Chainsaw Man chapter 184's callback proves Denji is as unpredictable as ever

Modified Nov 20, 2024 02:53 GMT

Heading into Chainsaw Man chapter 184, all eyes were on Denji’s character for many reasons. Firstly, fans were curious to see what his plan for escaping the Aging Devil’s world would look like, which chapter 184 shows the beginning of. However, fans were also honed in on Denji to watch his behavior, especially following his epiphany-like revelation in chapter 183.

While Chainsaw Man chapter 18 didn’t quite fully elaborate on or explore Denji’s new mindset, it did see him stick with it via his words. However, the issue also showed that some things hadn’t changed, especially when Denji was explaining his new outlook to the Aging Devil. A unique callback to Part 1 in Denji’s words proves that despite how much he has grown, he’s still as unpredictable as ever.

Chainsaw Man chapter 184’s callback likely meant to tease Denji’s plan as unpredictable, show he’s still Denji

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The Part 1 callback in question seen in Chainsaw Man chapter 184 comes when Denji is discussing how he’ll keep finding people to call his family, no matter what happens. He compares this will to go on to a perpetual motion machine, which is a callback to his Part 1 fight against the Eternity Devil.

In that fight, he alleges that he can make a perpetual motion machine by replacing the blood he loses in the battle by drinking the Eternity Devil’s blood.

This callback seems to serve two purposes, the first and most obvious of which is to highlight how ridiculous Denji’s plan will likely turn out to be. In Part 1, Denji’s goal was to force the effectively invincible Eternity Devil to beg him for death, after being forced to feel pain.

However, this required Denji to fight the Eternity Devil for days on end, which Himeno and others present called a fruitless endeavor, due to how dangerous and ridiculous it was.

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In the same way, Denji’s plan to escape the Aging Devil’s world seems equally ridiculous, based on what fans know so far. This knowledge is just that Denji is doing laps around the lake, which he claims to be the start of his plan, in his final words for the issue.

The callback likewise drives home that Denji is still as unpredictable and inventive as ever, using his own unique brand of insanity to solve any problem.

The callback’s second purpose is to drive home that Denji both is still himself, and has undergone a major change in his outlook on life, as of Chainsaw Man chapter 184. Reconciling these two is key, as many were skeptical that the conclusion Denji drew from his flashbacks in chapter 183 was actually a step forward for the character.

The callback in Chainsaw Man chapter 184 does so by showing these two different sides of Denji’s character, one old and one new, using the same concept. In addition to harmonizing and driving home this legitimate growth for Denji, the callback also shows that no matter how much Denji changes, he will still be Denji at his core.

Final thoughts

Denji's found family fortitude in 'Chainsaw Man' chapter 184 sets the tone for what to expect from him (Image via MAPPA Studios)

Fujimoto’s use of this Part 1 callback in Chainsaw Man chapter 184 is expertly done, communicating key information about Denji’s character and his recent growth. It also speaks of the nature of his plan, and tells readers that while his actions may be confusing, he can be counted on to come through in the end, just like with the Eternity Devil.