Reason behind Yoru's abuse of Denji in Chainsaw Man was obvious all along

Modified Feb 10, 2025 22:43 GMT

Reason behind Yoru's abuse of Denji in Chainsaw Man was obvious all along (Image via MAPPA Studios)

Throughout the latter half of the second part of mangaka Tatsuki Fujimoto’s Chainsaw Man manga series, one of the most prevalent plot points has been Denji’s general abuse. While a variety of characters could fall into the category of Denji’s abusers, the most notable among them is undoubtedly War Devil Yoru.

Her notability amongst these characters comes not only from her being a repeat offender, but also in what for fans is the confusing and infuriating way in which she abuses him. However, it’s possible that Chainsaw Man fans have been overlooking a core aspect of war which may explain her recent actions towards Denji.

Disclaimer: This article contains canon typical mentions of sensitive topics. Readers’ discretion is advised.

Yoru’s specific abuse of Denji in Chainsaw Man reflects the everyday atrocities committed during wartime

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In recent months, the Chainsaw Man manga series has seen War Devil Yoru s*xually abuse and assault protagonist Denji on several occasions. She sometimes does so under the guise of being genuinely attractive to him, while other moments make it clear she intends to obtain something by treating him in this way. Yet even still, there are other moments which simply don’t make sense, including the latest to occur in chapter 192.

However, Yoru’s instinct to utilize this method of abuse and assault on Denji is almost certainly a result of her being the embodiment of war. Several wars throughout the course of human history are well known for instances of mass s*xual assault and abuse by soldiers. The Vietnam War’s My Lai massacre, as well as several other campaigns within the larger war overall, serve as a recent and recognizable instance of such events.

Yet just because this is the best example doesn’t make it the only one, with several others occurring throughout the entirety of history as mentioned above. Likewise, Yoru is the embodiment of war as a concept in totality, including what little good if any can be found in it, and the overwhelming amount of evil. It’s quite possible that Fujimoto is using her abuse and assault of Denji to show that even these horrific consequences of war are playing into Yoru’s character and actions.

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It also highlights the monstrosity that is war, and differentiates the War Devil from her Four Horsemen peers, most notably the Control Devil via Makima. Whereas the Control Devil’s instincts are to be manipulative and find joy in the culmination of these manipulations, the War Devil is downright monstrous, and likewise finds joy in being so. Fans can expect Famine Devil Fami and the Death Devil to follow a similar pattern as their characters are explored.

However, it should be specified that this doesn’t excuse Yoru from her actions, nor are the soldiers who commit such atrocities excused from their actions by the circumstances. S*xual assault or abuse of any kind is reprehensible, whether it’s used as a storytelling mechanism or as a tragic and inexcusable act in the real world.

Final thoughts

Yoru's treatment of Denji is reflective of real-life atrocities committed during war (Image via Shueisha)

Clearly, Fujimoto has put plenty of thought into how to characterize and develop the personification of war itself. While he deserves commendation as a writer for such an approach, this does not excuse Yoru’s acts in-story, nor those perpetrated in real life. Hopefully, Fujimoto can find a way to communicate this sentiment via Yoru and Denji’s story before Part 2 ends.