WARNING: The following contains spoilers for Chainsaw Man Chapter #86, by Tatsuki Fujimoto, Amanda Haley and Sabrina Heep, available to read in English from Viz Media.
Chapter #86 of Chainsaw Man featured the return of Makima -- two weeks after her decapitation by the story’s diabolical namesake. Had the Chainsaw Devil continued his assault on Makima and devoured her, he would have effectively erased her from the world’s consciousness. Fortunately for her, with a combination of Kobeni’s coincidental call for help and her resuscitative power, Makima eventually healed back to normal and assembled an attack against the vaunted “Hero of Hell.”
For that reason, when Makima did meet him on the roof of a building, she wasn’t alone. She was supported by seven new subordinates of the Public Safety Bureau. However, amidst the group’s introduction, three familiar members returned from death to meet Denji in an unholy reunion: Reze, Quanxi and Katana Man. Furthermore, to add to the absurdity of this encounter, they now work for Makima, the person they formerly opposed... and they wanted to date her.
By observing their drastic change of behavior, it’s apparent how much the potency of Makima's power has distorted the group’s personalities -- so much so that they've become obsessed with her. It’s a state that is bitterly akin to when she fooled Denji into carrying out her dirty work under the pretense of a promised date. After his spirit was crushed by Makima, he was supplanted by the galvanized seven who continued pushing for her hand. While it can be that Makima’s physical attractiveness has contributed to Denji and the group’s unconditional adoration for her, that alone isn't enough to explain their fixation.
The list of Makima’s "powers" is virtually endless. She has a keen nose, can harm people with a mysterious aerial force, immortality and has a knack for manipulation.
As she professed in Chapter #84, she can control anything she believes is lesser than herself. Her declaration clarifies what Hirofumi Yoshida, a private devil hunter, said in Chapter #67 -- that she could borrow the hearing of lower life forms such as birds, dogs, devils, and fiends. But despite that, she also possesses the ability to control humans, and even hybrids as well.
Speaking of hybrids, since they’re a rare breed in Chainsaw Man. How, then, was it possible for Makima to control Denji after he fused with Pochita? She did so by shattering his spirit; creating a web of truths and lies about his childhood. And what about Reze, Quanxi and Katana Man? Unlike Denji’s conversion, their change came about directly from Makima’s as prisoners in the Bureau. Whether it be mouses, birds or hybrids, the result, upon meeting Makima, will be equal among them: they will all fall under her control.
Psychological manipulation is attributed to the new group’s reformation, but what about their blinding adoration of Makima? An interesting parallel to this chapter is Aki Hayakawa’s character arc. During his first appearance in Chapter #3, he held Makima in high regard when Denkji asked if she was a good person. Though he said he didn't feel anything romantically towards her during the story, he eventually expressed his feelings near the end of his life -- albeit internally.
This all came to a head in Chapter #74 when Aki, as he thought about when he started liking Makima, found nothing in his memories that could answer the question. It was as if his love for Makima was artificially generated for her convenience. Ultimately, she used him to defeat the Gun Devil. However, when Aki showed a faint sign of resistance, she ordered him to rescind his vitality, thus making him into one of Makima’s many pet dogs.
In light of this, the seven group members’ love for Makima must be the product of her purposely regressing their minds for her benefit. Just like she controlled Aki to servility, as well as Denji, the group equally follows suit -- acting docile. They won’t have to fight her as long as they think of dating her all the time. In other words, they have all fallen for her sophisticated scheme of deception.
While it is easy to interpret the newest batch of characters’ love for Makima as braindead, the reality of their adoration lies beyond their present state and boss’ startling physical beauty. Beneath the genesis of this group is a trail of tears that includes the strict appropriation of their original thoughts and emotions by their leader. Under their brainwashed heads, if they defeat the Chainsaw Devil, they will surely acquire that dream date with Makima. Had they retained the capacity to remember, they should’ve known that their wish is a futile occurrence. The date that Makima promised to Denji never materialized. It wouldn’t be surprising if that date for the hypothetical winner now doesn’t happen either.
Regardless, through the clever use of her transcendental power as the Control Devil and notorious cunning, she's now leading a new band of misfits against the Chainsaw Devil. The significance of the confrontation between them and the Chainsaw Devil is deeper than a wink and smile from the woman orchestrating the impending battle. Rather, it is another manifestation of her disturbing capabilities.
