Waifu Wednesday: Himeno (Chainsaw Man)
Love makes us do silly things. In the case of Himeno from Chainsaw Man, it made her give up everything she had to save the man she loves. Like, literally. She ceased to exist in an attempt to save him. In a show that relies so heavily on over-the-top gore and action to make its point, it is a nice, personal touch that keeps everything grounded.
This week for Waifu Wednesday, we’re celebrating Himeno, who takes it upon herself to both corrupt and support her fellow Demon Hunters, though she does occasionally leave a bad taste in their mouths.
Who is Himeno?
We’re introduced to Himeno around halfway through the first season of Chainsaw Man, when she offers Denji a little incentive in their upcoming fight. If he’s the one who takes down the devil they’re about to go up against, she’ll reward him with a great big kiss. For Denji, who exists in a permanent Goblin-Mode state, this is all he needs to get motivated. A kiss is the first step toward seeing a woman naked, after all.
Over the course of the fight, we find out that Himeno is a chain-smoking, heavy-drinking Demon Hunter who is absolutely in love with Aki, who she used to be partners with. Her contract is with the Ghost Devil, who took her right eye in exchange for allowing her to use its spectral hand. After a couple of days of contemplating their existence while trapped in an eternal loop, Himeno’s promise to Denji helps spur him to unleash the chainsaw within and slice/eat the devil holding them all hostage.
Why we love her
The good news is that Himeno makes good on her promise to give Denji his first ever kiss. The bad news is that it was after she’s had several drinks and it became the grossest kiss in anime history. If that wasn’t enough, she ends up taking the distraught young man home with her and trying to seduce him, though their inebriated state means neither can follow through on it. Instead, they just fall asleep next to each other and have an awkward conversation the next morning over breakfast.
It is that conversation that makes Himeno’s character really come to life, though. We find out that she’s tried to convince Aki to leave the Public Safety Demon Hunters for a cushy, safe job in the private sector, not necessarily because she is afraid of dying but because she doesn’t want to see Aki die. She enlists Denji in a group conspiracy to help her win the heart of the man she loves. In return, she’ll help Denji with the body of Makima, because pursuing a romantic relationship with your bosses is always a solid life choice. (See me after class – Ed.)
Why you’ll love her
There is a lot of unhinged chaos going on with Himeno throughout the show, but it is all driven by the fact that she genuinely loves Aki. Enough that, when the time came, she gave up everything in a last-ditch effort to save him. There is real affection there, something that is hard to come by among Demon Hunters, who have remarkably short life expectancies. Himeno offers up every part of her body to the Ghost Devil to keep Aki safe for just a moment or two longer.
Because love makes us do silly things sometimes.
If you’ve not seen Chainsaw Man, you should definitely fix that. It is easily one of the best anime of 2022 and one that I’m most excited about continuing in the next year. You can catch it both subbed and dubbed on Crunchyroll.
Header art by eba. Original source here.
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