Chainsaw Man Explores Denji's Worst Trauma in New Chapter

By Megan Peters

Chainsaw Man knows the ins and outs of trauma. Since its debut, the manga has tapped into its lead's worst fears time and again. Denji has run into all sorts of trauma since he merged with Pochita, but the protagonist has done an alright job compartmentalizing his issues. But now, the latest Chainsaw Man chapter has reared Denji's worst traumas for all to see.

And honestly, you can probably guess what Denji faced. Chainsaw Man has been rough with the hero, but few things have settled as poorly with Denji as the loss of his best friends.

In the midst of Chainsaw Man chapter 126, we watch as Denji confronts the Falling Devil. The primal fear does little but toy with Denji, but that doesn't stop our hero from revving his blades. The only thing that throws off Denji is the Falling Devil's touch as they try to make the boy fall into despair. To do that, they summon the memories of Power's death as well as Aki's murder. And of course, it makes Denji panic.

In fact, Denji panics so hard that he has only one recourse. He uses his powers to sever his brain stem so he cannot conjure up any traumatic memories. This move allows Denji to fight on instinct, but even still, the Falling Devil gets the better of him.

It is hardly surprising to see Denji's reaction to Aki and Power here. The pair became our hero's family, and they both died in awful ways. Aki was consumed by the Gun Devil with Makima's aid, and Power was killed by the Control Devil outright. They even went on to sacrifice their life to save Denji from Makima's control at one point, so there is no denying how close Denji is with the pair. Their deaths weigh on him heavily, and the Falling Devil knows that.

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Now, Chainsaw Man fans will have to see whether Denji can save another friend from death. Asa Mitaka may claim to dislike the boy, but she and Denji have an odd bond. He knows the Falling Devil is after Asa, and they've already cornered the girl by the end of this week's chapter. So if anyone is going to save Asa from her past, it is going to be Denji one way or another. 

Did you expect this kind of trauma from Chainsaw Man's new chapter? Share your thoughts with us in the comments section below or hit me up on Twitter @MeganPetersCB.

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