Hidden detail suggests Chainsaw Man's Pochita may truly be a Primal Fear Devil

Modified Dec 04, 2024 20:30 GMT

Hero of Hell Pochita in Chainsaw Man manga (image via Viz Media, Tatsuki Fujimoto)

Tatsuki Fujimoto's Chainsaw Man series is no stranger to fan theories and speculations, especially those surrounding the Devils and Pochita, the Chainsaw Devil, in particular.

Pochita is one of the many characters who fans often love to theorize about. Apart from being the series' titular overarching protagonist and the fearsome Chainsaw Devil, Pochita is also Denji's best friend who became his heart so that Denji could "show him his dreams."

That said, a recent observation from fans sparked an unexpected connection between the Primal Fear Devils and Pochita, which raised the possibility that Pochita might not just be the Chainsaw Devil, but rather, a Primal Fear Devil in disguise.

Chainsaw Man: Latest fan observation suggests Pochita may be a Primal Fear Devil in disguise

Expand Tweet

Before diving into the theory, let us first look into the Primordial or Primal Fear Devils and one of their most unique traits that may have hinted at Pochita's connection to them.

In Chainsaw Man, the Primal Fear Devils are embodiments of fears so ancient and universal that they predate humanity's understanding of death itself. In other words, the Primal Fear Devils are Devils so ancient and powerful that they embody humanity's most instinctual fears.

These Devils have never once experienced the typical death-and-rebirth cycles that other Devils usually go through. Instead, they have maintained the same identities throughout history.

So far, the Primal Fear Devils that have been confirmed to exist in the Chainsaw Man universe are the Darkness, Falling, and Aging Devils, along with the strongest of them all, the Death Devil. Out of these four, however, only the Death Devil is yet to make an appearance in the story.

Denji as the Chainsaw Man in the anime (image via MAPPA)

That said, one thing that all these Devils have in common, apart from their overwhelming power, is their unique design choice—their eyes that always remain closed. The only exception to this is the Darkness Devil, who has its eyes open in one of its heads, which can be interpreted as a direct reference to the classic maxim—“See no evil, hear no evil, speak no evil.”

In spite of their closed eyes, all Primal Fear Devils showcased an uncanny ability to perceive and interact with others, which is likely due to their connection to fear. It could be similar to the Ghost Devil, who could see through fear.

On the other hand, Pochita, the Chainsaw Devil, also lacks visible eyes, a peculiarity that has been noted and theorized about before by the Chainsaw Man fandom. Again, in spite of the lack of this feature, Pochita has showcased extraordinary perception and navigational abilities during his fights.

The lack of eyes does not hinder his fighting ability in any capacity, as he has been shown to go up against some of the most powerful Devils and was even capable of defeating them with ease.

As such, Pochita's lack of eyes brings his nature closer to that of the Primal Fear Devils, who have been seen to operate in a similar manner. Instead of relying on visual cues, if Pochita operates on principles similar to the Ghost Devil by perceiving fear, it could be a subtle hint towards a deeper connection with the Primal Fear Devils.

Expand Tweet

Additionally, Pochita's ability to erase Devils from memory and existence itself parallels the primordial fear of the unknown—something that is both feared universally and difficult to quantify.

After taking all this into consideration, the theory that Pochita may actually be a Primal Fear disguised as the Chainsaw Devil might not be too far-fetched. That said, if Pochita is indeed a Primal Fear Devil, it could actually explain his unmatched power as well as his ability to fight without eyes.

With that in mind, there is another question that may arise from this theory: What Primal Fear could Pochita represent? One compelling possibility is the fear of annihilation, or rather, the absolute erasure of existence.

This fear is ingrained deep within the human psyche and ties directly to Pochita's ability to erase Devils from memory and existence as well. What's more, a chainsaw is often viewed as a tool synonymous with destruction. As such, it is a fitting representation of this primal concept.

Final Thoughts

Pochita and Denji as seen in the anime (image via MAPPA)

This is undoubtedly one of the more interesting Chainsaw Man theories to date. While it is completely speculative at this point, the similarities between Pochita and the Primal Fear Devils are too hard to ignore. Although the lack of eyes and a possible perception through fear might be a creative choice by Fujimoto, at the same time, it also hints at a deeper connection between them.