Chainsaw Man – Season 1 Episode 8 “Gunfire” Recap & Review

Gunfire

Episode 8 of Chainsaw Man begins by showing us the events before and after Himeno got atop Denji and requested intercourse through Himeno’s perspective. Denji questions if this is a good idea while Himeno undresses him, but he decides to pursue it. Himeno finds a strange Lolipop in Denji’s pants pocket.

Meanwhile, we receive a flashback from the welcome party, where Makima tells Denji to get some fresh air. Outside, Makima hands Denji medicine for nausea and sticks the same lollipop Himeno found inside Denji’s mouth. She doubts Denji will ever get the taste of puke out of his mind, but he won’t need to worry since he’ll experience new things that will help him avoid dreading the thought of vomit.

As for his first indirect kiss, Makima says he can count her Cola-flavored lollipop as it. In the present, Denji decides not to have intercourse with Himeno as he wants it to be with Makima. In the morning, Himeno and Denji head outside to enjoy breakfast. Denji tells her not to worry about last night because he didn’t have intercourse with her.

Denji confirms that he loves Makima and would like her even if she has a terrible personality. Himeno vows to help Denji get together with Makima if he can help her score with Hayakawa. Denji accepts Himeno’s offer. On a train, one of Makima’s coworkers informs her that they’ll arrive in Kyoto in 30 minutes. Makima admits she doesn’t adore meeting the Kyoto bigwigs because they’re intimidating.

Suddenly, a group of men opens fire on Makima and her coworker. It appears the criminals work for another agency as they report that their mission was successful. We receive a montage of Denji and the others carrying on with their lives. Suddenly, more clients start shooting at Devil Hunters they hired.

At a restaurant, Power, Hayakawa, Himeno, and Denji converse over the noise and discuss what happened between Himeno and Denji. Himeno tells them that nothing sexual happened because Denji’s a gentleman. A nearby customer taunts our heroes for enjoying their ramen, angering Power. The gentleman reminisces about his deceased granddad, who worked as a yakuza member.

His grandad killed many women and children and spoiled the gentleman with the money he made. The man pulls out a photo of him and his grandad and shows Denji. The man mentions that the Gun Devil’s after Denji’s heart. He draws a pistol, shoots Denji’s skulls, and opens fire at everyone else. Power delivers an uppercut as Hayakawa unleashes the Fox Devil on the yakuza gentleman.

This causes mass destruction, leaving Denji and Himeno wounded. The Fox Devil tells Hayakawa that she doesn’t like the taste of this gentleman since he’s not human or a devil. The gentleman tears himself free from the Fox Devil’s grasp as it appears he has the same powers as Denji but with swords sticking out of his head and arms.

Hayakawa draws his sword and asks Power to stop Himeno’s bleeding. Hayakawa and the gentleman exchange blows as some inner being counts down Hayakawa’s deadly strikes. The gentleman acknowledges the creepy voice as the Hayakawa begs his sword’s cursed entity to finish the job. The curse grabs the gentleman, bites him repeatedly, and leaves his body to rot.

Power tells Hayakawa that Himeno needs a doctor. Hayakawa was shocked that he had a pistol because only Devil Hunters and officers should have them in Japan. Hayakawa remembers the man mentioning the Gun Devil and thinks he’s the reason he had a weapon. Before he proposes for Power to take Himeno to the hospital, another person arrives.

They know Hayakawa’s made a pact with the Curse Devil as they assume that getting hit by his sword enough times causes you to die. The woman revives the gentleman and tells him to kill Hayakawa this time. The gentleman strikes Hayakawa in a blink of an eye. Himeno asks Power to help him, but Power knows it’d be suicide.

Himeno calls upon her Ghost Devil, but it refuses to engage them because of the gentleman’s female companion. Himeno promises the Ghost Devil that she’ll give it everything she has in her blood if it can reciprocate a similar effort. The Ghost Devil attacks the gentleman while Himeno monologues about death, her time with Hayakawa, and her past Devil Hunter comrades.

At the same time, Himeno loses bits of her bodily organs. The woman reciprocates with similar hand gestures and reveals she made a contract with a Snake Devil. Himeno begs Hayakawa to continue thriving as she plans to leave this world. The woman orders the Snake Devil to consume the Ghost Devil. It bites the Ghost Devil’s head off.

The episode concludes with Hayakawa glancing over at Himeno’s clothing as it appears she has disappeared, signaling her death.

The Episode Review

It appears Chainsaw Man’s starting to rev up its blades with the amount of action and twists sprinkled this week. Not only were fans greeted with many death flags and surprising instances, but it appears that our overarching villain’s getting ready to make his dominant presence known to our heroes.

This episode delivers some breathtaking visuals. Whether it be from Hayakawa’s bout with the sworded gentleman or seeing our characters converse outdoors, many fans will feel immersed in Chainsaw Man’s world. This series phenomenally conveys realistic motions from our cast, making their interactions feel lively and authentic. It’s these scenes that make Chainsaw Man an adoring show to watch for many viewers.

This week’s chapter gave us some satisfying tension and twists. Although the yakuza were slightly touched upon in episode one, it was surprising to see them rear their heads in this chapter. Considering how much importance was given to Makima’s character, it’s obvious that she won’t be hitting the bucket. I can see her walking away from the skirmish alive, unlike her comrade.

Maybe fans will finally see what abilities lay dormant inside Makima in the next chapter or two. I’m unsure about Himeno’s fate, though. While it’d be shocking to see her go out soon, it would be a buzzkill. There’s still room to flesh out and develop Himeno’s character further. Although I’m unaware of how they’d bring her back because of the Ghost Devil contract, it’d be intriguing to witness what happens on that front.

Overall, this was a mind-numbing thrill ride. There were some moments in this episode that didn’t need explaining or were dragged out too far. On the other hand, the animation for its casual and violent affairs has increased in quality and makes for an incredible time. Let’s hope our heroes can discover a way to deal with the Gun Devil’s lackeys and learn more about the villain itself.