Chainsaw Man chapter 171's final panel says more about Denji and Pochita's current state than fans realized

Modified Jul 18, 2024 18:46 GMT

Chainswa Man chapter 171's symbolism (Image via MAPPA)

Chainsaw Man chapter 171 marked the return of the Hero of Hell after Denji finally processed Nayuta's death. The entire chapter was filled with symbolism centered around death and rebirth.

The final panel depicting the Hero of Hell standing amidst rubble with the name "Paradise" has become a huge topic of discussion. While many fans have had slightly different interpretations of the panel, most agree that it symbolizes Denji's peaceful life being completely destroyed and his descent into hell.

Disclaimer- This article contains major spoilers for the Chainsaw Man manga.

Chainsaw Man chapter 171 marks the destruction of Denji's entire life

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Chainsaw Man's writing and its methods of building tension have always been strong points of the series. While many fans have noted that the entirety of Part 2 has been rather bland with a lack of proper direction, others have expressed that this is just a mere step in the "Fujimoto Cycle."

Many fans have coined the phenomenon of Fujimoto writing rather mundane arcs and building up uncanny tension throughout the story, only for fans to realize it months later, as the "Fujimoto Cycle."

Denji as shown in the anime (Image via Studio MAPPA)

Part 2 saw Denji trying to be Denji more than Chainsaw-Man. Involuntarily to some extent, Denji's entire journey depicted him finding value in things that are not tied to his other identity.

Chapter 171 broke all of this down, depicting Denji at his lowest, having lost his home, his pets, and Nayuta, the only actual kin he had left. The aftermath of chapter 171 saw Denji fully turned into the Hero of Hell who is actually Pochita while standing amidst rubble that says Paradise.

A single panel signified the total annihilation of everything that Denji held dear and everything that gave him value, being broken down and him losing "Denji" and becoming the "Hero of Hell."

Nayuta as shown in the anime (Image via Studio MAPPA)

This, along with the imagery in chapter 171 that depicted the intestine coming out of Denji's gut to strangle Yuji and turning into the Hero of Hell, is also smart imagery by Fujimoto. The intestine attached to Yuji's gut depicts an umbilical cord which strangles Yuji, playing on the theme of life, death, and rebirth.

The singular panel of the Hero of Hell standing amidst rubble signifies the destruction of Denji's peaceful life, which he deemed "paradise," and his descent into the Hero of Hell. The fact that Denji's name is inspired by the Japanese word "Tenshi," meaning angel, shows that this single panel depicts Denji's losing himself and Pochita emerging as the aftermath.

Final Thoughts

The Hero of Hell form was last seen in Part 1 of the manga. While it has been nearly 100 chapters since this form last appeared, only Chapter 172 will reveal whether this form has grown stronger due to the plot of the Chainsaw-Man church. Chapter 172 will be released on July 23, 2024, and will be available for reading on Shueisha's MANGAPlus platform.