We need to talk about that messy apartment. You know the one. It’s got a pile of dirty dishes, a Blood Devil who refuses to flush the toilet, and a guy with a chainsaw for a heart who just wants to eat toast with jam. In the world of Chainsaw Man, the trio of Denji Power and Aki isn't just a tactical squad. Honestly? They’re the emotional anchor of the entire first part of the series.
Most shonen series give you "The Power of Friendship." It’s clean. It’s heroic. But Tatsuki Fujimoto gave us something way more human and significantly grosser. He gave us a found family built on laundry duty, head lice, and shared trauma.
The Hayakawa Household: From Roommates to Family
When Makima first shoved Denji and Power into Aki Hayakawa’s life, it was a disaster. Aki was the straight man. He was professional, driven by a singular, cold need for revenge against the Gun Devil. Then came Denji—a walking personification of chaos—and Power, who is basically a feral cat in a human suit.
Remember the early days? Aki literally tried to beat Denji into quitting. He couldn't stand the kid’s lack of resolve. Power was even worse, constantly lying and trying to sell Denji out to the Bat Devil just to save her cat, Meowy. It was toxic. It was loud.
But then something shifted.
It wasn't a big, dramatic speech. It was the "quiet" stuff. The morning routines. The way they started bickering like siblings over who got the last piece of bread. Fujimoto is a master of the "slice of life" moment amidst the carnage. By the time they’re all living together in that cramped apartment, they’ve stopped being coworkers. They’ve become the Hayakawa family.
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What most people get wrong about Denji and Power
There’s this constant debate online: Are they a couple or are they siblings?
Kinda both. Kinda neither.
Honestly, trying to put a standard label on them is a waste of time. Denji spent the whole series being horny for literally any woman who showed him kindness. But when he finally gets to the "reward" with Power—the infamous chest-touching scene—it feels empty. Why? Because the physical act lacked the emotional intimacy he actually craved.
Later, after the Darkness Devil trauma, they’re literally bathing together and sleeping in the same bed because Power is too terrified to be alone. Is it sexual? No. It’s raw. It’s two broken kids holding onto each other because the world is a nightmare. Denji realizes he cares about her in a way that transcends his weird teenage fantasies. She becomes his "buddy." His sister. His heart.
Aki Hayakawa’s tragic realization
Aki is the one who suffers the most because he’s the only one with enough emotional maturity to realize what he has before it's gone.
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His whole life was about the Gun Devil. Revenge was his only personality trait. But look at his face during the "International Assassins" arc or the trip to Hokkaido. He starts looking at Denji and Power not as burdens, but as people he wants to keep safe.
He even tries to pull them out of the Gun Devil expedition. Think about that for a second. The man who lived for vengeance was willing to give it all up just so his "idiot kids" wouldn't have to die.
That Snowball Fight (The Moment Everything Broke)
We can’t talk about Denji Power and Aki without talking about Chapter 79. If you know, you know.
The Gun Devil attack isn't a glorious battle. It’s a hallucination. In Aki’s mind, he’s a kid again, playing in the snow with his brother. He’s throwing snowballs at Denji. In reality? He’s the Gun Fiend, and those snowballs are bullets tearing through the city.
It’s one of the most brutal "deaths" in manga history because of the contrast. Denji has to kill the only "big brother" he ever had to save the people Aki wanted to protect. The tragedy is that Aki died thinking he was finally having fun with his friends.
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Why their bond still matters in Part 2
Even though the original trio is gone, their ghost haunts every chapter of the current manga. Denji isn't just a chaotic kid anymore; he’s a legal guardian to Nayuta. He’s trying to be the "Aki" of his own household.
He’s still looking for Power, too. That contract they made in the dumpster—the one where she gave him her blood and told him to find the Blood Devil again and turn them back into "Power"—is the only thing keeping his hope alive.
If you're looking to really understand the depth of these characters, pay attention to the small details in your next re-read:
- The way Aki’s cooking changes over time.
- Power actually starting to wear pads because she cares about her appearance around them.
- The silence in the apartment after the Gun Devil arc.
Actionable Insights for Fans:
If you’re struggling to keep up with the lore or want to dive deeper into the themes of found family, start by looking at Tatsuki Fujimoto’s one-shots, like Look Back or Goodbye, Eri. He uses the same "shared domestic space" storytelling there to build massive emotional stakes.
Also, if you're writing or creating content about Chainsaw Man, stop looking for "ships" and start looking for the "anchor." The relationship between Denji Power and Aki works because it’s a mirror of how we all find family in the people we least expect.
Keep an eye on the manga's current run; the search for the new Blood Devil is inevitable. When that happens, the cycle of the Hayakawa household starts all over again.