she exclaimed, her voice warm but laced with a hint of hesitation. "But wouldn't you like to add a little something extra?  Maybe a cute bow to match your cape?"

Your grin faltered. A bow? In your hair? That wasn't part of the plan. The image you envisioned—a fearless hero ready to take on the world—did not involve a frilly accessory.

A spark of defiance ignited within you, a heat that crept up your cheeks. "No, thank you," you mumbled, pushing a twist of hair behind your ear, a silent rebellion against the proposed bow.

Mei knelt before you, her eyes filled with a gentle concern that only fueled your burgeoning frustration.  "But a bow would look so pretty, ____. Don't you want to look your best for your friends?" she cooed, attempting to tie a bright pink bow atop your head.

The word "friends" did little to appease you.

These weren't friends—at least, not in the way you saw it on television.

These were just the other homeschooled kids you rarily interacted with; their interactions were more polite curiosity than genuine camaraderie. 

You didn't need a bow to impress them.

You swatted her hand away, a frown creasing your brow. "No bow," you muttered, your voice firm despite the childish tremor. "I look perfect already."

The hero in your mind wouldn't wear a bow, and neither would you.

Mei sighed, a flicker of disappointment crossing her face.  "Alright, alright," she conceded, shoulders slumping in defeat, untying the bow with a practiced ease. "If you say so.  But promise to be careful with your cape today, okay? And maybe, how about we pick a different color tomorrow? Together?"

You didn't respond, but the tightness in your chest eased slightly.

You didn't mean to upset Mei, but the need to control your own image, once a constant companion, was becoming a simmering ember within you.

As you marched out the door, cape billowing dramatically behind you, you couldn't help but notice a strange warmth emanating from your fingertips, a faint tingling sensation that seemed to pulse in time with your determined steps.

It was a feeling you didn't understand, but it was a feeling of... power. 

And even though you didn't quite grasp it yet, it was a feeling you were starting to crave.

☆

☆

The instance with the bow wasn't an isolated one. The more Mei fussed over you, the more you bristled at her smothering affection. You craved a sense of independence, a chance to prove you weren't some fragile doll that needed constant care.

This morning was no different.

"Look, I understand you're busy, but ____ is growing up so fast. These are moments we can't get back.  Can't you at least try to..." Mei, fuming from a heated phone call with your father about his constant absence and missed milestones, plunked a plate of lunch down in front of you.

 A simple peanut butter and jelly sandwich—your least favorite. But you barely registered the disappointment.

Your mind was fixated on the promised reward—a slice of your favorite strawberry cake—for cleaning up your toys and taking an unplanned nap while Mei ran a quick errand.

You nibbled on the sandwich, the disappointment a dull ache in your stomach.

Surely, Mei had forgotten. She'd remember when you finished your lunch, and you'd get your reward then. But with every bite, the ache intensified, transforming into a simmering resentment.

Ten minutes ticked by, the silence in the room broken only by the rhythmic squeaking of your half-eaten sandwich. Finally, Mei, still on the phone and arguing with your father, glanced your way.  Her brow furrowed with concern as she noticed your unmoving form.

"____? Sweetie, what's wrong?" she asked, her voice strained as she balanced the phone on her shoulder. She wiped a stray smear of jelly from your cheek, her touch well-meaning but unwelcome. "Does your tummy hurt? Did the sandwich go down the wrong way? Do you want Mommy to—"

You cut through her worried questions, your voice flat and emotionless. "Where's my treat?"

Mei blinked, momentarily thrown off guard. Then, a wave of relief washed over her face. "Oh, right! Your treat!" she exclaimed, a touch too brightly.  "Just give me a sec, okay?" She scurried to the pantry, the phone still pressed to her ear.

You listened to the muffled sounds of rummaging, your heart pounding a steady rhythm against your ribs.

This wasn't right.

You'd held up your end of the bargain, and now Mei was backtracking.

A beat of silence followed, then Mei reappeared, her smile strained.  "Looks like we're all out of strawberry cake, sweetie," she explained apologetically.  "But I found some apple slices instead! How about that?"

You stared at the proffered apple slices, a wave of anger crashing over you.

This wasn't fair.

You didn't want apple slices. You wanted the promised cake, the sweet reward you'd earned.

Logic, that annoying voice in your head, tried to reason with you. Mei had forgotten. It was a simple mistake. But the anger drowned it out.

You felt cheated, robbed of something you deserved.

Tears welled up in your eyes, but you blinked them back, the heat of anger burning brighter than the sting of betrayal. A low growl rumbled in your chest, a sound that startled even yourself.

Your body began to vibrate, a tremor you couldn't control.

It felt like a live wire buzzing beneath your skin, a foreign energy coursing through you.

Shaking uncontrollably, the hot warmth of anger intensified in your stomach.

You squeezed your eyes shut, a strangled cry escaping your lips as you lashed out. "I...want...CAKE!!" With a deafening screech, you flung your remaining sandwich across the room, the splattering jelly mimicking the blossoming rage within you.

Your juice box followed suit, toppling off the table and showering the floor in a sticky red cascade.

"I want my cake!"

"____!" Mei's voice, usually filled with warmth, cracked with a mixture of shock and concern.  The phone clattered to the floor, forgotten as she lunged for you.

For a terrifying moment, you felt invincible, a force of pure, unbridled rage.

The world seemed to blur around you, the only thing registering the pulsing energy thrumming through your veins.

Then, strong arms enveloped you.  Mei's voice, usually a soothing melody, cut through the haze of anger. "Stop! It's okay, sweetie!" she cried, her voice a desperate plea as she tried to restrain your thrashing limbs.

But for a moment, you were a wild animal cornered, fueled by an anger you couldn't understand.

"Cake!" you screamed, your voice raw with frustration. "You promised cake!"

Mei's eyes welled up with tears, a reflection of your own mounting hysteria. "I know, honey, I know," she soothed, her voice trembling slightly.

Finally, with a herculean effort, Mei managed to pin you down, her warm hands cupping your face. She spoke softly, her voice a soothing balm against the storm within you. "It's okay, ____," she murmured, wiping away the stray tears that had finally escaped.

Mei began to rub your cheeks in soothing circles, her touch a grounding force against the storm that had just raged within you. "It's okay to be upset. But we can't throw things."

The tremors soon subsided, replaced by a deep sense of exhaustion.

Mei then sat you down in the "cool-down" corner, a designated space in the living room reserved for such meltdowns. As you sat there, slumped against the cushions, you watched the world blur through tear-filled eyes.

A wave of nausea washed over you, leaving a bitter taste in your mouth.

You glanced out the window, your gaze falling on a group of children leaving daycare, their laughter echoing in the afternoon sun.

They walked hand-in-hand with their parents, a picture of carefree joy.

A scowl contorted your face.

You hated that they seemed so happy, so carefree.

Everything about them—their freedom, their smiles, the way things just seemed to go their way—fueled the embers of resentment that still flickered within you.

But this time, alongside the anger, there was a new sensation. A strange tingling energy crackled beneath your skin, a faint echo of the power you'd felt just moments ago.

And in the quiet of the "cool-down" corner, a seed was planted.

What it will be, you didn't know, but you had a feeling that it would be undeniably... different.

A/N: okay, suprise update! just wanted to let you guys know that my laptop has been  utterly destroyed and is now being repaired 💀 so yeaahhh. anywho, thank you all for the support so far, hehehe didnt think anyone would be excited, lol. also, this won't be perfect and will likely have a few plot holes, but then again, i'm not here to write a real book, i'm here to share my delusions with yall 💗

[lilcreaturethingfromthewoods]

Looking back after reading ahead in the csm manga, it's kind of really sad seeing the moment when Denji first meets Makima. (I can't attach a screenshot or anything here because I'm on a library computer but) you can see when she hugs him that there is real, genuine joy on her face, joy that she's finally found the figure she's been looking for all this time.

She never sees Denji as anything more than a vessel for Chainsaw Man, nothing more than an obstacle to her dream world she's trying to create, so she manipulates him all the way so that she can ultimately break his very soul to get what she wants.

All Denji wants is love, and all Makima really wants is to be able to formulate equal relationships - but her own inability to stop viewing those around her as inferior leads her to cause an incredible amount of destruction and suffering

[easy-revenge]

its been over 2 years since i read volume 9 of chainsaw man and it still apparently has the power to make me sob uncontrollably when i think about it so im going to talk a bit about aki and denji being shown as children during the snowball fight and why it's currently making me wanna rip my hair out :)

aki is already gone during this scene for all intents and purposes, having very little comprehension of the events his body is in and just waiting to be set free. his mind reverting back to the moment he lost his family is not surprising, since that's when his life permanently changed trajectory.

he's not to blame for being stuck in this moment, as it would make sense for any kid his age. however, he didn't put himself on the path towards revenge, which inevitably made him unable to let go. that was makima. she took him by the hand and gave him this "purpose", something she very well knew he was never going to achieve anyway. she trapped him in this predicament and made sure he stayed there till there were no options left for him.

to the very end, aki's life was never his own, but planned for him. aki never left that snowy forest. he wasn't allowed to.

as a result, the essence of aki that remained within the gun fiend after his death materialized as the last genuine version of aki that ever was. a kid playing in front of his house.

moving over to denji, who is the one that got me crying today. his appearance as a child in aki's mind is partly to parallel the bond they shared and the bond between aki and his little brother, whom he lost that day. of course. however i think there's a lot of significance to this choice for denji's character as well.

denji grew up remote and very disconnected from society. he never got the chance to learn how to navigate his feelings and relationships with other people. he had to figure it all out as he went, first with pochita, whom he got attached to and later with aki and power. even with makima.

makima was the first person to ever give him attention and affection, to give him the things he always wanted, but she never treated him like a person. she never helped him get any closer to learning how to be one. he was used, much like aki was, and was given a purpose that was never going to be for his own benefit.

as a result, denji took a while to go through the motions of being surrounded by humans and being taught by them. the first time we saw him face the concept of loss was with pochita, an event that didn't really give him much in terms of experience considering all the implications and how suddenly it changed his life. in its nature, it wasn't a type of loss he would've been able to navigate as a human.

im not going to go into the situation with his father since we saw very explicitly how incapable he was to handle it to the point of blocking it out and having it haunt him till the end of part one. he surely didn't get much data out of that experience either, or the abuse he went through before it.

the first real time he got to see loss occur very close to him was himeno's death. he had no emotional reaction to it, which confused him since he was able to observe its effect on aki and other people around him. he questioned his own humanity for the first time and it upset him, if only momentarily. it gave him a hint of perspective.

sadly, he was going to find out what loss meant the hard way.

with makima still treating him like an animal and the circumstances forcing him to still rely on his instincts, denji's emotional maturity wasn't really prioritized. he did inevitably grow closer to aki and power, without necessarily being able to recognize those feelings for what they were. again he just had to go through the motions.

fast forward to the gun devil arc. he's told by makima on the phone to not think, to just fight aki without thinking about it. we see the progress that's been made in how clearly unable denji is to follow that order, aki being the closest thing to family he's ever had by this point.

he fights his best friend, not even thinking about himself, but of how aki would feel if he were conscious of how much destruction he was causing. still up to this point, denji doesn't know that he loves aki. it hasn't computed to him as a piece of info, only as an experience.

him being shown as a child in the snow, a contrast to the violent reality that his body is in, has as much significance as it does for aki.

denji never really grew up, he never got past his father's death or anything that happened to him before and after that. he was kept from it by his life and makima herself, once again. his ineptitude was weaponized and he was nowhere near being aware of it. he was also stuck.

in that scene, denji experiences real loss. he loses someone he loves and someone who loves him back. someone who thought himself unable to do so but was the first to love him like a human.

he was just a kid, losing his family by his own hand again, only this time he had been loved.

it's highlighted in the next chapter, where he appears unable to grieve and looks kind of numb instead. then we have the ice cream scene, where he thinks the words for the first time and throws up immediately.

his confusion after it happens, him being unable to fathom why his body would have such a reaction, breaks my heart almost more than the entirety of the snowball fight itself, from denji's pov.

im not going to talk about what happens directly after that and its implications bc im gonna end up talking forever, but his behavior throughout the next chapters very much shows how out of his depth he is when it comes to loss and grief and how lost and helpless he is in makima's hands.

my point is, both aki and denji were used, weaponised and kept from growing up while also having to deal with the world and its cruelty at the same time. even the closeness they achieved was planned and used against them both. this is only one of many angles of the snowball fight scene that can be looked at and interpreted in different ways. but it was the one that made me ugly cry today :)

[duhragonball]

Chainsaw Man ch.96-97

tfw you can't believe you ate the whole thing.

Last time, Makima defeated Chainsaw Man once and for all. She's about to savor her victory, but first she pauses to pay a visit to Flavor Country.

To be clear, Makima's goal was to secure control over the Chainsaw Devil's power. For that, she needed the Chainsaw's heart, not the version we've seen through most of this series, which was "weakened" by the merger with Denji. Makima's story is that Chainsaw is the one devil that other devils fear, because when it kills a devil, they die forever, and the thing they embody is erased from existence. Makima wants that power to alter the world for what she considers the good of humanity. Unlike other devils, Makima likes humans, although she sees us as little more than dogs. Her utopian vision isn't exactly big on free will.

But as she plans for her new life with Chainsaw, it turns out that she forgot one thing. One very important thing...

Motherfucking chainsaws.

This is awesome, because even though it doesn't make a lot of sense in the moment, it also makes all the sense in the world. That's because in the last chapter, Makima kept scolding Denji for failing to be the Chainsaw Man in the way she expected the Chainsaw Man to be. She thought he didn't "get" Chainsaw Man. She thought he wasn't worthy of being Chainsaw Man. Well it looks like he gets it pretty well from where I'm sitting.

Turns out the guy Makima defeated in Chapter 95 was a decoy. Several chapters before this, Makima was able to launch Chainsaw Man into space, and he got back down by pulling out his own heart and tossing it back to Earth, where the heart could regenerate itself a new body. Denji vaguely remembers doing this, and figured out a way to do it again here. This time, he tore off a piece of his own heart and it grew into a second body, a proxy who could fight in his place.

We saw Reze do something similar when she attacked that Public Safety facility, so maybe this is something unique to hybrids. Anyway, the important point is that while Makima was complaining about Denji's weakness, she never suspected that she was being lured into a trap.

I think Denji must have made the switch when he was covered in that pile of bad guys earlier in the fight. That way the real Denji could lay among the corpses without being noticed. Either that, or he set up the decoy from the very start, and the real Denji was better hidden than I would have imagined.

Okay, but so what? Makima's taken worse damage than this and come back from it. What was the point of setting up this whole fight just to do a single sneak attack? Well, that was no ordinary chainsaw Denji just used. He made it with Power's blood. Remember, they made a contract in that dumpster back in Chapter 91, and she gave him her blood in exchange. So I guess that means Denji could use her blood-weapon power, similar to the way Makima could use the Angel Devil's powers. Denji had to exhaust tha ability to pull this off, though, so it's not like he's got Power powers for all time.

Anyway, he sent Power's blood into Makima, where it can attack her from the inside, and apparently that's enough to slow down her regeneration and keep her in this vulnerable state.

Makima isn't impressed, since she can still recover from this, but Denji's not finished yet. No, he's only just gotten started.

We jump ahead a few hours, I think. Kishibe complains about his back, like he just helped Denji do a bunch of manual labor. There's still work to be done, but from here it's up to Denji. Kishibe is skeptical that this plan of his will work, but he wishes Denji luck and promises to return and see if Denji survives the attempt. So what the hell are they talking about? What is Denji going to do?

Well, he starts cooking dinner. He talks to Makima while he does it, and explains that while he still loves her, he can't just ignore all the people who died because of her.

All he has to do is become one with her. Are you getting the picture yet?

I don't know how long this takes, but eventually Denji meets up with Kishibe and he's got Meowy and all of Makima's dogs with him. he informs him that he ate it all, and by "it" he means Makima's body.

Kishibe still can't quite believe this actually worked, but Denji says she didn't regenerate in his stomach, or from the toilet when he pooped all those meals out. Denji believes that his intentions have a lot to do with it. He wasn't trying to murder Makima, but he became "one with her" as an act of love.

Kishibe is more practical about it, and speculates that there must have been some loophole or except in the contracts she made to empower herself. For example, she said she made a contract with the Prime Minister of Japan to transfer her own deaths onto random Japanese citizens. If the specific terms of that contract only referred to enemy attacks, then Denji might have managed to get around it with his "act of love" thing. Makima probably never imagined that someone would cook and eat her, so she never bothered to make a contract to deal with that contingency.

What Kishibe really wants to know is how Denji was able to get the drop on her like he did at the end. Kishibe's been trying to stay off her radar for a long time now, so the fact that Denji snuck up on her so easily is probably the most impressive part of this story for him.

Denji says he took a gamble, based on everything he ever heard from and about Makima. She seemed to only perceive people by scent.

And so he gambled that if Makima were in the middle of fighting a Chainsaw Man decoy, she would never notice Denji sneaking up on her until it was too late. Because she never really noticed him at all. She was only interested in the part of Denji that she could exploit for her own purposes.

I don't want to read too much into this, but this whole story feels like it was inspired by a bad breakup. You have this manipulative woman who draws people in by feigning attraction, kindness, and interest, and then once you're in her sphere of influence, she ignores and dismisses you except whenever she decides you're doing something she doesn't approve of. And in the end, no matter how badly you want to please her, no matter how much you want her, you ultimately realize that she never thought much about you at all.

While they're discussing all of this, some creepy little girl wanders over to pet one of the dogs, and when Denji tries to shoo her away, she bites his finger, and he sees her eyes look just like Makima's.

Kishibe reveals that he brought the kid with him for this meeting. She's the Control Devil, but she's not Makima anymore. He found out she was in China, so he abducted her and brought her here.

Kishibe figures that if she's left in the hands of some government, or if she's on her own, she'll eventually become just like Makima, so the best thing to do is leave her in the care of Denji, who can bring her up right. Kishibe expects to get busy soon, so he can't handle this himself. Denji tries to bow out of this responsibility, but...

... Kishibe pulls a Batman on him and vanishes without a trace. So now he's stuck with the girl, but look at her riding that dog like a horse. That's adorable. She says her name is Nayuta.

So he takes her in. They go home and eat dinner, and then they go to bed, and this looks really cute with all these dogs everywhere.

As he sleeps, Denji dreams of Pochita, and he finally gets to cuddle with him again. Pochita tells him that his dream was to get hugged, but as simple as that sounds, it was nearly impossible, because the Chainsaw Devil was too powerful and untouchable. So he became Pochita and befriended Denji, and then merged with Denji to become what they are now, and his dream has come true.

Pochita then explains that the Control Devil's dream was similar. She wanted to have equal relationships with people, but she didn't know how, because she could only experience other people through power or fear. What she wanted was like a family, and that's what led her to try to remake the world. Pochita asks Denji to fulfill that dream for the Control Devil, since she couldn't do it herself. Denji asks how, and Pochita's answer is simple:

Give her lots of hugs. D'awwwwwwww.

So where does that leave Japan? Well, there's still devils out there, and the public still needs saving, and Chainsaw Man is still a big hero to the people. Even as these panicky civilians flee, they can't stop talking about Chainsaw Man news 'n' rumors. But while they run away from the monster...

This dude stands his ground and pulls a cord in his chest. Roll credits.

I don't know, this last panel kicks a lot of ass for some reason. It really does feel like the final shot of the hero at the end of a movie about his origin story. Except I usually find those movies kind of uninspired, and yet somehow Chainsaw Man manages to pull it off. I guess it helps that this storyline has been so long, and it really feels like he earned this moment. The problem with Spider-Man doing it is that everyone kind of already knows how it'll turn out, and Spider-Man's origin doesn't take that long to tell, so there's not much suspense over whether he'll actually get good at this Spider-Man thing.

But Denji's come a long, long way in these past 97 chapters. At this point, all that's left of the main cast is himself and Kishibe, and Kishibe just left town. I guess Kobeni might get back into the Devil Hunting game, but I'm pretty sure she's done with this. So it's all up to Denji from here on, and in spite of everything, he seems to have grown into the role. He's beaten a lot of powerful devils, and he understands the importance of the work, and he has the emotional maturity to stick with it. Plus he's taking care of all those pets and Natuya, so he's more responsible than ever before. He's earned this final panel.

And yeah, that's the end of the Public Safety Arc of Chainsaw Man. There's a Part II of the series, and it looks like it's about 75 chapters or so in, but I don't want to dip into that this month, mostly because I don't think I'd have time to cover it all, but also because I'd like to wait until that arc is finished. So for now, that's it for me and Chainsaw Man.

But I'm definitely impressed with this comic. As I drew closer to the finale, I wondered how the story could get me interested in Part II, and I have to say it did a great job. Denji seems to be on his own, but he's got plenty of old business to tackle, like raising Nayuta and seeking out the Blood Devil. Plus, it's not clear just what happened to those Hybrids he fought in the last several chapters. They seemed to be unkillable, and with Makima out of the picture there's no telling what they might do next.

So I'll definitely be back for more. We'll see how things stand next year.

I kind of hope Denji doesn't eat the bad guy next time...

[deathbxnny]

☆《Returning home to you.》☆

-----♡

A/N: Alright so, I'm noticing, that I'm getting really burnt out with writing for hsr recently and to keep my mental health from tanking completely, I've decided to write something for my current Chainsaw man obsession as a small break! I hope you guys will like it!<33

Featured characters: Aki, Denji, Power, Makima

Content: Fluff, established relationship, some angst because it's csm, sfw

Reader has no set pronouns!

((Not fully proofread))

-----♡

》Aki Hayakawa

For Aki, the best time of the day, is him finally being able to come home to you. He never thought that he'd ever find a s/o to return to after a long day of work, as he was always so hellbent on revenge and could die at any given moment due to his occupation. And yet, he still found you, the only person that made living still worth a damn on his hardest days.

You take care of him so well too. You always greet Aki at the door, happily helping him out of his jacket, as you tell him about the mundane things you've done that day. You give him a sense of normalcy he always secretly craved to have deep down. He is starved for attention and knows he's lucky to have you.

The moment he steps through the front door and sees you, he can leave the evil truth of the world behind, until his next shift inevitably begins. Sure, not everything always goes as smoothly and he knows, that this won't last forever. But in your arms, he can pretend that it will.

-----♡

》Denji

He sometimes thinks that he's dreaming, whenever he comes home to you. He still can't believe, that he actually achieved everything he always wanted to. He has a pretty s/o, good food and a seemingly better getting life! It's all he wanted and more! So whenever he does come home, he immideatly pulls you into a hug, happily muttering to himself about how proud he is.

He loves it, when you cook food for him. He doesn't care what it is or if it's good. Denji doesn't discriminate and whatever you cook is certainly much better than whatever he was used to. He'll practically praise everything you do for him. As a thank you, he'll get you flowers or gifts. Even if they aren't the best, you still know that he appreciates you greatly.

To him, you are one the first people that gave him the sense of a home. He was always only able to imagine how it must've felt like, but now that he has it for real, he won't let you go. He can't let you go. Not when you make him feel like a loved human for once.

-----♡

》Power

It's a miracle, that she even properly finds her way home, after a long day at work. And when does, she's usually muddy or covered with blood, which results in her being forced into a bath, before she dirties the floor you just cleaned. Meowy often watches you struggle with Power, as she calls out for the cats help.

You are her favourite human and should be proud that you are. She tells you so everyday and expects you to thank her, which also earns her a deadpan and a shake of your head. But as much as she acts superior to you, she actually does appreciate everything you do for her. Especially the safe home you provide for her and her cat.

She often therefore thanks you in unconventional ways, like bringing you dead birds or wild flowers she found... she's trying, I promise. But her presence is surely a thank you enough too, right?

-----♡

》Makima

Makima comes home calmly and seemingly stress-free. She often always has something to give you and her dogs as well. Pretty flowers for you and treats for them. She always greets you all cheerfully, before just simply demanding hugs and affection from you.

She clinges onto you at home, thanking you for your loyalty and being so good for her, before she helps you out with some house chores. She loves it, when you do domestic things together, as she doesn't really have the need to rest after work.

She never speaks of work with you and you never ask either. She doesn't let any of her "co-workers" know that she has a partner anyways, as you are her little secret. You are a separate part of her life as a devil hunter and the only sense of normalcy she has outside of it. It's why she appreciates you so much and makes sure you always know that, even after she had a long and tiring day.

-----♡

A/N: So this is my first time writing for csm characters and I hope it's okay! It honestly helped me feel alot better too!<33

Csm requests are also appreciated!<33

[anjasitdown]

I have so many Thoughts I wanna say before I move on from the Public Safety Arc. There'll be manga spoilers by the way.

To be honest, I put off watching Chainsaw Man when I heard the protagonist's sole aim in life is to... touch boobs. I thought Denji was just like any other shonen MCs with perverted tendencies. I tried watching because it was animated by Mappa, but I stayed because of Aki, Denji, and Power (and Meowy). But as I reached the ending of Public Safety Arc, I realized Denji's more complex than that.

All his life Denji was deprived of basic needs; he couldn't even afford the bare minimum. He didn't get to experience love from a parent or admiration from his peers. Denji craved so much for love and affection, but the only way he knew how to get that was through sexual intimacy with a woman. Receiving affection from friends is completely foreign to him. That's why when he and Power did that in the bathroom, Denji's like, "Wait a minute... that's it?" Deep down Denji knew there's more to love than that—there's more to affection than just touching breasts. The moment he started to realize that, Makima just had to twist his mind and turn him back to his sexual urges (screw u for that makima btw).

Throughout the whole arc, Denji continued to believe in his idea that love is just about touch and sex. He ran after women after women who fulfilled that but left him feeling hollowed because, well, they tried to kill him afterwards. It's actually entertaining to watch Denji finally gets his first kiss only to get barfed on the mouth and his second got his tongue cut off. And Makima, the woman he truly loved, not only used him but also discarded him when she got what she wanted. Most of those women don't see Denji as more than a dog. Denji is just some dumb boy who doesn't deserve the normal life he's having.

But Denji really is just some boy. But he's Aki and Power's boy. There's nothing special about him. Aki and Power know that because they looked beyond the Chainsaw—they saw Denji as he is, and accepted him. People treated Denji like a dog and no one saw his worth as a person. But not Aki and Power. Aki gave him a house, taught him and Power manners, cooked for them, and taught him how to cook. Aki treated Denji and Power as his own. And Power, as unhinged and selfish as she is (affectionate), relied so much on Denji. I think that trust taught him to be a better person. To have someone rely on you can make you feel loved and respected. That's why helping Power overcome the fear of the Darkness Devil felt so natural to him. Sleeping with her on the same bed, taking a bath together, and Power walking in on him while he's on the toilet didn't feel naughty (as Denji said). The love Denji's searching for everywhere has always been in front of him: Aki and Power.

Makima can tell Denji she fabricated everything for all I care, saying everything has been a lie and that she set it all up to destroy Denji's mind and heart. But what Aki and Power felt toward Denji was real because they were the only ones who truly loved Denji without asking for anything in return. They saw him as he is, and loved him.

My precious children 🥺🥺🥺 I'm going to miss them

[boxwinebaddie]

hallowhallowhallow~ my dear, sweet children of the scandy eye-man-candy korn! sorry for the trick, my treats ( ...>.>;; thiiis is why i try not to make promises about postin 'cause, before there was jersey, there was he(a)rsay aka me, the og unreliable narrator w/ great hair *flips* )

either way...it's not you; it's me. more specifically, its a fkn MRI that i have to schedule that i have been avoiding like the plague -- and all my responsibilities along with it. most regrettably of all, dearlings...

i missed the most chaotic bisexual day of the year! :( nOO! perolike call me randy marsh the way i RUINED stan's birthday AGAIN! ( also, aaa!~ can you believe ravenstan turned 22? not my eyes leaking :'} rs really is my fkn angel and my sweet son; i mean that. mi amorcitooo~

...i feel oddly motherly things for him in this chilis <333 ( also he really Hates his bday, but i promise him and jersey did something very cute for it xx ) BUT! more on that later, beloveds! because i am breaking my silence to make a Very Important Announcement:

I Put Jersey In COSPLAY. ;)))))

( ljsDsjldskds crYiiiiiN i'll fix the spelling l8r )

basically! every year for ravenstan's faux, goth heaux, celebprettyboy birthday ( aka HALLOWEEN <333 ) they throw gayven a MASSIVE star-studded, spooky-ooky pacifistic majorRAGER; its THE party!

( probably at whatever the fanciest hotel or hottest nightclub is in NYC at the moment -- or maybe i'll have it at the iconique sicktorian manwhorsion so that rs and jk can sneak off into stan's greenhouse and have a *british tolkien vc* cheeky lil snog ala the climax of rm ;) )

but every year, crimson dawn gayng does a themed group halloween costume ( last year, they went as greta gerwig barbie characters; jimmy went as alan, marj was weird barbie, keny was ken, naturally, and ofc, blonde ravenstan had to go as barbie; it was...Necessary. yw.

ALSO, very important to me that you know that kenny and ravenstan were specifically in the Legendary Hot Pink Cowboy Jumpsuits -- i just KNOW yersey was crying and throwing up; my man looked so GOOD...and bent over an Unncessary Amount Of Times; jail foreVA! )

BUT THIS YEAR!!!!! THIS YEAR!!!!! BECAUSE STAN IS A CRINGEY, BOYFAIL LOSER AND STANIME ENJOYER ( y'all are going to have to pry that hc from my Cold Dead Gay Hands! its is the Right answer! so either get with it or get steppin! Cry! Cope! LAME ASS DORK BOY RAVENSTANIME NATION, WE ARE SOOOOOOOOOO UP LOL! )

they are going as CHAINSAW MAN CHARACTERS. ( am...azing ;-; )

okay...so the lineup Might change? but as it stands atm, i am thinking jimmy is denji ( that...makes so much sense to me, i fear ), KENNY AS POWER IS THE RIGHT ANSWER SORRY, marjorine's hair was already a pink/red color, so i think makima is also just...right...yeah? but, uh...

aNYWAYS WHATS IMPORTANt???!!!! IS THAT RAVENSTAN IS AKI AND THEYRE FORCING JERSEYKYLE AT FUCKING NERF GUN POINT TO GO AS ANGEL!!!! ITS NECESSARY!!!! IT IS THAT SERIOUS.

like...oh my GOOOOOD. if you don't know what the hell i'm talking about, you might have to do some light googling BUT??? WHEN YOU DO PLEASE TELL ME YOU CAN SEE THE VISION. i love you so BAD, pierced and yatted up, edgy boy punk rock ravestaki with his hair up,

( shoutout to when teri ~hi teri~ told me that putting stan's hair up is a nina influenced event...too real; speaking of his hair? i think he is...still a little blonde, like maybe just the bottom half or MAYBE oOOH? ill do his lil eboy curtain bangs because...wow. delicious. thank you god. also i know his makeup and his guyliner was FIERCE, BITCH!

also...i am bringing the lipring chain back bc it is my FAVORITE edgy rs hot topic display acessory -- which means it's Also jersey's bc he has...what? TASTE! /for metal, taco bell cinnamon twists, **achem!** a passion for fashion...and also v pretty twinky nerdy emo boys. <3/ )

BUT UHHHHH...listen. if ANYONE ELSE ASKED, jk would tell you to kys and gut you. but...sigh. ravenstan is actually god's angel, HIS EYES ARE SO BEAUTIFUL AND BLUE AND LARGE, like??? when he reliquishes the matte black golden retriever puppy dog pout, bats his very long dark eyelashes at you, juts the lil stanopener ringed lip out at you and his eyes sparkle like gothboy rapunzel from tangled...it really is SOOOO over. i would fold. jerseykyle...did fold. sorry, king.

RAVENSTAN ALSO NEVER, EVER ASKS FOR ANYTHING?! like he is SO nice and selfless and kind. he never, ever, EVER asks for anything. jk actually like actively has to try and force him to ask for things; its his lil project because God Forbid that man do one less than saintly or self-indulgent thing...fyi, its that every year he asks for a Sword...

WHICH IS SO INSANE, LIKE ABSOLUTEly NOt--did they...get him a sword...i--maybe? oh my god. i knOW HE SCREEEAMED KSLSDkj )

but back to cosplay!jersey ( god, i love my life. when i tell you this was an epic win for pathetic loser gamer boys everywhere LIKE HAHA i got my FINE ASS preppy office siren boyfriend to wear The Outfit ) which...actually isnt that different to what he usually is wearing, tbh?

( also...getting ur messy eboy bf to wear any kind of suit and get all cleaned up, is actually a net win for normie preppy office siren boys everywhere so he Also Won; like it really is just worth it to see rs roll up his sleeve w the TAttoOOS WWWWHEEEW with the hair tie in his mouth while he puts his hair up...jk like E-Excuse Me *goes Feral* )

the halo was sooo cute btw, als the cheekbone guylighter? HOOOO. so...beautiful. i also think he got a little guyliner or shadow...just so i can have ravenstan homoerotically applying his makeup pre-party ;)) BUT THE IMPORTANTE PARTE IS THAT WE GET GORG SWOOPY FARRAH FAWCET JERSEY WITH HIS HAIR STRAIGHTENED WHICH rs also like E-Excuse Me *GOES FKN FERAL* in...SAAAAANE.

it was probably so long and luxurious, it was rs' finest work literally. i know it was steamy in that bathroom. unfortunately god bless him, rs is probably a little autistic ( y...eah...yeah ) and jk kept trying to make out with him, help, bc he's very cute when he takes his medication like a responsible king to combat the severe gaydhd and laserfocuses really hard on what he's doing ( ilysm transmaquilladorble rs xxx <333

he does all his makeup, btw, bc he's shaky asf and doesn't like to inconvenience the makeup artists; they just clean it up for him...he's rlly good, btw ) does the squint and stan lipbite and tilts his head and very gently holds your face...Wowza, truly. jkyle was like u are so beautiful to Me. rs like....what do you MeAN actually ethereal 6ft tall avant garde haute couture european vogue italia supermodel boy whose hair i am straightening in this lil bathroom in my big ass ratty teeshirt with my dumb eboy hair back in this headband sitting on the the bathroom counter trying not to hit my inhaler like a vape every five seconds because this does not feel real to me??? sklhdk In Luv! )

but yeah...super best cosplay stanime boyfriends DEVOURING! i also just want them to do the serran wrap kiss and have it go viral. also x2 if you are looking for them, so sorry, ik, they pregamed a little too hard and looked a little too fine and are probably making out and ruining the extensive labors of stan's beautiful star tattooed emo boy silver ringed tan hands one of which is in jkyle's very lucious straight hair and the other one is probably hiking up his dress shirt...woops!

Amen Gaymen.

[dead-juliet]

***spoilers for Chainsaw Man chapter 182***

The sudden flashback at the end of the chapter felt like getting cracked by a whip. It had been so long since we have seen them, and even though it might just be a flash in the pan, it brought up so much emotion in me.

thinking about it now, it must've been incredibly painful for Denji to dwell on his old memories of Power and Aki. I know he in some ways remembers them fondly, considering how he alluded to Power in the aquarium. But knowing that the entire reason he met them in the first place was just part of Makima's plan... like, their their found-family dynamic was as real as can be, their relationship was always genuine. But how can you separate the emotional truth of those memories from the trauma of it all being part of some plot?

Our sense of self comes from the story of our lives as told by our memories. Yet Aki and Power's deaths were just a means to an end for somebody else. How do you build a sensible narrative from that? How, if the most pivotal moments in your life were written by somebody else?

Denji survived because he found something new; a life worth fighting for.

But now that Nayuta's gone too... who is he anymore?

...Chainsaw Man?

...Is it really okay to be Chainsaw Man?

also what is it that Asa's looking forward to? aaaaa i wanna know!!!