Throughout the entire Chainsaw Man series created by mangaka Tatsuki Fujimoto, a prominent narrative theme is the concept of abuse. This theme manifests in various forms, with many key plot developments rooted in parental abuse. Chapter 177 reinforces this message as the War Devil, Yoru, speaks to Asa Mitaka about how children are viewed as their parents’ property.
This underlines the ongoing theme of child abuse, which is prevalent throughout both Chainsaw Man Part 1 and Part 2. It becomes evident that both parental figures and others who take on authoritative roles can exploit children for their own selfish ambitions, reinforcing Yoru’s assertion that all children are doomed to experience this fate.
Children in Chainsaw Man are destined for exploitation by those older than them
A clear exemplification of this narrative theme in Chainsaw Man is seen through the character Denji, who endures abuse from both his parental figures and others. Denji’s father physically abused him to such an extent that Denji had to kill him for his own survival. This traumatic experience continues to haunt Denji, as illustrated in chapter 155, the latest example of this trauma.
Moreover, Denji is exploited by various entities such as Makima, the Public Safety organization, and the Chainsaw Man Church throughout the Public Safety and Academy Sagas. Each of these stakeholders has specific goals they aim to achieve by manipulating Denji, resulting in his emotional distress and abuse.
The Chainsaw Man Church exemplifies how children can be abused devoid of any unique exceptionalism. The Church’s troubling practice of recruiting high school students and marrying them to facilitate Fire Devil contracts, as well as enlisting them to confront Public Safety, serves as a grim portrayal of this issue. This abuse extends to so-called leaders and poster children like Haruka Iseumi and Asa Mitaka/War Devil Yoru, who are exploited for the benefit of the Famine Devil, Fami.
Asa Mitaka also represents the dual layers of child abuse present in the series. She faces maltreatment from a parental figure exemplified by the orphanage caretaker, who drowns the cat she saved on the day of her mother’s death. Furthermore, Asa suffers abuse from Yoru throughout the Academy Saga, essentially being held captive within her own body and enduring sacrifices that lead to the loss of her arms.
The most recent chapters highlight Yoru as a vehicle to showcase parental abuse, especially through her manipulation of the Tank and Gun Devil. She prioritizes her desire to defeat Chainsaw Devil Pochita over the welfare of children and comrades, contrary to her initial claims of fighting for them.
Two additional significant examples of non-parental abuse in the narrative highlight the theme further. The first is the recruitment of children, such as Aki Hayakawa, by the Public Safety organization after the Gun Devil’s onslaught. The second example involves the Japanese government’s controversial agreement with the Aging Devil, which proposes the sacrificial offering of 10,000 children holding Japanese citizenship.
Final Thoughts
It is evident that Fujimoto intentionally weaves this plotline into his series, utilizing it to shape critical developments and providing a foundational structure for the protagonists’ main conflicts. While there is a glimmer of hope that characters like Denji, Asa, and others might eventually escape this cycle, the manga’s grim reality casts doubt on such possibilities.
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