Kishibe may have been in Chainsaw Man Part 2 all along

Modified Oct 21, 2024 05:30 GMT

Kishibe in Chainsaw Man (Image via MAPPA)

Chainsaw Man's Kishibe is likely the series' most loved human character. Seemingly just behind Kobeni Higashiyama in terms of being ordinary, Kishibe is believed to be one of the strongest Devil Hunters in the series. He was tasked by Makima to train Power and Denji, thereby introducing him to the fans for the first time.

He is a major supporting character in Chainsaw Man Part I, appearing in nearly all its arcs before disappearing as he handed over Nayuta to Denji. Since then, in Part II, he has not yet been seen, just merely mentioned by Quanxi. But there is a theory floating about the fandom speculating that Kishibe has been there the whole time.

Disclaimer: This article is speculative in nature.

Kishibe was likely in Chainsaw Man Part II the whole time

Power, Kishibe and Denji (Image via MAPPA)

The theory speculates that Kishibe and Hirofumi Yoshida are the same person. To begin with, the pair knew each other prior to the International Assassins Arc, interacting similarly to friends and uncannily having similar knowledge. The only difference was that Kishibe knew Makima's truth and Yoshida didn't. Kishibe often talked about his old age while Yoshida spoke about being behind the times.

In essence, it is theorized that Kishibe contracted with the Aging Devil and from that contract came Yoshida. The contract likely made a clone of Kishibe exist in the Aging Devil's world, feeding it its life force while Kishibe walked the real world. Yoshida is also seen in a garden, clad in an all-black attire (similar to Public Safety's uniform from long ago), with hairstyle and accessories resembling Kishibe.

Further, Kishibe began to age when Yoshida escaped the garden, thereby breaking the contract and leaving the former with just 3 Devil contracts. Again, there are several hints that Kishibe and Yoshida are one - Yoshida has always tried to help only Denji, he begged Denji to choose Nayuta and not turn into Chainsaw Man and did not sedate Denji upon capture, rather he apologized to him.

Could Kishibe and Yoshida actually be the same person?

While this theory does sound plausible, like any other theory, it does have missing links. For instance, Kishibe has no moles that are similar to Yoshida, rather he has scars in the same place. A clone would be identical in all regards. Again, there is no solid reason as to why the Aging Devil would want a clone of Kishibe in his garden.

Moreover, Devils do not need energy/life force to power them, Fear is what strengthens them and aging is a concept that is inherently feared by humans, even in the tiniest way. The theory could go another route with Kishibe and Yoshida being friends, but a run-in with the Aging Devil left the latter trapped in the same world we see in chapter 180 - Yoshida did not age and was the only escape.

Final Thoughts

Chainsaw Man creator Tatsuki Fujimoto gives fans a lot to think about when it comes to the smallest details. Kishibe is a beloved character of the series and many want to see him return for Part II. It has been a wild ride so far and with the situation dire at the moment, aid from one of the strongest Devil Hunters is precisely what is needed.

The above-explained theory does hold weight and could turn out to be true, given the signs linking Kishibe and Yoshida's likeness. But then again, certain details do not align all that well which could be the difference that takes this whole scenario a completely different way.