Chainsaw Man: The Octopus Devil Makes a Comeback

Overview

The Octopus Devil serves as an advantageous force for both ranged and defensive maneuvers, tapping into primal human fears.
Hirofumi Yoshida, the Octopus Devil’s contractee, demonstrates strategic mastery in leveraging its unique abilities.
In a moment of quick thinking, Denji prompts Pochita to bring Yoshida back into existence, setting the stage for a realm-crossing plan.

After Denji transformed into the Chainsaw Devil, Pochita consumed Hirofumi Yoshida along with the Octopus Devil, effectively erasing their existence. Despite Yoshida’s attempts to control Pochita, he became yet another victim in a world rife with devils.

With Denji and Asa now trapped in the perilous realm of the Aging Devil, a dire situation unfolds, prompting Pochita to help Denji expel a valuable ally: the Octopus Devil. This development raises questions about their prospects within the narrative of Chainsaw Man.

For fans following the anime series, please note that this article contains spoilers regarding upcoming plot developments.

Understanding the Octopus Devil

Ranged and Defensive Capabilities

Arc	International Assassins
Chapters	53 – 70

In the world of Chainsaw Man, the Octopus Devil represents humanity’s intrinsic fear of octopuses. Contracted by Hirofumi Yoshida, a skilled Public Safety Devil Hunter, this devil showcases remarkable strengths in battle. While the specific cost of using the Octopus Devil’s abilities is unclear, it appears that Yoshida may have sacrifices involving human body parts to wield its power safely, as hinted in Chapter 189.

Yoshida’s tactical prowess shines through his unique summoning ability: by crossing his fingers, he can conjure a formidable tentacle from the Octopus Devil, employing it not only as a weapon but also as a defensive shield against attackers.

Moreover, Yoshida can command the Octopus Devil to unleash a thick, ink-like smokescreen by simply uttering “Ink,”obscuring his movements and allowing for surprise attacks on unsuspecting foes—a useful tactic against formidable opponents, although it may prove ineffective against more cautious enemies.

While details surrounding the Octopus Devil’s personality remain scarce, its submissive nature towards Yoshida is evident. Different from other devils like the Fox or Ghost Devil, who require specific prices for their abilities, the Octopus Devil appears to operate on a different paradigm of loyalty, allowing Yoshida to use its skills without precondition. Their collaboration is visible during critical battles, where he remains unfazed even when commanding the Octopus Devil to confront formidable foes like the Dolls created by Santa Claus.

Unfortunately, the fate of the Octopus Devil took a dark turn. After Denji’s transformation into the Chainsaw Devil, Pochita began a rampage that led him to consume various devils, including the Octopus, resulting in its erasure along with others, such as the Mouth, Snow, and Bitterness Devils.

The Return of the Octopus Devil

Denji’s Strategic Request to Pochita

Following the Octopus Devil’s consumption during Pochita’s rampage, Denji, Asa, and Yoru found themselves ensnared in the domain of the Aging Devil. Initially brought in by the Public Safety Devil Hunters, the Aging Devil had a sinister price; it sought the lives of 10,000 children, aged nine and younger, to be sacrificed in front of mirrors.

This horrifying deal was facilitated by former Minister of Finance Tadashi Hasegawa, who consented to the conditions without hesitation, channeling resources toward capturing the children. The Aging Devil is characterized as a primal entity, devoid of any attachments or moral compass. It generally prefers to attack through mirrors, although it opted for direct confrontation during its encounter with Pochita.

The Aging Devil operates as a detached force, with no emotional connections to life.
Its attacks predominantly occur via mirrors, but in Pochita’s case, it engaged directly, motivated by a desire to be consumed.

Subsequently, chaos ensued as Yoru launched a counteroffensive against the Aging Devil, resulting in both parties being transported into its mind-altering world. Within this realm, beings do not require sustenance; instead, they gradually metamorphose into trees, and only through decay can they return to their original forms in the real world. As tension mounted, Denji and Asa engaged in heated debates, prompting Pochita to urge Denji to expel some devils.

This marked the first breakthrough as Denji recognized Pochita’s stomach was still anchored to the real world, prompting revelations about his ability to consume spirits imprisoned as trees. As he fed on their innards, Asa forged a makeshift axe, striving to release the trapped souls. However, the process proved futile in providing a complete escape.

Desperate for a solution, Denji exclaimed, “If you’re struggling, make me barf up some kinda useful Devil!!”

Thanks to Denji’s resourcefulness, Pochita managed to regurgitate Yoshida, reinstating him in the narrative. With this act, all devils consumed by Pochita during his rampage were reinstated as well. Yoshida’s reemergence provided critical insight; he quickly devised a plan to connect to Denji and utilize the Octopus Devil’s powers creatively.

Using the Octopus Devil, Yoshida sought to bridge their world with reality but soon found himself intercepted by the Aging Devil. As previously mentioned, Yoshida can substitute body parts to amplify his control over the Octopus Devil; during this crisis, he used Fumiko Mifune’s heart to summon its might against the Aging Devil.

Chainsaw Man is currently available for streaming on Crunchyroll.

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