Tatsuki Fujimoto is a madman. If you went into the second era of his hit series expecting a retread of Denji’s greatest hits, you probably got whiplash by the third chapter. The shift from the high-octane Public Safety saga to the grimy, socially anxious halls of Fourth East High School wasn't just a change of scenery. It was a total overhaul of how we interact with the Chainsaw Man Part 2 characters.
Remember how Part 1 felt like a grindhouse action movie? Part 2 feels like a psychological horror comedy where everyone is one bad day away from a total meltdown. Denji is still around, sure, but he’s not the focal point anymore. He’s a background element in someone else’s nightmare. This shift is jarring for some fans. It's also exactly why the series remains the most interesting thing in Weekly Shonen Jump right now.
Asa Mitaka: The Protagonist We Didn't Know We Needed
Asa Mitaka is a disaster. She is arguably one of the most relatable characters in modern manga, which is terrifying if you think about it for more than five seconds. When we first meet her, she’s a cynical loner who hates her classmates and thinks she's better than everyone else. Then she dies.
Sort of.
The War Devil, Yoru, hijacks her corpse, and suddenly we have a "two souls, one body" dynamic that is nothing like the heroic tropes you see in Jujutsu Kaisen. It’s awkward. It’s messy. Asa isn't a hero; she's a teenage girl trying to navigate the soul-crushing weight of grief while a literal personification of war screams at her to turn her classmates into swords.
What makes Asa work is her internal monologue. It’s long, rambling, and full of self-doubt. Fujimoto uses her to explore the idea of "justified" selfishness. She wants to be a good person, but she’s also desperate for connection. When she goes on that infamous date with Denji at the aquarium? It’s painful to watch. She lectures him on sea anemones for hours because she doesn't know how to just be.
The War Devil (Yoru) and the Loss of Power
Yoru is a fascinating contrast to Makima. Makima was terrifying because she was always in control. She was the Control Devil, after all. Yoru, however, is a bit of a loser. She’s the War Devil, but people have forgotten about war. Nuclear weapons have been erased from human memory. She is a weakened, desperate entity.
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She is often the "straight man" to Asa’s neuroticism, which creates a bizarre buddy-comedy vibe. Yoru wants to turn Denji into a weapon, but she keeps getting distracted by Asa’s emotions. This power struggle defines the early arcs of Part 2. It’s not about who can punch the hardest. It’s about who can maintain control over a single, shared brain.
Denji’s Evolution into a Tired Single Father
Seeing Denji through the eyes of the Chainsaw Man Part 2 characters is a trip. To Asa, he’s just a weird, gross guy who likes chainsaws too much. To us, he’s a tragic figure trying to raise Nayuta (the reincarnation of the Control Devil) on a budget that barely covers bread and jam.
He’s exhausted.
Denji’s motivation has shifted from "touching a boob" to "providing a normal life for Nayuta." It’s a surprisingly mature arc for a character who started the series eating toilet paper to survive. But he’s still Denji. He’s still desperate for recognition. He wants the world to know he’s Chainsaw Man, but if he reveals himself, Public Safety (and Hirofumi Yoshida) will make his life a living hell.
He is caught in a trap of his own making. He wants love, but he’s forbidden from seeking the fame that he thinks will bring it to him. It’s a heartbreaking look at what happens after the "chosen one" wins the big battle. The world keeps turning, and rent is still due on the first of the month.
The Enigma of Hirofumi Yoshida
If you’re looking for a character to distrust, look no further than Yoshida. He appeared briefly in Part 1 as a private contractor, but in Part 2, he’s a constant, looming presence. He belongs to a mysterious organization that claims to protect Denji’s "ordinary life," but his methods are cold and calculating.
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Is he a villain? A hero? Just a guy doing a job?
Yoshida represents the surveillance state. He’s always watching. He’s the one who tells Denji he can’t be Chainsaw Man anymore. He’s the one who manipulates social situations from the shadows. His Octopus Devil powers are visually stunning but also deeply unsettling, often used to restrain or silence people rather than just kill them outright.
Fami and the New Horsemen
We can't talk about the current cast without mentioning Fami, the Famine Devil. She’s Asa’s "big sister" and a member of the Four Horsemen. Her design—tilted head, dead eyes, school uniform—is peak Fujimoto creepiness.
Unlike Yoru, who is impulsive, Fami is a master strategist. She’s the one pulling the strings behind the Chainsaw Man Church. The way she uses hunger as a metaphor for desire is brilliant. In Part 2, everyone is hungry for something. Asa wants connection. Denji wants his old life back. The followers of the church want a savior.
Fami just wants to eat. Literally and metaphorically.
The Supporting Cast: Chaos and Comedy
The school setting allows for a rotating door of weirdos. We have:
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- Haruka Iseumi: The president of the Devil Hunter Club who is a total Chainsaw Man fanboy (and has a starter cord implanted in his chest that does absolutely nothing).
- Nobana Higashiyama: Who is almost certainly related to Kobeni, given the constant sweating and panicked vibrating.
- Miri Sugo: Also known as Sword Man. He’s a hybrid like Denji, but he’s desperate for a sense of belonging, which leads him straight into the arms of a cult.
These characters serve to ground the supernatural insanity in a mundane, high school reality. They make the world feel lived-in. They aren't just fodder for the next devil attack; they are teenagers with bad haircuts and worse social skills.
Why Part 2 Hits Differently
The stakes in Part 2 are deeply personal. In Part 1, the world was at stake. In Part 2, the stakes are often "will Asa have a nervous breakdown in the middle of a school hallway?"
This shift confuses people who just want action. But for those who stuck around, the character work is some of the best in the medium. Fujimoto is exploring themes of parasocial relationships, the trauma of living in a post-disaster world, and the difficulty of finding your own identity when everyone else wants you to be a symbol.
The Chainsaw Man Part 2 characters are broken. They are flawed. They make terrible decisions constantly. And honestly? That’s why we love them. You don't root for Asa because she's a hero; you root for her because you've also felt like the most awkward person in the room.
Actionable Insights for Readers
If you're trying to keep up with the breakneck pace of the manga, here is how to actually digest the madness:
- Re-read the "Aquarium Spear" arc. It's the moment where the dynamic between Asa and Yoru truly solidifies. Pay attention to the background art; Fujimoto hides a lot of visual storytelling in the clutter.
- Watch the eyes. In this series, eye design is a dead giveaway for Devil status or possession. The concentric circles are a Horseman trademark.
- Don't take anything at face value. Every character in Part 2 is lying—either to others or to themselves. Yoshida’s "protection" is a prison. Fami’s "help" is a trap.
- Track the "Chainsaw Man Church" timeline. The rise of this organization mirrors real-world cult dynamics and is essential for understanding where the plot is headed.
- Pay attention to Nayuta's growth. Her influence on Denji is the only thing keeping him grounded. If something happens to that bond, the old, feral Denji will likely return with a vengeance.
The story is far from over. With the recent developments involving the Fire Devil and the mass-produced Chainsaw Mans, the cast is only going to get more crowded and more chaotic. Keep your eyes on Asa. She’s the heart of this mess, even if she’d rather be anywhere else.
To stay ahead of the curve, focus on the relationships between the Horsemen. The tension between Yoru and Fami is the real ticking time bomb. While Denji is busy being a dad, the sisters are preparing for a family reunion that will probably level half of Tokyo.
If you're feeling overwhelmed by the sheer number of new faces, just remember: in Fujimoto's world, the characters who seem the most normal are usually the ones you need to worry about the most. Take a breath, look at the art, and enjoy the ride. It's supposed to be uncomfortable. That's the point.