Summary
The following contains spoilers for Chapter 167 of Chainsaw Man,“Super Smooch”, written by Tatsuki Fujimoto, translated by Amanda Haley, with lettering by Sabrina Heep, available to read viaVIZ Media.
The release ofChainsaw ManChapter 167 yielded strong opinions at all ends of the spectrum from the series' fan base, regarding what could be one ofTatsuki’s Fujimoto’s most graphic and extremeofferings yet. While Fujimoto is no stranger to controversy, given as seen in the abundance of provocative content in his body of work, even beyondChainsaw Man, this time, things may be a bit different.
From pointing out a potential reference to a cursed moment from theEnd of Evangelionmovie, to questionsabout how both Denji and Asa couldever move past what happened, there was no shortage of discussion aroundChainsaw ManChaper 167. With this in mind, here is a look into why this chapter was so controversial, and what it could mean for the series going forward.
The Build Up To Disaster
So far, Part 2 ofChainsaw Man, which consists of the ongoing Academy Saga, has gone through many ups and downs in its story during the lead up to the current conflict with Public Safety and the Chainsaw Man Church. The latter event was a majorturning point in Denji’s character arcafter the relative stability he had found following the conclusion of Public Safety Saga.
When forced to become Chainsaw Man once again after being barred from doing so for a long time,Denji lost virtually everything he held dear— his home, his dogs, and above all else, Nayuta. This is not the first time Fujimoto has pulled the rug out from under a plateau of relative calm in the narrative, as the deaths of Aki Hayakawa and Power had a similar effect in Part 1.
Fujimoto has never shied away from pushing things into gray areas undefined within the scope of conventional morality, and it is through the exploration of scenarios that are both ambiguous and extreme, thatChainsaw Manreally shines best. In this case,Denji was once again at rock bottomafter Nayuta’s disappearance, and it was at this moment that he gave into his baser desires for instant gratification.
Denji’s Issues With Intimacy
Since the very beginning ofChainsaw Man,Denji’s desire for intimacy has often cloudedhis judgment, pushing him to make decisions that can range from being ill-advised to catastrophic. He has often lamented that every woman he has fallen for has tried to kill him, and so far, this has sadly been the case at every step of his journey throughout the series.
While he generally expresses this desire in fairly lewd and superficial terms, whatDenji really wants is a genuine connection, whichmakes the events ofChainsaw ManChapter 167 even worse. From his horrific first kiss with Himeno, to the recent ill-fated encounter with Asa — whom he seemed to be developing a real bond with — Denji has been nearly as unlucky with romance as he has been with the various people he has called family, and that is really saying something.
Needless to say, the way in which Yoru initially took control of the situation without Denji’s consent will likely bring up a lot of past trauma thatChainsaw Man’soriginal protagonist has been struggling with, especially with regard to what heendured with Makima, Reze, and Fumiko, among others. It is clear that Denji already has major trust issues, as seen in how he has participated and then withdrawn consent partway through intimate encounters with women in the series. Unfortunately, the incident in Chapter 167 will only add to the conflict that plagues his psyche.
How Can This Encounter Be Interpreted?
The driving force behind all the controversy here, is that neitherDenji nor Asa explicitly consented to whathappened in Chapter 167 ofChainsaw Man, and it was Yoru who was dictating the course of the encounter. Initially, Yoru lured Denji into the alleyway under the pretext of performing a penectomy to relieve him of the urge to make choices motivated solely by lust.
However, afterDenji swatted away the instrument she intendedto perform the procedure with — a rusty nail turned into a knife by the War Devil’s power — Yoru proceeded to grab Denji inappropriately, which is hard not to interpret as sexual assault. She then proceeded to force herself on to him, after recalling a prior instance where they had kissed.
What is interesting, is that this could be a sign of Asa and Yoru’s minds fully melding together, since the latter could clearly sense and act on Asa’s complicated feelings towards Denji. Moreover, even though the kiss initially began in a fashion that was not consensual, it did not take too long for Denji to reciprocate enthusiastically — yet another instance where his desire for intimacy overshadowed his judgment. Whatcomplicates things here is that Denjiwas likely unaware of Yoru’s presence, and he thought this was all Asa’s doing.
In the moments that followed, things heated up, and at the climax of this encounter,Denji violated the terms of consent evenfurther, since he provided no prior warning about the fact that he was about to climax. It was at this very moment that Yoru relinquished control of Asa’s body, which concluded the encounter in a truly bizarre and downright horrendous fashion. Currently, only Fujimoto really knows how each of the three parties involved in this encounter will perceive it, although Asa’s reaction, in particular, is what most ofChainsaw Man’sfan base will be eager to see.
Asa’s Perspective On This Mess
On the face of it, what Yoru did to Asa is likely the worst violation of consent in the entire incident, since the latter was forced to engage in a sexual act without anyagency over her own body. In addition, Yoru’s choice to return control to Asa immediately after the encounter concluded, was also deplorable, since she shirked all responsibility for what she had done.
This came at a time when Asa and Yoru were finally starting to develop some sense of trust and mutual appreciation, and it remains to be seen whether their relationship can ever be repaired after this incident. Since Asa is someone who already has a negative view of sex in general, this event couldreinforce her disdain for Denjiand Yoru, since they were the ones who used her body against her will.
Presently, there is a lack of clarity about how much Asa will remember about the entire encounter, although both her and Yoru generally seem to be aware of what their shared body is doing when they are not in control of it. While it is easy to dismiss the content ofChainsaw ManChapter 167 as something used for shock value, Tatsuki Fujimoto has repeatedly demonstrated a flair for using provocative situationsto drive significant character developmentand there is little doubt that this incident will hopefully fulfill the same purpose for Denji, Asa, and Yoru.
Chainsaw Manis available to stream onCrunchyroll.
Chainsaw Man
Chainsaw Man is an action-heavy shonen anime that follows Denji, a guy who fuses with a devil called Pochita. The show is based on a manga by Tatsuki Fujimoto.
