New Chainsaw Man Chapter Might Be The Most Consequential in Years For One Easy To Miss Reason

Summary Chainsaw Man Part Two takes a unique narrative approach, shifting focus to characters' daily lives and interactions.

The shocking revelation in chapter #173 shows that Chainsaw Man's erasing power can be reversed with consequences.

Public Safety's plan to retrieve previously erased devils could unleash dangerous horrors into the world, changing the series' direction.

Chainsaw Man Part Two has been anything but conventional since it began publication in July 2022. The titular character, Chainsaw Man himself, was not present in his own story over the first several chapters, while a new main protagonist stepped into the spotlight. There is also a notable decrease in fighting when compared to Part One, with more focus being given to characters' everyday lives and their interactions with one another.

Now, in the most recent chapter #173, titled "Hard of Hearing", Part Two makes its most consequential narrative choice yet, confirming that Chainsaw Man's most mysterious and terrifying power can be reversed. When "Armored Chainsaw Man" made his original debut in chapter #83, the hulking "Hero of Hell" made quick work of any devil that opposed him, fighting and defeating multiple Hybrids at once.

Image created by Zach Zamora

Even Makima, after only fighting for a short period of time, recognized that he was unbeatable. However, with recent events in Chainsaw Man, that may no longer be the case.

Chainsaw Man's Erasing Power Can Be Undone

The Most Absurd Power in the Series Can Be Reversed

The biggest twist throughout all of Chainsaw Man came when Makima revealed Chainsaw Man's ability to erase entire concepts from existence by eating the devils that represent them. Until recent chapters, this power was never put on display, leaving more questions than answers about its functionality. But when the Ear Devil fell victim to Chainsaw Man's erasure in chapter #172, the disappearance of ears within the series was instant, showing the horrifying power of this special ability.

It took only a single chapter, however, for Chainsaw Man to not only reveal that this erasing ability can be undone, but in the process, strip the "Hero of Hell" of his image as the near-unbeatable devil that devils fear most. After being caught in the grasp of Yoshida's octopus, Armored Chainsaw Man throws up the Ear Devil, restoring everyone's ears as quickly as they disappeared. This is the first time in the series this happens, and though easy to overlook, the reversal of Chainsaw Man's greatest ability carries potential consequences that can flip the series on its head.

Chainsaw Man May Throw Up More Than Just Ears

What Pochita Has Eaten In The Past Is Unknown

Close

In the newest chapter, Armored Chainsaw Man appears a far cry from the overwhelming force of destruction seen in Part One of the story. Not only is he damaged by seemingly lower-level devils, but he is also grabbed rather easily by Yoshida's octopus before vomiting up the Ear devil. Having seen this, along with their plan seemingly working exactly as it was drawn up, Public Safety will most likely continue to retrieve previously erased devils from Pochita. And that will undoubtedly become an issue.

Other than a few concepts mentioned by Makima in Part One, it remains largely unknown what exactly Pochita has eaten. In their quest to make Chainsaw Man throw up other devils, Public Safety could very well release unfathomable horrors into the world. While the retrieval of concepts like Yoru's nuclear weapons may assist in a showdown against the looming Death Devil, others can just as easily pose a threat to humanity that they are not prepared to face.

While Makima is able to recall a few of the devils that Chainsaw Man had eaten, she admits that she's unable to remember all of them. Given that some members of public safety remembered ears in chapter #173, the process of forgetting remains uncertain.

If Public Safety's plan works as intended, and both Chainsaw Man and Yoru become significantly powered up through previously erased devils, it isn't certain that they will team up to fight Death. Chainsaw Man is wildly unpredictable and uncontrollable in his powered-up state, while Yoru already has separate intentions with her reclaimed nuclear weapons.

One possibility is that by purging devils from Chainsaw Man, while Asa and Yoru have been stated to already be hungry, Fami will be able to bend the devils to her will. Whatever the goal of Public Safety is, recent events are likely to bring Chainsaw Man into unexplored territory in upcoming chapters.