Chainsaw Man chapter 165: Denji rejects a return to normalcy as Katana Man gives him a chance to achieve a dream

Chainsaw Man chapter 165 was released on Tuesday, May 14, 2024, bringing with it the exciting continuation of Denji’s cooperation with Asa Mitaka and Famine Devil Fami. Likewise, fans were especially intrigued in the issue due to the expectation that it would reveal the status of Control Devil Nayuta, Denji’s adoptive sister.

Instead, Chainsaw Man chapter 165 was a relatively mundane issue, largely focusing on the character developments of both Asa and Denji rather than advancing the overarching plot.

That leads to a somewhat unexpected conclusion which seemingly sets Denji up to achieve one of his long-standing dreams in the series.

Chainsaw Man chapter 165 sees Denji get an offer he can’t refuse from one of his oldest adversaries

Chainsaw Man chapter 165: A plan revealed

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Chainsaw Man chapter 165 begins with Denji and co walking through a train station littered with dead bodies. Denji shows concern, but Haruka Iseumi, Asa, and the others all tell him it’s no big deal and that it’s to be “expected at this point.”

The group then get on a train, where Fami lists off two great sushi restaurants she knew of, but said both were closed because one’s chef died and the other’s building burnt down.

They likewise decide to head to a budget sushi place called Sushishi, which at least has a reputation for using fresh fish. Nobana Higashiyama comments here that he’s only ordered tea from there, but the tea was at least good. Denji, meanwhile, stares blankly at a sleeping mother and child across from him, with ruined buildings seen in the background via the window behind the pair.

Chainsaw Man chapter 165 sees Denji then ask Asa why she wants to fight him now, to which she says that if she beats him, he’ll be saved. Denji asks her if she’s still brainwashed by that “weird cult,” meaning the Chainsaw Man Church, which she rejects before asking Fami to explain.

She says that it’s his heart’s power that makes him Chainsaw Man, furthering that it’s the power of a contract.

Fami displays a shockingly deep knowledge of Denji and Pochita's contract in Chainsaw Man chapter 165 (Image via MAPPA Studios)

She adds that his contract with Pochita, the Chainsaw Devil, requires him to live a normal life. If he breaks the contract, the heart’s owner will emerge, meaning the real Chainsaw Man whom fans saw battling Makima in the final stages of Part 1.

Fami then reveals the intricacies of her plan, claiming that by defeating the real Chainsaw Man and transplanting a human heart into his body, Denji can become an ordinary human again.

Chainsaw Man chapter 165 sees Denji ask her why she knows about all that, seemingly worried as he does so. However, Fami doesn’t say anything in response, prompting him to ask Asa if she actually believes Fami.

Asa points to Fami helping her rescue him as evidence to trust her, furthering that while she’s done bad things before, her heart is in the right place and they both just want to help someone.

Asa asks Fami for confirmation of that, but she remains silent aside from her stomach hilariously growling at that exact moment. Denji then asks Asa what she means by normal, to which she says returning to his old life and going to school every day while having a home to return to.

Chainsaw Man chapter 165: Normalcy is not the cure

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Chainsaw Man chapter 165 then seemingly sees Asa realize she misspoke, further supported by her following this up by promising Nayuta will turn up too.

She suggests that the police or someone else are keeping her safe and that she just doesn’t know how to get in touch with Denji following their apartment building burning down. She once again promises that everything will go back to how it was before, saying she knows this.

Denji is silent at first but quickly responds by asking her if she has ever eaten toilet paper. She doesn’t respond but is clearly intrigued, prompting Denji to explain he’d eat it as a kid when he was hungry from the park’s public restroom. However, once he stopped going hungry, he couldn’t force himself to eat toilet paper again.

Chainsaw Man chapter 165 sees Denji ask her if she understands what he means, prompting her to ask him to not speak in vague metaphors since she’s confused. The next panel sees Denji say he can never go back to the way things used to be as burning buildings are seen in back of him.

Asa looks to him before looking down at the ground with the same expression Denji has on.

Fami's behavior in Chainsaw Man chapter 165 could lead to Asa suspecting her of betrayal in the near future (Image via Shueisha)

Almost trying to convince herself, she promises she’ll give him back his life and that she’ll save him no matter what. Katana Man then pipes up in between drags of his cigarette, commenting on how kids these days are whusses and whine like women. He adds that killing Chainsaw Woman won’t avenge his grandfather and that he’d turn over in his grave instead.

Chainsaw Man chapter 165 sees Asa stick up for Denji here, pointing out that he’s hungry and his only family member is missing. She adds that there’s no smoking on the train, prompting him to put it out on the floor. He then says that he knows a place guaranteed to perk up any man, saying they should forget sushi and bring him there instead.

The issue ends with Katana Man elaborates that he means a soapland brothel, which is a private bath house legally speaking, but acts as a brothel behind the scenes.

The issue ends with a seemingly disinterested Denji looking at Katana Man as he claims nothing cheers up a man faster than being intimate with a woman.

Chainsaw Man chapter 165: In summation

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While not as eventful as some fans may have hoped for, Chainsaw Man chapter 165 is a fantastic issue with respect to character development. Both Asa and Denji receive significant and meaningful focus here, with the two bonding as they seemingly realize how similar they truly are.

The issue also does a great job of setting up something of a moral conflict for Denji in the next release, which will not be interrupted by a break week. Although going to a soapland brothel will let Denji achieve one of his oldest dreams, his current behavior suggests that he won’t be interested in engaging in the act at all.