Chainsaw Man Teases the Return of Two Fan-Favorite Characters, and It Hit Me Right in the Feels

Spoiler Warning: This post includes heavy spoilers for the Chainsaw Man manga.

Tatsuki Fujimoto’s Chainsaw Man has been going strong with a fascinating storyline in the manga lately. In case you missed it, Denji and Asa Mitaka, our beloved Chainsaw Man and War Devil, are currently trapped inside the Aging devil’s mysterious realm. And as expected, it looks like Fujimoto sensei has no plans to put an end to Denji’s suffering. Instead, the creator might be looking to give our protagonist the biggest emotional shock of his life.

In Chainsaw Man chapter 182, Fujimoto brought back Aki and Power in the final panel, which made me and the fandom lose their minds.

The Denji, Aki, and Power trio have been lovingly called the “Hayakawa Family” since their trip to Aki’s family grave. The fans started to adore the familial bond developing between the three, but it didn’t last long as Fujimoto made Denji’s friends bite the dust in Part 1 of the Chainsaw Man manga. So it has been a while since we saw Aki and Power in the manga and the fandom still hasn’t healed from witnessing how their fates ended.

Coming back to the present day in the manga, Denji can be vomiting the Snow devil he consumed earlier in Chapter 174. Right when he spews out the devil, the setting turns snowy with Denji now facing the ground and reeling from the after-effects of vomiting a semi-digested devil. And we see Asa amazed at the snowy landscape.

However, in an unexpected turn of events, the manga shifts to the dock of a ship. At the helm, we see two of the most beloved characters fans have been longing to see for a long time. Now, we can’t be sure if this is one of Denji’s core memories where he goes on a trip with Aki and Power. Or, it is the Aging Devil playing tricks on our boy in their world.

#csm182 pic.twitter.com/PBsk4Xo9uS— Crain Art (@Crain1Art) November 5, 2024

Whatever the case, the final panel of CSM Chapter 182 brings back Aki and Power, and it hit me like a brick. I didn’t expect to see the two characters again, especially after their gruesome deaths in Part One. If you ask me, it feels like the panel depicts the trip where Denji and his friends visited Aki’s family grave.

While it initially gives the impression that Aki and Power are coming back in CSM, it appears to be a flashback sequence. Fujimoto isn’t like Gege Akutami, and he is planning to extend Denji’s agony by reawakening his core memory. I’m sure that the next chapter is going to be painful not just for Denji but also for fans.

me when i realized it’s a flashback and they’re not coming back #csm182 pic.twitter.com/eSzq3htSTE

— tann (@titann_13) November 5, 2024

Do keep in mind that Denji has consumed bitterness and octopus devil as well. I wonder what other buried memories that are going to get triggered as he throws up again. That said, what do you think about Aki and Power’s return in Chainsaw Man? Let us know in the comments below.