We can’t even recognize him sometimes.
Summary:
- Denji was unlikable at the beginning of the story.
- He quickly began showing the first signs of character development.
- His development keeps getting better with time.
When you first start watching Chainsaw Man, you can find a few off-putting things in the series. There are a lot of sexual themes, there’s blood and gore, there’s violence and perversions. And you can’t help but feel that the main protagonist of the series, Denji, is also one of these off-putting things.
Denji Wasn’t the Hero We Wanted
Although viewers understand that Denji’s led a miserable life, void of bright and joyous every-day moments, they can’t bring themselves to really sympathize with him due to how weird he is.
Denji’s main goal was to find a girlfriend and be intimate with her. While it might feel realistic and even relatable for hundreds of teenage boys, it felt odd to have a main protagonist like that.
Denji never seemed intelligent or skilled, he was easy to manipulate by using food or a promise of intimacy, and Makima used it masterfully. She managed to turn him into a loyal dog, ready to do as she commanded. Not to be too harsh on Denji, but he felt weak, stupid and pathetic.
There Was a Reason For That
It took fans a lot of time to understand the deeper meaning of this character. Denji’s dreams were shallow and down-to-earth not because he was like that, but because dreaming big never got him anywhere, it only brought him more disappointment.
Denji was just trying to survive and find some happiness. He wanted a soulmate, a person who would actually get him, even though he couldn’t comprehend it himself.
The first realization hit him when he understood that “dirty things” are best done with someone you care for. Although it doesn’t feel like a big deal, we believe this was the first sign of Denji’s character development.
It was then that Denji realized that he wasn’t just craving sex from women, he wanted a true partner, capable of loving him and being loved by him.
He Got Smarter And Stronger
Denji only kept getting better with time. There are still signs of his old perverted self somewhere within him, but he has other things on his mind now.
He’s not so easy to manipulate anymore, and he even managed to get rid of the person he thought he loved. The fight with Makima showed us a completely different side of Denji, and we loved it.
His battle IQ hadn’t been that terrible before, but he still surprised readers when he came up with a plan to trick Makima. Denji may not be the strongest person out there, but he knows how to survive and outlive his enemies.
Denji’s morals and emotional intelligence also got better over time. He found some friends and learned how to be close to someone. He learned to care and love, he learned what sacrifices mean.
He’s turned from a completely unlikable and weird character into someone who actually deserves to be called the main protagonist. And we expect him to get even better and stronger in the future.
If you want to check out the manga (Part 2 is still ongoing), it's available on Viz Media. As for streaming the anime, the series is available on Crunchyroll and Hulu.