Chainsaw Man chapter 196 teases a fan-favorite's return (& it's still not Power)

Modified Mar 11, 2025 22:00 GMT

Chainsaw Man chapter 196 teases a fan-favorite's return (& it's still not Power) (Image via MAPPA Studios)

With the official release of Chainsaw Man chapter 196 earlier this week, fans received exciting confirmation that the series’ newest character is indeed the Death Devil. Chapter 196 confirmed this via the character’s dialogue, which saw her claim that she’ll release the students in her class from their Earthly suffering through death.

While this is obviously a significant reveal in and of itself, Chainsaw Man chapter 196’s confirmation of her identity suggests that a fan-favorite character may soon return. While it’s unlikely to be Power, arguably the most highly anticipated fan-favorite character return in the series currently, it is nevertheless someone who fans are quite fond of.

Chainsaw Man chapter 196’s confirmation of Death Devil’s arrival teases Nayuta’s survival and reappearance

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Heading into Chainsaw Man chapter 196, the series’ fandom was agreed that the identity of the story’s newest character was likely either the Death Devil, or the new Control Devil. Their identity was narrowed down to these two options by nature of the new character having concentric pupils, a characteristic which only Four Horsemen Devils have had. Likewise, her confirmation as the Death Devil has some major implications.

For one, mangaka Tatsuki Fujimoto is implicitly telling fans that all the pieces are in play for the final confrontation with the Death Devil given her arrival. Whether this confrontation makes up the end of Part 2 or is what Part 3 focuses on, it’s clear that the stage is set with Death’s arrival. Likewise, her being introduced before fans learn who the new Control Devil is in the wake of Control Devil Nayuta’s death is extremely suspicious given her alleged death.

Moreover, information surrounding Nayuta’s alleged death has been inconsistent and vague, with Denji still having yet to get definitive details on how she was killed. Although her severed head was shown and compilation volumes corrected the mistakes surrounding its presentation, virtually every other aspect of her death is still unconfirmed. Denji himself doesn't even know for sure who killed Nayuta, subtly accusing Public Safety of it despite Barem Bridge’s involvement.

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With this in mind, Chainsaw Man chapter 196 seems to be a message from Fujimoto to fans that a new Control Devil isn’t needed because the previous incarnation is still alive. It simply wouldn’t make sense to begin the fight against the Death Devil without a Control Devil since Famine Devil Fami even wanted to work Nayuta into her own plans. At the very least, having all but one Horsemen Devil present for their reunion would be awkward visually and narratively.

Nayuta’s last-minute return would also make sense narratively given what Denji is currently going through with War Devil Yoru and Asa Mitaka. Her return would likely ground him in a way, possibly even leading to him realizing that Yoru is using both him and Asa. In turn, this may be how Yoru is painted as the true enemy of Nostradamus’ prophecy.

Final thoughts

While Denji will eventually fulfill his promise to Power, Nayuta's return seems more likely to come first (Image via MAPPA Studios)

While the above is speculative, there is an argument to be made for the odds of Nayuta’s survival being greatly increased by the Death Devil’s arrival. While some fans may have been hoping for signs of Power’s return, it’s likely that she’ll get her turn eventually. For now, however, fans have legitimate hope for seeing Control Devil Nayuta return in time for the fight against the Death Devil.