Yoshida may have been the Fakesaw Man in Chainsaw Man's Falling Devil Arc

Modified Jan 04, 2025 12:30 GMT

The Fakesaw Man might have been Yoshida all along (Image via MAPPA)

In the Falling Devil Arc of Chainsaw Man, the identity of the so-called "Fakesaw Man" has been fervently debated by fans. The narrative never explicitly confirmed their identity, which led to immense speculation. From here comes a theory that labels Hirofumi Yoshida, the enigmatic Public Safety member, as Fakesaw Man. Rightly so, Yoshida’s behavior and actions have been quite odd.

Fakesaw Man's appearance, an entity uncannily similar to Chainsaw Man but operating with a far more sinister demeanor, added an intriguing layer of complexity to the story. Furthermore, this theory ties Yoshida being Fakesaw Man to his Octopus Devil contract. It backs its claims by pushing the agenda that octopi can metamorphose into different forms and in this case, Fakesaw Man.

Disclaimer: This article is speculative in nature.

Chainsaw Man: The Fakesaw Man might have been Yoshida all along

Fakesaw Man impales the Falling Devil (Image via Viz Media)

A recently surfaced Chainsaw Man theory has been doing rounds in the fandom following Hirofumi Yoshida's re-introduction into the story in chapter 188. With Denji and Asa/Yoru trapped in the Aging Devil's world, Denji urges Pochita to regurgitate a useful Devil to help them escape. Answering his calls, Pochita instead had Denji throw Yoshida.

This is where the theory steps in to speculate. It begins by stating that Chainsaw Man chapter 188 confirms Yoshida is the Octopus Devil. The proof is that, earlier Pochita swallowed the Mouth, Bitterness, Snow, and Octopus Devils but threw up the first three a little while later, leaving Octopus as the last. Again, Fujimoto titles chapters with the Devils appearing in them, i.e., "Octopus, War, Chainsaw".

Furthermore, the theory speculates that the Octopus Devil is using its ability to metamorphose to look like Yoshida. It possibly did this earlier (chapter 128) when it appeared as Fakesaw Man. The theory uses this to explain why Yoshida is so mysterious. Moreover, during the International Assassins Arc, Yoshida suffered no demerit for using Octopus' power.

This new theory uses all this evidence to fuel Yoshida being Fakesaw Man who again reality is the Octopus Devil. It theorizes that this Devil might be masquerading as a human, waiting for the right moment to accomplish something.

Could Yoshida/Octopus Devil really be so involved?

Beginning with the first bit, Chainsaw Man chapter 188 hinting at Yoshida being the Octopus Devil itself seems a little odd. Granted that the chapter's title is very suggestive, but even so, it could also refer to the characters in that chapter and their associated Devils - Denji to Chainsaw Devil, Asa to War Devil, and Yoshida to Octopus Devil. Yoshida being the Octopus Devil seems anti-climactic for him.

Moving on, the bit about the Octopus Devil using a metamorphosis ability is quite intriguing. It could be true, given that this Devil's entire skillset wasn't really explored in the series. Embodying the fear of Octopi and what they can do, it would be natural to assume that it possesses similar abilities. But the question here is, what is the Octopus Devil's endgame of posing as a human?

Finally, accepting the theory's explanation of Fakesaw Man being Yoshida who in turn would be the Octopus Devil, why would this Devil arbitrarily help Denji against the Falling Devil? This could possibly align with its strange end goal, which is again a mystery and not explored here. All in all, Yoshida could be Fakesaw Man (through metamorphosis) since he is tasked with Denji's protection.

However, Yoshida being the Octopus Devil might be a bit of a stretch and as mentioned, wouldn't do justice to his character.

Final thoughts

Octopus, War, and Chainsaw (Image via Viz Media)

While the theory linking Yoshida to the identity of the Fakesaw Man presents intriguing possibilities, it leaves a lot unanswered. The idea of the Octopus Devil using its alleged metamorphic abilities to masquerade as Yoshida and intervene against the Falling Devil aligns with its mysterious nature but lacks concrete evidence in the narrative.

Elsewhere, Chainsaw Man's Yoshida being an enigmatic persona and his ties to the Octopus Devil do fuel speculation, especially considering his vital role in protecting Denji. However, the suggestion that Yoshida himself might be the Octopus Devil risks undermining his character's depth and complexity.

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Edited by Tiasha