Chainsaw Man’s Denji Is a One-of-a-Kind Devil Hunter – In Many Ways
The following contains spoilers for Episode 2 of Chainsaw Man,"ARRIVAL IN TOKYO," now streaming on Crunchyroll.
Chainsaw Man has been praised as a novel and innovative addition to the shonen demographic. Aside from the fact that it isn't afraid to lean hard into darker subject material and graphic action scenes, one element that people identify as unique is its protagonist Denji. For those who have not read the manga, it may not yet be apparent what makes him remarkable.
Nevertheless, Episode 2 of the anime adaptation works to covertly hint at several things that set him apart within the universe of the show. This is done largely by putting him up against the ideas and phenomena that concern and shape the characters that will likely become Denji's most familiar faces from here on out.
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Denji Is a Deceptively Simple Individual
"ARRIVAL IN TOKYO" sees Denji being transported to the city by Makima, the beguiling woman who found him after his fateful run-in with the Zombie Devil. After being informed by Makima that Pochita, Denji's Devil pet, is still alive within him, Denji is recruited into the Public Safety Devil Hunters under Makima's authority.
As Denji begins to enjoy his new quality of life, he finds himself paired up with two other Devil Hunters: Aki Hayakawa, a straight laced young man who hates Devils because of their role in the death of his parents, and Power, a being known as a Fiend — the result of a Devil taking control of a human body. Though each of these characters have appealing qualities, it is clear that they all have something that differentiate them from Denji.
Out of all three of his new colleagues, Denji is the most eager to grow close to Makima. Not only is she the one who extended an invitation for him to join Public Safety, but Makima may be the first person to show Denji any degree of kindness in his life. By comforting him with a hug or endearing herself to him with food, Denji's newfound affection for Makima seems well-founded at first. However, this is quickly called into question when she declares that she plans to use Denji as a dog. Further darkness is added to their dynamic later in the episode when Makima states that, should Denji ever quit Public Safety, they will kill him like a Devil.
Denji Is Deeply Empathetic For Devils and Fiends
But while Makima may present the most ominous threat to Denji's life, Aki is the only one that shows outright disdain toward him. This is initially a result of Denji carefree view on life and simple motivations, but Aki later comes to hold a grudge against him due to what he perceives as sympathy towards Devils.
After losing his parents and seeing many other families destroyed by Devils, Aki has developed a seething hatred towards them. When Denji shows mercy to a Fiend by finishing him off quickly, Aki admonishes him, implying that he should not care about causing Devils pain, showing just how jaded the veteran hunter has become over the years.
This relation is further complicated by the presence of Power, who is herself a Devil of sorts. Though she possesses human-like intelligence, her most defining trait is her vicious savagery. While she may share a situation with Denji, being forced to work for Public Safety on threat of extermination, she finds delight in obliterating Devils to cause chaos and assert dominance.
Her actions do contribute to the overall security of society by dispatching any Devils that pose a threat to it, but her motivations are far from altruistic as they are based solely in self-preservation and entertainment.
A Truly One-of-a-Kind Devil Hunter
Herein lies what makes Denji a one-of-a-kind Devil Hunter. Despite his current form being a result of a fusion between a Devil and human, Pochita sacrificed himself to save Denji out of love. The end product left Denji with all his faculties and sense of self, directly contrasting the parasitic situation with Power and the other Fiend seen in the episode.
This lends some credence to Aki's complete distrust of Devils, since Denji's situation with Pochita is an anomaly. An early scene in the manga, which was cut from the anime, explores this idea when a Devil poses as a little girl's friend to use her body as a weapon, seemingly proving Aki right. Even so, the fact remains that Denji is living proof that not all Devils are evil beings set on murder.
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It's not just Pochita that makes the difference in Denji's life. It is important to remember that long before Pochita revived Denji's body, Denji rescued Pochita by giving him blood to heal himself after being fatally wounded. This did lead to a mutually beneficial relationship between the two, but Denji's initial act of kindness was motivated out of wanting to keep Pochita alive. In many ways, this is almost the opposite of Makima's utilitarian tenderness, which only acts as a proverbial carrot to motivate Denji to do his job.
Ultimately, what makes Denji special is his good-natured empathy. That is not to say that he is a bleeding heart, as he is not afraid to take down truly malicious forces. But his unfiltered amicability and benevolence are balanced with a drive to keep living and protect those who are being victimized.
This is likely a result of both his impoverished upbringing and his loving bond with Pochita. Denji is open to new possibilities to find goodwill in unexpected places, but he will not let himself be kicked down after the destitute life he lived before. If there are other good Devils like Pochita, Denji will be the first to find them. But any Devils that would aim to kill the innocent will definitely need to fear the chainsaws that are coming their way.
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