In my review of Chainsaw Man Episode 4 I wondered if we would get a Big Bad in this series and I think in this episode we got it, the Gun Devil. The last episode ended with Power offering Denji 3 feels of her breasts. After the groping Denji feels dejected. Coping a feel isn’t what he thought. He’s disappointed. I wasn’t sure when this series was going let Denji succeed in his life long mission to cop a feel, so I was surprised and relieved, that it ended this episode. However, I was surprised that Denji was so miserable afterward.
Considering the fact that most people in the series and out (like myself) thought his dream was too stupid, I thought the series would disagree. It seems that Chainsaw Man is arguing that Denji’s dream was shallow and he would need something more significant to motivate him in life. Makima takes advantage of his somber mood. She seductively takes his hand and tells him “it” would have felt better if he “knew the person better.” Denji may have been disappointed by the breast gropes but he’s still a horn dog.
The Gun Devil
The master manipulator she is Makima pivots to her desire. She asks Denji to defeat the Gun Devil. This Devil is particularly strong due to guns being used to kill devils originally. It appeared in America 13 years ago and after a terrorist attack that used guns the Gun Devil appears. During her story we see Aki’s backstory. He wants to play catch with his father but his brother Taiyo is sick and his parents tell him to “play alone.” His brother says he wants to play and goes with Aki. Outside the brothers engage in a snowball fight. Aki tells his brother to go inside since its getting cold. After he gets inside the entire house is blown away.
Makima explains that the Gun Devil killed 1.2 million people with 5 mins. Since then the Gun Devil has disappeared. With the fear of Devils increasing so has their power. To decrease the power of the Gun Devil, the government banned guns and limited news reports on gun involved crimes. But first they need to find the Gun Devil. Makima shows Denji some bullets made from the Gun Devils flesh. When a Devil eats one of the bullets they get stronger. Makima notes that the bullets stick together and when the piece gets big enough they’ll return to the Gun Devil. So the goal is set, find the Gun Devil by killing Devils that have swallowed a piece of it.
Aki, Don’t Die
The Public Safety have a new mission. A devil has taken over the Hotel Morin. Several civil devil hunters have been killed trying to stop this devil and its suspected that the devil has consumed a piece of the Gun Devil. Makima has assigned six Devil Hunters to this task, Denji, Power, Hirokazu, Aki, Himeno, and Kobeni. Hirokazu is your typical uptight, follow the rules, maintain your honor type of guy. Naturally he doesn’t trust Denji or Power. Kobeni on the other had is a bit of a coward. Himeno calms that Kobeni is strong but if she won’t use her power what good is strength.
Himeno appears to be calm and mature. I expect her to take the lead on these missions and keep everyone focuses. Like Aki, Himeno has suffered lost due to the Devils. She says that they died because “they were garbage.” That seems harsh and I think she probably hiding her pain. Regardless, the team encounter a weird devil, that’s just a head with hands. When it lunges at Kobeni, Himeno uses her Ghost Devil to kill it. By creating a contract with the Ghost Devil she sacrificed her right eye in exchange for use of it’s right had. The hand can touch others but cannot be grabbed. As the team walks through the Hotel, Hirokazu notices they’re going in circles. He heads downstairs to test his theory and is seen coming downstairs by the rest of the team.
I think the Gun Devil is clearly a commentary on Americas gun culture and the destruction it’s inflicted on American society. My theory that weapons of mass destruction being sources of powerful Devils is making more sense. There has to been a nuclear weapon devil right? I trying to figure out the power system and clearly the amount society fears something is determine the unofficial power level of the Devils. What do you think, is the Gun Devil a commentary on American gun culture? Is there a nuclear bomb Devil? Should there be?
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