Chainsaw Man Chapter 223: Denji turns Yoru’s friends into armor and forces her to make a drastic decision 

Still from the manga
Still from the manga (Image credit: Shueisha)

Chainsaw Man Chapter 223 is most probably one of the most emotionally loaded installments as Denji and Yoru's battle continues. Both of them, by now, know that chances of winning will only increase if one of them pulls out a smart move in addition to their physical abilities, because it is clear that both of them are incredibly strong.

Denji ends up using psychological warfare against her because, at this point, there does not seem to be any other way to get an upper hand. Titled Ultimate Armor, the chapter reframes Denji’s new red form not just as a visual upgrade, but as a statement: this fight in Chainsaw Man Chapter 223 is no longer about raw strength, it’s about loss, leverage, and control.

Fujimoto has taken his time to give Denji a fighting opportunity to shine because he, too, is experienced when it comes to battles. His character is often underestimated because of his naive nature, but when things truly matter, he ends up coming up with some incredibly creative solutions. In Chainsaw Man Chapter 223, Yoru instantly notices that Denji has a different form.

Still from the manga (Image credit: Shueisha)
Still from the manga (Image credit: Shueisha)

He is red, and while the creator has not included any colored illustration to back it up, we just know it from dialogue. This is an important change noticed by Yoru because not for her is this the Chainsaw Man she needs to fight, and orders Denji to stand down, dismissing him with characteristic arrogance. That dismissal proves to be her first mistake.

The color shift in Chainsaw Man Chapter 223 subtly reinforces who’s in control. This isn’t Pochita rampaging on instinct; this is Denji thinking, planning, and choosing cruelty with intent. Yoru’s refusal to acknowledge that difference puts her a step behind from the very start.


Turning allies into armor: Denji’s psychological counterattack

Still from the manga (Image credit: Shueisha)
Still from the manga (Image credit: Shueisha)

Denji is not affected by her words anymore, and he starts making his move. Yoru in Chainsaw Man Chapter 223 continues to mock him, but that stops when Denji retracts his chain. What comes back is horrifying: the severed heads of multiple devils, dragged in and fused onto his body like grotesque armor. Among them are devils Yoru had personally communed with, including the Moray Eel Devil.

This moment is the true highlight of Chainsaw Man Chapter 223. Denji isn’t just fighting Yoru but taunting her by showing the things she carries about and using that as leverage. The War Devil, who treats allies as disposable tools, is suddenly forced to confront what it feels like when those tools are taken from her and repurposed against her will.


When War finally feels loss in Chainsaw Man Chapter 223

Still from the manga (Image credit: Shueisha)
Still from the manga (Image credit: Shueisha)

Yoru lashes out, but in her rage, she accidentally fires upon the Moray Eel Devil’s head. She is furious and calls him out for using a trick like this. For someone who thrives on violence and domination, this reaction exposes a rare emotional fracture. He understands what he is doing, as we see he continues to point out to Yoru that she should not finally know what it feels like to lose a friend.

This is Denji at his most cruel and most human. In the story, his eating devils has always been his thing, but here it’s weaponized emotionally. In Chainsaw Man Chapter 223, he is not doing it to survive; rather, he’s doing it to teach Yoru what loss feels like, something she’s avoided for far too long.


The Moon as a weapon and a threat to everything

Still from the manga (Image credit: Shueisha)
Still from the manga (Image credit: Shueisha)

The chapter’s final act escalates everything. From atop a building, Denji demands that Yoru return Asa’s body. If she refuses, he’ll keep devouring her allies one by one. Cornered and furious, Yoru in Chainsaw Man Chapter 223 raises her hand, and the sky answers. A massive crack forms across the moon beneath the American flag, implying she’s weaponizing it.

Edited by Nisarga Kakade