Why did Denji eat Makima in the Chainsaw Man manga? Explained

Tatsuki Fujimoto’s Chainsaw Man has served us some of the most twisted and crazy scenes in recent manga history. The series is known for its violent and gory nature, which according to many, might have hit its pinnacle when Denji ate Makima at the end of Part 1.

Fans have been vocal with their response to the panels of chapter 96, and confusion regarding the act has also risen. What was it that prompted Denji to commit such an act and what does it mean for the future of the manga?

Disclaimer: This article contains spoilers for the Chainsaw Man manga.

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Denji eats Makima at the end of Chainsaw Man manga Part 1

Denji eating Makima in Chainsaw Man (Image via MAPPA)

Gruesome events and unapologetic gore are hardly shocking to Chainsaw Man fans anymore. This includes scenes of Devils eating other entities. The penultimate chapter of Chainsaw Man Part 1 features one of the most significant of the said act.

We see Denji not only defeat Makima in his rematch with her in the field of graves, but also eat her at the end. So, why did this act come to pass? It turns out, Denji ate her in order to prevent her from regenerating, as Devils have the power to do so in spite of getting killed.

Makima had always underestimated Denji and was obsessed with the Chainsaw devil within him. This obsession with Pochita led her to drop her guard and let the actual Denji defeat her by shredding her with a chainsaw he managed to create out of the blood contract he had made with Power. When Makima fought with the supposed “Denji” and ripped him apart to get access to Pochita, she had actually been fighting Pochita himself all along.

Denji is seen taking her remains with him and eating her in his apartment. It is almost poetic how the entity to finally defeat her was the very person whom she had disregarded for the longest of time. Denji denied her wish to become a part of the Chainsaw Devil and instead forced her to be a part of him.

In his conversation with Kishibe after defeating Makima, he revealed that he ate her because eating her whole not only made sure that she would never revive, but also made her one with Denji. He always knew that the only reason Makima was ever interested in him was because of the Chainsaw Man.

It is this reason why he was able to get close to Makima and strike her without her noticing his presence, as she could only sense people by their smell and not their face. Denji, despite knowing this, still loved her, twisted as it is.

Will Makima ever return in the Chaisnaw Man manga?

The second part of the manga debuted in July 2022 and is still ongoing. Makima coming back to the narrative seems very unlikely and fans are certain that we will not be seeing any more of her.

While it is true that the stunt Denji pulled off at the end of Part 1 technically eradicates any chance of her making a comeback, we must remember that the series is crazy enough to rule that out as an impossibility. If mangaka Fujimoto Tatsuki wishes to bring her back, he will no doubt find a way to do so.

The Chainsaw Man anime is currently on hiatus after completing its first season on 28 December, 2022, and has adapted the first 38 chapters of the manga. The highly anticipated second season might bring this shocking scene to the screen and fans cannot wait to see how it will pan out.

Although MAPPA has not given any official release date as of yet, fans all over the internet are speculating a late 2023 or a 2024 release.