Chainsaw Man's War Devil truly does think of herself as a mother, and Yoru's relationship with Asa shows how

Modified Sep 05, 2024 07:41 GMT

In the wake of the Chainsaw Man manga’s latest and 176th chapter, War Devil Yoru has been a central topic of discussion in the fandom for mangaka Tatsuki Fujimoto’s series, and rightly so. In the latest installment, fans saw Yoru achieve a feat that only Control Devil Makima ever achieved, and with the help of the Angel Devil’s ability at that.

This was done on the back of her weaponization ability, which saw her summon the Tank and Gun Devils before transforming them into the Right Gun Gauntlet and Left Tank Gauntlet. With this, Chainsaw Man chapter 176 saw her do significant damage to Pochita’s Hero of Hell form, even freeing the Mouth Devil from his stomach in the process.

The reason for these weapons being so powerful is the guilt Yoru feels in transforming them since, as she reveals in chapter 176, she considers herself their mother in a true sense. Likewise, this proclamation from Yoru has put her relationship with Asa Mitaka into a new context and explains why she seemed so motherly at certain points.

Chainsaw Man Part 2 built Yoru up as a mother-like figure all along, and her relationship with Asa is the key

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From the moment War Devil Yoru first met Asa Mitaka in Chainsaw Man, there was always an air of parental authority in how she tried to get Asa to do what she commanded. This is apparent in their first real conversation, where Yoru essentially forces Asa to go to school and obey her or be killed otherwise. While the surface-level mother connection is obvious, the demanding nature in which Yoru orders Asa around serves as a more subtle connection.

This also tailors their interactions as fans see them throughout the first several chapters of the manga’s Academy Saga, the formal title for Part 2. Yoru is very goal-oriented in terms of her relationship with Asa, constantly ordering her around and giving her assignments regardless of her protests. Much like a mother at times, Yoru tries to be helpful when the situation calls for it but often missteps by misreading Asa’s emotions or the situation.

Eventually, however, this transitions into a legitimate relationship between the pair, like how a mother and their child can be the best of friends in the right circumstances. While her presence in Asa’s life is far from that of a true mother, some aspects of Yoru’s identity as a mother influence how she interacts with Asa. In this way, it seems Fujimoto was trying to establish from early on that Yoru has certain qualities that can be mother-like.

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Even as Yoru and Asa become true friends, a certain aspect of their relationship and interactions with each other still maintains motherly subtext and connotations. The scene where they’re preparing for their date with Denji highlights this well, seeing the two bicker about their clothes. While Yoru’s investment in Asa’s ability to charm Denji is different in purpose than a mother’s wish for her daughter’s success in love, it’s the same in essence.

This is all further supported by the fact that Yoru feels palpable guilt for sacrificing the Tank and Gun Devils, as seen in Chainsaw Man’s latest release. The damage she does to Pochita further highlights this, as her weapons grow in strength according to the guilt she feels over what she sacrificed. By nature, this is only the second time Pochita has been severely injured while in his true Hero of Hell form, so it’s clear that these two weapons are incredibly powerful.

In turn, it highlights that Yoru truly thinks of herself as a mother by nature since she feels guilty about sacrificing the Tank and Gun Devils. Combined with her previous characterization via her relationship with Asa, it’s clear that Yoru truly does think of herself as a mother to the point that it pervades her personality. In turn, this adds a layer of complexity to her character, further solidifying her as one of Chainsaw Man Part 2’s most well-written characters.

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Edited by Joseph Brogan