Though Chainsaw Man part 2 was a slow burn saga, there always a sense of foreboding surrounding it. Ever since the Fire Devil’s dramatic entrance, Denji has been put through the wringer, culminating in the devastating events of Chapter 170.
Nayuta, the one person Denji truly cared for, was ripped away from him amidst the chaos instigated by Barem and his group.
And the shocking conclusion of the latest chapter leaves her fate hanging in the balance, with a very real possibility that she may be dead.
The final moments of Chapter 170 were a brutal blow, not just for Denji, but for the entire Chainsaw Man fandom. While Nayuta may have been a reincarnation of Makima, she was a beloved character in her own right, vastly different from her predecessor.
So, as Fujimoto dropped a big surprise for the readers, we try to understand if Nayuta is really dead.
Is Nayuta really dead?
Based on the events of Chainsaw Man chapter 170, it seems that Nayuta really is dead. She was probably killed by Barem in the aftermath of the Fire Devil’s havoc.
That would explain how her head ended up on the sushi conveyer belt!
If you remember correctly, Nayuta and Denji were separated back in chapter 153, when she created an opening for Denji to escape the mob who were out for his blood. And a couple of chapters later, we see the same mob on the verge of attacking a cornered Nayuta.
Since then, we never received any updates on what happened to her. However, we can glean from the latest development that Nayuta indeed did fall prey to Barem, who was the prime instigator of the mob against Nayuta.
Normally, after such a cliffhanger, I’d normally keep hopes of the character returning, especially when it was someone as important and beloved as Nayuta.
However, knowing Fujimoto, he is not baiting us here with Nayuta’s head on the sushi conveyer belt. This is the same guy who wrote Fire Punch, mind you.
Reasons why Nayuta is gone for sure:
First off, if your copium depends on the fact that characters like Quanxi returned in part 2 after being chopped in the previous instalment, then I am sad to say that you couldn’t be more wrong.
Quanxi is a hybrid, and they have been canonically established to be immortal in the manga. Devils on the other hand can be slain. Nayuta is the control devil, not a fiend or a hybrid.
And unlike Makima, she didn’t have any contract hack which would allow her supersede fatal injuries. Nor was she as strong as her predecessor.
This was visible during her brief tussle against the mob. Not only was the number of people she could control limited to three, she also was not able to control a hybrid like Barem. In terms of strength, Nayuta was nowhere close to Makima.
Meaning, if she is one head short, then chances are that she is well beyond saving.
However, the positive here is that if Nayuta really is dead, then she will reincarnate in hell – as is with every devil who have met their end. It will only add more impetus for Denji to go find her and maybe Power from there.
Another possible hint that Fujimoto gave us about Nayuta’s status came in chapter 167. This chapter will famously be remembered for Asa jerking off Denji. However, it was also the chapter which could have foreshadowed Nayuta’s death.
In the said chapter, Yoru suddenly gets a feeling that she had kissed Denji previously.
I mean, they had previously kissed back in chapter 119. However, the reason why Yoru and Asa never remembered it is because Nayuta altered their memory.
So, if Yoru got her memory back to an extent, it means that she was no longer under Nayuta’s influence. But then, breaking free from Nayuta’s control should only be possible once she dies.
And why do I say this? Because Fujimoto had hinted this a long time ago in Chainsaw Man part 2! In chapter 139, when Miri Sugo (self proclaimed Sword Man) tried to recruit Denji to the Chainsaw Man church – he mentioned an interesting point – that Denji was the one who killed Makima and freed him.
Now, we know that the weapons hybrids were under the control of Makima. So, if Sugo was freed after Makima died, then the same can be said for Nayuta and Yoru.
The reason why Yoru probably remembered her kiss with Denji was because Nayuta had already died by then.
On the other hand…
There are also fans who refuse to believe that Nayuta is really dead. For instance, a user on X (formerly Twitter) pointed out that Nayuta’s decapitated head on the sushi conveyer belt had a small design change.
Nayuta has a mole under her left eye. However, the Nayuta in chapter 170 did not seem to have this. And this has given a lot of fans hopes about their beloved character returning.
However, it is fair to note that the author has often made such small mistakes, especially with Yoshida, who too sports a mole.
Fami’s reaction, or lack thereof, also caught the attention of many fans. While some theorize that she orchestrated the entire scenario, others believe her nonchalant response suggests the severed head on the sushi conveyor belt may not actually belong to Nayuta.
And, if Nayuta were to come out of this ordeal unscathed, then I am pretty interested in where Fujimoto will take the story from that point.
Do you think Nayuta is really dead after the events of CSM 170? Let me know your thoughts in the comments below!