The Aging Devil's use of mirrors in Chainsaw Man always made sense

Modified Oct 16, 2024 21:30 GMT

Chainsaw Man's Aging Devil has introduced as an intruiging and terrifying figure in the series. Debuting very recently in chapter 173, they look as sinister as they are being shown to behave.

The contract they offered to Public Safety was also quite ominous - the lives of 10,000 Japanese children citizens to be taken in front of a mirror in exchange for being devoured and erased by Pochita.

The intriguing bit here is that before appearing in chapter 178, the Aging Devil seemed to use mirrors quite. Initially, it looked like it was part of their character and that was how they connected themselves to the human world. But recent events and a close look at the Devil reveal a deeper meaning.

Chainsaw Man: Why the Aging Devil uses mirrors

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Chapter 180 gave fans the biggest clue with regards to why the Aging Devil uses mirrors. Even its deal/contract with Public Safety involved the sacrifice of children in front of mirrors.

Moving a step further back, in chapter 173, Public Safety agents cut their fingers and wrote with blood on mirrors to communicate with the Aging Devil. Mirrors have been established as central to this Devil.

As with many of Chainsaw Man's characters, creator Tatsuki Fujimoto carefully drafts in a deeper meaning behind their appearance, actions, etc. In this case, the Aging Devil’s primarily using mirrors is symbolic of the reflective and unnerving nature of aging itself. Mirrors are often used by people to view their reflection, visually.

However, it can also be looked at metaphorically. When one looks into a mirror, they get a sense of self-perception and how time is acting upon them. As seen in chapter 180, the former Devil Hunter noticed "laugh lines have deepened". He desired not to age and wished to make a contract with the Aging Devil, which is what got him to where he was.

That directly relates to what was earlier stated about appearance and perceiving oneself as time passes. The Aging Devil's contract involving the sacrifice of children in front of mirrors is a play on the idea of witnessing life and youth vanish. It quite literally mirrors the unavoidable loss aging brings with it.

Performing such a henious act in front of the mirrors is made to stress on the horror of all this, i.e., it makes these sacrifices visible in a dark, mirrored reality. The mirrors can also be interpreted to symbolize the likeness of maturity or rather the lack thereof. That refers to when the Aging Devil mocks both Yoru and Chainsaw Man for being too immature and the need for them to "grow up".

Mirrors do well to bring out the themes of time and perception, juxtaposing the eternal nature of devils with the transient existence of human life. Devils don't technically die, i.e., they are trapped in a never-ending cycle of reincarnation. However, human life doesn't reincarnate once extinguished, which is what makes it fleeting and short-lived.

Final Thoughts

A still from Chainsaw Man (Image via MAPPA)

Through Chainsaw Man chapter 180, Fujimoto has once again proved his genius. The manner in which he puts forth his work to play on symbolism and a deeper meaning is unparalleled. Adding the Aging Devil to the current state of affairs marks a turning point in the Pochita vs Yoru fight.

Moreover, the Aging Devil is one we have never seen before. Right off the bat, it has displayed that it just might be superior to the War Devil, sending her to a different world altogether with a single move. Unless Denji and Yoru/Asa can find a way out of this strange dimension, things only seem dire.