Chainsaw Man episode 8: An assault on Tokyo Special Division 4 ends with a shocking death, Katana Man Arc begins, and more
Chainsaw Man episode 8 was released on Tuesday, November 29, bringing with it the start of the highly anticipated Katana Man arc. Kicking off the episode, however, was the final wrap-up of the Eternity Devil arc, which was primarily focused on Denji’s experiences with Makima and Himeno following the night out with Division 4.
Chainsaw Man episode 8 then immediately jumped into the Katana Man arc, bringing with it an eerie feel and an almost Hollywood thriller-like quality to its jarring opening sequence. This then segued into a short but quick and captivating segment of action scenes, which tragically ended with the series’ first major death.
Chainsaw Man episode 8’s heartbreaking final moments make for perfect presentation of series’ first major death
Chainsaw Man episode 8: Friends made and plans laid
Chainsaw Man episode 8 begins with an anime-original sequence following Himeno and Denji as they first walk into her apartment. Upon entering, Himeno accidentally falls with Denji still on her back, knocking both of them and a chair over in the process. She then gets him into her bed, laying down on top of him briefly before getting up and taking his shoes off.
She then enters her bathroom, takes her own work clothes off, and takes a shower. She then grabs a beer from the fridge and drinks it in the kitchen while complaining about Makima and asking what her deal is anyway. Denji is then heard moaning for water from his bedroom, prompting Himeno to go inspect and beginning the sequence seen at the end of the previous episode.
However, Chainsaw Man episode 8’s version starts with and is mainly shot from Himeno’s perspective, as well as featuring new shots from the third-person and Denji’s perspectives. Fans then arrive where the previous episode ended, where Himeno asks Denji if he wants to “do it.” He knocks over her beer can, now on the floor, in shock as the episode plays its opening theme sequence.
Chainsaw Man episode 8 then shows Denji confirming that Himeno means s*x, which she does, before she tells him to stick his arms up. As Himeno takes his shirt off, Denji wrestles with the option of saving himself for Makima or taking the opportunity in front of him with Himeno, eventually telling her that he does want to do it.
She begins taking his pants off, but she stops when she realizes he has something in his pocket. She realizes it’s a loose Chupa Chups lollipop, prompting a flashback to earlier in the night after Denji left the bathroom with Arai. Makima says he needs some fresh air, taking him outside and getting him some nausea medicine at the supermarket nearby.
Chainsaw Man episode 8 then sees Denji ask Makima if every kiss he has from now on will make him remember the taste of puke, since it happened on his first time. She tells him to open his mouth, sticking a Chupa Chups lollipop (the same one in his pocket at the time) in his mouth.
She essentially tells him that while he may never forget the taste of puke, there will be tons of new tastes and experiences before he dies, and he won’t have time to think about vomit. She then points out how at least his first indirect kiss will taste like cola-flavored Chuppa Chups, as Chainsaw Man episode 8 returns to the present with Denji on the floor and Himeno asleep in bed.
He apologizes to Pochita, saying he wanted his first time to be with Makima, and begins to say that he can’t have s*x until he kills the Gun Devil, but trails off and falls asleep. He’s awoken by Himeno the next day, who offers him breakfast, which they eat on her balcony. Himeno says she blacked out and asks if she took advantage of him, which Denji denies, much to her joy and relief.
Himeno then comments on how strange it is that Denji can eat and not feel awkward after what happened, prompting him to ask who would turn down free food. She then asks him if he likes Makima, even if she has a bad personality, which Denji confirms. Himeno then says she’ll help her and Denji get together, as long as he forms an alliance with her to help her get with Aki.
Denji thinks about it for a second, eventually asking why she likes Aki. Himeno quickly says his face, which appears to amuse Denji enough for him to agree to this alliance. She says that they’re now not just coworkers but also friends from this day on, saying he should come over for breakfast now and again and bring Aki and Power too.
Chainsaw Man episode 8: Under fire
Chainsaw Man episode 8 sees Denji wonder if Makima would come as well, prompting the episode to shift to a train headed to Kyoto, which Makima is on. She talks with another Public Safety member who’s accompanying her about the trip and her upcoming meeting, commenting on how she had fun last night in the process.
Suddenly, the two men in front of her and the two men behind her reach down beneath their seats, as the unzipping of bags can be heard. Makima and the Public Safety agent with her are then shot by the four men, who report in as “Team C” and say, “we are go.” The episode then begins shifting perspective to the various members of Special Division 4 who went out for drinks last night.
All are seen engaging in some routine activities with civilians, but these civilians are then suddenly seen drawing guns and pointing them at the Division 4 agents as several gunshots are heard. Denji seemingly hears the noise and asks what it is, prompting Power to say it’s a taiko drum before asking Himeno if she and Denji really didn’t have s*x last night.
Himeno says that Denji is a true gentleman, as Chainsaw Man episode 8 sees someone in the restaurant ask Denji how he can eat their ramen. Denji says it tastes good to him, prompting the man to rant about how bad taste as a child leads to bad taste as an adult, making it hard to be happy.
Power says she’s plenty happy as Aki suggests that they leave, and the man begins discussing his grandfather, who would take him to great places to eat. He shares that his grandpa was a yakuza, a respectable Tokyoite who only ever killed a handful of women and children. The man then asks Denji if he loves him too, revealing himself to be the grandson of the yakuza boss Denji once worked for.
Denji asks him what he wants, as the man draws a gun and comments on how the Gun Devil is after Denji’s heart, shooting Denji, Aki, and Himeno in the process. Power escapes and punches him, setting Aki up to use the Fox Devil to swallow the man. Aki surveys the situation as the Fox Devil tells him he’s put something “truly outrageous” in its mouth this time.
As the Fox Devil calls it neither human nor devil, the man slices out of the Fox Devil in what appears to be the Katana Devil equivalent of Denji’s Chainsaw Man form. As Aki prepares to fight the Katana Man, he tells Power to stop Himeno’s bleeding, drawing the sword discussed in the Eternity Devil arc in the process.
Power points out how it's more of a nail as their fight begins, with Aki rushing the Katana Man and saying “now” as a finger materializes out of nowhere and flicks the sword into Katana Man. A pair of lips is then seen saying “three,” as Katana Man and Aki rush each other once more. Aki says now once more, with the finger yet again appearing to flick the sword through Katana Man.
The lips now say “two,” prompting Aki to remove the sword and say “now” one more time, running Katana Man through a third time and prompting the lips to say “one.” Katana Man kicks Aki away here, asking what creepy thing he is doing. Aki, meanwhile, tells the Curse Devil to finish him as a hand grabs Katana Man and hoists him up as he screams in pain.
A skeleton-like creature with two heads begins biting into Katana Man before the scene suddenly transitions into Katana Man seemingly dead on the floor. Aki asks Power how Himeno is doing, to which she says that she needs a doctor. Aki comments on how the man had a gun and how it should be impossible for him to have one when a new voice is suddenly heard.
Chainsaw Man episode 8: First death
Chainsaw Man episode 8 reveals that the voice belongs to a blonde, seemingly-teenage girl who comments on how the Curse Devil seems to function. She compliments Aki’s moves before bending down to Katana Man’s corpse and extending a hand, seemingly reviving him in the process. She asks him if he knows why he lost, to which Katana Man says he underestimated Aki badly.
Chainsaw Man episode 8 sees her tell him that he better kill Aki this time, prompting Katana Man to get low and enter what appears to be a fighting stance. Aki prepares to parry, but the Katana Man suddenly appears behind Aki, fresh blood dripping from his swords. After a tense few seconds, blood erupts from Aki’s chest, causing him to collapse and cry out in pain.
The Katana Man goes to finish Aki, with the girl confirming that he’s still alive, as Himeno pleads with Power to go help Aki. Power, however, shares that she’s helpless here since she couldn’t even read Katana Man’s movements. Himeno asks the Ghost Devil for help, but it calls the girl “dreadful” as Himeno continues to cough up blood.
She then tells the Ghost Devil that she’ll give it everything she has, so it needs to give her everything it has. This appears to please the Ghost Devil as it manifests its real body, a seemingly infinite number of hands for legs with a tower of flowers for the neck, leading into a body with a sewn-up pair of eyes and mouth. An incredibly melancholy tone plays as this happens.
Chainsaw Man episode 8 then sees Himeno share how Aki can cry, despite most Devil Hunters being surrounded by death so often that their tears run dry. She clarifies that Aki can cry so easily despite that, as the Katana Man and the Ghost Devil fight each other. Himeno further comments on how she thought it was funny that Aki would cry over the rookies he was babysitting in private.
She muses on how nice it must be to have someone care for you enough to cry like that, as she reaches out her right hand and arm before it suddenly disappears. Meanwhile, the Katana Man is beginning to get overwhelmed by the Ghost Devil, asking the girl accompanying him for help. Himeno reaches out her left arm and hand here, which disappears in the same way her right did.
Chainsaw Man episode 8 then sees Himeno tell Aki not to die on her, so that when she dies, he can cry for her. As she says this, she falls to the floor, while the girl summons the Snake Devil and has it swallow the Ghost Devil whole. After she tells the Snake Devil to disappear, Aki turns to see that Himeno has disappeared entirely, with only her clothes and eyepatch left behind as the episode comes to an end.
Chainsaw Man episode 8: In summation
Chainsaw Man episode 8 is one of the most jarring episodes of the series yet, showing the first true danger that Special Division 4 has been in thus far. The introduction of another character whose Devil contract situation is seemingly similar to Denji’s is also incredibly exciting, as well as bringing with it some implicit worldbuilding.
Chainsaw Man episode 8 is also incredibly harrowing, showing the consequences of this first encounter with real danger in the form of Himeno’s death. Despite the heartbreaking circumstances of her passing, there’s a sliver of beauty in the way that she died, as well as in her pleas to Aki as her final words.
Chainsaw Man episode 8 is, overall, one of the best episodes of the season so far and is an exciting start to the Katana Man arc. If fans have been happy with the series so far, they’ll likely be ecstatic with what they’ll see in the upcoming weeks and episodes.
Be sure to keep up with all Chainsaw Man anime and manga news, as well as general anime, manga, film, and live-action news as 2022 progresses.
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