Himeno: Did Himeno sacrifice herself for Aki in Chainsaw Man? Her death and its effects explained

Did Himeno sacrifice herself for Aki in Chainsaw Man? Her death and its effects explained

Modified Jun 21, 2024 14:04 GMT

Himeno in Chainsaw Man (Image via MAPPA)

Chainsaw Man's Himeno is a bit of an intriguing character. She is undoubtedly quite popular in the fandom and her relationship with Aki Hayakawa had fans swooning. While they may have come off as a couple, that isn't the case. Himeno and Aki were partners assigned to each other by Public Safety.

Initially, her feelings for Aki were those between teammates, and she just did not want him to die. However, the more they worked together, the more she developed feelings for him. She even said she liked him as he was cool and, more importantly, normal.

True to her feelings towards him, she ended up sacrificing herself for him, which substantially impacted Aki's story.

Himeno's death in Chainsaw Man explained

Himeno's death in Chainsaw Man was quite unfortunate, especially for Aki. It occurs during the Katana Man Arc when Denji, Aki, Power, and Himeno face Katana Man and Akane Sawatari. During the arc, while the group visits a restaurant, Katana Man attacks them, shooting Denji, Aki, and Himeno.

Aki puts up a fight but is soon overwhelmed. With Power and her contracted Ghost Devil unable to help and severely injured, Himeno takes a drastic step. She offers the Ghost Devil all of her body in exchange for being able to use all of the Devil. It eagerly accepts and grants her wish.

Initially, she manages to push Katana Man back, but Akane's Snake Devil swallows the Ghost Devil whole. Consequently, Himeno's entire body vanishes, leaving only her clothes behind.

How Himeno's sacrifice saved Aki in the moment

Aki Hayakawa and Himeno (Image via MAPPA)

Himeno's sacrifice was a heartbreaking moment for fans of the series. Her character had good potential and could have contributed quite well to the story had she survived. Nonetheless, her sacrifice wasn't in vain, as it paid off in the moment and later on too.

At that moment, Himeno proved to be the deciding factor in the battle that saved Aki's life. Breathing her last as she began to vanish, she used the Ghost Devil's arm to pull Denji's chainsaw cord, regenerating him and allowing him to fight in her place.

As a result, the attention of both Katana Man and Akane shifted from Aki and Power to Chainsaw Man. The battle raged on, with Katana Man and Akane's henchmen joining in to stop Denji. It ended with an explosive display from Kobeni Higashiyama, which caused Akane and Katana Man to retreat.

How Himeno's sacrifice may have saved Aki later

Aki Hayakawa and the Ghost Devil (Image via MAPPA)

While it seems that Himeno's brave step saved Aki at the moment, further progression in the story showcases that it did later on as well. Her feelings for him were quite strong, and her desire for him to keep living was powerful enough to save him once more in a tough situation.

A new Special Division 4, formed by Makima, attacked Katana Man and Akane's base. Aki found himself face-to-face with Akane, who summoned the Ghost Devil. Nervous initially, Himeno's memory helped calm him down as he noticed Himeno's right arm reach out from the Devil's body, holding a cigarette with 'Easy Revenge' written on it.

Completely calm now, he felt no fear facing the Ghost Devil, which impaired the Devil's ability to sense him. Thus, he climbed atop it and decapitated the Devil. This incident proved that Himeno's influence still existed, enabling Aki to extinguish fear within and bring down the Ghost Devil.

Related links: