Makima in Chainsaw Man: Character Analysis and Explanation

The hit shonen manga by Tatsuki Fujimoto, Chainsaw Man, has captivated fans with its boldly subversive characters and unique narrative style.

The Chainsaw Man anime, launched in fall 2022, quickly propelled the franchise to phenomenon status in just three months. Fans appreciated many aspects, from its "monster hunter" atmosphere to its offbeat humor, featuring original and compelling characters like Denji and his demonic partner, Power. However, it is Makima who stands out as the most striking and popular figure in the series.

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Like the franchise as a whole, Makima embodies both a classic mentor and a deeply subversive figure. Fans seek to understand her abilities, her role with Denji and Power, and why she fascinates so much as an essential villainous waifu. Despite her monstrous nature, she remains alluring, which attests to the quality of the writing and her unique appeal.

Makima is one of the most iconic villains due to her charm, soft voice, and overwhelming power. Her character is based on the duality between the sexualization others give her and her ruthless evil capacity. Whether perceived as purely evil or not, her heinous actions are undeniable. Yet, she still seduces fans, highlighting the complexity of her character and Chainsaw Man’s brilliant writing.

Is Makima from Chainsaw Man evil?

Powers and goals wrapped in mystery

Makima attacks Sawatari in the Chainsaw Man manga. Image via Viz Media
Unlike other antagonists, Chainsaw Man does not reveal Makima’s past through flashbacks. Her character is unveiled only through her actions, enhancing her aura of mystery and unpredictability. Fans often do not know her true intentions, making her all the more unsettling.

Throughout the manga, it is revealed that Makima is the Control Devil, one of the most powerful demons, capable of influencing thoughts and actions on a large scale. She even manipulates entire nations, like the United States, with terrifying ease. Makima acts as a puppeteer, guiding individuals and governments according to her will.

She can make contracts with humans, notably with the Japanese Prime Minister, linking his wounds to those of a randomly chosen citizen. Possessing formidable physical strength and martial arts skills, she prefers to have others fight on her behalf. Her ultimate power is absolute control, allowing her to summon anyone to defend her interests.

Makima can enslave and brainwash those she deems inferior, including former enemies like Katana Man or Quanxi. In combat, she wields devastating strength, able to eliminate targets remotely via human sacrifice. With a simple gesture, she can pulverize an opponent.

Her main goal is selfish: to find peace with her eternal rival, the Chainsaw Devil, her beloved partner. She seeks neither conquest nor domination, but eternal happiness, even if it means crushing anyone in her way. This personal quest aligns with the intimate themes of Chainsaw Man, where deep desires drive characters, but Makima embodies a whole other level of ambition.

Makima, a subversion of the shonen mentor

A complex relationship with Denji

Makima smiling in the Chainsaw Man anime. Image via MAPPA.

From the start, Makima overturns the classic shonen mentor role. She protects Denji and guides him toward greatness, giving him a job at the Public Safety Commission. Denji sees her as a role model to impress, even as budding love.

While classic shonen mentors build sincere bonds with their students, Makima manipulates Denji one-sidedly. Her love is unshared, and Denji realizes it too late, making their relationship tragic.

Makima also embodies the mentor who uses her protégé for her own ends, but without the usual kindness. Unlike Jiraiya or All Might, she is a cold manipulator, focused on her personal interests, making her a full-fledged villain and an inversion of the traditional role.

Makima is a ruthless manipulator, devoid of the kindness expected of a mentor, making her an emblematic villain and a complete subversion of the role.

An unsympathetic character who fascinates

Despite her brutality, Makima captivates fans

Some anime villains gain popularity through tragic pasts or understandable motives, like Ulquiorra in Bleach or Himiko Toga in My Hero Academia. Makima, on the other hand, is portrayed as a merciless monster, despite her seductive appearance and personal goal of happiness.

Yet she enjoys a large fanbase, reflecting her character's complexity and the freedom viewers have to love or dislike this villain. Her confidence and determination impress, offering a striking contrast with more vulnerable heroes like Denji or Izuku.

While some fans prefer sweet and protective waifus, others are drawn to powerful, independent bad girls like Makima, Himiko Toga, or Esdeath, who remain among the most popular female characters despite their misdeeds.

Makima’s death: a brutal but satisfying conclusion

After all she had done, fans were not saddened by her end.
Denji kills Makima with Power’s chainsaw in Chainsaw Man. Image via Viz Media.
In Chainsaw Man, demons never truly die, reincarnating without memories. Makima is an almost invincible opponent, able to transfer her wounds to others. Her toxic relationship with Denji, where she isolates him from loved ones, culminates in an intense final confrontation.

Makima kills Power brutally, which becomes Denji’s breaking point. He faces Makima alone: using Power’s blood, he cuts her to pieces. To destroy her definitively, Denji must consume her remains in a grotesque scene, thus breaking their contract.

Makima’s reincarnation: Nayuta, the reflection of her desires

A new family for Nayuta, Makima’s incarnation

Nayuta, the new Control Devil, is entrusted to Denji by Kishibe, who hopes to raise her away from Makima’s darkness. Unlike Makima, Nayuta is a child searching for her place, with similar traits like possessiveness toward Denji and a love of dogs.

Nayuta embodies Makima’s inner child, expressing her deep desire for love and family, contrasting with Makima’s cold and murderous upbringing. Their emerging sibling relationship brings a new dimension to the story.

A large part of Makima’s story remains to be discovered, notably in the film Chainsaw Man - The Movie: Reze Arc, scheduled for 2025. This film will explore Reze and her relationship with Denji, while keeping Makima at the heart of the plot. As for season 2, little information is available but it could follow Demon Slayer’s model, alternating movies and seasons.

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