A central question of Chainsaw Man is what it means to be human, and how to stay human in the face of dehumanization. Its world building, character development, and themes all touch on this question. From the varied roles of fiends and hybrids, to Denji's character arc as he struggles to overcome his exploitation, Chainsaw Man looks at the complex and often ambiguous lines between human and not-human.
As the protagonist and one of few known devil-human hybrids in the world, this question is particularly relevant to Denji. There has always been some tension around whether Denji can retain his humanity after becoming a hybrid; he worries that his lack of concern over other people's deaths means that he's lost his heart. Denji is also treated as an animal, as less than human, by first the Yakuza and then Makima through the events of Part One. In following Denji's character development, the series explores whether someone whose humanity has been repeatedly denied can reclaim it and hold on to it in spite of their circumstances.
Who Gets To Be Human in the World of Chainsaw Man?
The question of humanity is somewhat complicated in Chainsaw Man. There are humans and devils, of course, but fiends and hybrids also exist. Fiends, or devils who have taken over human corpses, have distinct head shapes that mark them as not quite human. Hybrids are humans who have merged with a devil, as Denji did when Pochita replaced his heart. The only physical traits distinguishing hybrids from humans are the "triggers" that cause them to transform, like the chainsaw cord in Denji's chest. Because of this, hybrids can coexist among humans without anyone knowing what they are.
In the struggle between humans and devils, some fiends and hybrids side with humanity, though it's not always clear why. Some fiends appear to retain memories and traits of the human whose body they possess. The Violence Fiend, Galgali, remembers his human life, and his kind, peaceful personality suggests that the original human's personality still plays a strong role. On the other hand, Power's disdain for humanity suggests that she's more Blood Devil than human, and she gives no indication of remembering her human life. There are also cases like Denji's, where the "choice" to join Public Safety isn't really optional. Denji, and potentially others, are coerced to join as a condition for being treated as human. The alternative is being treated as a devil—that is, hunted down and killed.
How Denji is Dehumanized
Protagonist Denji is a hybrid, with the Chainsaw Devil, Pochita, taking the place of his human heart. Even prior to becoming a hybrid, however, Denji is never treated as fully human. At the beginning of Part One, his life doesn't belong to him; he's forced by the Yakuza to work off his dead father's debts and even sell body parts to make payments. Outside of this debt, his days are occupied with trying to fulfill his basic needs, and he has no connections with other humans. The Yakuza refer to him as a "dog," and one of them takes advantage of his desperation by offering a hundred yen if he eats a cigarette. This cruelty for the sake of entertainment, treating Denji as if he has no value beyond doing labor for and amusing them, shows that they view him as less than human.
Once he merges with Pochita, he's able to break free from the Yakuza, but immediately acquires another superior who sees him as subhuman. Makima treats him like a dog and manipulates him into accepting this role, demanding that he bark for her. Even Denji's right to live is conditional. If he runs away from or refuses to work for Makima, he will be killed as a devil. Further, he questions whether his merging with Pochita has affected his emotional state and ability to care for others. After Himeno's death, he wonders why he doesn't cry over her, and concludes that he wouldn't be upset over Makima, Aki, or Power dying. After coming to that conclusion in Season One, Episode 10, "Bruised and Battered," he states, "Maybe my heart's gone in more than one way."
How Denji’s Growth Humanizes Him
Throughout the course of Chainsaw Man, Part One, Denji develops relationships with others who see him as more than an animal for the first time in the series. Denji's care for Aki and Power becomes increasingly apparent as a sibling-like dynamic begins to form between the three of them. Actions like accompanying Aki to his family's graves, and supporting Power through the trauma of encountering the Darkness Devil, show just how much he cares. These relationships demonstrate that Denji is capable of affection for others, and show how far he's come since thinking he would not care if either of them died earlier in the series.
This character development culminates with the very end of Part One, when the Control Devil is reborn as Nayuta after Makima's death. Denji is asked to stay with Nayuta and show her love and affection, in the hopes that giving the Control Devil a relatively normal childhood among humans will prevent her from being like Makima. At this point in the story, it's no longer in question whether Denji is "heartless," he clearly cares about others and has the ability to act loving. For so much of the series, Denji is treated like little more than an animal and worries that he's lost his human heart. It is in the development of his relationships with those around him that his humanity shines through. Though Pochita has replaced his heart, Denji is still capable of caring for others and forming almost familial connections.
The question of what makes someone human is a fascinating theme in Chainsaw Man. The series is ultimately a story of reclaiming humanity in the face of being dehumanized. Denji is both literally and metaphorically removed from his humanity, between his transformation into a hybrid and his exploitative treatment from the Yakuza and Makima. The tension of whether Denji can hold on to his human heart is an important element of the plot and Denji's character development, and a question that hasn't yet been fully resolved in the series.
So far, fans have seen Denji overcome being treated like a dog and develop caring relationships with others, so he's certainly retained his humanity up until this point. As the manga's story continues to develop, however, it will be interesting to see where the plot will take Denji next. Chainsaw Man has never been afraid to question and subvert shonen tropes and bring its story down unexpected or tragic paths. Though fans of the series love to speculate over future plot events, all they can predict with certainty is that the manga will continue to explore themes of humanity and dehumanization through Denji's character.
