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Warning: Spoilers Ahead for Chainsaw Man Chapter #177!
Chainsaw Manhas always maintained a bold streak in its storytelling, combining cutthroat plot developments with recurring, scathing political commentary. I have grown to love the series for pushing the envelope, showcasing controversial developments along the lives of Denji and Asa as they adapt to their powers and place within a world inundated with the influence of Devils. However, one striking possibility, born out of the consistent stream of new Devils based on everything from Famine to the concept of the Mouth, makes me wonder abouta Freedom Devil appearing in future chapters ofChainsaw Man.
The beauty ofChainsaw Man’sDevils is that so many of them conceptually work because of even subtle fears attached to them, with a Freedom Devil concept being no exception. The current chaotic arc is underway, devolving into a gory whirlwind as Pochita’s original Chainsaw Devil form emerges again. In a bid to subdue her rampaging adversary,Yoru deploys her War-themed powers, but in doing so, cracks the facade of a lasting symbol of freedom;this noteworthy occurrence prompted me to look further into the idea of a Freedom Devil inChainsaw Man.
Chainsaw Man’s Freedom Devil Could Be a Reasonable Possibility
Far from the Most Outlandish Devil Concept
The final panels ofChainsaw Manchapter #177 show Yoru prepping a devastating assault on Pochita, arming her Right Gun Gauntlet while striking a pose to match the Statue of Liberty. After she gathers enough of a sacrifice from the United States, she pulls the trigger, causing the face of the Statue to crack as the chapter ends. Given the nature of the sacrifice, namely, severing the trigger fingers of 400,000 members of the “National Pistol Association,” a group parodying the NRA, prizing the freedom to bear arms,this sudden loss could provoke a hypothetical Freedom Devil’s response.
Chainsaw Man Finally Shows Who’s Stronger Between Its Two Protagonists
The ultimate showdown between Chainsaw Man and Yoru has finally begun, and though Pochita has the early advantage, Yoru may have a few tricks left.
The concept of a Freedom Devil does not seem as loathsome, at least to me, as the other represented fears inChainsaw Man.However, it can still manifest through natural extremes, such as anarchy, freedom of consequences, or lawlessness. The sacrifice of 11.4% of the NPA membership’s index fingers could precede a response from surviving members who fear losing the ability to practice their Second Amendment rights. It could potentially galvanize the membership and thus empower a hypothetical Freedom Devil. Given the twisted imagery used by other Devils inChainsaw Man,it’d be unsurprising if a complex Freedom Devilexisted.
Who Could Wield the Freedom Devil in Chainsaw Man
An Ironic Choice Lies Ahead
While I acknowledge this as speculation, Yoru, Asa’s inhabiting War Fiend, would bethe strongest candidate to outright wield a Freedom Devil’s might, especially with the parallel to the Statue of Liberty’s pose fromChainsaw Manchapter #177. Moreover, she consistently refers to the Gun and Tank Devils as her children, which she can wield freely in chapter #176. While attributing freedom as the driving motivation for countries going to war from the 20th century into the present is far from the only answer, a common public perception is that freedom is obtained or secured through war.
The Korean War Veterans Memorial in Washington, D.C., has the axiom “Freedom is not free” engraved at the site as an example of war being cited as a price of freedom.
Another matter is whether Yoru will be the only user or if it’s partitioned into the rest of the free world inChainsaw Man. The series has shown several times that the power of a devil can be shared by many people, meaning that perhaps a Freedom Devil could play an even larger role in the story.
Chainsaw Man Has Always Excelled in Political Commentary
Speak No Evil
Chainsaw Manhas always used striking visuals to convey commentary. One moment from chapter #173 is especially upsetting with a panel featuringChainsaw Man’sAging Devil, sitting atop two young individuals with severed hands, likely symbolizing the older generation thriving at the younger generation’s expense. This point is driven home inChainsaw Manchapter #174 when the Aging Devil demands the deaths of 10,000 children in front of mirrors.
The upsetting part about the Aging Devil’s demands is thatChainsaw Man’sformer Minister of Finance, Tadashi Hasegawa, is an older man willing to comply with the Aging Devil’s demands, as doing so would prompt the Devil to let Chainsaw Man devour him, erasing aging. Hasegawa’s grim irony is in the following quote fromChainsaw Manchapter #174, “Ten thousand lives is a small price to pay for the future of Japan.” Ten thousand lives of children, synonymous with the future, being offered as a sacrifice isa damning critique of the Japanese age pyramid and declining birth rates.
With the various Devils inChainsaw Man, there are plenty of other forms of commentary, including on particular societal fears. Microcosms of what some places fear above others begin to show, directly correlating to their power depending on current fear levels. One prominent case isYoru’s War Devil powers increasing alongside the fear of war in the Chainsaw Man Church Arc. Primal Devils are embodied by fear of everything from Falling to Death due to how old their corresponding concepts are. I firmly believe that a Freedom Devil can easily exist inChainsaw Manif a Tomato Devil exists.
What a Freedom Devil Could Do for the Chainsaw Man Plot
One Character Yearns for Freedom Above Others
Freedom as a concept has been all overChainsaw Mansince the start, especially when the main antagonist of Part 1 was always the Control Devil.
Denji, the longtime protagonist ofChainsaw Man, has craved freedom in numerous forms, like the ability to embrace his alter ego as referenced ina memorable chapter #93 quoteor, more strikingly, his wish for an ordinary life. Yoru attributes Denji’s lack of freedom to the Black Chainsaw Man, aka Pochita’s true form,and thus believes that by killing Pochita, she can set Denji free. Freedom as a concept has been all overChainsaw Mansince the start, especially when the main antagonist of Part 1 was always the Control Devil.
A Freedom Devil would inject an especially sinister edge intoChainsaw Man’splot by corrupting or complicating an otherwise noble virtue much of the world upheld. It’s still entirely speculation, but it would be a compelling commentary, at the risk of splitting the fan base depending on how it’s viewed. But now is as good a time as any for aFreedom Devilto manifest, with one of its most iconic symbols, the Statue of Liberty, sustaining damage inChainsaw Man.
Chainsaw Man
Cast
Chainsaw Man follows Denji, a young man burdened by debt, who teams up with his pet devil Pochita to fight devils under the yakuza’s control. Released in 2022, the series portrays Denji’s struggle to achieve his dream of living a simple, peaceful life.
