Chainsaw Man Episode 8

Denji and Himeno

Just as I predicted, Denji didn’t sleep with Himeno in Chainsaw Man Episode 8. And while Himeno hasn’t admitted it, I still believe she took Denji home out of jealousy. But, she’s not going to try to steal Denji from Makima going forward.

Instead, Denji and Himeno are going to team up and help each other. Himeno is going to help Denji get with Makima. And in return, Denji is going to help Himeno get with Aki. It’s a win-win. Well, except for the fact that I don’t see how Himeno’s going to hold up her end of the bargain.

All Denji has to do is bring Himeno and Aki together. He sets up situations outside of work in which they can interact. And once that’s done, it’s up to Himeno to make Aki fall for her. But, what’s Himeno going to do for Denji?

The short answer is nothing. And that’s because she doesn’t really have to do anything. Makima’s already interested in Denji (for some reason). She’s also already expressed the fact that she’ll do whatever Denji wants if he defeats the Gun Devil. So, Himeno doesn’t have to do anything to help Denji.

With that said, doing nothing isn’t exactly in Himeno’s best interest. The sooner she can get Denji and Makima together, the sooner that frees Aki up for her. If it’s clear that Makima’s with Denji, then Aki may give up on being with her himself. And then in swoops Himeno.

Overall, this first part of the episode was the least interesting by far. We didn’t actually learn anything new throughout the entire Denji and Himeno scene. And that goes for both before and after the OP. What it did was humanize Himeno so what came next hit even harder.

Wipe Out Division 4

I can’t say I expected someone to assassinate Makima and the other members of Division 4. Well, the only ones who we know died were Makima, the guy traveling with her, and later, Himeno. It was only implied that the rest of Division 4 got taken out.

But, I actually don’t think any of that matters. It doesn’t matter how many members of Division 4 died in the attack. Why? Because they’re all going to come back. Well, they might not all come back. But, there’s no way Makima is actually dead at this point in the series.

I could see Himeno staying dead. But, the only reason I say that is because of the ED. At the very end of the ED, we see Aki lay flowers and cigarettes at a grave — presumably Himeno’s. Without that scene, I’d be certain she’s coming back.

So, how could everyone who died come back to life? Let’s start with the obvious: Denji. As far as we know, Denji can come back to life as long as someone pulls his cord. So, there’s no other explanation needed for his revival. What about everyone else, though?

From Episode 6, we know that the Eternity Devil was a thing. So, I have to assume there are other Devils that can control time. Makima could even be the one contracted with this Devil. And if she is, time may reset back to before her death, just like in The Executioner and Her Way of Life.

Or, there could be Devils with the ability to revive people. Later in the episode, it looked like the girl with the Snake Devil revived the Sword Devil guy. Basically, there are many ways to revert the deaths of all the Division 4 members.

All-Out Devil Mayhem

The fight at the end of Episode 8 featured no less than 6 Devils. Well, 5 of them actively participated in the fight. Power, the Blood Devil, helped by keeping Himeno from bleeding out. I’m not counting Denji, the Chainsaw Devil, because he was dead the whole time.

So, other than Power, what other Devils did we see in action? Aki used both the Fox and Curse Devils. Himeno used the Ghost Devil. The guy Aki was fighting appears to be the Sword Devil. And then the girl with the Sword Devil guy uses the Snake Devil.

That’s 3 new devils we need to talk about. But first, let’s revisit Himeno’s Ghost Devil. Until now, Himeno only had access to one of the Ghost Devil’s hands. However, in exchange for her entire body, she got the assistance of the entire Ghost Devil.

Now, onto the new Devils. Let’s start with the Sword Devil. I don’t know if that’s what he is. But, it’s what he looks like he is. Also, more importantly, he’s the same as Denji. He’s a human who combined with a Devil. I’m sure we’ll see the two of them face off later.

Aki’s second contracted Devil is the Curse Devil. This is the sword he carries that Himeno didn’t want him to use. When he uses it, he loses some of his lifespan. But, in return, if he can stab his opponent 3 times, the Curse Devil will finish them off, no matter what.

Of course, this doesn’t go as planned because of the girl with the Snake Devil. She uses the Snake Devil to kill the Ghost Devil. And then she uses some (also Snake Devil?) ability to revive the Sword Devil. She may have another Devil.

Conclusion

What do you think of Chainsaw Man Episode 8? Did you like seeing the scene from the end of Episode 7 again, but from Himeno’s perspective? Do you think everyone in Division 4 will come back to life? And which of the 3 new Devils is your favorite? Let me know in the comments.

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My review of Episode 9 is available now.