The entire Chainsaw Man storyline is packed with bloody fight scenes, gruesome deaths, and tragic backstories that keep protagonists motivated. However, this hasn’t stopped anime lovers from wondering who’s interested in who – many fans are still curious to find out if Himeno and Aki are in love in Chainsaw Man.
Himeno has a strong romantic and emotional connection with Aki in Chainsaw Man, but Aki seems to have a crush on Makima (many believe this is due to her Control Devil powers). Although, there are some borderline ‘romantic moments’ between Aki and Himeno. After Himeno’s death, Aki is struck with grief and his character grows rapidly. When he dies, he leaves half of his wealth to Denji and Power, and the other half to Himeno’s family.
Although the relationship between Himeno and Aki is shrouded by mystery, there’s still evidence to show that these two devil hunters were much closer than ordinary teammates. Stick around to find out everything there is to know about the relationship between Himeno and Aki, as well as if they are really in love in Chainsaw Man.
Himeno & Aki: Relationship Explained
Himeno initially meets Aki at a graveyard while mourning the loss of her previous partner. It’s clear that Himeno is in bad shape during the encounter, as she is shown with an arm sling as well as some bandages over her eye – which would eventually lead to Himeno’s eye patch.
Aki is introduced to Himeno as her new partner, after which Himeno is short and blunt avoiding emotional attachment. This is pretty understandable from her perspective, as Himeno had already lost quite a few partners on the job.
Are Himeno & Aki in Love in Chainsaw Man?
Although Aki and Himeno’s ages are never stated outright, it’s been assumed that they are both of legal age, possibly in their 20s, as they are both shown drinking and smoking – which is illegal for underage persons in Japan. However, it’s also been assumed that Himeno is a few years older than Aki.
Himeno and Aki were also shown laying next to each other in bed during an official Chainsaw Man trailer, as seen below thanks to Fanservice Chan, which has led to many fans believing that the two have had romantic relations at some point.
Although, it’s stated that Denji was the only one who had the honor of sleeping next to her – quite odd considering Himeno doesn’t actually like Denji. Fans on Twitter have theorized this may mean Himeno was hallucinating, thinking that Denji was actually Aki – possibly validated by the scene’s blurry and choppy style. This may also explain why the sight of the lollipop put her off, as the thought of Makima with Aki may have dampened her spirits.
There are also a few snippets of Himeno and Aki half-cuddling in bed for brief moments, seen below thanks to fans within the same Twitter thread. While these are very brief, the two do look rather comfortable in these scenes.
In addition, during the Eternity Devil Arc, Aki asks if he can grab a cigarette from Himeno, after which they end up having to share one. He doesn’t hesitate to take the half-burnt cigarette from Himeno, after which Denji proclaims that this interaction was technically an indirect kiss – neither of them denies it, Aki simply tells Denji to shut up. Still, there are many complex factors that come into play for both characters.
Is Himeno in Love with Aki?
At first, Himeno only liked Aki as a partner in devil hunting, not wanting him to die as all of her previous partners had. Over time, it becomes obvious that Himeno is attracted to Aki, finding him cool and collected – possibly too sane to have a career in devil hunting.
While Aki’s ‘normality’ did cause her to worry for his safety, it also may be one of the key attributes that made Himeno want Aki. She openly tells Denji that she’d like some help getting with Aki, and she would help Denji end up with Makima in return.
That being said, Himeno is quite a bubbly and fun type of person, and she can get a bit wild once she gets too drunk. In fact, Himeno gained a reputation for kissing people when she had too much to drink, so there are still questions regarding whether Himeno was truly in love with Aki or if she simply had a crush on him.
But, there’s more than enough to show her interest in Aki was emotional as well – in addition to the fact that she cut off Aki’s topknot while drunk and kept it as an heirloom. During the Eternity Devil Arc, Himeno has a full-on meltdown after Aki gets stabbed while saving Denji. She collapsed and almost cried fearing the potential loss of Aki.
Is Aki in Love with Himeno?
Aki has not shown any obvious signs of having a romantic interest in Himeno or being physically attracted to her in a romantic sense. Aki has actually shown subtle signs of being interested in Makima, although it’s more based on him being easily manipulated by Makima.
Many fans believe that it’s more likely that Aki feels this attraction to Makima as a result of her powers of control. This reasoning would also explain why Aki does not necessarily recall a specific reason for liking Makima.
That being said, Aki’s genuine feelings for Himeno were teased throughout the storyline, with Aki showing a special level of interest in Himeno topped with a massive amount of respect for her. A lot of this could be attributed to her being a seasoned devil hunter, but some aspects were shown in a more personal light as well, seen below thanks to anime zone01.
One example of this is when Himeno was slapped by an ex-partner’s girlfriend, who blamed her for the death of her ex-partner. Himeno took it with a pinch of salt saying that she was somewhat used to it by now, but Aki chooses to take revenge by sticking a piece of chewed gum onto the woman – immediately causing Himeno to burst into a fit of laughter.
Aki seemed to have known that Himeno had feelings for him, although he never openly acknowledged it or rejected her feelings. Since his interest in Makima is believed to be superficial or a result of her powers, it’s possible that Aki simply couldn’t comprehend a romantic relationship in the midst of grieving his family and seeking revenge on the Gun Devil.
He also blushed a few times throughout the story, and it was always in relation to Himeno – not to mention some romantically tense moments here and there. When Himeno sacrificed herself, Aki appeared to have really felt the blow of her loss, seen below thanks to the Shipping Wiki.
Although many fans feel that Aki developed feelings for the Angel Devil after Himeno’s death, it’s possible he was still grieving Himeno deep down and acting out as a result.
Aki ended up becoming the Gun Devil and died at Denji’s hand, after a string of emotional and tragic scenes. After his death, he left half of his wealth to Denji and Power, and the other half to Himeno’s family – which is telling of how much she actually meant to him beneath the surface.
To have a look at Aki’s complexity and character growth, including various aspects of Aki and Himeno’s relationship, check out the video below by Beyond Animation.
Sadly, Himeno and Aki could never pursue a romantic relationship due to Himeno being killed during the Katana Man Arc, followed by Aki’s tragic death. While Himeno and Aki were never confirmed as a couple or even a budding romance in Chainsaw Man, many fans believe that they could have ended up together in different circumstances.
