Character profile
Background
Denji is sixteen years old and already two bad days away from dying in a ditch. His father killed himself when Denji was a kid and left him a debt to the yakuza that would take a full human lifetime to pay off. The only thing that kept him alive through it was Pochita, a small Chainsaw Devil he found on the edge of dying and nursed back to health with his own blood. Together they hunted devils for the yakuza in exchange for a roof, some stale bread, and the slow grinding of the principal.
Everything collapses in episode 1. The yakuza, turned into puppets by the Zombie Devil, chop Denji apart as a sacrifice. Pochita merges with his heart in his last seconds, makes a contract with him, and Denji stands back up as Chainsaw Man. Pulling the cord on his chest sprouts chainsaw blades from his head and both arms, and the fight that follows is the first time Denji has ever been allowed to fully win at anything.
Makima finds him in the rubble and takes him home. He becomes a Public Safety Devil Hunter under Division 4, lives in an apartment with Aki and Power, and spends the rest of the season discovering two things. The first is that his dreams are embarrassingly small. He wanted to touch a woman's chest and eat sweet jam and sleep in a bed with sheets, and once those come true they do not make him happy the way he thought they would. The second is that nobody in his new life is telling him the whole truth. Makima smiles at him like a pet. Aki resents him for being alive when better people are not. Himeno kisses him while crying. Denji keeps swinging the chainsaws anyway because swinging the chainsaws is the only thing he is actually good at, and by the end of the season he is already looking for something bigger to want.
Abilities and contracts
Hybrid reveal
Denji revealed as Chainsaw Man (Chainsaw Devil (Pochita)). After being murdered by the yakuza, Pochita merges with Denji's heart to revive him. Pulling the cord on his chest transforms him into Chainsaw Man for the first time.
Episode 1New ability
Chainsaw Man transformation, pulling the cord on his chest activates Pochita in his heart, growing chainsaw blades from his head and arms
Episode 1Fiend reveal
Power introduced as a Fiend. Power introduced as a Blood Fiend, a Blood Devil possessing a human corpse. Recruits Denji into rescuing her cat Meowy from the Bat Devil.
Episode 3New ability
Blood-drinking regeneration, discovers he can refuel his chainsaws by drinking the blood of devils, leading to the 3-day Eternity Devil kill
Episode 7Hybrid reveal
Katana Man revealed as Katana Man (Katana Devil). Grandson of the yakuza boss Denji killed; introduced as a Devil-Human hybrid allied with Akane Sawatari. Uses the Katana Devil's powers to devastate Division 4.
Episode 9Contracted devils
- Chainsaw Devil
- Blood Devil
- Aging Devil
Connections
Relatives, contract partners and characters with a shared affiliation.
Nayuta
Relative
Pochita
Relative
Meowy
Relative
Aging Devil
Contract partner
Power
Public Safety Devil Hunters
Makima
Public Safety Devil Hunters
Aki Hayakawa
Tokyo Special Division 4 (formerly)
Kobeni Higashiyama
Tokyo Special Division 4 (formerly)
Himeno
Public Safety Devil Hunters
Relatives
- Unnamed Mother †
- Unnamed Father †
- Nayuta (adoptive sister; original timeline)
- Pochita (devil pet) †
- Meowy (pet; original timeline)
- Makima's dogs (pets; original timeline)
Record
Affiliations
- Pochita (formerly)
- Yakuza (coerced, formerly)
- Public Safety Devil Hunters
- Tokyo Special Division 4 (formerly)
- Fourth East High School (formerly)
Occupations
- Private Devil Hunter (formerly)
- Public Safety Devil Hunter
- High School Student (formerly)
Key events
Introduction
Denji revealed as Chainsaw Man (Chainsaw Devil (Pochita)). After being murdered by the yakuza, Pochita merges with Denji's heart to revive him. Pulling the cord on his chest transforms him into Chainsaw Man for the first time.
Introduction
Chopped up by the yakuza and the Zombie Devil after Pochita is used as debt collateral Killed by Yakuza / Zombie Devil.
Introduction
Shredded by Chainsaw Man during his first transformation Killed by Denji (Chainsaw Man).
Introduction
Chainsaw Man debut, Denji shreds the Zombie Devil and the yakuza who killed him
Introduction
Denji has inherited his father's massive yakuza debt. His only friend is Pochita, the Chainsaw Devil, who fuses with his heart after the yakuza betrayal.
Introduction
Chainsaw Man transformation, pulling the cord on his chest activates Pochita in his heart, growing chainsaw blades from his head and arms
Introduction
Public Safety Devil Hunters are a government-sanctioned force. Makima takes Denji in, offering food and shelter in exchange for loyal devil-hunting service.
Bat Devil
Power introduced as a Fiend. Power introduced as a Blood Fiend, a Blood Devil possessing a human corpse. Recruits Denji into rescuing her cat Meowy from the Bat Devil.
Bat Devil
Sliced apart by Chainsaw Man after it kidnapped Power and Meowy Killed by Denji (Chainsaw Man).
Bat Devil
Posed as Kobeni's ally, then ambushed Denji Killed by Aki Hayakawa (Fox Devil).
Bat Devil
Denji wins, rescues Power's cat Meowy
Bat Devil
Aki kills the Leech Devil with Fox Devil, saving Denji
Eternity Devil
Trapped on the endless 8th floor with a piece of the Gun Devil. The devil offers to release them if they give up Denji.
Eternity Devil
Division 4 is trapped on an infinitely looping 8th floor. The Eternity Devil offers to release them if they sacrifice Denji.
Eternity Devil
Denji fought continuously inside the 8th floor loop for 3 days, eating the devil's flesh and drinking its blood until it begged for death Killed by Denji (Chainsaw Man).
Eternity Devil
Denji fights for 3 days straight, eating the devil's flesh for regeneration until it dies
Eternity Devil
Blood-drinking regeneration, discovers he can refuel his chainsaws by drinking the blood of devils, leading to the 3-day Eternity Devil kill
Katana Man
Division 4 devastated, Himeno, Hirokazu, and Fushi dead. Denji captured. Makima presumed dead.
Katana Man
Devils that are more feared grow stronger. The Chainsaw Devil was once feared as one of Hell's greatest monsters, meaning Denji's potential is immense.
Katana Man
Katana Man revealed as Katana Man (Katana Devil). Grandson of the yakuza boss Denji killed; introduced as a Devil-Human hybrid allied with Akane Sawatari. Uses the Katana Devil's powers to devastate Division 4.
Katana Man
Kishibe is the strongest devil hunter in Public Safety, assigned to train Denji and Power through brutal sparring until they can survive on their own.
Katana Man
Denji, Power, and Aki (with new Future Devil contract) strike Katana Man's hideout
Katana Man
Aki kills the Ghost Devil and captures Akane. Denji rematches Katana Man as Chainsaw Man, finale of Season 1.