This article includes spoilers for the manga “Chainsaw Man”. Reader discretion is advised.

“Chainsaw man“, by Tatsuki Fujimoto, moved from the upbeat action of the Tokyo Demon Detention Center arc to more emotional action following the awakening of Denji. As Denji struggles to accept the new world he has awakened to and the fact that Nayuta may be gone forever, Asa and his unlikely group of Public Security usurpers have banded together to try and lift Denji's spirits. Chapter 166 of “Chainsaw Man” invites fans to laugh at Denji’s pain and gives the term “slice of life” a sadistic twist as only “Chainsaw Man” could.

Denji's ignorance is shown in all its glory in Chapter 166, being a source of both stupidity and sadness, sometimes simultaneously. Denji begins to question himself in the deepest way possible, resulting in some of the most hilarious, heartbreaking, and horrific scenes in the second half of the manga. Most of all, Chapter 166 forces Denji to make a difficult decision from which he may never come back.

Ever since Denji was captured by Public Security, most of his scenes have been filled with drama and sadness, which largely carries over into Chapter 166. However, Denji reminds readers why he is such a beloved protagonist, as he is the butt of jokes and is extremely easy to laugh at. In the midst of his struggle to find Nayuta, Denji begins to wonder if perhaps his depression isn't just because he's sad or hungry: perhaps it's because "he hasn't masturbated lately."

Denji's subsequent interaction with Asa is everything fans would expect from the two and shows how strong they both are as characters. The height of hilarity occurs when Denji tries to rationalize his conclusion of going to the brothel because “scientifically speaking… it’s the same as being hungry or sleepy!” Faced with such ridiculousness, all one can do is respond “What the hell?”, and that pretty much sums up how one might feel after talking to Denji for five minutes.

Two entire pages are dedicated to showing Denji's inner conflict through his facial expressions, as he acknowledges that he really wants to go to the brothel, but that it's also "wrong" for everyone except Katana Man. Anime and manga have always emphasized facial expressions as an important part of storytelling, but “Chainsaw Man” takes this to a new, more realistic level. Unlike the classic caricatures used in other series to exaggerate emotions, “Chainsaw Man” takes a subtle, reserved approach that is much more effective in its realism.

Following Katana Man's suggestion that Denji go to a brothel at the end of Chapter 165, fans began theorizing what Denji might find there. One theory that surfaced was that Kobeni had become a sex worker after the events of the first part, and that Denji would find her working at Katana Man's brothel. This isn't the first time this has been hinted at, nor is it without reason. During the first part, while the group was trapped in the Eternity Demon's hotel, Kobeni explained that the only reason she became a demon hunter was because her parents forced her to work to help pay for her brother's school. According to her, “my only options were to be a sex worker or a demon hunter!”

This led some fans to conclude that after giving up being a demon hunter at the end of the first part, she might have become a sex worker. With Katana Man's suggestion that they go to a brothel, this theory resurfaced among fans, with many believing that Denji and the others might accidentally encounter Kobeni at the brothel, plying her new job. Fortunately for Kobeni, this theory is completely debunked when the group finally arrives at Katana's brothel in Chapter 166, only to find it burned and destroyed. Kobeni's whereabouts remain a mystery in the second part, but that may be for the best, as it's much better for her to hide, avoid her toxic parents, and start her own life.

While the brothel fire was a positive prospect for Kobeni's fans, for Denji it means total disaster. Upon seeing the brothel in ruins, Denji explodes as if his own world is crumbling along with the brothel. When Denji realizes what happened at the brothel, he begins to question everything he believed about himself. Most of all, he questions why he wanted to go to a brothel when Nayuta was missing and people were dying all around him. This scene has all the makings of a heartwarming moment, but the subject matter completely subverts it. When it starts to rain and Denji falls to his knees, pounding his fist on the ground, the tragedy of the scene turns to comedy as he exclaims, “The truth is, all I wanted was for women to jump on me… so I could have lots of sex!».

As the rain falls, Denji reflects: «It's all my dick's fault! I can't fight her! It ruins everything around me». The humorous tone quickly turns depressing. At this point, Denji is just looking for something to blame, even if it means disassociating himself from a part of his own body to rationalize his feelings. In his mental crisis, Denji confronts his own sense of identity head-on, as he assumes that who he is as a person has nothing to do with his body; they are two different things. This is a question that goes to the heart of the relevant social issues surrounding gender, identity and what makes a person who they are. Fans might never have expected “Chainsaw Man” to provide a definitive answer to such important questions, but Fujimoto seems to take a stand in at least one sense when examining the shift in tone.

Source: Twitter