While not always the most tactical fighter, Chainsaw Man’s Denji has proven himself as one of anime’s most resilient protagonists, allowing his determination to carry him even through the worst of tortures. It’s no exaggeration to say that most people would not have been able to endure the same trauma and loss this hopeful yet rebellious hero endured.
Yet determination was not all that Denji was known for, as his status as one of the few human-Devil hybrids in the series also gave him overwhelming supernatural strength. Throughout the series, fans were witnesses to many of the impressive feats of the titular Chainsaw Man. From demonstrations of skill that impressed even seasoned fighters to withstanding attacks that could kill almost anyone else, Denji boasts more than a handful of incredibly astounding moments throughout the series.
10
Denji Defeated Santa Claus by Taking Advantage of His Immortal Body
Arguably one of the most enigmatic characters in the Chainsaw Man series, Santa Claus acted as a major antagonist for the heroes over an extended period. Empowered by several contracts made with different, powerful Devils, this blue-haired woman became a proficient assassin for the Soviet Union, working alongside them to destroy most of the world’s Devil Hunters.
Her main powers involve the control of a hive mind of human puppets, which she used to hide her real identity. Due to this, as well as the various other abilities she possessed, beating her proved to be almost impossible. Denji, willing to do anything to achieve victory, decided to set himself on fire, causing the wooden body of the assassin and her shadow-related powers to become useless, resulting in one of the most memorable scenes in the manga.
9
Katana Man Never Expected Denji’s Hidden Technique
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Image via MAPPA. -
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Despite being bonded with one of the most powerful Devils in the universe, one of Denji’s major weaknesses was his lack of combat experience. The boy had an innate talent for battle, but he often allowed himself to become overconfident and reckless. During his battle against Katana Man, an opponent whose cuts could bypass the defenses of even the most talented fighters, this proved to be an issue.
Seeing as none of his attacks were working against the hybrid, Denji was forced to think outside the box and push his abilities past their limit. Denji tricked the man by pretending to launch a predictable attack, while his legs were painfully transformed into chainsaws. This allowed the boy to cut down his opponent, as Katana Man never expected such an ingenious move from his opponent.
8
Defeating Makima Took Denji An Insane Amount of Effort
As the Control Devil, Makima held a power that could make even the most feared Devil in Hell tremble in terror. Her abilities were far more sinister than any fan could have imagined, and her desire for control and dominance meant that a confrontation against the protagonist was just a matter of time. When the time for this battle came, Denji demonstrated just how much power was hiding behind his oblivious smile.
The hero was forced to fight against several of his most challenging previous opponents, who had been turned into mind-controlled slaves who obeyed only Makima. Nevertheless, he was able to overcome these obstacles, rapidly defeating each of them and taking down the Control Devil with a chainsaw made of Power’s blood, which nullified Makima’s regeneration.
7
Not Even the Eternity Devil Could Outclass Denji’s Infinite Determination
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Image via studio MAPPA. -
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As its name might imply, the Eternity Devil was an infinite monster who could alter reality to transform any environment into an endless corridor from which its targets could never escape. This ability was extremely effective at driving enemies crazy, as their predicament could only end in a mental breakdown or death. Denji, whose mind had already suffered greatly, was not as easy to tame.
When the Eternity Devil told the hero’s comrades to feed him Chainsaw Man in exchange for their freedom, the boy offered himself, jumping into the monster’s mouth. He remained inside its stomach for three days, constantly cutting and tearing its insides apart. This infinite cycle of pain and regeneration tired the Devil, who offered its core willingly to stop the torment.
6
Denji Defeated an Entire Zombie Army Moments After Being Killed
One of the first facts fans learn about Denji is the massive debt to the Yakuza his deadbeat father left behind before dying, forcing his son to become a Devil Hunter for the criminals. When his usefulness is deemed over, the boy is betrayed and attacked by the Zombie Devil, left for death inside a dumpster. By merging with Pochita and becoming a hybrid, one of the series’ best and most iconic scenes, Denji survived to fight another day.
Without hesitation, the hero jumped into action, utilizing his new abilities as Chainsaw Man to mow down the zombie army inside the building. In a truly brutal scene that demonstrates why the series is considered one of the best and darkest shonen of all time, Denji demolishes dozens of opponents without receiving any significant damage.
5
The Bat Devil Had No Chance of Beating Denji
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Image via MAPPA.
When her cat, Meowy, was kidnapped by an injured Bat Devil, Power saw herself forced to trick her new ally, Denji, into accompanying her to find the beast. The Fiend was promised the freedom of her pet in exchange for a human life, a deal that the sinister villain was never going to keep. After arriving at the destination, the Devil Bat mocked Power while eating her cat, breaking the woman’s spirits.
With Power defeated and having been eaten by the monster as well, Denji was left alone to take down the sinister trickster. Motivated by his selfish desire to touch his comrade’s breasts, due to a deal agreed upon by both moments prior, and the grief of seeing someone lose their pet, the hero did not hold back, using his chainsaws to completely obliterate the Bat Devil until Power and Meowy were safe and sound.
4
Denji Faced the Leech Devil Even When Close to Death
With the Bat Devil defeated, Denji was able to breathe for a few moments and celebrate his victory, or at least that was the plan before the Leech Devil decided to make an appearance on the battlefield. Angry about the death of her supposed lover, the unsettling creature began fighting an exhausted protagonist, whose blood reserves were so low that he could not even achieve a full Chainsaw Man transformation.
Even then, Denji persevered, giving the monster a fight to remember and being able to land several devastating blows. In the end, Aki had to summon the head of the Fox Devil to devour the opponent, saving the blonde’s life. Nonetheless, the bravery and resilience shown by Denji during this fight, even when on the verge of dying, were admirable.
3
Denji Killing the Gun Fiend Was as Epic as It Was Heartbreaking
Manipulated by Makima, Aki formed a contract with the sinister Control Devil to obtain the power needed to defeat the Gun Devil, whose might was far beyond the swordsman’s ability. The red-haired woman used this opportunity to test Denji by causing the death of his friend, who had become a mindless puppet, and turning him into a vessel for the Gun Devil.
Hallucinating that he was harmlessly playing in the snow with his friends, the new Gun Fiend began terrorizing the city, killing civilians and almost ending Power’s life. Denji was forced to fight fiercely to take Aki down in a battle that was both impressive and tragic. By the end, the blonde held the corpse of his best friend as he mourned his loss in a scene that fans will likely never forget.
2
Denji Was the Only One to Overcome the Falling Devil’s Tricks
Acting in accordance with the Death Devil’s plans, the Falling Devil manifested herself on Earth with the intent of turning humanity into a massive feast for the inhabitants of hell. Her nature as a primordial fear among humans made her an overwhelmingly powerful opponent. By utilizing her powers, she could force a target to relive their worst fears and traumas, effectively incapacitating them.
Before he could be consumed by his many phobias and traumas, Denji utilized his chainsaws and cut a large portion of his brain, effectively lobotomizing himself into being unable to feel fear. This allowed him to continue battling the primordial Devil until she became tired, allowing him to escape with Asa and temporarily foil the Death Devil’s plans.
1
A Nuke Was Not Enough to Take Denji Down
Yoru, best known as the War Devil, was a being who held a deep hatred towards Chainsaw Man for erasing the Nuclear Weapons Devil from existence during their final fight. This event heavily weakened the woman, putting a damper on her plans of erasing the Death Devil and igniting a never-ending war between humans. To regain her power, she needed to defeat Chainsaw Man in a fight and claim him as her tool.
Denji bravely fought against this monster, taking hit after hit from her mighty weapons, created from anything she could claim ownership of. In the end, Yoru saw no other path to victory than utilizing her Nuke Punch against the hero, effectively causing a nuclear weapon to detonate against Denji’s body. Any other character would have been completely obliterated, but the protagonist was not only able to withstand the force but also tricked Yoru into losing the fight at the end.
- Release Date
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2022 – 2022
- Network
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TV Tokyo, TV Osaka, TV Aichi, TVh, TVQ, TSC
- Directors
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Takeru Sato
- Writers
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Hiroshi Seko
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Tomori Kusunoki
Makima (voice)
