Written and illustrated by Tatsuki Fujimoto,Chainsaw Manis an award-winning manga series with a critically-acclaimed adaptation into anime. The narrative focuses on Devil Hunters who work in Public Safety, all of whom wear the same professional suits (reminiscent of the suits worn in Quentin Tarantino’s Reservoir Dogs). Although they dress the same, there is plenty to differentiate the distinct cast of characters.
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Himeno, for instance, is an eye-patched Devil Hunter who has partnered with the dour top-knot himself, Aki Hayakawa. She has garnered plenty of attention from manga readers and anime watchers alike, given her odd mixture of questionable, gross, and gentle actions. Of her flaws and qualities, here are some interesting facts all Chainsaw Man fans should know about Himeno.
10Himeno Goes by Two Names
Himeno is known by two names. Her government name, Himeno (kanji: 姫野,hiragana: ひめの), constitutes a compound word with the two charactershimeandno. These kanji mean “princess” and “field,” respectively, suggesting her nature as both gentle and wild.
Her other name is given by Denji after his first kiss: “Vomit Girl.” Unlike her Japanese name, this one does not need a translation. She vomits into his mouth when Denji has his first kiss in the anime; given his vociferous appetite, he ends up swallowing the vomit in a horrible fashion.
9She Smokes Cigarettes
So what? Plenty of people smoke cigarettes—this is not entirely interesting on its own. Considering her job as a Devil Hunter in Public Safety, however, she is fully aware that her life is in constant, grave danger. Even Devil Hunters who live a (relatively) long life, such as the alcoholic Captain Kishibe, do not exactly live a life without vices. As such, Himeno smokes cigarettes precisely because sheknowsshe will die any day. (Plus, her getting Aki to smoke as well gives them another thing in common).
8She Hasa FewLoose Screws
Speaking of Captain Kishibe, he is the embodiment of his own philosophy: that the ideal Devil Hunter has a “few screws loose” to keep them unpredictable. He imparts this wisdom to Himeno as she stands over the grave of her dead comrades (a position she finds herself in far more often than she would like).
Know the kinda Hunters a Devil fears most? The ones with a few screws loose and no screwdriver. — Captain Kishibe
To the audience, Himeno is certainly unpredictable in plenty of ways; to Devils, then, she must also be relatively unpredictable, as she outlives several of her assigned partners. Is she on Kishibe’s level? Certainly (and hopefully) not—but she reflects his philosophy to a considerable extent.
7She Sounds Familiar…
For fans of the anime adaptation, Himeno’s voice actors—both in Japanese and in English—may sound familiar. Her Japanese voice actor, Mariya Ise, contributes her talents to a number of popularshonenadaptations, such as (but not limited to): Killua Zoldyck in Hunter X Hunter, Ray in The Promised Neverland, and Midari Ikishima in Kakegurui.
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Her English voice actor, Katelyn Barr, is known for a similar variety ofshonen. Voicing characters such as Ren and Ritsu Soma in Fruits Basket, Ching Li Hsiao in Tokyo Ghoul:re, and Rei Batsubami in Kakegurui. So, audiences watching Chainsaw Man dubbed may also recognize Himeno’s voice.
6She Has a Devil Contract
Himeno’s signature look is that eye patch of hers (which makes Chainsaw Man have more eye patches than the pirate-themed One Piece). As per her Contract with the Ghost Devil, she sacrificed her right eye to gain access to the Devil’s right hand. As far as Devil Contracts go, this one is pretty reasonable; Himeno still has eyesight, she gains an attack that is strong, long-ranged, and functionally invisible, and she looks pretty cool with the eyepatch anyways.
5She Has Reservations About Public Safety
In Chapter 31 of the manga and Episode 10 of the anime,Aki Hayakawareceives a letter from Himeno, delivered by her younger sister. The letters were addressed to the sister but frequently referenced her job and relationship with Aki. Himeno’s letter begs questions such as “Is there anything I can do to get Aki to quit?”
This is how Aki discovers that Himeno wished for the both of them to quit Public Safety and “go private.” Working as a private Devil Hunter is considerably safer, so the both of them would live longer together. Given that Himeno never quotes Public Safety, however, it is clear that she only wishes to work with Aki, whether in Public Safety or not.
It would be exceptionally easy for Himeno to grow cold and numb as her partners repeatedly die. Himeno, however, is only motivated to keep her partner, Aki, and the rest of the Devil Hunters alive. Although she considers giving away Denji to escape a trap during theEternity Devil Arc, she ultimately protects Denji from the knife-wielding, crazed Kobeni.
Tangentially, Himeno also revives Denji twice during combat. Using her Ghost Devil ability, she revs the cord on Denji’s chest during his fight with the Eternity Devil and later again during his fight with Katana Man.
3She’s Opposed To Aki’s Sword…
Aki is a competent Devil Hunter. Motivated by the death of his family from the Gun Devil’s devastation, Aki has a singular, intense motivation (hidden away under his calm, parental demeanor). Aki usually only has to utilize his Contract with the Fox Devil, allowing him to swallow massive enemies in an instant. During the Eternity Devil Arc, Himeno urges Aki not to use his sword, despite the severity of the situation.
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Later, the sword is revealed to be an instrument in Aki’s contract with the Curse Devil. Although powerful, every use of the blade cuts down Aki’s lifespan. Himeno’s opposition to the blade, therefore, reflects her wish to live alongside him as long as possible.
2…Because She Loves Him
In Chapter 22 of the manga and Episode 9 of the anime, Himenodoes notsleep with Denji (and the audience collectively sighs in relief). After Denji realizes he has Makima’s Chupa-Chups Lollipop from earlier, he wants his first time to be with her and sleeps on the floor next to Himeno’s bed.
The morning after, Himeno also expresses her relief that nothing happened between them. By extension, she offers a deal to Denji whereby they will attempt to help each other in their respective quests for love. As friends, Denji will helpHimeno date Aki, and Himeno will conversely help Denji to date Makima. What a lovely setup—surely nothing bad will come of this!
1She Dies Sacrificing Herself for Aki
Yes,Himeno is officially dead. During the Katana Man Arc, the titular Katana Man himself shoots Himeno in the chest with a pistol. In the ensuing fight, Aki protects Himeno and the others with both his Fox Devil and Curse Devil Contracts. Although Katana Man appears to be defeated for a moment, a young girl, Sawatari, appears by his side and orders Katana Man to finish off the Devil Hunters.
Ghost, I’ll give you all of me… so let me use all of you… — Himeno
Despite her being critically injured, Himeno implores the Ghost Devil to help Aki—she offers the Devil anything and everything. As the Ghost Devil strikes her opponents, parts of Himeno’s body begin disappearing as a contractual sacrifice. This sacrifice, however, is partially in vain, as Sawatari swiftly dispatches the Ghost Devil by summoning the Snake Devil. Having given herself completely to save Aki, nothing is left of Himeno in the end.
