Does Makima die in ‘Chainsaw Man?

Chainsaw Man continues delighting fans with its impeccable storytelling and animation. Episode eight,
titled “Gunfire,” had some of the best fighting sequences in the season, due to the smoothness of the
animation and the quick pace of the action. Every episode brings something new to the table, be it a
powerful antagonist, or a new insight into some of the characters. Of course, shock value and gore are
also key components of the series, and in the latest episode, studio MAPPA outdid itself in that
department.

As we entered the Katana Man arc, episode eight brought about the demise of what viewers believed
would become a major character, and many others were left severely injured. The episode ended with
many unanswered questions, especially concerning the vital status of these characters. One of them was
Makima, who was brutally shot in the head by assassins during a train ride. The last we see of her is a
close-up of her dead-looking expression, with a bullet hole in her forehead, and blood dripping down
her face. Surely, there’s no way Makima can survive that…can she?

Despite taking a bullet to the brain in episode eight of Chainsaw Man, and appearing quite dead
moments after, Makima makes a miraculous recovery—or, more accurately, a devilish one, depending
on how you look at it. After being shot and presumed dead by other Devil hunters, Makima makes a
mysterious reappearance, telling others about the incident. However, when attention is brought to the
fact that she is covered in blood, she claims to not have been caught in the crossfire that took place on
the train. We then see the bodies of the people who targeted the Devil hunters, all of them with bullet
holes in their chests. Because no witnesses survived the attack, Makima’s claims go unchallenged.

All that said, Makima meets her end in chapter 96 of the manga, during the Control Devil arc. During this
story, her motivations are finally uncovered, and she is revealed to be a Devil. She confesses to being an
admirer of the Chainsaw Devil and intends to bring it under her control so that she can advantage of its
unique hidden power. Thus, Makima goes on a killing spree, uncaring of anyone who stands in her way.
As reality sinks in, Denji is unable to forgive her for all the murders and manipulation, eventually coming
to terms with the fact that he must kill her. And so he does, using Pochita to tear his beloved apart.
Because that’s not enough to end her, the boy prepares a homecooked meal with her body, consuming
her.