Understanding Chainsaw Man: Unraveling Devil Contracts, Devil Hybrids & Fiends

Article Key Points

Devil Contracts in Chainsaw Man involve a verbal agreement between a devil and a human, where the human sacrifices something in exchange for the devil's power.

Fiends are formed when a devil inhabits a human body, preserving certain attributes from their original devil form, while gaining the ability to consume human food and blood.

In Chainsaw Man, Devil Hybrids are an exceptionally rare combination of a devil and a human, providing greater advantages to the human. They have the capacity to transform into a devil hybrid form and acquire the devil's abilities, all without incurring any cost to themselves.

In Chainsaw Man, devils and humans have been enemies since the beginning of time. However, there are rare occasions when these opposing species collaborate for a common purpose. In this context, the term "come together" is used loosely.

This collaboration is achieved through devil contracts, transforming into a fiend, or becoming a devil hybrid. This article will delve into the distinctions between these three concepts and provide examples from the series.

Devil Contracts

Devil Contracts offer the most transactional choice among the three options. This type of contract, as the name implies, is a verbal agreement between a devil and a human, typically a devil hunter. Similar to any other contract, both parties must give up something in order to gain something. The devil agrees to temporarily lend their power whenever the contracted human requests it. In return for this unholy power, the human must offer something in exchange, such as body parts, senses, life spans, or even another living human being.

Devils have the ability to make contracts with multiple individuals, just as humans can form contracts with multiple devils. While participation in this contract is voluntary, the weight of responsibility always rests heavier on the human side. After all, they are the ones required to sacrifice something precious to them, whereas the devil simply loans their power. The more contracts a person forms with devils, the greater the sacrifices they must make. Therefore, it is strongly discouraged for newcomers to form contracts with more than one devil.

One of the most formidable devil hunters in Japan, Kishibe, is rumored to have sacrificed almost everything within his body by making deals with numerous powerful devils. In contrast, many other devil hunters, like Aki Hayakawa, have formed contracts with the Fox Devil, which seems to bear no visible burden at all. In reality, the Fox Devil is delighted to receive free and frequent meals in return for eliminating troublesome devils now and then.

Fiends

Occasionally, a devil might opt to inhabit a human body and merge with it, creating a new entity known as a Fiend. These devils typically become fiends simply to prolong their existence. Choosing to become a fiend is a common strategy for devils that find themselves weakened, as it offers them a higher chance of survival.

The devil's choice of a human corpse with an intact brain can result in the memory and personality of the original human affecting the devil. This is exemplified by the Violence Devil, who became timid after transforming into a fiend. However, in most cases, the devil's own personality dominates the human brain, allowing the fiend to retain their original characteristics, as seen with fiends like Power and Beam.

The most noticeable feature of a fiend is their head, which still bears some resemblance to their original devil form. Power's horns and Beam's shark head are notable examples. Interestingly, despite being able to consume human food in their new bodies, most fiends still prefer to ingest blood. This is because blood is crucial for their healing and strength enhancement.

A fiend retains a diminished version of their original power, allowing them to still utilize it. Examples including Power and Beam demonstrate the capacity for certain fiends to temporarily revert back to their devil form, but it remains uncertain if this ability is universal among all fiends.

Devil Hybrids

Among the varied connections formed between devil and human, the rarest embodiment is recognized as the Devil Hybrids. Unlike Devil Contracts, where both parties acquire benefits from the association, or a fiendish possession where the devil exerts complete dominance over a human vessel, Devil Hybrids entail a union that predominantly favors the human.

The process of transforming into a devil hybrid varies from one individual to another. However, a common aspect among them is that the devil is often in a weakened state during the merging with the human body. Instead of becoming a fiend, they inexplicably become devil hybrids. This is evident in characters like Chainsaw Devil and Denji, as well as War Devil and Asa Mitaka in Chainsaw Man Part 2.

For a human, becoming a devil hybrid is perhaps the most advantageous way to gain devil power. They retain control of their own body and can assume a devil hybrid form at will, without any cost to the devil who has likely fully assimilated into their human form by then. In this hybrid state, only their head and limbs transform into the corresponding devil features while the rest of their body remains mostly unchanged, resembling their human self.

In their human form, a devil hybrid is indistinguishable from a regular human, possessing enhanced durability and regenerative abilities. However, upon transformation, they gain the same powers as the devil they have merged with. Similar to devils and fiends, devil hybrids replenish their strength and heal by consuming blood. Chainsaw Man has witnessed the emergence of eight confirmed devil hybrids: Katana Man, Bomb Girl, Sword Man, Flamethrower Man, Bow Girl, Spear Man, Whip Girl, and the formidable Chainsaw Man himself.

Chainsaw Man is available to stream on Prime Video.

Editor's P/S

Chainsaw Man is a dark and violent series that explores the themes of human nature, sacrifice, and power. The world of Chainsaw Man is filled with devils, humans, and hybrids, all of whom are fighting for their own survival.

The article does a great job of explaining the different types of relationships that can exist between devils and humans. Devil contracts are a fascinating concept, and it's interesting to see how they can be used to give humans power at a great cost.

Fiends are another interesting concept, and it's clear that they are a threat to both humans and devils. Overall, the article does a great job of explaining the different types of supernatural entities in Chainsaw Man and how they interact with each other.