Chainsaw Man's tree reveal may speak to the circumstances of its world

Chainsaw Man has been a wild ride for the past couple of chapters. From witnessing Nayuta's demise (unconfirmed) and Pochita's rampage to a Pochita vs Yoru showdown and now the Aging Devil's bizarre world, the story is as chaotic as ever. In the midst of all this, protagonist Denji has come to learn some intriguing facts from the Aging Devil about its world which sparks major curiosity.

The biggest reveal is the trees in the Aging's world. As the Devil explains, the trees were once trapped humans who sought to escape their world. However, countless failed attempts led to them turning into trees upon "reaching the culmination of thought". This is where things get interesting and rather twisted, leading to speculations.

A recently surfaced theory speaks of the same and links human thought, fear, and Pochita's concept-erasing abilities in an odd way. Here's a closer look.

Disclaimer: This article is speculative in nature.

Chainsaw Man: The key to Aging's world might be hidden in the "tree-fication" process

As revealed in the latest chapter, the trees in the Aging Devil's world were once human. However, with no means of escape, they turned into trees upon "reaching the culmination of thought". This was surprising to the sinister Devil itself, as it wanted the humans to (oddly) live longer and discover unseen concepts. But in all possibility, it couldn't happen as the tree-fication took place.

A recently surfaced theory speaks of arriving at the "culmination of thought" as being linked to the tree-fication and Pochita's ability. To elaborate, the lore states that humans become trees upon reaching the peak of thought/knowledge. These "trees" represent accumulated knowledge. Chainsaws used for tree-cutting are paralleled with Pochita's Devil Erasure for concepts, including those rooted in fear.

Thus, the world is likened to a "tree of knowledge" and aligns with mythological symbolism, comparing the Chainsaw Man universe to a mental simulation supported by collective knowledge. Likewise, Pochita's ability to erase concepts is akin to filling gaps in understanding. This theory connects the mechanics of the story to broader philosophical ideas about perception and the nature of reality.

Connecting the dots?

The above-mentioned theory does seem considerably plausible given the events that have occurred so far. But then again, it begins strongly and loses itself somewhere between the middle and the end. To begin with, the trees symbolize the culmination of thought and their links to chainsaws cutting trees being akin to erasing concepts/thoughts make sense.

However, from that point on, the theory begins to turn a little blurry. The world of Chainsaw Man being likened to a "tree of knowledge" is a little strange. This would essentially mean that every single thing that has happened so far is a figment of someone's imagination. So according to this logic, Denji, Pochita, Asa, etc. do not really exist, which is quite odd.

Again, Pochita's ability to fill in gaps in understanding is another grey area. It is sort of vague how Pochita's ability operates like this and even so, it delves a little too deeply into the philosophical side of things, which likely isn't what creator Tatsuki Fujimoto is going for. Hence, this is why the theory starts out fairly well but takes an odd turn later.

Final thoughts

Intriguing revelations similar to the events of Chainsaw Man chapter 185 continue to spark fan theories and philosophical interpretations. The above-explained concept of trees in the Aging Devil’s world is particularly thought-provoking. The theory associates tree-fication to knowledge, fear, and Pochita’s erasure abilities which offer a fresh perspective.

But then again it also ventures into complex philosophical territory that might not align entirely with Tatsuki Fujimoto’s storytelling intent. While trees symbolizing accumulated thought and Chainsaws erasing them is compelling, the idea that the world might be a "tree of knowledge" and/or a mental simulation is highly debatable.

Ultimately, Chainsaw Man's chaotic yet meaningful narrative is open to diverse interpretations, keeping readers engaged and guessing about its unfolding mysteries.