Who is Akane in ‘Chainsaw Man,’ and did her Snake Devil really just do that?

Warning: the following article contains spoilers for Chainsaw Man season one, episode eight, “Gunfire.”

It’s going down in Chainsaw Man. The Public Safety Devil Hunters have a new threat in Akane Sawatari and her Snake Devil, and their first interaction has already led to a major loss.

In “Gunfire,” Denji, Aki, Power, and Himeno are hanging out and having lunch together after having defeated the Eternity Devil in Hotel Morin. They’ve been gathering the flesh of the Gun Devil, which will lead them to the main source and have been spending more time getting to know each other. Everything is going fine until a strange man seated at a table next to them makes a comment about ramen and brings up the Yakuza. Denji got out of the Yakuza earlier in the season, so this raises red flags for him.

It’s revealed that the man’s grandfather was the same crime boss that Denji killed in episode one, “Chainsaw and Dog,” and he’s here to exact vengeance. The man says that the Gun Devil wants Denji’s heart, and he shoots Denji in the head before shooting Himeno in the chest. He transforms into the Katana Devil, and the fight is on. Power’s able to get a hit in, then Aki summons the Fox Devil to finish the job, but he’s able to slash his way free. Aki knows that he’s facing another level of power and so he has to step his game up.

Aki uses his special sword from the Curse Devil to battle Katana Man. The weapon takes off a large portion of his life, but he’s up against a truly fearsome hybrid. Aki cuts him with the sword multiple times, and he falls into a pool of his own blood. Just when it looks like Katana Man’s defeated, a blonde woman in a red hoodie appears. This is Akane. Aki asks if she’s working with Katana Man, but she doesn’t answer. Instead, she asks the Katan Man why he failed, and he says he underestimated Aki. He uses his Sword-Draw Dash technique and cuts Aki so quickly that it’s imperceptible.

Akane tells Katana Man to finish Aki, and it’s understood that she commands Katana Man. Himeno’s Ghost Devil even calls her dreadful, so you know she’s bad news. She’s got red, slit pupils reminiscent of a snake, and she has a lackadaisical style as if she doesn’t really care about anything. Akane works with the Gun Devil, and she’s helping Katana Man seek his revenge against Denji for killing his grandfather.

The Snake Devil’s power levels are terrifying. Himeno uses her Ghost Devil to restrain Katana Man. With ease, Akane commands the Snake Devil to swallow…and it obliterates the Ghost Devil, eating it whole. Akane then commands the Snake Devil to leave, and it obeys. Himeno’s final words to an injured Aki is a request for him to cry for her. She’s lost so many partners doing this job and has been so fearful of Aki dying, only for her to go before him.

Akane has a contract with this devil and has exchanged fingernails for the opportunity. She uses voice commands and hand motions to summon its abilities. The Snake Devil can devour beings completely, and Akane can also release them back out, too, though it makes her nose bleed. She can summon the Snake Devil’s tail by calling for it specifically.

The fact that this devil was able to devour the Ghost Devil so easily should give Special Division 4 great concern. Himeno’s now gone, and they have Katana Man, Akane, and her Snake Devil to face before taking on the Gun Devil.