How Did Denji Survive Being Cut in Half in Chainsaw Man?
The Chainsaw Man saga features countless gruesome deaths, and Denji has technically died far more times than most fans would care to count. Denji being sliced in two was one of the most grotesque wounds he has ever endured, but many anime fans still wonder how Denji survived being cut in half in Chainsaw Man.
Denji is classified as a hybrid in Chainsaw Man, making him immortal as long as he has access to blood for regeneration. He gets cut in half by the Katana Man, after which his upper body gets taken away. However, the plan is foiled by the thugs getting mysteriously crushed and Kobeni unleashing a surprise assault while protecting Denji’s body, enabling Denji to recover.
While Denji may have survived having his body cut into separate pieces under different conditions, Kobeni is really the one who saved the day – stealing the show with some stellar combat moves and unparalleled agility. Stick around to find out everything there is to know about how hybrids can survive such insane blows from foes without dying, as well as how Denji survived being cut in half in Chainsaw Man.
Are Hybrids Immortal in Chainsaw Man?
The main question of how Denji survives any of his supposed deaths revolves around him being a hybrid. Hybrids in Chainsaw Man, those who have made a contract with a devil that involves the devil forming a part of their bodies, have vastly different rules of existence when compared to devils and fiends in Chainsaw Man.
Chainsaw Man devils, fiends, and hybrids can be identified by several differentiating traits or physical features, and they all live and play by different rules. When it comes to the concept of mortality, their death (or temporary displacement) is based on different influential factors.
In a nutshell, hybrids are immortal as long as they have access to blood and the body parts needed for regeneration. Below is an overview of how the process works for hybrids versus other types of devil-users in Chainsaw Man (which does include some spoilers for the sake of context).
Devil Deaths
When devils are mortally wounded on earth, they will only die depending on the different circumstances of the specific devil as well as the contracts that they have formed. An example of this is Makima, who could not be mortally wounded due to random civilians receiving the damage instead of her – preventing her body from being destroyed (up until Makima was eaten by Denji, that is).
But, devils are immortal (including when they are erased by Pochita’s incredible powers, as they merely exist within Pochita’s stomach until a later time). Once they do die, or their earthly forms are destroyed, they are reincarnated in hell – if they die in hell after this point, they are reincarnated on earth with a brand new form and no prior memories, such is the case with Nayuta, Makima’s reincarnation.
Fiend Deaths
The fiends in Chainsaw Man are not immortal due to them technically being dead already. Unlike other types of characters in Chainsaw Man, fiends are the product of devils possessing a corpse (typically unnamed) and using the deceased human’s body as a form of their own.
An example of this would be the infamous and loveable Power, who was killed by Makima following Aki’s death and alongside the reveal of Makima’s evil plan. Fiends can heal in a sense, and they are pretty tough opponents, but they can be killed with basic attacks – a primary reason why Power often evaded intense battles.
Hybrid Deaths
Hybrids in Chainsaw Man are immortal, although they are not immortal in the same way that devils are. There are various examples of some insanely powerful hybrids throughout the Chainsaw Man storyline, with the most notable being Reze the Bomb Devil, Katana Man, Quanxi, and Denji.
All of these characters have seen numerous ‘deaths’ or have taken blows that would typically result in death – including decapitation, broken necks, being blown into bits and pieces, drowning, being bisected, receiving fatal bullet wounds, and much more. Apart from the possibility of being skillfully or strategically defeated by powerful devils such as the Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse, hybrids seem to simply return with full health after getting blood.
Why Was Denji Cut in Half?
Episode 9 of the Chainsaw Man anime series had fans on the edge of their seats, featuring a ton of important events as well as tragic twists of fate. It follows as the Gun Devil unleashes assaults on Himeno, Aki, and Denji, with the aim of obtaining Denji’s hybrid heart – utilizing the powers of other devils and gunmen.
Denji ended up being cut in half while taking on the Katana Man, who was being ordered by Sawatari and her thugs – presumably working for the Gun Devil. Denji had actually received a technical death in the same fight already, after which Himeno used her Ghost Devil powers to pull on Denji’s cord and revive him.
From this point, Denji begins ruthlessly attacking the Katana Man as Sawatari watches on. Denji seems to have the upper hand, but Sawatari calls for gunmen as backup, after which they begin plotting to shoot Denji while the Katana Man keeps him busy.
Denji manages to swipe one of the gunmen to use as a makeshift hostage against the Katana Man, and the Katana man gives the facade of submitting for the sake of his supposed ally. But, he instead jumps behind Denji, slicing both Denji as well as the gunman in half. Check out the scene of Denji getting cut in half in the video below, thanks to Birendra Banka.
Denji is last scene getting picked up by the Katana man’s remaining thugs – well, the upper half of his body, containing the precious heart they were after. However, the plan is suddenly interrupted by the thugs getting mysteriously crushed by an unknown force – presumably Makima.
How Did Denji Survive Being Cut in Half in Chainsaw Man?
The reason for Denji being able to survive being cut in half comes down to him being a hybrid, as he would have ultimately recovered with the appropriate conditions. However, there is no telling if the villains would have allowed this process to happen, as it was clear that the intention was to remove Denji’s hybrid and Pochita-powered heart from his body.
If the plan had gone through successfully, Denji might have ended up being a devil-less half of a human, which may have led to an official death. But, Kobeni seriously came in clutch here, using her insane agility and badass combat skills to shock Chainsaw Man fans and opponents.
She arrived at the battle just in the nick of time, dodging rapid-fire bullets while taking on thugs, the Snake Devil, and Sawatari with swift speed and precision – fueled by the trauma of her recently lost colleague. Her random and overpowering assault led to Sawatari fleeing the scene without Denji’s upper half, as Kobeni clung to Denji while keeping the foes at gunpoint.
This skillful and timely assist is what really saved the day, as it would allow Denji’s upper and lower body parts to eventually be reunited in order for him to properly regenerate and survive the attack. Check out Kobeni’s awesome moves as she saves Denji’s life in the video below, thanks to MrDimon.
Denji may just be one of the most iconic anime characters to ever grace the community, and he has taken on some insanely tough opponents throughout the course of the Chainsaw Man storyline. Although he may not be as strong as the most powerful devils in Chainsaw Man, what makes Denji truly undefeated is his team of skilled devil hunters – they always seem to have his back, even in the direst situations.
