"If Granddad were here, he'd never stand for running away. Plus, that damn Denji is in Division 4... Next time, I'll rip out his heart!"
"You're the only one... who doesn't have a human heart anymore. If you have any semblance of a human conscience left... how about you let us kill you without a fight?"
Katana Man (real name unknown?), known officially as Samurai Sword (サムライソード Samurai Sōdo?), is a Devil-human Hybrid who merged with the Katana Devil (
In the Public Safety Saga, he serves as the titular main antagonist of the Katana Man arc and a minor antagonist in the Control Devil arc.
Katana Man later returns in the Academy Saga as a supporting character, having temporarily joined Public Safety as a member of Tokyo Special Division 7 with the personal agenda of reviving his grandfather's Yakuza syndicate and killing his arch-nemesis Denji.
Appearance[]
Human Form[]
Katana Man is a tall man with short black hair and notable sideburns. In his debut arc, Katana Man dresses in a large leather coat with a dark military uniform underneath. During his time as one of Makima's brainwashed servants, Katana Man wore the Public Safety Devil Hunter suit and tie.[3]
Hybrid Form[]
When Katana Man transforms, he grows large swords from each of his arms, and his face takes on a demonic appearance with dark skinless flesh and an oversized jaw devoid of lips. His chin becomes pointed, and another sword grows from his forehead where his eyes would be, with the handle sticking out of the back of his head. He also seemed to sport a navy blue military hat.[4]
Gallery[]
Personality[]
Katana Man is a selfish, cruel-hearted, stubborn, and rather unintelligent man who only cares about killing Denji and forcing him to apologize for killing his grandfather. He will sacrifice innocent people and even his own comrades to do so, being willing to cut through them just to get to Denji.[5] He has shown a complete disbelief in Denji's excuse that he killed his grandfather because he was a zombie and accused Denji of being a liar.[6]
He loves his grandfather despite knowing he was a Yakuza boss because he viewed his grandfather as a man of principles who had only killed a handful of women and children.[7] He also expresses the belief that the Yakuza are the "good guys" who protect Japan from behind the scenes, showing just how delusional he is in his ideals of justice.[8]
Despite having his physical heart replaced with the Katana Devil, Katana Man considers himself to still have a human conscience and states that he doesn't sleep well on nights where he killed a zombie, in contrast to Denji who has no guilt at all.[9] Katana Man has a harsh distaste for religion as well, believing his grandfather's idea that religion and idiots are making the world worse.[8]
When he returns in Part 2, Katana Man still retains his hatred of Denji, and resents him even more than before. Those negative feelings have become worse, to the point of attacking and slicing a devil only because he talked about "Chainsaw Man" and his justice, claiming that he has no sense of justice.[10] His hatred also extends to the symbol of Chainsaw Man as a whole, such as when screaming out of frustration at the sight of several Chainsaw Man Church members being transformed into Pseudo-Chainsaw Devils against their own will.
Katana Man's hatred for Chainsaw Man is enough that he will easily disregard orders from his superiors. Upon learning that Chainsaw Man was being held within the facility he was guarding and that Asa had come to fight him, Katana Man decides to go against Public Safety's orders to kill the intruders. Even if it means that he can never revive his defunct Yakuza syndicate, Katana Man prioritizes his hatred of Denji over everything, resulting in his betrayal of the organization to help Asa and Fami's group find his arch-nemesis.[11]
He also seems to put a great importance of being a traditional "alpha-male", complaining how young boys like Denji now act more like a "woman" by crying all day and was disgusted to the point of saying that his grandfather would be rolling in his grave if he tried to avenge him by killing "Chainsaw Woman". So, he proposes to go to a soapland to make sure Denji can regain his manhood having sexual intercourse and cheer him up.[12]
Though he largely shows indifference to violence being a former member of the Yakuza, he still seems to have an aversion to some forms of violence, being visibly disgusted when he saw Nayuta's decapitated head.[13]
Abilities[]
Hybrid Powers[]
- Hybrid Transformation: By removing his left hand from his body and revealing a katana which emerges from the stump, he can transform into the Katana Hybrid form with swords emerging from his arms and his head.[14] Removing the katana from his arm will undo his transformation.[15] After his transformation is undone, he is unable to fight for a while.[16]
- Augmented Strength: Katana Man's strength is greatly enhanced in his transformed state, allowing him to cut through solid walls with his slashes.[17] He is also strong enough to cut the Fox Devil's flesh and the reinforced uniform used by Public Safety members, however he was not capable of making a deep cut in the suit with just one slash.[18]
- Augmented Durability: In his Hybrid form, Katana Man is durable enough to survive getting thrown through walls and falling from buildings without taking any damage.[19][20] He also managed to survive being swallowed by the Fox Devil.
- Augmented Speed: After transforming, Katana Man's speed is improved, allowing him to compete with Aki and Denji in terms of speed. He can also slash walls in the blink of an eye.[21]
- Sword-Draw Dash: Katana Man's special technique, it is a quick-draw sword technique (also known as iajitsu) by crouching down low and preparing to unleash his swords, Katana Man can dash forward at incredible speeds and slash at his opponent as he goes by them, often appearing to simply teleport past them before his attacks appear on his opponent's body.[22] Katana Man moves faster than the average human eye can see and he can use this technique multiple times in a row without any apparent drawback. While this attack tends to only affect a specific part of the enemy's body, it does so with significant force, severing limbs or cutting the opponent in half. However, Katana Man does not actually disappear when he uses this attack, meaning it is possible to block or counterattack this move and wound him.[23] If he gets injured while using this technique, the damage will take a few moments before it appears on his body, just like when he cuts someone with this attack.
- Blood Consumption: As a Hybrid, Katana Man is able to restore his health by consuming blood.[24] After being bifurcated by Denji, he was able to regenerate his body.
- Nigh-Immortality: Due to being a Hybrid, Katana Man is immortal and nearly unkillable. He can survive being bifurcated, getting shot and take all kinds of injuries that would kill most Devils. Even if he dies, as long as someone removes his left hand, Katana Man can come back to life in perfect condition. After being killed by the Curse Devil, Akane managed to revive him, despite the curse being believed to be lethal.
Skillset[]
- Marksmanship: In his human form, Katana Man has used a handgun to gun down Denji, Aki and Himeno at close range.[25]
- Swordsmanship: Katana Man is a skilled fighter with his arm blades, able to clash against Aki and Denji and ultimately overwhelm them with his powerful slashes.[26][27]
Weaknesses[]
- Cooldown Period: Once his transformation is undone Katana Man is unable to enter his Hybrid form again for a certain period of time. This weakness seems to be unique to him, since Denji is capable of going in and out of his Hybrid form indefinitely as long as he has enough blood - being none too bright, it's possible Katana Man simply doesn't know this aspect of his condition.
Chapter Appearances[]
Public Safety Saga[]
23. Gunfire | Debut |
24. Curse | Appears |
25. Ghost, Snake, Chainsaw | Appears |
26. The Gun is Mightier | Appears |
27. From Kyoto | Appears |
28. Secrets & Lies | Appears |
29. Perfect Score | Absent |
30. Bruised & Battered | Mentioned |
31. The Future Rules | Absent |
32. Over and Over Again | Appears |
33. Mission Start | Appears |
34. Full Team | Absent |
35. Minor | Absent |
36. Katana vs. Chainsaw | Appears |
37. Train, Head, Chainsaw | Appears |
38. Easy Revenge! | Appears |
39. Tearjerker | Absent |
40. Love, Flower, Chainsaw | Absent |
41. Before the Storm | Absent |
42. Teach Me How to Swim | Absent |
43. Jane Fell Asleep in the Church | Absent |
44. Boom Boom Boom | Absent |
45. A Fine Day for Explosions | Absent |
46. The Melody of a Massacre | Absent |
47. Luck With Women | Absent |
48. Kaboom Kaboom Kaboom | Absent |
49. Shark Hurricane | Mentioned |
50. Sharknado | Absent |
51. Dark Diving | Absent |
52. Lost Love, Flower, Chainsaw | Absent |
80. A Dog's Feelings | Absent |
81. Paw | Absent |
82. Always Eat A Hearty Breakfast | Absent |
83. Death, Resurrection, Chainsaw | Absent |
84. Hero Of Hell | Absent |
85. Bloody Good Gut Feeling | Absent |
86. Date Chainsaw | Appears |
87. Chainsaw Man vs. the Horrifying Weapon Humans | Appears |
88. Star Chainsaw | Absent |
89. Go Get 'Em, Chainsaw Man | Absent |
90. Super Power | Absent |
91. Power, Power, Power | Absent |
92. Zombie, Blood, Chainsaw | Absent |
93. You & Crappy Movies | Appears |
94. Chainsaw Man vs. the Weapon Humans | Appears |
95. Chainsaw Man vs. Control Devil | Absent |
96. This Kind of Taste | Absent |
97. I, Love, Chainsaw | Absent |
Academy Saga[]
132. Protection | Absent |
133. Chainsaw Man Protest | Absent |
134. Ordinary Happiness | Absent |
135. Sentimental Drive | Absent |
136. Normal Life | Absent |
137. Chu Chu Lovely Muni Muni Mura Mura | Absent |
138. Sword Man | Absent |
139. A Chair's Feelings | Absent |
140. Scales | Absent |
141. Normal Life Plus | Absent |
142. Denji Fan Club | Absent |
143. Rawr | Absent |
144. Guns, Nails, Katana | Appears |
145. Kumbaya | Mentioned |
146. Chainsaw Man War | Appears |
147. Cremation | Absent |
148. Room 606 Sword | Absent |
149. Devil's Choice | Absent |
150. Dream’s Next Stage | Absent |
151. The Return of Chainsaw Man | Absent |
152. Massage | Absent |
153. Chainsaw Man Hunters | Absent |
154. All Pets | Absent |
155. The Old Me | Absent |
191. Cuz I'm a Devil | Appears |
192. How Devils Play | Absent |
193. Burning Kiss | Absent |
Anime Appearances[]
1. Dog & Chainsaw | Absent |
2. Arrival in Tokyo | Absent |
3. Meowy's Whereabouts | Absent |
4. Rescue | Absent |
5. Gun Devil | Absent |
6. Kill Denji | Absent |
7. The Taste of a Kiss | Absent |
8. Gunfire | Debut |
9. From Kyoto | Appears |
10. Bruised & Battered | Absent |
11. Mission Start | Appears |
12. Katana vs. Chainsaw | Appears |
Trivia[]
- Katana Man's rankings in the Popularity Polls are as follows:
- Katana Man ranked 25th in the First Popularity Poll with 1,176 votes.
- Katana Man ranked 32nd in the Second Popularity Poll with 1,279 votes.
- When Katana Man uses his Sword-Draw Dash attack, his position mimics a swordsman reaching for the blade at their waist, with the left hand acting as the katana and the right hand moving in a position to draw it.
- Katana Man's hybrid form bears resemblance to Karl Ruprecht Kroenen from Hellboy - having two blades going from his forearms and a military long black leather coat and hat.
- Katana Man revealed that he kept tabs on Asa during her time as the Chainsaw Man Church's poster girl. This even extends to knowing when her poetry collection was going on sale.
- When the Nail Fiend asks him if he is a fan of Asa, Katana Man vehemently denies it. This presumably implies that he either doesn't want to admit he is one, or hates Chainsaw Man to such a degree that he obsessively does research on people publicly associated with him.[28]
References[]
- ↑ Chainsaw Man Anime Exhibition - Character Height Chart
- ↑ Jump Festa 2024 Part 2 Character Status Visual
- ↑ Chainsaw Man Manga: Chapter 86, Page 18
- ↑ Chainsaw Man Manga: Chapter 23, Page 20
- ↑ Chainsaw Man Manga: Chapter 26, Pages 8 - 10
- ↑ Chainsaw Man Manga: Chapter 36, Page 11
- ↑ Chainsaw Man Manga: Chapter 23, Page 11
- ↑ 8.0 8.1 Chainsaw Man Manga: Chapter 160, Page 3
- ↑ Chainsaw Man Manga: Chapter 36, Pages 12 - 13
- ↑ Chainsaw Man Manga: Chapter 144, Pages 13-15
- ↑ Chainsaw Man Manga: Chapter 160, Pages 5-10
- ↑ Chainsaw Man Manga: Chapter 165, Pages 12-14
- ↑ Chainsaw Man Manga: Chapter 170, Page 11
- ↑ Chainsaw Man Manga: Chapter 36, Pages 14 - 17
- ↑ Chainsaw Man Manga: Chapter 38, Pages 2 - 3
- ↑ Chainsaw Man Manga: Chapter 27, Page 3
- ↑ Chainsaw Man Manga: Chapter 26, Pages 3 - 4
- ↑ Chainsaw Man Manga: Chapter 25, Pages 2-3
- ↑ Chainsaw Man Manga: Chapter 26, Page 3
- ↑ Chainsaw Man Manga: Chapter 37, Pages 2-3
- ↑ Chainsaw Man Manga: Chapter 26, Pages 3-4
- ↑ Chainsaw Man Manga: Chapter 49, Page 15
- ↑ Chainsaw Man Manga: Chapter 37, Pages 11-16
- ↑ Chainsaw Man Manga: Chapter 50, Pages 2 - 4
- ↑ Chainsaw Man Manga: Chapter 23, Pages 9 - 21
- ↑ Chainsaw Man Manga: Chapter 24, Pages 1 - 11
- ↑ Chainsaw Man Manga: Chapter 26, Pages 2 - 12
- ↑ Chainsaw Man Manga: Chapter 160, Pages 1-3
[]
Public Safety Devil Hunters | Aki Hayakawa † • Angel † • Beam † • Denji ‡ • Division 2 Vice Captain † • Division 4 Female Member † • Division 4 Male Member † • Ear Devil † • Fumiko Mifune • Furuno • Fushi † • Galgali † • Himeno †• Hirokazu Arai † • Kato † • Kishibe • Kobeni Higashiyama ‡ • Kusakabe † • Madoka ‡ • Makima † • Masaki Ando † • Michiko Tendo † • Minami Nakano ‡ • Nail Fiend ‡ • Nakamura † • Nomo † • Pillbug Fiend † • Power † • Princi † • Quanxi • Sato † • Subaru † • Takagi † • Tamaoki † • Tanabe † • Yutaro Kurose † |
---|---|
Civilian Devil Hunters | Akane Sawatari † • Aldo • Denji ‡ • Hirofumi Yoshida • Joey † • Katana Man • Kenzo • Santa Claus ‡ • Tolka † • Asa Mitaka ‡ • Yoru ‡ |
Devil Hunter Club | Asa Mitaka ‡ • Fami ‡ • Furio • Haruka Iseumi • Hirofumi Yoshida • Nobana Higashiyama • Seigi Akoku • Yoru ‡ • Yuko † |