Are Nayuta and Makima the same in Chainsaw Man? The Control Devil’s incarnations, explained.

Despite her sweet, charming, gentle, and friendly demeanor, Makima from Chainsaw Man has solidified her reputation as one of the most twisted and diabolical villains in animanga. This serves as a reminder that things are not always as they seem.

Ultimately, it is discovered that she is the Control Devil and her sole objective is to manipulate Chainsaw Man and mold the world according to her desires. Despite her efforts, her plans are thwarted when Denji defeats her in their ultimate battle.

Nayuta, a young girl, is the reincarnation of Makima, the Control Devil. Despite possessing the same abilities and powers, Nayuta’s strength differs due to the Devil’s life cycle.

Are Nayuta and Makima the same character in Chainsaw Man?

Makima in Chainsaw Man (Image via MAPPA)

Nayuta is the reincarnation of Makima, who was previously known as her previous incarnation. After being defeated and killed by Denji, Makima was reborn into the world as Nayuta.

Kishibe stumbled upon the former and brought her to Denji, intending to raise her as his own and treat her like a little sister. As an experienced Devil Hunter, he refused to let the Control Devil suffer a bleak fate and instead entrusted her to Denji, rather than handing her over to Public Safety.

In short, they are both similar and distinct. They remain unchanged as the Control Devil, yet they vary in terms of their powers, abilities, and personality.

The life cycle of Devils explained

Bat Devil in Chainsaw Man (Image via MAPPA)

The start of life for Devils takes place in Hell. Each Devil is given a “name”that represents a tangible or abstract concept, such as Sea Cucumber, Fish, Future, or Curse. This concept can also encompass fictitious beings like angels, ghosts, and zombies, meaning that even these names have corresponding Devils.

Each Devil’s name is distinct to them, although there may be some similarities depending on the level of specificity. For example, the Devil of War and the Devil of World War II. The form of a Devil is determined by the shared consciousness surrounding their name, such as the Gun Devil being made up entirely of guns and possessing related powers. As long as their name continues to evoke fear, Devils will continue to exist.

In Hell, Devils who die are reborn into the human world and vice versa. However, they do not retain any memories from their previous lives and their entire personality is reset. It should be noted that even though they reincarnate, Devils are not immortal. As their existence is based on the fear of a concept by humanity, they will cease to exist if that concept is forgotten by all humans.

How Nayuta and Makima Differ

Denji and Nayuta in Chainsaw Man (Image via Tatsuki Fujimoto, Viz Media)

Despite sharing similar abilities and powers as the Control Devil, Makima and Nayuta are fundamentally distinct individuals due to the hard reset that takes place during reincarnation. While Nayuta resembles Makima in appearance with her braided hair and familiar eyes, she is slightly weaker and can only control up to three chains at a time. Additionally, her control over people is limited compared to Makima.

Nayuta’s personality was greatly influenced by living with Denji, causing her to adopt many of his traits. One of these traits is a shared love for dogs, which she also shares with Makima. Spending most of her time with Denji has resulted in Nayuta behaving in a similar manner to him. Her sense of morality is shaped by her personal preferences, making her personality somewhat amoral.

At first, Nayuta was perplexed by the pity she felt for Denji. She manipulated him with her abilities, delved into his history, and strived to achieve Makima’s goal. However, as she spent more time with Denji, her feelings towards him changed and she began to genuinely care for him. In contrast, Makima only saw Denji as a means to control Chainsaw Man, and had no emotional connection or concern for his well-being.

Did the Chainsaw Man anime fail to live up to the hype? Explained
Chainsaw Man: How Nayuta’s affection for Denji is harming him like Makima did, explained
Chainsaw Man: Why did Makima kill Power? Explained