Chainsaw Man recap: the story so far

No. 01 · 2022 · Series

Chainsaw Man recap

Denji works himself to the bone hunting devils for the yakuza to pay off his late father's debt, with only his devil dog, Pochita, for company. The yakuza betray him to the Zombie Devil and kill him, and Pochita fuses with his heart, reviving him as a hybrid who grows chainsaws from his head and arms. Makima, a senior Public Safety devil hunter, takes him in, and Denji, who dreams of normal food and a girlfriend, joins her division. He is partnered with the serious Aki Hayakawa, who wants revenge on the Gun Devil that killed his family, and with Power, a selfish Blood Fiend. Denji moves in with Aki and Power and takes on the Bat Devil and the Eternity Devil, which traps the squad in a hotel until Denji fights his way out. Kobeni, a terrified rookie, joins the squad alongside Aki's veteran partner, Himeno. Rumors spread that devils want Denji's heart, and a gang led by Samurai Sword, the grandson of the yakuza boss Denji killed, ambushes the squad, killing most of the division.

How Chainsaw Man ends

Himeno dies sacrificing herself to the Ghost Devil to save Aki, and Makima, shot on a train, survives and kills the gunmen behind the attack from afar. Denji and Aki track down Samurai Sword and his partner Akane and defeat him together, finishing with a kicking contest at his expense. Aki makes a contract with the Future Devil to keep fighting. The season ends with the reformed division settling into its new routine, leading into the Reze Arc.

No. 02 · 2025 · Film

Chainsaw Man - The Movie: Reze Arc recap

Denji, still infatuated with Makima, goes on a date with her and is rattled when she tells him not to fall for just anyone. Sheltering from the rain in a phone booth, he meets Reze, a cheerful girl who works at a cafe, and they quickly grow close. Reze takes him swimming at night in an empty school pool and keeps asking him to give up devil hunting and run away with her. At a summer festival, she kisses Denji and bites off his tongue. Reze is a Soviet assassin and the Bomb Devil, sent to steal his heart. She blows apart his allies, and Denji, joined by the Shark Fiend Beam, fights her through the city in a running battle. Reze calls on the Typhoon Devil, and Denji, Beam and the devil hunters stop it. Denji finally defeats Reze by chaining himself to her and dragging them both into the sea, where she cannot detonate.

How Chainsaw Man - The Movie: Reze Arc ends

Denji, after rescuing her from drowning, asks Reze to run away with him and says he will wait at the cafe. Reze starts to leave town, then turns back toward the cafe, admitting she has fallen for him. Before she arrives, Makima and Angel corner her in an alley, and Makima kills her. Denji waits at the cafe with flowers, unaware that she was coming.

Post-credits scenes

Yes. After the credits, Denji is still waiting at the cafe with his flowers when Power arrives and asks if they are for her; Denji ends up eating the bouquet in a squabble with her. It does not set up the next arc.