Denji's day with Yoru is a parallel to one of his best moments with Asa in Chainsaw Man

Modified Feb 11, 2025 22:30 GMT

Yoru-Denji outing parallels Asa-Denji aquarium date (Image via Viz Media)

Chainsaw Man's latest chapter was another chaotic addition to a story that is nearing its boiling point. Although this time it featured mainly Denji and Yoru and all the disorder that accompanies the latter, it was also quite eye-opening. Among the many things brought to light, Denji's day with Yoru in Chainsaw Man chapter 192 brought with it an intriguing sense of déjà vu.

To be more specific, Denji and Yoru's "date" paralleled his time with Asa Mitaka when the pair visited the aquarium. The way that the events played out, the emotions involved, and to some extent, even the words spoken, were quite reminiscent of Denji's outing with Asa. Knowing Tatsuki Fujimoto's storytelling style, this couldn't have been a coincidence.

Chainsaw Man: Yoru-Denji outing parallels Asa-Denji aquarium date

Yoru and Denji's date (Image via Viz Media)

Diving straight in, Chainsaw Man chapter 192 opens with Yoru pulling Denji away from the cafe to teach him "how Devils play." What ensued was a bout of chaos, wherein Yoru blasted away random folk on the street till Denji managed to stop her by enticing her with food. It was then that they shared a meal, and the orange-haired teen shared what was in his heart.

The whole ordeal can be looked at as Yoru taking Denji on a riotous date. This is interesting given the War Devil's seemingly altered view on the boy—initially she was fully focused on turning him into a weapon and of late has kissed him more than once and now a date. What further layers this messy interaction is the fact that it parallels the time Asa and Denji visited the aquarium.

Both incidents share structural similarities, thematic parallels, emotional callbacks, and their references to the Blood Devil, Power. However, they ultimately contrast in their portrayal of how Humans and Devils engage with life's events—one side seeks to make the best of a given situation while the other revels in the unbounded chaos of it all.

In either case, there is a sort of structured buildup leading to an abrupt climax. Chapter 192 begins with expert misdirection and veers towards a brief moment of absurdity and, from Yoru's end, a show of a different way of living. Similarly, Asa and Denji's aquarium date begins with the former boring Denji with facts before the situation abruptly descends into chaos following the Eternity Devil's arrival.

Again, the date ends, in each case, with Denji having a sit-down with his partner and being himself for a little bit. For chapter 192, he admits to having a great time after a while, and there is a mention of where he could find Power, given his promise to her. During Asa and Denji's date, the latter finds Asa's reactions amusing to eating starfish, and together, they manage to overturn the situation.

Lastly, what truly unifies both incidents is the lingering presence of Power. Towards the latter half of her character arc, she became immensely important to Denji. Again, prior to her death, Denji promised to find her upon reincarnation and befriend her once more. Him asking Yoru about her in chapter 192 is a testament to him staying true to his word. Again, with Asa's over-the-top reactions during the Dating Denji Arc, he states she reminded him of "an old friend," aka Power.

Final Thoughts

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Ultimately, these two cases in Chainsaw Man put forth distinct philosophies on pleasure and fulfillment. The aquarium date typified a more human approach, i.e., faced with an inescapable situation, Denji and Asa make do with what they had through resourcefulness and adaptability. It mirrored a human tendency to seek meaning within constraints.

Elsewhere, Chainsaw Man chapter 192 showcased the Devillish side of things. Yoru herself, with an attempt to string Denji along, rejected the confines of the situation and broke free through her own chaotic means. In essence, she was trying to show him that Humans couldn't be trusted and living like a Devil, unrestricted, free of consequence, and finding fun as they pleased was superior.