Chainsaw Man theory: Was Pochita acting cute on purpose, or was it a survival tactic? 

In the world of Chainsaw Man, there have been many devils introduced in the story, but none of them are as mysterious as our Pochita. He is supposedly the Chainsaw Devil, who has granted his ability to Denji, making our protagonist a Half-Feind. But the main question around the fandom remains that this cute-looking mascot-type character is actually an extremely strong devil. How can something look adorable, especially because Pochita can literally fight against anyone without even breaking a sweat?

We know that Pochita in Chainsaw Man came across Denji in an injured state; he had to be taken care of, and because of Denji's nice personality, he stuck around. The tiny orange chainsaw dog didn’t just melt fans’ hearts; he raised one of the biggest debates in the fandom: Was Pochita acting like a sweet, harmless puppy as a deliberate show of affection toward Denji, or was he weakened so drastically after his final battle before meeting the protagonist in Chainsaw Man, something did to his mind? It is a theory with two compelling sides, and the truth may rest somewhere between them.

Pochita was just acting cute in Chainsaw Man

One side of the fandom believes Pochita’s behavior in Chainsaw Man was entirely intentional. The logic is simple: even in his weakened form, Pochita clearly displays intelligence far beyond instinct. He seems to understand Denji’s trauma, warns him not to open “that door,” and even communicates emotionally by responding to his pain. Later, when he temporarily takes over Denji’s body, we see just how much awareness and empathy he truly possesses.

In other words, Pochita wasn’t stupid; he actively chose to be silent. It could be that the creator wanted a mascot-like character and therefore made one of the strongest characters in this story look cute. It would also make sense to make Pochita an adorable puppy because at the start of the story, no one could have guessed how untouchable this Chainsaw Devil truly is.

Pochita’s mind reverted after the battle

The opposing theory is darker but equally believable. When Denji first meets Pochita, the Chainsaw Devil is near death; he is bleeding, limping, and unable to speak. Devils shrink, weaken, and lose form as they die, and some fans argue that Pochita in Chainsaw Man did not just lose power; he lost mental cohesion.

Instead of choosing to bark, maybe he lost the ability to communicate via telepathy. This would explain his dog-like behavior, as it may have been a genuine regression brought on by catastrophic injury. This theory would suggest that there is someone scarier than the four Horsemen who could seriously pose a threat to the Chainsaw Devil.

Also, there is a chance that he could have gained his abilities back, but by that point, he and Denji had an inseparable bond. Pochita would have found himself deciding between staying with a boy who has nothing to offer but the goodness of his heart.

Final thoughts

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Ultimately, the most influential interpretation combines both ideas. Pochita was undeniably weakened when he met Denji. His physical state makes that obvious. But that doesn’t erase the intelligence and emotional awareness he still possessed. Even in that weak form, he had some sense left that understood that Denji is a good person who is just trying his best in a world that is not letting him live in peace. Time and again, Pochita has shown that whenever Denji is in danger, he resurfaces to help his friend.

In Chainsaw Man Part 2, we saw his battle against Yoru the War Devil, where even her strongest attack was ineffective. Maybe Pochita was never pretending, or it was a clever ruse by the creator for now, but this fan theory remains popular. In the end, it was nice that someone like Pochita met Denji and got a way to enjoy a quiet life, a way to finally experience something he’d been denied his entire existence: warmth. While Fujimoto enjoys making characters suffer, Pochita deserves all the good things.

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