Chainsaw Man chapter 196: Death Devil officially introduced as Fakesaw Man reappears

Given the shocking cliffhanger which the last issue ended on, Chainsaw Man chapter 196 was expected to elaborate on the identity of this new apparent Four Horsemen Devil. Officially released on Tuesday, March 11, 2025, the installment did indeed confirm that this new character was the Death Devil as many fans suspected.

However, Chainsaw Man chapter 196 subverted expectations in that there doesn’t seem to be another side to the Death Devil; her actions in this latest issue suggest her demeanor to be exactly as it appears. Excitingly, this leads into another cliffhanger ending, which seemingly poises the story to answer some of the oldest questions in its second part.

Chainsaw Man chapter 196 seemingly reintroduces the Fakesaw Man who killed Yuko

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Chainsaw Man chapter 196 begins with the new transfer student who is apparently a Four Horsemen Devil continuing to introduce herself to her class. She cautiously states that she feels really bad for them, confusing the others as the teacher departed. She’s completely ignored here, bawling her eyes out as a result. She also seems to have a penchant for biting her right index finger whenever she is distressed.

One of the male students in the class asks her to help out with the school festival, which she agrees to if she can save them by doing so. The student asks her to take some trash bags out to the incinerator for them, but she responds that doing such a simple job is a waste of her superior talents. As the others react in shock, she says she can save them with her special powers and says he should take out the trash since he doesn’t have powers.

Chainsaw Man chapter 196 sees the student reluctantly take the trash out, while the new student and apparent Devil is thankful there’s “one less thing to worry about.” This prompts the remaining students to say they don’t understand her, but that the rest of them are having fun working on the school festival. They add that they don’t know how to handle freaks like her, and that she’s bringing down the mood and making everyone uncomfortable.

Chainsaw Man chapter 196 confirms that the latest Four Horsemen Devil isn't the new Control Devil (Image via MAPPA Studios)

The girl who takes point in this discussion says that if she really wants to save them, she should go outside and crush ants. The apparent Four Horsemen Devil takes this literally, sitting outside and killing ants with her fingers as the boy who took out the trash finds her. He sighs and tries to start a conversation with her, saying that if she willingly moved to Tokyo then she must’ve had horrible experiences wherever she came from.

Chainsaw Man chapter 196 sees him say that the other kids in the classroom have a lot going on too, such as losing their homes and parents to recent disasters. The girl is silent but seems to be listening intently, still crying as she does so. The boy says that school is the only place they can smile like they used to, asking her to lend a hand with her own smile if she truly wants to save them.

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However, she drops her head instead before saying that as things are, the festival will surely fail. This confuses the boy, while she continues to say that she has the power to save them before placing her hand on the boy’s forehead. After doing so, she says that “through death, [she’ll] release them from her Earthly suffering. This confirms her as the Death Devil, an identity which the fandom was already almost universally agreed upon.

However, Chainsaw Man chapter 196 sees her interrupted by the sound of a motor. Death looks up to the roof of the school, seeing what appears to be Chainsaw Man standing at the top. He says that someone’s calling for help with a heart that burns to right wrongs, adding that he’s “come from the depths of hell” with his engine revved and ready before jumping down.

Death says that she’ll save him too, prompting Chainsaw Man to respond that he defeats Devils with Devil powers and “delivers justice with the power of justice.” As he says this, he’s seen crouching in front of Death and the boy, covered in what appears to be a fleshy cape. The issue ends with a look at Chainsaw Man, or rather Fakesaw Man given that the skeletal body seen is clearly not Denji’s transformation.

In summation

Yuko's killer may have finally reappeared in Chainsaw Man chapter 196 (Image via Shueisha)

Chainsaw Man chapter 196 is an incredibly exciting and informative issue, firstly confirming that the Death Devil has indeed arrived on Earth in the form of the series’ newest character. The issue also reintroduced Fakesaw Man, whose introduction makes it seem likely that he is the one who killed Yuko at the start of Part 2. While fans will have to suffer through a break week before getting more answers, they can expect this information eventually.