Chainsaw Man chapter 174 is pretty heavy on content. Fujimoto hasn't been shy about writing manga in a long time. It's gloomy, dark, and in the latest chapter, he just showed us that demons aren't the most evil creatures in the universe after all.
Additionally, Chainsaw Man chapter 174 has a lot of information dumps. And it shows that there are many players involved and pulling the strings behind Denji's transformation into the Chainsaw Demon.
Public Safety Agency Involvement:
There are suspicions that the Public Safety Agency has been manipulating Denji and the Chainsaw Demon for their own reasons. And Chainsaw Man chapter 174 confirmed these suspicions about the organization's true intentions.
Alarm bells were rung when Public Safety appeared indifferent as the Devil Ear was eaten by the Chainsaw Man.
Rather than panic or defensive measures, their reaction suggested a calculated response, as if they were predicting the entire event. Not only did they deliberately send the Devil Ears to fight the Chainsaw Man, but it was as if they were betting on the devil being eaten.
By Chapter 174, we understand that the Devil's Ears incident was a carefully choreographed demonstration of Chainsaw Man's power over the higher-ups of the Public Safety Agency.
While this was a big revelation, Fumiko reporting directly to Japan's political elite shouldn't really come as a surprise. After all, public safety is the government's baby. At the end of the day, they'll get their bosses to sign off on whatever plan they're hatching.
And it's not like the higher-ups are unaware of the game the Public Safety Agency plays. We're talking about the same government that controlled a monstrous demon like Makima.
Despite all this, however, the most fascinating development is the ensuing discussion in which Fumiko outlines the goal of Public Safety: the evolution of humanity through the Power of Chainsaw Man.
This involves eradicating concepts deemed harmful to civilization, from harmful substances to entire nations, using the power of the Chainsaw Man.
On paper, this is reminiscent of what Makima was aiming for with Pochita. However, the implications of this plan are dire, to say the least.
The Fumiko arc about destroying nations is very important. It opens a pandora's box of international politics and war. We got a glimpse of that in season 1, when America, threatened by what Makima would do to Chainsaw Man's heart, dropped the Gun Devil on Japan.
If other countries knew that Safety once again intended to use Chainsaw Man as a means to an end, they would take stricter measures against it.
Another Gun Devil attack on Japan? That wouldn't be a far-fetched assumption.
But then, the question of who coordinated this plan remains unanswered. Fumiko merely presented the proposal to her superiors, the mastermind behind this plan remains a mystery, although we are free to make some assumptions.
Now, the way the Public Safety Department presented their plan makes me feel that they had something to do with Denji being turned into a Chainsaw Demon. Does that mean they are secretly in league with Fami and the Chainsaw Man church?
There is a theory that Barem and Fami are in cahoots. The entire defeat of the Fire Demon and Nayuta's death all point to this assumption.
And if that is true, are Fami and Weapons cooperating with Public Safety or are they manipulating Public Safety to do their bidding? Fami's goals are also unclear.
She talks about defeating Death and saving humanity, however, there are instances that make us wonder if that is really true!
A lot of questions are raised thanks to the information revealed in the latest chapter. And as Chief Cabinet Secretary Yuki Tomoda said in the latest chapter – It’s a freaking mess!
Old men and the games they play:
The next part of Fumiko's plan involves the appearance of the Aging Demon and the proposal of a world without aging.
Note: The fan community has pointed out that the aging demon may not be a completely accurate translation. The demon in question may actually be an old demon, whose condition worsens with age.
At first glance, this development may seem like another move in the broader strategy of the Department of Public Safety. But there is perhaps more to why the Department of Public Safety included the Aging Demon in their proposal.
And that becomes clear when you consider the context of the meeting.
Take a moment to observe the room where Fumiko is speaking. It is filled with old men—the individuals who would benefit the most if Chainsaw Man consumed the Demon of Aging.
These are the people who would benefit from stopping the ravages of aging, allowing them to maintain power indefinitely.
Tomoda's question of whether consuming the Demon of Aging will eliminate aging or the physical and mental decline of old age is important.
If it truly eliminates the negative aspects of aging, those in power could continue to wield influence without having to give up their positions. This would allow them to direct and manipulate events from behind the scenes without the usual limitations imposed by their aging bodies and minds.
Which brings us to Tadashi Hasegawa, the oldest and seemingly frailest figure in the room. Despite being a former minister confined to a wheelchair, Hasegawa represents the perfect target audience for what the Public Safety Agency has to offer.
Their eagerness to accept the offer despite the variations in outcome and their ability to motivate others to agree to the massacre of 10,000 Japanese children—at the request of the Demon of Aging—speak volumes.
The joy the Aging Demon gets from the deaths of these children is chilling.
This scene perfectly encapsulates the theme of governments ruled by old, old men who are willing to sacrifice future generations in a desperate attempt to expand their own influence.
There may also be a subtle critique of Japan's current crisis of low birth rates embedded in this story. The decision to sacrifice 10,000 children reflects a social imbalance in which the priorities of the older generation overshadow the needs of the younger generation.
More importantly, the Old Devil's entire plan seemed to be a red herring. The higher-ups had fallen for it, and this move would likely turn them into pawns in the hands of the Public Safety Agency.
Most of all, I was surprised that the Aging Devil agreed to be destroyed by the Chainsaw Man, on the condition that 10,000 Japanese children be sacrificed. This once again made me doubt the devil's motives as well as the Public Safety Agency's.
Something is wrong here. If the Demon of Aging really is no longer attached to life – then fine. I will stand up and fix it. But the question is, why would a primal demon feel this way?
What if the Department of Public Safety actually intends to make the Aging Demon stronger and thereby ensure that the old superiors are no longer in position to dictate terms. I could be completely wrong, but that's just the thought I'm entertaining right now.
Two other small details worth noting are – the Department of Public Safety actually received favorable terms from the Devil of Aging, meaning it was the devil who dictated the terms of the negotiations.
And secondly, there would be some kind of contract involved in this case. That's suspicious because if Aging is actually removed, what use would the contract be?
So yeah, where's Fumiko's poop?
Chainsaw Man surprises:
Just when Fumiko thought she had succeeded in carrying out her plan, Chainsaw Man surprised her. He ate Octopus, Mouth, Snow, and Bitter.
Fujimoto's presentation right before the reveal needs special mention, but it's so cinematic and impactful!!
While Fumiko and her former men were faced with one hurdle, the shocking ending left us with even more questions. The entire plan of the Public Safety Agency hinges on how effectively they can control the chaos caused by the Chainsaw Man.
But with the latest incident, it seems like things have been turned upside down. The consumption of the devil's mouth is probably worrying.
If you look closely, the Chainsaw Man on the last page also doesn't have a mouth, due to the concept being erased. Which means getting him to vomit these demons might be a problem.
And if that cannot be achieved, the Department of Public Safety's assurances of its ability to control the chaos will no longer be valid.
On top of that, not having a mouth would no longer be effective. It would necessarily prevent people from needing food to satisfy hunger or water to quench thirst. While alternatives would come up, is the likelihood of humanity suddenly starving to death very small? Probably.
Now it's an even bigger mess.
We can't ignore the fact that Octopus was also consumed. That also put Yoshida's life in danger.
We will only get the answer in the next chapter and we should thank our stars that we won't have to take a two-week break this time.
The Chainsaw Man manga is absolutely insane right now. Fujimoto must be having the time of his life writing these chapters and I look forward to more of these happenings.
I mean, it's not like the author is just serving us a combination of the weird and the bizarre. Sure, at this point I was starting to feel sorry for the elephant. But then there are the deeper political undercurrents that we're exposed to, and that just adds another dimension to the story.
And all this is happening even before the Demon of Death appears. I wonder what awaits us.
