Denji just wants to touch a boob. That’s it. That is the entire emotional stakes of Chainsaw Man episode 5, or at least it seems that way until the carpet gets pulled out from under you. It’s titled "Gun Devil," and honestly, if you haven’t watched it yet, you’re missing the moment where MAPPA finally stops playing around and shows us how dark this series is actually going to get.
Most shonen protagonists want to be the King of the Pirates or the Hokage. Denji? He’s motivated by the most basic, hormonal impulses imaginable. It’s gross. It’s funny. But by the time the credits roll on this specific chapter, it feels surprisingly heavy.
The Gun Devil Reveal and the Shift in Stakes
Up until this point, the show felt like a weird, high-octane workplace comedy with chainsaws. Then Makima sits Denji down. She starts talking about the Gun Devil.
Suddenly, the world gets a lot bigger and a lot scarier.
The backstory provided in Chainsaw Man episode 5 is haunting. We learn that years ago, the Gun Devil appeared and killed 1.2 million people in five minutes. It didn’t fight them. It just moved, and the sheer velocity and firepower erased entire city blocks. This isn't just another monster of the week. This is a global trauma. It changed how the world works.
The narrative shifts here. We move from "Denji hunts small-fry devils to pay off a debt" to "the world is bracing for an apocalypse." MAPPA uses really muted, somber tones during this flashback. It feels like a documentary. That’s the brilliance of Tatsuki Fujimoto’s writing—he anchors the absurdity of a chainsaw-man in a world that feels painfully real and bureaucratic.
Power, Denji, and the Breast Debacle
We have to talk about the deal. Power promised Denji he could feel her breasts if he saved her cat, Meowy. He did. Now, he’s ready to collect.
The scenes in the bathroom are awkward. They’re meant to be. Denji is vibrating with excitement, but the actual act is... empty. It’s a classic "be careful what you wish for" scenario, but played for realism rather than a moral lesson. He realizes that the anticipation was actually better than the reality.
This is a massive turning point for Denji’s character arc. He starts questioning his own desires. If the one thing he thought would make him happy feels like nothing, what’s left? This existential dread is what makes Chainsaw Man episode 5 more than just fan service. It’s about the hollowness of achieving goals without emotional connection.
The Leech Devil and the Aftermath
The fight with the Leech Devil shouldn't be ignored either. After the Bat Devil fight, Denji is exhausted. He’s out of blood. He can’t even fully manifest his chainsaws. Seeing him struggle with just a tiny nub of a blade sticking out of his head is both pathetic and endearing.
Aki Hayakawa has to step in. This is where we see the Kon Devil—the giant fox head that Aki summons by just saying "Kon." It’s a visual flex from the animators. The scale is massive. But even more important is the tension between Aki and Denji. Aki hates him. He thinks Denji doesn't take the job seriously. And he's right. Denji doesn't.
But by the end of the episode, there’s a begrudging shift. They’re living together now. It’s a domestic nightmare involving Power’s terrible hygiene and Aki’s need for order.
Why the Ending of Episode 5 Hits Different
The episode wraps up with Makima giving Denji a new goal. She tells him that if he kills the Gun Devil, she’ll grant him any wish. Any wish.
The look on Denji's face says it all. He’s back in the game. But the audience knows something he doesn't—Makima is terrifying. The way she handles Denji in this episode, peeling a piece of fruit and feeding it to him like a pet, is masterclass manipulation.
People often debate whether Makima is a hero or a villain at this stage. In Chainsaw Man episode 5, she’s a mystery. She’s the only one who seems to have a handle on the Gun Devil situation, yet she feels more dangerous than the monsters they’re hunting.
Small Details You Might Have Missed
- The sound design: Listen to the ticking clocks and the ambient city noise. It’s oppressive.
- The Gun Devil fragments: The idea that the Gun Devil is so powerful that pieces of its body are scattered across the globe, and they act like magnets for each other, is a brilliant plot device. It turns the series into a literal scavenger hunt for death.
- Aki’s Morning Routine: This was a fan-favorite sequence. It shows the mundanity of a Devil Hunter’s life. Making coffee, reading the paper, doing laundry. It makes the eventual violence feel more intrusive.
The pacing in this episode is slower than the previous four, and that’s a good thing. It gives the characters room to breathe. We see the dynamic between the trio—Denji, Power, and Aki—start to solidify. They aren't friends yet. They might never be. But they are a unit.
The Reality of the Gun Devil's Impact
When you look at the lore, the Gun Devil represents the fear of modern weaponry and mass shootings. It’s a very specific, very "human" fear compared to something like a Zombie Devil. This is why the episode feels so grounded despite the supernatural elements.
The news reports shown in the flashback are modeled after real Japanese broadcasts. The terror is collective. Everyone remembers where they were when the Gun Devil struck. It’s the 9/11 of the Chainsaw Man universe. This context is vital for understanding why Aki is so driven by revenge. He isn't just a grumpy guy; he's a survivor of a tragedy that most people can't even comprehend.
Looking Ahead: What Comes Next?
If you’re watching this for the first time, pay attention to the hotel. The next arc, often called the "Eternity Devil" arc, starts right where this leaves off. The team is sent to a hotel to find a piece of the Gun Devil.
What starts as a simple mission quickly turns into a psychological horror show. Chainsaw Man episode 5 sets the board. It tells us who the players are, what they want, and how high the cost of failure is.
Denji is still a kid. He’s a kid who was sold into debt slavery and now works for a government agency that treats him like a dog. His obsession with physical intimacy isn't just perversion; it's a desperate attempt to feel human. When he realizes that "touching a boob" didn't fix his soul, he doesn't give up. He just moves the goalposts.
That’s the core of the show. It’s about the struggle to find meaning in a world that is actively trying to eat you.
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Actionable Insights for Fans and New Viewers
- Watch the EDs: Each episode of Chainsaw Man has a unique ending theme and animation. Episode 5’s ending, "In the Back Room" by syudou, perfectly captures the disorienting feeling of the upcoming hotel arc. Don't skip it.
- Re-watch the Makima scenes: Look at her eyes. They never quite match her smile. The power dynamics in this episode are foundational for everything that happens in the later seasons.
- Pay attention to the "Gun" fragments: The lore about the fragments is key to understanding the political tension between different countries in the series. It’s not just about devils; it’s about who controls the pieces of the ultimate weapon.
- Read the Manga (Chapter 12-15): If you want to see how MAPPA adapted the pacing, check out these chapters. The anime adds a lot of "cinematic air" that isn't in the fast-paced panels of the manga, specifically Aki’s morning routine which was much shorter in print.
The series is only going to get weirder from here. The "honeymoon phase" of Denji's new life is officially over. Now, the real hunt begins.